Castle's partner

47 Seconds

This time when I open my eyes, there is even more stuff piled into my room. Espo is sitting in the chair next to me.
"Hey." He says.
And I can hear him.
My face breaks out in a wide smile.
"What?" He asks.
"I can hear you! Espo your voice is beautiful." He laughs.
"Well I'm glad someone thinks so."
He hugs me.
"Ok so can I leave now?"
"Yeah I signed you out before you woke up. I'll take you to the precinct in my car. You change, and I'll take all of this stuff down ok?"
"Ok sounds good."

We arrive at the precinct and I know I look terrible. There is still a bandage wrapped around my head and smaller ones on my arm. Everyone is looking at Beckett's murder board.
"So who's this mad bomber? Do you know yet?"
They turn to look at me, and within seconds, six hands envelope me in a hug. They let go and I sit at Beckett's desk.
"Ok so what happened? You are the only survivor that might be able to tell us what happened." Explains Ryan.
"Only survivor? I only counted five bodies." The realization hits me of what I just went through. How I could have just died. How innocent people were just killed, going about their business. I am lost in thought.
"Ross?" I snap out of it, but I know my eyes have changed.
"Yeah ok. Um what happened. I don't know I was walking to the park and I accidentally went through the protest and I saw someone set down a backpack and walk away and then I passed out."
I risk a glance at the murder board.
I see five victims, with a few suspects. I feel my face go blank, but I try to force eyes to look not depressed.
I keep repeating those few moments in my head, and I keep gazing at the bodies lying in the street like rag dolls.
"Ross?" I jump in my seat, opening my eyes I didn't know were closed.
They all look at each other, knowing I'm struggling with reality.
"Sorry. Sorry. Um so what do you know so far?"
"Ross I know this must be hard. You shouldn't be working this case with us." Says Beckett.
"I'm fine. Tell me what you know."
"You aren't going to stop are you?"
"No."
"Ok. I guess this is the safer way for you to find out. The bomb went off at the street lamppost, but we found a picture of the same lamppost on someone's phone 47 seconds before the bomb went off, and the backpack wasn't there."
"So you are trying to find witnesses that saw what happened in that 47 seconds?"
"Basically. We have found a few, but none of them have been very helpful."
"Can we go see Lanie at the morgue?"
"Um sure. Castle you come with us. Espo and Ryan stay here but try to figure out anything you can."
They nod at Beckett, and when she turns around they both hug me.
"Go catch a dirtbag." Says Ryan, using Montgomery's favorite word.
I give them a sad smile before following Beckett.