She walked in quiet and serene, the living room was just a few steps away and she couldn't wait to see where that long path of roses would lead her. He never did something like this in there three brief months together, and, sometimes, she felt doubtful about him. He used to grab every women in his way, blond, brunette it didn't matter. But was a womanizer capable of spreading roses around the New York Upper East Side flat for a single girl?
She was sure he had changed. Even she had changed.
The Roses ended near the kitchen where last night the dinner toke them to wonderland. But crossing the corner of the table, only wearing her bare feet, she felt panic. Tears started filling up her eyes as Kate kneeled before him and grabbed his head.
'Oh God. No. Please.'
Blood flood the room around them, his chest was wounded and he wouldn't wake up.
'No!' She screamed panicking.
'It worked!' a voice behind her vibrated in her chest, it was a young and clean voice. She looked upon her shoulder and the red haired girl was standing still wearing bedclothes. Kate was forced to look in front because his hysterical laugh couldn't be confused.
'Gotta ya!' he said with the biggest smile Beckett has ever seen.
'CASTLE!' she was now mad, satanically mad. Her hand hit him so hard the slap could have been heard for miles.
'This was not fun! You are the most reckless person I know!'
'Told you she was not going to like it." Alexis stopped by the couch and looked at the father with reason.
'This is my Halloween prank!'
'Halloween isn't for another three months!'
He grabbed her face in his hands and softly kissed her red and delicate mouth.
'I love you!' Ok, now he got her. Every time he would say another bone in her body would melt, three hundred more and she wouldn't stand up…
'Ok, fine. But I'm not cleaning this.' She stood and turned her back on him winking at Alexis. Her phone blew off in the loudly ringtone of the 12th precinct.
'Beckett?' she said smiling.
'Two girls, both sixteen, one is Cam Coleman, the other Danielle Grey. Murder in their own high school.' Esposito was always better than Ryan exposing their cases.
She was squatting near the two victims while Richard was looking at the school's trophy showcase.
'Time of death I'd say between midnight and four a.m. Murder weapon is still inconclusive they both suffered strikes in the head but I'm not sure what hit them.' And Lanie was always good at determining what they needed to know.
'Ok, Ryan' he approached with his small note pad 'I want everything on the victims, make sure they didn't die in vein.'
'Hello,' a man tapped her shoulder 'my name is Peter Douglas and I am the principal. Can you tell me what happened, I need to get the school running.'
'I am sorry Mr. Douglas but we have to investigate some more before jumping into any other conclusions.' She tries to feel convincing to all the victims closest people but she knows what they feel, they want an ending to a nightmare, wake up with something to reassure them, close a chapter. She wasn't able to close hers for years, but Castle's warm and strong arms filled the emptiness of her mother's murder. 'But I think you could help us. Did this students have any enemies or strong relationships that you might know about?'
'Cam was a bit extroverted, if you know what I mean but Danielle… Honestly they were the complete opposite and Dany was criticized, a lot, for hanging out with Miss Coleman. About relationships, I know Cam was always involved with someone but not lately.'
'What happened?' Castle had joined them meanwhile.
'They were leaving school with two other college girls. They were actually foreign and for a few weeks Cam hasn't been called for detention, neither has Danielle been crying in my office for an A plus. But I guess Mark could help you with that, he is the school monitor and he informs me about the students and what they're up to.' He pointed his chin towards a geek looking guy.
'Yes, Cam and Dany were very involved with these girls. But not the way you think. I followed Danielle one day-' Mark blew his nose sadly and continued '- she was the love of my life…' inside the classroom Castle smiled at Beckett discreetly, she smiled him back. 'Cam was a bad influence on her you know. But I saw the three of them getting into a warehouse.'
'A Warehouse?'
'Yes, detective. What ever they were up to, it was in that warehouse!'
The site was sinister, the lights were all down as Kate and Richie crossed the cement floor.
'What kind of place is this?'
'Why are you whispering, Castle?'
He pulled her by the waist and kissed her in the mouth deeply. Her body trembled but she also knew she was working; there was no way they were enjoying this moment in the dark. Beckett pushed him away and giggled.
'Please don't do that I can't melt while I'm working.'
A loud noise stopped them halfway.
'What is this?'
'I don's know…' Kate pulled for her gun and pointed it into the air. They kept on walking trough the surface when she spots a door.
'You're not getting in there are you?'
'Oh, come on Castle, you're not afraid, are you?'
'Is this because of what happened this morning?'
With a lovely smile she disappeared through the door into a bright light. When Castle finally went after her he also saw the light.
'What the hell? CUT!' A girl with a megaphone sitting in a wooden chair looked at them feeling insulted.
'What is this?' Another girl (younger though) approached wearing a school uniform. Around them a bunch of other people watched the scene, Beckett put the gun down realizing that this wasn't any sort of sweatshop. This was a movie set!
'Hmmm, we're looking for two foreign girls?' Castle said reluctant.
'Depend on who's asking…' Said the megaphone girl, who appeared to be directing the "movie".
'NYPD' with a badass voice, but still unsure about the whole situation, Beckett showed her badge.
Those two girls, the ones who approached them at first, sure fit in Marks profile but not just that, they were also familiar to Beckett. They walked towards Richard and Kate as in introducing themselves
'I am Belle, student at the New York Film Academy in LA, this is my cousin Phebs, she is a student in Oxford in London. Welcome to wonderland!'
They both looked around and noticed how beautifully the set was decorated, magical plants, woods, people wearing the most fancy and funny clothes and some green backgrounds. Beckett was sure she had seen those two before, and for a sudden moment everything lit up in her mind. Belle and Phebs the first two girls Kate had to talk to while being a cop, alive victims of her first case. It sure was Wonderland!
