Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. That would mean that I was brilliant and hilarious and amazing in general. Which I feel like I am, but...not enough to own Castle. xD
A/N: Based off of "Knockdown" (which, by the way, was AMAZING! Who agrees?) and the amazing quote, "It's not about the books anymore." It's basically my idea of what might have happened that we didn't get to see...
Staring at his mother, wondering what to think about what she had just said, Castle said in a quiet answer, "It's not about the books anymore." He tore his eyes away from his mother and pushed himself out of his chair.
From behind his back came a voice, one that did not belong to his mother, a voice whose rasping sound grated on Castle's ears and burned itself into his memory. "What is it about, then, Castle?"
Castle whipped around. A man in civilian clothes and a black ski mask was holding his mother by the shoulder with a gun cocked at her temple. Inside, Castle screamed like a little girl – this man had his mother! But on the outside, he knew better.
"Who are you and why are you here?" he demanded. Best to get straight to the point. Dammit! He thought to himself. I need to get Beckett to get me a gun.
"Who am I? Like I would tell you," the man snorted. "Why am I here?" He paused. "You know too much."
Who do I know about, who might this be, is this Beckett's mother's killer? . . . No, not professional enough . . . Castle's mind raced on and on. Without moving, he scanned the room. Nothing had been moved, but . . . the carpet had been vacuumed just this morning. So how were there footprints, impressions of a pair of running shoes just like the ones Castle noticed on the stranger's feet, coming from the hall? A minute shift of his head later, Castle could see all the way down the hall. That meant he could see the sparkling drops on the floor, the sparkles he knew were shattered glass, outside of Alexis's room. But he hadn't heard glass break . . .
Castle snapped back to look at the stranger. "How long have you been here? And where is my daughter?" he asked through gritted teeth.
Ignoring the first question and flashing a bright white smile, the raspy voice said, "Why don't you find out for yourself?"
Castle glared at him suspiciously. "Because you'll shoot me, or her. That's why." His mother's eyes went wide; she was scared out of her wits. But Castle couldn't do anything to help her.
"I won't. I want you to find her. Go on, your mother's safe," the stranger encouraged.
"I don't believe you."
"Well, I do believe I'm the one with the gun. Go," the stranger ordered.
Castle, who never followed orders from anyone except his mother, Beckett, and Alexis, obeyed, carefully stepping around the footprints and glass. He would need both later. Gingerly he stepped into Alexis's room.
His daughter was splayed across her floor, her strawberry-blonde hair in a glowing halo around her face. But there was no blood. Castle rushed to her and put his fingers to her wrist. There was a pulse. A faint one, but still a pulse. She was alive, unconscious.
Castle thought for a split second, decided his plan would work, and rushed into Alexis's adjoining bathroom. He scooped up a handful of water from the sink and dumped it on his daughter's face, covering her mouth with his hand to stifle the spluttering gasps she made was she regained consciousness.
"You'll thank me later," Castle hissed.
"Hey!" A shout from the next room rang out. "What's going on in there?"
"Who is that, Dad?" Alexis whispered.
"Great question. You need to get out. Now," Castle ordered her. "Fire escape in the guest room."
Alexis nodded. The bathroom connected her room and the guest room; she would be safe. She stumbled to her feet. "Dad . . ." she trailed off.
"Go," Castle ordered. "I'll be fine." Footsteps pounded down the hall.
"I love you, Dad," Alexis said softly and quickly before dashing from the room.
Castle watched her go. The footsteps were getting closer; he had to buy her some time. He tried to move, to block the doorway, but the stranger in the ski mask was already there. Castle stared at him, straight into the cold eyes.
But the stranger refused to remain in eye contact with Castle, making Castle wonder if the stranger was trying to hide his identity – because Castle knew him? But he put the thought into the back of his mind; right now he had the lives of his daughter, mother, and himself to worry about. The stranger looked around Castle, and then roared in rage, "Where is she?"
Castle shrugged. "I'd ask the same question of you."
"You woke her up. She's escaping!" The stranger shoved past Castle and, instantly noticing the open bathroom door, ran through into the guest room. Both he and Castle caught a glimpse of golden-reddish hair out the window, and then she was gone.
Before the stranger could react, Castle dove for his belt, seizing his handgun and turning it on its owner. He held it up, backing away from the stranger with him at gunpoint. He backed all the way into the hallway.
"Mother!" he shouted down the hall. "Get out!" There was no response, but he heard her feet running toward the door, and he knew she would be safe. Hopefully Alexis would find her, and they could hide until it was safe for them to be here.
But inside, Castle knew that now it would never be safe for them. Because they were connected to him.
He turned back to the stranger, who had been rummaging around inside his trench coat and now held another gun. But this time, he had upgraded. Now he held a giant army-status machine gun in his arms. Through a small hole in the ski mask, Castle saw him grin evilly.
"Oh. Uh . . ." Castle trailed off, unable to match the stranger's threat.
"That's right. You come with me," he rasped in reply.
A/N: Rather mysterious, eh? I hope so, anyway. Please review!