Hi guys! A quick update today. Thank you so much for the reviews. As I said in the comments section, I changed the category of the fic, just in case. I wouldn't say it is a horror fic, but it is more than suspense for sure, and definitely not for kiddos lol I won't tell more, you'll see it in time. The following chapter is okay, don't worry, you can put your pillow away...at least for now muhahahaha :D Enjoy! xxx
Kate climbed down the stairs in a hurry and arrived in the kitchen. Lanie was in front of the sink, wiping her hands she just had cleaned, under the candle lights as the power was still cut. Kate glanced at the living room before she headed to her. Jenny, Martha and Alexis were still sitting on the couch and were trying to have a conversation to fill the void since the boys had left.
When Lanie saw Kate approaching, she couldn't help noticing her serious look.
"What's wrong?" she asked, worried as she put the wiper on the counter. Kate gently grabbed her by the wrist and leaned on her ear.
"Shh, not so loud please. I don't want Martha, Alexis and Jenny to hear us" detective Beckett started to say, as she leaded doctor Parish to the corner of the kitchen. Then she let her friend's arm go and looked at her deeply.
"I don't want to frighten them. I don't want you to freak out either, Lanie, but…"
"Save it, Kate Beckett", Lanie interrupted her impatiently.
"Someone was there, upstairs, Lanie. I've just seen someone leave", Kate revealed without blinking.
Lanie opened her mouth but couldn't say a word. Her eyes betrayed her, she was scared now. In her mind, Kate's words were nonsense.
As her friend didn't say anything, Kate spoke again.
"I don't know who it was, but I know he heard me walk in the hallway and escaped by the window."
"What the hell…" Lanie muttered as she ran a hand in her hair. She started to pace, breathing heavily.
"Are you sure about that?"
"Absolutely sure. I saw him disappear into the woods, the window was open…Now I'm convinced it was the same person I saw from the bathroom's window earlier."
"You think it's a man?"
Kate shrugged.
"Well, according to the silhouette, height and speed, I think so. And this man was upstairs, only a few minutes ago.
"…why?"
"If only I knew," Kate sighed.
"Kate, I don't get a damn thing of all this", Lanie said desperately as she shook her head. "A man you saw running away in the garden broke into the manor?" she repeated, wincing.
"I know that sounds crazy but…"
"But how did he get in there?" Lanie interrupted, lost. "And also, why would he break into people's house like that?"
Kate shook her head vigorously.
"I don't know yet, Lanie. But the window in Rick's room was open, and he was upstairs, I'm sure of that…I heard him. He jumped off the window as soon as I pushed the door and came into the room."
Lanie rubbed her face and closed her eyes, tired of the situation.
"I'm scared", she admitted as her voice trailed off.
"I know…I admit I'm scared too. But we need to stay strong for Martha, Alexis and Jenny, okay? I don't want them to know. It would get things worse for nothing."
After a few seconds, Lanie sighed heavily and nodded.
"Yes, you're right."
"Listen, while we wait for the boys to come back, I don't want any of us to go upstairs, okay? I closed the window, but since I don't know how he got into the house, I don't want anyone there. I'd rather have you on my watch in case of…well just in case we ever have an altercation with that person," Kate concluded as she didn't like the way she said it. She didn't even want to think about meeting that person.
"Got it, we stay right here", Lanie nodded resolutely.
"All right. It's going to be fine", Kate said with a smile as she stroke her friend's arm. Her smile didn't comfort Lanie at all though. She seemed lost in tracks, and still scared.
"Kate…What does the guy want from us?" Lanie asked in a whisper. She hardly raised her look to Kate's. She was afraid of the answer.
"Maybe nothing, " Kate answered. "You know, there is plenty of cuckoos everywhere, but maybe he's not bad. Maybe he's only some kind of a…joker," she said although she hardly believed that. However, she wouldn't show it to Lanie.
"But what if he's not only that? What if, actually, he is a bad person, what if he does want to hurt us and what if the boys never come back?" Lanie said suddenly.
Kate gave her a surprised look. She had never seen the strong and unbreakable Lanie Parish doubt that much.
"What? Of course they will!" the brunette said as she shook her head. "Lanie, why would you think that?"
Lanie sighed again and bit her lips.
"I just have a bad feeling… I don't understand why this man would break into the manor before he ran away if he had good intentions, and most of all, I'm scared for the boys who are…God knows where they are with that mysterious guy outside and…"
Kate interrupted her and grabbed both her arms.
"Lanie, calm down", she whispered with authority. "And stop imagining the worst. I'm sure there's a logical explanation for all this, and let me remind you the guys have a weapon. They left with Castle's gun. And whatever the explanation is, I can promise you they're gonna be fine", the detective concluded to comfort her. But that wasn't enough for the medical examiner who shook her head.
"How can you be so sure?" the brown girl said irritated, as she couldn't stay calm anymore. "Kate, we don't even know what's going on! All we know is a John Doe certainly slashed the circuit breaker and found a way to break into the house!" Lanie summed up with anxiety. "Do you find anything positive in that?" she added, looking at Kate. Usually she would. But this time, Kate didn't know what to respond. Lanie was right. There was nothing good in all this.
"What I'm sure of," Kate said softly to comfort her, "is that Esposito and Ryan are the best cops I know. You know it well too. They have self-control in this kind of situations and I trust them. I promise you they're gonna be okay. We all are gonna be okay."
Lanie bit her lips again as Kate let her arms go.
"Everything's gonna be fine, Lanie. We don't know what's going on, all right. But in my opinion, it's just a weirdo's bad joke, and we're gonna get him."
Lanie smiled sadly and nodded, still uncertain.
"I hope you're right…"
"Don't worry. You and Espo will be able to live happily ever after with your three children and by thirty years, we're gonna all laugh about that story."
Lanie chuckled, amused by her joke.
"Stop it…" she said, half smiling.
"It's not three but five children at least I want from him", she corrected, making her friend smile and look at her intensely.
"What." Lanie said, annoyed by her insisting look.
"Do you realize it's the first time you don't bash me with your usual "We're over"?"
Lanie tried to hide her grin.
"Let's say I'm slowly trying to reconsider things…" she said after a few seconds.
Kate grinned.
"I prefer that."
"All right, what about you?"
"What about me?" detective Beckett asked, raising an eyebrow.
"How many Castle juniors?" Lanie asked grinning, crossing her arms.
Kate rolled her eyes, chuckling.
"Here you're back."
"So, how many?"
Kate shrugged.
"I don't know…I haven't been thinki… What am I saying?" Kate interrupted herself as she frowned, making Lanie laugh.
"Ah…see? You too are reconsidering things."
"Not at all," Kate shook her head. "Come on, let's join the others in the living room," she added as she put her arm around Lanie's shoulder.
.
to be continued...