As Tyson's fingers closed tighter around her airway, her chest instinctively arched upwards and she gasped for air. He began sliding in and out of her once more and a torrid, repulsive gleeful expression crossed his face.

The gurgling, chortling noise coming from Gemma's throat sickened Rick and he fought against the restraint, lurching towards the bed.

"Stop! You're killing her!" He shouted with unbridled anguish in his tone.

"You choose whether or not this happens again to her, Castle… It's completely up to you."

His hands left her neck and Gemma took a deep cleansing breath.

"Welcome back, Gemma," Tyson greeted her before his lips landed on hers, forcing them apart as his tongue delved into their dewy depths.

She blinked her eyes rapidly trying to prevent the tears from falling, but as J.T. succumbed to his orgasm and thrust one last time into her abused heat, she couldn't prevent the heart-breaking sob from leaving her body.

And as the hot tears cascaded down her cheeks, Rick too would swear that he could feel her scalding tears on his own skin.

….

"Now tell me, Gem," Tyson sat back on his haunches between her legs. "Tell me if you saw Detective Beckett."

She gracefully sniffed and bit down hard on her lower lip trying to gain control of her spiraling emotions.

Rick's heart twisted as it reminded him so much of Kate.

"Umm," her eyes, wide and watery, sought out Rick's, but as soon as they connected, they darted away. "Yes, I saw her."

Oh my God. She had a vision while Tyson raped her? She saw Kate?

"Tell me what happened."

"No," she said emphatically, "I won't say another word until you've untied me, J.T… Plus, I want my clothes back on."

It was extremely obvious to Rick how uncomfortable she was with her nude body tied down, openly displayed before him.

Tyson looked at her with blatant frustration and said pointedly, "You don't make the rules here."

"We all know that Big-Bad-Neglected-Jerry-Tyson is in charge, but if you want something from me, I need something from you… Un - tie me."

"And why is it that I find your saucy nature so much hotter than your usual meek and mild self? … It's certainly a conundrum as I despise bitchy women." His hand caressed down her right leg, traveling along her inner thigh to the boot cast.

"What do you think, Castle? – Is she hotter when she's spouting off that sultry mouth of hers?"

Castle looked at him with repressed fury in his eyes. "Even though I barely know her, I think she's simply a beautiful woman period, - inside and out."

The compliment completely surprised Gemma and she felt a rush of heat suffuse her face.

Rick smiled warmly at her thinking how lovely she looked with more color in her cheeks and a brightness to her eyes that wasn't due to tears.

Tyson obviously liked his answer as well. His smirk blossomed into a full-fledged grin. He got off the bed and threw away the used condom into the bucket. He reached for his jeans, hurriedly pulling them on. He then unknotted both of her wrists.

Her arms immediately crossed over her breasts as she sat up.

"Rick?" she asked meekly, "Would you please throw me the slip?"

His eyes held hers as he tossed the chemise on the bed. She was grateful that he wasn't leering at her body and honestly, she expected nothing less from the Gentleman that she knew him to be, and yet, at the same time, (her heart fluttered unexpectedly) she was a bit disappointed.

She quickly slipped it on and tried to hold it together with one hand, but as she needed both hands to untie the scarves at her feet, the faux-silk material fell off a shoulder, exposing a tiny breast.

Castle looked away, trying to give her some semblance of modesty.

"Talk, Gemma," Tyson pressed.

She wiped the tears from her cheeks before speaking. "Detective Beckett was at the precinct in the break room using the espresso machine."

"How did she look?"

"How do you expect her to look?" She glanced Rick's way with sorrow in her eyes. "She's grieving, J.T.. The love-of-her-life was kidnapped by a demented serial killer less than 24 hours ago. Of course she looks worried, harried, - extremely overwhelmed and like the only thing that's keeping her on her feet is caffeine... She's existing strictly on adrenaline and coffee."

God dammit. Castle rubbed his hand through his hair, obviously distressed over Gemma's words.

"Did you speak with her?"

"No. I've told you before that I can only communicate with someone if they're asleep."

Rick took in Gemma's over bright eyes and the quick fluttering of her long, black eyelashes. He'd found it fairly easy to read her since the moment he'd laid eyes on the stunning redhead commanding the poker table. He knew instinctively that she was lying.

She's absolutely lying. She spoke with Kate. How is that even possible?

His mind started whirling a mile a minute… Gemma came to him last night in his dreams, - asking him to stop looking for her, not to try and save her, - warning him that he was in danger. He had honestly thought it was a nightmare brought on by his feelings of guilt, but looking at her right now, - dressed in the same tan slip, unnatural blond hair, obvious goose egg and wearing a black boot cast, - in addition to listening to her talk about Kate…

Oh my God! He suddenly found it difficult to breathe.

"You're no good to me, Gemma," Tyson continued tersely, "If you can't give her a message."

She replied sarcastically, "Well maybe next time you should fuck me at 4 in the morning instead of 1:30."

"That can certainly be arranged."

Tyson took in her heaving chest and flushed appearance and a 'sinking' feeling engulfed Rick.

Shit, he knows that she's lying as well.

"Why don't I believe you?" Tyson's hand clenched her chin in a vice grip.

"I don't know, J.T. Maybe it's because you've kidnapped me and are holding me against my will, let alone the sick and twisted abuse. Why would you think I'd willingly tell the truth?"

Rick smirked at her sharp wit, impressed by her ability to give as good as she got, but he worried she was setting herself up for more torment. From Tyson's fixed glare, he honestly expected him to slap her, to try and beat the whole truth out of her, but then Gemma did something he certainly didn't anticipate, and it undeniably shocked Tyson as well… She reached out her hand to grab his and her thumb swirled over the back of his hand in a soothing fashion.

Rick watched in fascination as her touch calmed him and the anger slowly faded from his features. Tyson visibly relaxed in front of her.

"I've told you this before," gone was the satirical tone and in its place was a comforting voice, meant to reassure. "When I sense a vision is coming, I can connect myself with a specific person, but I can't speak with them unless they're asleep. Detective Beckett was still working the case."

"Hmm…" His eyes narrowed as he studied her. "Tell me, what was on the murder board?"

She glanced at Rick with still-fresh tear tracks covering her cheeks.

"Stop looking at him." He threw Rick a glare full of malicious intent and then jerked her chin back to him. "You're speaking with me."

She said with a hint of bitterness, "You always have my undivided attention, J.T."

"What was on the white board?"

She looked directly into his beady eyes, giving him no reason to question her information. "There was an 8X10 picture of Rick with the words, 'Missing' beneath it, the date he disappeared, plus the time and place he was last seen. There were also photos of both Madeline and I with similar information."

"Go on."

"There was a section entitled, 'Frozen Heat Clues,' which had several letters written beneath it and there were names of businesses as well."

Tyson grinned heartily at this information. "This is very important. What were the names of the businesses?"

Rick started as a frightened look crossed her features. "I'll try to remember but you pulled me out too soon. I didn't have enough time."

That's when he struck her, - a back hand directly across her left cheek and the horrific sound echoed throughout the small room. Castle jerked against the chain, the clanking of the metal against cement grinding on his already frazzled nerves. He tried in vain to reach Tyson with his one good hand.

"Dammit, Tyson. She's had enough!"

"I'll say when she's had enough."

"If you need to beat on someone, be a real man and take it out on someone your own size. Take it out on me."

"Don't worry… I'll show you 'real' soon enough. You're going to get your just dues and –" his tone noticeably dropped, "Sooner than you think."

Gemma nibbled on the inside of her cheek as she concentrated on remembering the murder board.

Anger, hot and sharp, coursed through Rick's blood as Tyson's mark became visible on her tender cheek.

God, he's slowly abusing her to death.

"Give me a moment, J.T., I can remember…" Her chest rose and fell heavily in the silence of the room. "There was a name of a bar, Tristan's Bar. There was also a little Bed and Breakfast, -umm, something like the Sunset Inn or Sunrise Inn."

"Were there any businesses listed in the Triborough area?"

Her wide, lovely lips pursed together. "Yes. It was a Triborough newspaper… I believe it was the Times… Yes, the Triborough Times."

His haughty laugh made Rick want to knock him out cold.

"Thank you little Gem. You really are a treasure." He leaned down and placed a lingering kiss on her forehead. "And to show you that I'm not a soul-less bastard, I'm going to give you a reward." He tossed the handcuff key to her before turning and opening the steel door. "I won't be back in at 4 am." He turned to Rick cockily and gibed, "You have her for another 6 hours but I highly doubt, with Beckett's claws burrowed that deep into you, that you'll know what to do with her… I wouldn't mind giving you a few pointers, you know."

Disgusting, sick man. "Why don't you uncuff me Tyson and we'll talk, man to man."

J.T. chuckled darkly as he walked through the doorway, and just as Rick thought he'd close the door on them, he looked back over his shoulder.

"And Gemma, make sure he's cuffed back to the bed in the morning or they'll be another – " he evilly smirked, "Enjoyable punishment."

After the door slammed and they both heard the lock slide into place, she was off the bed in an instant and unlocking Rick's handcuff. When it fell to the floor, his arms were immediately around her slim shoulders and he drew her to him, whispering words of deep sorrow into her ear.

He could barely make out beneath her shaking and trembling…"I spoke with her, Rick. I spoke with Kate."