Title: STICKS AND STONES
Summary: Kevin Ryan Whump (A to Z) – starts when he is an officer and continues on, as he becomes a detective in narcotics, undercover in the mob, and a detective in homicide.
A/N: I have recently become obsessed with the Castle universe. However, after doing a lengthy episode binge, I realized how little the show's writers focus on Javier Esposito and Kevin Ryan. They have some of the most subtle jokes and witty banter. They display extreme loyalty and friendship that goes way beyond that of normal partners (and no I am not referring slash). But, as much as I love Castle and Beckett, I love Esposito and Ryan more.
I am upset with the fact that Ryan didn't have an episode to himself until "The Wild Rover". The acting was phenomenal and the writers really delved into Ryan's past and overall character. As such, this episode inspired me to write a series of connected one-shots to address Ryan's past. I admit the entire series of stories center around Ryan getting hurt (whump to the extreme) but there are plot lines and backstories that dig deeper into the character of Kevin Ryan.
(I do want to briefly acknowledge that the most recent season of Castle has focused more of Esposito and Ryan than they did in the past. And for that I am extremely grateful.)
Happy Halloween!
This series is an A TO Z story set. As such, expect a total of 26 chapters (or more if I decide to do an epilogue or sequel).
Disclaimer: I don't own Castle of any of its characters.
Chapter 1 – A is for AK-47
New York City awoke with a fresh blanket of snow. The sun was still fairly low in the sky so it couldn't offer any heated rays to the concrete metropolis below. But as the sun struggled higher and higher, the wind became harsher and harsher. The people of the city, however, remained ignorant to the sun's struggle and simply cursed the wind's ferocious onslaught. Unfortunately, the harsh weather did not deter New York's Finest from going about their duty to protect and serve. One such police officer answered the call of responsibility, and now trudged through the crisp snow beside his partner.
Officer Kevin Ryan shivered as the wind fiercely bit at his back. The rookie ducked his head to prevent being blinded by the sailing snow and tugged the edges of his hat lower with his uncovered, frozen fingers. Suddenly, a patch of black ice aided the wind's assault on Kevin by almost tripping the man. Cursing mildly, he wished that he had put on an extra layer beneath his new, blue uniform.
Officer Elizabeth Webb, known to her familiars as 'Spider', couldn't contain a very unladylike chortle as she watched her new partner fight against the snow and wind. Upon hearing her outburst, Kevin jerked his head sharply to the left to glare at the woman. His boyish scowl only prompted her to laugh harder. Finally, after composing herself, Elizabeth said, "Oh cheer up, kid! Its only a little snow."
"A lit- a LITTLE!" her partner choked back. "How can you call this a little?" he finally ground out, all the while arching his arms out in one grand sweeping motion.
Elizabeth rolled her eyes, "Probably because its only two inches deep and already melting. Besides, I happen to like the snow. It also helps that it deters crime because all you silly, snow-haters do," she pointed accusingly at Kevin, "is stay inside."
"That's true." Kevin dropped his arms, not willing to argue with the senior officer's logic.
"I know it is, kid. I've been on these streets long enough to know."
Elizabeth and Kevin turned the corner and started to walk down an adjacent street. The tall apartment buildings of the neighborhood provided a wall between the officers and the wind, granting them a brief reprise.
The two had already been on patrol for nearly four hours and Kevin was growing tired of walking. If he could feel his feet he would certainly be complaining that they were sore. The female officer beside him seemed to notice his fatigue. Looking around for a place to rest, Elizabeth spotted a diner. Its warm, welcoming glow shone from across the street. Looking at her rookie partner again, she asked, "Wanna grab a brew?"
After a few seconds passed, Elizabeth glanced over at Kevin when he failed to respond to her question. She liked the kid, she really did. Though, the raven-haired woman will admit that she had her doubts when the Captain had called her into his office three days ago only to introduce to her a wide-eyed, bushy-tailed rookie that needed to be trained. Reluctantly she agreed. After all, she was the only one currently without a partner, not that she minded. But it only took a few hours for her educated, skilled eyes to note that the kid was good – dare she say great – at his job. He effortlessly pried information from a drugged-up teen, filled out accident reports with ease, gracefully talked down a hysterical mother, and even made a decent cup of coffee out of the horribly old machine in the break room. And that was only on his first day!
Observing Kevin's tired expression Elizabeth grabbed his elbow and started to direct him across the street.
"Where are we going?" the rookie questioned, confused.
"We are going to grab a quick coffee and warm up."
Surprised, Kevin readily agreed. "Oh, okay."
After waiting for a car to pass, the two strode across the street and let themselves into the diner. Heat instantly hit their faces, causing their cheeks to flush with color. Surveying the establishment, Elizabeth noted only three other patrons: an elderly man drinking at the counter and a young couple eating in a far booth. Nodding to herself, she walked up to the counter. Kevin dutifully followed behind his senior officer.
A few minutes later the officers were sitting in a booth by the door, sipping extremely hot cups of dark roast coffee. From their position Elizabeth could watch the diner's entire interior while having the capability to see anyone who entered the establishment. Kevin, on the other hand, rested his right cheek on his palm and dreamily gazed out the window. It was still too early in the morning for the normal 9-to-5 workers to be up and about. A few night employees shuffled passed the diner's window on their way home, weaving between paperboys, delivery trucks, taxis, and the random insomniacs that clogged the streets.
When Kevin first graduated from the police academy he sincerely thought that he was going to be a pencil pusher for one of the departments. After all, that was standard. Almost everyone out of his graduating class was spread out through the whole city and, from those he kept in contact with, all of them worked a desk job at one station or another. He was the only one that was immediately placed out in the field. Granted he was only walking a beat but that was still more action then his peers were experiencing. Over the past couple days he had always been wondering why that was. He wasn't exceptional in anyway; he wasn't top of his class, his shooting skills were strictly average, he looked too young to be a cop, and he was still learning about fieldwork. And yet on the day he graduated Captain Montgomery of the 12th precinct approached him. He had asked the Captain why he was chosen to go directly into fieldwork but the man only replied that he was special. Whatever that meant. Clearly he wasn't special enough to get assigned a high profile neighborhood or a beat that wasn't set in the early morning when nothing happened.
Sighing, the rookie took another sip of coffee and shifted slightly to look at his partner. Elizabeth Webb was a piece of work. Kevin couldn't help but admire her even though he practically knew nothing about her. He was street smart, resourceful, motherly, sarcastic, and a hell of a good cop. He had heard amazing stories about her while at the academy but he never thought that he would meet her, let alone be her new partner. It was rumored that she had taken down five armed gang members without backup when she was only two weeks out of the academy. It was the biggest bust made by a female rookie in NYPD history. As such, it was said she was promoted to be a Sargent right then and there but turn it down! That was unspeakable. In fact, it was said that Elizabeth laughed at the Captain who offered her the job. Since then she has received more medals of bravery than any beat cop before her. At thirty-five years Elizabeth had passed up ten different promotions and refused to be moved to a nicer neighborhood or a later timetable. On his first day Kevin tried to ask her why she didn't take any of the promotions. Elizabeth had just smiled, shrugged, and said, "Why not?"
The memory made him grin. Elizabeth noticed this and asked, "What cha smirking at, kid?"
"Nothing in particular," he shrugged.
"Uh huh," the female officer vocalized through tight lips. "Define nothin'."
His grin slightly grew as he shrugged his shoulders again and finished his coffee.
Elizabeth raised an eyebrow before following his example and downing the rest of her warm drink. "Whatever. Let's go; we have a few more hours before we need to report back to the precinct."
Just then, as she exited the booth, the door of the diner jingled open and two masked men entered. Unfortunately, Kevin's back was to the door and he didn't notice the men until it was too late. The bigger of the two took this to his advantage by slamming the butt of his AK-47 into the crown of the rookie's head.
Stars exploded before Kevin's eyes. He heard screams and a round of shots go off. The young officer tried to reach for his service weapon but he didn't get far before the gun slammed into his skull again. Kevin crumpled into the booth, his head smacking the window before he passed out.
~o~o~
Officer Kevin Ryan didn't know how long he had been unconscious. His head pounded and vision blurred. The young man's hand shook violently as it came in contact with the wet, sticky blood that dripped from the gash on his head and ran down the back of his neck. He swallowed dryly and licked his chapped lips.
Suddenly, a cry of pain cut through the air. Shifting from his slumped position in the booth, Kevin looked around the diner. The elderly gentleman who had been sitting at the counter earlier was now hiding underneath the barstool. The couple from the far booth was kneeling near the older man. The young woman cradled her red, already bruising, cheek in her hands. The other two had their hands raised in the universal gesture of surrender. One of the armed assailants had his back facing Kevin as he threatened the hostages in front of him. He was short and stocky. The gunman wore jeans, grey gloves, a black ski mask, and a heavy, tan winter jacket. In his hand he held a sawed off shotgun with extra caps attached to the belt of his pants.
Kevin frowned slightly when he didn't see the other masked man, the diner worker, or his partner. As not to alert the attacker, the rookie officer slowly sank low into the cushions of the booth before rolling underneath the table. Once he settled in a squatting position Kevin removed his service weapon from its holster. The movements made the top of his head nudge the underside of the table. Kevin sucked in a breath as a hot flash of agony shot throughout his skull. He briefly closed his eyes as he regained control of his pain-filled body. When he opened his eyes he looked up and saw his partner. Elizabeth kneeled uncomfortably on the ground on the far edge of the diner's counter near the kitchen doors. Her arms were twisted behind her back and cuffed – Kevin guessed with her own police issued handcuffs – to the barstool. Kevin couldn't spot any injuries or blood so he assumed that she was relatively unharmed.
He shifted slightly to get a better view of the diner, careful not to hit his head on the table again. The movement caught Elizabeth's eye. She turned her head to gaze at her young partner. She could easily see the blood dripping from the gash on his head, but what really worried her was the fact that his eyes seemed to be unfocused and glazed with pain.
Elizabeth prayed that Kevin wouldn't do anything reckless in his condition. So, quickly catching his attention, she signaled to him by batting her eyelashes in Morse code. She desperately hoped that he would get the massage, after all he had just recently graduated from the police academy and it was required of all officers-in-training to learn the simple code of dots and dashes. With any luck he had remembered all of his lessons.
She watched the rookie crinkle his eyebrows at her. After a second or two his eyes widened slightly and nodded. And blinked back to tell her he had received her message.
Abruptly, the armed assailant stalked over to the incapacitated female officer and stood in front of her. Though his shotgun was still trained on the other three hostages the masked man's undivided attention was on Elizabeth.
"Don't even think about movin' cop. I'm just ichin' to pump some lead." His voice was deep and scratchy but Kevin could clearly tell that the man wasn't bluffing; his fingers were constantly jumping toward the trigger.
Elizabeth smiled sweetly. "Didn't even cross my mind."
"Good."
Then, just as the gunman glanced over at the other hostages, Elizabeth swung her legs out and kicked the man's knees. He gave a muffled cry before crashing to the tiled floor, temporarily stunned. And, before the masked man could reorient himself, the senior officer opened her legs and wrapped them around the man's neck, placing him in an unbreakable chokehold.
"Now!" she hissed, applying force to the struggling figure.
Kevin rushed out from underneath the table. He kicked the man's shotgun away before he could grab it. After checking that Elizabeth had her hands – or should he say legs – full then he turned to the other three people in the room. With his gun still drawn Kevin knelt before them and said, "I need you to exit the front door as quickly as you can and call 911. I'll cover your exit."
The younger man nodded before assisting his female companion and the elderly gentlemen out of the diner. Once Kevin was assured that they were out of danger's way he turned back to his partner. He smiled grimly. The assailant's movements were much slower and weaker than before. Elizabeth's chokehold was strong and effective. It seemed her reputation definitely preceded her.
Unfortunately, both Officers Ryan and Webb forgot about the second attacker who just suddenly decided to make his appearance. The kitchen doors swung open to reveal another hostage, the diner worker, being roughly handled by an angry masked man. The gunman was tall and lean. He wore a similar outfit as his compatriot except he had a brown winter coat and handled an AK-47.
"What the hell is going on out here, man?"
The gunman stopped short when he saw that his companion was disabled and the hostages were gone. The masked man growled in anger before throwing his hostage to the ground so he could handle his semi-automatic weapon with both hands for better accuracy. The hostage took advantage of his temporary freedom and, reacting quickly, he crawled underneath a table before a rain of bullets tore from the AK-47. As the man shot towards the two cops he ran behind the diner counter. However, while giving adequate cover, his position no longer gave him a clear shot of the two police officers.
At the sound of gunfire, Kevin had scrambled backward toward a table, grabbed one of its legs, and tipped it. This gave him a little bit of protection from the hail of hot lead. But, at such a short range, there was no way a small plastic and metal table would shield him from the high velocity bullets. He needed to think quickly. Hearing the telltale click of the semi-automatic, informing him the round was spent, Kevin stood up and rushed the masked gunman before he could reload the gun. Not expecting to be attacked head on, the man dropped his empty weapon and raised his hands to deflect the assault. Kevin vaulted over the counter, fists swinging. One hand connected with the man's nose, effectively breaking it.
But the assailant refused to go down without a fight. He responded in kind and hit the young police officer in the stomach. Slightly winded, Kevin doubled over. But, from his bent position, he rushed the man, successfully tackling him to the ground. Then, looming over the unarmed attacker, the rookie pistol-whipped him with the handle of his service weapon. The man collapsed, a bruise starting to spider-web on his temple. However, before the assailant could collect himself Kevin had him handcuffed and subdued.
The masked man growled at the young officer and tried to attack him again. But Kevin aimed his weapon at the man's chest. "I dare you to even try it," threatened the rookie.
The unarmed man shook his head and frowned before slumping to the ground in defeat.
"That's what I thought."
A powerful silence fell over the diner only to be broken by the sound of approaching sirens. Within a minute, five heavily vested policemen rushed into the diner, guns drawn. But, upon seeing the situation contained, they approached their fellow officers to offer assistance.
Three cops aided in handcuffing the incapacitated man between Elizabeth legs. One, who seemed to personally know Elizabeth, said, "Woah, Spider! Looks like you found yourself a 'legs man'."
Elizabeth barked a laugh in response. "Come off it, Walker. Just get me uncuffed, will ya?"
"Whatever you say, Spider."
The other two cops slowly approached Kevin and his captive gunman. The rookie warned the officers that he was fighter. They nodded in response before carefully, but forcefully, handling the man out from behind the counter. Sighing in relief, Kevin lower his gun and put it back in his holster. Adrenalin gradually left his system, leaving him light headed. He shakily walked toward his now freed partner.
Elizabeth smiled and him and slapped him on the back. "You did a good job, kid!"
He laughed shakily, "Thanks."
He must have sounded weird because Elizabeth suddenly looked worriedly at him. But before she could ask him if he was all right he collapsed into her hands.
"Hey, kid! Kid!" the female officer shook him awkwardly. "RYAN!" she called, using his name for the first time. But the rookie couldn't hear her because he was already out cold.
~o~o~
When Kevin woke again he was in a hospital. But he was not alone. Elizabeth was sitting a chair next to his bed.
"Hey," he gruffly greeted her.
His partner looked and smiled. "Hey there, kid. Want some water?"
"Yes please."
The senior officer complied and offered him a sip from a small plastic cup. Once satisfied, he thanked her.
"So, what happened?" he eventually asked.
Elizabeth shrugged. "You fainted at the scene."
"Oh."
"Yeah, well, you deserved it."
Kevin questioningly raised an eyebrow.
The female officer laughed at the expression on his face. "That's not what I meant. I mean that you took some pretty heavy blows to the head." She leaned back in her chair before continuing. "You did a great job back there, kid. I'm impressed. You kept your cool and handled the situation like an expert. You freed the hostages without a casualty and took out one of the assailants without having to fire your weapon or seriously injure him." She paused. "I can see why Captain Montgomery chose you."
"What do you mean?"
She shrugged for a second time. "You remind me of me."
The rookie frowned. "And what does that mean exactly?"
"Look," Elizabeth said. She leaned close to look him straight in the eye as she said, "Some people are meant to be cops, and some people are meant to call the cops. Got it?"
Kevin nodded but winced as a flare of hot pain rushed through his skull.
"Enough talk. You need a doctor and then some rest." Then, pressing the button next to his bed, signaling for a nurse to come to the room.
A nurse responded to the call. When she noticed he was awake, she asked him if he was in pain. Kevin nodded, hissing when another flare of discomfort ran through his brain. The nurse smiled at him and told him to relax while she fetched him a doctor.
A female doctor eventually arrived and informed Kevin that he had a minor concussion and a deep gash on the back of his skull that bled profusely and required a few stiches. But the doctor assured him that he should be out of the hospital in about 24 hours. She just wanted to make sure that Kevin would be right as rain before finally being discharged.
Kevin thanked her before settling down in his hospital bed. He then turned back to his partner and curiously asked her, "What were the two guys after?"
"Apparently the diner was a front for a money laundering business. The gunmen knew about the business so they tried to hit it for three hundred thousand dollars."
Kevin whistled, impressed by the men's ambitions. Then he smirked. "And they would have gotten away with it too if it wasn't for us meddling cops."
Elizabeth chortled at his reference. "Woah there, kid. There was no mystery behind this bust."
"Yeah, I guess," he grumbled, slightly disappointed.
"Don't worry, kid. The puns and one-liners will come with time. It took me a couple years before they came naturally. It's a coming of age challenge; it's kind of a way for a cop to become a man, or woman in my case."
"I'll take your word for it."
"As you should." She then glanced down at her watch. "Damn, I gotta go."
Kevin turned to gaze at his partner as she got up to leave. "What? Why?"
"Captain Montgomery said I could only stay until you woke up. I have to go back to the precinct and fill out some statements. I'll be back in a few hours."
Kevin smiled understandingly. "No problem. I'll see you later."
"Take it easy, Ryan."
The rookie's smile grew at the use of his surname. "Yes, Ma'am!"
Shaking her head at his antics, Officer Elizabeth Webb exited the hospital room. Kevin could hear her boots echo down the hall until they faded away.
And then he was all alone. Kevin finally completely sank down into his bed, allowing himself to be swallowed by the sheets. Still smiling, he couldn't help but think about his partner's earlier words: "Some people are meant to be cops…" And, for the first time since he left the academy, Kevin Ryan knew he had made the right choice in becoming a police officer.
A/N: YAY! Chapter One complete. You have no idea how excited I am to be finally posting this. I have been working on this series for the past several months. About half of it has been already written or all the plots have been outlined.
Some of my plot points slightly contradict with the Castle universe, but none of the major ones (possibly just small side comments or remarks made during the show).
I hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it. Please comment and let me know what you think. Constructive criticism is accepted if it allows me to become a better writer, and compliments are ALWAYS welcomed.
REVIEWS ARE MY BREAD AND BUTTER… SO FEED ME!
Coming Soon: B is for Brass Knuckles