Fan-Fiction Database
Product's FanFiction

Characters/Original Story Line owned by ABC
Story by [Product of a Primal Urge]

Chapters

1. A Picture and a Bullet
2. Rough on Relations
3. Settling Soul and Relapses
4. Looking Glass Partner
5. Fine Print
6. Sinking Kisses
7. Killer Collage
8. Of Conferencing Hearts
9. Morning After
10. End Game

2:16 P.M. Sunday – Case 16 days cold

Detective Kevin Ryan sat at his desk, eyes absorbing the words in his notebook, teething at his bottom lip. The sound of footsteps approaching his desk didn't draw his attention away from the recent murder notes or the letter he'd yet to relinquish to evidence. Of course, they couldn't just take it from him if he didn't sign off for it, so he knew he had all the time he wanted to look at it. At the incessant clearing of a throat, Kevin finally looked up from his shaky-looking handwriting. Damn… he should have looked up earlier. Montgomery stood next to him, arms folded tightly over his chest and mouth turned deeply upside down as he looked at his agent.

"Yes, sir?" Kevin asked flipping the notebook shut and setting it aside for the moment.

Montgomery took in a deep breath and shifted his weight before beginning to talk. "Ryan, this case has become something you shouldn't be involved in. I'm taking you off the case, but we'll keep you updated. Take some time off, maybe talk to a counselor again." He was staring down at Kevin with eyes that dared argument on this decision.

Kevin pushed his seat out to turn and more fully face his Chief. He'd subtly picked up a pen and was flicking it between his fingers as he thought of how to respond. Standing up and pulling in a substantial amount of air to his lungs he looked up with furrowed brows and wordlessly gaped for another moment. The words were there, but he needed the courage to argue with the Chief. "Respectfully-"

"Detective, don't push it. Just take the time and get your life back together." Montgomery started to turn away.

"Respectfully," Kevin started in louder, "I'd like to point out that sixteen days after you called Karen's case cold another murder appeared very clearly addressed to me. I am involved in this no matter how much you'd rather me not be. My life is where it should be, Chief. Taking me away from the people that keep it that way…" He looked down, his voice failing him and he felt as if his courage and argument was starting to dry up. Kevin couldn't believe that the case had been suddenly ripped back open like this and he couldn't walk away from it now.

"I understand how you feel about this, Ryan but I can't allow you to stay on this. There is an obvious threat to you and a detail will be put on you." Montgomery's voice softened but he didn't stop walking away this time to hear any more of Kevin's protests. The door to his office thumped shut on the conversation.

Kevin flopped down in his chair and huffed out a groan. He wasn't sure what to do, if he should follow to Montgomery's office and argue, if he should find Javier and tell him what happened or if he should just go back to Javier's flat and collapse into some mindless television for the next year and half. Grinding his teeth and picking up that pen again, he twirled it around in his fingers and thought on the situation, coming to a grinding halt in conclusion. Fortunately, Kate, Rick and Javier walked in to pull him from some serious self-deprecating and possibly suicidal thoughts involving tracking down the killer solo.

"Kev?" Javier asked walking over and perching himself on the corner of Kevin's desk. "You good?" he questioned softly, sure that the answer wasn't going to be good.

"No, I'm not good." All three were surprised at the quick admission from the man. "Montgomery pulled me from the case. I'm getting a detail and a serious recommendation to go to the counselor soon." He tossed the pen across his desk and looked up into the warm coffee-with-a-touch-of-milk eyes of his partner. Kevin gave him a frown and opened his mouth as if to speak again before shutting it into a grinding of teeth.

Beckett surprised Kevin by placing a hand on his shoulder and speaking up. He hadn't even realized she'd been standing that close to him. "I'll talk Montgomery about keeping you on the case. You may dress elegantly, but a woman's speech is always better." She offered him a smile that broke with a knowing sadness and made Kevin's heart skip a beat from the reassurance in the joking.

Kevin nodded to her, not sure how to respond verbally. He pulled the chair back to the desk and put his head in his hands. "You think she can do it?" he asked once she'd walked into the office.

"Yeah, man. Of course Beckett can." The sound of a slight smile rested in Javier's voice.

"Come on, Ryan, Kate can talk anyone into anything," Castle said. "We'll back you up, too." Castle took up the seat by Becket's desk, turning the chair to face Kevin. The concern in his voice was obvious despite trying to sound sure for the detective. It was the father in him coming out. "Montgomery's just worried you'll do something like try and shoot me again." He grinned and the concern was effectively hidden this time.

Kevin wasn't sure how, but Castle had drawn a laugh from him. "Hey, you had a gun. You looked pretty guilty, Castle and I'm not the only one who thought so."

"You were the only one that shouted out nasty names and fired a weapon at me." Castle gave a look of high eyebrows and tightly pursed lips, like you'd give a five year old caught with his hand in the cookie jar.

"Then I'm bringing up the point that you liked the names Javi and I rattled off for perps. You're lucky I went with one low on the list." Kevin still had a small smile on his lips, the feeling of defeat he'd been cradling moments ago drifting away from him.

"Yeah he could have called you pipe-head, piss head, orc, creep," Javier said with a grin and waited for Kevin to jump in.

"Crook, knuckle head, chuckle head," Kevin added very aware that no matter the order of the list, they had it memorized. The list was a result of boredom after too many hours of Madden had made it less than palpable.

"Chud, turd, destro, scum," Javier continued.

"Skeksi, slicko-"

"All right guys, come on now." Beckett pulled up next to them and was staring at Kevin. "What is a 'Skexy' anyway?"

Kevin looked at her blankly for a moment, as if she'd asked a stupid question. "Dark Crystal, by Jim Henson. Skeksis were the creepy bad guys of the movie."

Beckett cocked an eyebrow and uttered an "uh huh" before shaking her head. "Anyway, I've got you back on but there are conditions." She paused and looked at him a moment, gauging how he was taking it.

"All right…" he watched her intently, not backing down despite the careful tone she was using about 'conditions'.

She nodded and kept her eyes on Kevin while she talked. "You're to stick beside either Javier or I at all times. There is no running off alone even if you think you're seconds from catching the killer. All ideas are passed by me first. I don't want you and Javier running off to take anyone down on your own. It's the whole cavalry on this one, got it?" she asked.

Kevin nodded, not pulling his eyes from Kate's yet. "Yes, thank you Beckett."

She smiled a warm, almost motherly smile, and Kevin felt like he was being parented by two very sexually-awkward-with-each-other parents. "Well, I know a lot about unsolved personal cases." A brief flash of pain flickered over her eyes and she turned towards her own desk. "All right, let's compare notes. We need to find a lead or some direction at least."

Javier took up a seat at his desk and Castle kept his place in the chair by Beckett's desk. It was Kevin who spoke up first, "I need to get this signed over for printing and what not. Do I need an escort to the lab?" he asked with a playful note in his voice as he pointed to the letter on his desk.

Beckett just gave him a glare. "Yeah, Esposito go with him. Just for that, I'll make sure you have a tail even into the restroom."

Kevin scoffed and got up, snatching up the letter in the baggie and looking at Javier. "Sorry man, looks like you're being punished for something. What did you do to Beckett? You didn't ask her about…" he glanced at her and then back to his partner and mouthed, "the bikini question".

"Ah, right, letter to the lab. It's important, let's go," Javier said grabbing Ryan's wrist, dragging him towards the lab and away from a complicated situation with Beckett.

A genuine laugh escaped Kevin as he allowed himself to be dragged away. He also managed to only trip once in the process of avoiding stepping on the back of Javier's heels. "You can let go, man. Beckett's not following and I'm right behind you," Kevin said tugging back his arm and feeling Javier's warm hand slipping away from him. The warmth bled out slowly from his wrist as he and his partner pattered down the stairs.

"I can't believe you were going to rat me out like that!" Javier said with a pout evident on his face. It was the kind of pout that flared his nostrils and tightened his lips in a purse of lines.

Kevin glanced at that face and looked down almost immediately when the thought, cute, crossed his mind. He shouldn't be thinking that after their little encounter, after so recently getting kicked out by Jenny, or when he was so wrapped up in this case. But there it was. Shaking himself mentally, Kevin shrugged. "Oh come on, I wouldn't leave you to them alone. I'd have found a way out of it," he said stepping up to nudge Javier's arm with his elbow.

"Hmph," Javier huffed and glanced at him. Kevin offered a smile to Javier which made him loosen up and smile back. "All right, while we have time can we talk a second?" he asked pausing on the stairs.

Kevin pulled up short and looked at him with a cocked eyebrow. Leaning back on the railing he nodded and watched Javier for a moment. He wondered immediately if this was going to be the, 'there are too many complications, I need the apartment for just me, we'll find you another place' conversation. It had came quickly if it was, but then Kevin had been a bit of a burden and now a killer was targeting, or at least taunting, him so Javier had every reason to want distance. "Yeah, go ahead," he said with a fake confidence that didn't betray his fear of being left alone again.

Leaning back against the wall opposite Kevin, Javier took in a breath long enough to lunge into a flow of words, "Well with this guy after you I'm just worried about things, you know? Even having Beckett or me with you all the time what about at our place? Maybe we should get a detail out there, too."

That wasn't what Kevin had expected and so he didn't have a quick response to Javier's fears. He stood there, mouth slightly agape, staring like an idiot at the Hispanic. "Uh, um- right I mean that makes sense. I guess if you want, I mean- shit Javier, I thought you were going to say you wanted me out!" The laugh was almost frantic and the breath that followed was sucked in sharply.

"No! Kev, I can't make it much clearer than I have. I'm here for you, you're my partner." Javier stuffed his hands in his pockets and yanked his shoulders upwards in a dismissive manner. "You'd do the same for me."

Kevin watched him briefly and nodded in agreement. "You're right. I think before we go too far with this we should get this letter to the lab, yeah?" He held up the bagged note with his name scrawled at the bottom.

"Good point," Javier said and started back down the rest of the stairs.