This chaper has been repaired. Sorry, worked a very long shift and neglected to see that I had saved/uploaded the correct version. Thanks everyone for your reviews and kind words.

Now let's return to the loft. The ending is only a few chapters away!

The office door flew open, Esposito charged in with his weapon extended, yelling "NYPD" and for Martha to drop. Seconds later, Beckett charged through mimicking Esposito position only on the other side of the door. Alexis stood slightly out of the way, peering at Ryan.

"What the hell are you doing, man?" Esposito yelled at his partner. "We could have shot you!" He glanced about the room assuring himself that there was no danger present. He walked up to Ryan and shoved a forefinger into his chest. "You are a f…," he stopped remembering Alexis, "…lipping nimrod! If I shot you in head the bullet would clatter around and no damage done!"

"Are you nuts? Why didn't you announce yourself? You …You idiot!" Beckett was furious at Ryan. She ought to shoot him on general principals. She slapped his arm. Her green eyes shooting fire at her subordinate.

Martha sank to the chair, her hand to her chest. Alexis went to her Grams. "Are you ok?" Her own heart was doing a triple time beat.

"I am fine, baby. Just a little..discombobulated." She patted her Alexis' arm and glared at Ryan. "How did you know about that stairwell?" She picked up the drink she had poured moments ago and downed it.

Ryan held up his hand. They were going to massacre him if he didn't explain quickly. "I was coming around the corner when I saw this guy that matched one of Castle's descriptions enter a doorway in the alley. I followed him. There is a walkway around the building inside the building. Come take a look." He stepped aside to allow them to enter.

He was right. There was a staircase leading down with dim lights showing the way. It was spiral and only about three feet wide. There was a landing with weak lights that leads in both directions. Beckett and Esposito went in opposite directions, weapons in hand, while Ryan stayed with Martha and Alexis. They saw several more entrances to Castle's home, but no intruder. They went down the stairs to the open door that led into an alley. Beckett pulled the door shut. She sent the dead bolt home.

They returned to the study to find the ladies and Ryan fixing coffee and breakfast. Ryan whistled at Beckett. "Nice legs."

Beckett's eyes could have melted ice. "You'd look good in a body bag, too." She went back up the stairs to Castle's room to get dressed, tugging on the t-shirt all the way. She wondered about the intruder Ryan had spotted and where he had disappeared. She supposed it was possible while they were trying to take down one of her detectives that he had left through the open door. They needed to call CSU and the Captain.

Alexis stood at the door of her father's room, a fist raised to knock when the door opened and Beckett almost ran her down. She dodged the older woman and gave a small laugh. "Alexis!" Beckett took a deep breath and looked at Castle's daughter. "What do you need?"

"I need to show you something." Alexis' voice was soft but urgency layered the tone.

Beckett nodded and followed Alexis to her room. In her room sitting on her dresser was a large bouquet of flowers. There were white, pink and striped carnations mixed with bells of Ireland and baby's breath. Beckett turned to Alexis. "Get out of here. Go get the guys!" She pulled her weapon from the small of her back and started pushing the girl from her room.

A quick search proved the room empty of any intruders. They did find a doorway leading out into the landing they had discovered earlier. She followed hallway to the stairs and discovered nothing; the door was still locked.

When she came back into Alexis' bedroom, Martha was looking at the flowers. Beckett pushed the door shut with her shoulder. They needed to seal these doors today; if not all the doors then the door in the alley. "There is a card." Martha announced.

Esposito was holding the card gingerly by the corner using a pair of tweezers. "Say it with flowers" was written on one side. The other side read: "Alexis, my wee colleen, family is family and you are mine. May the wind always be at your back. "Til we meet. Your Da" he said looking at his boss.

"What does that mean?" Beckett asked as she looked at the card. "Call for CSU. Have them dust for prints."

"We know the drill and they have been called." Esposito threw an eyebrow at Beckett.

Esposito placed the card into a sandwich baggie and pressed it closed. Noticing Beckett following his move, he defended himself. "I opened the box of baggies myself. They were in the kitchen. Sealed. No cross contamination."

"Got it." Ryan announced from Alexis' computer, pulling Beckett's attention to him. "I can tell you what the flowers mean."

Alexis wrapped her arms around herself and sat on her bed. Martha joined her wrapping an arm around her granddaughter. "Everything will be fine. Just wait and see." Martha hugged her and felt some of the tension ease from Alexis' small frame.

Ryan read from the. "White carnations signify sweet and lovely, innocence, pure love and a woman's good luck gift."

Martha laughed. "Well, that is Alexis!" They all nodded in agreement and waited for Ryan to continue.

"The striped carnation means I can't be with you or I wish I could be with you. The pink one is I will never forget you. The bells of Ireland means good luck and baby's breath is innocence."

Alexis began trembling. She felt cold and violated. Tears were choking her throat. "I want my daddy."

CSU had come, did their job and departed, taking what evidence they could find which was very little. A uniform was appointed to stand guard at the door in the alley until the door could be permanently sealed. Beckett figured welding it would do it. The door and the frame were metal, but first things first.

She was ready for some coffee, good coffee, Castle coffee. She could hear soft laughter coming from downstairs and smell the breakfast was wafting up the stairs. All the things that are bad for you taste so good. Bacon, eggs, pancakes, and coffee was calling her name.