A BIG GINORMOUS THANK YOU to all those who reviewed and read this! I didn't really think anyone would take the time to review my story and it made me want to write more so….you guys are awesome!

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle! I don't really own anything!

Chapter Two

Kate snapped her head up as Ryan and Esposito walked towards her. "Any leads?" her voice covering up the desperation she so clearly felt.

Ryan sighed running a hand through his already disheveled hair. "No. There were no fingerprints, no sign of forced entry, nothing.

"And the blood?" she inquired hesitantly glancing at the clock as she had been for the last four painstakingly long hours. Fifteen minutes left to go before the kidnapper was suppose to make contact.

His face got even more tragic looking. "Definitely his. Lanie said that by the drip and splatter pattern, it most likely came from the bottom half of his body. Looks like Castle put up a struggle," he commented posting pictures of Castle's house on the murder board. "The picture's glass shattering was caused by the glass pitcher that was on the counter top. Since Castle's fingerprints weren't on it we assumed the kidnapper must have thrown it."

Kate stood up examining the pictures. If she could just think of this as if it wasn't Castle's life in danger…

"Okay." She said taking a deep breath. "So Castle was standing at the counter…he must have saw the kidnapper, so he dropped his cup and starting running. The kidnapper chased after him, knocking over the chair and grabbed the pitcher. Threw it at Castle, missed as Castle…then dove over the couch. The kidnapper dove after him. They had a scuffle, tossing the pillows everywhere." She paused thinking critically. "Castle must have gotten away for a moment before the kidnapper caught up with him, dealing him an injury to the leg, then as he fell…" her voice choked up for a moment. "He hit his head, knocking him out. Then he left the note, took Castle, and…"

"And disappeared into oblivion?" Esposito offered hopelessly.

She shot him a sharp withering glare and he glanced down sheepishly. Suddenly remembering something she asked, "Where's Alexis?"

"Oh she's in the break room. We called her grandmother and she's returning home immediately to come and get Alexis. We're keeping watch on them both. We also forwarded Castle's home phone to here, in case he tries to communicate with us through that. Speaking of which it's just turning noon."

Alexis walked towards them her face tense. Just as Kate was just about to say they haven't heard anything, a small beep from her computer interrupted her. Curious she woke up her computer and a small feeling of dread began to seep in as she saw she had one new e-mail message. Everyone gathered around her desk; except for Alexis who hung back hesitantly not knowing if she actually wanted to see it. Hands shaking Kate opened the message. It was blank and for a second everyone was confused. But then she saw there was a video attached…

Castle groaned. His brain felt fuzzy and his body was sore as if he had been hit by a truck. He blinked several times waiting for the room to come into focus.

Huh. It was dark, pitch black. And then for the first time he realized he was bound to a chair. Oh my word! What happened? He cried out, straining to remember until finally it came back. The stranger in his house, the struggle, fear, and the pain. Castle glanced down at his leg. It was bent at a weird angle and blood was caked on his worn jeans. Fascinated slightly he leaned over as far as he could to get a good look at it. He grinned stupidly, wishing he had a camera to take a picture of his awesome battle wound.

Then he shook his head. Aw, what was he thinking? He was kidnapped! He had to get out of here! He called out, "Hello? Anyone?"

A small door opened behind him at the same time lights came on and Castle strained to see who was approaching. A great smack against his back of his head whip lashed it around and he cried out in surprise and pain. "What was THAT for?" Castle whined, shaking his head.

"Oh I don't know Ricky…I felt like it," a smooth voice whispered sarcasm dripping from his words.

Castle shook his head again and lifted it staring at a man dressed in a sharp black suit. "Who are you?"

The man snorted. "Do you really think I'm going tell you who I am when you are my prisoner?" he chuckled sinisterly.

Castle had to admit this man was starting to creep him out. Desperately he glanced about the room for something to get him out, but the room was completely and utterly bare. The chair was bolted to the floor; almost every inch of Castle was tied in someway to the chair, either in cutting tight rope or duck-tape, or in some places, chains.

Castle laughed quietly. "You did a good job tying me up, I have to admit that. Now what do you want?"

The man shook his head seeming bemused. The way he talked was as if he were speaking to a child, a child he thought to be less than smart. "I want many things Mr. Castle. But as for what I want from you? Well I'll be making that clear very soon." He paused a glint in his eyes that made Castle squirm. "I doubt however that you will be able to comprehend what I am saying when I am talking to your friends. You'll be somewhat…preoccupied, shall I say." He looked Castle in the eyes before resuming his pacing. "Now I hear you have a friend in the detective business is that right? A certain Kate Beckett?"

Castle's face paled even more but the man continued to speak. "I'm sure she'll be the first one your precious daughter will call when she sees the note I left her."

A sudden uprising of hate and extreme worry washed over Castle hearing the man talk about his only and dearly loved daughter. "Alexis. If you-"

"Don't worry Mr. Castle your charming girl is safe with your detective friends. They are waiting on news from you. Which reminds me…" the man trailed off leaving Castle and returning with a camera, sitting on a tripod. He watched as the man adjusted the camera.

"What are you doing? What do you want?" Castle asked again worry creasing in his brow as the man smiled ignoring him.

"I'd brace yourself, Mr. Castle. The next few moments will be quite painful," the man spoke. He pressed the record button.

There was Castle. Kate gasped. He was bound to a chair in a decapitated-looking room. "Rick…" she whispered painfully as a tall slim man stepped into view. "Hello Detective Beckett and whoever else might be watching this." He smiled exposing neat white teeth. "I can only assume you must all be very worried and concerned about dear old Mr. Castle here. Well as you can see he's alive."

Kate hung on this mans every word but what she could not stop staring at Castle. He had a look on his face he had never seen him wear before. Terror. She could see he was trying to mask it but when Castle glanced into the camera, his eyes betrayed it. He looked extremely pale and sickly and he didn't move as if he was paralyzed. Kate's heart ached as she watched the man who could never be caught frowning in such a position to strike that amount of fear into him.

Castle's voice was rough and raw as he called out, seeming to wake from his frightened state. "KATE! If you're really watching this, please, please take care of Alexis, tell her that I love-" his voice cut off as the kidnapper's hand whipped across his face.

In a calm voice he spoke, "You'll speak when I tell you to speak Mr. Castle."

"ALEXIS! ALEXIS! Honey, be safe okay? I love you sweetie! Daddy loves you pumpkin! I'm so sorry!"

"I told you not to talk, Mr. Castle!" the man spoke, still calm, yet his voice rose in volume. He took a step closer to Castle, the threat etched in his every movement. But either Castle did not notice or did not care for he continued.

"Kate, tell my mother too! Tell her I'm sorry! Take care of them, please! And Kate!" he paused but only a moment. "Please Kate, I have to tell you that I lo-"

And suddenly, Castle's head was thrown back and blood exploded by his nose. The punch was so fast; Kate almost did not see the man's fist connect with Castle's face. Then he punched him again. Then again. And again. And again. And again.

By this time Alexis had started going into hysterics, screaming for her dad. Almost losing her head completely she began to yell for the man to stop, forgetting that this had already happened and there was no way he could hear her as he repeatedly struck Castle with his fist.

"Ryan. Esposito. Take Alexis out of here," a soft voice spoke quietly. With faces like zombies the pair nodded and took Alexis's arm and tried to pull her away.

"NO!" she cried shrilly struggling to get out of their grip. "DADDY!"

It got extremely quiet when Ryan finally shut the break room door. Kate's eyes were still fixated upon the screen, watching everything intently. Although her face betrayed no emotion, every time Castle was hit, it felt as though she was being hit too.

Finally the man stepped away from Castle, breathing heavily. He looked back to the camera and smiled. "Castle's very stubborn isn't he?"

A soft moan escaped Castle's torn lips. His entire face was bloody for the man's consistent pounding. And although Kate could not see it exactly, she thought she saw a single tear.

The man chuckled. "Okay, now where was I? Ah yes, I should explain why I kidnapped Mr. Castle in the first place. Well you see Mr. Castle was doing some research a few years back. He was trying to…get inside…shall I say…the mind of a professional hit man. Of course Mr. Castle has his "connections" and was able to sneak into a crime scene where the Feds had just arrested a hit man."

At this Castle's head lifted up weakly and his eyes widened in astonishment.

Turning his head, "Ah, so you remember Mr. Castle?" smile growing he switched his gaze back to the camera. "Mr. Castle found something the Feds didn't or they did and found irrelevant. It was a small canister. Rather looked like an ancient old throw-away can. Mr. Castle for whatever reason took it, unaware that inside it contained something of value. Something my employer wants back."

Sighing, the man suddenly whipped out a knife and Castle flinched back. Inspecting it, he began to use it to clean his fingernails. "Now, Detective Beckett, I'll be trying my best to get the location of this object from Castle. But, you'll save me some trouble if you find it and give it to me. I'll let Mr. Castle go when I have it in my hand. I'll contact you again shortly. Over the phone this time. Goodbye." With that he turned to Castle, knife glinting still in his hand. The camera turned off and the last thing Kate heard was a sharp scream.

Kate leaned away from the computer, mind whirling trying to comprehend and deny what she had just seen. After a minute of complete stillness, she stood up suddenly, a fountain of overwhelming emotions exploding inside of her; anger, worry sadness, horror, and determination. Knocking things over but making no effort to pick them up she strode over to the murder board and speedily began to scribble down every fact she had just heard.

"Beckett," a voice interrupted. She ignored it.

"Beckett," it called again. Again she ignored it.

"Beckett!" Finally she answered, but her writing did not stop. "Yes Captain?"

"Beckett, I need you to listen to me," Roy paused wondering how to say this without it ending with him on the floor. "I know how much you want to be the one to solve this. I care about Castle just as much as anyone here but you…can't…" his voice grew soft.

Kate whirled around, Castle's cries of pain still ringing in her ears. "CAN'T? WHY NOT?"

"Because Beckett! You're a homicide detective! You can't go gallivanting after kidnappers with your badge just because Castle is the one that's taken!"

"Captain! I have to rescue him! He's being hurt as we speak!" she roared in anguish.

"That's an order!" he commanded, his demeanor changing into authoritive as he towered over her, eyes like steel. Swiftly he turned on his heels and slammed the door to his office.

Tears brimmed on her eyelids as she sank depressingly into her chair. She knew he was right, there was nothing she could do, someone else would have to take care of it. Wrapping her arms around herself, she lowered her head, forbidding herself to cry. She had to stay strong. For Alexis. Rick had asked her to take care of her...

As she thought of his demands to her she thought of what he was about to say to her. It couldn't have been possible that he was on the brink of saying what she secretly had always wanted him to say…no it wasn't possible.

"Hey," Ryan called as he made his way to her desk. She glanced at his tired and tragic face, not having the heart to tell him they couldn't be the ones to solve the case.

"I started looking for all the people in New York with the name "Nex" when I realized it's not a name."

Voice dull she asked, "What is it then?"

His voice quivered slightly but he pushed through it. "It's uh…Latin. It means…death."

Kate shut her eyes.

"Violent Death."