Here's a new one a bit shorter than usual but still I hope you enjoy it!

The drive to Castle's takes Beckett less than 10 minutes, and when she gets there, au contraire than what she expected he's not waiting for her at the door. She gets out the car and just as she's reaching the building door she hears a breathless Castle calling for her – "I'm here, I'm here!" – he exclaims approaching her – "I just went to get some coffee" – he justifies handing her the paper cup.

Beckett smiles – "You didn't have to" – she says appreciated.

- "I know, but I wanted to" – he smiles back getting ready to settle in the passenger seat. Beckett grabs his arm stopping him and Castle looks at her confused – "I'm you going to let me drive today?" – he asks hopeful.

She scowls at him – "No!" – she replies sharply, then softening her tone explains – "There's just something I need to tell you before we go…" – his expression immediately toughens as his eyes beg her to continue – "we think we found other victims of the same guy that attacked Alexis" – she starts hesitantly.

- "That's good news, right?" – he asks enthusiastically – "Maybe they can help us find the bastard!" - Beckett looks at his eyes, her lips curling in the smallest smiles – "Beckett, what aren't you telling me?" – he asks realizing there's more to it.

- "None of the other girls survived" – she finally lets out. Castle eyes drop to the floor and she can see him struggle to fight the images that she knows he's creating in his head. Her heart aches, wanting to take the pain away from him, but she continues, she has to – "That's not all" – she adds pausing for a moment, allowing him to take a moment before raising his eyes to meet hers – "Castle, before they were killed, all the girls were raped" – she tells hating herself for breaking him even harder.

- "Maybe it's not the same guy" – he claims in denial.

- "Maybe, but the victimology matches and so do the places where the girls were attacked" – she explains.

- "I don't think it's the same guy!" – he disagrees.

- "We certainly have to collect more evidences before we can be sure" – Beckett agrees – "but I think there's strong odds that he is" – she confesses.

- "No! You're wrong!" – he shouts upset with her.

- "Castle…"

- "No Beckett, you don't know it's him. All the girls are death, you can't know. No, it's not him" – he affirms certain.

- "Castle, you can't know that" – she tells him patiently.

- "Yes, I can, I know, I just do. He's not our guy" - he repeats frenetically.

- "Castle, we don't know that" – she insists.

- "We do, Kate, we do" – he says almost begging her – "it can't be him, because if it's him that means that if that other guy hadn't appeared Alexis would have been..." – his voice fades before he can finish his sentence.

Beckett looks at him, his eyes filled with tears, a sort of pain and desperation she can't remember ever seeing in his eyes, not even when they faced death. She wants to say something reassuring but she can't figure out what so she waits for a moment, expecting him to say something but he seems too lost in his mind. After several minutes she calls him softly – "Castle, Rick" – that seems enough to bring him out of the gaze.

- "Not Alexis" – he says in a hardly audible whisper and she can't be sure if it's a question or a statement.

- "No, not Alexis" – she repeats knowing exactly what he means and getting closer to him.

- "Are you sure?" – he gathers the courage to ask, finally looking Beckett in the eyes.

Beckett nods – "I've talked to her, and Lainie did a full exam" – the detective assures him – "it was a big scare but that's all it was. Alexis is fine" - she guarantees him. Castle nods taking a long and deep breath – "I'm sorry, but I had to tell you…" – Beckett apologizes.

- "It's not what I wanted to hear, but if I had to hear it from someone I'm glad it was you" – the writer tells her sincerely.

They both smile and finally get in the car to visit the mysterious man who apparently saved Alexis life.

I hope you liked it. Please review it, let me know what you think of the story so far and let me know where you'd like it to go :)