Disclaimer-I own nothing

A/N- Spoiler alert: if you haven't watched up the current episode of Castle, there may be spoilers.

Richard Castle- Nathan Fillion

Detective Kate Beckett- Stana Katic

Detective Javier Esposito- Jon Huertas

Detective Kevin Ryan- Seamus Dever

Martha Rodgers- Susan Sullivan

Alexis Castle- Molly Quinn

Captain Roy Montgomery-Ruben Santiago-Hudson

Dr. Lanie Parish- Tamala Jones

Dr. Clark Murray- Robert Picardo

Gina Cowel (Castle's Ex)- Monet Mazur

Josh Davidson (Motorcycle Surgeon) -Victor Webster

Agent Christina Yates- Samaire Armstrong

Dr. George Beraka- Malcolm McDowell

Jean Murray Beraka – Sally Field

Lauren Murray- Allison Mack

Dennis Brown- Benjamin McKenzie

Chapter 10

Back at the station, Beckett and team were preparing to preform one last interrogation on Dr. Beraka. Lauren was with Captain Montgomery and Castle, as they waited for her mother to come in.

Evening had come quickly, with all the excitement of the morning, the afternoon seemed to slide away into nothingness, in a matter of minutes. An older brunette woman exited the elevator. She looked around for a moment before an officer asked if he could help her.

"My name is Jean Beraka, I'm looking for my daughter, Lauren."

The officer guided her to Captain Montgomery's office. Once there, Jean ran into the room after spotting her daughter's face.

"Mom!" Lauren rushed over to her, and gave her a tight squeeze to know she was alive. "Are you real, is this finally over?"

"Lauren, sweety, you're okay." Her mother hugged her back.

"Dad's gone, George betrayed him."

"I've heard honey, don't worry it's all over now."

"I'm ready to go home."

Jean Beraka looked toward Montgomery and Castle who simply watched the exchange. "Can my daughter go home?"

"She can, you both should spend as little time here as you have to," Montgomery said, his voice barely breaking.

"Thank you both for rescuing my Lauren."

"We didn't do anything here really. We're not the heroes of this story," Castled said looking at Montgomery.

"Yes you are, you are all heroes to me. My daughter's safe, and you are the ones responsible for that."

Mrs. Beraka took her daughter's hand into her and they left the office headed for the elevator. Lauren looked over to the desk of Kate Beckett and mouthed the words 'thank you' to her. Before long they disappeared from view behind the elevator doors.

"Esposito, I think you deserve the credit for this case," Beckett said simply.

"Thanks, but I just followed your example when you couldn't be here."

"That being the case or not, I am still going to have Montgomery make you the Detective that lead this case. Don't you agree Ryan?"

Detective Ryan nodded. "You are the reason that this case was solved."

"Enough praise. I want another crack at Beraka," Esposito replied.

He was right. Beckett was ready for answers, she was sick of being lied to and manipulated by people. She had Esposito follow her into interrogation. Ryan watched from the observation room. Castle joined him after a minute.

"Okay Beraka, start talking, what the hell happened?" Beckett demanded forcefully.

"It doesn't matter Detective, I'm a dead man anyway," Beraka replied.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean the people that contacted me about arranging Clark's death have long arms, they can get to me anywhere."

"We can put you in protective custody, if you give us the right information without lying, we can guarantee your safety."

"No Detective, you cannot."

"Even in a 'safe' house, I will be vulnerable. They have people in law enforcement."

"That being said. Isn't it better to help stop your killers before you die?"

"You do have a valid point. Alright I should try to at lease redeem myself a little after the sins that I committed. What is it that you want to know."

"Who are they?"

"I don't know any of them personally. Dennis, the man you shot, he was on their payroll."

"I assume he wasn't really a lawyer?"

"No, he was a hired gun, they have many. I believe he told me you knew one of them, Dick Coonan also known as Rathborne."

Beckett almost lost her composure at the sound of the name. "Why did you help them arrange your friends death?"

"They froze my accounts, and put a stop on my checks from my patients" he looked at Esposito. "I told you earlier Detective that I was in poor shape financially, that wasn't a lie."

"Just everything else was." Esposito said harshly.

"I didn't want to lie to you, but I didn't know how to escape their grasp."

"What are they called?" Beckett rephrased the question.

"I only know them as 'The Apple'. They have their finger in just about everything you can think of. From politics to drug trafficking, as well as anything in between. Just saying their name probably sealed my fate."

"Josh Davidson, how do you know him?" Beckett asked.

"The truth this time," Esposito added.

"He was the one that contacted me first. He told me that he had a job for me. Told me that if I didn't do what they wanted that he would kill my wife and leave me penniless."

"Where is he now?"

"I don't have the slightest idea, he should have been at the hideout when we arrived there this morning."

"That was rather revealing, Dr. Beraka. Thank you for all the information, we promise to put it to good use. I will have an officer escort you to a safe house in a short while."

Beckett and Esposito let the interrogation room and met Ryan and Castle outside of the observation room.

"A secret origination. I have spent several years looking at the underside of this city and have never seen a hint of something like that." Castle explained.

"That reminds me. Beckett, I didn't have a chance to say this before. I looked into Josh Davidson's past. He didn't have one."

"That's good isn't it?" Castle asked.

"No, I mean he didn't exist before six months ago. Unless you count an elderly man who retired upstate."

"It doesn't matter, he is long gone. Probably went back to his masters, if they even exist." Kate said dryly.

"What do we do now?" Castle asked.

"We make sure everything fits, and this wasn't just some giant conspiracy." Beckett explained, realizing too late that she shouldn't have used conspiracy in front of him.

"Conspiracy, yeah right."

Castle's response got a look from all of the Detectives, surprised that he didn't have a web of theories to spin for them.

Dr. Lanie Parish had been sifting through the new evidence that she had collected all day, it was a long but satisfying process. She anticipated Beckett to come down and check on her at some point in the day. It wasn't long before that moment occurred. Beckett entered wearing medical gear, followed by Castle, dressed in a similar fashion.

"Tell me we got something good Lanie."

"You better believe I do. The shells that I took from Dr. Murray, and those from the gun you recovered from the bad guy, are a match. Also they found a knife in his car. It matched the knife wound I found on the kidney of the victim. It was clean for blood however, so we can't use it if Dr. Beraka's case goes to trial."

"That's okay, we have the murder weapon, that's enough, we have several officers that can attest to the killer being hostile as well as Dr. Beraka's testimony that the dead man was the murderer."

"What I want to hear from you, is how you're holding up in all of this?"

"Better than expected, I just want it to be all over."

"It will be soon. I know it."

Without warning, a tremor was felt around them. It lasted only a split second, but was clearly memorable. It had knocked down several pieces of medical equipment and gloves onto the floor. Beckett and Castle looked at Lanie and then at each other.

"That felt like it came from upstairs," Castle said fearfully.

"Lanie, I hate to think it, but bring a first aid kit and come with us," Beckett ordered.

The three headed up toward the squad room that was directly above them. Castle, not thinking stopped at the elevator and pushed the button. Beckett grabbed his hand and pulled him up the stair until he was up to her speed. The distance between Lanie's lab and the squad room seemed further than ever before. As they arrived at the scene, several bodies were lying on the ground, bloody. Beckett's fears had come true, it was a bomb.

A few officers and detectives that were unaffected by the explosion were helped those that were bleeding and unconscious. Lanie went to all those not moving and checked for signs of life, a few didn't show any. Lanie counted five dead, good considering the usual number of bodies that the squad room usually carried at any given time during the day.

Castle looked for Montgomery, Ryan, and Esposito, hoping none of them had gotten caught in the blast. He couldn't find any of them, which he hoped was a good sign. He hoped they had gone out for a celebratory coffee or went home early after a closed case. He decided to give Esposito's number a ring. He picked up right away, Castle heard Ryan's voice in the background.

"Hey, you guys okay?"

"Yeah, we're fine Castle, what's up?"

"There was an explosion in the squad room, people are dead."

"Need us to come in?"

"No we have enough people helping out, anymore would be in the way. Tell me, is Captain Montgomery with you?"

"The Captain, yeah he's here too."

"Good, tell him what happened, he may want to know that several officer witnessed a man matching Josh's description, arrive and then leave before the explosion occurred."

"Will do, Castle you be careful, we will make sure word gets out about Josh."

Castle hung up the phone, feeling a bit guilty saying that Josh was responsible before he actually had proof. If there was one thing he learned from Beckett and the rest of the team, trust your gut.

Beckett questioned those hurt but conscious, asking if they saw anything suspicious before the explosion. Several officers noted that a tall, well groomed, man with dark hair had come down the elevator, carrying a bag. Most people were searched on their way in, however, if it was Josh, the screener may have let him pass. She hoped that wasn't the case.

When Beckett arrived upstairs, she found it in a panic as well, most of the officers were outside waiting for the ambulances to arrive. She could hear them nearing in the distance. Kate noticed that no one was acting as a screener for visitors. Kate approached the one person that may be able to tell her what she wanted to hear, the receptionist.

"Did you see Josh Davidson come in here a bit ago?"

"Who?" The receptionist asked, here voice still a little shaky.

"Josh Davidson, usually comes in here looking for me, he's tall, good looking, rides a motorcycle in the nicer months.

"Oh yes, he went down and then came back up in about five minutes, told me he couldn't find you."

"Do you remember if he had a bag with him? Did he have it on his way back?"

"Yes, he had a bag with him, but no he didn't have it when he came back up. Wait, you don't think?"

"I hate to admit it, but yes, yes I do."

Kate returned back to the now wrecked squad room. The paramedic's came down with her, helping Lanie tend to those that they could. Beckett was almost oblivious to it, once she saw Castle.

"Montgomery, Ryan, and Esposito are all safe and accounted for. I guess they had just left for a celebratory coffee. Nice of them to invite us along, huh?"

Beckett looked sadly at Castle.

"Beckett are you alright?"

Kate grabbed hold of Castle, and squeezed him tight.

Castle patted her on the back, unable to more.

"He did it, Castle, Josh was the one that did it."

"Oh?" Castle stated. He could feel Beckett's tears running down her cheek and across his neck.

"This case is never going to be over!" Kate gave a mad shout.

"Go home Kate," Castle told her.

"What? I can't." Kate pulled herself away from him. There is stuff for me to do here."

"No Kate, there is nothing for you to do here, you will only get in the paramedic's way, and so will I. I will call Montgomery about Josh and he will deal with him." Castle lied.

"But-"

"Do it Kate, please, for your health, do it for me."

Kate nodded, knowing Castle was right but didn't dare speak the words.

Kate had not been to her apartment in what felt like ages, even though it had been only a bit under twenty-four hours. With the disappearance of Josh last night, as well as the drugging and abduction that made absolutely no sense. Finally the explosion seemed to make time nearly stop.

Once Kate entered her apartment, she couldn't take her coat and shoes off fast enough. Kate also pulled her gun from her holster, made sure her safety was on and placed it no her breakfast nook as she passed it. She plopped down on her couch and pulled the book she was reading in front of her face. She fingered through the pages, trying to find her flipped edge where she had stopped reading.

"Hello Kate," a familiar voice arose from behind her.

Kate jumped to her feet at the sound of it, turning to see the man, formerly known as Josh Davidson, before her.

"Kate, I didn't want to do this," picking up her gun as he spoke. "But you forced my hand. When I dropped you off at Castle's this morning, you were supposed to stay away the whole day."

"So you did drug me."

"Yes and the plan would have worked if Castle would have played the hero that I so envisioned him to play. He was suppose to keep you grounded. But I suppose I should have known better."

"Castle listen's to me, if I say I can do something he believes me."

"It is to bad, I wanted to save you from this. Even though I may be a bad guy, doesn't mean I don't care about you Kate. I didn't want to see you hurt."

"Don't make me laugh, you want to cause pain, you are a hired killer and that's all you are."

"I'm hurt Kate, doesn't our past together mean anything to you?"

"How dare you ask me that. I am not the one drugging and abducting the people that I supposedly love. I could never do that."

"Not even to keep them safe, you saw the squad room. I was given orders to take out everyone involved in this case. That unfortunately means you, and your team. Oh and Castle, of course I would gladly do him for free."

"I hate to break it to you, but our team wasn't in the squad room when the bomb went off. None of us are dead, which is more than I can say for your side."

Josh cocked Kate's gun. "You are really making this easy for me Kate. Once I take you out, the rest of your team will be easy pickings."

"Okay, go ahead and shoot me. However, before you do, tell me this. Why was my mother killed?"

"This feels a bit cliché, but why not. Your mother was involved in a trial that involved a Senator's son that got into hot water with drugs. The Senator wanted his sons record clean, since he was up for reelection that year. So he contacted my employers and put out a hit on anyone that could connect his son with anyone from the drug trade. Finally he had enough money five years ago to hire someone else to kill the coroner who was also paid off to ignore the similarities between the deaths at the time."

"That is the most screwed up reason to have people murdered that I have ever heard."

"Maybe, but I have been hired for less, as long as the money was good, and 'The Apple's' money is always good.

"'The Apple' does exist, does it?"

"Of course it does. You think that this city would still be functioning without a group of overseers, controlling the flow of trash that entered the city. Anyway time's up Kate." Josh held up the gun and aimed it at Kate's head.

Richard Castle decided quickly that he wanted surprise Kate and celebrate their "victory" in the case. He made a quick stop at a local shop to pick up a bottle of wine, to toast their celebration. It wasn't long before Castle was walked up the steps to Beckett's apartment. He heard a couple of voices from her apartment. The first one was obvious to him, Kate. The other, took him a moment to recognize. It was Josh, he realized in the back of his mind. He edged his way closer to the door, trying to hear what the conversation was involving. Part of him feared that they were being intimate, until he realized that their tones were far from intimate.

Castle put his hand on the doorknob, twisting it slightly to see if it was unlocked, which it was. He opened the door a crack to see what was happening. Josh stood between him an Kate, he had a gun. Castle took a moment to figure out his options. If he just burst in, he would most likely get shot himself. Then it dawned on him, the wine bottle. It had worked before, maybe it will again. Castle unwrapped the foil from the top of the bottle, shook it and aimed it at Josh's head. He forced the cork looser and looser until finally he popped. The cork hit Josh squarely in the back of the neck, making him stumble for a moment and turn to see what had happened.

Kate took the opportunity to make a grab for the gun in his hand. She knocked it out of his hand and pull him down to the ground, the force of the landing knocking him out. Castle entered, wine bottle still in hand.

"Castle, call somebody to that this idiot in." Beckett said in relieved voice. "Grab my backup cuffs in that top drawer over there." She motioned in the general direction of a cabinet near the kitchen.

"One of these days you have got to tell me the story about those." Castle fell down to his knees handing the handcuffs to Kate and placing the now wet wine bottle onto her coffee table.

"Not likely," Kate smirked at him, cuffing Josh in the process. "Thank you, Castle," Kate said in a serious tone, and kissed him.

Castle wished to kiss her back, but his mind saw Gina. "Kate stop," he pulled away. "I can't, Gina."

"I know Castle, that was for always managing to be there when I need you."

"Ditto," Castle said, cupping her cheek with his hand. "I will always be here to protect you, Kate."

"I know you will, Castle, I will be there for you too."

Castle and Beckett sat there, looking into each other, until the police arrived.

The End

Author's Note: I have a confession to make! I wrote this, not knowing who the killer was going to be, I wanted to try something different. I kind of got the idea from Castle, I found out who the killer was as I wrote. I knew I wanted it to be tied to Beckett's mother's murder, and that was about all I thought up as I went into this story. Let me know what you guys and gals think, whether it was total randomness, or the plot was mostly sound. Oh and I do plan on putting out a sequel, where Beckett and Castle take on 'the apple', and maybe with a certain Intersect enabled spy. I need to actually get a plot summarized before I start that however.