Disclaimer: I don't own Castle... the characters of this amazing show belong to the genius Andrew Marlowe and ABC. :P

A/N: Wow! I'm glad to see that you all are enjoying this story so far and you enjoyed my little twist at the end of the prologue. I can guarantee that there will be plenty of more twists in this story and I hope you all enjoy them and think that they're unique. I tried to make this story seem like an episode and I hope I'll continue to accomplish that. Also, I think it is fair to warn those of you who aren't familiar with my stories that some of the time... I love to end chapters with evil cliffhangers. :P Sometimes I just leave you wanting more, but other times they can be evil cliffhangers and the Smallville/Clois fans can attest to that. ;)

All right, enough with my rambling... you guys wanna read Chapter 1 of Habeas Corpses. Well, who am I to stop you? I hope you enjoy and please tell me what you think!

Previously in Habeas Corpses...

"If you can think of anything else, feel free to call," Beckett handed her a card and stood up, followed by Castle. They nodded a goodbye to Charlotte and headed out the door. Before they got to the elevator, she stopped them, "Detective!"

"Yes?," Beckett turned around, "Charlie would always tend to keep us in the dark about his cases, but our daughter tends to find out anyway."

"How do we get in contact with her?," Castle asked.

"Right now she's at the mall," Charlotte answered.

"Just how old is your daughter?," Beckett folded her arms.

"She's sixteen," Charlotte replied, "She's at the mall with her friends… uh, I think their names are Paige and… oh, what was that other girl's name? She's really sweet… Alexis, her other friend's name is Alexis."

Beckett looked to Castle as he widened his eyes, "Alexis?"

Now in Habeas Corpses...

Chapter 1

Beckett's Car

"I can't believe Alexis is friends with the daughter of one of our vics," Castle shook his head.

"Neither can I," Beckett mirrored his action, "You sure about the mall they said they were going to?"

"They always go to the same one," Castle answered. Beckett gave him a look and he shrugged. That was a pathetic answer, "What? If she was going anywhere else, Alexis would let me know, she's far more responsible than I am."

"That's for sure," Beckett mumbled, turning her eyes back to the road, "Where'd she get that from?"

"I really have no idea," Castle said, "She didn't get it from Meredith or me… or my mom."

"Maybe it came from your dad," Beckett said without thinking. When Castle remained silent, she closed her eyes for a split second and turned to Castle, "I'm sorry, Castle. I didn't…"

"No, it's okay," Castle put his hand up and gave her a small smile, "I know what you meant."

"So, is Alexis going to think it's weird that you show up at the mall where her friends are with me?," Beckett asked as they pulled into a parking space.

"Maybe, but it's for an investigation," Castle got out of the car.

"Did you at least text her to warn her that we were coming?," Beckett asked as she came around the car to join Castle.

"I probably should have done that, huh?," Castle took out his phone. Beckett gave him a look that said, 'You think?' before starting for the mall entrance as Castle texted and walked.

Food Court

"How much longer until you said Alexis would join us with her friends?," Beckett looked at her watch for the millionth time.

"Just a few more minutes," Castle replied as he finished chewing a hot dog he bought. He looked around the mall, "God, I haven't been here in ages."

"Me either," Beckett said. They fell into a comfortable silence when Alexis, Paige, and Sullivan's daughter came up behind them.

"Dad? Detective Beckett?," Alexis got their attention.

"Alexis said you needed to talk to me?," Sullivan's daughter asked.

"Are you Charles Sullivan's daughter?," Beckett wanted to make sure before she said anything.

"Yes, I'm Christy Sullivan," Christy nodded and held out her hand for Kate to take, "I'm guessing that there's something wrong. Alexis made us hurry out of the bookstore to come meet with you."

"Yes, I'm afraid I have some bad news about your father, Christy," Beckett started slowly, "This morning… we found your father's body."

"What?," Christy took a step back as Alexis put reassuring hands on her shoulders, a look of shock was mirrored on her features.

"Your mother said he was working late at his firm and that he was working on some big case," Beckett started.

"She told us your father tried to keep you two in the dark about those sort of things, but that you eventually find out," Castle continued for Beckett and she did the same in return, "Do you know what case he was working on?"

Christy shifted her eyes back and forth, "I started to look into it. I know I'm not supposed to, but I really like law and I got interested."

"She wants to be a lawyer when she grows up," Alexis provided for her.

"Do you think maybe we should discuss this down at the station?," Christy asked, turning a little bit more professional. The grief was still in her eyes, but she knew she could help more if she talked in private and that's exactly what she was going to do.

"Yeah," Beckett nodded, "Castle, why don't you take Alexis and her other friend home and we'll meet up later?"

"I've got a car actually, so I can drive home myself," Paige said and nodded a goodbye.

"Come on, pumpkin," Castle put his arm around Alexis as Beckett led Christy in the other direction.

"Do you think she'll be okay?," Alexis looked back at her friend.

"She's in good hands," Castle smiled.

Castle's Loft

"What's going to happen to Christy?," Alexis asked as they entered their apartment.

"Beckett is going to try and find out what her dad was working on so we can get one step closer to find out who her dad's killer was," Castle answered, "And Christy will go home to her mother."

"I didn't mean that, Dad," Alexis sighed, "I mean what is going to happen to her?"

The meaning of her question sunk in, "She'll be okay eventually, sweetie. She still has her mom. She's strong."

"It's just… I don't know what I would do if something were to happen to… to happen to…," Alexis couldn't bring herself to say it. Castle knew what she meant and embraced her in a bear-hug, resting his chin on the top of her head.

"I'm here," Castle soothed her, "And I'm not going anywhere."

They stayed embraced in each other's arms until there was a knock on the door. Alexis let go of him so he could answer it.

"Hey, Castle," Ryan was at the door.

"Can we come in, man?," Esposito came into view as Castle widened the door.

"Of course," Castle beckoned them in, "Is everything okay?"

"Beckett told us to come pick you up and save you a drive," Ryan explained, "And so we could brief you more on some of the details of the case."

"Christy? Is she okay?," Alexis came running up behind her dad.

"She's fine," Esposito nodded, looking at Alexis, "Her mom picked her up a few minutes ago. She told us to tell you to take good notes for her to copy at school tomorrow."

"Yeah," Alexis nodded. Christy had good reason for not going to school the next day.

"I'll see you later, sweetie," Castle started out the door with Ryan and Esposito, but Alexis stopped him, "Can I come with you?"

"I don't think that's a good idea," Castle shook his head, "I don't want you more involved in this than you already are."

"But I might be able to help," Alexis started pleading her case, "Remember when Hayley Blue was murdered? I helped, maybe I can help again."

"I don't think-," Castle started, but Esposito cut him off, "It's okay, Castle. We're not doing any field work right now, just basic research down at the precinct."

"All right," Castle motioned for her to come and as he was closing the door he finished, "But if I or any of the detectives tell you to go home, no arguments." She nodded and the four of them were on the way back to the precinct.

12th Precinct

"I see you brought a plus one," Beckett noticed Alexis arrive with the boys.

"I wanted to tag along and see if there was anything I could help with," Alexis explained.

"Well, right now, all we're doing is researching a little more on Christy's dad," Beckett said, "Did you ever meet him?"

"Once," Alexis replied.

"When?," Castle never knew that.

"He picked Christy up once at a party that we both went to," Alexis said, "I only talked to him for a few minutes."

"What party?," Castle was going into 'father mode' and Esposito, Ryan, and Beckett had to hide their grins.

"A chaperoned party, Dad," Alexis rolled her eyes. Like she'd go to any other kind of party, "I told you about it… you were at your laptop."

"I was writing," Castle said.

"Oh, sorry," Alexis bit her lip.

"What does him writing have anything to do with him not knowing if you told him?," Ryan asked.

"When he's writing and he's on a roll, you could launch a rocket in the room and he won't hear it," Alexis explained.

"As stimulating of conversation as this is, we're getting off-subject," Beckett brought everyone back, "Did you and Ryan look into his financials?"

"Yup, and everything came out as it should," Esposito shrugged and Ryan continued, "There wasn't anything there that raised a red flag."

"Did you find out anything on what the case was he was investigating?," Alexis wanted to join in.

"Not much more info than what his wife told us," Beckett shook her head.

"Did Christy at least give a name?," Castle asked.

"No," Beckett shook her head, "I think our best bet is to go down to his firm."

"That means field work," Castle said quickly and looked to Alexis. She got the hint, "Fine… I'll see you at home, Dad."

Once Alexis was out of earshot, Esposito turned to Castle, "If I didn't know any better, I'd say you were trying to get rid of your daughter, Castle."

"I don't want her any more involved in this than she already is," Castle shook his head, "This isn't like when we were investigating the murder of Hayley Blue. She's actually met our vic and she's close to his daughter."

"We understand, Castle, you're just being a dad," Beckett backed him up, "Now come on, let's head down to his firm and see what we can dig up. You guys should see if you can pull off anything useful from his SIM card and also see if Lanie has anything new."

"Sure thing, boss," Ryan nodded as Castle and Beckett headed out again.

Morgue

Lanie Parish was examining the body of Charles Sullivan when Ryan and Esposito walked in. Esposito let her know they were there, "Lanie, you got anything new for us?"

"Nice timing, boys," Lanie looked up, "I was just about to call you."

"Yeah? So, you do have something new for us," Ryan walked up to the medical examiner and the body, Esposito close behind.

"I do," Lanie nodded and led them over to the magnifying glass.

"Letters on the slugs again?," Esposito leaned over, "I hope this doesn't mean we have another Dunn case."

"I don't think so," Lanie shook her head, "There are only two of them and they're just letters: "B and J" – maybe they're initials of somebody he knew?"

"Or maybe it was some kinda message," Ryan theorized, "It could be the initials of the killer's next target."

"Did anything come up in your investigation with some associate with the initials BJ?," Lanie asked, stepping away from the magnifying glass.

"Not so far," Esposito shrugged, "But we'll keep a lookout."

"We'll look into it now," Ryan said, "But you should call Beckett and tell her about what you found."

"Will do, Detective," Lanie smiled with a nod. As soon as Esposito and Ryan left the morgue, Lanie shook her head and went back to studying their victim, "Why is it my girl always gets the crazy ones?"

TBC

Well? I hope you guys liked this next chapter. I hope the pace feels like an episode, but if not, don't worry, it'll pick up some steam soon... and for those of you wondering where Martha is? She'll show up, I promise. :D Please review and tell me what you think of the story so far! Was anybody expecting letters on the slugs again? :P

Thank you to those of you who are just reading as well! I appreciate you too!

Caskett Forever! :D