I honestly don't know what I think of this one. For TheSlightlyMadOne aka "get your Starbex!"

Uncharted Territory & More Than Enough

Annika stood from the barstool and glanced at Martha and Alexis as she watched Ryan turn to one of the men with the bomb squad, "My wife Jenny O'Malley left the apartment about 15 minutes ago to go to the mall. She was going to buy some clothes for Martha and Alexis."

Annika glanced at Alexis and Martha. Martha didn't see her, but Alexis caught her eye and held it a moment, her eyes full of nervous apprehension. The girls quickly turned their attention back to the man that was with the bomb squad.

Ryan paced the room, "Well? Is it activated?"

The man holding the device spoke, "The location device is turned on. If your wife is in fact where this location device says she is then she does not have an active bomb on her."

"How do you know?! Where is she?!" Ryan was growing more impatient by the moment and no one dare try to calm him down.

A man from the bomb squad looked to Ryan, "Which mall was she going to? This says she's headed to Brooklyn."

Ryan looked at Esposito and then looked at the three women. Esposito understood and Ryan left. The bomb squad went after him, but Espo and the three women didn't move.

"We're going down to the precinct, come on."Esposito lead the way to his patrol car noting how nervous the women were Esposito held his hand toward Annika. She looked at him peculiar, but walked closer to Alexis instead. Esposito sighed and continued on to the patrol car.

Once they were all inside the car it was dead silence until Annika broke it, "How do they know Jenny doesn't have an active bomb on her and where in Brooklyn does detective Ryan even know where to look for her? It's not like he is the one with the location device. The bomb squad guy still had it when he left the apartment."

Esposito looked at Annika in the rearview mirror, "He'll find her."

Annika was quick with a response, "You don't know that."

Martha glanced at Annika, "Annika, sweetie, have a bit of hope right now."

"That's a ridiculous statement. Why should I?" Annika locked eyes with Martha, but Alexis looked at Annika.

Alexis held Annika's stare, "Because, Kevin and Jenny need us right now."

Annika broke the gaze and looked out the window as they drove to the precinct. The humming of tires on the pavement and the city noises passing her by were her only comfort as they drove.

"Detective Esposito! Where is Detective Ryan?" Gates came storming into the pit and Annika glanced to Alexis, and with a huff she made an exit to the break room.

"He's with the bomb squad looking for Jenny. We believe that Eve has her." Esposito replied calmly.

Gates folded her arms and pinched the bridge of her nose, "So, whose custody are the girls in?"

"Mine." Esposito piped up.

"Detective Esposito, you know the girls are not supposed to be under your protective custody."

"Sir, what other choice do we have?" Esposito had a valid point.

Alexis was watching the exchange between Gates and Esposito. She stepped toward Gates, "Why don't we have a say in this? Why does Esposito always get in trouble for helping us? I don't see you helping Captain!"

Martha put her hand on Alexis' shoulder and she shrugged it off, "I want to stay with Detective Esposito!" Alexis glared at Gates as she walked off after Annika into the break room.

Gates turned to Esposito, "Keep the girls, but you better not lose them and I don't want them stuck in the precinct all over again. And get them all new clothes."

"Yes, Sir."

Esposito and Martha stared at one another and then looked to the break room. Eve had Jenny, Ryan was after Jenny without a partner, and Castle and Beckett were in the hospital. Esposito knew they were in too deep, but they'd been running for far too long to give up now.

Alexis walked over and sat next to Annika at the coffee table.

"When do you think my dad and Beckett are going to get out of the hospital?" Alexis rest her head in her hands and looked in Annika's direction.

Annika inhaled and let out a breath, "I don't know Alexis. I know that Jenny is missing, and it's my entire fault."

Alexis tilted her head, "How?"

"Eve wants revenge for what Beckett did to Mr. Scott. She delivered me in Russia." Suddenly, Annika's brow furrowed and she stood from her chair. "I need a phone. I think I know where Eve and Jenny are."

Annika stood and walked over to Beckett's desk, sat and found Ryan's cell number and proceeded to make some calls.

"Annika you can't do this. Beckett's phone belongs to the precinct. It's not for your own personal use." Alexis was speaking in a frantic whisper when Annika held her finger up toward her.

"Sshhh."

Ryan picked up his cell, "Ryan?"

"It's Annika…"

"Are you calling from Beckett's phone?" Ryan asked still wandering Brooklyn for Jenny.

"I know where Jenny is. Say hi to the kid, was found written in blood at the crime scene, correct?" Annika wondered.

"Yes, how do you know that?" Ryan asked.

"It's not important. I think Eve thinks that Jocelyn and Layla have me." Annika said.

"Eve doesn't make mistakes. She's too good." Ryan countered, and Annika met Alexis' eyes then hung up on Ryan.

"Alexis I'm going to Layla's house. Eve is going to want a trade so you have to keep Esposito busy."

"No, I won't let you go. It's too dangerous Annika. You're under protective custody." Annika was suddenly filled with an odd sort of confidence as she looked Alexis in the eye one last time, snuck out of the precinct, and hailed a cab. The cabbie really didn't care how old she was, but more of if she could pay.

Jocelyn Scott walked to her front door with apprehension. She didn't recognize the women at the door and decided not to open it, "Layla go to your room."

Layla gathered her things quickly and left to her room. When Layla was out of sight the knocking became louder, "Open the door Jocelyn. I know you have Annika in there." Eve said and Jenny kept quiet.

Soon the door was open and Jenny and Eve made their way in the house and found themselves face to face with Jocelyn Scott.

"Who are you?! What are you doing here?!" Jocelyn screamed.

Eve rolled her eyes, "I'm the woman that actually loved your husband. You couldn't even do that right and now he's dead!"

"What are you talking about?" Jocelyn was crying as she spoke to Eve.

"You know damn well what I'm talking about! Now where is Annika?" Eve demanded.

"I don't know. Please don't hurt us." Jocelyn begged.

Eve motioned for Jenny to go upstairs to look for Annika, "She's not up there I swear."

"I don't believe you. Call her down here." Eve argued.

Jocelyn closed her eyes, "Annika? Come down here someone wants to speak with you."

Layla appeared at the top of the stairs and looked at the two new faces in her house curiously.

Ten minutes earlier Annika got out of the cab and ran to the fire escape that leads to Layla's bedroom. She knocked on the window and Layla walked over to her curiously and opened the window.

"What are you doing here Annika? I thought you were in protective custody." Layla questioned.

"Yeah, well, things changed. Layla there are two women downstairs with your mom and one of them is very bad. The other is blonde and she's nice. The bad woman can speak Russian so there is no use speaking it. They want me as revenge for the things that my biological mother did. It's complicated. Anyway, don't tell anyone I'm here, but I do need your cell because I have to call detective Ryan and give him this address." Annika said matter of factly.

Layla sighed and handed Annika her cell then disappeared downstairs when she heard her mother calling for Annika.

Annika quickly dialed Ryan's cell, "Ryan."

"It's Annika. I'm with Jenny, the Scott's and Eve." Annika waited for everything to sink in.

"What? Where's Esposito?" Ryan asked and Annika inhaled.

"Seriously? They're at the precinct. I don't think he knows I'm gone. I took a cab." Annika said.

"You what?! You're not even twelve!"

"Obviously." Annika replied sarcastic. "I'm fine just hurry and get here."

Esposito walked up to Alexis in the break room, "Hey, little Castle where's your sidekick?"

"She left." Alexis gave Esposito a sad smile, "I think she went to her friend Layla's."

"She What?!"

"I tried to stop her." Alexis stood her eyes red rimmed.

"Obviously not hard enough!" Esposito yelled back at the teen causing Martha and Lanie to come running into the break room.

Martha looked at the break room void of Annika, "Where's Annika?"

Esposito put his hands in the air, "She's gone."

Martha looked to Lanie as she uttered, "Oh dear."

"Does Beckett know?" Lanie asked.

"Good question. Alexis did Annika call anyone before she disappeared?" Esposito questioned.

"Ryan, she said she thought that Eve thought that Layla and Jocelyn had her and she was going to bring Jenny to the house in Brooklyn." Alexis had calmed down as she told everyone the events that lead up to Annika making the decision to leave.

Ryan pulled up in front of the address that Annika had given him, but he didn't see anyone. He had left the bomb squad in Midtown by the mall as he left for the Brooklyn address Annika had given him. He was alone again. No backup. No partner. He did see movement in the window upstairs and recognized Annika. He ran around to the fire escape and climbed up and into Layla's room the same way Annika did.

"Nice to see you smalls." Kevin Ryan smiled and then headed down stairs.

"Likewise." Annika smiled.

Layla was at the top of the stairs directly in front of Ryan which blocked his way for a clear shot.

"Layla get down! Eve let her go! Jenny has nothing to do with this." Ryan yelled and Layla sat quickly.

"Drop the weapon detective or I will kill her!" Eve yelled back at Ryan. She was holding a gun in Jenny's side.

Ryan thought it over, but kept his weapon pointed at Eve.

Alexis and Martha were met at the hospital entrance by a guard who escorted them upstairs to Castle's floor. Beckett was sitting on the side of the bed when the two women came running in both talking a million miles an hour.

Beckett looked to Alexis, "Where's Annika?"

Martha and Alexis looked at each other and then Alexis looked to Beckett, "She left. She said Eve thought that she was with Jocelyn and Layla Scott. So, she said she had to make a deal." Alexis said and Beckett stood her brow furrowed much like Annika's.

"No, she can't be out there on her own, why? Where's Esposito?" Beckett glanced between Martha and Alexis.

Martha sighed, "Eve has Jenny sweetheart and I think Annika thought she had to right some sort of a ridiculous wrong, by helping her."

"I told her she couldn't help what people did. I told her none of this was her fault." Beckett argued.

Castle looked at Kate, "Would you, believe you?"

Eve stuck the gun in Jenny's side harder, "Call Annika again. I know you have her."

"Annika, come down here. Someone wants to speak to you." Jocelyn called, but still Annika did not appear.

"Let her go Eve or…"

"…Or what you'll shoot me? I have your wife in my arms. You aren't shooting anyone." Eve laughed.

The front door opened and Esposito came through, "He might not, but I will."

He emptied three rounds into Eve and called medics, but by the time they arrived she had coded twice and didn't make it to the hospital. Jenny ran to Kevin and Layla to her mom. Annika stood at the top of the stairs and met Esposito's eyes. He held thumbs up to her and she held a thumb up back at him.

Soon Esposito, Kevin, Jenny, and Annika made it back to the hospital after dropping Jocelyn and Layla off at the precinct. Annika was the first to walk into Castle's room with Jenny, Ryan, and Esposito trailing behind.

Beckett stood a large smile on her face she shook her head at Annika, "Glad you decided to join us."

Alexis was giving Annika a huge hug and Martha was giving Jenny one, "We were so worried for all of you. I swear one day you kids are going to give me a heart attack."

Alexis shook her head at her Grams and Annika looked to Ryan, "Do we have to stay in protective custody anymore?"

"That's up to Gates, kiddo." Kevin smiled.

"Well we need to find out as soon as possible." Castle stated.

Alexis turned to her father, "Why dad?"

"I'm not going to be in this hospital forever and when I do get out I think a trip to the Hamptons is long overdue. What do you say daughter?"

Alexis smiled and embraced her father, "definitely dad."

Annika looked at Castle a bit odd, and then walked up to Beckett after Ryan, Jenny, and Esposito left, "Does Castle mean everyone?" her voice was a quiet whisper.

"I'm never really sure what he's talking about." Beckett said and Annika nodded.

"Annika, what did you ask Beckett?" Castle was curious.

Annika became shy and ducked her head to meet Castle's eye, "I was just wondering who you wanted to go to the Hamptons."

Castle smiled, "Annika, if you can keep from running off you're more than welcome to come with Kate, Alexis, my mother and me."

Martha cleared her throat, "Actually, I'm unsure if I want to go. I was thinking of giving you guys some time to yourself. God knows you need it."

"Well it looks like it will just be us if we are cleared to go that is." Castle smiled and took Beckett's hand in his.

"I think the boys can handle a corrupt pharmaceutical company." Castle squeezed her hand and she squeezed back.

The two red heads looked at Annika, "We were going to go get something to eat. Do you want to come Annika?"

She shook her head no, and Alexis and her Grams left the room as quickly, but much more silently than they entered.

Annika stood from her chair and walked over to Beckett's side of the bed, "Kate?"

Beckett sat up, "What's wrong Annika?"

Annika looked at Castle, and then looked to Kate. "Is he awake or asleep?"

Kate gave Castle a look and he feigned sleep, "He's asleep."

Annika fidgeted a moment and then looked around the room until her eyes settled on Beckett's very familiar hazel orbs. "What's going to happen to me after they close the case?"

Beckett looked into her little girls eyes and her heart skipped a beat. Annika was scared, scared of what would become of her drastic new life, and to be honest Kate was just as terrified of the unknown as Annika. They both were neck deep in uncharted territory.

"I don't know Annika." And Beckett didn't know.

She didn't know if the Scott's were going to want her back. If Annika wanted to live with Layla and Jocelyn which she probably couldn't anyway for legal reasons, and while she didn't know it, since Ms. Grissom had passed Annika was now the only living person to inherit anything from the Baskov's.

"What are you going to do with me?" Annika looked into Beckett's eyes full of a road traveled. "My parents died too." Annika wiped a few tears that had escaped her eyes and trickled down her face. Beckett got out of the bed and sat down on the chairs that Annika had just got up from.

Annika leaned her head on Beckett's shoulder and cried for all they had and all they lost. For everything that once was and everything that would never be, but most of all, she cried because she had a shoulder to lean into when the world around her was falling apart, and for right now, that was enough. It was more than enough.