Disclaimer: I don't' own Castle or any of the characters.
It's my first full Castle story, please be nice. :) I Don't have a proof reader so please forgive any spelling or grammatical errors.
I like to pretend Josh doesn't exist, so for purposes of this story...he doesn't.
Setting: Season 3 After "To Live and Die in LA", before the Season Finally.
The New York Times, September 2004 front page: Crime families falling apart as men break their allegiances. Police hoping to find them before kingpins do.
The New York Times, October 2004 front page: Crime lords hire hit-men to silence traitors.
The New York Times, November 2004 front page: Another high ranking member found dead, this one from the Corvino family.
The New York Times, January 2005 front page: New crime for the new year. Police hunt for cereal killer dubbed "The Widow". So named because of the sketch of a black spider left on victims lips.
The New York Times, March 2005 front page: No luck for the law in protecting the men willing to talk. The Widow, new hit-man for crime lords or their way of striking fear into remaining members of families.
The New York Times, June 2005 front page: The Widow strikes again, killing three more ranking members.
The New York Times, August 2005 front page: The Widow finally caught. Found shot, presumably by her would be next victim. Her identity is not being disclosed at present time.
The New York Times, October 2005 front page: Widow survives bullet. Charged with eighteen accounts of first degree murder. Sentenced to life in prison.
The New York Times, November 2005 front page: Prison Break! The Widow escapes and disappears into the night.
July, 2011
A beautiful morning it was indeed. The summer sun was shining through the open windows and a cool refreshing breeze blew across his face and chest. Castle stretched releasing the tension from his tired muscles and then relaxed again, going through the routine in his head. *Get up, dressed, Kate's coffee." He smiled as his thoughts drifted form his routine to his muse. He was like a child on Christmas morning when it came to her. He couldn't wait to get to the precinct, just so he could see her. Finally he rolled from the bed, wondering what new adventures he might find when he got to "work" today.
Across town, Beckett's eyes were just opening. She flushed slightly as a smile spread across her face. The first thoughts through her head were about Castle. She always thought about him in passing, but ever since that letter from Royce, he had filled every unoccupied moment of her thoughts. She rolled out of bed and hurried though her routine, pulling her hair back and then dropping it again to see what looked better. She groaned with frustration, but eventually settled on a look. She wanted today to be the day. She wanted to tell him exactly how she felt. Royce was right, she had put her job before everything and she had wasted too much time ignoring her heart already. She breathed deeply, grabbed her keys and left. Twenty minutes later found her in the elevator of the 12th. The doors opened, but she hadn't gotten one step in before Captain Montgomery called for her.
"Beckett, my office."
"Sir?" Her brow furrowed as she followed. He sounded angry, but she nor Castle had done anything stupid lately, that she knew of anyway. She stepped inside and waited as he shut the door and sat down.
"Sit down, Kate." A grave look was on his face as he motioned with his hand to the seat on the other side of his desk.
"Sir, is everything alright?" She was almost afraid to hear his answer.
He closed his eyes and sighed. "No, it isn't. Word on the street is Gian has another big client and guess who they want for the dirty work?"
She frowned, trying to think for a moment, truly confused.
The captain slid a small card across the desk and left it in front of her.
Her heart nearly stopped and eyes widened when she saw the small sketch of a black spider, "The Widow?"
"You got it detective."
She inhaled deeply and closed her eyes, the gravity of the situation finally hitting her.
Outside the precinct, Castle was just getting out of his car. He hopped up the stairs, danced around to the music in his head and then preceded to the elevator, dismissing the strange looks he got from passers by. Finally, he arrived upstairs. He composed himself and stepped off of the elevator, heading straight for her desk, two coffees in hand. However, when he got there, she was no where to be found. He looked to Ryan, who just shook his head and pointed to the Captain's office. Castle took one look at their expressions and body language and could tell something was wrong. The Captain was talking with is hands, something he only did when he was very angry or very stressed. Kate was sitting, one arm across her stomach and the other hand at her mouth. That hand would open and shut as she spoke, as if she might be able to catch any words that she didn't want to come out. Then both arms went around her body, holding her elbows. The captain was asking her to do something she really didn't want to do, but she was going to anyway. He set the coffee down on her desk and just stood there waiting, trying futilely to listen as he rummaged aimlessly through papers.
Beckett leaned forward on the desk. "I've been off the radar for years, Sir. Who on earth are they after that he would need me to get to them?"
The Captain shook his head. "The man's name is Dante Rosa. He's part of Kalebe Hundaro's upper circle."
She nearly fell over. "What? No one ever breaks allegiance with Hundaro."
"I know, Kate and if it was for anyone else I would never even dream of asking you to take up Widow again, but we may never get another shot at this. We've heard Hundaro himself requested her. He wants the fear put into his men now, before anyone else decides to break off."
She shook her head, he didn't need to explain any more. "I understand, Sir. Where is Gian?"
He pressed his lips together, feeling her reaction to hasty. "Kate, are you sure about this?" His hands rested firmly on the desk. "Picking up this alias again after so long is dangerous enough in itself, but the man almost killed you the last time he recruited you."
She nodded, unknowingly moving her fingers to her chest. "I haven't forgotten, but if he's looking for me that means my stunt in prison was enough to fool him. My alias is obviously still intact if Hundaro requested me specifically and Gian knows as well as I do that Hundaro will have his head if he does anything to me before Rosa is caught."
Roy hung his head knowing she was right and sighed. "Ok, Detective. Gian is keeping personal eyes on Dante. He made a run for Vegas yesterday. I got a call from their Chief of Police this morning confirming that they were both in the area."
She nodded. "Do Ryan and Esposito know, Sir?"
"They know all the details and I brought them up to date on everything that had happened before. We'll have your back as much as we can."
"Thank you, Sir." She stood. "I start immediately I assume."
He nodded. "Kate," He stopped her as she turned to leave. "It would be better if Castle sat this one out."
"Of course, Sir. He doesn't even have to know." The sincerity in her voice was telling.
He nodded. "I won't say anything to him. What you say is up to you. Be careful out there, Kate."
"I will, Sir." She reached for the door and pulled it open only to find Castle with his ear practically against the door. Her eyebrow rose. He couldn't have heard anything, they were speaking too softly. "Castle?" She admonished him with her tone. The flush that covered his face from being caught was more than amusing. She forced her air to become lighter knowing that she needed to act as normal as possible. "Eavesdropping are we, Castle?"
He cringed as she grabbed his ear and pulled him to her desk. "So do we finally have a body?" He asked excitedly.
She looked up shaking her head. "You know, you're the only person I know that comes in here hoping for a body. It's very disturbing."
He shrugged. "There's a lot about me that's disturbing." Sighing he took his seat beside her. "I'm just bored. All we've done for weeks is paperwork."
She tried to hide a smile as she signed more forms, not wanting to encourage his whining, but deep down she understood exactly how he felt.
"So if there's no body, what were you talking to Montgomery about?"
She leaned back in her chair, her look and posture conveying annoyance. "He's my friend. I can't just have a conversation with him without something going on?"
"I never said there was anything going on, I asked what you were talking about."
Her expression changed as she panicked for a second before regaining composure. She leaned forward letting her long hair fall across her face as she went quickly back to her papers.
Her body was tense, breathing too deliberately even, fingers gripping the pen a little too tightly. He had her on her toes now and he knew something was up. "Is something going on?" He pried.
"No" Her answer was quick and short.
He nodded. After three years of spending nearly ever day with him, one would have thought she'd have learned that she couldn't lie to him anymore. He was reading her like a book, but that book wasn't giving him any direct answers, so he decided to try a different book.
"Ryan," Castle turned his way hoping that he'd be more willing to talk. "What's going on?"
Ryan, unfortunately, wasn't a very good liar. Castle knew just from looking at him that whatever was going on was pretty serious. The grave look, the stammering, the almost green tint to his skin, they said it all.
Kate's eyes went wide. She shook her head frantically, mouthing 'nothing' to him as he met her eyes.
With a shrug he finally answered. "Nothing, so far as I know."
She smiled with relief as Castle turned back to her. "See? I told you." She had hoped he was satisfied.
"Come on." He leaned onto her desk, not buying a thing either one of them was saying. "You two were having a really intense conversation in there."
She was ignoring him.
Fine, if she wouldn't tell him outright, he'd just annoy it out of her. "Is it reconnaissance for some top secret mission?"
She clipped the papers on her desk together and slid them into a drawer, hoping if she ignored him he'd stop guessing.
"Oh, maybe we have to uncover the nefarious plot of a terrorist and save hundreds of people?"
It wasn't working. Her computer powered down and she locked the last of her paperwork away, before grabbing the coffee he had bought for her and standing up.
He shook his head. "Never mind, scratch that. I don't ever want to have to deal with explosives again." He followed her as she headed for the door. "Maybe we can infiltrate a Colombian drug ring and take them down from the inside."
"Castle," Her voice was warning as she turned on her heel.
He stopped abruptly to keep from walking into her, an innocent look on his face.
She took a step closer, keeping her eyes locked with his. "I am a New York Homicide Detective, not a CIA operative."
He shrugged. "We can pretend."
She rolled her eyes, sighing with exasperation. "If you're really that bored here, why don't you take a few days off? Go spend some time with your daughter. She is going to college soon."
He frowned at the reminder.
Her hand tapped his cheek gently. "I'm going to be away for a few days anyway. Go do something fun with Alexis. She'll keep you out of trouble while I'm gone." She had finally come up with a cover story to tell him.
His eyes widened as she stepped into the elevator and he nearly dove in after her. "Wait! Where are you going?"
Her eyebrow rose. He looked panicked. "Relax, Castle. I have family coming in from Ireland that I haven't seen in years and they're going to stay with my aunt in Florida. So, I'm going down to see everyone. I'll be back by next week."
The motion of her hands, nodding of her head and deliberate eye contact spoke volumes. "You're lying to me."
Her face flushed, having just been called out, but she turned it to frustration. "I'm not lying to you, Castle."
He stared hard at her for a moment before backing down. It was silent as he moved to her side and leaned against the wall, reconciled to the fact that she wasn't going to tell him anything. He'd find out on his own, but in order for him to do so, she needed to believe that he believed her. "So, what am I supposed to do without you for a whole week?"
He sounded so hopeless, as if she was leaving him forever, but at least he had stopped digging into what she was doing. She looked to him smiling and nudged him gently with her hip, trying to lighten the mood. He was being typically over-dramatic.
The elevator doors finally opened. They walked out to her car and she turned to say goodbye, but just couldn't do it. He looked so unhappy. She sighed. "Castle,"
"Hum?" He nudged an invisible stone with his foot.
She tried to hide the smile that reached her lips. His childishness was cute sometimes. "If I let you drive me to the airport tonight will that cheer you up?"
His head shot up, suddenly contented with her offer. "Yes."
"Good." Smiling, she unlocked her car and got in, rolling down the windows. "Pick me up at seven. I'll see you tonight."
"Seven o'clock. Got it." He smiled as she pulled away. The wheels in his head were turning deviously. She wasn't going to see her family. That much he was sure of. He had to find out where she was going and why she was hiding it from him and he knew exactly how to do it.