It was really too much to hope that the guys might have found something in just the short time that Castle and Beckett had been in Montgomery's office and they were right. Esposito even looked apologetic for not having anything, but Beckett wasn't concerned. She knew if there was something to find they'd find it. She explained to them that she and Castle were going to be heading back to the safehouse and then told them about her suspected tail from earlier that morning, and asked Ryan if he'd follow them at a distance to see if she was right – and if so, if he'd be able to catch the tail. Ryan, of course, agreed immediately, and they set it up beforehand that if Ryan found someone a couple of patrol cars would be in the area to back him up. For obvious reasons, Beckett and Castle wouldn't be involved in anything beyond being bait for the tail – if there was one.

Despite the care setting things up, and the fact that she took a very circuitous route back toward the safehouse neighborhood to give the tail plenty of time to acquire them, there was no sign of the sedan in her rearview mirror – and Ryan radioed her to let her know that he hadn't spotted anyone from his position a few blocks back. Feeling confident that they weren't being followed – although not at all ridiculous for having taken the extra precautions – Beckett headed to the safehouse with Ryan continuing to trail them until they had actually entered the garage and closed things up behind them. Inconspicuously, Ryan continued by the house without slowing and headed back to the precinct.

"So…" Castle said as they walked into the house. "Want me to tuck you in?"

Beckett rolled her eyes.

"No."

"But you are planning on taking a nap, right?" he asked. "You do look tired."

She wasn't all that tired – she'd only been up for a few hours, after all – but she was smart enough to know that she was being given a chance to catch up on the sleep she'd been missing out on while helping Castle through the last couple of night, and she appreciated that. Enough so that she was going to try and take advantage of the respite.

"Yeah… I might lie down for a while…"

"Good. You deserve it."

He was well aware she was losing sleep because of him, and like Cutter had said; he was going to take care of her for a change. If she'd let him.

Beckett smiled at the sincerity in his voice and her expression told him that she understood how he felt.

"What are you going to do?"

"Depends on where you are going to nap."

"What do you mean?"

"If you're going back to bed, then I'll probably watch TV or spy on the neighbors. If you're going to sleep on the couch, then I'll work on the puzzle or do something else."

"I'm not going back to bed."

That was a bit much. Sleeping in bed wasn't a nap. It was going back to bed. Sleeping on the couch was napping. A fine distinction maybe, but one she wasn't going to ignore.

"Okay."

He went into the bedroom and pulled off the top blanket and a couple pillows and brought them over to the couch for her. Beckett rolled her eyes again but she smiled.

"Thanks." She caught up the remote for the TV and handed it to him before she settled on the couch and covered up. "It won't keep me awake if you watch TV."

He suspected that it might keep her from falling asleep, though, so instead, he set the remote on the far end of the couch, went over to the table and sat down. Instead of working on the puzzle that they'd started the day before, though, he picked up a tablet of paper that he'd brought from the precinct and a pen and sighed softly.

A gift

Jeremy

Bridget

Jimmy the Cane

He wrote them all down on the paper, willing himself to remember more now that he was finally starting to catch some memories, however incomplete, and hoping that seeing the names would help. He sat there, staring at them for a long time, but nothing seemed to be triggering anything. So he tried some more.

A dark room

Arguments

Gunshots

He frowned. Did he remember gunshots? There was no way he'd heard gunshots while in the closet. Gunshots would have been reported by the neighbors, the people on the street, and anyone within the area. He was sure that there hadn't been any such reports, because someone would have found that report. And maybe even have found him.

Gunshots.

Castle closed his eyes.

Gunshots

Gunshots

His eyes snapped open.

With a silencer.

There had been gunshots. He knew what a silencer sounded like and he could remember hearing that sound. Four shots, a yell, and the sound of something heavy hitting the floor.

Lanie had told him that Jimmy had been shot three times. Castle wondered if that was what he'd heard. It had been so quiet in the closet that he'd been able to hear everything in the room on the other side of the wall. The arguing. The discussions. The sex. More arguing. The threats to kill him. Threats to kill her. A lot of pain.

Castle shuddered, and rested his head in his hands and closed his eyes.

"Rick?"

He flinched, so startled that he actually almost wet himself. As it was, his stomach tightened so suddenly that he felt like he was going to throw up.

Beckett flinched, too, startled by his violent reaction to her soft query. He looked up at her, his eyes wild for just a moment until he realized that it was her. She put her hand on his shoulder, trying to settle him with the touch.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you," she apologized.

Castle shook his head.

"You didn't."

She had, of course.

Beckett looked at the paper he'd been writing on.

"What are you doing?"

"Trying to remember…"

Her hand tightened a little on his shoulder. He knew she meant it to be supportive, but the pressure hurt his abused muscles more than just a little. He didn't say anything, though. The pain was better than the fear.

"Any luck?"

"Just little stuff – mostly what you already know."

"Gunshots?"

"With a silencer, I think," he replied. "Maybe the shots that killed James."

She nodded.

"The crime scene guys will be able to tell us if they find his blood in the room."

"Yeah." He stared at the paper for a moment longer, and then tried to change the subject. "You're supposed to be asleep, remember?"

"I dozed off for a while," she told him. "But it was too quiet to sleep, I think."

"Oh."

"Are you okay?"

He nodded.

"Yes. You just, um… startled me is all."

More like scared the hell out of him, but it wasn't her fault.

"You shouldn't be trying this without someone with you," Beckett told him. "I can't imagine how scary it is."

Of course, if the nightmares were any indication, it had to be terrifying. Not to mention the way he'd looked just then when she'd startled him.

"I just want to remember what happened…" he replied. "It's this close," he said, holding his finger and thumb less than an inch apart. "It's like it's trying to come out but it's just not there, yet."

"You shouldn't be trying to force it," she chided, taking his hand and pulling him to his feet. "Come sit down with me, instead. You can watch TV or spy on the neighbors while I nap."

"But I want to-"

"Come on."

Beckett pretty much dragged him over to the couch, pushed him down on the other end from where she'd been trying to sleep and then reclaimed her spot and wrapped the blanket around herself again and snuggled against her pillows once more. He watched her close her eyes and decided that he could just wait until she fell asleep and then he'd go back to the table and what he'd been doing.

As if she could read his mind, though, she stretched out and her lower legs and feet were suddenly draped across his lap. He looked over at her, but there was no change in her demeanor – although he had a feeling if her eyes were open she'd have an amused look in them. He sighed – silently so it wouldn't disturb her (and so she wouldn't know she'd gotten him) and picked up the remote.