Time for round 2. I hope you.
As always I don't own Castle.
Chapter 12- Almost
"It is Josh."
As the words slipped from her, she could not, did not want to believe it. She was married to this man for a little bit more than a year and she had not seen it. Maybe she did not want to see it, Kate thought to herself. This was her fault, she should have known.
The boys were doing their best impressions of statues. Castle on the other hand was starting to boil like an over-heated kettle. Josh was trying to hurt him by targeting the absolute most important thing in his world, his daughter.
Kate could see Castle's physical appearance changing before her; he actually turned red with the anger boiling in his veins. His muscles were tensing up, and the normal glint in his eye was replaced by a need for blood. Kate was scared for Castle and a little because of him.
She knew that she and the boys had to catch Josh first or Castle would kill him with his bare hands. Still none of them had moved. They were all motionless. The noise of the 12th faded away as they each got lost in their own heads, each attempting to process the information.
It was the captain, leaving his office on a coffee run that noticed them standing and sitting there, motionless in a busy police precinct. "Is everything alright?" he asked approaching the group. As a cop he was curious, as a friend he was anxious. These people did not just stand around doing nothing.
Ryan answered sounding distracted. "The lab found the identity of the killer. It's Josh Davidson, Captain. The lab got a DNA match. Both the hair from the first scene and the cast fibers from this one, match Josh's DNA." He did not even look at the Captain. It was like all of them were nervous about how Wall would react, like they should have known it was Josh.
If Wall was mad or disappointed in them he did not say, because it seemed the cop part of him had won. He needed the details of the case as quick as possible. "I thought the lab didn't get a match from the first run?"
"In a strange turn of events it's because of Castle," Kate mused. "Josh insisted on pressing charges against Castle for assault. The officers at the hospital took his clothes as evidence since they were covered in blood. The lab tested his clothes and the blood went into the system. When Lanie ran the latest test, it popped against the sample of DNA from victim this morning," Kate finished her explanation.
The knowledge was quickly sinking in that her husband was a serial killer and she blamed herself for not knowing. What kind of cop would not notice their husband was a serial killer? It started to weight on her; these girls were dead because of her, Alexis was living in terror because of her, and Castle was fearful of losing his daughter…because of her.
"Okay you two" the Captain said pointing at Ryan and Esposito. "Alert the patrols and get his picture out to the media. Get people at his place, the hospital and anywhere else he could be." The Captain turned to Castle and Kate. "You two go home." They were both about to object but he cut them off. "Castle, you need to watch over Alexis. And Kate, you are still on protective detail. Hence you both go. Take the time and come back tomorrow with a clear head."
Kate and Castle headed for the elevator together, not saying a word to each other. Kate had guilt eating at her and Castle could still feel the rage trying to boil up and take over.
Castle leaned against the back wall of the elevator and Kate stood facing the doors trying not to look at him. All she wanted to do was to wrap up in his arms and be comforted but she had too much self-hatred building inside. Thinking that there was only one thing to do, she turned to him as soon as she was sure the doors had closed and they were alone.
"Castle, I am so sorry. After this is over I will be gone from your life…for good this time." Kate was sure that he would blame her for this. "If it wasn't for me Alexis wouldn't be in danger right now. Your life wouldn't be turned upside down." Kate turned back around trying the hide her crying. She hated to say it, but she believed it was for the best. She would let go of her tenuous hold on Castle.
Kate was surprised when Castle spun her around by her shoulders, pushed her against the wall of the elevator, and hoisted her up by her legs until she wrapped her legs around him, buried his hands in her hair and then kissed her deeply. He was done talking, no more words. There was someone out there threatening the life of his daughter and he would not allow his man to take anything else from him or his family. He had to prove how he felt about her.
Their kiss was unrelenting, even when the elevator stopped at the lobby they still didn't stop. When the doors opened, the people standing there were treated to the show. The doors closed and reopened before the two broke apart.
It was then that Castle finally said something on the subject and that was the end of it. "You are not going anywhere and this conversation is now closed. Okay?"
Kate nodded her response. He placed her back on her feet. He had let her know exactly where she belonged, right next to him. She was smiling. He took her hand a placed a soft little kiss on the back of it, before they walked out of the elevator hand and hand.
Everyone just gawked at them on their way through the lobby. They had all heard the rumor of these two getting together, but now they had eyewitness proof.
Ryan and Esposito worked feverishly to get the word out to anyone and everyone they could think of. Josh became the highest priority case and suspect to the NYPD. After getting the bulletin out, Ryan and Esposito were to head over to Beckett's former place of residence and look for information regarding Josh's whereabouts.
As the boys left the 12th precinct, Ryan asked his partner "Do you think he will really show up at the apartment?"
"I don't know, bro. We just need to find him fast. For everybody's sake" he said sliding into the passenger seat.
Alexis was enjoying a quiet afternoon in the loft because her grams had to go to her studio. So for the first time since the whole ordeal started, she was alone. She was sitting on the couch, reading a book, when there was a knock at the door.
Alexis suspected that something was wrong. With all the police presence, a knock on the door was rare these days. When she walked to the door and peeked through the peephole, she could only see the man's hat. She had to ask "Who is it?"
"It's Officer Webber. Just checking on how you are doing." The voice was composed but warm.
Alexis cracked the door open an inch. "I'm fine…" she did not get to finish her sentence as the officer burst through the door sending her jerking backwards to get out of the way.
"Hello, Alexis" his voice had lowered and sounded colder, meaner as he entered the loft.
Alexis recognized him as the man who attacked her father at the hospital when Kate was shot. She didn't stop to think, she just ran toward the stairs, but he cut her off. "It's been you all along? Why?" she asked hoping to distract him.
Josh's smile was wicked. "Your father tried to take something from me the day my Kate was shot. He didn't know it but he was successful. So I decided to take something from him, you."
He was blocking the path to her room. Alexis knew that her father's room had a lock on the door. She turned to run toward it and Josh chased after her.
Alexis threw the vase that was on the table behind the couch, hitting Josh in the face. The impact of the vase stunning him, buying her precious seconds to get away and she took the opportunity to get to Castle's room and lock the door.
Kate was supremely happy on the cab ride over to the loft. She tried to leave him, thinking it would be better but he put an end to that in a heartbeat. She was glad that he hadn't let her walk away. They sat enjoying each other's company. The ride ended far too soon for both of them, he paid the cab driver and was getting out when his phone ring.
Castle smiled when the caller ID showed it was Alexis calling "Hello pumpkin…"
"Dad, he's here! Kate's ex is in the loft!," she was crying into the phone, trying to hold it together.
"Hold on, honey! I am outside the loft right now. I will be there in a second. Hang on!" he screamed as he ran for the front door. "Josh is in the loft!" he yelled over his shoulder to Kate as she got out of the cab.
When he entered the lobby, he debated taking the stairs but he knew that it would be slower than taking the elevator. But fate made the decision for as the elevator doors opened at that moment.
He ran inside and hit the button for his floor. This began the longest 20 seconds of his entire life. He knew exactly what he was going to do and it would be messy. Castle took off his coat throwing it on the floor and he began rolling up his sleeves.
Kate could barely hear Castle since he was facing away from her but she instinctively knew what he had said. She signaled the patrol officers to follow her, as she hit the speed dial for Esposito.
"Esposito" he answered.
"Where are you?" she asked breathing hard as she ran.
Esposito knew something was wrong and instantly went on alert. "We're on the way to your old place" he answered quickly.
"Get to the loft. Josh is here and Castle's got a head start on me" she panted.
"Damn it we're on the way!" Esposito said and hung up the phone. "We need to get to Castle's loft. Castle's going to kill Josh." At his words, Ryan pressed the gas pedal down and Esposito flipped the lights and sirens on from the controls on the dash.
When the doors opened he darted down the hall in the direction of his home. The front door was open and Castle crept in not wanting to alert Josh to his presence. He found Josh beating on his bedroom door. "Josh we really have to stop meeting like this."
Josh's spine straightened instantly. Castle's words were cold and promised something more than pain. This time it was Death that came with Castle and Josh knew that the man and phantom were both there for him.
Kate made her way into the lobby with the other officers not far behind her, she headed for the elevator first but Castle must have gotten in it. She changed her route to head for the stairs. "Please don't let him do this. Please don't let him do this," she was almost chanting, a prayer to any god that was willing to listen.
She was trying to take the stairs two at a time, almost leaving the other cops behind. She hoped that she would make it there before it got too bad.
Back in the loft, the pounding on the bedroom door stopped. Alexis could hear people talking but could not make out what they were saying. She was relieved when she made out that one of the voices was her dad's. "Dad!" she yelled relief coloring her voice.
Castle's anger subsided for a second when he heard her voice from the other side of the door. "Baby, you okay? Did he hurt you in anyway?" he called.
"No, I am just scared" she replied.
He let out the breath he had been holding since he heard her voice on the phone downstairs. "Pumpkin, listen to me. Go into the bathroom and lock the door. Do not come out no matter what you hear. Okay?"
"But Dad…" she tried to say but Castle cut her off.
"Alexis just do it." His tone was stern and she was taken aback because he was never like this with her. She could tell by the tone of his voice that she did not want to witness what happened next.
Ryan and Esposito made their way through the city as fast as possible but traffic was working against them. They were silent while navigating the busy streets. They were not talking but both were thinking the same thing. "Please don't let this happen!"
It was time, Castle thought. Josh needed to hurt, to suffer and Castle wanted, needed to make it happen. Revenge for every person Josh had hurt; Alexis, the victims, and Kate.
Castle tackled Josh, shoving him into the book case next to the desk. The bookcase toppled over, causing books to crash down on them. Castle was on his feet first. He grabbed Josh by the shirt and, like the first fight, sent him flying through the air smashing into the other book case near the door of the office. Again the books dropped onto Josh.
Castle closed the distance quickly and dragged Josh back to his feet, but Josh had some fight left in him. He took a swing at Castle with his right hand, which was still in a cast, and connected with side of Castle's face hard. Castle was knocked to one knee, his head bleeding from the impact.
Josh ran for the door trying to escape. He never meant to see anybody but Alexis. Castle recovered quickly though and landed a punch directly to the back of Josh's head. Josh dropped to the ground hard, right on his face.
"Got some spirit in you, Josh but I'm going to make you as helpless as your victims. So I guess beating you will have to do." The grin carved on his face was disgusting. He walked over to Josh's feet. Castle stomped down just above his foot causing his ankle to break. Josh screamed, the pain was agonizing and made the edges of his vision go blurry. Castle had snapped his ankle in two. His foot was hanging nastily off the end of his leg.
Castle rolled Josh over to face him "Now you cannot get away." He leaned in close to Josh's ear. "I am here for her" he whispered into his ear. It was the same thing he said to Cole before he shot him.
Castle was deliberate with his blows, each one landing hard, smashing down on his face. Josh tried to protect himself, but it was useless. Blow after blow showered down on him.
Castle kept up his deliberate assault on Josh until he heard a small voice behind him. "Dad, stop" He turned to see Alexis standing there. She looked frightened. It was not because of Josh anymore, it was because of him. All his rage drained away from him and his shoulders slumped.
"Baby, I'm so sorry." He went to hug her but his hands were covered in blood. Alexis' smile was a little shaky but it was there. "Let me cleanup" he told her.
Kate arrived at the loft as fast as possible, but she was too late. Josh was on the floor not moving, and she could not find Castle within her visual range.
"Castle!" she shouted. She was about to search upstairs when both Richard and Alexis came from the office area. Castle was drying his hands off. "What happened?"
It was Alexis who answered. "I was hiding in the bathroom when I heard Josh scream. I came out to find Dad pounding his face into the floor boards." Alexis was looking at her father. Kate was shocked to see that Alexis had nothing but love in her eyes; not fear, not anything but love for her father.
Kate asked the most obvious question first. "How did you get him to stop?"
Alexis reply was simple. "I just asked."
Please Review.
