A/N): Hello again. I hope everyone is having a great day. As always forgive the Typos and grammer snafus. Above all enjoy.D. :)

Chapter 29

The Safe House

Ryan, Esposito, Beckett and Castle

Beckett surveyed the carnage that was once the bedroom that Roxy Blue channel 7's perky weather girl had thought she was safe in. Roxy and Officer Mathers were in route to Mercy Hospital. Esposito was sitting in the kitchen with a cold pack on his head refusing to be taken to the ER. The CSU team was crawling all over the house and grounds like worker ants, combing for Clues. Beckett shot a quick glance at Castle, The author looked grim and tired but for the time being was showing no signs of a panic attack. She noticed that he was unconsciously touching the bullet scar on his chest as he looked around.

"This just doesn't make sense" Castle declaired.

" I agree Castle this is senseless what could the killer gain from killing Roxy." It's not like she saw the killer in the act, she would have told us."

"The way I see it the attacker had to have hit Mathers in the head outside came in through the front door, snuck up behind Javier in the kitchen whacked him with the frying pan and then came in here and went all WWF on Roxy. He must have heard Ryan and then threw the lamp through the locked window to escape."

"That sounds about right" Beckett agreed.

"What are we dealing with here an inept Ninja?"

"What's your point R…. Castle" Beckett was pleased to see Castle returning to form.

"He somehow hit Mathers from behind, Was he on the roof? He Catches Esposito blindsided. And then goes after Roxy and goes ten rounds with the weather girl? She's what 110 pounds soaking wet?"

"More like 115" Ryan interjected the wished he had not when he saw both Beckett and Castle give him knowing grins. "Just a guess" he added lamely'.

"It's one shot one kill, in a manner of speaking, on Mathers and one shot to Javier then Roxy goes toe to toe?" Castle was puzzled.

"Maybe he wanted something from her. Maybe she had some blackmail evidence that he wanted." Kate supplied

"Maybe, Little Miss Skinny Dipper doesn't strike me as the blackmailing type"

"Esposito needs to keep his mouth shut" Ryan said glumly.

"She could have been Eric's partner."

"I don't think so. Eric didn't play well with others. Besides she was being blackmailed too. If she was a partner she probably would have been in some of the Blackmail photos of Eric's. He would have been foolish to waste that resource."

"And how do you know that she wasn't?" Kate queried.

"While you were interviewing Bricks yesterday I went through the file"

"Castle you are still a person of interest in the case you shouldn't have read the file." Beckett said annoyed.

"Look K.. Beckett except for the Untimely demise of Mr. Browning, I have a solid alibi for the attacks on Roxy… You."

Kate opened her mouth to argue but shut it quickly. "Let's talk to Esposito"

Esposito was still sitting at the kitchen table with the EMT. He had taken off his somewhat bloody shirt and was now in his khakis and a white t-shirt. "Look man I'll go to the Hospital as soon as I talk to my team." Esposito barked

"Easy Esposito, we are here to talk then you are going to the hospital."

"I dropped the Ball Beckett" Javier lamented.

"Tell me what you remember, Esposito. Take your time." Beckett tried to calm the agitated detective.

"Everything was cool. We had a quiet night. Then about 7:30 this morning Roxy called out for lover boy over here." Esposito indicated Ryan." She said that she had been sleeping and had a nightmare and could I fix her some coffee and then call Ryan. I put the coffee on and was about to make the call when the lights went out. Next thing I know Office O'Hara was over me telling not to move."

"Look Detective Beckett we gotta take Esposito in to the Hospital," the EMT half Begged, "We have to make sure his skull isn't cracked and we have to make sure he doesn't develop a blood clot."

Beckett agreed "we'll see you soon Javi. Ryan lets go interview little miss skinny dipper. "

"That's going to be a problem, I just called the hospital to check on Miss Blue and she apparently had a psychotic break in the ER and they had to sedate her… Heavily."

"So what you are saying is she went cuckoo for Coco Puffs." Castle supplied

"CASTLE" Beckett cried

"Yeah, pretty much" Ryan agreed.

The Precinct

Beckett and Ryan

Kate Sat at her desk and stared moodily at Castle's empty Chair. When they had gotten into the car to go to the 12th, Castle had asked to be taken back to the apartment. She could see the light sheen of sweat on his brow and he was rather pale. He had done so well at the safe house that she had hoped that he was past the panic and agoraphobia but it was not the case. She was proud that he was trying his best to get back to normal, and even glad that he was aware of his limits, but she missed him terribly. The squad room seemed empty when he was not here. For a brief but terrifying span of time she wondered if Castle would ever return. She quashed that thought as quickly as she could. He would be back and it would be soon. What had also helped was a text from Castle letting her know that he wasn't in the shower… catatonic….

Beckett sighed and grabbed a stack of interviews from the Ball and began to slog through the pile. It was a waste of time. There was nothing there that could break the case open. It seemed that Roxy Blue was the crux of the case. Something she had seen or something she had in her possession was going to put all this mess into order. At least she hoped that would be the case. Reading through the files she began to get a sense of the New York Elite and for the most part she was not impressed. The Blue Bloods seemed to be as petty and small minded as anybody else. It was a depressing thought that even the richest of the rich behaved no better than the normal citizen of New York.

"Beckett" Ryan called breaking into her thoughts. "it's after six do you need me st stay. If not I was going to stop by the hospital to check on Esposito"

"No Ryan, go ahead, I'll be following you out…. Oh any word on Esposito?"

"Yeah 10 stitches and a nasty concussion. He is still in the Hospital under observation. He is being a general pain, they are keeping him awake and asking him who the President is every hour."

"Give him my best. I'll drop by earily tomorrow morning to see how he is." Beckett said.

Kate put the files away and grabbed her coat and headed over to see her shut in.

Castle's Apartment

Castle and Beckett

Dinner had been a pleasant affair. The food was waiting when she arrived and Alexis and Castle were waiting for her. The Thai food was delicious and the company even better. Alexis and Castle seem to feel no need to 'entertain' her but included her in their idle banter. It was nice to not be a guest but part of the normal day to day. Castle seemed to have recovered from his earlier panic and was open

And almost back to normal and Alexis was back to her very focused driven self. When it was polite she excused herself to go to study for her French test. Castle and Kate went into the kitchen to clean up."

"Where's Martha" Kate asked.

"Dying" Rick replied.

"What!"

"The new play she's in she gets to die on stage at the end of the first act. She is very happy about it."

"Oh. I guess that's good … I guess."

"it is" Castle replied "any chance she gets to chew the scenery makes her very happy. By the way I was gifted with tickets for the Sunday night show so be prepared."

"I don't know.." Kate hedged.

"Kate, Listen" Rick drew her into an embrace. He was warm and smelled of soap and body spray. It was a comforting hug." Like it or not both Martha and Alexis are treating you like family. I didn't ask, my mother assumed that you were going to come."

"Richard, just to let you know, I'll be going home tonight" she blurted out.

She saw the hurt and confusion flash across his eyes and then that sardonic half smile twitched upon his lips. It was strange to see his devil may care mask slide into place. She feared that all closeness had been undone.

"I am sorry, that didn't come out very well. I have loved our time together but I also need to catch my breath. Ok?"

"Sure Bec…Kate. I understand. It can't always be wine and roses. You do what you need to do."

"Richard, Stop it!" she almost shouted.

"Stop what?" he looked a little confused and a little angry.

"You are shutting me out. You're closing down again."

"How am I shutting you out?"

"I tell you that I can't spend the night and you adopt your frat boy attitude."

"So is that it, you want to see just how deep the knife when in? It hurts Kate it hurts bad.

"Richard I have chosen to be alone and self-sufficient ever since my mother died. No one close everyone far enough away that they cannot hurt me. Before you came that was my life. Just the job nothing else mattered. I dated, sure, but none of them ever got close. Then you showed up and changed all that. I started going to work because you were there. My job was still the focal point but you opened up other possibilities you brought joy to the job. You have been my partner, my sounding board. You help me look outside my little box to see the world. When you investigated my mother's case it hurt me because I thought that that was all I was to you just a story that you needed to know. Those three months were aa living hell for me. You weren't there and the job wasn't enough anymore. When you were shot my heart broke. It was my mother all over again. But you lived and you drew me in and Alexis wanted my comfort. And suddenly I was in a family. Something I never even hoped to have. Now all this… it scares me Richard. I am terrified."

Castle was somewhat flabbergasted. "Kate I am sorry. I never meant scare you."

"It's your intensity Richard. You are so intense… I don't know how to handle that. I find it hard to explain. When I look in your eyes it's like I'm looking at the sun. Sometimes what I see there makes me feel small and insignificant. I just can't deal with it… sometimes" Kate admitted.

"That's alright Kate" he again engulfed her in his arms. He gave her a sweet almost shy kiss which tasted of chocolate and mint. In a swift motion he scooped her up in his arms and walked out of the kitchen and over to their couch, by the time he got there his arms were trembling and she was afraid he might drop her or hurt himself. When she tried to protest he just continued to the couch. The landing was a bit rough but they made it to the couch. He lay atop her but his weight was not overwhelming. His forearms and legs held most of his weight. He gently kissed her until they were both breathless then he levered them both up to a sitting position.

"Kate there is something you need to understand this intensity that you see is my gift and my curse'"

"You're being a little melodramatic aren't you?"

"What scares you is this drive, this compulsion. It's what makes me an author that writes two books a year. My head is full of all these characters that are screaming to be set free. I have villains in my head that are literally telling how and why they are going to commit their crime. I have learned through the years how to filter most of them out. If I hadn't I think I would go mad. There have been times in my life that these people in my head are more real than the outside world. It like that for most artists I think. Van Gogh had horrible bouts of depressing. Edgar Allen Poe was messed up as well. He married his first cousin for goodness sakes. Robert E Howard committed suicide after his mother died. The brooding artist is a cliché because it's true. Jim Morrison, Janice Joplin, Jimmy Hendricks, all very troubled individuals. I guess what I am trying to say is that it's not something I can change. It's just me."

Kate made a decision. She stood up and offered her had to Castle. "Come on" she said simply.

"What? Where?"

"To bed"

"But you said…."

"I know what I said Kitten but I changed my mind."

Castle tried to stand up but only winced in pain. "Uh.. I think I pulled a muscle in my back"

Kate gave a throaty chuckle and helped him up. "Come on Grampa, if you play your cards right I'll give you a back massage"

"If you do that I am liable to fall asleep" Castle lamented.

"That's all right sugar"' she said doing her best impression of Nikki Heat." We've got time"

A/N): It is one more chapter then a wrap up. I debated the inclusion of the last section. Let me know what you think.