AN: Hey guys, I am trying my hardest to edit the chapters in a timely manner so I can get them uploaded and begin the sequel soon.
Also, I believe I found a beta but as of this moment, I am not one-hundred percent sure. With that being said, I would love to be somebody else's beta! I have a beta profile and I love editing stories!
Disclaimer: If I owned the show…. Emily would be in it. Emily is mine… that's it.
"The bomb went off in front of Emily's bedroom and knocked the dresser down on top of the door. I'm going in to get her out."
"Castle…." Kate sobbed with tears that were flowing down her cheeks.
"Kate, you need to get out of here! Crawl to the hallway and wait for the firefighters to come and get you. Emily and I won't be far behind." Castle told her while trying to pull her up off of the floor. "Kate, we you to get out of here now!" Castle said as he continued to pick her up only to have her fight against him.
"NO, RICK! I know that this is pretty rude and low but what if that was Alexis in there? Huh? You wouldn't just leave without her in your arms, so PLEASE go pull her out for me, or I will do it myself." Kate stated not moving from her spot, having faith that Castle would go himself. Castle went to respond when they heard a yell from the princess décor room. The partners turned towards each other, Kate's mind racing as her brain registered the scream. He took off in a sprint towards the young girl's bedroom leaving her there against the wall all by herself.
"EMILY? EMILY? Where are you, sweetie?" Castle yelled when he entered in the bedroom, his eyes taking a moment to adjust to the smoke, flames and golden glow around him. He was unable to see her.
"I undwe te bwed." Emily replied to the stranger. "I to afrawd to mowe. Tere was tis big ba-boom." She finished letting out a loud yelp when another piece of debris fell to the ground right in front of her face.
"Emily, crawl over to me. Come on, I am going to get both you and your mommy out of here, okay? But we need to hurry! Come on, Emily crawl to me, honey." Castle said as he knelt down on the side of the bed that wasn't blocked by debris.
"But my no know you, you bwad man?" Emily asked looking unsure and wary of this man who was a nobody to her. Her face resembling that of her mother. "My want momma."
"My name is Rick Castle and I'm your mommy's partner at work." He was apprehensive about explaining their relationship, unaware of how much Kate had already told Emily. "Your mommy trusts me, sweet girl, and I am going to save the both of you. If you come to me, I won't let anything bad happen to you ever again." He was taking a risk, making a promise to a small child. Especially, one who was not his and he had never met before.
"Momma trwst you?" Emily sobbed harder as another piece from the roof above them caved in, her small body flinching, yet her hand outstretching to him.
"Yeah baby, your mommy trusts me, and she is right in the other hall waiting for us. But we got to hurry!" Castle said extending out his arms to her, his large frame crawling on the ground to where she laid. So small, fragile and innocent. His chest constricting again as another wave of guilt washed over him, no child deserved to go through this. She was still a little unsure until another piece of wreckage fell next to her, her little body jumping up in fear and hitting her back against the wood of the baseboard. Her screams would forever be etched in his mind. She went crawling into his arms and he carried her protectively out of the bedroom.
"Where's Momma?" Emily asked, her voice cracking at the end of the question. She started sobbing in his arms while coughing and breathing very heavily. Castle repositioned her so her chest was against his chest, she laid her head down on his neck as her breathing got back under control. Another piece of rubble fell behind them, her little body tensed up and she bit back a yelp. She is just like her mom, always having to be the strong one, Castle thought to himself.
"Okay, new plan. I am going to jump and duck over the big pieces of wood, and I need you to NOT move no matter what, okay?" Castle gently whispered into Emily's chestnut golden locks and felt her nod against him. "Oh, and Emily, I am so sorry if you somehow get hurt in all of this. I hope you someday find it in that sweet and innocent heart of yours to forgive me." Castle said looking her straight in her eyes, and felt his heart being ripped from his chest when she replied back, "tis gonna be o'tay Cassy." He chuckled at the mispronunciation of his name, a small smile gracing his lips while he sent a prayer and a vow to not let anything happen to her.
"Alright Emily, here we go." He said taking his first step over the piece of debris on the floor while ducking under a slanted one at the same time. Dipping under another piece that had a little burn to it he put both of his huge hands over her tiny head and let the burn irritate his skin and scrape his head against the wood. Biting back a yelp as to not startle the terrified little girl who was in his arms he settled for a hiss instead. He could just see the clearing, he could just see Kate's face, and he could see her gasping for air and trying so hard to stay awake for them. "KATE!" He yelled. "GO OUTSIDE INTO THE HALLWAY, WE'LL MEET YOU OUT THERE!" He was surprised when she obligated so easily, the reassurance from seeing her daughter reawakening her.
"Two more piece Em, just two more." He whispered to the mini Beckett in his arms who was an exact replica of her mother with those chestnut locks, hazel eyes that change depending on the seasons, perfectly tan skin, toned just right too, slim figure and muscular strength.
Taking the final duck and step through the entryway they were free from the hallway of doom. He walks over to the front door, walks on top of the front door, and then out to find Kate leaning up against the hallway trying to stay with it, but the pain becoming too much for her to bare.
"We owt yet, Cassy? My see momma?" Emily asks, her eyes having closed earlier.
"Yeah baby, you can see me know." Kate answers reaching for her baby girl, yet he takes a step back. The confusion and hurt is evident across Kate's face.
"I know she is your daughter Kate, but at the moment you are in no condition to hold her."
"Darn it, Castle! Give me my daughter, now!" She demands and he relents to letting her hug Emily with his hold still very strong on the girl.
"Okay, so we can't take the elevator and there is no way that I can carry the both of you unless…" Castle said as he took his eyes off of Kate and looked down at Emily who had repositioned herself to be looking at Kate and him at the same time.
"Hey Em, we are going to do things a little differently now, okay?" Castle said to her while he went to set her down.
"O'tay Cassy, bwt fiwe spweding vwery fat." Emily answered looking at all the flames, then back at the pair.
Castle squatted down to Emily's level and looked her straight in the eyes and said, "I am going to get you out of this Emily, I promise." Kate's heart swelled at what Castle just told her daughter, the care that was shining through his eyes to Emily was nearly too overwhelming for her.
"Pinka pwomise Cassy?" Emily asked him, and Castle hooked his pinky finger over hers. With her little finger hooked into his big one you would have never have known that she had her pinky in his.
"I pinky promise Emily," Castle answered debating if he should say what he was thinking right now. He took a risk and did, "I care about you and your mommy too much to let that to happen. I need the both of you to trust me, okay?" He asked them.
"I trust you Rick, I trust you with both mine and Emily's life." Kate answered for them while Emily nodded her head.
Putting an arm behind Kate's back, another under her legs Castle scooped her up and held her bridal style while she wrapped her arms around his neck and looked him in the eyes. His coat was jostled in the process and revealed more than it should. "Kate, my jacket is open." He said to her respectfully even as her gaze never wavered.
He didn't know until she started talking, "I know Castle, but I trust you which means that I trust that you won't take advantage of me." She said the last part in a whisper as to not let Emily here. Taking a deep breath and closing his eyes for a second to mesmerize the moment in time that Katherine Houghton Beckett said that she trusted him. Twice. It was one thing for him to say it, but a complete other for her.
Feeling a little tug on his pants, he looked down to see Emily looking up at him. He squats down as he looked Emily in the eyes and studied to see how badly she was hurt. He came to the conclusion that she would be okay enough for what he had in mind. "Emily, you want a piggy back ride?" Castle asked her in an animated voice, his hopes to get her spirits back up.
"Yeah, Cassy!" She replied back with an enthusiastic nod of her head.
She walked around to his back and wrapped her tiny arms around his neck, her legs around his back the best she could with him holding Kate. The detective took one of her arms and slid them down his broad chest, across his sides and around to under one of Emily's legs. Then did the same with her other arm, putting it under Emily's opposite leg and hooked her hands together under Emily's small but so she would not slip. Trusting that Castle had Kate, and that Kate had Emily, and that Emily was holding on to Castle for dear life, Castle started walking out the door that lead to the staircase and down the stairs.
He had just cleared one level when they could hear the sirens in the distance
"The sirens are getting closer." Castle stated as he started walking again with two more floors to clear. With each step he took Emily would giggle at the bounce making the adults heart swell to see that the light was returning to her eyes. By time he had cleared the second floor he could hear Kate's whimpers of pain against him grow louder with each step. He looked down at her, seeing her trying to conceal the pain and keep smiling up at Emily. It would take a fool to not see the pain clearly written on her face. He slowed his steps down, one by one walking, not prancing to get away from the fire.
By time he had cleared the final flights of stairs and was watching Kate's face he could tell when it dawned on her that they weren't going at fast as they usually were. Looking up at Rick, Kate could tell that he had seen the pain on her face by the look of pure concern on his as he stares down at her. Using her upper body strength, she was able to lift her head up to his shoulder and rest it there, while she turned her head and placed her mouth right next to his ear, her breath warm, hot, comforting in this time of need against his ear. She whispered, "Don't worry about me Rick, just get us all out of here." It would be her next words that forced his feet to move quicker. "She has asthma and she has already been coughing and having hard time breathing."
Why did the first level always have to have the most stairs? He thought to themselves before looking back down at the gorgeous women in his arms, and saw the same question lingering in her eyes. They both had a look of concern on their face when they heard the little girl try to talk. "My thwoat and lungys huwting Cassy. My gewetine sleepy alto." She said, as she laid her head down on his shoulder.
"NO, EMILY, NO! You have to keep your eyes awake Emily, for me, please." Kate begged her, knowing that she could not let her daughter fall unconscious.
"Come on Emily only five more steps and then we are at the lobby, okay? Come on sweetie for mommy and me, please." Castle attempted to coax her, hoping that she would stay awake long enough.
"My trwing," she said to them.
"HEY! GUESS WHAT, EMILY?" Castle yelled, thinking that the louder his voice the more it would hold her attention and keep her awake. "We are in the lobby!" He pushed the door open with his side and breathed a sigh of relief at the sight of the firefighters and paramedics entering the lobby.
"Sowway Momma and Cassy, my can'te dwo it." Emily said as the crime-fighting duo shared a look of mix emotions."Gwoodknigty," Kate watched in horror as her baby girl closed her eyes and her breathing evened out. His steps faltered when he felt her breathing abruptly stop.
AN: How what that? Better than the original? Or no? In addition, I may not be able to meet my goal of finishing re-editing this story by this Sunday…. I apologize.