Disclaimer: 100% I absolutely do not own Castle. That's Mr. Marlowe's and his team. However, I would certainly not have taken long for Kate and Rick to get together. OC's are going to be peppered throughout this set.
A/N: This is a one-shot preview, courtesy influenced by Cassie Valentine's 'Theoretical Possibilities', a great collection, with some connecting ones. Anyhow, this has been going in my mind for a long time, ever since 'Always'. Man, I'm a guy and went all girly. Anyhow, this is a hopefully somewhat brief story of what may happen after 'Always', assuming Johanna's murder is solved fairly quickly, but with the fallout much greater.
Summary: What if 'the Dragon' was really just a big fish in a small pond? What could possibly instill fear in such a being? The answers found will lead to more questions than answers, but the truth would be much stranger than fiction. Not even a best-selling author could have actually predicted that his overactive imagination would lead to the revelation of his mother's biggest secrets and the revealing of missing links.
A Father's Appearance
"You're lying", Rick Castle indignantly said, "My only blood relations are my mother and my daughter."
The best-selling author was staring straight into the eyes of 'the Dragon', not long after guilty verdicts were handed out for the man's many crimes, including the murder of Johanna Beckett, mother of Castle's girlfriend, Detective Kate Beckett. The normally intense and strong detective, however, could not have even been prepared for the words that came out of the mouth of her mother's murderer.
"Oh really?" asked the Dragon in an oily voice, "I guess you're mother didn't tell you the whole story of who your father was, what he was, and what he did. I'm surprised Martha didn't tell you, though in hindsight, probably a good thing. Not even I could not imagine facing off against him, as his reach is much farther than mine. He wouldn't hesitate to eliminate you if you were a threat. You have no idea of your own family's history and now he has no reason to keep me alive."
The entire courtroom was stunned into silence. What was supposed to be the greatest closure for all of the victims of Senator Michael Breer's, aka 'the Dragon', evil after the guilty verdicts were handed out, would instead rock all of what Rick Castle thought he knew. Immediately, Kate took control of the situation.
"Who is he?" Kate asked,' "Do you know Castle's father? Have you ever met him?"
The former Senator turned to Kate, with a glint in his eye that sent shivers down everyone's spine.
"Yes", the Senator replied softly, "And he's coming. He's already very close. He'll come after all of you to settle his business. You better hope Detective that he spares your life, for he would like his son to carry on the family name. It's amazing that you didn't express any of the 'symptoms' a lot of people have. What, with the recent rise of these freaks, they're taking over the world and that man is leading the charge, thanks to those special gifts of his."
Castle immediately shut down, his brain trying to figure out what the Senator was saying. Who is my father, he asked himself. For over forty years, Rick Castle never asked about his father, as his mother assured him that it was only a one-time thing, and Rick was never bothered about his father never showing up. Now, he cannot help but wonder who this 'man', as the Senator emphasized, is. Immediately a hand was placed on his, and he turned to see Kate on his right, giving him a reassuring smile. Alexis was on his left, also holding on to him as if he would suddenly disappeared. Considering the recent information about her grandfather, it truly stunned Alexis. The most stunned, however, would be Martha, as she kept her head down due to the return of long buried memories, things that she never would have imagined to face.
Kate, on the other hand, was confused. Rick was only told about his father in passing when they were held at gunpoint by Sophia Turner, albeit a mole in the CIA. Still, it confused her that the Senator would be that afraid of a simple man. Freaks? Gifts? What did that all mean, Kate's brain asked. Behind the four, Kate's team from the 12th Precinct and their Medical Examiner were all stunned into silence as well, each with their own questions about Castle's father.
As all of them were trying to process this new information, the Senator continued rambling. "Seems that that school of supernatural freaks didn't reach out to you Castle", Greer tauntingly said, "they would have certainly helped you and your little brat a thing or two about your abilities."
"That's enough!" shouted Alexis. Immediately, Castle turned to his daughter and had to take his hand from Beckett's to comfort his daughter. Fortunately, it wasn't needed, as Martha immediately consoled her granddaughter as the gavel was being slammed by the judge as the courtroom exploded into chaos.
"Order! Order!" the judge vainly shouted, "Guards, take the defendant out of here so that we can prepare for sentencing. This court thanks the jury. The courtroom is adjourned."
Immediately, the tight knit group moved through the sea of people, with questions being peppered at them. As they tried to reach the courtroom doors, a loud bang suddenly was heard. People ducked as glass shards were being sprayed throughout the courtroom, as they screamed for cover. Amidst the chaos, Castle grabbed his girlfriend and daughter.
"Everyone alright?" Rick shouted.
"Yes." "Fine Castle" Kate and Alexis responded. Esposito and Ryan immediately sprang into action to calm the crowd down. Suddenly, the room got silent.
"That was easy", Ryan quipped.
Before Esposito could reply, his eyes widened. Ryan was confused, and was about to ask Espositio until a loud gasp from Lanie Parrish was heard. Ryan turned and saw the exact same thing Espositio saw in shock. The entire Castle clan also turned, and saw what everyone else saw.
Hovering in the air was the former Senator Greer, vainly struggling against the shackles that held him, while also trying to breath. He was easily levitated towards a being covered in red leather garb, designed for a man, with a red cloak swaying due to the chilly winter weather. A helmet of some type covered the man's head, while he held one gloved hand up in a fist, seemingly using it to pull the Senator towards him. At that exact moment, he stopped, and dropped the Senator to the floor. As the Senator gasped for breath, the being spoke.
"I thought I told you Senator", said the strange being, "To keep your filthy stench away from the Castles, including Detective Beckett. I warnedyou did I not? Yet you decided to go behind my back? Remember who you answer to, Greer. I am not the only one offended by your actions."
Everyone was instantly listening to the strange newcomer, definitely confirming that it was a male due to the pitch in voice. One person, however, was paying particularly close attention, suspecting who's voice it was. 'Heaven forgive me', Martha thought, 'Please.'
"Save it", Greer spat, "You're pathetic. You wanted to save your son's girlfriend, a son you never even met. I was going to do you a favor."
The being then knelt down before the convicted politician, and spoke in a chilling voice. "On the contrary, my good Senator, It is I who will be doing you a favor."
Confused, the Senator looked up at the being, for what would be the last time. He was suddenly hauled into the air, this time by the man's own hands. The Senator was then feeling the life choked out of him almost instantly, thanks to the chains somehow tightening around his neck even tighter. The guards and police officers immediately drew their firearms, which were suddenly pulled out of their hands by an invisible force, and disassembled with ease. The gathered people were stunned further into silence, staring at the now broken weapons, until suddenly a strained scream was heard. All turned towards the source, now wishing suddenly that they didn't.
The Senator's feet were shaking, and all attempts in fighting back were rendered useless. The Senator was pitifully struggling for air, attempting to use his handcuffed hands to remove whatever was holding him. Instead, the strange being was adding even more force to the chains surrounding the Senator's neck. With his eyes rolling in the back of his head, the Senator could only croak out one word. "Please". For a moment, the strange being was considering it.
"You know Michael", said the being, "when we first met, I remember. I remember how I saw that woman's dead body in that dreaded alley. It didn't take much for me to figure out what really happened, and that was not even counting those corrupt officers. In fact, when you were running for office, I distinctly caught you in a rather peculiar position with a young girl, a mutant no doubt. Interesting enough, I decided to leverage that against you, what a well known anti-mutant activist cavorting with a young mutant girl. Imagine the scandal, Michael. Of course, you'd have my silence if you would gradually reverse your position. We would not want people to be suddenly suspicious, now would we?"
At the man's continued struggle, the being continued.
"After that, I noticed that you were snooping around my history. Interesting when you found out who I was related to, or rather, helped to create. In any case, you tried to blackmail me, only you realized that you made a mistake far too late. In fact, you were threatening my one-time love's child, and that I could not allow. You failed to realize how much farther my reach was, as you so eloquently put only a few moments ago."
"P-p-please", gasped Greer," D-D-Don't…Len".
"I think", replied the being, "not."
Suddenly, a loud snapping sound was heard. Everyone cringed, with Rick and Kate holding on to Alexis. The Senator's now dead body was still, with his limbs all stiff. With a rather soft release, the now dead Senator's body was laid on the floor. The being then touched ground and eyed the Castle family. He walked towards them with a purpose, with the disassembled weapons reassembled, but trained on the people within the courtroom. After what seemed like an eternity, he stopped in front of one particular person.
"Hello Martha", said the man, "It's been far too long."
Everyone immediately turned to Martha, who was slowly raising her head in defiance towards the man who killed the Senator.
"Not long enough", Martha spat bitterly, "I should've known you would have showed up one day. I'm rather surprised you took this long. You never wanted to look at your own son. It made the decision easier for me to not tell him about you. I should have listened to your former friend. He certainly knew what he was talking about. I only wished that I had him as Richard's father."
At this, everyone was slowly digesting this new information. With a chuckle, the man turned to Alexis.
"Ah, the granddaughter", said the man, "Rather beautiful, though shamefully, I hardly see any of myself in her. Ah well, at least it's in my son."
At that, he turned to Rick and Kate who were holding on to each other. "Ah yes, the best-selling author and his muse, quite the pair. It should not have taken that long but now I am glad to see this. I finally get to see my son find true happiness."
"Gee, thanks", said Rick, "Considering I never even met you until now, and mother never mentioned you."
"True", said the man, "But now I have the opportunity to do so."
"No you won't", Rick growled out, "There's no reason for you now."
"On the contrary", the man said back, "there is more than one reason for me to get to know all of you."
"Just who are you?" asked Kate.
"Would you do the honors or shall I, Martha?" the man asked without looking at Martha.
"Don't bother", Martha replied. With a deep breath, she turned to her family and Kate, who were all looking at her with questioning eyes.
"Richard", said Martha, "For years I've kept your father's identity a secret. It was more than a one-time thing, but after that, I went to get help in order to make sure you and any children you might have not be brainwashed into believing all that nonsense of superiority over another race. That was what your father was, a believer in the advancement of humanity, but at the expense of placing mutants as the superior race."
"Mother", Rick interrupted but Martha continued.
"This is your father standing before you. Erik Lensherr, the mutant known as Magneto."
Everyone immediately recoiled in shock, unable to process the newest bit of information. Most affected, Richard Castle. Slowly, he turned to look up at the man, whose face he can see as old but still handsome, with brown eyes dulled over the years. The man gave small smile and spread his arms as if expecting a hug.
"Hello, my son", said Magneto, "Papa's finally home."
