A Growing Family

Chapter 10

Today was the day. The day that started her last week at the precinct before maternity leave. She was 14 weeks along, and at 15 weeks would be on maternity leave for a year.

The shrill sound of a cell phone jarred the detective from her sleep. "Beckett," she greeted, not pleased to have been woken from her pregnancy induced slumber at 4:30 in the morning. When she was given the address of the homicide by dispatch, all that changed.

"Castle! Castle get up!" Castle moaned and sat up. "What? What is it? Do you need Taco Bell again?" He asked, still half asleep. "We've got a body. At Alexis' school," She said between breaths as she rushed to get ready. At this, Castle was up. Rushing to get ready while frantically calling his daughter.

"Damn it, Alexis! Pick up your phone!" He screamed at no one as he got voicemail. He did that seven more times, until his wife finally dragged him to the door. "We have to get there. It might not be her," Kate said calmly. The couple ran to the elevator.

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After using the gum ball to get to Columbia faster than anyone would have thought. The couple ran to meet Ryan and Esposito at the crime scene tape.

"What do we got?" Kate asked, having to hold Castle's arm to keep him from running ahead. "I honestly don't know. But it doesn't look good," Esposito answered, looking at his shoes. "What? What is it?" Castle asked frantically. "You've got to see this," Ryan replied. Everyone quickened their pace, and walked to a dorm room, which thankfully was not Alexis'. However, that didn't necessarily make it any better.

They walked into a dorm room in the building across the way from Alexis' to find a man on the floor with a bullet to the chest. Kate absent-mindedly placed a hand over her heart, remembering. "Who's this?" Beckett asked as Castle sighed of relief.

"His name is Kyle Richards. He's 21 years old and is a forensic science major here at Columbia," Lanie informed, cautiously. "What? Why is everyone acting so weird? Everything is fine. It's not Alexis. Her phone must just be dead. Why is everyone looking at me like I'm a kid who's dog just died?" Castle asked, suddenly getting worried. "Beckett, will you come here for a second?" Esposito asked walking into another room. Beckett followed, not knowing how to feel. When she entered, she was not only frightened, but furious.

"What the hell is this, Espo?" Kate whispered loudly, not wanting her husband to hear. In front of the two of them appeared to be a shrine to the one and only Alexis Castle. It had pictures taken from the angle that most stalkers use, her class schedule, a map of her usual walking paths to class, and anything else someone would need to abduct her. There was also a calendar, with a time and a place on that day's date, with the date circled. "I have no idea, but trust me we will find her. We already have half the precinct on this," Esposito answered calmly, trying to get the detective to do the same. Beckett stomped out, only to find her husband about to walk into the room with the shrine.

"No! Castle don't go in there!" Beckett shouted, trying to keep her husband at bay. However, despite her best efforts, because of her pregnancy, she was no match for her husband. When he saw the shrine, he broke down on his knees, crying into his wife's waist as she had tried to block his view.

"Call her. Call her again," Beckett said, handing him his phone. He hit speed dial, and listened to the rings. "Daddy?" Alexis answered, fear in her voice. "Baby? Where are you?" Castle yelled into the phone. He put it on speaker and yelled for the boys. They came running just as Alexis answered.

"Daddy! You have to help me someone's followi--" With that, the phone call was cut off.

A/N: Aaaannnndddd cliffhanger. Hope you enjoyed that chapter! I already know mostly what I want to write in the beginning of the next chapter to get it going, so hopefully that will be out soon. I've never written angsty/case fics, so I have no idea if this is good. Anyway, see y'all next chapter!