Alright, my dearies, my precious, wonderful, threatening Audience, I HAVE RETURNED! *thunder cracks*

I have finally gotten a new laptop, and my many plot bunnies are hopping around in glee. So now, finally, I give you THE NEW CHAPTER! *mega crowd cheering noises*

Me: *bows* Thank you, thank you.

Tony: *cringes* and here I was hoping I'd never see you again.

Me: *-_-* don't forget, I could rewrite that scene and have you stuck in that elevator for many….MANY more hours.

Tony: *gulps* Great to see you again!

Me: Mhmm….

Oh, and a little friendly reminder, I'm in college now, and I have—more than once—almost died from homework overload. I haven't even finished the homework I have due today. I'm forgoing it for you guys! You should all love me!

ONWARD!

Castle sat stiffly in the chair, his wrists were already aching from the restraints, and Rayle's steady gaze was getting very unnerving.

"Do you understand why I'm doing this, now, Mr. Rodgers?"

Castle's own gaze only hardened and changed to a glare as he followed Rayle's pacing movements with his eyes.

"Let's discuss that night all those years ago, when you murdered that man."

Castle's heartbeat quickened, it felt so loud he was sure Rayle could hear it.

"I didn't murder him, it was self-defense."

"Was it, Richard? Was it really only an accident, or was it the first manifestation of your fascination with death?"

Castle's heartbeat then started thudding in his chest so hard it almost hurt.

Tyson's partially smirking face hovered in front of his own, his voice low and threatening. "You're drawn to death. You like to be around it because it thrills you. Now where does that come from? Your own suppressed impulses?" His face leans closer, "How close to death do you want to get?"

"Richard!"

Castle's head snapped to the side with the force of the blow Rayle gave. His jaw aching, Castle slowly brought his gaze back to his captor, realizing he hadn't heard the last few things Rayle had said.

"What was that, Richard?"

Rayle's tone was almost light, interested.

"You drifted away there for a moment."

Castle swallowed, his face holding the same expression it did on the night he let Jerry Tyson get the best of him.

Rayle leaned down at stared straight into Castle's eyes for a moment, not speaking, not moving. Finally, after almost a whole minute, he slowly rose to full height and turned, leaving the room without a word.

The breath Castle hadn't realized he'd been holding burst out of his chest as he blinked, tightening his jaw. He hated this. He hated the barely controllable anger he felt burning in his chest, that same anger that would get him into so much trouble when he was young. Back then the anger and its affects were easy to write off as the rebellious attitude of a teenager. But as he got older, he realized the anger needed to be hid, stuffed away in the dark. Now, now when the anger arose, Castle immediately masked it behind sarcasm or a winning smile. Channeling it into his persona, his fake attitude he put on for others, so they wouldn't see the anger boiling up behind his eyes.

Castle's jaw tightened so much it almost hurt as he closed his eyes, trying to steady his breathing.

Beckett had almost forgotten that Esposito, Ryan and Gates were standing next to her as she watched with rapt attention to the images on the screen. Beckett had begun to see glimpses, some little moments where Castle seemed on the brink of breaking his hold over himself.

She had frowned when his eyes had taken on a blank expression, like he was remembering something that drove him mad.

"Was it, Richard? Was it really only an accident, or was it the first manifestation of your fascination with death?"

Beckett didn't understand why that comment made Castle blank out that way, but whatever it was, it interested Rayle. A minute later, after complete silence from both Rayle and Castle, Raye turned and left the room through a door Beckett couldn't see.

Castle's breathing had quickened. Not a lot, but enough that all three of his watchers had seen it. Beckett watched with an unreadable expression as he closed his eyes, a look on his face Beckett didn't understand.

The deafening silence that had reigned in the room was suddenly broken by Gates as she spoke up.

"We tried tracing it, Rayle's using his own wifi, we can't find him."

None of the detectives answered for a moment, each were looking at each other, practiced unspoken messages passing between them. Finally, Ryan was the first to speak,

"I'll go do a more thorough check to see if Rayle owns any other property; we may find Castle that way."

He didn't wait for a reply, he only turned and hurried back into the bullpen. Then Esposito stepped forward, his hand hovering over Beckett's shoulder,

"We'll find him, Kate, don't worry."

With that he turned and followed Ryan.

Beckett slowly sank into a chair, her gaze never leaving the screen. She could almost feel Castle's hand in her own as she mentally told him to keep calm. He couldn't hear her, of course not, but if anyone had that horribly annoying way of reading her mind it was Castle.

C'mon, Rick. I don't care what Rayle has to say, just hang in there, we'll find you.

Castle's head slowly rose and he opened his eyes. A ghost of a smile flicked across his face and he stared at the camera for just a moment then let his gaze fall as he steadily tried to free his wrists from the zip ties holding him captive in the chair.

Well? I think I kept the tone of the story the same after so long. It can be hard falling back into it when you haven't been writing it for so long. But anyway, here is the new chapter. RIGHT ON TIME. EXACTLY WHEN I SAID YOU'D GET IT. And later I will start the next chapter!

Audience: *slightly placated*

Neal: You're good.

Me: *evil grin* Yes. I know.