I know this chapter is short but I needed to update with something and I really do apologize for the late chapter. I have had an accident and have completely smashed my laptop past repair so I have to wait till I have access to the computer at mums work. Thank you for all the amazing reviews, favourites and alerts you've given, I really do love hearing from you all and I hope you continue to enjoy this.
Four days. It had been four days since he'd last seen Katherine Beckett. Four days of hell with his ex wife moaning about his faults every moment that she could. Four days of smiling at people when the only people he wanted to see happened to be cuddled up on the couch watching his favourite movies without him and that made him hate his job. Slipping out of the elevator, he sighed as he looked across at his apartment door and felt the sense of home return to him as he continued to smile. Reaching out to touch the door, the smile disappeared from his face as the door brushed open without him barely touching him, panic filling his body as he saw his home destroyed. Pictures that had covered the walls were thrown on the floor while glasses and bottles of alcohol decorated the kitchen floor; the books he was so proud of had been thrown from the shelves into the fire and were now barely recognizable from its pile with the ashes.
"Kate" he screamed, flinging himself up the stairs two at a time as he went in search for his fiancée. Knowing that Johanna was with Lanie and Esposito because of Kate's secret plan that they had discussed over the phone that morning, he decided not to check their daughter's bedroom, instead throwing himself down towards the bedroom. Hitting the door, he got to his knees when he noticed the brunette who was lying across the floor, her pale blue dressing gown thrown back to reveal her underwear but also the newly formed bruises on her chest and legs, the skin by her right eye now a blackish purple colour. "Katie" he whispered, lying himself beside her as he ran a finger down her cheek. "Becks it's me, its Rick" he sighed, her eyes opening slowly to stare into his, the green becoming lost under forming tears.
"Castle" she muttered, smiling when he gently pulled her into his arms after sitting up. Resting her head against his chest, she finally allowed the tears to run down her cheeks, comfort running through her veins as he continued to run his fingers down her back, quickly bring the dressing gown back across her to cover her body. "They were laughing and when they saw me they smiled and came after me, there was nothing I could do because my gun was away, I'm sorry" she admitted, the sound of her sobbing causing him to shut his eyes as he continued to hold her close. "They told me Demming said hi once they'd finished" she whispered, anger building up in him as he stood up, holding her close still as he rested her on the bed.
"Look, I need you to get dressed" he declared, Kate nodding as she slowly grabbed the clothes she'd been wearing earlier from the end of the bed, pulling them on quickly as he watched her moan in pain. Walking over to her, he wrapped his arms lightly around her waist, forcing her to look up before he kissed her gently. "I've missed you Detective" he smiled as she nodded, her arms tightening around his neck as she cuddled him for a moment, glad to have him back with her. "Come on you, lets get out of here" he sighed, lifting her up and surprising himself by the fact she didn't make any effort to argue with him.
XOXOXOX
Montgomery knew something was wrong the moment Kate walked past his office, clutching her daughter close to her chest with the hood of her jacket up. He knew something even worse was wrong when Castle followed quickly but didn't go into the break room with her but instead knocked on the Captain's door.
"Come in Castle" Roy declared, watching as the writer walked into the room and sat himself down, his hands quickly running through his hair before he sighed. "What's happened?" he asked quickly.
"Demming sent people to the loft. They've completely trashed the place and they attacked Kate" the writer explained, anger building up inside of him. He should have been there. He should have been there to protect her, instead of being at a stupid book tour after he knew what Demming had threatened. Kate and his children came first and yet he chose the books. "She's shaken up but she should be okay" he admitted.
"Is there anywhere else you can go?" Montgomery asked. "You can't stay at the loft or at the Hamptons" he explained, Rick sighing as he shook his head. Standing, both men quickly left the office and approached the break room, watching for a moment as the brunette detective rocked her daughter gently, singing something to the crying child. "We'll keep them safe Castle, you know we won't let anyone hurt them" he commented, turning his head quickly to gain Ryan and Esposito's attention before he slipped into the room with the writer.
"Kate" Rick whispered, watching as the detective looked up at him and smiled weakly before turning to look at her boss and then at the two detectives who had just entered the room. Moving closer to her, he slowly wrapped an arm around her, a small groan leaving her lips as he brushed over one of the bruises. "I'm sorry" he whispered, not just for the accident that had just happened but for everything that had happened.
"It's not your fault" she sighed, resting against him as Ryan and Esposito stared in complete confusion. "None of this was your fault" she whispered, allowing herself to relax in his arms as Johanna continued to rest against her chest.
"Someone want to fill us in on what's happened?" Esposito asked. "Because I'm starting to feel like I've missed something important" he added.
"Someone broke into the loft for Demming" Kate muttered, moving the hood away from her face to reveal the bruises that were forming on her face. "He wasn't lying about any of it" she declared, a smile appearing on her face as Esposito wrapped his arms around her.
"Beckett, you can't stay at the loft" Montgomery announced. "And you can't go to the Hamptons either, Demming knows both of those places and god knows where else" he sighed, sitting himself down as everyone else did the same.
"You can stay at my apartment, all of you" Esposito suggested. "I'm always at Lanie's so it's free" he explained, Kate smiling at him weakly as Rick nodded at his friend.
"Thanks Esposito" Rick whispered, staring down at his daughter who was looking up at him.
"Right well Beckett, anywhere you go I want someone with you" Montgomery announced, Kate opening her mouth to speak but falling silent when he glared at her. "Shopping you take someone with you, if you go out to dinner you take someone with you, even if you go to get coffee you take someone with you" he declared. "And if I find out you haven't I will suspend you Kate" he added, the room falling into silence quickly.
"Here's my key and well you might need to go shopping, I have nothing in" Esposito explained, passing the key quickly to the writer who raised his eyebrows at him. "What's that for?" he asked.
"Do you have nothing in because you're always at Lanie's?" he teased, Kate smiling as she watched the detective glare at him before shaking his head and leaving. "Better go shopping then" he sighed.