Takes place when Castle is at the station during "In the Belly of the Beast". I know, it's short.
I always thought Castle took the news about Kate being missing to well. He also never said anything about the boys ducking him either. That has always bothered me. I admit this is over the top, but I felt the need to over compensate for the lack of actual response. Let me know what you think about it. I can't improve without feedback.
Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. I don't even have a rent option. I'm just politely taken them for a drive.
"None of my business?!"
Victoria Gates had made a career out of reading people. It had helped her navigate the social pitfalls of high school. It had helped her making lasting friends in college. It had helped her avoid what she knew would have been a doomed marriage by turning down a proposal. As a cop it helped her on the street. More than once it had stopped a bad situation from blowing up in her face. As a detective it gave her one of the best closure rates in the NYPD.
Where it really paid off was in IA. It got to the point she could read bad cops in the first 15 minutes. It had made her when she went up against a burglary captain that everybody was afraid to cross. She hadn't been. She knew that not only was he dirty, but that he didn't have the back bone to really do anything other than bark.
That's where she had gone wrong in this particular situation. She thought for certain he was all bark. He regularly cowered under her glare. The seething monster in front of her now was nothing like the man she thought she knew. Gone was the class clown. The look in his eye held none of the mirth and playfulness that was usually there. Now they held rage and menace. As he took two step toward the desk she consciously had to not step back. The thought crossed her mind that if he decided to actually do anything she would probably have to shoot him to stop him.
"She is my fiancé. Her life is my business. You brought her here alone so that I couldn't protect her. You used her good nature against her."
That was true. She knew Castle would never willingly allow Beckett to go undercover. Bringing Beckett here alone had kept out any outside influence. Just a bunch of cops wanting to get a bad guy.
"Undercover work? Did you get your badge in a box of cereal? She's been in Cosmo. Our engagement was just announced. SHE HAS A SERIES OF BEST SELLING BOOKS BASED ON HER!" Castle raged, leaning over and putting both hands on the desk.
His raised voice caught attention in the bullpen and the head of narcotics walked into the office. "You need to leave."
Castle didn't even turn his head. "No one is talking to you."
"I'm telling you…" the detective took a step toward Castle to grab his arm. With no warning Castle turned and his right hand connected with the detectives face. His left hand immediately connected with this stomach. As the detective doubled over he brought his elbow into the back of this head. As he hit all fours he picked up his foot and stomped the detective into the floor rendering him unconscious.
"YOU DID THIS TO HER!" Castle yelled at the body on the floor brining his foot back to kick the motionless man again.
The act of violence caused Gates blood to boil. "MR. CASTLE! HAVE YOU TAKEN LEAVE OF YOUR SENSES? YOU JUST ASSAULTED A MEMBER OF THE NEW YORK POLICE DEPARTMENT!"
Castle whirled to face her, breathing hard from the exertion. "You want me to make it two? If I lose her, I have nothing left to lose. You remember that." He turned to walk out the door as Espisito and Ryan rushed into the office. They had heard the shouting but stopped short seeing the unconscious body on the floor.
"Castle, bro…" Javier started.
"Castle, what happened?" Ryan spoke on top of him.
Castle looked at both of them. "Don't. Just don't. No one in this entire department had her back. NO ONE! I would have, but I was cut out. And then you two duck my calls because you know, you know you are in the wrong. And now…now…look where we are. Your precious case. Look what it cost."
Castle made to walk between the two detectives when Javi grabbed Castle shoulder. "Castle…"
Castle turned to look him in the eyes and Javi was scared by what he saw there. The man he had known for almost six years was nowhere in the storm of emotions behind those eyes. It had been a long time since he had seen that much violence in one person.
"Let go." Castle barely whispered. As he walked through the doorway he turned and grabbed the knob to close it. It made a point of looking each of them in the eye as he spoke. "I will never forgive or forget what has happened here today. Ever." And then he shut the door and made his way to the elevator.