For notes and disclaimer, please see part one.

Here's a couple things you might need to know or maybe you just forgot: Ellie is mugged in the parking lot of the hospital. Casey is not happy.

Westside Story, Part II

While he shouldn't, that didn't mean he couldn't. He pieced together a time line, from the incident until he was called, gathering all of the surveillance footage he could find from all surrounding areas-ATM, security, whatever.

The computers in Castle were working overtime when she arrived. Sarah saw a look in her partner's eyes she'd never seen before. She pitied whoever it was who had done it, who had attacked Ellie. "Pretty sure this might be an issue for Beckman."

Casey never looked up from what he was doing. "Pretty sure you don't have to be here right now."

"Chuck called. He and Ellie are worried about you."

Casey merely grunted.

"Don't you think this is a matter better suited for the LAPD?

"The guy taking Ellie's statement wouldn't be able to find his way out of a paper bag with a map and a flashlight. The only one who's going to find them, to get her things back, if they haven't already been sold, is me. And I don't have much time."

"What can I do?"

Casey glanced at her. "Call all the gold buying stores. They'll use her credit cards and ATM card first. Then the necklace will be sold for scrap."

"The locket?"

Casey didn't answer. "Start dialing, Walker."

Ellie paced in Chuck's living room. She'd insisted she could go home but her brother had decided that wasn't the greatest idea. After all,the men who had attacked her had her belongings, which included information that could lead to her apartment.

While Ellie had always been able to calm him down from a full-on Bartowski freak-out, he wasn't anywhere near so good at it in return.

"Casey's a professional. Don't worry about him."

"He's a Marine. I know. Tough as nails. Able to kill people with a bottle cap. Or... or a paperclip!"

"Casey may be an assassin, but I really... I really think that differentiates itself from, y'know... run-of-the-mill murder. He won't be killing anyone tonight. Not unless it's really, really called for."

Ellie paced faster.

"You're making me dizzy, sis."

"Did you see his face?" she asked quietly.

"He was definitely upset."

She scoffed. "Upset doesn't really cover it."

"He loves you, y'know, and... I think he'll never admit it, but I think it hurt. That he couldn't protect you when he protects the world on a daily basis. I think that's why he was so... was so..."

Ellie slowed. "Crazy things happen that you can't control all the time."

"I'm not sure that computes for him yet." He took a breath. "Seeing you like that... I don't think that helped with the computations... y'know?"

Ellie reached up, her fingers grazing the tape on her chin before exploring the tender skin under her eye. She'd intentionally avoided a mirror. She saw everyone else's blood on a nearly daily basis. She had no desire to see it on herself.

But, after seeing Casey's expression, she could only imagine how bad it was. Numbly, she lowered herself onto the couch. "He looked pretty ill," she whispered.

"Yeah."

She closed her eyes. "I just wish he would come home..."

"I'll text Sarah again." It bothered Chuck, that his girlfriend wasn't answering his calls or his texts, but he assumed if anything was beyond wrong, that he'd've been contacted by someone.

Sarah rode shotgun while Casey transported three pissed-off gang members in the back of his Crown Victoria. They were all safely sequestered in the prisoner containment unit. Sarah only occasionally glanced back. Blissfully, the unit was also soundproof. While she could easily read their lips, she preferred not to.

Casey was terse and to the point when he gave the evidence and the criminals over to the LAPD. In addition to finding Ellie's purse, empty wallet and keys, he found her necklace. Once all the evidence had been processed, everything was returned to Casey, who headed home with Sarah in tow.

"She's lucky to have you."

He didn't say anything. He hadn't said much to her since they started their investigation.

"Casey...?"

"In the same city and I couldn't do anything."

"You were able to get her things back for her. You found her muggers."

He grew mute again.

"As much as you want to, you can't be everywhere at once."

He idly wondered how research into cloning was progressing as he drove the rest of the way in silence.

Sarah let them into the apartment she shared with Chuck. The living room was filled with somber-looking people. Ellie, Alex, and Chuck were on the couch, with Downy in Ellie's lap. Morgan had clearly just come from the kitchen with a tray of lemonade.

"John..."

While Sarah carried Ellie's purse and other belongings, Casey wordlessly held out her necklace.

Ellie eased Downy to Alex as she got to her feet. Crossing to him, she threw her arms around him.

He held her tightly, lifting her up off the floor slightly, though he was ever mindful so as to avoid hurting her further. "I'm sorry, Ellie," he whispered, his voice haggard, rough.

"It's okay," she whispered. "Everything will be okay now, John."

Stay tuned...