Aug. 4th, '15: Neigborhood Watch - Part IV
Title: Neighborhood Watch - Part IV
Author: SweetChi
Rating: PG-13
Crossover: Castle
Word Count: 1,030
Disclaimer: I do not own Buffy the Vampire Slayer or Castle, I am making no money from this and am doing it purely for enjoyment.
Summary: Kevin finds an unwelcome surprise upstairs.
IV
Kevin Ryan trudged through his door, dragging his coat along the floor that had gathered a little dust since he’d been home so little lately. He’d only been home periodically through the week and just for a few hours here and there. This time would be no different - pass out for a while and then drag his ass back in until he was ready to collapse again.
Three more bodies. Three more girls dead. And the NYPD, their precinct in particular, with egg on their face because they’d “caught the killer” weeks ago.
Apparently not.
He climbed wearily onto his bed, rolling onto his back and looking up at the ceiling. He’d left a quick post-it on Buffy’s door a few days ago, promising he wanted to get together again as soon as work calmed down, but he hadn’t gotten a return pink sticky…
He thought he’s seen her rushing out of the building yesterday as he was making his way inside. But she hadn’t seen him. Or maybe she had. Maybe this was it, he thought glumly. Either she thought he wasn’t interested any more or she was seeing how unpredictable his work was and wanted no part of it.
Or she saw him in the background at that news conference where they admitted they’d screwed up and more people were dying because of it…
He pressed his hands to his face, fingers digging into his hair and pulling slightly. He needed to get up, shower, sleep. The worried looks the others were giving him was wearing on him almost as much as the case. He didn’t get it! They were all taking this case hard, they were all looking like crap on a cracker, why was he getting singled out?
“You alright, Ryan?”
“Take a break, man. Go get some rest.”
“Let it go. Don’t let it get to you like that.”
He knew they were just worried, but seriously? Did he look deranged or something? Yeah, he was pissed off and disgusted - what this guy was doing to these girls was like something straight out of a horror movie - but that didn’t mean he was losing it or something. He was sure all of them were feeling the same way, he just found it a little harder to keep in than them.
He stared up at the ceiling wishing he could go see Buffy. He was sure just being around her would make him feel better. That was a bad idea though. If she wasn’t ready to run for the hills already, she would be after getting a load of him looking all haggard and hollow eyed. Shaking off the second of happiness he’d had in the thought of spending some time with her, he closed his eyes. Just for a second. Then he’d shower and change and…
His eyes snapped open as a crash rattled the light above his bed hard enough to shake one of the globes free. It dropped harmlessly on his bed before bouncing off and shattering on the floor. Kevin blinked at the glass shards reflecting moonlight, his sleepy mind wondering what in the hell just happened. Glancing at the clock told him it was just past three in the morning so he’d fallen asleep a few hours ago. Maybe that globe had been loose? Someone slamming a door down the hall was the last little push it needed to-
The light shook again as the sound of something hitting the floor upstairs with force made him jump.
“Buffy,” he said, scrambling out of bed and grabbing his gun from the bedside table.
Forgoing shoes he burst out into the hall, running full tilt for the stairwell. He took them two at a time, his mind racing over the possibilities. Jesus, she was slight and blonde. Just like all of the other victims lately. Why hadn’t he seen that? He was so stupid! He burst out of the stairwell on her floor and sprinted down the hall, honestly surprised when he found her door closed and locked.
“What the-“
The sound of shattering glass came from inside. A lot of glass - not like his little globe. It was followed by the strangest sound he’d ever heard, a kind of growling howl that made the hair on his arms stand up followed by the sound of something else breaking. Racking his gun he pulled his foot back and kicked the door in. The sight inside took his breath away.
Mayhem. Chaos. Destruction. His mind tumbled over synonyms as his eyes raked over the damage. The flawless apartment had been ripped apart. Everywhere his eyes landed things were broken, shattered and just torn apart. Even the freshly painted walls had cracks and holes and… What the hell? Were those claw marks?
Heart pounding and gun at ready, he crept further into the apartment. The first splatter of blood hit him hard. The large pool of it by the shattered doors leading to the balcony hit him harder. His cops mind was screaming at him to clear the apartment first, but something more primal was pushing him toward those doors. Easing forward, a dull roar in his ears, he felt some blood soak into the bottom of his sock. Still warm, his numb mind helpfully supplied. He moved around the red slick, the part of him that was on auto-pilot ignoring the whisper about “preserving evidence” - his mind and heart weren’t ready to consider this a crime scene.
The nightmarish scene continued on the balcony. Little cute bistro knocked over and broken, splattered with more blood - the trail leading right to-
“No…” His breath caught as he forgot protocol and rushed to the railing.
There, four stories down, limbs splayed and blond hair glowing in the moonlight, was Buffy.
Kevin stared down at the broken and bloody figure in the alley below, vision shaking a little with each heartbeat.
No… This isn’t… She can’t…
Breath hitching he turned and rushed for the door. He was so busy groping in his pockets for the phone he’d left in his apartment, he missed the red head watching him from the shadows with a furrowed brow.