Île-de-France, Atlantic and New York, December 2009
Starfox5
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Île-de-France, December 2009
Kate Beckett didn't look back when the SUV in which she was sitting left the grounds of Volkov's manor. She didn't need to see how the first flames were flickering inside, rapidly devouring the wooden furniture and paneling, growing until they would ignite the gas streaming out of the open lines. She didn't want to see it either.
The gun in her hand was enough of a reminder of what she had done. Killed humans in cold blood. Of course, they had been criminals - murderous kidnappers - and Alexis's life had been at stake, but cops didn't act like she had acted. Good cops didn't. Bad cops, vigilantes, government killers and criminals acted like that. Kate wondered in which of those categories she fit.
Sighing, she looked up. She was in the third row of the SUV. Vi was driving, with Hunt in the passenger seat. The middle row was taken up by Alexis and Castle, though the way Rick was hugging his daughter, another passenger would have been easily able to fit in there as well. Like Mary, who was sitting next to Kate and looking at Castle and his daughter, their daughter, with what Kate thought was both jealousy and relief. Father and daughter were talking, but Kate couldn't make out what they were saying - a few bullet holes had managed to ruin the insulation, and the noise of the air flow made normal conversation rather difficult.
They drove into a warehouse near Paris, where they changed cars. Mary must have noticed her glances during the drive since walked over to Kate while the Slayers - with much grumbling and pouting - unloaded the weapons and other gear from the cars. Castle was sitting on an improvised bench and wasn't showing any sign of letting Alexis out of arm's reach anytime soon.
"You've grown since I last saw you."
Kate's first impulse was to snap at the other woman. She had heard quite enough remarks about the age difference between her and Castle - especially after someone had spilled that she had met him as a fan when she was twelve - and she wasn't in the mood for more. But Castle's ex-wife wasn't wearing the nasty smile of the typical socialite bimbo Kate had met since she started going to parties with Castle. Instead, she looked simply tired. So Kate forced herself to smile as well. "It's been a while, yes." Which might have been a slight dig at the other woman's age, just in case Kate was wrong.
"You look rather down considering that we saved Alexis."
Kate narrowed her eyes slightly. What was Mary implying? "I'm happy, very happy, that she's safe. But I'm not that happy with what I did to save her."
Mary looked puzzled. "You are a police officer. You have killed before."
"Not like this. We attacked them like…" She didn't want to say criminals. "... like soldiers in a war. We killed them all, without giving them a chance to surrender." Not that she would have had any jurisdiction in France anyway.
"We are in a war. A war against demons who see humanity as prey, who would slaughter humans like cattle, to feed or simply out of pleasure." Mary's tone reminded Kate of a preacher.
"Volkov and his men were humans, though, not demons," she countered.
"They attacked one of our own, which meant they fought for the enemy - knowingly or not. We cannot afford to treat them differently. We're soldiers, not police officers."
"I am a police officer," Kate answered. "A detective."
"You were one," Mary stated, "until you found out the truth and decided to fight. Now you're a soldier as well."
Kate wanted to deny it, wanted to tell the woman that she wasn't a watcher, wasn't a demon hunter, but a cop first and foremost. But that would have been a lie, she realised. Compared to the dangers Castle and Vi fought, fighting crime was… it wasn't unimportant, but Castle needed her help far more than the precinct.
"Richard took a while to recognise that himself," Mary said with a faint smile, nodding towards Rick. "He deluded himself for years, tried to claim that he had retired from the war. But all he was doing was taking a break to raise Alexis. Once he was needed, he stepped up without hesitation and did what he had to, to save the world. As we all did, and will keep doing. You, me, Rick and soon Alexis as well."
Kate didn't want to dwell on that. Not so soon after killing… she didn't exactly know how many she had killed. Others had shot at the same people. So she snorted. "That's the weirdest talk I ever had with the ex of a boyfriend."
"You haven't talked to Gina then, I take it," Mary said, with another faint smile. "I still don't know why Rick decided to marry that woman. Alexis ruled out demonic possession - eventually."
Kate laughed - she had met Gina, after all. "I wouldn't rule it out myself - Gina's, that is."
Mary laughed as well. "We checked for that, too. Thoroughly."
Kate saw that Rick was glancing back at them now, and had a slightly worried look on his face. Giving in to a mischievous impulse, she turned to Mary. "So is it true that it was love at first sight when you met Castle, just delayed, as he put it?"
Mary's laugh was even louder this time. "If he hadn't been hurt I would have been tempted to stake him a little, actually."
Kate nodded, understanding that feeling all too well. "He grows on you, though."
"Eventually. He's a good man, a good father, but a terrible child."
Kate could only agree with that description. Emphatically.
Castle was looking very worried.
Over the Atlantic Ocean, December 2009
"What did you talk about with Mary?"
Kate Beckett clenched her teeth and pressed her eyes shut. "Castle! I told you - we just talked about our first impressions of you. Nothing more. Now go away! I need to sleep or I'll be dead on arrival."
What good was a luxurious private jet with big seats that changed into beds if your fellow travelers didn't let you sleep? Especially if your fellow travelers only consisted of Vi, Castle and Alexis, the Scoobies having disembarked at the layover in London.
"That talk was far too long for 'It was love at first sight'!" Castle whispered.
"Shouldn't you be with Alexis?" The girl would have nightmares about her ordeal, Kate was certain.
"She sent me away."
Probably because Castle had managed to annoy even her, Kate thought snidely. "She didn't mean it."
"I know."
"So, go back to her. And let me sleep. If I have to face Will without a wink of sleep, I'm likely to shoot him." Kate opened her eyes and glared at him.
"You know, that isn't exactly an argument for letting you sleep…"
"I will shoot you right afterwards!" she hissed.
"Vi will protect me!"
"No, I won't. I want to sleep as well, and you're too loud!" came the yell from further down the cabin.
Castle glanced at the curtain behind which his Slayer was apparently also trying to sleep and sighed. "Whatever Mary told you about me, don't believe her! Unless it's flattering. In that case, believe her." With a curt nod, he took a step back and closed the curtain around her seat.
Kate grinned - Castle had reacted exactly like Mary had predicted. She did know him very well. Better than Kate, even. Probably. She frowned at that thought.
But then, Kate hadn't been with Rick that long. Yet.
With that thought, she fell asleep.
New York, December 2009
"I don't believe for a moment that Castle paid any ransom. We didn't hear about any ransom demand!"
Even though she had slept for most of the flight, Kate Beckett was sorely tempted to shoot Will. In the foot, maybe. Or the butt. "It was relayed to Alexis's mother. Probably because they knew Castle's lines would be monitored by you."
"And why didn't he contact us at once?"
"Because it was out of your jurisdiction. The proper authorities in the United Kingdom were informed and handled the affair." Kate wasn't even lying - technically, handling the kidnapping was covered by the Council's charter. Whether or not the British police would share that view was another question. But they didn't know about it - all they would have been told was that it was a matter of national security. Which, incidentally, was correct as well.
And because she hadn't slept that long, and couldn't shoot Will, she added: "So, both girls were released unharmed after the ransom was paid. That's not going to look good in your report."
Will worked his jaw without saying a word, then turned around and headed to the break room. Whether he was going to take a break, or to break something, Kate couldn't tell. But if it was the latter, then she hoped that he'd pick the coffee maker. Castle had really rubbed off on her, she realised. Or it was just the lack of sleep, and the stress. And the nightmares related to the battle.
"Detective Beckett."
"Agent Walker." She nodded to the older woman.
"What happened in France?"
Walker wasn't even commenting on the scene with Will, Kate thought. She was either very focused, or knew that Will was 'too close to this case' as well, to borrow Walker's own words. Kate didn't really care either way. She simply repeated what she had told Will. "The ransom demand was delivered to Castle's first wife, Mary Wilkinson. Friends of hers arranged the exchange."
"In France."
"I can't tell you anything else, Agent Walker."
"You're still a detective of the New York Police Department. I expect your cooperation with a federal investigation."
"I'm sorry, Agent Walker, but you will have to pass such questions through the proper channels. I was not involved in any official capacity - which you were already aware of before I left the country - and therefore I am not under any obligation to answer your questions. That was explained quite clearly to me."
Walker knew as well as Kate that that wasn't true, but there was nothing the woman could do, other than pass the request up the chain of command until it reached an official in the know, who would bury it. And she knew that as well, if not the reasons for the burial.
"If that is all, I'll return home. Alexis was not physically hurt, but it was a traumatising experience."
"Aren't you going to ask what happened to the other victim?"
"I was informed that she was released after ransom was paid." Kate hoped that Esposito and Ryan were not listening in and giving themselves away.
"That was true. Though this happened in upstate New York." And if they hadn't caught the kidnappers, then the El-Haddads probably hadn't cooperated with the FBI either. Walker frowned. "One victim, flown to Europe. Another driven a few dozen miles north. That doesn't add up."
Kate agreed. "No, it doesn't."
When Kate didn't say anything else, Walker's frow turned into a scowl, and she walked away without a further word.
Kate had to hide a grin - then sighed. Castle was a really bad influence on her.
To Kate's surprise, Castle's father was still in Castle's apartment when she arrived after her trip to the precinct. She had expected him to be gone - to finish what dirty work he had interrupted to deal with the kidnapping, or to report to his superiors. Hunt looked… not quite furious, but certainly not happy. Castle on the other looked like he was having trouble not laughing out loud each time he glanced at his father. Which was every few seconds, or so it seemed. Martha was presumably with Alexis in her room, since Kate didn't see either of the two. And she caught a glimpse of Vi in the kitchen.
No choice. Kate sighed and went straight to Rick. "What's going on now?" she demanded.
"Ah, well, there have been complications…" Rick began.
"The short version, Rick. I've had a long day."
"My father has been reassigned by his superiors." Rick grinned widely.
"To 'paranormal liaisons'," Hunt cut in.
"That's their code for us," Castle added.
"It's a desk job." Hunt was glaring at his son.
"Bah!" Rick waved his hand. "When an apocalypse is looming, it's all hands on deck, everyone fights, no one quits." His impression of a drill sergeant was still awful, Kate thought.
His father raised his eyebrows at him. "And how often are you facing an apocalypse?"
"Roughly once a year, I think," Castle said, frowning and rubbing his chin. "I'd have to check with London for more precise data."
Hunt looked shocked.
"Why do you think the Scoobies were all acting like they did? Compared to fighting a Hellgod, or the First Evil, kidnappers are nothing to get really excited about," Castle laughed. "Don't worry, you'll fit in soon enough. Next mission, you'll be cracking inappropriate jokes with the rest of us."
That was what Kate was afraid of. And Hunt looked like he shared her fear.
Kate Beckett didn't look back when the SUV in which she was sitting left the grounds of Volkov's manor. She didn't need to see how the first flames were flickering inside, rapidly devouring the wooden furniture and paneling, growing until they would ignite the gas streaming out of the open lines. She didn't want to see it either.
The gun in her hand was enough of a reminder of what she had done. Killed humans in cold blood. Of course, they had been criminals - murderous kidnappers - and Alexis's life had been at stake, but cops didn't act like she had acted. Good cops didn't. Bad cops, vigilantes, government killers and criminals acted like that. Kate wondered in which of those categories she fit.
Sighing, she looked up. She was in the third row of the SUV. Vi was driving, with Hunt in the passenger seat. The middle row was taken up by Alexis and Castle, though the way Rick was hugging his daughter, another passenger would have been easily able to fit in there as well. Like Mary, who was sitting next to Kate and looking at Castle and his daughter, their daughter, with what Kate thought was both jealousy and relief. Father and daughter were talking, but Kate couldn't make out what they were saying - a few bullet holes had managed to ruin the insulation, and the noise of the air flow made normal conversation rather difficult.
They drove into a warehouse near Paris, where they changed cars. Mary must have noticed her glances during the drive since walked over to Kate while the Slayers - with much grumbling and pouting - unloaded the weapons and other gear from the cars. Castle was sitting on an improvised bench and wasn't showing any sign of letting Alexis out of arm's reach anytime soon.
"You've grown since I last saw you."
Kate's first impulse was to snap at the other woman. She had heard quite enough remarks about the age difference between her and Castle - especially after someone had spilled that she had met him as a fan when she was twelve - and she wasn't in the mood for more. But Castle's ex-wife wasn't wearing the nasty smile of the typical socialite bimbo Kate had met since she started going to parties with Castle. Instead, she looked simply tired. So Kate forced herself to smile as well. "It's been a while, yes." Which might have been a slight dig at the other woman's age, just in case Kate was wrong.
"You look rather down considering that we saved Alexis."
Kate narrowed her eyes slightly. What was Mary implying? "I'm happy, very happy, that she's safe. But I'm not that happy with what I did to save her."
Mary looked puzzled. "You are a police officer. You have killed before."
"Not like this. We attacked them like…" She didn't want to say criminals. "... like soldiers in a war. We killed them all, without giving them a chance to surrender." Not that she would have had any jurisdiction in France anyway.
"We are in a war. A war against demons who see humanity as prey, who would slaughter humans like cattle, to feed or simply out of pleasure." Mary's tone reminded Kate of a preacher.
"Volkov and his men were humans, though, not demons," she countered.
"They attacked one of our own, which meant they fought for the enemy - knowingly or not. We cannot afford to treat them differently. We're soldiers, not police officers."
"I am a police officer," Kate answered. "A detective."
"You were one," Mary stated, "until you found out the truth and decided to fight. Now you're a soldier as well."
Kate wanted to deny it, wanted to tell the woman that she wasn't a watcher, wasn't a demon hunter, but a cop first and foremost. But that would have been a lie, she realised. Compared to the dangers Castle and Vi fought, fighting crime was… it wasn't unimportant, but Castle needed her help far more than the precinct.
"Richard took a while to recognise that himself," Mary said with a faint smile, nodding towards Rick. "He deluded himself for years, tried to claim that he had retired from the war. But all he was doing was taking a break to raise Alexis. Once he was needed, he stepped up without hesitation and did what he had to, to save the world. As we all did, and will keep doing. You, me, Rick and soon Alexis as well."
Kate didn't want to dwell on that. Not so soon after killing… she didn't exactly know how many she had killed. Others had shot at the same people. So she snorted. "That's the weirdest talk I ever had with the ex of a boyfriend."
"You haven't talked to Gina then, I take it," Mary said, with another faint smile. "I still don't know why Rick decided to marry that woman. Alexis ruled out demonic possession - eventually."
Kate laughed - she had met Gina, after all. "I wouldn't rule it out myself - Gina's, that is."
Mary laughed as well. "We checked for that, too. Thoroughly."
Kate saw that Rick was glancing back at them now, and had a slightly worried look on his face. Giving in to a mischievous impulse, she turned to Mary. "So is it true that it was love at first sight when you met Castle, just delayed, as he put it?"
Mary's laugh was even louder this time. "If he hadn't been hurt I would have been tempted to stake him a little, actually."
Kate nodded, understanding that feeling all too well. "He grows on you, though."
"Eventually. He's a good man, a good father, but a terrible child."
Kate could only agree with that description. Emphatically.
Castle was looking very worried.
*****
Over the Atlantic Ocean, December 2009
"What did you talk about with Mary?"
Kate Beckett clenched her teeth and pressed her eyes shut. "Castle! I told you - we just talked about our first impressions of you. Nothing more. Now go away! I need to sleep or I'll be dead on arrival."
What good was a luxurious private jet with big seats that changed into beds if your fellow travelers didn't let you sleep? Especially if your fellow travelers only consisted of Vi, Castle and Alexis, the Scoobies having disembarked at the layover in London.
"That talk was far too long for 'It was love at first sight'!" Castle whispered.
"Shouldn't you be with Alexis?" The girl would have nightmares about her ordeal, Kate was certain.
"She sent me away."
Probably because Castle had managed to annoy even her, Kate thought snidely. "She didn't mean it."
"I know."
"So, go back to her. And let me sleep. If I have to face Will without a wink of sleep, I'm likely to shoot him." Kate opened her eyes and glared at him.
"You know, that isn't exactly an argument for letting you sleep…"
"I will shoot you right afterwards!" she hissed.
"Vi will protect me!"
"No, I won't. I want to sleep as well, and you're too loud!" came the yell from further down the cabin.
Castle glanced at the curtain behind which his Slayer was apparently also trying to sleep and sighed. "Whatever Mary told you about me, don't believe her! Unless it's flattering. In that case, believe her." With a curt nod, he took a step back and closed the curtain around her seat.
Kate grinned - Castle had reacted exactly like Mary had predicted. She did know him very well. Better than Kate, even. Probably. She frowned at that thought.
But then, Kate hadn't been with Rick that long. Yet.
With that thought, she fell asleep.
*****
New York, December 2009
"I don't believe for a moment that Castle paid any ransom. We didn't hear about any ransom demand!"
Even though she had slept for most of the flight, Kate Beckett was sorely tempted to shoot Will. In the foot, maybe. Or the butt. "It was relayed to Alexis's mother. Probably because they knew Castle's lines would be monitored by you."
"And why didn't he contact us at once?"
"Because it was out of your jurisdiction. The proper authorities in the United Kingdom were informed and handled the affair." Kate wasn't even lying - technically, handling the kidnapping was covered by the Council's charter. Whether or not the British police would share that view was another question. But they didn't know about it - all they would have been told was that it was a matter of national security. Which, incidentally, was correct as well.
And because she hadn't slept that long, and couldn't shoot Will, she added: "So, both girls were released unharmed after the ransom was paid. That's not going to look good in your report."
Will worked his jaw without saying a word, then turned around and headed to the break room. Whether he was going to take a break, or to break something, Kate couldn't tell. But if it was the latter, then she hoped that he'd pick the coffee maker. Castle had really rubbed off on her, she realised. Or it was just the lack of sleep, and the stress. And the nightmares related to the battle.
"Detective Beckett."
"Agent Walker." She nodded to the older woman.
"What happened in France?"
Walker wasn't even commenting on the scene with Will, Kate thought. She was either very focused, or knew that Will was 'too close to this case' as well, to borrow Walker's own words. Kate didn't really care either way. She simply repeated what she had told Will. "The ransom demand was delivered to Castle's first wife, Mary Wilkinson. Friends of hers arranged the exchange."
"In France."
"I can't tell you anything else, Agent Walker."
"You're still a detective of the New York Police Department. I expect your cooperation with a federal investigation."
"I'm sorry, Agent Walker, but you will have to pass such questions through the proper channels. I was not involved in any official capacity - which you were already aware of before I left the country - and therefore I am not under any obligation to answer your questions. That was explained quite clearly to me."
Walker knew as well as Kate that that wasn't true, but there was nothing the woman could do, other than pass the request up the chain of command until it reached an official in the know, who would bury it. And she knew that as well, if not the reasons for the burial.
"If that is all, I'll return home. Alexis was not physically hurt, but it was a traumatising experience."
"Aren't you going to ask what happened to the other victim?"
"I was informed that she was released after ransom was paid." Kate hoped that Esposito and Ryan were not listening in and giving themselves away.
"That was true. Though this happened in upstate New York." And if they hadn't caught the kidnappers, then the El-Haddads probably hadn't cooperated with the FBI either. Walker frowned. "One victim, flown to Europe. Another driven a few dozen miles north. That doesn't add up."
Kate agreed. "No, it doesn't."
When Kate didn't say anything else, Walker's frow turned into a scowl, and she walked away without a further word.
Kate had to hide a grin - then sighed. Castle was a really bad influence on her.
*****
To Kate's surprise, Castle's father was still in Castle's apartment when she arrived after her trip to the precinct. She had expected him to be gone - to finish what dirty work he had interrupted to deal with the kidnapping, or to report to his superiors. Hunt looked… not quite furious, but certainly not happy. Castle on the other looked like he was having trouble not laughing out loud each time he glanced at his father. Which was every few seconds, or so it seemed. Martha was presumably with Alexis in her room, since Kate didn't see either of the two. And she caught a glimpse of Vi in the kitchen.
No choice. Kate sighed and went straight to Rick. "What's going on now?" she demanded.
"Ah, well, there have been complications…" Rick began.
"The short version, Rick. I've had a long day."
"My father has been reassigned by his superiors." Rick grinned widely.
"To 'paranormal liaisons'," Hunt cut in.
"That's their code for us," Castle added.
"It's a desk job." Hunt was glaring at his son.
"Bah!" Rick waved his hand. "When an apocalypse is looming, it's all hands on deck, everyone fights, no one quits." His impression of a drill sergeant was still awful, Kate thought.
His father raised his eyebrows at him. "And how often are you facing an apocalypse?"
"Roughly once a year, I think," Castle said, frowning and rubbing his chin. "I'd have to check with London for more precise data."
Hunt looked shocked.
"Why do you think the Scoobies were all acting like they did? Compared to fighting a Hellgod, or the First Evil, kidnappers are nothing to get really excited about," Castle laughed. "Don't worry, you'll fit in soon enough. Next mission, you'll be cracking inappropriate jokes with the rest of us."
That was what Kate was afraid of. And Hunt looked like he shared her fear.
*****
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