Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, which is probably a good thing because even though I love the show, I could never write mysteries well enough. So now we are here, the fire will now be seen from the flash-forwards in order from when they got there to when the second floor fell. The next chapters will be the aftermath and in present time completely from that point on.

A faint glow flickered behind the broken shop window, while tendrils of black smoke billowed out from the the hole in the glass. Passerby's stepped back and dialed phones in a panicked frenzy to reach the fire department. Cars stopped short of the sidewalk, their occupants stepping out to stare wide eyed at the scene before them. A woman stepped from the door of the burning building, holding a hand to her face, looking frantically in all directions, ignoring the shouts of others around her. She froze like a deer in the headlights as a final car screeched to halt, before taking off down the sidewalk as fast as heels and a yellow dress could carry her.

"Kate."

"I see her," she responded sharply, getting from the car in one fluid motion.

"Go." Kate shot a quick glance across the hood of the car, at Castle. He stared back, wide eyed but ready to help. "Go. I'll get Rachelle."

She nodded her assent and started after the fleeing woman, the sound of Castle's steps receding off towards the building. She dared not look back, as she shoved past the onlookers, trying her best to keep Mrs. DeMille in sight over the shoulders of the gathered. The crowd finally thinned out giving her a clear view of the yellow dress shooting around a distant corner. Taking off in a dead run, she aimed for the same spot. Dizziness took her forcing her to lean against the concrete wall of the building beside her. Damn. Kate placed a hand to her head and closed her eyes against the turbulence.

…

Castle dodged around the shop counter, small embers from the inferno above searing into the exposed skin of his neck and face. Gripping the railing of the staircase, he took the steps two at time. The sight that met him at the top of the stair was a horror story. Flames already carried up along all three walls and ran along the length of the banister. Small fires raged in every portion of the room, consuming the antiques like a ravenous beast. Tucked away in the far left corner, a petite figure huddled closely to the wall, her hands tied to an old water pipe behind her. Skirting passed the largest of the fires he knelt beside Rachelle and started working on the knot in the rope.

"Mr. Castle, is Detective Beckett, okay?"

"She's fine," he started tugging the last of the knot free. "Are you alright?"

She nodded her head. "Listen, it is not—

The second floor shuttered, and a loud crash echoed up from below.

"Oh, that did not sound good," said Rachelle, peering around his shoulder.

…

Kate spun around as the sound of crashing wood and plaster reverberated out into the street behind her. Castle! Rachelle! Fighting through the fog of pain and instability, she raced back towards the antique shop, pushing passed the watchers once more, and throwing herself inside. Her heart raced in her chest as she desperately searched for a clear path through, her glove barely serving its purpose against the smoke. She side stepped a collapsing ceiling beam, and immediately felt the heat of the flames consuming it. Taking a step forward, she ducked below a second wood beam, and closing her eyes pushed through a wall of fire, and into the main portion of the building. The second floor was completely engulfed in flames, and the first wasn't too far behind. Where are they?

"Castle, Rachelle!" Kate coughed out the smoke that had entered her lungs. She listened for a response. Nothing. She looked towards the far back of the store, flames where all that could be seen.

…

Following Rachelle's gaze, Castle could just see the cloud of fiery dust billowing. "Time, to get out of Dodge." He pulled her to her feet, and guided her towards the staircase. He could feel the sweat beading down his face, as he kept himself between her and the more intense of the fires. A beam dropped just feet in front of them, the fire ravaging it forcing him to draw them both back. A familiar voice echoed up from below, just as the wood work beneath their feet started to protest against the on-slot. "Kate!" Hearing her voice raised the panic level in his mind.

"Rachelle, are you alright?" Kate's voice called from the floor below.

"I'll live but, Detective the floor is beginning to buckle."

Castle looked towards the direction of the staircase, but failed to see passed the wall of flames. He looked towards the direction of the banister. "Kate, is the staircase clear!" He felt the wood shift beneath his feet the moment his question left his mouth. He turned his attention towards Rachelle; the girl raised fearful eyes towards him, and gave a 'well this is it' smile. Keeping a protective arm around the young woman, he closed his eyes and took a deep, the faces of his loved ones passing through his mind. Alexis, his Mother, Kate. I love you. The sound of cracking beams resounded into the air. Rachelle screamed as their world fell out beneath them, sending them both into a dangerous void below.

***Author's note: Well there it is the full story of the fire as told by the alternating view points. I hope you don't mind the rehashing of the flash forwards. I just felt it would be the only way to include the action of the fire, and really I can't change what was said and done, and can only add what we missed from the original flash forwards. But, as I mentioned in the intro from this point forward the story is in present time. Starting with just after the second floor fell. Stay tuned***