She was running. Her feet bleeding and cracked. She was fighting back tears so hard her head hurt and she couldn't see straight. The small splashes below her feet were loud in the empty alleys. Her feet hurt too much so she took off her heels and held them in her hand as she was trying to catch her breath. She looked back, but knew he wouldn't be chasing after her to see if she was okay. No she knew he wouldn't be bringing her coffee until she got him back. She leaved up against the wall of a nearby wall and had just now realized she was crying. Her face was streaked with tears and burned from running into the wind. She stepped out into the light of a streetlight and continued on, slower now, but moved on. He feet, she felt, were just stumps but she knew she had to get to his loft. She had to make sure this wasn't some bad dream. She looked for the street he lived on and sprinted until she was at his door. She knocked hurriedly. Martha answered the door, saw her condition, and threw her into the great room.

"Kate honey what happened?" She heard Alexis's feet thump the stairs as she ran down. Kate's throat was hoarse from running and she thought she would never catch her breath. Alexis grabbed some water and they led her to the couch. After a period of time she finally caught her breath and began to talk.

"They took him, he's gone. I need to go save him." Martha gave her a puzzled look. Alexis held Kate's forearm. "I have-" She couldn't finish before she broke out in tears again. It wasn't often that she cried but when she did it meant something. She needed him. And if not her Alexis, Martha, they needed him as well. Alexis and Martha seemed to catch on quick and Alexis buried her head in Kate's shoulder. Martha had silent tears streaking her face. Kate felt paralyzed. She couldn't move, couldn't breath, couldn't think. She had to find him. She had to devise a plan. She had to go through with that plan. She thought of all he had done to her recently. Sought out a new muse,ignored her pleas for explanation,went back to having a women at each arm. She wanted the old him back. She wanted him back. Kate felt the gentle seep of cold into her arm and realized for the first time how much all three of them were crying. Martha grabbed Kate's hand and squeezed. Alexis then lifted her head and had a fire in her eyes

"You're going to get this guy right?"

"At any costs." Alexis smiled through watery eyes and grabbed Martha's free hand. Kate stood up gently and said she was sorry. "I know you probably blame me for what has happened, so I will do anything to get him back. Not just for me, but for you guys." She finally muttered. She walked away grabbing her shoes on her way out.

The smell of old fabric left Castle's nostrils as the hood was taken off of his head. His head still hurt from the beating he got before the hood was thrown over his face. he couldn't see very well, but he heard muffled voices, as if they were coming from another room. He knew he was not in the same spot he was in before he was knocked unconscious. Everything leading up to this moment was fuzzy at best. He tried to make out figures or shadows in the dark, but all he saw was more darkness. He squinted and saw the light of a flashlight at the corner of his vision. He tried to look for it, but he couldn't focus on the light unless he wasn't looking straight at it. He tried to feel his hands, yet the rope, chains, or handcuffs were too tight, for they were cutting off circulation. He tried to smile at the last time he was in handcuffs. Laying on an old mattress with Beckett cuffed to him. "Castle, this isn't funny!" "I never said funny I said Kinky.". He tried to smile, but this time he knew there wasn't a tiger on the other side of that wall, or if there was a wall, and Beckett wasn't with him this time. He began to try and find out where he was, as his eyes adjusted to the darkness. Just as he was about to see where he was a light was shown into his eyes. He flinched, the voices got louder. He began to realize they were talking to him.

"Glad to see your awake sleeping beauty."

"Does this mean one of you kissed me?" For that another smack to the head with what felt like the butt of a gun. He felt wound open again and blood dripped down the side of his face.

"No games, writer." He could hear the man walk around him and stop behind him. "We let your little girl go, but not without making sure she wouldn't forget us." For the first time he heard more than one person was in the room. At the comment he tried to move, but he was tied too securely. His chair was wood, that would come in handy later, but for now he pretended to give up.

"She has nothing to do with this."

"No, but what kind of people would we be if she didn't know you were here."

"Nice. Speaking of nice would you be so by letting me go?"

"Now where is the fun in that." The man pulled his head from behind Castle and he saw who it was for the first time. Mendoza.

"I am not the one you want. You want Slaughter. I have no quarrel with you Mendoza."

"No, but I do want revenge on Slaughter. You seemed like a perfect candidate." Mendoza came back around and sat down in what looked like a chair.

"What is it you want."

"Not what, who."

"Slaughter?" His voice was raspy. Mendoza didn't answer. He simply sat back in the chair he was sitting in. Mendoza snapped his fingers and everyone left. He hadn't realized there were so many people in here. He counted at least eight people. Less than when he first met Mendoza, but too many for Castle to take on by himself. As soon as all of his men were gone Mendoza came over and sat in front of Castle for what felt like hours. At last he stood up and and motioned to Castle and soon after Castle felt searing pain shoot through his back. Then just as fast as the pain came Castle was knocked back out.