Chapter One

Narrater's POV

Beckett, Castle, Esposito, and Ryan all made their way to the crime scene in the alley that happened to be a shortcut to the precinct. None of them were happy to be there because 1: a new crime scene means that someone died. 2: Esposito was stilled completely pissed that Ryan ratted him and Beckett out to Captain Gates. 3: Beckett wanted her badge back but Gates said that the only way she'd ever get her badge and gun back is if she was able to solve this case with flying colors. 4: Castle hated being here because his girlfriend and the love of his life was very unhappy and very, very cranky. So overall, the walk over to the crime scene wasn't at all pleasant.

"Lanie, what have we got her- "Beckett started to ask as they approached a sobbing Lanie. "Lanie! What's wrong? Why are you crying? What's wrong?"

"T-T-The v-victim….s-s-she's A-A" Lanie stuttered and then broke out in one the biggest sobs that any of them had ever heard.

"Who is it Lanie?" Esposito asked all worried, showing great concern for her and how much that he still cared for and loved her. "Is it one of your family members?"

Finally able to get her sobs under enough control, she answered. "She might of well have been f-family! She was a-actually family to all of u-us. C-Castle especially." She said while looking with so much pain and hurt into her eyes at Castle. "The victim w-was A-Alexis Castle. I'm so tremendously sorry!" She ended with a sob that came from deep within her throat.

As soon as those words escaped her lips, the entire group just stared off at the victim, seeing the fiery red hair all over the place on the beautiful, nineteen-year-old on the ground, pale as a ghost, murdered on her birthday no less. She had come in from Colombia for her birthday and was going to spend it with her family and the people in the 12th precinct. Not one person in that group could ever believe that someone would want to murder innocent, sweet, responsible Alexis. If a passerby happened to see this scene, they would see one dead girl, and three detectives, a novelist, and a doctor bawling. Some louder than others, some silent, some were pissed, and some were in denial: i.e. Castle.

"She can't be dead! You must have made a mistake on the id of the person! That's it, I mean everyone makes mistakes and it's okay that you did. I'm not mad at you or anything like that. We just need to figure out who the real victim is, that's all!" And while Castle was mumbling about how it had to be a mistake, Esposito and Ryan were just plain pissed, but still had tears running down their faces.

"When I find the person responsible, I swear to God that I'm going to personally kill him and make sure that it's one of the most painful deaths ever!" Ryan screamed at Esposito, with him agreeing and saying that he'll help; temporarily forgetting that they were mad at each other. Lanie and Beckett were just crying in each other's arms, until Beckett remembered that they still had to do their job. So through her tears she asked Lanie what the cause of death was.

"I'm not sure, it looks like she got beaten to death. I haven't had the heart to check her out and see how she died. If I do, then it seems that it becomes real, you know." She said with so much sadness in not only her voice, but her eyes as well.

After several minutes, everyone was intending to stand around the body and figure out what happened, but none of them could, so they faced away from the body. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a voice rings out; a voice that everyone can recognize even though it was horse and barely above a whisper. They all turned around almost in unison; and what they saw amazed them to no end. It was Alexis Castle, sitting up against the alley wall, with her bruised eyes opened and her lips forming a weak smile.

"Can I have some water please?" She whispered to no one in particular.