A/N at the end of Life Goes On, Kate graduated from law school. She was set to work with lawyers volunteering at a charitable foundation, Fill the Cracks (FTC), which Castle set up to help people whose problems have, for one reason or another, fallen through the cracks of the system.

Distress from the Dungeons

Chapter 7

The stones from the castle appeared to have fallen on what was an ancient graveyard. As the day wore on, more stones were lifted and more markers uncovered. Unable to get away from his classes, Donald Ross couldn't be on site. Rick and Kate did the best they could to take over the more exacting work. With small shovels and brushes they slowly uncovered the remains of grave markers. Much of the inscriptions on the stones had been worn away by time and ground water. Their efforts yielded very few clues. When the crew quit for the day, the couple returned to their cottage, exhausted and frustrated.

Sipping hot broth from large stoneware mugs, they clung to each other in front of the fire. To Castle, the dance of the flames from the logs seemed to mock him. What he needed to secure Morag's release was hiding, just beyond the reach of his senses. Kate pressed her head comfortingly into his shoulder. "It's only been one day Babe, it would have been a miracle to find something this fast."

Castle sighed. "You're right, but we don't have that much time, Kate. We're returning to the states in a few days. I have commitments to fulfill and you have work waiting for you. Don't you have a trial coming up soon? And we need to get back to the kids. After all of this, we may have to leave Morag trapped in the eternal nightmare of her cell."

Kate brushed back hair that threatened to fall in his eyes. "We have those days, Castle. We'll make the most of them. Anything beyond that is out of our control. Look, we're both about ready to drop. Let's get some sleep, so we can go at it flat out in the morning."

"Yeah, you're right," Castle agreed, as they joined hands to help each other up.


Morag lay weeping in the dirty straw that barely covered the cold assault the stone floor made against her body. "Thane Richard, why have you deserted me? I placed my faith in you and it has been snatched away as a falcon grabs a helpless pigeon in its talons. Please, return and restore my hope."

"I'm here," Castle called. "I'm here and so is Lady Katherine. The quest continues."

Castle felt Kate's hand on his shoulder. "Rick, you're having a nightmare. Wake up!"

Castle's eyes opened slowly as he fought his way out of the grasp of his dream. "Kate, it was Morag. She's desperate."

"Or you are," Kate suggested gently. "You want a happy ending to this story so much that your subconscious created the dream."

"Maybe," Castle conceded. "But I don't think so Kate. What time is it?' He grabbed for his watch. "The sun will be up soon anyway. I'm gonna start some coffee and grab a shower. By the time we get to the site, the crew should be starting for their work. Donald Ross said he'd be able to make it for part of the day too."


As more stones were lifted, more of the burial ground was uncovered, leading to more tedious work unearthing the markers. Donald Ross showed up after noon, while the crew was eating lunches they'd brought with them. Castle stubbornly continued working while Kate tried to coax him to to take a break. He threw his brush down and pointed at a faint curve etched into the most recently uncovered marker. "Kate, what does that look like to you?"

Kate squinted at the marking. "It doesn't look like part of a letter. It doesn't look like much of anything."

Castle brushed away more dirt. "It's part of a wing, a bird's wing," he asserted.

"It is," Donald Ross agreed, looking on. "Can you clear the rest of it?"

Castle continued brushing, revealing more of the outline. Kate wrinkled her nose. "Ugh. Any New Yorker would recognize that. It looks like one of the flying rats known as pigeons."

"Kate!" Castle exclaimed, "Morag referred to a pigeon in my dream."

Ross' eyes lit as he rocked on his heels. "According to family legend, that was an endearment Lachlin had for her. He called her his pigeon." He grabbed another brush and crouched on his haunches next to Castle. "We need to see the rest of that inscription." They brushed furiously. "That looks like the ancient form of an 'M' and that could be an 'R'. This is it! This is Morag's resting place and this is the original Castle Cawdor. The history of our family is confirmed. We've done it!"

A wind rose, whipping around them. "Look out!" a member of the crew yelled, as a pulley broke loose, hurtling toward Kate. Leaping up, Castle pushed her out of the way. The flying metal grazed his head as it crashed to the ground. Castle fell unconscious on the rocky soil.


Castle tossed restlessly against his pillow. "Has he been like this all night?" Dr. Marini asked.

"He calmed down a few times and it seemed like the fever might be breaking, but then he'd be like this again," Kate said. "He's been muttering something about Morag and Cawdor. It makes no sense. And look at this, she said, pointing to red dots on his arms. He has them on his legs too. It's like he's been pricked by something."

Marini examined the marks. "I've seen these before on my patients who've returned from Scotland. They get them from hiking where there are thistles. Has he been in Scotland?"

"No," Kate insisted. "We've been in London ever since our plane landed. We were supposed to be going to Scotland today, to Edinburgh. Castle was reading about Scotland on the plane out." Kate picked up Castle's tablet and searched the article he was reading. "This is all about Edinburgh, but there's nothing about a Morag, Cawdor, or thistles."

"Marini shook her head. "Then I can't explain what's been happening. Look, I'm going to give him a shot to bring his fever down, but if it doesn't bring him out of this, he'll have to be taken to hospital."

The doctor prepared a hypodermic and stuck it in Castle's arm. Kate watched anxiously. Castle seemed to slowly emerge from a dream. His movements quieted and his face relaxed. Then his eyes sprang open. "Kate!"

Kate squeezed his hand."I'm right here, Babe."

"I need my computer." Castle insisted.

"Mr. Castle, you should just lie quietly," Marini urged. "You've had a very bad night."

Castle drew himself up against the pillows. He rubbed gingerly at a sore spot on his head. "And there is a struggling spirit who has had some very bad centuries," he protested. "That ends today. I have a tale to write. Soon the whole world will know the story of Morag, daughter of Lachlin, Thane of Cawdor."

Finis

I had originally intended to go back to the Ian universe after finishing my future history with the Castle coda. I've changed my mind. Starting tomorrow, I'm going to pick up with Life Goes On 2. The Life Goes On universe will continue. I hope you'll join me as the ride begins again. Happy Halloween everyone! Love, Sally