A/N: SPOILER WARNING! This chapter contains spoilers from the promo and clips for epi 4x22 and stills from the finale epi of season four. There is also a companion oneshot to this story called "Eye of the Storm." That picks up from an intimate moment in this chapter. You can find it here: http:/www . fanfiction . net/s/8059180/1/The_Eye_of_the_Storm
Castle Theory # 7
The once quiet neighborhood, with its fine houses and manicured lawns, was now fully disrupted this morning. Numerous police cruisers lined the front of one house in particular. The place Captain Roy Montgomery used to come home to.
Now it's as though the entire NYPD is out for the call. They arrive, their team, their family as fast as they can. Moving the minute they get wind of it. Having been out on a case when the call went out, and not fulling knowing exactly what was going on.
When they get there the street is already filled with squad cars and Kate starts to panic. She can feel that rising sense of desperation, deep in her chest and she barely waits for the car to come to a stop before she flings the door wide running from it.
The sight of police tape across the front of their former Captains house freezes them all in their tracks. The men stand in silence as they watch Kate, finally find her feet and stutter forwards.
"What happened?" Kate turns to Esposito and Ryan.
Ryan is the first to speak. "Someone broke into his home, and trashed his office."
"Evelyn, The girls? Are they okay?" Castle comes up behind her, his chest at her back. He hovers there and she calms almost instantly.
A look passes between the Detectives, one Kate catches but isn't sure of, but she lets it go, her attention focused on the fluttering police tape across Roy Montgomery's front lawn.
When they eventually make it into the house, they stay together, not wanting to separate in the home of their former Captain, seeking the security of each other. Their immediate family. They take in the devastation and chaos left behind by the person who appears to have gone through Roy Montgomery's home with a fine tooth comb, whilst his wife and children were still inside.
"Have you ever been in here?" Ryan asks, looking around at everything in awe.
Esposito shakes his head as Kate's phone buzzes in her hand and Evelyn steps into the room.
"Well." Kate says frowning down at her phone. "Doesn't look like anything was taken... was just his office right?" She then asks looking up at the widow.
Evelyn nods her head.
"Do you know what they might have been looking for?" Esposito asks kindly.
All three look up in confusion when Evelyn looks to Castle.
Her voice a low hiss, wary of who outside of their immediate group can hear her. "Did Roy contact you about the files...The robbers mentioned you...the case? Mr. Castle? Whatever it was that he was involved in, did Roy contact you?"
Castle shakes his head at her carefully, but not carefully enough.
"What?" Kate asks. Her head coming up from her phone and staring at the two of them.
"He...no he didn't." Castle says hand coming up to his face as Kate looks on.
Kate steps closer to him, her eyes narrowed as she stares him down. "But someone did? Someone contacted you right Castle?"
She can see the truth before he even has to open his mouth and confirm it.
"Castle." She asks. "What the hell did you do?"
Lanie walked slowly into the bullpen, the case files clutched tight to her chest. She stopped for a moment by the closing elevator doors as she took in her friends appearance. Kate was working frantically, hand flying across the murder board as she filled in the details on the murdered Veteran.
Lanie took a deep breath, striding towards the four of them, with confidence she didn't feel.
Kate turned mid sentence, smile falling from her face when she saw Lanie. She looked down at the files held tightly in her friend's hand before she spoke, "Is it my m..."
"It's the sniper, sweetie." She said quietly "The bullets are a match."
"Don't follow me Castle." She yells, pulling his door shut behind her with a loud bang. Her eyes feel hot and tight, but she refuses to cry. She refuses to let the insanity of his behavior get to her as she walks out of his building and out of his life.
He had taken Lanie's case files, and the months of evidence he had accumulated and spread it all out before her, raising her up like a sacrifice on the altar of all the fears of her heart.
He took everything and turned her world on its head, so she did the only thing she could to retain what was left of her sanity.
She walked away.
Somehow she finds herself outside her apartment. The units that had been assigned to watch her since they discovered the sniper are back, and they call out to her as she enters the building.
But Kate keeps her head down, forging ahead, alone as always.
She steps into the empty shell of the building, arriving at her front door in a blur. She flings it wide, barely waiting for it to close before she collapses against it, banging her head back hard, needing to feel something other than the aching pain that is ripping through her chest. She closes her eyes as she breathes through the pain, counting as she does so. Like she was taught to, to calm the racing of her heart.
When she opens her eyes she is almost blinded by a stark flash of light, some instinct beyond her training kicks in as she flings herself to the floor. A bullet rips past her head, slamming into the door behind her.
She stares at the hole in her front door, in the exact spot her head had been seconds before. In haste, she reaches behind her she draws her gun and rolls into a crouching position. The stairs to the balcony are behind her and the front door of her apartment in her sights, but she waits, in the stillness around her. Too still, too silent, and she carefully moves backwards, stepping lightly, eyeing over her shoulder while still keeping her attention on the door.
When her heel hits the first step, she breathes in deeply, feeling her pulse thump against the skin of her palm, pushing urgently against the metal of her service piece. She turns and slides back, stepping up the stairs, back to the wall and mouth slightly open as she forces herself to breathe evenly.
But the terror is rising and blocking her way.
The only place she can go, is outside, through the window and out onto the balcony, her rooftop garden, and into the air of a dangerous city.
With one glance back at the door, the hole in the wood, she slips out onto the balcony, back against the brick as she waits it out. Listening.
Still nothing.
Just the sounds of New York..
But wait.. What's that?
Her head snaps up, something moving around on the rooftop...
Tightening her hold on her gun, Kate looks down at the empty alley, and then up into the sky. Slow movements carry her to the ladder, arms stiff and aiming upwards, pausing, watching and listening to more sounds. She then lowers her arms, using one of them to hoist herself onto the ladder, and make her ascent.
The pain is less than it was the last time she attempted to climb a ladder, but something still lags, still pulls at her chest. She grits her teeth and pushes past it.
When she gets to the top, she lets herself hover there on the ladder, her head barely above the top ledge. A sound to her left, close... but close enough?
Rising up, she peeks over quickly, catching a glimpse of an empty rooftop. "Police!" She yells, hand clutched tightly around her weapon as the sound of running feet echoes out over the concrete expanse that stretches before her.
In one swift movement, Kate vaults over the ledge, her long legs kick out in preparation, landing in a crouched position exposing her to the open, and she dives to the side when a shot is aimed her way.
It hits the opposite wall, chipping the brick.
She hears the broken piece skitter, and all is silent.
She has to move. She's too much a target out here in the open and she turns scrambling along the rooftop looking for cover. She hears the air ripple as another bullet flies past her skull.
"KATE!"
The voice echoes across the roof and she sees the sniper turn in confusion from his hiding place behind an air vent. This is her chance, her one and only chance to take down the bastard who ruined her life.
She launches herself the short distance between them, colliding harshly with his body, his elbows at her ribs. The pain takes her by surprise, aching fire across her scar and she loses her gun.
Hearing the clang of metal as it flies away from her she changes tactics, fisting her fingers tight she punches him square in the jaw, the force sending his head back with a snap. She then wraps her hands around his neck rolling him away from his weapon.
There is a thud, pain through her skull when he rolls them again, knocking her head into the concrete. She raises her knee, kicking out aggressively her fingers aiming for his eyes.
But her head is swimming and he's faster.
He knocks aside her hands going for her throat and her hands struggle between them.
She's losing, she can feel it. The end of her life coming in violent bursts behind her eyes, blood vessels exploding in brilliant color, stars and pain.
His fingers tighten around her neck even more, cutting off the last bit of oxygen. His evil eyes staring down at her, face twisted in hate and duty. He has a mission and he will carry it out to the bitter end.
There is a click, the heaven sent sound of a gun being cocked and she looks up through the reddened blur in hope. Castle stands a few feet away, her gun in his hands, aimed at the snipers back as he continues to choke the life out of Kate.
"Don't even think about it." Castle seethes, no longer concealing his rage as he presses the barrel into the back of the assailants head.
But his hands don't ease from their tightened grip at her throat. He is set on a path and he refuses to deviate from it.
"Get the hell away from her." His fingers tighten and she hears Castle growl, her world almost fading to black before she looks up into Castle eyes one last time, forgiving and pleading.
The loud bang ricochets, wet sprays landing across her face and the hands on her neck loosen. Drawing in a ragged breath she struggles back from the fallen man's body. Not quite able to suck in enough air to breathe, as if she can't get enough of it as she starts to hyperventilate.
She stares down in horror at the fallen sniper, and back up at Castle, watching as both his arms fall downwards, gun shaking in his hand until it slips free of his fingers and it clatters to the ground.
She stands there, in the silence that had settled over her, arms wrapped tightly around herself, the robe slipping past one shoulder. Her chin falls to rest on her bare flesh and she can feel the goosebumps rise from the damp hair clinging to her back and the warmth of her breath across her skin...
She is done.
She has had enough...more than enough. Her life has taken enough beatings, knocked her on her ass one time too many and now...she just wants to stand here. Be still and normal and for once not feel like she is rushing to catch her breath.
She just wants to breathe.
She hasn't been able to truly breathe for such a long time. Just draw in a lungful of air, letting it fill her up from the inside, re-energize and renew her. And standing here in his loft gives her all the air she needs.
And space.
All the space she isn't so sure she wants anymore.
What is the point?
If it means after everything she has been through she will end up standing alone. She doesn't want that. She doesn't want to spend the rest of her life wondering and lonely as she fights the darkness, raging against the oncoming storm.
She wants to fight whatever battles lie ahead with someone willing to stand by at her side.
There has only ever been one person strong enough to stand with her. The one person who will back her up, give her fortitude and grace. Knock her on her ass for her own good if necessary. Her able knight, her defender, going into battle for her in secret. Risking everything.
His life, her protection.
She shudders, because if it weren't for him...she'd be dead. She knows that, deep down on some elemental level and it hits her in wave after shuddering wave how close she came to losing him, losing herself.
"Oh...Kate." She hears, and suddenly there is no distance between them.
She lets him envelope her, wrap both his arms around her middle as he presses her to him. She feels no hesitation, holding nothing back as she sinks her cheek into his shoulder and her robe slips further. But she's warm here, and she lets out a sigh.
This is what she's needed. No comforting stares, or soothing words. But the feel of him safe and protecting. Protecting himself, as she keeps him close, her heart open and refusing to let him go.
She tucks her hands up, squishing them between her chest and his, curling herself into his body and the warmth, the loveit provides. Kate lets it wash over her and she can feel his heart beating against her fists. The rhythmic dance giving her strength with each pounding thump and her own heart tries to stay in time.
But it's fluttering, the calm before the storm...maybe it's the eye of the storm. They have come through a lot and now they need to make it to the other side, but they are trapped here for a moment in the quiet...
Catching their breath.
What it means? She is not actually sure anymore.
A tear escapes her, rushing down her cheek and dripping into his shirt. "Shh," He soothes and she feels the cold air cling to her as his arm moves up, and his fingers brush the side of her face as he pulls the hair back, tucking it behind her ear.
"Thanks." She whispers rubbing her cheek on his shoulder, and closing her eyes.
"It wasn't safe for you there." He says, tugging her in closer.
The room falls silent aside from her breathing, and the beat of his heart beneath her fist. She can feel him too, the rise and fall of his chest, the heat of his body molded close to hers. Closer than they have ever been. And from this moment on she doesn't think she can ever let him go.
"Don't do that again. Ever." She says, voice deep, and yet raspy. Another tear falls and she neglects to wipe it away.
The image of her gun in his hand, and the guy falling to the ground flashes in his mind. He clamps his eyes shut. "I don't plan too."
He breathes in deeply, her whole body moving with his until he settles. And somehow she's wrapped even tighter, and his head is buried in her hair. She feels cold and hot all at once as she realizes both her shoulders are bare, her now dry curls tickling the exposed flesh. She shivers, and his arms rise, one pressing at her lower back, the other across it, brushing aside the gentle curls. She is engulfed by another shiver when suddenly his hot breath is at her skin, so close, and she can feel the thick, hot exhales through his nose.
But it's not out of fear, lost adrenaline from today's events, but a pick up in tempo, the air filled with tension, brewing and sizzling out all at once. Prickling at their skin and sending a fire through their veins at the feel of one another, so close, and yet not nearly close enough.
He loosens his hold on her, dropping his head, cheek rubbing against the back of her head, and then lowers his mouth to her shoulder. She inhales sharply, and hums out a soft sigh as his mouth moves, pressing a tentative kiss there.
Her fists unclench in the little space there is between their chests, her hands spreading out, palms against the thumping heart that keeps time with hers. Another soft press of his lips and she breathes in again, skin quivering in anticipation before she feels the heat of his tongue as it lathes at her flesh.
She draws in a deep breath, the musical twang in her heart loud, making it hard for her to ignore. But she doesn't want to. He answers her, sending the inner vibrations of her body haywire before he feathers kisses, moving closer to her neck.
Kate lifts her head looking up into those beautiful blue eyes of his, and she nods ever so slowly once.
His hands leave her back then, sweeping up to cup either side of her face, and she meets him in a soft kiss. It's simple, just the quick press of lips against each other, but as one moves just a little, the other compensates, opening their mouth and clutching at the back of the others head.
She moans first, and then his mouth opens over hers, and their tongues slide together not a duel, but equal. One feeding off their other with the same amount of need. He breathes her in, humming and sending the thrum through her entire body, pressing her every line of his being as she tastes him.
Esposito stares down at the names on the file, 'Katherine Beckett' dotted repeatedly through the notes and he sighs before he tucks the folder under his arm. The closed case stamp across the front should be the first thing she sees when she returns tomorrow. A new beginning maybe. No longer a weakness she needs to turn into a strength, just something she can have resolved.
Ryan moves around him, holding open the door to the morgue. They walk past Alexis waving at the girl as she continues to talk quietly into her phone. She raises a hand in acknowledgment but curls in on herself, cupping the phone to her face.
"...Guess I missed you. Lanie told me what happened on the roof Dad. I hope you and Detective Beckett are okay and …."
The two men leave the girl alone. Making their way towards Lanie. They watch as the M.E finishes signing the forms and takes custody of the body, the man who tried to murder their partner.
They stare across his body for a few seconds before Ryan breaks the silence. "Err...what's this?" He asks pointing to a teddy bear sitting next to a bag of evidence.
Esposito shrugs, "No clue." He looks up at Lanie "It came in with the body?"
She nods "Some of the evidence from the scene came in with the shooter. You don't think it's Beckett's do you?"
"That would be majorly creepy." Ryan says, poking the setting it on top of the case file. "Hey did you know Teddy bears are named after President Roosevelt?"
"The guy who started the C.I.A?"
"No, the other one. But hey..." He walks the bear along the table "Kinda cool right?"
"I don't know bro, does it matter? Do you want to take it home?" Esposito snickers.
Ryan makes a face, setting the mysterious teddy bear back onto the file. "No..." He then snorts, looking at it one last time before he moves, making his way over to Lanie as the other man follows. "Although Jenny might have liked it.."
They step through the door and suddenly both men are lifted off their feet, hurtling through the air. There is a cacophonous rip roaring thunder of sound, metal and wood and fire engulf them from every angle.
Glass flies in every direction, thick rolls of grey smoke divide the Detectives from one another as they hit the floor. Rubble falls, crashing from the ceiling.
Blackness lays heavy in the room and an eerie silence fills the morgue.
He tastes like longing, heated fire that consumes her, something she will never be able to quench. The need is too great. Too passionate to ever be fulfilled. But in this moment, she's more than content, more than satisfied and undeniably sated.
Her fingers spread across his chest in the silence of his bedroom, gently circling the tender beat of his heart that rises to meet her fingertips. Her head rests in the hollow of his shoulder, his arm thrown casually around her and she wants to look up. Find his face in the dim light of the room and just stare at him...creepily.
She hums a laugh, curling further into his side. Hiding her face for a moment in the warmth of his chest.
"Kate?" He whispers.
"Mm?" She hums again, fingers still dancing across his skin.
"No matter what happens..."
"Always." She says, resting her chin on his chest and looking up into his eyes.
He smiles down at her, a smile so wide and so full of love she can't help but rise up, and press a chaste kiss to his lips.
Her phone rings.
"I should get that." She says through a grin, pecking his lips once more.
"Don't get up, stay in bed." He says as it shrills again.
She groans and starts to turn away from him. "It could be important." She says with a laugh as he pulls her in and rolls her over onto her back. Her arm is outstretched towards the bedside table as his lips descend on her neck.
His phone rumbles on the counter and Kate laughs again shoving him away. "You get yours, I'll get mine." She lets her hand roam gently across his face. "Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere."
He reluctantly gets out of bed, padding out of his room and pausing in the doorway. He hears her answer her phone, now leaning against the frame and looking upon her as he clicks to voice mail. He smiles when his daughter's voice fills his ears.
"Hey Dad, I guess I missed you. Lanie told me what happened on the roof Dad. I hope you and Detective Beckett are okay and I'm gonna be home soon. Lanie said once they sign the snipers body over I can leave and he...it...the body just arrived."
He turns in the doorway to tell Kate his daughter will be home soon, but something in her face stops him. Her mouth is hanging open, her eyes wide with shock as she raises her head.
"I love you Dad and I'm glad you're both okay I'll see you..." Castle jumps as a deafening blast rumbles through his ear and the line goes dead.
"Castle." Kate says, her voice haunting as she slips from the bed, "There been an explosion at the precinct."
Their eyes meet and Kate watches the look of horror come to life.
"Castle?" She asks moving around the room.
He shakes his head when she comes to rest at his side. Her hands finding their way to his arms.
"Castle what? Talk to me." She gives up all pretense and begs, unable to take the look of pain on his face.
"Alexis... she was...I heard..." He holds the phone out to her as he tries to understand what just happened. "She was...and there...the line went dead Kate."
Downtown the smoldering remains of the twelfth precinct continue to fill the sky with smoke and the sirens echo loudly into the night.