For starters, I do not own Castle or any of the characters from Castle. I'm just writing for fun, clean and simple.
First off, Thanks so much to everyone who's favorite-d/reviewed/read on purpose/accidentally clicked on this and read anyway/whatever. It's really cool to know people are reading and liking this okay So, thanks!
Secondly, SUPER EXCITED ABOUT THE EPISODE MONDAY! It was so damn good! I'm also excited for the next one. Should be good!
Also I know nothing of New York's set ups or medical things so… bear with me when I say stuff about that. :)
Alright this is the shortest chapter yet. The beginning was hard but the end… *evil smile* I've been meaning to update a lot more than I have been, but shit's been crazy. So I'm putting this short one up and I'm already about half way through the next one which should be longer. This was actually supposed to be part of the next one but I thought I'd leave you with a bit of… Well you'll just have to see.
Hope you enjoy! Drop a review if you feel like it Don't kill me at the end of this, please. It had to be done.
Thank :)
M
Part 13
Over the next week, things changed. The first was that, on the last day that Gates had allotted for my mom's case, Ryan and Esposito (bless them to pieces) found out (after talking to one of his old accomplices up at Sing Sing) that Darling had a warehouse, down off of 81st street, that he used a lot. They'd canvassed the area but no one had seen him in several days. Just in case, 4 plain clothes were staked out around the area. The news gave me new ferocity with which to attack my lacking physical abilities.
I could finally walk on my own. I'd jogged a couple of steps one day, just to see if I could, and Castle had almost had a conniption. My stitches were healing more slowly than I'd expected but I could raise my right arm over my head now without pain, even though touching them still burned like fire. I didn't want to fall asleep every few hours and my appetite had returned a little.
And things between Castle and I… They were different. We were different. There was always some sort of contact between us. His hand brushing my lower back, our legs pressed against one another on the couch when we were sitting together, his arm over my shoulder, his fingers intertwined in mine or else messing with my hair. It was a little overwhelming, but in a sweet way. I wasn't used to having that much attention paid to me. Compliments were an everyday thing and teasing him had suddenly become much more fun. Waking up next to him in the mornings was like a dream and I had a feeling that I'd need to move to the guest room as soon as I could scale the stairs. It took me forever to drag myself away from him in the mornings. But I decided that that could wait until we both stopped having nightmares.
The day dawned bright and sunny. After a quick breakfast of waffles (which I could now eat; I was finally back on a regular diet) with Alexis (Martha was out in LA auditioning for a role), Castle disappeared into his study to try and write some. Alexis sprawled out on the couch, somehow simultaneously doing college applications and working on her summer reading assignment. I was curled on the arm chair reading and listening to Alexis' iPod as it played over the speakers and filtered through the loft.
It felt so… domestic and normal. Like every other off day was spent like this. I didn't want to move from this spot in any way. It was nice.
Castle emerged from his cave several hours later, hair disheveled but with a triumphant air of having written something substantial. He kissed both Alexis and I on the cheek before continuing to the kitchen, calling, "Anyone want a snack?"
"No, thanks," Alexis responded, barely looking up from her laptop.
"Um… Coffee?" I called back.
"Sure."
I went back to my book, humming along with the end of the song filtering through the room. As the next one started up, Castle came tearing in from the kitchen. He quickly dropped my coffee cup (somehow without spilling so much as a drop) on the end table nearest me before grabbing Alexis' hands and hoisting her up to dance.
"Dad!" she whined but took his hand and allowed him to spin her around the room.
"This is our song," Castle explained as he and Alexis whirled past me, "I was humming it when she was born."
"You were humming a song while Meredith was giving birth?" I laughed, "That's so… you, Castle."
"Hey, I was trying to drown out her alternately screaming insults at my penis and crushing my hand."
"Dad! Gross!" Alexis squeaked, slapping his shoulder. He laughed and spun her out from him, her red hair fanning out as she did, and then he whipped her back in. Despite her momentary outburst, I had seen the way her face lit up when he'd pulled her up to dance. I even caught a glimpse of the little girl Castle always described her as. Their bond was so strong and so perfect that I couldn't help smiling when I watched them.
The song ended and Alexis twirled back to her seat, giggling quietly as she picked up her book again. The next song started and Castle bounced over to me, holding out his hands.
"Wha… No,, Castle, I…" I floundered for the words, setting aside the book to talk to him.
"Please, Beckett," he wound one hand around mine and pouted a little. God, I needed to build that wall back up, just a little. Just enough so that his little pout-y act didn't go straight to my heart.
I sighed and stood up. He pumped his fist and then gently put an arm around my waist and I placed a hand on his shoulder.
He pulled me closer so that our bodies were centimeters away and then started to waltz us around the loft.
"Why do you do that?" he asked in a whisper when we were on the side of the living room, farthest from Alexis.
"Do what?" I hummed in response, brushing some hair behind my ear with the hand I'd rested on his shoulder. I suddenly remembered Natalie Rhodes saying something about it being a device of mine to distract people long enough to figure out what I was going to say next. Since she'd come, I'd gotten hyper aware of everything I did. Damn her, she was perceptive. And she was in my head now!
"Every time I try to hold you," his voice dropped as we spun slowly past Alexis, "You tense up for a moment. I just… I was curious." God I didn't even realize I was doing it until he said something. No other… man had ever asked me about it. After my mom died it had become something I did. Like bracing myself for impact.
"I guess… I don't know. It's like, everything is so nice and I feel… good, despite everything that's happened and being here with you makes me happy even if I don't like the circumstances under which I came but… I'm just waiting for the other shoe to drop I guess…"
"Well…" Castle looked down and wiggled his socked toes up at me, "No shoes here. Nothing's dropping."
I pressed my face against neck and kissed his shoulder quickly, trying to hide my smile, "Thank you." I felt him smile against my hair.
The song had almost reached its end when Alexis stood and stretched, closing the laptop she'd been using.
Castle and I twirled past her and as he did he asked, "Dinner?"
She nodded, "Yeah, want me to make some pasta?"
"Oh, I'll help you, Alexis." I called as we swirled past the bookcase, "I've been wanting to get into the kitchen for ages." And I had. But I really loved spending time with her. We'd become friends over my incarceration in la Casa De Castle. Plus she always had fantastic, embarrassing stories about her father.
"If you're sure… Oh I can tell you about Dad's swimsuit mishap at Gram's birthday party." She cackled at the look on her father's face as he stopped our dancing at her side.
"No. Daughter, why have you turned on me?"
"It's payback for all the times you tried to scare Ashleigh or told him embarrassing stuff about me."
"Oh. You play hardball kid."
I smiled at the exchange and gently untangled myself from Castle, "Come on, Lex, let's-"
The sound of the breaking glass and Alexis' scream would forever be engrained in my mind. It was like white hot, knife piercing my ears. All the breath left my body and I couldn't think. I was terrified and overwrought by the insatiable desire to run but also protect Alexis and Castle. But from what? Breaking glass? A scream? Nothing made any sense.
Suddenly we were flat on the floor Castle had tackled both Alexis and I to the ground, an arm around each of us.
"Alexis, Kate. Are you okay?" I flipped over as he spoke; staying crouched low, years of police training quashing the terror bubbling in my chest. I threw a glance over my shoulder from where the sound of breaking glass had come. One of the panes of glass in the window had shattered and I stupidly thought gunshot to myself before turning back to the other two.
"Fine. Alexis?" I glanced down at her and my heart left my chest cavity. There was blood. So much bright red blood contrasting sharply with her pale skin. A small, dark hole was drilled just below the left side of her collar. Oh God. Her small, young face was stricken as she looked at the blood and then finally met my eyes.