Castle's partner

Sniper Stalker

"Tomorrow we will start looking for this guy ok?"

"Do we have to?"

"I'm not answering that." He gives me an accusing look.

"Fine. I'm going to bed."

I change and walk back out to the living room to say goodnight.

Espo sits sadly on the couch holding my phone. I know he is reading the threats.

I come up from behind him and take it out of his hands.

He doesn't look at me, just stares ahead like he didn't notice me.

"Doesn't that scare you?"

"Not really. Well, a little I guess. I'm scared he's going to hurt one of you. The only reason he would kill me is so he could hurt you. I don't want that to happen."

I sigh.

"I've realized in the past couple weeks that if I died it would be like me losing my family to you. I don't want you to deal with that."

"Well I'm glad you figured that out. Let's get you in bed."

I get under the covers and pull them up to my chin.

"You ok?"

"Yeah I'm good."

"Ok. Goodnight. I love you."

"I love you too."

He flicks off the light and walks out.

I'm tied to the chair. I struggle to stand up but I'm too tightly bound.

A gunshot rings out, and I hear a body fall on the floor. I'm afraid to look.

When I finally gain the courage I scream.

Espo lays on the ground, a bullet in his chest and a single stream of blood coming from his mouth.
Again the gun goes off and Ryan falls to the ground, then Castle, Beckett, Lanie, Alexis, Martha and Oliver.

I scream and feel the effects of the loss driving me insane.

"Why? Please no!"

"Hey Sobrinita it's ok!"

Espo's words pull me back to reality as my eyes flutter open.

He holds me and I can't breathe.

I am so used to having these by now my cries are silent.

My face is buried in his chest, and his arms support my back.

"Chica it was just a dream ok?"

"But it wasn't. It was so real and how do you know it won't happen? I felt everything. I don't want to feel that pain again."

"What happened?"

"I had to watch you all die. All of you and there was nothing I could do to stop it."

"We aren't going to die any time soon. I'm here aren't I? I'm not leaving remember? I'll protect you."

"That's what Brandon told me."

"Look at me Samantha. I'm not him am I? I love you. I will never hurt you."

I bite the inside of my cheek and nod.

"Alright? You want me to stay with you?"

"Yes."

He lays next to me with a grunt, and I let loose a smile.

"Switch with me."

He states, doesn't ask.

"Why?"

"I want to be closer to the door. Just in case."

"Espo-"

"Don't argue."

"Fine."

I stand up and walk to the other side of the bed, against the wall and Espo takes the side of the bed closer to the door.

We settle down, and I hear a noise in the distance.

"Espo did you hear that?"

"Yeah it sounded like a gun."

Glass shatters. Another shot rings out, but this time it's a lot closer.

Close enough to put a hole in the wall above my head.

"Get down!"

Espo thows himself on top of me, tackling me to the floor.

A rapid fire of bullets rains their holy hell on the wall, the noise deafening.

Espo holds me down, making sure to cover my body with his own.

After what seems like forever, the storm stops.

Espo stands up and pulls out his phone.

"Beckett I need a team down here ASAP. Someone just attacked my apartment with more bullets than the Civil War."

He hangs up and looks at me.

"Are you ok?"

He holds out his hand to help me up.

As I stand up a sharp pain goes through my body.

"Ah," I inhale sharply and double over.

"Are you hit?"

"No. Surgery." I let out a groan.

"Ok just don't move. They should be here soon."

I sink back to the floor, the pain in my chest is not going away.

I'm here for a few minutes before I hear sirens getting closer.

Soon the door opens and Beckett, Castle and Ryan come sprinting into the room wearing their vests.

Beckett kneels next to me.

"Are you hit? What's wrong?"

"Surgery." I grimace, pointing to the scar.

"Ok try not to take deep breaths. It should go away in a minute."

She stays with me until it passes, and then helps me off the floor.

We all meet up in the same spot.

"Ok explain." Beckett has her hands on her hips.

"Samantha's-"

"No." He just keeps talking.

"She has a stalker and keeps getting death threats. I found out about two hours ago. She went to bed and had a nightmare so I was in there and we heard a shot in the distance and then that happened." He gestures to the wall in the bedroom.

"You have a stalker and you didn't tell us? What the hell is wrong with you? You could have died! He almost killed you!" Beckett yells.

"He's a sniper. That first shot would have hit me if he meant to kill me. He's with playing with me for now."

"So you have a sniper stalker? Cuz that's SO much better!"

"When did you find out?" Ryan looks mad.

"I don't-"

"When did you find out?"

I see the rage.

I stumble over my words.

"The-the day you told me about the trial. That text?"

"That's why you were so freaked out?"

"Wait you knew?" Castle interjects.

"Well I figured something was wrong. You became so distant, why didn't you tell us? I asked you what was going on."

Their voices start overlapping, all telling me I should have said something or saying they knew something was off. It's overwhelming.

"GUYS!"

They go silent.

"I'm sorry."