A/N: If you haven't read Past Tense, please check it out first!
June 28, 2010
Before Castle can bend down to help Beckett stand back up, she's on her feet, rushing down the steps towards her mother and throwing her arms around her in a tight embrace.
"You're alive," the detective whispers, shaking slightly.
"I made it to dinner," Johanna murmurs.
"You made it to dinner," Kate echoes softly, her nose getting lost in her mother's locks and inhaling the familiar scent of cherries. She didn't think she had any tears left in her, but they drift gently down her cheeks as the hole of grief in her heart grows smaller.
"I chose not to work at the Justice Initiative or lead a 'Take Back the Neighborhood' campaign," Johanna says quietly.
Beckett lifts her head from her mother's shoulder and pulls back from her. "Yeah?"
"I found other ways to advocate for people, and I didn't think it was worth all those lives," Johanna replies, absentmindedly tucking Kate's hair behind her ear as she takes her in.
"You're really here," Beckett says hoarsely.
"I promised I'd try."
A joyous smile slowly blooms across Beckett's face. "I can't believe it."
"Can I get in there?" Jim asks and a laugh slides out of Beckett's throat as she breaks away from her mother to hug her dad.
"You did it," she says, squeezing him close.
"We decided that staying away from it all was her best chance," Jim says, "Thought about tipping off the police and setting up a trap for Coonan, but it seemed too risky. Didn't want to use your mother as bait."
"So the other victims involved, they're alive, too?" Castle asks, chiming in.
"Everyone's fine except for one, but their death happened on a different date than it was supposed to, so we don't think it's connected."
"Are you sure?" Beckett asks.
"Slip and fall in 2002. Definitely no stab wounds to the kidney," Johanna says with a slight grimace, her hand unconsciously hovering over her stomach.
"Well, it's great to see you again, Mrs. Beckett," Castle says, stretching out a hand.
"Good to see you again, Mr. Castle. And please call me Johanna," she says, shaking it.
"What about Coonan? Where is he now?" Beckett asks.
"Federal prison," Jim replies.
"What? How?"
"It was Castle's idea, actually. He suggested it back in '77 when we had a chance to speak one-on-one," Jim says with an approving nod.
Beckett arches a brow at her partner and he shrugs as if it's nothing. "We knew that Jack was already working with the feds, so I thought if your parents tipped them off about a murder attempt, they'd be able to put Jack in protective custody in time and set up a sting operation," Castle says.
"Worked like a charm, too. They caught Coonan red-handed and he got put away on a first degree charge and drug trafficking," Jim says.
"I'm glad," Castle says nonchalantly, but Beckett can see the slight puff of pride to his chest. She slips her hand into his, pressing his palm in a silent thank you. "I'm curious," the writer adds, "How'd you know to meet us here?"
Jim says, "The 28th was the same day you left in '77 and you said you came from 2010, so we figured you'd eventually show up here. And well…"
"You've been missing," Jo says, "The both of you."
"For almost four days, right?" Kate says.
"Yes, but I'm talking about the other versions of yourselves," Johanna says and the air of excitement is pierced by a sudden apprehension.
"Other versions?" Castle presses.
"Katie's not a detective here. She's the DA," Jim says.
"Pardon?" Beckett says, her hand dropping from Castle's grasp, her vision tilting.
"After Stanford, you went to NYU Law School. Then, you worked as an Assistant DA, earned your reputation, and became the youngest woman to be elected District Attorney just last year," Johanna reveals.
"Castle, you're still a writer. Derrick Storm's a big hit. And Scarlett Rain, of course," Jim offers.
"Scarlett Rain?" Castle asks.
"The character you base on Katie," Johanna explains.
"So we've met here, too?" Castle asks.
Beckett watches a look pass between her parents and an uneasy feeling grows in the pit of her stomach. "Hold on…" she says, her thoughts scrambling together with horrible clarity. "Are you saying we've replaced these other versions? Like something out of Invasion of the Body Snatchers?
"I'm not sure. We changed things, and I thought that maybe the version of you and Castle that traveled back wouldn't exist," Johanna says.
Beckett feels like she's been hit with a sledgehammer to the gut. "How could we travel back if we don't exist?"
"There must be more than one timeline," Castle theorizes.
"The one you came from and this one we created where I don't die," Johanna says, nodding.
"But if there's another timeline, our original timeline, then why were we sent here?" Beckett asks, thinking out loud. "You said they disappeared...the others. Uh, Rick and Katie? They're gone?"
"Yes, on the 25th," Johanna say.
"So they left when we did," Beckett posits.
"But we came back and they didn't," Castle adds.
"The daughter you knew, the one who never had to live through the murder of her mother...she's gone," she says, panic clawing at her chest. Her mom is alive, standing right in front of her. Her deepest wish granted and her greatest desire realized. But it's all wrong. It's not hers.
Sensing her growing anxiety, Castle grabs for her hand, tangling their fingers together. "What about my daughter?" he asks. "And my mother?"
"Alexis goes to boarding school in Connecticut and you see her on weekends. Your mother is playing a college professor in the Legally Blonde musical. Currently touring in London," Jim answers.
"Boarding school?" Castle squeaks.
"She wanted to pursue a more rigorous academic program and Marlowe Prep had an opening in a sister school in Greenwich," Johanna says.
Beckett's brows furrow. "You're friendly with Alexis and Martha?"
"Of course," Johanna replies.
"Of course? How close are these other versions of ourselves?"
"Very," Jim coughs.
Johanna looks at the both of them sympathetically.
"Bug, he's your husband."
"My what?" Beckett shouts, taking a step back and letting go of Castle's hand. Glancing at him, she sees something like yearning pass over his face. Her heart pounds.
"One more surprise," Johanna says as she waves at someone across the street. A woman with a stroller walks towards them and Beckett's stomach drops. "This is Fitz. Your son," she announces, gesturing to a 6 month old baby with a shock of dair hair.
"Our son?" Castle asks, looking between the two elder Becketts as if waiting for one of them to tell them it's all a prank.
Bile rises up Kate's throat. No, no, no. Fitz gurgles and she catches sight of his eyes, big and blue. Just like his dad's. She's filled with a powerful nausea and rushes to the nearest sidewalk trash can, releasing the contents of her stomach.
Castle comes up behind her as she leans over the bin, his hand finding the small of her back. She jolts at his touch. He quickly gives her space.
"You alright?" he asks.
She wipes at her mouth.
"You think?"
"I know this is crazy."
"Crazy?" she scoffs. "That doesn't even begin to cover it. I...I thought we did the right thing, telling her. But I don't know how I fit into the world anymore. "
"We can figure it out."
"We're imposters!"
"How do you think I feel? My daughter doesn't live with me and my mother is on the other side of the world. Though on second thought, that doesn't sound too terrible."
"But you're still a writer. You're you. I'm…"
"Exactly what you wanted to be before your mom was killed. Didn't you tell me your dream was to become the first female Chief Justice?"
"Was being the operative word," she says. "Being a cop is all that I know. And my mom—"
"Is alive, Kate," he says. "She's here and we have a son."
"Funny. I don't remember being pregnant."
"Does that matter? He's our responsibility."
The detective kneads her forehead. She wants to tear her hair out.
"How can you say that? This isn't our life!"
"No, but it could be," he says with a hopeful lilt to his tone.
"So...what? We pretend to be a happy little family and ignore everything else?"
"It doesn't have to be pretend," he says.
"What do you mean?"
"C'mon, Kate," he says. "I know we've barely started dating, but this—us—could really be something. These other versions of ourselves? They're proof of that."
"God, Castle." She tilts her head up, holding back unbidden tears. "I can't do this. Not like this. I—I have to go," she says.
"So you're just gonna walk away from everything?" he asks.
This isn't what either of them expected. But she can't look at him right now. Not when he's a stark reminder of everything that's changed.
"Castle, please, I need this. I need some time."
"How much time?"
"I'll call you, okay?"