Title: Empty Shells

A/N: Warning: major character death. This story is set ten years in the future. I had to do a bit of timeline twisting to get it to work this way so if you could do me a favor and just accept the story as is, I would appreciate it. This is a different kind of fanfic from what I usually write so please give it a shot and then leave me a review.

The sun was just beginning to light the New York skyline when the black medical examiner van pulled up on the corner of 4th and Broadway. The driver pulled her red hair into a slick ponytail and tugged on her blue latex gloves as she walked toward the crime scene her boots splashing in small puddles from last night's rain.

"Dr. Castle, this way please." A uniformed officer lifted the crime scene tape as Alexis ducked under and approached the body.

"Thank you," She said looking at the officer. She then turned her attention toward the body and the two homicide detectives standing over it. "Detectives." She received a smile from one and nothing more than a curt nod from the other. Alexis had worked with the two of them before, Danny Chase and Tommy Kent. Danny was a pompous ass as far as Alexis was concerned; in the entire time she had known him he had spoken at most three words to her. Danny believed that it was Tommy's job as the junior partner to deal with the medical examiner.

Tommy was the complete opposite of his partner, he was lighthearted and fun. He believed in the good in the world despite the horrors he worked with everyday. Tommy had transferred into homicide the same week Alexis had gotten the job as medical examiner. The two of them had bonded over being the newbies at the twelfth. Their bright personalities added light to the dark precinct, they had become best friends. Now for Alexis that sometimes made things harder, because Tommy had known her before.

"What've we got here Doc?" Tommy strode over and knelt beside the body.

Alexis cracked a half smile at his nickname for her, "Female. Mid 20's. Looks like a GSW to the chest maybe a .38 caliber. No wallet or identification I presume?"

"None so far Doc. We still have uniforms looking." Tommy said as he stood up. "Hey Doc, you okay? Want to grab a drink after work?"

Alexis shook her head, "I would Tommy, but I'm supposed to go have dinner with Alex and Kate."

"I understand. How are they doing? I haven't seen my little dude in a while." Alexis felt a surge of guilt at that, Tommy had been a huge help with Alex. He had helped Alexis when the balance between caring for him and Kate and still working had become difficult.

"I'll about bringing him by the precinct sometime." Even as she said it Alexis knew it was a lie, she would never allow Alex anywhere near the world she worked in.

"No you won't Doc." Tommy said wistfully, "But bring him by my place sometime. I miss him, and you, Doc, I miss you too."

"What's there to miss Tommy? I'm right here."

"No Doc," Tommy shook his head, "There is someone here but it sure ain't you."

Alexis sighed, she knew what Tommy meant, but he was pining for someone who wasn't ever going to come back. The old Alexis was gone. "I don't know what you are talking about, but I've got to get this body back to the morgue. I'll call when I have prelim reports."

Alexis slid into the front seat of the van as silent tears fell down her cheeks. She couldn't help but remember the reason the old Alexis no longer existed.

5 YEARS EARLIER

"Are you sure we were right to leave him with your mother?" Kate asked worried, her thoughts kept drifting to the sleeping baby they had left at home. She had promised herself that she wouldn't be so anxious, but it was her first case since she had been back from maternity leave and they had to leave the house before the babysitter was available. The scheduling confusion had resulted in Alex being left with Martha.

"He'll be fine, Kate," Castle reassured her, "My mother raised me didn't she?"

"And how is that supposed to make me feel better?" Kate grumbled as she closed the door to the Crown Vic. They had driven all the way out to Washington Heights to interview a suspect; the neighborhood always put Kate in a foul mood.

Rick feigned hurt, trying to bring a smile to Kate face. The corners of her mouth were tugging upward when Rick spotted a flash of sunlight glaring off metal. The all too familiar sight had him shoving Kate to the ground. "What the hell R-" she began as she hurt the gunshot.

She picked her service weapon up off the ground and fired two shots in the direction of the noise. Time seemed to slow down as she rotated her body to where he lay. A pool of blood was forming on his blue dress shirt. Kate placed pressure on the wound as she fought to keep tears at bay.

"This is one Lincoln forty," Kate was shouting into her radio, "I have shots fired. Officer down." As soon as she heard confirmation that an ambulance had been sent for she turned back to Rick. Her hazel eyes looked with his ocean blue ones, they lacked fear.

"Rick stay with me, hang on please!" She struggled to keep her voice even.

"It doesn't hurt Kate, not really," he said sighing as he tilted his head back. "I love you Kate, so much."

"Rick I know! I know," she pleaded with him, "Stay with me."

"Alexis too, and Alex, Kate," Rick sighed, "Our beautiful baby boy. Love them so much."

The tears were streaming freely down her face now, and Rick made the effort to speak again, "Love you, Kate."

His head rolled to the side and all Kate could do was whisper, "I love you too," as she knelt beside him and gripped his hand.

By the time the ambulance arrived, the EMT's found a tearful Kate Beckett-Castle holding on to the hand of a corpse.

I know it's short but let me know what you thought. Is it worth continuing? ~Cate