Earlier than I thought, here come's the next chapter.

Disclaimer: It's not mine.

Chapter 6

She closes the door behind her and walks over to the window where Castle is standing. He's staring at a picture in his hands. It shows him with Alexis and Martha at Disney World. He doesn't cry, he's just staring at it.

"Hey" with her hand she puts up his face so that she can see in his eyes. "Maybe this isn't even true. That man is psycho, and we have already seen what he's capable of. Probably he just wants to play mind games with you. You should call Martha before jumping to conclusions, and she has to know about Alexis too." She slowly strokes with her hand over his cheek. "What do you think?"

"I don't know what to think, I mean you have to admit it would make sense, you asked me if I have any siblings because that would have explained what he said. Look at the other documents here. They say he's my sibling, he came into another family. I really don't know why I shouldn't believe this, it all makes sense, Kate…but you're right, I should call her, it's almost 8am, means 2pm in Paris, she should be on call." He puts the documents away and types in her phone number.

"Oh, hello Richard, how are you my darling?"

She has no idea.

"Mother, something happened, something bad…"

"What's wrong? You really sound serious? Did you and Kate have a fight?"

"No…worse. Alexis …she…"

"Alexis? Richard, tell me!"

"She was abducted, Mother."

"Abducted? What? Have you any idea where she is?"

"No, we have no idea…but-"

"I will come immediately. I can take the next flight to New York."

"That would be good, I think. But mother, before it's too late, you have to answer me some questions…"

"Questions? What's going on here?"

"The man who abducted her, he wants to play a game, I can't tell you any details, that would take too long, but we have to find out who he is…and he gave us some hints, he sent us documents. Mother…am I adopted?"

"Richard, I can explain this, but I would rather do this eye to eye…"

"No, mother, we don't have much time, he said he wants to make this whole thing much faster than planned."

"Kiddo, this…I really can't."

"Mother!" He screams in the phone.

"Ok, ok, please don't scream, this will be hard enough for me to tell you…so. Yes, you are adopted. Your parents died in a car accident when you were only 2 years old. I have always been in love with your father, but he was married. And he had two children, you and your brother, Michael. We had an affair long before you two were born, he wanted to break up with Gaby, your biological mother, but then she told him that she was pregnant with your brother, and your father couldn't leave a pregnant woman. So we continued the affair, Gaby didn't know anything. Actually we were really friends, I always had such a bad conscience, betraying my friend. It was horrible for me, I tried to end the affair several times, but it never worked. I just loved too much. And when they died, their lawyer came to me, he said that Gaby and Jake, your father, they wrote in their will, if anything happens they want the children to live with me. In the first moment I was so happy, I was honored that they chose me, but then I had to realize that I was way too young for this, I couldn't take care of two little children, as I said you were only two, your brother, Michael, he was 5. I had to decide between the two of you. That was the hardest decision I had ever made. But I chose you, we always had a better relation than I had to Michael, maybe because he looked so similar to Gabrielle. And every time I saw him, I had to think of me and Jake betraying her. And a whole life with that thought in my head, I really wasn't able to handle that. So Michael was sent to another family, in Connecticut I think, I never saw him again…you think he is the mad you're searching for right?"

"Mother, why did you never tell me?"'

"Because I knew you would hate me for separating you from your brother, you adored him Richard. I didn't want to lose you, too."

"But…you can't deny me my real parents, mother!"

"Richard, I'm so sorry, you have no idea, I wanted to tell you several times, but I just couldn't."

Castle was silent. He knew that they don't have the time for a fight now, Alexis doesn't have the time.

"Thanks for now, Mother, I think I know enough now. Please don't call me again."

And with that he hangs up. Kate who has heard the whole talk hugs him tight. "I'm so sorry, Castle, I'm so sorry"

Castle doesn't hug her back, he's still silent and not moving.

Kate slowly breaks away from him. "At least we know now who he is."

But Castle is not listening to her. He's trying to settle his thoughts. He will have enough time to deal with the whole new situation when Alexis is back. She is more important now. He takes a deep breath once again and says determined. "Ok, let's do this." He doesn't even give Kate one single look, he's just walking straight out of the bedroom into the living room where the others are still waiting. Kate follows him right away.

"Ok, guys, we know now who he is. He is my sibling, his name is Michael if his adoptive parents didn't change his name. He is three years older than me, he must be 50 years old now. He told me he gives us hints where and who he is. We have the 'who', now the 'where'. If these documents are also hints for that question, the only place I can imagine is the orphanage where we both were in the first few days after our parents' accident. Espo, please check if it's still open. Here is the name of it. He hands him one of the documents.

"Ok." Esposito answers shortly, going in the kitchen to make the call.

"Castle, is everything ok?" Kate asks him gently wondering how he can be so strong after all the recent events.

"Yes" he just answers and Kate knows he's not. She was the same when it was about her mother's case. She was working on it day and night, totally forgetting about everything else, the only thing that mattered was the case. She was out of control and now he is.

After not even 5 minutes Espo comes back.

"The orphanage closed 1994. The building where it was once has been empty since then."

"You have an address?" Kate asks and he just holds up a paper where he noted it.

"Castle, Espo and I, we will drive there, Ryan you stay here with Lanie and Gates in case he sends us more information. " Kate takes the lead and heads out of the door. He must be there. Alexis must be there.

After a 45 minute drive in silence they finally reach the old building. It really looks like it has stood for almost 20 years, plants have grown wild in the garden and also on the walls. Windows are broken, some don't even exist anymore. The whole building was full with graffiti. It was the perfect place to hide something…or someone, nobody would notice.

"Let's go in, Castle, here-" She hands him a gun. "But stay behind me!"

The boys just nod and they walk through the doorway of the building. They come in and stand in a hallway with three doors. Ryan goes through the door on the left, Espo on the right. She and Castle go through the door in the middle right in front of them. Behind it, there is again a hallway, but now there are not only doors, there are also stairs. One is leading up, the other one down. As a writer Castle knows the kidnapper always hides his victim in the basement, so he points to the stairs leading downwards. Kate nods and they walk down, guns always ready to shoot.

They come to a little anteroom with only one door. Behind the door there is light.

Kate and Castle change a look knowing what has to be behind it.

Kate walks closer to the door, one ear turned to it. No voices. But she can hear something, a quite cry of a girl. Alexis. She reaches for the door knob and turns it around. Opening the door Kate is ready to shoot. But behind the door there is no one but Alexis. She is bound on a chair, her mouth is taped, tears are all over her face but she seems to be ok. The room is not big so they can be sure that they are alone.

"Alexis! " Castle screams out of happiness. He runs towards here and strokes her over the face. Immediately he starts to free her from the fetters, then she removes the tape.

"Where is he?"

"He…he..he just left, about five minutes ago." Castle freezes.

"That means he's probably still in the building, we have to get out of here before he comes back. He probably saw us coming and hid somewhere here." She reaches for Alexis hand but the girl is way too weak to make a single move. Castle doesn't even hesitate and lifts the girl over his shoulder. They start to run, out of the room, up the stairs. But then suddenly there are loud noises. Shoots. Right behind the door they are standing in front of now.

"Castle, stay where you are!" Kate orders him and opens the door.

First thing she sees is Ryan lying on the floor, a big leak of blood under him, but the rest of the room is empty, then again, shoots behind another door.

She runs in the room, and sees Espo falling down on the floor, the man shot him in the knee. Espo's gun is on the floor next to him but too far away to reach it. The man turns over and sees Kate who reacts fast and jumps left when the man aims at her. But before he can shoot Kate lands a bullet right in his stomach. The man falls to the ground but he fires a last shoot. The bullet flies right through the door, then another shoot from the hallway. And they both strike.

This was may all a bit fast, but I don't want to write only about that kidnapping stuff and I don't want to write a 30-chapters-story, so i hope you can understand :)

Leave a review, they are always appreciated.

PS: Big thanks to Paola, this would be pretty embarrassing without you. Love!