Sorry for the delay. But here you go. :)
Chapter 5
"No matter what mommy says, daddy has saved mommy's life more times." Lizzie was reliving the last conversation she had with her father. They had been coloring in her room, when the scary man came and took her.
She remembered her dad telling her all the times that he had saved her mom's life and about all the times her mom saved her dad's life.
"Daddy?"
"Yes baby girl."
"Will you tell me the stories about how mommy saves your life from the bank robbers?"
Rick smiled. "Yep." Rick began to relive how he and his mother had been stuck inside the bank while it was being robbed and how Kate and Alexis were outside trying to get in. All of Kate's heroics, and his own quick thinking had saved other people's lives and not just their own.
When Lizzie opened her eyes she wanted to see her pink room with her mother and father sitting next to her smiling and laughing, but all she saw was the inside of a dark room, the man that had taken her was sitting in the corner, holding the gun he had pointed at her father. Lizzie shuddered.
She tried to think back to what her mom and dad told her to do. Nothing coming to mind she remembered her father's story about how mommy had saved his and grams life in the bank.
She stood and walked over to the scary man.
"What?" He asked annoyed.
"I has to go the bathrooms." Lizzie said bravely looking up at him.
X-X-X-X
Kate was seated next to Rick, she clicked the power button on the remote. Lizzie's face had been smiling back at her on every news station, accompanied by David Pearson's driver's license photo. Cameras were outside the loft, the hospital, and one or two on the precinct.
"Probably hoping Sorenson will talk to them." Rick said, extending his fingers to brush gently over Kate's arm.
"He won't not until he's found Lizzie." Kate said, placing the remote on the nightstand.
Rick didn't reply, but watched as Kate sat feeling helpless. Kate Beckett was never one to sit around and wait, but put her own daughter in danger, she'll bring harm to the person at fault no matter how long it takes her. As these thought passed through Rick's mind, he couldn't help but want to get his hands on the bastard that took his daughter.
Rick continued to watch Kate, she looked tired, worried, scared. But also like she was thinking about something else, something was bothering her, but Rick couldn't figure out what it could be.
"What's wrong?"
Kate looked at him with surprise written in every line of her face, "What's wrong? Rick our daughter was kidnapped, isn't that wrong?" She snapped.
"Hey." He said defensively. "Don't snap at me. I was just asking what's wrong."
"Sorry Rick." She said, turning and squeezing his hand. When Kate didn't answer Rick asked again.
"There's something bothering you. I can see it in your eyes. What's wrong?"
Kate looked over at Rick, she had been thinking about the pregnancy test in her pocket and the small alien that was making a home in her belly. Deciding that she would wait until after Lizzie was safe at home and Rick was out of the hospital to reveal to anyone that she was pregnant. She quickly changed her train of thought after Rick asked again what was bothering her.
"I'm just trying to figure out where Pearson would keep Lizzie." Kate said.
"Well we know it's not at his home." Rick said.
"Or his work place, because Sorenson said there was nothing there."
"We know that they couldn't have gotten out of state or the country. So they're in New York. Let's assume that they are still in Manhattan."
"If you were Pearson, where would take Lizzie?"
Rick thought for a minute. "Somewhere of importance."
"Okay." Kate counted off on her fingers as she continued. "We know it's not his home or work. Where else could he have taken Lizzie."
Both fell silent.
"The graveyard where his wife and daughter are buried?" Rick stated it as a question.
"No. To open, he'd risk being seen." Kate shook her head."
"The warehouse where his daughter was murdered?" Rick asked.
Kate's eyes widened. She pulled out her phone and dialed Esposito. He picked up after three rings.
"Beckett. What is it? Is something wrong?" The detective asked worried.
"Come to the hospital, I'll explain everything here."
"I'll be down in 20 minutes." Esposito said before hanging up.
X-X-X-X
Esposito stood from his desk and turned to look at Ryan.
"I need you to cover me."
"Where are you going?" Ryan asked.
"The hospital, Beckett thought of something."
"Go. Go. I'll stay here." Ryan said as Esposito nodded.
"Thanks man."
"Anytime." Ryan turned to watch and looked at Esposito. "Just bring our niece back alive."
"I will bro." And with that Esposito left the bull pen.
X-X-X-X
20 minutes later Esposito was walking through the door. Kate was pacing, Rick's eyes following her.
"Beckett was it?"
Kate stopped pacing. "Did you check the warehouse where his daughter was murdered?"
"No. Why?"
"If you were Pearson where would you take Lizzie?" Kate asked, Esposito didn't answer. "Somewhere with meaning to him. We know he didn't Lizzie to his home or work. Plus those places were never important in the case with his daughter."
"So you're thinking that he took Lizzie to where his daughter was killed?"
"It's our best option right now." Rick said as Kate nodded.
"I'll call back up on my way." Esposito said as he headed for the door.
"I'm coming with you." Kate said.
"No Kate." Rick said sitting up straighter.
"Castle's right, Kate stay here." Esposito said his hand resting on the door handle.
"I'll be damned if I don't come with you Esposito." Kate said. "She's my daughter and I need to be there when you find her." Kate looked at her fellow detective.
Both Rick and Esposito knew that they were fighting a losing battle. When Kate had her mind set on something she wouldn't let up, especially if involved her daughter.
"Ryan's covering for me at the precinct you can use his vest." Esposito said opening the door.
Kate looked at him. "Thank you Espo." She turned and walked over to Rick.
"Be careful." He said to her, taking her hands in his and squeezing them gently.
"I will." She said, kissing his forehead.
"Bring Lizzie back." He said as she rested her forehead against his.
"I will." She kissed him gently, his lips soft and sweet against hers. "I love you." She said as she pulled away.
"I love you too." Rick said as he watched Kate stand straighter.
Esposito was standing in the doorway, waiting for Kate. Rick watched them leave, whispering "Be careful" to himself.
X-X-X-X
Kate and Esposito clambered, clumsily into his blue Crown Victoria. Esposito started the car as Kate dialed Ryan's number, putting the phone on speaker.
"Beckett. Are you okay? Is Esposito with you?"
"Esposito's right here. Ryan I need you to look back in Sarah Pearson's case and tell us the address to the warehouse."
The sound of movement crackled through the phone.
"Okay. Found it. Are you ready?"
"Yeah." Kate said, writing the address on a scrap of paper. "Thanks Ryan."
"Are you guys going there now?"
"Yeah." Esposito answered.
"I'll stay here, wait for news. Cover for you."
"Thanks so much Ryan." Kate said.
"Just be careful. And bring Lizzie back."
"We will bro." Esposito said as he maneuvered the car through New York traffic.
"Call me when you do. I gotta go, Gates it watching me."
"Thanks again Ryan." Kate said, before hearing a click.
Kate hung up her phone and dropped it in her lap.
"Where's your back up?"
"Glove compartment." Esposito answered.
Kate opened the glove compartment and pulled out a glock. She checked to make sure she had all the bullets, before clutching it tightly in her right hand. Esposito chanced a couple glances at her when the traffic was stopped, but neither broke the silence.
Kate didn't know how long they had been driving but when Esposito stopped the car and shut off the ignition, she looked out the window. The warehouse was large and rustic. It looked empty but Kate's senses were tingling.
"Vests are in the back." He said flatly.
Kate nodded and opened the passenger door, she met Esposito at the rear of the car. He popped the trunk and looked at Kate as she reached down and grabbed one of the two Kevlar vests. The detectives pulled them on and closed the trunk, before walking quickly and quietly to the warehouse.
They stood on either side of the door, Esposito signaled on his count that he would enter first. Kate nodded, remembering to keep her breathing in check, as he mouthed.
"Three…" Inhale.
"Two…" Exhale.
"One…" Inhale.
Esposito nodded, moved in front of the door and kicked it in. He disappeared inside the warehouse, gun held high, closely followed by Kate. It was dark, small rays of sunlight shining in through holes in the ceiling. Esposito motioned to the right, before moving. Kate nodded and followed the ex-military detective. They kept their guns lowered, but listened for any sound, watched for any movement.
They came up on a door. Esposito looked at her. He motioned the same signal that he had earlier. Enter on his count. Kate nodded. He counted off.
"Three…"Lizzie's okay. Kate thought watching Esposito.
"Two…" Lizzie's alive.
"One…" I'll kill the bastard who took her!
Before kicking in the door, gun at the ready. But before Kate could follow she heard three shots in quick succession.
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