There Are Few Reasons

Disclaimer:
As always, I own absolutely nothing with the exception of Agent Richelle Rogers and Carlyssa Matthews.

Rating:
T

Genre:
Family/Drama

Lyrics Used:
Katy Perry "Choose Your Battles"

Author's Note:
A friend of mine on YouTube wanted a Castle/Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. crossover. So, here it is! Also, this story was partially inspired by a quote from Carlos Ruiz Zafón, The Shadow of the Wind .
"There are few reasons for telling the truth, but for lying, the number is infinite."

Choose Your Battles

Oh, this is not a competition | So baby why the ammunition | I don't wanna be the last one standing

Choose your battles, babe | Then, you'll win the war | Stop diggin' your own grave | When there's so much to live for

Choose your battles, babe | 'Cause I'm not fighting, any more | I am not fighting, any more

"Whaddo we got?" Detective Kate Beckett asked as she arrived onto the scene in Central Park where a body had been reported.

"Do my eyes deceive me?!" Her partner and fiance, famous author, Richard Castle, asked as his eyes widened in excitement. "Wait a minute..." He added, eyes widening in horrified recognition. "I know that..."

"Body floating in mid-air?" Medical examiner, Dr. Lanie Parrish asked, finishing the excited author's thoughts as she continued to visually check the body, careful not to disturb any potential evidence. "Ow!" She hissed, instinctively holding her injured thumb to her mouth to soothe the searing pain in the aforementioned fingertip. "Damn!" She added, curiously, as she watched the body drop to the ground as she touched it.

"What?" Detective Beckett asked, curiously, observing the medical examiner's behavior.

"The body shocked me!" The doctor exclaimed, still stunned. That had never happened before. She'd never been shocked by a dead body, before.

"COD the bullet-hole in her head?!" Detective Javier Esposito wondered, as he arrived on the scene.

"That's not a GSW." Lanie corrected, shaking out her wounded thumb as she set back to work.

"You're kidding me, right?" Javier snorted, disbelievingly. "That's an exit wound if I ever saw one..." He declared, smugly.

"Nobody's arguin' you, on that one." Lanie snapped. "But, have you noticed the conspicuous lack of an entry wound?"

"We'll take it from here." Kate, Richard, Javier, and Lanie all snapped their heads up the sound of an unfamiliar voice. Well...unfamiliar to all but one of them.

"Richelle?" Richard Castle asked, stunned. What the hell is she doing here? He wondered, confused by the sudden appearance of the daughter he hadn't seen in the better part of three decades. Sure, he'd spoken with her via letters and phonecalls and the occasional video-chat, when she was in her teens. But, after he and his mother had given her up for adoption when he was only sixteen, he hadn't actually seen her in person again, until that very moment.

"Actually, it's Agent Richelle Rogers to you, dad." Richelle replied with a completely unreadable countenance. Truthfully, she had been dreading the reunion with her birth father. It wasn't that the senior S.H.I.E.L.D. agent hadn't wanted to see her father. She just wasn't crazy about the circumstances. "With S.H.I.E.L.D." She finished, keeping her voice strong and professional.

"S.H.I.E.L.D.?" Detective Kevin Ryan questioned, finally arriving on the crime scene. Turning to his colleagues, he apologized. "Sorry I'm late, guys...Had to drop Sarah off at the babysitter's." Turning back to the tall brunette next to Castle, he asked. "What's S.H.I.E.L.D. doin' here?"

"Well, as I was just about to explain to my father..." Richelle began, her voice disturbingly clinical. Richard knew this wasn't Richelle speaking, rather, Agent Rogers as she had introduced herself. "We're taking jurisdiction on this one." She finished as Jemma began trying to prep the body for transport. "Agent Ward..." She nodded to the specialist as he merely responded with a curt nod before stepping around the body to stand on the other side of Lanie.

"Dr. Parrish?" He offered, lightly gripping the medical examiner's upper arm in his black-gloved hand.

"Get your paws off me, boy!" Lanie snapped, jerking out of his grasp. "And, you!" She snapped, directing her attention to Jemma. "Get away from my dead body! Hey!" She finished, as she noticed that Agent Ward had taken advantage of her momentary distraction and secured her hands behind her back and began leading her back to the S.H.I.E.L.D. SUV.

"Hey!" Kate, Richard, Javier and Kevin all called out as they made to rescue their friend and colleague from the strange Agent that had taken her, only to be stopped after just a few steps. Richelle had physically restrained her father while Phil had gone after Kate, May had taken the Latino detective and Skye had taken it upon herself to go after the runt of the litter, Kevin Ryan.

"I'm sorry, dad, but this is for Lanie's own good." Richelle insisted, finally releasing her father once Grant had secured the medical examiner in one of the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles.

"Yeah, not to mention the rest of you guys, too..." Skye added, releasing Detective Ryan from her surprisingly strong grip.

"What gives, 'Chelle?" Richard snapped.

"Yeah!" Kate interjected. "Just who the hell do you guys think you are, anyway?!" She demanded, angrily.

"You better release Lanie, immediately!" Javier hissed, venomously, as he stepped directly into Richelle's personal space. To her credit, the younger senior agent remained steeled-calm, cool, and collected as ever. The detective's threat not phasing her in the slightest.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you..." Phil warned, watching Richelle with an amused expression on his face.

"Or you'll what?" Javier taunted, snidely. "Whatchyou gonna do, old man?!" He added, baiting Phil even further.

"Oh, I'm not gonna do a thing..." Phil added, smirking wildly, as he fought with every ounce of self-restraint he had to withhold a chuckle.

Before Detective Esposito could enjoy his victory in making Phil back down, he soon found it rather difficult to breathe as he suddenly registered the fact that he was on the ground, staring dumbly up at the sky with a steel-toe boot on his chest, holding him in place. "Anyone else?" Richelle asked, a viciously taunting smile firmly in place as she glanced around the group of detectives and her father, challengingly. "No?" She asked, cheekily. "Didn't think so." She added, finally allowing Esposito to get back on his feet.

"Now, back to Detective Beckett's question." Richelle added, changing the subject, holding up a hand to silence any questions about how she knew who Kate was. "As I said, before, I'm Agent Richelle Rogers. This is my partner, Agent Phil Coulson. And, our team...Special Agent Grant Ward-whom you all watched take Dr. Parrish into custody-Agents Melinda May..." She paused to indicate the stoic Asian agent. "Leo Fitz." The younger senior agent added, gesturing to the Caucasian agent assisting Jemma in prepping the body to be transported back to the Bus. "Jemma Simmons." Furthering her introductions, Richelle gestured to the bio-chemist who looked up to acknowledge the new faces before returning to her previous task. "And, finally...last but most definitely not least, S.H.I.E.L.D.-agent-in-training Skye." Richelle finished, acknowledging the young hacker. "As for what we're doing here, wee are taking over this investigation."

"On whose authority?" Kate asked, challengingly. She wasn't about to let some strange suits waltz in and steal their investigation right out from under them.

"Mine." The entire group turned to see a tall, broad, African-American man cloaked in a black, leather trench coat with a black eye patch over his left eye. "Nick Fury," The man introduced himself with a colder, more stoic countenance than any of the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. "Director of S.H.I.E.L.D." Fury added, leaving no room for argument.

"Where the hell'd you come from?" Castle asked, startled by the Director's sudden appearance.

"That's classified." Fury replied, cryptically. "All you need to know is that the NYPD is hilariously under-prepared to deal with this type of investigation." He added.

"Hey!" Kevin interjected, only to be silenced by the numerous death-glares from the other S.H.I.E.L.D. agents.

"As for Dr. Parrish..." Coulson interjected, calmly. "I can assure you, she's in no trouble."

"Then, why the hell'd your little lapdog haul her ass off in handcuffs?!" Detective Esposito demanded, harshly.

"Agent Ward only restrained Dr. Parrish for her own protection." Coulson assured the Latino detective. "As well as his."

"Why are you takin' our case?" Kevin asked, accusingly.

"Because, as Director Fury pointed out..." Richelle replied, jumping into the fray. "The NYPD doesn't have the resources to handle this particular investigation."

"And, S.H.I.E.L.D. does?" Castle questioned, attempting to piece the puzzle together in a way that made sense.

"Actually, Mr. Castle..." Agent May injected, finally. "We do."

"You still haven't addressed the 'why'." Detective Beckett pointed out. "What makes you so certain we're under-qualified to deal with this."

"Because this problem is far bigger than you know, Detective Beckett." Coulson explained, without really explaining anything.

"Now, dad..." Richelle added, softening her voice and attempting to make her approach more personable. "You stated, previously, that you knew the victim." She added, getting back to work. "We're gonna need her name so that we can track down anyone she may have come into contact with in the last couple of days."

"Gee..." Esposito snapped, sarcastically. "Why didn't we think a that? Guess you all really are better than us..."

Agent Rogers chose not to go after the detective's bait, choosing to simply roll her eyes, and refocus her attention on her father. "Dad, what can you tell us about her?"

"A-all, I know is that she was a friend of Alexis'..." Richard explained, suddenly feeling uncharacteristically nervous under the intense stares from the various S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. "Her name was Carlyssa Matthews." He elaborated.

"And, do you know if she's had any contact with Alexis within the last forty-eight hours?" Agent Rogers questioned, making notes of any pertinent information.

"They met for lunch, yesterday." Richard replied.

"We're gonna need to bring her in, as well, then." Richelle deduced. Glancing over at her father and the detectives, she knew they would need more to go on before they openly trusted her with Alexis in their custody. Turning to her partner, Richelle added "I believe it would be beneficial, for us, if we read them in..." She suggested.

Knowing his partner the way that Phil Coulson did, he knew when to trust her gut instincts. After all, they were what had carried through S.H.I.E.L.D. as she soared through the ranks to become the youngest senior agent in the agency's history; reaching Level Eight clearance three years ago at only twenty-five. And, her instincts had yet to fail them. "Very well." He replied, finally.

"Thank you, Phil." Richelle smiled gratefully. She knew it took a lot for her partner to trust her father and his partner with the intel on the Chitauri Virus. And, she knew it spoke volumes of his trust in her. "Dad, Kate...If the two of you will accompany us back to our mobile command center, we will tell you everything that we can about this investigation."

"How come only they get to know what the hell's goin' on?" Javier questioned, petulantly.

"Because Mr. Castle is Alexis' father, and therefore, has a right to know why his daughter is being brought in for questioning." Coulson injected, defending his partner's decision.

"And, Detective Beckett is my father's fiance." Richelle reasoned. "That makes them family, in my book, and makes Kate just as responsible for Alexis as my dad. Therefore, giving her equal rights to understand why Alexis is being questioned." She elaborated.

"That's bullshit." Javier insisted. "We're a team. We all got a right-"

"Not as far as S.H.I.E.L.D. is concerned, Detective Esposito." Coulson warned, sharply. "Say what you will...But, unless you are a direct blood or legal relative of Ms. Castle, you have no say in this matter."

After a tense staring match, Richard turned to the rest of the group. "Guys, I'm...really sorry...But, this is my daughter we're talking about. I need to know why they need to speak with her." He reasoned, hoping Esposito and Ryan would see reason back off.

Sighing heavily, Ryan replied "Doesn't mean we have to like it."

"No one's asking you to like it, Detective Ryan." Richelle replied, sarcastically.

"Oh good!" Kevin replied, mirroring Agent Rogers' snarky banter. "Then, they won't be disappointed!"

"Let's just get this over with, shall we?" Kate asked, ushering Richard, Richelle & Phil and the rest of the S.H.I.E.L.D. team away from her own team before things got any more heated.

"Indeed, we shall." Coulson replied, warmly, as Richard and Kate joined them on the journey back to the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicles.

"Not too shabby." Richard observed, taking in the sight of the Bus as he and Kate stepped on-board. "Very nice."

"Castle!" Kate hissed. "Focus!"

"Huh? Oh, right!" Richard replied, getting back to business as he and Kate followed Phil and Richelle into the conference room.

"So, now that we've demonstrated our trust in you and your team by accompanying you to your...mobile...command center..." Kate began, searching for answers. "Would you mind, very much, telling us why?"

"Carlyssa Matthews wasn't murdered." Richelle replied, immediately drawing the attention of her own team as well as her father and Kate, as she dove straight into the heart of the matter. "I'm sorry for being so blunt, but, time is hardly on our side." She explained as she loaded their previous data on the Chitauri Virus onto the main screen before them. "Carlyssa Matthews was a victim of what we have ever-so-affectionately dubbed 'The Chitauri Virus'. This is an alien virus brought to the planet by the Chitauri Aliens-"

"You mean the aliens that attacked New York all those months ago?" Kate interjected, questioningly.

"Yes, Kate." Richelle replied, warmly. "The virus is transmitted from person-to-person via electric shock." She explained. "Anyone that Ms. Matthews has had physical contact with during the last thirty-eight hours before her death could potentially be infected. It's also extremely efficient, running its course within a mere thirty-eight hours. That's why it's so imperative that we bring Alexis in for questioning. If infected, her body will emit an electromagnetic pulse capable of-not only killing her-but, also wiping out an entire city block." Richelle added, her eyes softening as she turned to her father. "If she has been infected, we can help her. Agent Simmons has devised an anti-serum which will cure the virus. We can prevent her from suffering the same fate as Ms. Matthews." She elaborated, covering her father's hand with her own. "Plus, we also need to know if she could shed some light on anyone else Carlyssa may have come into contact with."

Glancing around the room, Skye voiced a seemingly random question. "Guys...not to change the subject or anything, but...Where's Ward?" She asked, curiously, noting the specialist's conspicuous absence. "And May, for that matter..." She amended, noting that their mysterious pilot was M.I.A. as well.

"Let go of me!" They all turned to see Agent Ward escorting a very disgruntled young, red-head to The Cage. "I said, let me GO!" She insisted, as she continued to struggle against the specialist's grip.

"Agent. Ward." Richelle spat, angrily. Grant froze when he saw a murderous glare unlike any other he had ever seen in the senior agent's eyes. "Un. Hand. My. Sister!" Richelle growled, stalking across the room toward the specialist and his asset as she immediately ran into the senior agent's waiting black-gloved arms.

Author's Note:
So? Whadda y'all think?! I hope ya like my new little offering. I haven't decided on any pairings, yet, just 'cause I don't know if I'm gonna add any romance to the story. So far, what I have in mind is more of a family drama type thing. But, we'll see where things go...

-Skye Coulson