Just Being There

A Castle Story By

HCBalwayshappy

Some would call it late others would call it early...maybe it was somewhere in between when Detective Beckett arrived at the precinct. Kate hadn't been able to sleep, at all, so she went to work at three in the morning. It surprised her to find her partner Kevin Ryan there also, his eyes on the murder board. He wasn't searching for answers, he wasn't trying to figure out what Thompson was going to do next, he was looking at the picture of the girl who was murdered yesterday, the girl he saw die.

She didn't say anything, she put her stuff down and sat down on the desk beside him, looking at the same picture. Her name was Baylee, she had a husband, he was coming in later today. The two of them sat there together, it was either late or early, but it didn't matter. An hour later Esposito sat beside them. Ryan was the first to talk.

"I should have saved her, she was right there, right in front of me, but there was nothing I could do, her wound was so deep and the bleeding wouldn't stop."

"You did your best Ryan, and she didn't have to die alone because you were there," Kate said.

"I should have done something!" Ryan shouted.

"Bro, the only thing we can do for her now, is catch this guy...if we don't do that, then we fail her," Esposito said. They were going to catch him, they had to. Ryan nodded, he just had to let off some steam, he looked at her picture one more time and then turned to his partners.

"You're right, do we have anything to go on?"

"He is definitely testing us, the bomb, the mirrors, they all mean something, but 'what' is the question," Kate said.

"He's done nearly the same thing to other detectives, everything happened in abandoned buildings, and he set it up in different ways. There were explosives, but the mirror thing is new," Esposito stated.

"Let's locate all the abandoned building in New York City and then cross of the three he has used so far," Kate added. It was ten when Castle arrived at the precinct, he was carrying four coffees this time, normally he'd only bring Beckett one, but he felt that Ryan and Esposito could use one today too.

"Castle you are a lifesaver, thanks Bro," Esposito and Ryan said as they took their coffees. Castle nodded and handed his favorite detective hers.

"Good Morning, Detective," Castle grinned.

"Thanks Castle," Kate smiled as she took a long drink, "That was nice of you to bring them some, they needed it."

"It looks like you've all been up for hours, what time did you arrive here this morning?"

"Early," Kate said and left it at that. Castle sat down in his chair and helped her look through more files on Thompson. The husband walked in not long after Castle did, his green eyes were red and looked as though he only just stopped crying. Kate looked at Ryan, he nodded and stood up. They heard him introduce himself to the husband, his name was Aaron.

"I thought you usually talk to the victims families?" Castle said.

"This is something that Ryan needs to do, and he has a message to give him," Kate said as Ryan led him into a different room. When they came out, the husband looked better and so did Ryan. It was three in the afternoon when a phone call rang through the precinct, it was Beckett's.

"Beckett."

"Hello Detectives," Kate gave Esposito the signal to trace the call.

"Thompson."

"I've got another test for you four, oh don't worry, there isn't another body. This time. No, this one...though a little repetitious involves a bomb, but you see this one will blow somewhere in the city, unless you find the detonator in time and shut it off. The timer starts when you get there, you will have two hours. Good luck detectives. Oh and if anyone else steps into that building besides you four, I will shorten your time." Thompson hung up. They arrived at the abandoned building ten minutes later and stepped up to the door.

"Whatever is in there, we face it and diffuse the bombs. Ready?" Beckett asked. They nodded and the four of them stepped through the doors. If they were expecting anything at all...

It wasn't what they expected...

I thought that was much longer when I wrote it. I'm sorry it's not longer! Thank you for the reviews! I'll update soon! If you have any suggestions or comments, please let me know! Thank you!

-HCB