"Yo, Beckett, uniforms are already trying to track" He looked to the girl and went for a nickname "G-man down. They are going through places he and the kid used to go"

"Yeah, great. And good morning to you, too, Espo"

"Morning, but I don't want to talk to you. I only have eyes for this lady. Someone is looking extra pretty today"

"Oh, that would be me" Castle walked up to his usual spot, winking at the Detective.

Javi held out his hand to a giggling Belle and she took it

"I am working today, look" she showed him the folder

"Nice, come help me then" With that, Belle and Espo sat at his table, while he went through Grayson's finances, trying to find any hint that could indicate his whereabouts.

"I can believe you let Cas- Rick braid your hair"

"It was Kate!"

"No way" He half-turned his chair to the desk behind him where Beckett was turning on her computer "Why don't you wear your hair like this?"

She smirked "Belle, I think you should order Javi to go back to work. You're his boss now"

"Hey Beckett, get this" Ryan walked up to her "We finally got Grayson's cell phone records and he called to his brother's number 5 times in a row yesterday in the evening"

"That's why he knew what was going to happen when he heard the shouts" Kate contemplated "And told Annabelle to hide, that he was going to heaven. He must have been threatened"

"We're already trying to get those calls. Also" Ryan went on "Forensics just sent over the report. They had found some fibers on the living room floor and stairs and they were a match to the same fibers found on the Bernard's place. They assume it's from a coat or glove he might be wearing before he left the apartment."

"Okay. That's good, but they can claim it's all circumstantial"

"Aha, I haven't told you the best yet" She gave him an intrigued look "They took some knives to make models and one of them was a fit with Danny's wounds. When officers bring him in, you just need to make him crack"

She looked from Ryan to the board.

"Oh, you're going down" she spoke to the picture hanging there, a blank expression staring back at her.

"Castle, could you do me a favor? Please call Diana and tell her to fly back here right now"

"Yeah, absolutely. Hey Belle, want to speak with your mom?"
"Castle, I don't think this is a good idea…"

"No, it's ok" He talked to Annabelle's mother first "You're going to catch the first plane back to the city. It actually amazes me that after everything that has happened you're still out of the country. At least talk to your daughter, tell her you're coming" Castle was dry

Belle climbed up his lap and hold the phone with both hands

"Hi mommy"

"Hi sweetie, how are you? I'm sorry mommy is not there with you, but I'm coming home okay?"

"Okay mommy! I miss you"
"Miss you too cutie. Love you"

"Byee" And she gave the phone back to Castle, jumped out of his legs. When Rick put the phone back on his ear, it was already beeping, but he was sure she was looking for her passport right now.

The morning went by quickly, all of them busy in their researches.

"Detective Beckett, could you come in here for a second?" Captain Gates called her

"Yes, sir"

"What is this child still doing in my precinct?"

"Sir, I can explain. We are almost sure her father killed his brother. She wasn't safe on a foster care"

"So?"

"So she ended up under my tutelage overnight. Mrs. Kaye was supposed to pick her up this morning, but she had another case and asked if she could stay here for another day."
"I said she couldn't"

Beckett didn't reply at first

"Sir"

"Detective Beckett. I understand why you would feel attached to the girl and yes, I do understand why it could be easier keeping her around. However, orders are orders and protocol is protocol. Are we clear?"

"Yes, sir"

"Close this case as soon as possible and send the girl home"

Beckett left the Captain's office in time to hear Espo's news

"That was our good old friend José on the phone"

"Who?"

"The Bernard's doorman, remember him? He j called in, G-man just arrived at the apartment"

"Let's pick him up, then"

They decided to not let him know how much they were on to him, so that he would tangle himself up in his lies. That way, they said they had found him because of Annabelle.

"You've found my girl?" After that, much to her surprise, Grayson was 100% cooperative and calm, cold.

"I was afraid to go to the police about my daughter's missing because they could charge me with child neglect"

Wow, really?, Beckett thought but remained quiet

"I just thought that if I took the matter in my own hands…But now you've found me, I feel so relieved. Please take me to her"
"Of course, Mr. Would you mind coming to the precinct with me?" If he was really willing to play along, let's do it all the way, she pondered. No intimation, no warrants, that's how she liked it.

"Yes, sure" She couldn't cuff him, though, and that gave her an uneasy feeling, especially about how Annabelle would react when she saw him. Maybe something she was blocking about the night would emerge.

Beckett led him to the interview room, careful so that he didn't get a chance to look at the board, in order to keep him unaware that they were on to him. He entered and simply stood there.

"Where are Belle and Castle?" She asked Ryan

"They went to pick up lunch"

She tried his cellphone but he had forgotten it on her desk, so she decided to start her little chat with Grayson anyway.

The man refused to sit down like Beckett did. She was following his play, although just this small gesture showed her he was way more nervous than he thought he was letting on.

"Mr. Bernard"

"Grayson, please" he continued to circle around the room, looking at her from time to time
"What happened. The night your daughter went missing"

"You see, detective, me and my wife have been having trouble in our marriage. We had a huge fight and she took Annabelle to spend the night at her mother's old place"

"What happened then?"

"I went over there the next morning, try to make things right, you know? I don't want Annabelle caught in the middle of this mess" He finally decided to settle on the couch, eyes down to his shoes, that being the dramatic moment of his tale "When I got there she was already gone and had taken my daughter with her"

"Have you called her?"

"Of course I have! She won't pick up"

Kate sat back. The more relaxed she appeared, the more nervous he got. She hoped her bluff was coming off better than his. She let a moment of silence go by between them

"What I find odd, Mr. Bernard, is your, let's say, unique logic, that you shouldn't go to the police, because according to what you've just told me, your daughter was practically kidnapped"

"I already told you…"

"Please, that was the lamest excuse I've ever heard. Do you really think I'd fall for that? You know what I think? I think you don't want to find her" She said it with a hint of victory in her voice as she saw his face fall. Grayson jumped right up, pointing his finger angrily at her
"Don't you dare say that. I love my daughter; I'd do anything to get her back. I'm not gonna sit here and listen to your bullshit while my baby is missing"

Beckett stood on her feet and looked him right in the eye, the cool vibe already gone

"Mr. Bernard, do you know your brother is dead?"

He gulped "Daniel?"

"Yes"

"No I didn't. Oh my god, my brother…when, how?"

"He was murdered. Two nights ago"

"Mur-"He stopped halfway through his sentence. At first, Beckett was glad he decided to drop his act, only to realize his eyes were fixed at a point behind her, into the bullpen. She turned her head and realized what got his attention: Castle had just returned, holding Annabelle's hand and was lively talking to her, keeping her distract from the interview room.

Grayson's face grew red. The veins in his neck extended. Sweat dripped from his temples.

"Who's that man with my daughter?" He asked right before he shoved Beckett to the side and she fell to the floor, only realizing what was going to happen a second too late. He didn't shout, he didn't call any attention on himself. He ran to where Castle was and held Annabelle tight by the arm, shaking her. The little brunette immediately started crying in panic, trying to pull back, obviously failing. Her little palms hit his arms and she closed her eyes in fear and turned her face away from his

"Annabelle, it's me, it's daddy. Annabelle, let's go home, I missed you baby" He was shouting the words in nervousness, getting madder each time Belle screamed "Annabelle, shut up!"

In a matter of seconds, the whole precinct was alert of the situation

Beckett walked in, holding her gun up, as others, including Ryan, Esposito and Captain Gates that were standing on the far side of the room. After Castle's shock wore off, he pushed Grayson away from Belle

"Get the hell away from her!"

Momentarily, Grayson's attention deviated from Annabelle's yelling

"And who are you, huh? What are you doing with my daughter?" He stepped closer to Castle and before Beckett could even say anything the cop helper/writer threw a hell of a punch in Grayson's nose. The situation got chaotic when Bernard knocked Castle to the ground and tackled him, returning the punch in his jaw.

Kate was the first to intervene. Her heart sank when she saw the look Annabelle was giving her at the sight of her 'police version', gun pointed to her dad

"Annabelle go with Ryan now!" The girl took off running away from the adults and crawled up in Kevin's arm, covering her eyes and he quickly took the elevator. A police officer was trying to separate both men and cuff their suspect, but wasn't successful

"Grayson don't even think about making another move or I will shoot" Kate looked fierceful. Bernard turned to her, not even trying to stop his nose bleed, eyes open wide.

"I killed my brother to be with MY DAUGHTER. SHE IS MY DAUGHTER AND NO ONE IS TAKING HER AWAY FROM ME. NOT DIANA AND MY STUPID ASS BROTHER. NOT THIS LOSER. NOT YOU OR YOUR GUN." He lunged forward in her direction when the officer grabbed him violently by the shoulder, pulling him back and cuffing him, even though he was still struggling to run. Beckett put away her gun "Put him in the lock up. You'll get a signed confession when he comes back to his senses"

"I'll get you Annabelle, I'll be with you, and I'm your daddy" He shouted as a mad man when he was being taken away.

Later that afternoon, they were just waiting to Diana to pick Annabelle up. They had chew the subject of her custody over and over with Larissa and the Captain, and, even though they all agreed Diana was kind of loony, she was still her mother and had done nothing to be separated from her kid. There was no reason to put her under the stress of being put in foster care.

"We could take her" Castle joked when Gates as not around

"an't say I won't miss her.

"Or that I completely trust Diana"

"Yeah. I'll go talk to her"

"Hi shorty" Annabelle looked up from the paper she had drawn on and was carefully putting into the folder, but didn't reply "Listen to me" Kate picked her up from the ground and sat her on her lap

"I'm sorry about today"
"You were gonna hurt my daddy"

"No I was not, and I need you to believe me."

Annabelle's chin trembled when she looked Kate in the eye, which almost made her start crying too

"Is my daddy Gaston?"

"Yes." She knew it was no use lying now "He's not a bad man. He did something very, very bad and we might not understand his reasons, but he did it out of love"

"I don't understand" Annabelle cried out

"Neither do I sweetie, but you just need to know that you're still young and you're going to live with your mom and grow up and you know, be happy, okay?"

"Okay" Belle hugged her and caught her by surprise with what she said next

"I love you"

Kate smiled over the top of the toddler's head

"Haha, I love you too shorty. Just one more thing. You know I'm your friend and you can trust me right?"

"Right! And Rick, and Javi and Kev too"

"Yes, all of us. Keep this" She put a piece of paper that had her number on it in Belle's pocket

"Keep this with you and call me if anything happens, good or bad or you know, if you just miss me" She tickled Belle's belly and everything was fine. More than fine, actually.

It was late when Diana called saying she had just landed and was taking a cab to the precinct, where there was only Beckett, Castle, Belle sleeping with her head on his legs, hugging the black folder that used to be Beckett's but now had a colorful tag with Belle written on it. Kate stroked his jaw lightly before giving him a bag of ice

"How is it? It looks better"

"It is. Thanks. What an evening, huh?"

"Tell me about it"

She smiled at him when he kissed her temple.

"Do you want more coffee?"

"Yeah"

She returned with two mugs and handed him one. After one sip and a complaint about his burnt tongue, he said

"Do you think she'll be okay?"

"I think she will make her way through. I think she'll have her own fairytale. Just like I got mine" She closed her eyes as he leaned in to kiss her one more time.

THE END

Yess people, that was the last chapter, I sincerely hoped you liked it! Thank you all so much for all of you who followed this or reviewed or just read it, because it honestly means everything to me! One last thing, I'd like to again thanks my beta, my friend Fabi because she's been wonderful to me and she's just awesome like that (a pain in the ass, but awesome ahahahah)

Ps1: to guest, yes I'm OBSESSED with Friends, it's my life

Ps2: It would take a couple of weeks (exams ugh) but I'd be willing to do an epilogue, how would you like that? Please leave me your thoughts! 3

Xoo Gi :D