Checkmate by elizagoth7, PG
“Hey, you wanna know who ordered the hit on your mommy, you better make sure I make it out of here,” Coonan growled.
Beckett watched Castle flinch as Coonan cocked the gun, then shake his head.
“Do it Montgomery,” Castle said, looking right at the captain.
“No!” Beckett yelled.
“Beckett, it’s okay. You don’t need him, you’ll figure it out.”
“He’s lying! You won’t find anything without me! Get me out of here Detective or I’ll paint the walls with Castle’s blood,” Coonan panicked, pulling Castle a few steps back down the hall and jamming the gun into the back of his head.
The movement triggered Beckett’s trained reflexes and she pulled her gun, training it on Coonan.
“Shoot him Beckett!” demanded Castle.
He knew if anyone could make the shot, it would be her. Being taller, Castle made the perfect human shield with only a small portion of Coonan’s head showing over Castle’s shoulder.
“Now, now Detective Beckett. Anyone shoots and writer boy here will be dead before the bullet leaves the chamber.”
“Don’t listen to him. Kate, look at me!”
Beckett’s focus shifted slightly, meeting Castle’s blue eyes.
“You don’t need him, Kate. You’re smart, so smart and you’ll find them all on your own.”
Castles voice had taken on a strangely calm quality, as Beckett’s eyes filled with tears. She mouthed the word ‘No’ as her jaw trembled.
“Shut up!” Coonan screamed, twisting Castle’s arm hard behind his back.
The writer winced as he felt something tear, but forced his gazed to remain steady.
“Kate. Kate, look at me,” Castle said firmly, giving her his trademark cocky half smirk.
“I’ll bet she’s watching right now, so proud of the amazing, extraordinary woman her little girl turned out to be. And hey, when you tell this to Alexis, make her old man out to be a hero, yeah?”
“Castle,” Beckett whispered, unable to find her voice.
Castle just nodded as best he could with the gun pointing at his head. ‘I’m sorry’ she mouthed, as her finger tightened on the trigger.
It happened so quickly, that Montgomery blinked as Beckett’s shot went off and missed Castle elbow Coonan in the ribs. The strike put the man out of Beckett’s shot line, but left him open for Montgomery’s answering round. As soon as Coonan’s body hit the ground, Beckett ran forward, throwing her weight into a fierce hug that Castle returned as best he could with one arm.
“Ow, ow, take it easy there,” Castle winced, feeling the muscles in his shoulder pull.
“Don’t ever do that again!” Beckett said, hitting his chest lightly, before pulling him back to her.
She was afraid to let him go.
“Hey now,” he said, putting a hand under Beckett’s chin and tilting her gaze to meet his.
“You didn’t think you were going to get rid of me that easily did you?”
Beckett watched Castle flinch as Coonan cocked the gun, then shake his head.
“Do it Montgomery,” Castle said, looking right at the captain.
“No!” Beckett yelled.
“Beckett, it’s okay. You don’t need him, you’ll figure it out.”
“He’s lying! You won’t find anything without me! Get me out of here Detective or I’ll paint the walls with Castle’s blood,” Coonan panicked, pulling Castle a few steps back down the hall and jamming the gun into the back of his head.
The movement triggered Beckett’s trained reflexes and she pulled her gun, training it on Coonan.
“Shoot him Beckett!” demanded Castle.
He knew if anyone could make the shot, it would be her. Being taller, Castle made the perfect human shield with only a small portion of Coonan’s head showing over Castle’s shoulder.
“Now, now Detective Beckett. Anyone shoots and writer boy here will be dead before the bullet leaves the chamber.”
“Don’t listen to him. Kate, look at me!”
Beckett’s focus shifted slightly, meeting Castle’s blue eyes.
“You don’t need him, Kate. You’re smart, so smart and you’ll find them all on your own.”
Castles voice had taken on a strangely calm quality, as Beckett’s eyes filled with tears. She mouthed the word ‘No’ as her jaw trembled.
“Shut up!” Coonan screamed, twisting Castle’s arm hard behind his back.
The writer winced as he felt something tear, but forced his gazed to remain steady.
“Kate. Kate, look at me,” Castle said firmly, giving her his trademark cocky half smirk.
“I’ll bet she’s watching right now, so proud of the amazing, extraordinary woman her little girl turned out to be. And hey, when you tell this to Alexis, make her old man out to be a hero, yeah?”
“Castle,” Beckett whispered, unable to find her voice.
Castle just nodded as best he could with the gun pointing at his head. ‘I’m sorry’ she mouthed, as her finger tightened on the trigger.
It happened so quickly, that Montgomery blinked as Beckett’s shot went off and missed Castle elbow Coonan in the ribs. The strike put the man out of Beckett’s shot line, but left him open for Montgomery’s answering round. As soon as Coonan’s body hit the ground, Beckett ran forward, throwing her weight into a fierce hug that Castle returned as best he could with one arm.
“Ow, ow, take it easy there,” Castle winced, feeling the muscles in his shoulder pull.
“Don’t ever do that again!” Beckett said, hitting his chest lightly, before pulling him back to her.
She was afraid to let him go.
“Hey now,” he said, putting a hand under Beckett’s chin and tilting her gaze to meet his.
“You didn’t think you were going to get rid of me that easily did you?”