Whisper: Chapter 10

DISCLAIMER: Most of these characters are not mine at all, but they are memorable. Thank you, Mr. Marlowe. The others? Yeah, they're mine

A/N: Based upon some of the PM's I have received, I probably need to expand the description of the hiketeia. The hiketeia – although steeped in Greek mythology – was not exclusively a religious ritual. Although there are supplications made to the Greek gods of mythology, often those ended badly in poems and prose. However, the more interesting (and successful) supplications were made from one human being to another. There is nothing mystical, nothing supernatural about the hiketeia. It is simply a deep, bonding, protective arrangement, or agreement, that favors someone who is in a weaker position. The ramifications, however, can be staggering. Again, although the name of Zeus was often invoked by the Greeks (just as Alexis invokes the name of God), this is not a religious arrangement. Consider the swearing in of a witness in the American court of law. That swearing in (which invokes the bible and the name of God) does not make that a religious event, or action. In the same way, hiketeia is not religious, per se. This is all about honor and duty and oversight.

Okay, that's out of the way. I hope this clears things up for all of us. On to the story . . .

Friday Afternoon, March 23, 2012 – 6:01 p.m. – at the beach at Richard Castle's Hamptons Home

Kate Beckett stares at the knife – no, forget that, this isn't a knife. It's a small sword of some type. And it is still pointed at her. Granted, when she fell backwards, startled by the sudden appearance of the weapon, Elena has made no move toward her. The move, in fact, was not an offensive move. It was simply a defensive gesture, as the assassin felt a threatening tone in Kate's words. Not towards her, mind you, but towards the younger Castle.

Towards Alexis.

"Elena?" Richard Castle says, questioningly, glancing up at his sister as he continues to hold his daughter in the sand.

"Do not approach her with malice," Elena warns, looking directly at Kate.

"What?" Kate exclaims, totally confused now. Evidently Castle is aware of what just transpired here, but Kate is still in the dark. Elena clears it up for her. Sort of.

"Hiketeia has been performed, and accepted," Elena tells both Castle and Kate. "Although, I suspect, brother, that you have already figured this much out, yes?"

"Yes," Castle replies solemnly. "What does this mean now, Elena?"

"Hiketeia?" Kate asks. "Okay, I admit to being in the dark on this one. And what's with the mini samurai sword, Elena?"

"You know what it means, Richard," Elena tells him, ignoring Kate's questions. "It means that Alexis is now under my protection. It is my duty to ensure her safety."

"It is also her duty to do whatever you ask of her," Castle interjects. "Why . . . why would you allow her to become your –"

"Because hiketeia cannot be flippantly refused, brother," Elena interrupts. "It is an honor to receive a supplication."

"I know this, I know," Castle replies quickly, now releasing Alexis and pulling himself to his feet. He now stands next to Elena. "My question is, do you understand the bigger ramifications of this? This could easily put you in direct conflict with our father."

"True," she tells him, stunning him with her simplicity.

"And you are okay with that?"

"It no longer matters what I am okay with, Richard," she replies. "Hiketeia has been performed and accepted."

"You keep saying that," Kate tells her. "It can't be as simple as that."

"On the contrary, detective," Elena replies in a dark voice, "it is precisely as simple as that. Hiketeia is about honor. Something that you – evidently – know very little about."

Chastised, Kate holds her tongue with a retort, as Elena turns her attention back to her brother.

"Hiketeia about honor, and honor is simple, my brother," she tells him. "No, it is not easy. What in life is? But it is simple. It is straightforward. Protection has been requested. The request has been accepted. It is that simple. Honor makes it that simple."

"But –" Castle argues, to no avail.

"Richard, less than five minutes ago, you and I share a bond forged by a tenuous relationship with our father. That makes us brothers and sisters," Elena says, now slowly sheathing her sword back in its place on her back, behind her shoulder.

"Alexis changed that. Because of hiketeia, she and I now share a bond forged by honor, by duty. Those elements are stronger than a blood relationship, brother. Those elements – now shared with your daughter, are also shared with you. Whatever harms her, harms you, and whoever harms you, harms her. So I am bound now to you both."

"I do not want you bound to me, Elena!" he thunders, angrily. "I never wanted you bound to me. I simply wanted . . ."

He pauses, staring out to the ocean waters.

"You wanted what, Richard?" Elena asks.

"I just . . . I was enjoying having a sister," he tells her. "I don't want a protector. I just accept you as my sister," he tells her, warming the woman once again.

"And you have that," she tells him softly. "But you also have more now, and I accept that. Gladly. Happily. Do you not see, Richard, how beautiful it is for me to protect one as noble as yourself? As noble as your daughter, who – I suspect – was acting not only for herself but also for the father she loves?"

Castle stares down at Alexis, who still sits kneeling in the sand, the tears coming slower now, but still coming nonetheless. He reaches down, picking her up by the shoulders and immediately winces in pain. Kate steps in quickly, and pulls the younger woman to her feet, brushing the sand off her clothing and leg.

"Are you all right, Alexis?" Kate asks.

"I'm . . . I'm fine, Kate," Alexis tells her, then looks toward her father. "Dad?" she asks questioningly. As with many actions, it is only now that she starts fully considering the full potential ramifications of her request.

"It's okay, pumpkin," he begins, but is cut off by Elena.

"We should move indoors," she tells the group. "We have much to discuss, given Alexis' decision."

With that, Elena begins walking toward the house, grabbing the idle hand of Alexis Castle as she passes, pulling the younger Castle along behind her. Castle offers Kate a glance and a shrug of the shoulders, and both fall in line behind the departing women, heading back to the house. Once inside the house, Elena releases Alexis' hand, and walks directly into the den. She goes straight for the liquor cabinet on the wall, and retrieves a bottle of Absolut vodka. She drops four ice cubes from the cylinder into her small glass. She gazes at the clear bottle and bright blue lettering for a moment, before pouring a few of ounces into a small tumbler. She puts the bottle away and grabs a small can of cranberry juice and pops the top. She adds a few ounces to the tumbler, and takes two long swallows.

Inhaling in a hissing fashion between her teeth, she closes her eyes for a brief instant, then opens them, to find the deepest blue eyes of her brother staring back at her. He takes the tumbler from her hands and finishes the drink himself, putting the now empty glass back on the small countertop.

Elena moves to the large chair, and sits – folding her legs in crisscross fashion in front of her. She closes her eyes, as Castle moves to the small sofa and sits. He will give her the space she needs. She seems just as surprised by Alexis' actions as he is, and so he realizes that his new sister probably needs a few minutes to process what has just happened, and what it means. Kate walks through the door, but Castle puts his forefinger up to his mouth in a vertical fashion, indicating she should keep quiet. He then pats the space on the sofa next to him, indicating she should sit. She complies with both requests.

For the next few minutes, all are quiet. Kate and Castle sit next to one another, not saying a word, while Elena sits alone, eyes closed. Finally, she exhales a large breath and opens her eyes, turning her head toward the couple on the sofa.

"That was unexpected," she says, her voice low.

"I'm sorry, Elena," Castle tells her.

"Don't be, Richard," she replies. "It is not your fault.

"Then whose fault is it?" he exclaims. "I should have seen this coming. I should have –"

"Really, Richard?" Elena argues. "You should have seen hiketeia coming? You should have seen an ancient Greek ritual of honor that probably only a handful of Americans have even heard of, much less understand? That's what you should have anticipated after your daughter's ordeal? Please, brother, do not bother," she tells him with a dismissive wave of the hand.

"Your daughter is damaged, she is hurting," Elena continues. "But she is also brilliant.

"How so?" Castles asks.

"Because so few no about this ritual," Elena replies, "it follows that Alexis knew very little as well. Which means in the past couple of days, she has done her research."

He smacks his forehead with his open palm, his mind taking him back now to a secretive girl upstairs closing her laptop, not allowing her father even a random glimpse of what she was looking at on the computer.

"It means that by the time she fell into the sand before me, Alexis knew exactly what she was doing," Elena tells them. "She knew that she and her father need protection, whether he admits it or not," she concludes, glancing at her brother.

"Protection from who?" Kate asks. The Brackens – for now – are taken care of, thanks to Castle's father. Roy Montgomery – may he rot in hell – is dead, so he's not a threat.

"Protection from the many enemies that my brother has made because of you, detective," Elena tells her evenly. "Enemies that not only attack him, but they attack his daughter, his mother. Protection from you, detective."

The words are a cold slap in the face for Detective Kate Beckett. The past couple of years now come rushing back to her, replaying in her mind in vivid color.

She sees Castle at gunpoint, being held by Dick Coonan, in the precinct . . .

She sees Castle being threatened – again at gunpoint – upstairs in an old building in the middle of a card game with dangerous Russians . . .

She sees herself nestled into Castle's arms, both freezing to death in an abandoned freezer . . .

She sees him diving – too late – to knock her out of a bullet's path, no concern for himself . . .

And she realizes that none of these events – not one – would have occurred for him were it not for her. Had he not known her, been drawn into her world, he would – right now – be writing his next novel, safe and sound, no worries in the world, save dealing with a growing teenager and two ex-wives.

But he would be safe.

Then the next words from the assassin beat her senseless.

"I wonder, detective," Elena continues, "if you have found your courage, or whether you are still a coward?"

"What?" Castle exclaims, bristling at the notion of cowardice from Kate Beckett. "Now wait a minute, Elena, that's not –"

"Will you pick up and run yet again, detective, because life does not suit you?" Elena challenges. "I can see it in your eyes already – the easy answer for you is always to run. My brother needs you now, probably more than ever. I am wondering, detective . . . will you run, or will you be here for him, as he has been for you countless times."

"That's not –" Castle begins again, only to be deflected yet again.

"I am talking about honor, Richard, I am talking about the heart," his sister tells him. "I am not talking about your physical safety. I am speaking of your broken heart, your broken dreams, how every time you need the detective most, she has chosen someone else, something else . . ."

He grows quiet, and his silence is damning to the detective, who feels her eyes glistening. Fortunately, Elena removes the knife.

"That, however, is not our biggest concern now," Elena says, changing topics quickly. "Our top concern is protecting my brother and his family from the attack that will come, sooner or later."

"I don't understand," Kate comments. "Bracken isn't going to do anything right now. Who else is there?"

"Leave the Brackens to me," Elena tells them both, a plan already formulating in her mind. Yes, this could work. And it could keep Hunt out of the picture.

"They are not my top concern right now," Elena continues. "For now, my question is –"

"Smith!" Castle shouts suddenly, drawing a nod from his sister.

"What about Smith?" Kate asks, and then as the question escapes her lips, the greater truth hits her.

"Oh," Kate exclaims quietly. "Shit."

"Yes, detective," Elena comments softly.

Castle and Elena now consider the elusive and mysterious Mr. Smith, considering the likelihood that this old friend of Roy Montgomery could possibly have been left out of the ruse. Kate, however, has no such illusions.

"I didn't even think . . ."she mutters to herself. "Smith knew everything," she continues. "He knew about Roy, he knew about Bracken . . ."

"Damn," Castle grumbles under his breath.

"Did you ever meet him?" Elena asks, her voice hopeful.

"No, dammit," Kate mutters again, kicking herself mentally.

"And I didn't get a good look in the dark parking garage," Castle sadly adds.

"So, there is an unknown player who none of us can identify, who knows each of you and knows neither of you can recognize him," Elena tells them.

"He doesn't know of you?" Kate asks.

"Oh, he knows of me, of that I am sure," Elena tells her. "But does he know me, face-to-face? No," she comments, and then smiling darkly, adds, "Not yet."