"Go home and get some rest, she says. Next thing we know, she's going to set up snipers with dart guns to sedate him from afar like he's some rabid animal on the loose. This is ridiculous."
Ryan's attitude hadn't improved much since they left the precinct behind, the tense situation slowly but surely getting under the young detective's skin.
To an extent, Beckett couldn't blame Gates for sending them home for a while, hoping it would help diffuse some of the pent-up frustration and outright angst when it came to Esposito's whereabouts.
It was an unusual situation with an unknown outcome, enough to put all of them on edge, especially a man who considered himself to be Esposito's brother. As such, she had allowed Ryan to vent for a while, hoping it would help him calm down and focus when the hour demanded it.
And, for the record, they were going to go home and get some rest, but first, there was one more stop they had to make, and Beckett wasn't comfortable letting Ryan go out alone.
As an added measure of safety, they'd headed over to Esposito's apartment together, checking to see if there'd been any indication that he'd returned home at one point, and if not, leave a written note on his counter asking him to get in touch with them under the premise of safety.
Unfortunately, by the looks of it, he definitely hadn't come back since their search.
Beckett let her eyes drift over the small apartment, the couch with a folded-up blanket on top, the various pieces of training equipment, the meticulously organized kitchen. At one point she even checked the closet and adjacent bedroom but found no trace of the missing detective.
By the time she returned to the living room, Ryan was writing a note for his partner, his usually neat handwriting deteriorating to a scribble now.
Halfway through, she noticed that Castle was watching her, their worried gazes meeting for a fleeting moment, exchanging mutual feelings about the situation, the writer eventually clearing his throat to get Ryan's attention.
"If you…if you want, we can hang out here for a bit and see if Esposito returns. It's just after 8pm. We got time yet."
Freezing in his spot by the couch, Ryan thought about it for a moment, then shook his head decisively.
"I think it would only freak him out seeing us here. I am sure he's very confused as it is."
Heading over to the kitchen to leave the note on the counter; Ryan sighed heavily, his shoulders slumped in defeat.
"Is Jenny home?", Beckett tried, hoping to pull the detective out of his sour mood by changing subjects.
"No, she's still out of town to be with her mom which is just as good. It allows me to deal with this…this situation."
Loathing the idea of Ryan coming home to an empty apartment and undoubtedly spending the entire night fretting; Beckett sought out Castle's gaze again, ensuring she had his attention before proceeding.
"If you like, why don't you come over to my place? We can order in some pizza. Talk and…I don't know…see what the night brings. Like you said, we're all in this together."
Ryan's blue eyes shot up at her in surprise, a shy smile playing on his lips.
"I…ehm…I'd like that very much."
