Castle's partner

Not Him

SmirkingTurtles

"It's not the boyfriend. He was honestly just crossing the border to visit his mother who is in fact in the hospital, and has been for a year. He also has an alibi. The night Jill was murdered he was at the Giants game. There is video proof."

Beckett seems frustrated at her findings.

"Do we have any other suspects?"

Beckett sighs.

"One. Her brother. He lives over in Queens."

As she finishes speaking, Espo approaches us.

"I'll take Ross, we can go."

"Ok just be careful, both of you."

"You got it," Espo replies.

We arrive at the building half an hour later. It's an apartment complex. Its old and run down; the red, brick wall crumbling and the paint on the signs is chipping and peeling.

Espo pulls on his Kevlar, but I don't bother. I know he will go in first like always. I've tried to convince him to let me go in first but he says it's too dangerous and he doesn't want anything to happen to me.

We walk inside and ask the man at the desk what room number the brother is in.

Its number 10.

When we arrive, Espo raps on the door.

"NYPD! Open up!"

When no one answers, he kicks the door and it unhinges, allowing us to enter.

Espo steps in first with his gun held in front of him. He takes a look around before calling out, "Clear!"

That's my que to enter.

I cross the threshold, and immediately something feels off, but I shake the feeling.

"Ok we need to take a look around and see if there is anything that connects this guy to the murder."

Behind him I see a shadow move, but nothing emerges so I figure it's just my imagination. No one else seems to have seen it, or heard anything.

There are several other officers with us for backup, like always.

I turn my attention back towards Espo.

Then suddenly a man jumps out from behind the curtain, a gun in his hand.

Everything is in slow motion. It all happens so quickly, yet it seems to take years.

The man weilds the weapon like a crazy person, until it eventually points its head towards me.

A single gunshot rings out, and seconds later another.

I make eye contact with him, and almost as if we were in sync, we stumble backwards.

His body hits the shag, powder blue rug before mine.

Strong arms catch me under the armpits before I hit the ground.

They set me down gently on the hardwood floor.

That's when I feel the pain, unlike any other.

There is a bullet lodged in my chest, just above my heart.

Blood is everywhere.

I know there is a chance I can survive this. And I want that chance to be my reality.

My survival mode kicks in, and for the first time in three years, I don't want to die.

Tears start streaming down my face, and I can hear Espo screaming for an ambulance.

He drops next to me, crying too.

"I'm so sorry Samantha. That was my fault. It's all my fault. Please stay with me, you can't die. Please."

He sobs holding my hand.

I can taste the iron-red blood in my mouth.

I cough.

"Espo...its not...your fault."

I manage in between breaths and coughs. I'm shaking.

He presses his hand against my wound and I try not to scream.

"I'm sorry I know it hurts just hang in there. You'll be at the hospital soon I promise."

At the rate this is going, I won't make it that far.

I'm getting tired, and if these are my last few moments I want to spend then wisely.

"Espo, please listen to me."

His desperate eyes look at me.

"I guess...ten is an unlucky... number for me isn't it?"

He trembles. "Yeah I guess so."

"Esposito, I want you to know...I will never blame you...for what happened."

I try to take a deep breath. Its getting harder to breathe.

"Now listen...please...are you there?"

I ask weakly.

"I'm here, I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere. I'm listening."

"Don't...let go of me..."

He grips my hand.

"Tell...Alexis she's the closest... thing I've had to a sister...in a long time. And Martha that...I'm glad she's there with Castle and Alexis...so I could meet her. Tell Lanie that I'm glad she took my blood...and thank you for hiring Oliver."

I smile weakly before continuing.

"I want Castle and Beckett to know that...without them I would still be on the streets. Tell Ryan and Jenny congratulations, and to save me a seat at the wedding. I...don't know if I'll be there."

"You are going to be there Samantha."

"Tell everyone I love them. Espo... I love you."

"I love you too."

"Please...tell me a story."

If he's surprised by my dying request he doesn't show it.

"Ok. Once upon a time, there was a little girl and a man in a restaurant. Then, the man got scared and the little girl said, 'Thank you for keeping me safe. I don't want you to be scared. Now I can keep you safe.' And she saved the world. Because this man was a superhero, and she gave him the power to fight crime."

I laugh. Well, kind of.

"I'm glad...you think of...yourself...as a superhero."

"I didn't until I met you. Samantha, I promise we will find Tyson, ok?"

I know this might be the last thing I ever say, so I choose my words carefully.

"Don't...make a promise...you can't keep. I learned...the hard way...it hurts people."

I summon all of my strength.

"Bury me...next to my brother."

I can feel my body go limp.

Espo's screams are painful, but there's nothing I can do now.

I close my eyes, and I see Dom's picture before me.