Thank you everyone for the reviews, follows, and favorites. This was meant to be a one shot but here we go. I'm kind of nervous about this. I hope that it lives up to the expectations. If I've totally missed the mark, let me know and I'll stop the pain.
I've kept them in precinct for this one, but I have an idea or two for down the road if interest holds.
Disclaimer: I still don't own Castle, and if I keep treating the characters this badly I probably won't be allowed to borrow them anymore.
Castle was almost to the elevator when he realized he was making a mistake. He had to try and help Kate. She didn't even know that he knew what was going on. Anything she did would come back here to the station. He stopped dead in his tracks and turned around. He walked back to Kate's desk and sat down in his chair. He just needed a moment to think to figure out what to do next. What could he do to bring her back to him? He was so lost in thought he almost didn't notice two figures enter his vision.
"Now isn't the time." He muttered to Espisito and Ryan.
"We didn't know Castle. We didn't know. No one told us. We didn't know what was happening until she was already gone. Until we couldn't do anything." Ryan said.
"This was all narcotics. You have to know we would have had her back. Do have her back. We never would have let her go this alone." Javier whispered. Even in his anger, Castle could hear the fear, regret, and sorrow in his voice. "We…I didn't answer your call because I was afraid. Afraid to tell you what we knew. Afraid to tell you what we didn't know. Afraid to see you hurt like this." Javier bent down to one knee in front of Castle's chair to look him in the eyes. "We didn't let this happen. We are her partners. Your partners. We are friends. You have to know that. You have to believe that."
Castle began shaking his head back and forth. "No. No. You should have told me even what you didn't know. Even Jenny was treated better when Ryan went under. At least she knew it was happening. Knew the risk. I was kept in the dark on purpose." Ryan visibly winced at the statement.
"Rick" Kevin started. "We were wrong. We will never be sorry enough. We will never be able to make this right. Ever. But we will try. For the rest of our lives, we will try. Right now, we have to find her. It's the most important thing."
Castle could see the tears that Javier was holding back in his eyes. He looked up to see Kevin, sorrow and fear etched across his face. He put his head in his hands "I can't lose her. I can't. I just can't."
Kevin placed his hand on Castle's shoulder and bent his head down. "I know Castle." He looked at Javier. "We know. We can't lose her either."
All three of them glanced at a commotion from Gates' office. "I want him arrested. Assault of an officer! Attempted murder! Right now!" Gates' office door burst open just as the elevator doors dinged open. A whispered curse from Ryan made Castle and Espisito turn their heads.
"The Chief of Detectives?" Javier muttered.
Joseph Bryan MacCarthy hit the floor with a determined stride and anger in his eyes. He breezed right past Espisito, Ryan, and Castle and straight into Gate's office, backing the narcotics detective in as he went. He closed the door and turned to Gates.
"Vick, what the hell happened?"
Gates composed herself as much as possible. She related the murders, the visit by the deputy chief, the captured suspect, Beckett's botched undercover operation, and Castle's outburst.
"I want him arrested, immediately."
The COD whirled on the narcotics detective. "Are you terminally stupid? Vicky just said you grabbed him first. Not to mention the minute he gets arrested several dozen thousand dollar an hour attorneys show up and this whole thing goes public. Do you really want the world to know that you put a homicide detective undercover and lost her and that her life is now in jeopardy? Do you think public opinion will get better or worse when they find out it is Richard Castle's fiancé and inspiration for the Nikki Heat series? Do you have any idea how quickly the two of you would be given over to the feeding frenzy to save the careers of the Commissioner and the Mayor?" He turned to Gates. "And Vicky? Really? You caved to Deputy Spires? That butt kissing, two faced, rung climbing moron? The commissioner at this very moment is redirecting Spires's life goals. Why the hell would you listen to him?" The COD sat down on the sofa along the far wall. "Now, the only thing that matters here now is Detective Kate Beckett. She will be found. She will be brought back. Your careers and good names depend on that. You", he said pointing at the narcotics officer "are going to walk out there and apologize to Mr. Castle"
"Like hell!" he spat back.
"You will do it, immediately, or I will suspend you without pay indefinitely. There will never be a hearing so you will never get paid or receive benefits. I'll also blackball you so bad you won't be able to be so much as a crossing guard."
The detective stood up, straightened his close and left the office. The COD watched as he walked over to Castle and offered apologizes, even if they weren't very sincere. Surrounded by the other members of his team, Castle simply nodded his head and the narcotics detective found somewhere else to be.
"Victoria, why?" The COD said turning from the scene in the bullpen. "You brought her down here without her partner. You know Detective Beckett, she wasn't going to say no. When has she ever said no? It's what got her shot in the first place. And don't give me the 'Castle isn't a cop' nonsense. You know he has better instincts than ninety percent of the badges. Why did you isolate her?"
"She would never have done it with him here. Never. The job wasn't supposed to be this. Having a family, being famous, doesn't give you special treatment. She had the skills needed. He would have automatically opposed it. He's not in the chain of command. I couldn't have him interfere with the investigation because of personal bias. I gave her a chance to walk away."
"Which you knew good and well she would turn down. You were just trying to assuage your own conscience. You should have told narcotics to pound sand. That's why you are Captain. You don't drop kick an undercover operation, of a well know detective no less, on no information with a two hour window. I wasn't kidding. If this goes badly. If Detective Beckett doesn't make it back, your career is over. That moron's already is. And Spires? As soon as this is over it will be a race between the Mayor and the Commissioner as to who buries him first. You have no cover here, none." He turned and walked toward the door. "I suggest you do whatever is necessary to insure you don't need it."
Walking to the bullpen he walked up to Richard Castle. "Mr. Castle, my name is Jo MacCarthy." Knowing Castle my reputation he waited a beat for the joke that should have come. When it didn't he knew he was treading very dark waters. "I'm Chief of Detectives. As of two hours ago the entire division of the Manhattan and everyone under my authority is looking for Detective Beckett." He turned to Espisito and Ryan. "That includes you two as well. Go to who you have to go to and do what you have to do, but find her. I will give you whatever cover you need. Don't wait for permission and don't stand on procedure. Do what you do, only faster." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a card, jotting a number down on it. "Mr. Castle, this is my private number. You call with anything. Even if it is to cuss my name and everyone in uniform." When Castle didn't move he simple placed the card on Beckett's desk beside him. With a curt nod to the two detectives he left the floor.
Gates sat at her desk. She had been dressed down before. She had been wrong before. She had never been so profound stupid and blinded by ego before and it had certainly never cost anyone there life. Her decision to isolate Detective Beckett had been more about Castle than Beckett or the case. She wanted to show she was in charge and who gave the orders. She wanted to show him that he wasn't needed. How did she let such pettiness go so far? Now a person's life was on the line because of it.
Ryan burst into the office interrupting her train of thought. "Javi is on the line with Beckett. She's alive."