Kate wakes with a few hours of sleep. The colorful contrast of the room making her have to blink her eyes a few times. Shifting a little, she looks over to the far wall, painted green. The others are red, yellow and blue. Each color splashed with even more color. Kate thinks back to the time they gave their son his own room. Rick had emptied the spare room next to Alexis'. Spread plastic over the entire floor, and then painted each wall it's own color before letting Xander throw paint on them. He loves color...
He has a built in bookshelf in the wall across from her. It's filled with every children's book imaginable, with book ends shaped like animals. But the small boy is not just prone to one thing. He has a star ship model propped up on his dresser, stars all over his ceiling, stuffed animals everywhere and a remote control helicopter and car in the corner of his room with some bean bags. A mobile with fish dangles over by the window. He likes to sit on the window seat and watch the people of New York go about their day. He has a very keen eye for observation, something he got from both his parents. He oftentimes will rush down the stairs to find either herself or Rick, and explain to them the things he saw, what certain facial expressions might mean if he is stumped. And then Rick will follow him back to his room and sit with him, making up tall tales about the people down below.
This is his sanctuary. Or "bat cave" as Rick dubbed it the day they set it up for him.
Kate turns towards the window, where she can see the light peeking in. Just far enough away from the bed so the light doesn't cast over her face and blind her. She then looks over her shoulder towards the open door. Half expecting her little blue eyed boy to rush in and demand a day at the park. Xander. She closes her eyes on a wave of emotion. He's not here. She thought she was hugging him close while she slept, breathing in his cute baby boy smell. But when she opens her eyes, she is met with the one missing eye of his stuffed dog Sherlock. Not his sandy brown hair that is always disheveled over his forehead, or those piercing blue eyes. Her own hint of green do not stare back at her like the morning before. Only the blank one eyed stare.
It hits her all over again. Her heart stops, her skin starts to quiver from within, radiating outward in a quake of despair and escaping through her mouth on a hitched sob. It echos in the empty room. This cold space that latches onto her as she is curled so tightly in the fetal position. She can't move. Not from this bed, and not from this room. Not until She has her boy back in her arms...But she has to get up. She has to do something to get him back. Go to the precinct, find some leads. Look over that tape with a fine toothed comb...but she's just so...
Rick's phone rings into the deafening silence. Echoing in the hallway. He must have been on his way up. She sees him now there in the doorway and sits with her back against the headboard, knees tucked into her chest as she wraps her arms around them and the stuffed dog. And then Rick is sitting on the bed, squeezing Kate's hand as he answers. "Anything new?" He asks desperately.
"Yea." Ryan's voice filters through. Rick put's him on speaker. "I have been going over these tapes from the park. And I couldn't get a good look on the plate number, the angles are all wrong. But, from one of the camera's I could see a store across the street. So I went there." He's saying, his voice rising in excitement as Rick and Kate look at each other with new found hope. "When I get there, there is an awning. And guess what?" He doesn't wait for a reply. "There are a few cameras hiding under it."
"Please tell us you got something." Kate says her voice harsh and raspy from crying in her sleep.
"Yes! Because of the awning and the angle, we were able to get a license plate number. We are running it now." A collective sigh whooshes out all three of their mouths.
"Any other leads?" Rick is now asking, his heart leaping out of his chest.
"Well, at first, Javi and I thought that someone might have taken Xander for retribution for a past case." He starts.
Kate gasps covering her mouth and both her and Rick start thinking of who that might be.. but the list goes on and on. And the more they think about it, the deeper their hope falls.
"We have been pulling all of Kate's old files and searching for those who just got out of prison, recently paroled or for someone who might be holding a grudge." Ryan's voice sounds disheartened and terrified. He has a child of his own. A few years older than Xander.
"At first.. that suggest you don't think that anymore?" Rick and Kate look at each other, not sure if they should feel relieved or more stressed out.
Ryan sighs tiredly into the phone. They both can tell he's pulled an all nighter. "So far nothing pops."
"Got something!" Esposito's excitable voices yells through the phone. There is some shuffling of papers and then a chair being rolled up to a desk.
"What have you got?" Kate wipes at her tear stained face, a bit of her detective voice coming out. She's now pressed against Rick's side.
"We found a match." He says.
Both their bodies tense in anticipation. As if this is any other chase for leads. Only their reaction is more intense. This is their little boy.
"Blue Ford Escort with license plate 415-LTS, a New York Plate."
"We are on our way." Kate presses the end button on Rick's phone, shooting up from the bed and wiping her hair up over her head from her face. Her skin is tight from all the dried tears and her muscles are sore from staying in the same position for so long.
She starts to leave the room, dropping Sherlock onto the bed. But Rick's hand on her wrist stops her in the doorway. "Kate." He says, his voice soft but haunting. He eyes her up and down. Taking in her shattered appearance until his eyes rest on her stomach.
"Rick, I have to do this. I have to find him." She says desperately, but she brings a hand up to his cheek.
"Eat something first." He pleads. "Don't run yourself out..." He trails off, his hand laying flat on her stomach.
She nods, laying her hand on his. "And then we go."
"No I am coming up with you!" Kate is yelling at Esposito.
Ryan stands by his car. The building off to his right, the cars to his left. Ryan is looking on as Kate is trying to put on her vest. SWAT has just arrived and he watches as she becomes more determined on joining them. But Rick won't have it. Esposito, gives Kate a look of pity as Rick snatches the vest from her shoulder, and throws it to him.
"Beckett." Esposito is saying, throwing the vest into the back of his car and shutting the door. "Gates said you can't have point on this one.. you're..." He trails off, looking at Ryan and then Rick for support.
"To close?" She yells back. By now Rick has her by the shoulders and has backed her up against the car. "Damn right I'm close! That's my son!" She points at the building, her finger shaking with intensity as her body is obviously fighting to give in on itself.
Ryan doesn't know what to do. And the look on Rick's face is breaking his heart. To be the one to try to stay level when clearly Kate is losing it. Ryan can see how much his good friend is holding back. He can't imagine what they are going through... Ryan thinks about his little girl at school..losing her? It's unthinkable.
"Kate. Please, honey, we can't go up there." Rick's pleading with her as she tries to shove him aside once more. She's completely ignoring him and walking towards Esposito who locks his car and stands in front of the door for good measure.
SWAT are all out of their vehicle by now. Ryan looks over and sees them staring at an hysterical Kate. They know how abrasive she can be as a detective, but they have never seen her as Kate, Mother of a five year old son. One of the members nods at Ryan and then the building. They are ready.
"Got the warrant?" Ryan asks, stepping up to Esposito who nods, while Ryan places a hand carefully on Kate's trembling shoulder. "We got this." He says, his blue eyes boring into her mourning green.
"Kevin... please." She asks. She losing the tough exterior and fast. She looks so tired and broken.
He places both hands on her shoulders, and inclines his head. "Kate. We've got this.. we won't let anything else happen to him okay? And once we have the apartment cleared. We will call you up." He squeezes her shoulders gently.
Kate can only stare back. Ryan catches a glimpse of Rick moving closer. "He better be okay." She says. Her voice reaching a steely defiance. He doesn't take it personally.
"Here." Rick stands beside his wife, and offers Ryan, Xander's inhaler.
The Irishman takes the medication in his hand, and fixes it in his belt next to his gun. He brings Kate into a hug, and then pats Rick on the shoulder before nodding his head at SWAT and the building. Esposito gives them a grim smile and a nod, and follows. Ryan steps up to the buildings entrance, un holstering his gun after Esposito, and then opening the door. Esposito goes in first, SWAT assembled behind the two detectives. Ryan looks back at his friends, Kate has succumbed and is now leaning against the car in Rick's embrace. Ryan looks up towards the sky, and sends a silent prayer to the universe before going inside.
And then it's just them. All is quiet except for the pattering of feet up the back stairwell. Ryan can hear the team behind him and the heavy breaths of his partner ahead of him. And he knows his panting has nothing to do with the flights of stairs. And everything to do with what's at stake. They haven't a clue with who they are dealing with. If Xander is completely unharmed... And this undeniable pressure to bring him down there safe to his stricken parents.
They encounter a few tenants of the building on the way. Which Ryan instructs for them to go safely back into their respectable apartments until SWAT has done their sweep and deemed this building and all it's floors safe. When they get to the third floor. Esposito approaches the entire hall with caution. So far everything has been quiet, and they would hate to tip anyone off about the fleet ready to storm in and rescue the little blue eyed boy.
There is no need for his notebook this time, to remind him or Esposito of the apartment number. The two find it right away. Creeping up on both sides and waiting for SWAT to station themselves. Now, more than ever, the feel of Ryan's service pieces has never felt so cold or heavy in his life. He looks down at both his hands holding the weapon, trying not to shake. And then he looks up at his partner. They nod at each other, and then Esposito presses his ear to the door. It's as if everyone has stopped breathing at once. Esposito shakes his head. Ryan frowns and gestures to the SWAT. A few members silently walk up to the door and use an infrared sensor to see into the apartment. But nothing pops on the small screen to Ryan's left. There is another nod. It's all decided amongst them that a standard take down is in order.
He knocks and then Esposito's voice rings out: "NYPD, we have a warrant, open up!" When no one answers, Ryan and Esposito are flanked, left and right before Esposito kicks in the door.
But the team is met with an empty apartment. "Clear." Ryan hears from various parts of the apartment until all members of SWAT have gathered together. Ryan clicks the safety on his gun, and regretfully holsters it. "I'll call them up."
"He's not here?" Kate asks, stepping into the room and doing her own little initial sweep with her eyes and turning around several times. "Did you check everywhere? Closets? Hiding places in the wall? He's a small boy.. maybe she hid him, or he crawled under something..." She trails of, knowing how ridiculous she must sound. But she can't help it. When Ryan shakes his head, her heart sinks even further if that is possible.
The apartment is rather small. Even for one person. And it's a mess. Paper's scattered all over the kitchen table, and end tables in the living room if you can even call it that. Disgusting dishes in the sink that let off the distinct smell of rotting food. It's obvious, from the general mess of things, that this person is either a slob, or hasn't been here in several weeks. From what Kate can see, there's nothing personal about the place either. Aside from a single photo sticking out of a mirror in a hallway leading to the only bedroom. She stares at the image of a small boy, he has soft blue eyes, and has a similar look to Xander.
"No...but we found these." Kate turns around, arching her back to look around the door frame as Esposito walks in from another room with a stack of photos in his purple gloved hands.
She rushes over, and Ryan hands them each a pair. She snaps her's on, as Rick joins them, brushing her elbow soothingly before putting on his own. They each take the photo's
"What are these?" Kate asks as the thumbs through them.
"Surveillance photos." Rick's deep angry tone comes from beside her.
She gasps, seeing one of Xander up on his favorite slide. "She's been stalking him... who is this woman?" She then asks outraged and terrified. How could they not have notice?
"Cecily Gilmore." A uniform walks in from the bathroom holding a prescription bottle and hands it off to Ryan. Esposito looks at them over his partners shoulder.
"Prescriptions for Zoloft." Ryan reads giving the bottle to Rick.
"Prescribed by a Dr-"
Kate leans in, snatching up the bottle. The pills, half full make a rattling sound against their plastic confines. "Beasley, Henry Beasley."
"We'll give him a call, ask him to come down to the precinct." Esposito emphasis the word 'we'. But quickly shuts his mouth and pivots towards his partner who's afraid to argue from the look on Kate's face.
"No. We." She gestures between herself and Rick. "Will go down to his office." While you two." Pointing at Ryan and Esposito. "Start with the canvas. I want this woman's whole life canvassed. I want to know everything about her. Her credit history, priors, family, and even every single hair color she's ever had."
You know what to do