As soon as McHale's hands left hers, Kate placed one on Rick's shoulder, giving it a squeeze. McHale did not hesitate, he knew that it was a lot to digest for Rick, for everyone; but he couldn't let anyone's emotions, even his, get the better of him.
"I'm sorry Rick … Anyone with a weak stomach may want to recuse themself for this." McHale paused a moment, silence gripped the room, captain Gates, who had been watching the presentation from the flanks walked into her office; slamming the door behind her. "Victim number three was Alison's new born son. He was rolled onto his stomach, and then attacked with a pen knife. He was slashed seventy-six times on his back." McHale returned to his file, pulling out a photo of the child that displayed the wounds 3XK had left. There was no clear pattern to the deep malicious lacerations, the blue blanket the boy was swaddled in looked like the stuffing of a destroyed dog toy, stained red and scattered around his body inside the clear plastic basinet. Castle stood up abruptly, sending the chair where he had sat toppling to the floor, the grotesqueness of the photo was worse than anything even he could have imagined. As he wiped tears from his eyes, he made his way to the lounge; to Alexis' side. Alexis was promptly alarmed.
"Dad… what's wrong?" Castle finished drying his eyes.
"Nothing hunny, i'm ok. I just needed to see you; be with you for a minute." Alexis looked up at her dad with ocean blue, innocent eyes.
"Dad, you didn't raise an idiot, What's going on? And who is the guy with the beard?" The second question was procedural, and afforded Castle a small bastion of safety from the thoughts in his head.
"That's Matt McHale, he's …" Alexis interjected
"An ADA here in New York, I know him, or well, I met him" Castle still wasn't ready to answer Alexis' first question, so he posed one of his own.
"Really, how did you meet him?"
"He did a seminar at Columbia about how drugs and alcohol can throw you off track, and how he got into law. But that's beside the point. What's going on? I haven't seen you like this since … since Beckett got shot." Castle paused for a moment trying to decide how honest to be, how he could candy-coat what he had learned so that Alexis would be saved from the hell that he was in; but he had no answers, only the ugly truth.
"I just found out … that you … might have had a brother."
"WHAT?!" Alexis would have to wait for an explanation; McHale entered the lounge, and quietly beckoned Castle back outside.
"Castle, we need to talk, its important." Alexis looked over her father's face and then up at McHale, who gave her a soft warm smile.
"It's ok dad, go" Castle pressed his hands on his knees, needing all the strength he could muster to stand. Once he had exited the lounge and closed the door behind him, McHale stopped him.
"Look I know you probably hate me but I…" Castle raised the index and middle fingers of his right hand, taking control of the conversation.
"I don't hate you, I can't blame you for telling me what you found, telling me the truth."
"Well, that's good, because for all of this to have the happiest outcome, I need your help." Castle placed his hand on McHale's shoulder and asked.
"What can I do?"
"I need you to hold on. I need you to be strong. I know what he took from you; and in this situation, an eye for an eye only seems appropriate. I need to break him in there, and all I need from you is to watch it happen … from observation." Castle had no objections, the thought of being in the same room as 3XK was enough to almost induce vomiting. McHale returned to board and collected a few things as Rick patiently waited, Beckett joined him. Lacing the fingers of her left hand through his, placing her right arm around his waist; she drew him in close laying her head on his chest. She wanted to hear his heartbeat, she needed to hear his heart beat to know it wasn't broken.
"Rick, I don't know what to do … or even what to say … I love you." Rick looked down and met eyes with his fiancé, mustering a half smirk, the biggest smile he could.
"That was perfect." McHale approached with confident steps and posture, holding a solitary file in his hand.
"You ready Castle?" Castle nodded. McHale took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he wrapped his fingers around the handle to the box. Beckett and Castle, hand in hand, walked in to the observation room. It was time for what the whole team hoped would be their final showdown with 3XK.