Beckett's Lost, Castle's Case

Loud breathing filled the room, and I found that it was me, running through the door and slamming it behind me. The office had been raided, and the monster let loose. Alpha team was down, unable to terminate the creature. And now they were all in danger. I look, beside me, and realize I was not alone. Spotting the sleek side of a knife, shining in the few rays of white light streaming into the room from the window on the door. My breathing comes harder, and faster, and I fear for my life. It had always been cheesy in the movies, but in real life, it's harsh. It's torturing. i felt the chilling blade on my bare skin, and I scream.

...

3XK was her mistake, and now she stood in the storage room of a small-time store, counting to make sure there was nothing missing. So far, nothing. From a homicide detective, to a theft supervisor. It had hurt to be demoted, but on some level, she was glad there was a punishment for her mistake. Missing him once was alright, but twice was not to be tolerated lightly. She had put all the woman in the country in jeopardy. She would not have been able to live with herself without a punishment. So she kept her head down, concentrating on counting.

...

His coffee cup in hand, Castle strolled casually under the yellow tape and into the case grounds. Though he felt wrong and uncanny without Beckett there, he was still flattered when the captain had asked him to advice them in their next case. He saw CSU sweeping the premises, afraid of someone forgetting something, leaning on every detail. He loved this job, and knew Beckett did too, and couldn't help but feel guilty for being at a murder scene after what had happened. He spotted the body, and all that guilt washed away and in its place stood curiosity. "These aren't bite marks." He stated matter-of-factly.

"That's what I feared," Roy looked to him with relieved eyes, "Didn't think you would come after what had happened."

"I came for my own curiosity, for the salvation of the victim," he took a pause, "For the team. For you, Ryan, Espazito. You can't do it alone."

They stare at the body silently for a while, both men scared to break the silence. Finally, it was Castle, as always, "Those are knife marks."

"Yes, CSU's looking for DNA."

"Turns out we've got a Marco Franning, age 45, arrested three times, all for assault." Ryan said as he strode over with a file in hand.

"Well, let's get some questioning."

...

"Any thing?" Alexis asked as she loomed over her Math homework.

"Nothing," Castle sucked air into his teeth as he got a water bottle out of the fridge, "I don't get it. It seems like every time we get our first suspect, he's not the guy."

"Alibied out?"

"Yup. I don't know. This case is so..."

"Simple?"

"Yeah, like it was done by an amateur. Which leads to why they got their hands on Franning's knife. Just.... a stabbing. But how did the rabid dog get out at the same time?"

"Wait, there was a rabid dog?" she giggled, "What case is this?"

"A veterinarian's office. A Dr Mora Michaels."

"Well," she took a sip of his water, "It seems to me that the freak guy who had a freak dog went to free his pet, and someone got in his way."

"Maybe." He gave a heart-wrenched sigh, "Wish Beckett was on this case."

...

"Castle! CASTLE!!" Beckett almost tripped over her feet, running to catch up. "CASTLE!!"

"You know, I heard you the first time." Castle smiled his signature, mischievous smile, though he fell through when it came to actually meaning it.

"How's the case coming along?" she looked at him more desperate than ever, and Castle was scared that the demotion had changed her.

"Good."

"Oh come on, Castle, you're a writer, do better than that!" Okay, she was still the same person, just a little more desperate and in need of a real case. He felt the guilt climb back when he thought of using this to his advantage. "Seriously. I got the synopsis from Esposito."

"Horrible," he began to walk, and she followed, "It's so simple. Just a stabbing, and yet we've been through any one who might have had access to the office, what the vic was doing before hand. And nothing! Nothing out of the ordinary what so ever!"

"Castle, please!" Beckett almost fell to her knees, but restrained herself, "It's driving me crazy! Let me help."

A spark of a game came into his head. "Well, I don't know..."

"Castle!!! I need this!! I can't live like this! I can't. I'll do anything, I promise," she started count her fingers frantically, "I'll get you coffee, I'll follow you around, I'll do any thing, please!"

He grabbed her by the shoulders. "Calm down, of course I'll let you help. I think maybe with your help, we can actually get through this."

...

Lanie said, "It's a kitchen knife. KitchenAid, 4 cms wide." she paused and stole a look at Castle, "I can go on, but there's not much else to tell. Just that."

"Nothing. See? Nothing out of the ordinary. Just a stabbing." He ran his hand through his hair, "I don't get it. If it's so ordinary, then why isn't it solved yet? It's gotta be harder."

...

"Dad? Dad!" Alexis' voice sounded worried and urgent on the phone.

"Alexis, what's going on?"

"It's......it's Beckett. She's here. She needs to talk. Dad?"

"Yeah, I'm here, what's going on?"

"Meet us at Central Park."

"Alexis, what's happening?"

"Just do it!"

...

Alexis ran through the streets. So this was what it was like to be a detective, she thought. She was close on the heals of Beckett, dashing through to the apartment of their target. They had had an epiphany sort of moment together, realizing that her theory about the killer was right after all. All the clues were so simple, and her dad had looked for a psychopath who was experienced and who had planned it all out. But really, it was an animal lover, an amateur who had luck on his side. Neighbors had started to get suspicious of him, and had reported it to the police. It was Beckett's job to run down to see whether or not it was a burglary case, and saw the man with the dogs, one of which looked quite out of control. She had smashed on their door until a Castle answered, but she would have had to stick with the one who was available. Together, they came back to the area, and was now chasing the man with the dogs up to his apartment.

She must have kept her gun, cause Alexis advanced behind Beckett, feeling safe with the gun in front, resting in Beckett's experienced hands. "NYPD, open up!"

...

"Alexis!!! Alexis!" Castle ran towards his daughter, his heart pounding. Then he saw Beckett, restraining a man with handcuffs, and the rest of the NYPD department there. "What happened?"

"It's okay, dad. Beckett and I caught your killer."

"What??"

"You thought it was some one like the Triple Killer, but in the end it was just an amateur, like I had originally thought."

"What? That's not possible."

"Yes it it," it was Beckett, now approaching them, "There was nothing to find that was mysterious, that's why it wasn't mysterious. Franning had been his neighbor, someone who borrowed our killer a knife the night before. It was his dog in the Vetenarian's office, and he knew he was going to terminate him. So, slashing at any one who came in his way, he got his dog out. He hated that Vet so much that he pursued when she went to hide in the closet, result in our vic's body being found there."

"Wow."

"I would have to say I did a good job." she looked at him, proud, "It's not going to bring me back my old job, but it'll help." She smiled, her eyes sad.

"You'll get there."

"I know. I'll see you around," and she walked away, as she always did, Beckett, back to her old self.