Author's note: Well, here we are again folks! I can't believe I've made it 5 chapters, I never even though I'd make it this far... If you're reading this, you've obviously stuck with the story so far, so well done! Thanks for all you guys' wonderful reviews, and your patience as try to wrestle these chapters into something resembling a coherent plot. My thanks as always, to Manuxinhace, my awesome muse, for being there to bounce ideas off and keep my plot bunnies well fed ;-) If you guys have anything in particular you'd like to see, feel free to suggest away!

Previously:

"We'd better hit the showers before somebody comes in…" She said, her eyes sparkling, the warm, electric buzz from the kiss still flowing through their linked hands. Closing the distance between them, she pulled him into another searing kiss before breaking away and grabbed her gear bag. Glancing back at him over her shoulder, saying "I think we could both do with a cold shower before Ryan and Esposito get in…" A knowing grin on his face, Castle grabbed his gear as well, openly eying her figure.

"Cold shower. Yep, definitely going to need a cold shower." He held the door open for her, and they parted ways, both trying hard to keep the smiles off their faces.

8:30am Thursday, 12th Precinct.

Castle sat down in his chair, handing Beckett her coffee and food with a cheerful grin. Behind him, Ryan and Esposito stood up and made their way over. Reaching across the desk, Kate allowed her fingers to graze her partner's as she grabbed her coffee, a small, private smile flashing between them.

Hearing the approaching footsteps, they both took a sip of their drinks, their faces wiped clean of anything untoward by the time they both turned to face the pair of detectives.

"Hey guys," Beckett addressed them, pulling her bear-claw from it's paper bag. "Do we have anything more yet?" She took a bite of her food, and leaned back in her chair.

"Yeah," Esposito replied. "We got a couple of stills from a camera covering the payphone..." He placed a folder on Beckett's desk and opened it. Inside were two black and white images. Not brilliant quality, the first showed a thin, older man dressed in nondescript clothes, wearing a baseball cap. The second picture was a close-up of the man's face: a thin beard, he looked to be in his fifties, his cheeks hollow. Deep-set eyes and a narrow chin seemed to fit the rest of his face, a brooding, intense expression which dominated the page. Unable to tear his gaze off the photo, something about the almost haunted face seemed... familiar. His mind whirling, Castle couldn't for the life of him remember where he'd seen it before. Looking at Beckett and Castle, Ryan spoke.

"From the video footage, it looks as though our suspect may have been seriously injured at some point. It's not exactly obvious, but when you see him walking, he favors his right leg, looks like he got banged up pretty good at some point." Taking another long drink of her coffee, Beckett smiled at them.

"Thanks, guys. It's not a lot, but it's more than we had before." She picked the picture up in her right hand, her left grabbing the remainder of her coffee as they walked over to the murder board. Clipping the picture in the 'suspect' column, she leaned back against the table. Transferring her coffee to her right hand, she wrapped her left arm across her stomach, her right elbow resting on her left fist as she sipped her coffee, absently biting her lip as her thoughts swirled. An idea sparking in her mind, she addressed Esposito.

"What kind of camera coverage do we have in the area around the payphone? Can we track where he went after making the last call?" Esposito opened his notebook, quickly flipping through the last few pages of his meticulous notes.

"We have a couple of cameras, but none of them caught anything more on him. He got into a late-model sedan on 75th. We ran the plates, and it popped. Stolen on the weekend. Here's the thing though..." He paused, a grim expression on his face. When he saw he had their undivided attention, he continued. "The car that was reported stolen turned up in the Bronx the day later, on fire. The incident report said that the plates recovered didn't match the vehicle, they had to match it by the VIN."

Glancing between Beckett and Esposito, Castle spoke up. "So... what did the plates match?" There were several seconds silence before Esposito replied.

"They matched a near-identical car, same make and model. Registered to a guy who is ninety years old, and in a retirement home. We managed to get hold of him, but he thinks he lent the car to his grandson son a couple of weeks back, who isn't answering his phone. His parent's haven't seen him for a week or so, but that's not out of character for him, so they didn't report it. They just assumed he was off doing God knows what with his friends."

Beckett cursed under her breath. Placing her empty cup on the table, she pinched the bridge of her nose and let out a sigh.

"Whoever this guy is, he's gone to an awful lot of effort to cover his tracks. We need that motive, otherwise we're dead in the water." Frustration evident in her voice, she gave Castle an apologetic look. His jaw tight, Castle caught her look and gave a slight nod, understanding that she wouldn't give up, they just needed a fresh lead. Shaking her head, Beckett looked up once more.

"Okay, get an APB out on the car, for whatever good it'll do. circulate the photo of the suspect to the uniforms as a person of interest, and we'll just have to sit tight and hope like hell we catch a break."

4:30pm Thursday, 12th Precinct

Castle slipped his phone into his pocket and stood up. Across the room, Ryan and Esposito were still head-down, triple-checking phone records and financials , making sure they hadn't left any stone unturned. His sudden movement startling her, Beckett looked at her partner. A tired expression on his face, Castle spoke.

"Hey, Beckett... I'm gonna head home for a bit, there's a few things I need to talk to Alexis about, I think." Seeing her puzzled expression, he went on. "I don't want to go into the case too much with her, but I think it's about time her old man shared a skeleton or two with her. She's old enough to understand now, and the last thing I'd want is for her to find out about it from somebody else, given recent events." Nodding, she stood. Not wanting risk anything too public, she squeezed his shoulder briefly, knowing he would draw some comfort from the gesture, and asked

"Do you think you'll still be right to make it to Remy's for dinner? Wouldn't be fair to make the boys pay up if you weren't there to share in the winnings..." A smile working its way across his lips, her replied.

"I should be able to make it any time after seven. Mother had an audition today, which means she'll be home for dinner. Text me when you nail them down for a time?"

"Of course." She replied. Flicking her a grateful smile, he headed towards the elevator, waving goodbye to the others on his way out.

6:15pm Thursday, The Loft.

Castle sat on the couch, half a glass of scotch in one hand, a faded photo in the other. Eyes focused on the past, he looked over the faces, lost in the memories of another time, another place. Through the fog of recollection, he heard the lock on the front door open.

Alexis pushed the door closed behind her and walked over to the kitchen bench, placing her handbag next to the fruit bowl. Turning, she saw the back of her fathers' head poking over the back of the couch. Surprised to find him home at such an early hour when there was an active case on, she called out to him as she walked to the lounge.

"Hey dad..." She sat down next to him. "You're home early today. Something wrong?" She noted the glass in his hand and frowned slightly. Something was definitely up. He usually had a glass of wine or a beer with dinner, but never spirits this early. Placing the glass on the table next to him, Castle looked at his daughter. She saw the hesitancy on his face, written as plain as any of his books. Searching his eyes, Alexis saw traces of sadness and pain, buried, but still there.

"Dad? What's wrong?" He let out a sigh. Giving his daughter a hint of a smile, he responded.

"The case is getting to me a bit, Pumpkin. We found out the girl that was killed was the daughter of an old friend of mine. I haven't seen him for twenty years, and the first time we meet, it's to tell him his little girl isn't coming home."

"Oh, dad..." Alexis shifted over on the couch and wrapped her arms around her father. "I'm so sorry..." Castle held her for several minutes in silence. Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, he spoke softly.

"I didn't even know he had a kid." Releasing him, Alexis sat back and looked at him, concern still evident on her face.

"How come you two didn't talk? Did something happen?" A wry chuckle escaping his lips, Castle replied.

"You could say that..." He held out the photo to her. Pointing to a much-younger Tommy, he said "That's him. Lance Corporal Tommy Johnson." Taking the photo from his hands, Alexis looked at it intently.

"Dad, this is an marine unit photo. Where did you get it? I haven't seen it before..."

"Yes it is, Pumpkin. I got it the same way Tommy got a copy." He reached over the top of the picture and indicated his own face in the group. "Boyishly handsome back then, hadn't grown into rugged yet..."

"Dad..." Alexis looked at the face in the photo, and back to her father. She had seen enough pictures of him to clearly see it was him, she had just missed it in the unfamiliar setting of fatigues. "Why didn't you..." He cut her off gently.

"It was something I did when I needed... a change in my life. I nearly didn't make it back alive, so your grandmother doesn't talk about it. I got better, took an honorable discharge. I started writing again, and then your mother came along, then you. I put it behind me, because I had you to look forward to." His words hung in the air for several seconds as Alexis absorbed what he had told her, and felt her way around what he hadn't. Shifting tack slightly, she asked

"What do you mean, 'started writing again', dad, I thought you never stopped..." A sigh passed his lips as he reached for the glass again. Swallowing a mouthful, feeling the burn as it worked its way down, he answered.

"Do you remember Kyra Blaine?" Recalling the case of the murdered bridesmaid, Alexis nodded, and then remembered that the bride had been her father's girlfriend in college, and that he had dedicated at least one book to her. Seeing the knowledge in his daughter's eyes, he went on. "After she left... I was in a very dark place. Everything I saw, everywhere I went... I could see her. I couldn't write, because every time I tried, all I could think about was her. I needed to get away, but I knew that if I just went, all I'd be able to do was think about her, so I signed up, figuring I would be to busy to mope and get depressed."

He finished the last of his drink, before continuing. "I got hurt while I was deployed, and they sent me back home. I got better, and the psychologist suggested I try writing again as part of my therapy. It worked. There were a lot of things I had seen and done while I was over there, and being able to write allowed me to get it all out. I was so focused on that, I managed to barely think about Kyra at all until her bridesmaid was killed." Wrapping his arm around his daughter, Rick laid his cheek on her head, resting comfortably for a while in silence.

Turning her head, Alexis looked at him, eyes shining with unshed tears.

"Dad, is that why you used to have those nightmares when I was little?" Surprised that she remembered, he nodded.

"I didn't want to wake you, Pumpkin, but yeah... Sometimes I'd remember... things that I have tried hard to forget. I never told you about any of it, because I didn't want you to worry. You didn't need that, not then. Not now... but a very wise woman I know convinced me that it was probably time to talk about it." A knowing smile making its way across her lips, Alexis asked nonchalantly,

"When did Detective Beckett tell you that?" His mind still on his past, he answered without thinking.

"Tuesd... I never said it was Kate!" Surprised he sent a mock-glare at his child, who regarded his with wide-eyes innocence.

"You did, just now!" Frowning in good humor, he quipped back,

"And you, missy, have been spending too much time paying attention to Beckett's interrogation techniques..." The response he got was a trade-mark A-grade Beckett eye-roll. Chuckling, he asked "Did Mother happen to mention what time she'd be home tonight?" Curiosity piqued, Alexis answered him with a question.

"Do you have somewhere to be?"

"Well, since you asked so nicely... yes." A smug look on his face, he didn't elaborate further.

"Oh! Like that is it, dad? Does it happen to involve a certain detective?" Trying very hard to keep the grin off his face as he recalled winning the bet, Castle replied.

"It might..."

"Come on dad, spill!" Trying to look innocent and failing miserably, his smile creased his face and danced in his eyes.

"Kate and I are meeting Ryan and Esposito later for dinner, their shout. We won a bet, so it's not like a date or anything, Alexis." Face flushing as he recalled the make-out session that morning, Castle couldn't keep the goofy grin off his face. Seeing the look, Alexis pressed him for details. Her voice suspicious, she asked,

"What kind of bet, dad? What did you do this time?"

"This time?" Trying to look affronted, he explained a little, trying to keep some of the details back. "I'll have you know, it was Kate's idea, not mine. And if you must know, it was to do with..." He paused for a split second, searching for the words. "It was how long I could play with my food before finishing it."

"Dad!" Her eyebrows raised, Alexis tried to wheedle the information from him. "As if Kate would come up with something that disgusting..." Unable to restrain himself, Castle retorted, still trying not to laugh.

"Her words, not mine, Pumpkin. 'Playing with your food', and I quote, although there were just desserts served afterwards..." He smirked. "Ryan and Esposito lost the bet, so they are shouting Kate and I dinner at Remy's tonight. I shouldn't be home too late. Do you promise to avoid doing your homework, and stay up until well past midnight?"

"Dad! I'm not the one out of us who is likely to misbehave here..."

"Well, how much trouble can your old man get into with three of the NYPD's finest at hand...?" A seconds' pause, and he cut her off. "Actually, don't answer that." Hearing keys in the door, he turned to see his mother sweep into the room.

"Richard! Alexis, darling! How was your day?" He stood and moved towards her. Hugging her briefly, Rick took his glass and placed it in the sink.

"Today was... long. I'm heading out to grab a bite with the guys now, actually." Not deliberately omitting anything, Castle still managed to give his mother the impression that there would still be discussion of the case over food. "I will see you both later. Don't do anything I shouldn't do!" he said, grabbing his jacket and heading for the door.

Dropping her bag next to Alexis', Martha poured herself a glass of wine and sat down on the couch next to her granddaughter. Drawing breath to speak, she noticed the picture still in Alexis' hand. Blinking rapidly, she looked at it, her body frozen in place as her mind spun. No, she thought frantically. Why would he have shown her that now?

"Grams?" Her voice snapped Martha out of her daze. Seeing her grandmother focusing on her instead of the photo Alexis spoke again. "Are you okay?"

"Yes, darling. I'm fine. Where did you get that photo?"

"I came home and found dad sitting where you are, with a glass of scotch, and this. He told me that the victim in their latest case was the daughter of one of the men in his unit..." A wave of sadness on her face, Martha could do nothing but hope that her son could find the strength to keep himself from slipping back into the darkness that had driven him to the other side of the world and nearly took him from her for ever. A sense of foreboding crept into her as she drank her wine. She didn't believe in coincidence, not when it came to things like this. Unbidden, the words she had uttered as she had watched him board the transport plane twenty years ago rose in her mind.

Please, God, She silently begged, as fervent as the day he left last time. Keep my boy alive, and bring him home safe...

A/N: well, this one came together a lot quicker than I had thought possible. You guys weren't supposed to get this until Wednesday... :-P As always, keep the feedback rolling, folks!