So, this wasn't posted in the last week of July. Sorry about that. However, if you noticed this chapter's word count, I think you'll see why. This chapter - not including author's notes - clocked in at 10,928 words. That's over 200 words longer than all of Knight's Birth, and near the 11,000 mark! This chapter just kept getting bigger and bigger, and I considered publishing it as it's own story. Obviously, I decided against it.

As you probably guessed by the chapter's title, Under the Hood, this chapter is indeed about the Hood and Batman meeting for the first time.

Chapter Summary: The Hood comes to New York in pursuit of the Count, but his reputation for killing makes him unpopular with Batman. (Arrow 1x19-Unfinished Business)

Enjoy!

Atop of a Manhattan building, a lone figure crouched on the ledge, overlooking the city. It was a much different view from high up, and he took a moment to survey it. However, he wasn't studying it for pleasure or enjoyment. He had work to do, and from his perch he would be able to determine the best route to execute his plan.

Planning and preparation were crucial in order for him to catch this criminal.

Right on time, two cars entered the large alleyway, both coming from opposite sides. Parked, but still on, the cars were left on standby as the drivers exited.

"Do you have it?" the first one demanded as they approached each other.

"That depends," the second stated, his voice slightly slurred. "Do you have my money?"

On the roof, the vigilante watched closely as the exchange proceeded. The first man handed over a briefcase, presumably filled with money. After inspecting it, the second man grinned. "Excellent," he stated. He pulled a small plastic bag out of his pocket, handing it over. "Your order; it should last for about a week."

"Where's the rest of it?" the first man demanded, taking the bag and inspecting its contents.

"It'll be sent to the address you gave us, as per the original agreement." There was a pause. "Relax. Business is good, and it's about to get better. You'll be the first in Manhattan to distribute Vertigo."

Having heard enough, the vigilante leaped into action. He flew off of the rooftop, landing on the buyer. It was a rough fall, but the man's body cushioned his landing. "Oh no, not you!" he heard behind him; the seller was running to his car. Turning around, he took out his weapon and fired, nailing the seller in the hand.

A scream escaped the man as his hand was impaled, now stuck on the door handle. He tried to free himself to no avail; looking back, he saw the vigilante approach him slowly. "W—wh—what are you d—doing here?" he stammered. The vigilante reloaded his weapon, aiming directly at the criminal's heart.

"Gregory Smith," the vigilante growled, making the criminal quiver in fear, "you have failed Sterling City." He took a single step forward. "And you have failed New York."

With a squelch, the arrow embedded in Gregory's chest.

THREE DAYS EARLIER

"Hannah Kane, 24, died last night in what appears to be a drug overdose. Medical examiners say that the drug in her system is remarkably similar to the drug known as Vertigo, which nearly crippled Starling City. Starling City is also home to the new vigilante known only as the Hood, who is rumored to have had a hand in the capture of the man behind Vertigo-"

Castle clicked off the news. He didn't like the sound of that. If the Hood did indeed have a vendetta against the sale of Vertigo, he might think of coming to New York. While Batman was more than capable of handling the drug problem, Castle didn't know what approach the Hood might take. Would he respect that New York was Batman's city and let Batman handle it? Or would come in guns – or rather, bow and arrows – blazing, and leave a trail of bodies in his wake?

Rubbing his forehead, Castle sighed. He had been up all night, trying to get some writing done. He had to turn in the last few chapters of Heat Wave by the end of the week; however, after his fall out with Beckett, inspiration had been severely lacking.

"Beckett… this was professionally done," Castle said gently. "A contract killer murdered your mother."

"What's wrong with you?" Beckett whispered, her voice breaking. Castle winced.

"Beckett-"

"What do you think gives you the right to look into my mother's murder?" Beckett demanded, snatching the file off of the table. "You may have gotten permission to follow me around, but this? This is off limits!"

"I know, and I shouldn't have done it," Castle answered honestly. "This is your mother. I'm not going to go behind your back anymore. If you want me to stop, I'll stop."

Beckett stared at him for a few moments. She held the file close to her chest, hurt etched on her features. "You should leave," she finally stated. Castle opened his mouth to protest, but Beckett's expression silenced him immediately. He merely nodded, averting his eyes from the pain he caused.

He stopped at the door of the breakroom, swallowing roughly. "I am sorry, Kate," he said gently, then walked away.

Castle shut his laptop in frustration. He wasn't going to get any work done like this. Standing up, he pulled on the disguised lever to open the entrance to the Batcave, and went down the stairs, closing the entrance behind him.

With the door to his study open, Alexis and Martha were able to see Castle's restlessness and frustration. They only knew bits and pieces about what happened between him and Beckett, and had tried to not pry. Seeing how this argument was affecting her father, Alexis started to get worried. "Has Detective Beckett called him?" she asked, her voice hopeful. Martha shook her head.

"I'm afraid not… Don't you worry about it, kiddo," Martha assured. "They'll work it out."

In Starling City, Oliver paced in the lair, listening to the news report from New York.

"This is Vicki Vale reporting live from the front of Arkham Asylum. We have just received reports that the Count, the creator of the Vertigo drug, escaped the asylum hours ago. Authorities assure us that they initiated a lockdown immediately following the breakout. However, the NYPD is warning people to avoid contact of any sort with the highly dangerous drug dealer."

In Starling City, Diggle glanced worriedly at Oliver, whose jaw clenched at the report.

In New York, Castle's eyes narrowed. If the Count escaped, that could only mean one thing.

The Hood was coming to Manhattan.

WORLD'S GREATEST DETECTIVE: GENESIS

"Okay, Oliver, you need to calm down," Diggle advised. "What's done is done. There's nothing we could've done to prevent this-"

"I should've put an arrow in him when I had the chance!" Oliver countered. He punched the table in frustration. "They put him in Arkham because it was 'secure,'" he hissed sarcastically. "Because apparently Starling City doesn't have the kind of facility the Count needed for proper 'treatment.'"

"Oliver, it's out of our hands now," Diggle tried. "All we can do is let NYPD handle this."

"No, I need to go to New York," Oliver said in response. "The Count needs to be stopped."

"Well, what about Batman?" Diggle suggested. "I'm pretty sure he's not going to let a high-profile case like this one go."

"Woah, wait," Felicity interrupted. "The Batman? I thought he was just an urban myth!"

"Yeah, that's what most people outside of New York think," Diggle replied, "but he's real. Former Special Forces buddy of mine is a cop in Manhattan, and his captain is a… liaison, of sorts, between the NYPD and the Batman."

"Wow," Felicity managed. "I guess you'll have back-up in New York," she added, looking at Oliver.

"Not exactly," the billionaire sighed. "From what I've heard, the Batman and I go about things… differently."

"Differently how?" Felicity asked.

"Batman doesn't kill," Diggle answered. "He's been at this for what? Three, four years? He's never killed anyone."

Felicity let out a low whistle. "Okay… this just got awkward," she muttered to herself. Oliver looked away from her, brows furrowed. Finally, he went to his trunk, taking out his bow and arrow. "What are you doing?"

"Batman or not, it's not going to stop me from doing what I need to do, and stopping the Count," Oliver insisted.

"Oliver, you need to really think about this," Diggle warned. "Batman's no joke. The NYPD has his back. He's got everyone from random muggers on the street to the corrupt politicians at City Hall running scared! The Hood is a known killer, and if you step into his turf…"

"Maybe we should let Batman handle this one," Felicity offered from her seat. "I mean, if what Dig said is true, then this guy's proven to be perfectly capable-"

"No," Oliver said firmly. He turned to Felicity and Diggle. "I've heard the reports about this guy… Everyone that he puts away? They eventually get out. Locking criminals up isn't going to solve the problem; the Count is proof of that!" He took in a deep breath, trying to calm himself down. "I need to stop him, once and for all. He infected Starling with his poison once. There is no way I'm letting Vertigo spread to New York."

"Captain."

Montgomery turned towards Batman, nodding in greeting. He left the Batlight on; not only did it remind everyone of who the NYPD had on their side, but it also helped illuminate the rooftop at night.

"Do you have any leads on the Count?" Batman asked.

"We've got everyone from Narcotics to Anti-Crime working on this," Montgomery explained. "Highway Patrol is making sure he doesn't leave Manhattan. Then again, the delayed report on his breakout may have given him a head start. He might've already left the city."

"No, he's still here," Batman countered. "Hannah Kane was just the start. The Count is expanding his operation to New York."

"This mess with Vertigo is the last thing we need," Montgomery stated. "The Mayor is demanding an inspection of the asylum; not that I blame him, too many people keep breaking out. But the Count on the loose means that we could have a serious drug problem on the streets."

"That won't happen," Batman promised. He paused, thinking. "Is Crane still accounted for?"

"First thing I did was go down to the asylum and made sure," Montgomery assured. "He's still locked up." The Captain shuddered. "I'd hate to imagine the two of them working together."

"I'll be looking for the Count, and anyone who might be distributing Vertigo," Batman informed, moving to leave.

"Hey… this Hood guy. You know anything about him?" Montgomery wondered. Batman looked back at him.

"Spread word throughout the NYPD: If you see him, don't approach him," he warned. "He's dangerous."

"And if you see him?" Montgomery asked, fairly certain of the answer.

"I'm taking him down."

"Do you have it?" the first one demanded as they approached each other.

"That depends," the second stated, his voice slightly slurred. "Do you have my money?"

The first man handed over a briefcase, presumably filled with money. After inspecting it, the second man grinned. "Excellent," he stated. He pulled a small plastic bag out of his pocket, handing it over. "Your order; it should last for about a week."

"Where's the rest of it?" the first man demanded, taking the bag and inspecting its contents.

"It'll be sent to the address you gave us, as per the original agreement." There was a pause. "Relax. Business is good, and it's about to get better. You'll be the first in Manhattan to distribute Vertigo."

Having heard enough, the vigilante leaped into action. He flew off of the rooftop, landing on the buyer. It was a rough fall, but the man's body cushioned his landing. "Oh no, not you!" he heard behind him; the seller was running to his car. Turning around, he took out his weapon and fired, nailing the seller in the hand.

A scream escaped the man as his hand was impaled, now stuck on the door handle. He tried to free himself to no avail; looking back, he saw the vigilante approach him slowly. "W—wh—what are you d—doing here?" he stammered. The vigilante reloaded his weapon, aiming directly at the criminal's heart.

"Gregory Smith," the vigilante growled, making the criminal quiver in fear, "you have failed Sterling City." He took a single step forward. "And you have failed New York."

With a squelch, the arrow embedded in Gregory's chest.

Hearing a groan behind him, the Hood turned to see the buyer struggling to get up. He aimed his bow, loaded with a new arrow, and fired. As if in slow-motion, he watched as a small and black object flew into sight, slashing into the fired arrow. Both projectiles fell to the floor, harmless and abandoned.

Arrow turned a sharp 180 degrees, bow and arrow drawn, ready to be aimed at the intruder. Even after a few moments of nothing, he remained tense and alert. "I know you're here," he called out, trying to lure whoever it was out. "Show yourself!" he demanded.

He was so focused on the area in front of him, that he didn't notice the large bat jumping off of a higher rooftop towards him until the last minute. Seeing the figure, Arrow fired his bow, missing his mark by only millimeters; Batman landed feet away from him. Batman used the Hood's surprised state to his advantage and lunged towards him.

The Hood snapped out of his surprise when Batman punched him in the abdomen. The archer blocked the next punch, before trying to hit back. Diggle hadn't been kidding when he saw Batman wasn't a joke. The man was clearly well trained, and he had experience on his side. Ducking underneath a swing, Oliver felt a small inkling of regret at not listening to Diggle. Anger at the Count, however, pushed that thought aside.

He managed to twist himself out of the hold Batman had him in. He rolled away,Batman growling at him, but not attacking again. The Hood stood up, hissing, "I'm on your side."

"My side?" Batman repeated incredulously. "You're no better than the people you kill."

"Like you're any better," the Hood retorted. "Leaving criminals with broken bones? Causing the city to have to pay millions in damages from your nightly escapades? We both cause our cities grief only because we are both doing something to help them."

"You're a murderer," Batman insisted. "You don't believe in justice. You've named yourself judge, jury, and executioner."

"You can do things your way, and I'll do things my way," the Hood snapped.

"The only thing you'll be doing is going to jail," Batman countered.

"Fine," the Hood said, putting the arrow he had back into his quiver. He switched the bow between his hands, clenching his fist. "But you're gonna have to get me there first."

Batman cocked his head slightly, studying the hooded vigilante before him. The two circled each other, staring each other down.

Then they pounced.

Batman sidestepped, avoiding getting hit by the Hood's bow. This didn't stop the Hood; still using the bow as a makeshift club, he swung at Batman again. A brief grunt left the caped crusader as the bow clipped him on the arm. Trying a different tactic, Batman let the Hood get as close as possible without being able to hit him. When the archer's guard was done, Batman reached for the bow.

With the string in his grasp, he pulled the bow towards him. The Hood stumbled forward, and the Batman used the loss of balance against him. Batman kicked the Hood's leg out from under him, sending him to a kneeling position, and ripping the bow out of his hand. Batman's brief distraction with tossing the bow away gave the Hood time to swing a leg out, sweeping Batman's legs out from under him.

Despite the fall, Batman hadn't slowed down at all. He kicked out, hitting the Hood in the chest. Batman pushed himself to his feet, the Hood doing the same. Neither one of them seemed to be ready to back down just yet. Fighting hand-to-hand, without any of their weapons or gadgets, the vigilantes found that they were fairly matched. Whereas the Hood was slightly faster, his brashness had him making mistakes. The Batman had more experience, but he wasn't fighting to kill.

Batman got the upper hand, and knocked the Hood down to the ground. Both of them were breathing heavily from the exertion, but Batman remained standing, glaring down at the Hood. "If you really want to help people," he advised, "you need them to trust you. Killing isn't the way to do that."

"I don't need trust," the Hood hissed, still on the ground. "Not from them, and not from you. What I need is to stop people like the Count from hurting innocents… And you're not going to stop me."

He spun around, flinging a flechette at Batman.

Barely managing to avoid getting hit, Batman turned back to see the Hood standing right in front of him. The Hood punched him solidly on the jaw, sending Batman to the ground. Not wasting any time, the archer raced towards his discarded bow, grabbing it and nocking an arrow.

Firing into the sky, the Hood held tightly as the cable pulled him into the air, towards one of the buildings. Reaching the rooftop, he pushed himself up and retreated into the night. Standing in the alleyway, Batman pulled the throwing knife out of the wall it impaled, putting it away in his utility belt. With a tired groan, he took out the Bat-Claw to leave, knowing that the Hood was long gone.

That's when he saw the blood stain.

Eyes narrowed under his mask, Batman approached the red splatter, illuminated by the lone lamp post. Kneeling down, Batman took out one of the shatterproof vials he carried with him for events such as this one, and collected as much of the blood as he could.

He knew it wasn't Gregory Smith's blood, the body was too far away, slumped against his car with an arrow in his hand and another one in his chest. As for the other thug who escaped, much to Batman's annoyance, he hadn't been bleeding.

It has to be the Hood's…

Calling Montgomery, he informed the captain of the new developments. A man dead, killed by the Hood who was indeed in New York. He kept the blood sample to himself; there wasn't enough left on the pavement to collect another sample anyways. Besides, he already had a DNA from his number one suspect.

Now, he just had to run a few tests to see if Oliver Queen really was the Hood.

Returning to the abandoned building he'd been using to hide out, Oliver removed his hood, wincing as he reached up. Batman may not have fought to kill, but the guy certainly knew how to pack a punch. Groaning, he sat down on the floor, taking a minute to rest. He had returned the long way, just to make sure the New York vigilante hadn't been following him or tracking him.

The fight itself took a lot out of him; it had been a while since he fought with someone as skilled as Batman. Stubbornly, Oliver had no intention of admitting that to Diggle.

As if on cue, Oliver's phone rang, his caller ID reading Diggle.

"Diggle, before you say anything, trust me, I'm fine," Oliver said by way of greeting.

In Verdant, Diggle smirked. "Right," he said, having an idea of why Oliver felt the need to insist that. "That's not why I called, though. Oliver, Lance showed up. He had a warrant to search Verdant."

In New York, Oliver tensed. "Don't worry," Diggle continued. "Tommy covered for you. Disguised the basement to look like a storage room."

Oliver let out a breath. He hadn't been expecting that, but was grateful regardless. "Remind me to personally thank him," he replied.

"So how goes the hunt for the Count? Anything Felicity and I can do to help?"

"I found Gregory Smith; he was selling Vertigo." Oliver sighed. "The buyer got away."

Diggle's brows furrowed. "Got away? How?"

"I was… interrupted."

Diggle paused, realization dawning on him. "You ran into the Batman, didn't you?"

Oliver frowned. "Have Felicity go through Smith's phone records. I want to know who he's been in contact with. I need to find the buyer and his stash." He hung up after that, not wanted to deal with any more questions. The only thing that could possibly hurt more than his ribs right now was his pride.

"Mr. Castle," Fox greeted. "How can I help you?"

Castle produced the DNA sample, along with the vial of blood. "These are two different samples I collected recently. I need to find out if they're the same person," he explained. Fox took both vials, a soft hmm coming from him.

"I'm going to assume that whoever blood belongs to wasn't exactly a willing donor," he commented. The writer shrugged sheepishly, earning a chuckle from the older man. "I'll see what I can do. Depending on the level of contamination in the blood sample, it could take anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days."

"Try to get the results as soon as you can," Castle replied, concern in his tone. "This guy is dangerous, and I need to ID him, fast."

Lucius tilted his head at that. "This blood wouldn't happen to be from that archer fellow, from Starling City, now would it?" he asked.

Castle grinned. "I don't know why I try to hide anything from you."

"I may be old, but I am certainly not senile," Fox declared, standing up to get to work. "I'll get right on it, and call you as soon as I have the results."

"Thanks Lucius," Castle said.

"Anytime, Richard. Anytime."

"The vic's name is Gregory Smith," Ryan began, filling Beckett in as she arrived to the crime scene. "Time of death was at 1:25 AM."

"How do we have an exact time of death?" Beckett asked, brows furrowed.

"Get this… the Batman called it in," Ryan answered. "And we already have a suspect." Beckett stopped walking once the body was in her line of sight. "Yeah, that was my reaction at first, too."

"COD was definitely the arrow to the heart," Lanie informed, seeing Beckett and Ryan approaching. "The arrow to the hand kept him trapped in place."

"The Batman didn't…"

"No!" Ryan interjected immediately, confused as to why Beckett would think that. "No, it was that vigilante from Starling City. The, uh… archer guy?"

"The Hood?" Beckett questioned. "I thought he was a myth."

"Nope," Esposito replied, walking over. "A buddy of mine who lives in Starling says that the Hood is one hundred percent real. He started out with killing corrupt one-percenters, then moved in on organized crime. Whoever he is, he's lethal and dangerous."

"I can't imagine the lethal part makes SCPD like him that much," Beckett mused.

"You guessed right," Esposito nodded.

"So now we have two vigilantes running around New York," Lanie said, standing up and away from the victim. "I just hope that this 'Hood' doesn't end up killing Batman."

Beckett's brows furrowed. "Do we know what any of them were doing here?" she wondered.

"See that briefcase?" Ryan pointed out, moving towards it. He left it where it was, but crouched down to open it. Beckett's jaw dropped when she saw what was inside. "It's all one hundreds."

"That's easily one million dollars," Beckett commented, still surprised. Then it struck her. "Vertigo," she realized.

"What?" Ryan asked.

"Vertigo," Beckett repeated. "That drug that nearly tore Starling City apart. The creator of the drug escaped Arkham yesterday. That's why the Hood is here in New York."

"He wants to put an end to Vertigo once and for all," Esposito added.

"Alright, let's have CSU tear this place apart," she finally ordered. "There has to be some trace DNA left behind; something that'll help us ID the Hood."

"Actually, there was blood splatter further down the alley," Esposito commented. "CSU says there's not enough to collect for a DNA test, though. What we do know is that it's too far to be Smith's."

"So the Hood?" Ryan guessed.

"Or Batman," Beckett sighed. "Okay, have CSU keep looking. And let's get in touch with Starling City Police; see what information they have on the Hood and the drug dealer. I think they called him the Count."

"The Hood, the Count… Starling City needs to come up with better names," Ryan muttered, standing up.

"Bro, one word," Esposito countered. "Batman."

"It's a cool name!" Ryan protested.

The boys continued to bicker, but moved along to do their jobs. Beckett let out a breath, looking at Smith. "How are you doing, sweetie?" Lanie asked, giving her a concerned look.

The female detective shook her head. "I'm fine," she lied.

"Kate Beckett, don't you dare lie to me," Lanie warned. "You took off from work for two weeks! You haven't taken that much time off in the last five years."

"I'm fine, Lanie," Beckett countered. "Really."

Lanie pursed her lips in disbelief, but sighed. "Have you talked to Castle?" she asked.

Beckett tensed, frowning. "No," she answered curtly.

"You can't avoid him forever," Lanie replied. "He screwed up; I know. But give him a chance? You know he cares about you."

"I'm going to head back to the precinct," Beckett said in response. "Let me know if you find anything."

To Castle's relief, the morning news hadn't mentioned Gregory Smith's death at all. That meant that the people of New York were still blissfully unaware that a killer vigilante was on the loose. I have to catch him tonight, Castle thought to himself. Before he kills anyone else.

He was still waiting on Fox to get back to him with the DNA results. If Oliver Queen really was the Hood, then catching him would be much easier. Ever the writer, Castle had to wonder how the former party boy had become a ruthless killer. I guess five years stranded on an island really messes with you…

However, it was still speculation that Queen was the vigilante. For all Castle knew, he and the SCPD could be way off base.

"Good morning darling," Martha greeted, coming down the stairs into the kitchen. "How did you sleep?"

Castle smiled at her. "Morning Mother," he replied. "Too many thoughts to really fall asleep." Martha's questioning look prompted him to continue. "I ran into the Hood last night."

"Oh," Martha commented, not having expected that. "I suppose it didn't go so well?"

"He killed a man," Castle answered. "The other criminal got away… and so did he."

"Why is he here?" Martha couldn't help but wonder. "Isn't there some sort of vigilante etiquette? He stays in his city, you stay in yours."

"If only it were that simple," Castle huffed.

"Any idea of his identity?" Martha asked, sitting down at the kitchen island. Castle shook his head.

"This guy is a ghost," he replied. "He's been at this for a few months, and he hasn't slipped up yet," the writer continued, frowning. "No one is that good."

"You are," Martha pointed out with a grin.

"Yes, but that's because I'm Batman," Castle stated simply, making his mother roll her eyes. He paused, thinking for a while. "Queen fits. The story makes sense." He shrugged. "I have Lucius running some DNA tests for me. Hopefully I'll know by tonight whether or not it actually is Queen."

"Who is Queen supposed to be?" Alexis asked, coming down the stairs.

"Another vigilante," Martha answered. "Morning dear."

"Morning Gram. Morning Dad." The teenager gave both of them a kiss on the cheek before sitting down next to Martha. "Are you talking about the Hood from Starling City?" When Castle nodded, she continued, "So you ran into him last night? I heard you mention something about DNA testing; he's the Hood?"

"We don't know yet if it is Oliver Queen," Castle countered. "But as of right now, he is our number one suspect."

Alexis hmm'ed in response. "Well, if it is, there's no way he can take you," she commented confidently. "After all, you are Batman."

Castle grinned while Martha groaned.

"How do you think Oliver's doing?" Felicity asked.

"Felicity," Diggle said, "I know you're worried. The best way to help Oliver is to track down the Count, and figure out his connection to Smith."

"Easier said than done," Felicity replied. "I went through Smith's phone records and emails, but there's nothing that suggests that Smith and the Count ever spoke, much less communicated," she said. "There's the possibility of burner phones, but without one of the numbers, we're dead in the water."

"What about the asylum?" Diggle wondered. "Did Smith ever go as volunteer or a visitor?"

Felicity shook her head. "No. I checked out everyone who had been in that building in the last three months. Unsurprisingly, not that many visitors, and even less volunteers." She looked at Diggle. "They're all clean. Smith never stepped foot into Arkham, and as far as I can tell, the Count hasn't been communicating through anyone."

Diggle's brows furrowed. "Then how did Smith get his hands on Vertigo?"

Alexis sat at the main desk in the Batcave, looking through casefiles related to the Count. Having finished all of her homework for the weekend, she was trying to find something in the SCPD's files that could help her dad deal with this situation. The amount of time she had spent so far staring at the same reports was longer than what she usually spent on a typical case.

Personally, she blamed the Hood. He had been overly involved in taking down the Count the first time around. His lack of a partnership with the police only caused for missing information in the detectives' reports, which was affecting her ability to find a new lead.

With a sigh, she exited the SCPD database. Leaning back in her chair, she let out a frustrated groan, silently cursing the Hood. A part of her wondered if Fox had gotten a result on the DNA tests yet. No, he would've called Dad, and Dad would've told me…

Not willing to give up just yet, Alexis hacked her way into the NYPD's database, looking through the ME's report on Gregory Smith and the report Arkham Asylum filled out about the Count's escape. Doing a little more digging, the teenager discovered that Detective Beckett was the lead detective on the homicide case. It wasn't easy, considering she had to be discreet as possible and not actually take over their computers, but Alexis was able to access Detective Ryan and Esposito's computers to see what angles they had been working on Smith's homicide.

A beeping from the computer caught her attention. Looking into it, her eyes widened when she found a connection, one that the NYPD wouldn't be able to make. Jumping out of her chair, she ran up the stairs to the study.

"Dad!" Alexis exclaimed once reaching the top of the stairs. Castle looked up from his laptop towards her in concern. The redhead could barely fight her excitement. "There's something you should see."

When the two of them were downstairs, Alexis began to explain. "I was going through the current casefile the NYPD has on the Count, when it was suddenly updated." She pointed out the new information.

"Someone else overdosed on Vertigo," Castle murmured.

"Maybe the guy that got away while you were dealing with the Hood? It did sound like he was meeting Smith for a drug deal," Alexis guessed. "The NYPD is investigating Smith's homicide. Based off of the information I could pull, I was able to figure out where they are in their investigation."

"Ok," Castle said, pulling up a stool from the work bench. He sat down next to his daughter. "Fill me in."

"Now, they haven't been able to identify who the second guy was, but based off of the suitcase full of money, and the chemical residue on Smith's skin and clothes; the second guy was definitely the buyer and Smith was supplier," Alexis explained. "The chemicals found on his body correspond with the Vertigo formula. Except… for one small difference." She brought up the toxicology report onto the screen, and then also opened another report.

"When the Vertigo outbreak first started in Starling City, we managed to get our hands on some of it," Alexis continued. "Mr. Fox ran tests on it, and found all the ingredients used to produce it. That's the report on the left. The report on the right is the toxicology report the ME ran on the Vertigo substance found on Smith's body."

Castle studied both lists, eyes narrowing when he saw the difference. "Chlorpromazine," he realized. "That's an anti-psychotic... Alexis, can you pull up the toxicology report done for Hannah Kane?" Alexis quickly typed, bringing it up.

"Chlorpromazine," Alexis whispered when she saw it on the list. "But she died taking Vertigo."

"The Count must have added it to the formula," Castle hypothesized. "The amount he would need for mass production would be huge." He looked at Alexis. "And I can think of one place in New York which has Chlorpromazine in abundance."

"Arkham Asylum," Alexis realized. "The Count never left."

"He's been hiding there the whole time," Castle agreed, standing up. "You don't look for a runaway in the place he's running away from." Opening the case with his suit, he paused. "But why add an anti-psychotic?" He thought for a moment before shaking his head. "Doesn't matter. I'm heading to Arkham now. If Lucius calls, transfer the call to the cowl," Castle instructed. "If the Count is still hiding in Arkham, we don't want to give him a heads-up. I'll be sneaking in, so that means radio silence."

"Got it," Alexis nodded. "Be careful."

"Always am. And Alexis," Castle added. "Good work. I'm proud of you."

Alexis grinned. "I learned from the best."

After blowing up a lock, Batman pulled the roof's unused service door open. As soon as he looked inside, he could see why it was out of use; the stairs were incomplete. Using the Bat-Claw, he made his way down. Finding a service grate, he strapped the Bat-Claw to his belt, keeping himself suspended in mid-air as he worked to open the grate. When he managed to get inside the vent, he made his way to the lower levels. He figured that if the Count was hiding out anywhere, it had to be in Scarecrow's old lab in the basement.

Given how scarce personnel was this time of night, the only sounds to cover his movements in the vents were the muffled wails and mutterings echoing in the asylum. He made it to the sublevel with little difficulty and dropped out of the vent, landing silently on the floor.

Sticking to the shadows, Batman crept towards where Crane had once created the fear toxin used by Ra's to attack New York. There was no one inside the lab, but all of the equipment and supplies were there.

It was a start, but it wasn't the main reason Batman was there. He had to find the Count, and stop the production of Vertigo once and for all. The drug dealer had to be nearby. Staging an escape from the asylum, but actually remaining in the asylum, would only work if…

If he stayed on the move.

Batman paused, looking around. He couldn't move around to avoid guards and doctors without moving his equipment with him. This, however, was an elaborate set-up, not easily dismantled or reconstructed. It would've been discovered eventually; the Count had to have known that. This whole situation was too perilous for the drug dealer, so why not leave?

While Batman understood that hiding out in the asylum was the perfect disappearing act, New York City was big enough that it could take him and the NYPD weeks to find the Count. So why stick around this long?

Hearing footsteps approaching, Batman moved out of sight, concealing himself in the shadows. Seeing a doctor and an orderly walk in, Batman had to admit that it was a plot twist he hadn't seen coming. Yet.

Slipping away, Batman cautiously explored the other side of the lab, making sure to keep his ears and senses on the corrupt asylum employees. Batman briefly wondered if they were working with the Count, before shaking that notion aside. From what he understood about the Count, the man didn't exactly cooperate with others, preferring to toss half-baked orders around.

So either they're clueless, or they're behind all of this, Batman thought to himself. The answer was presented to him when he peered behind a curtain. There sat the Count, drugged out of his mind and strapped to a chair. Batman couldn't help but stare at the man, who was mumbling something about 'failing the city' and 'waiting for a light.' It was all delusional speech.

A part of Batman – the part that was a father, that wanted to see the best in people – felt pity for the Count. Despite what he had done, this wasn't what he deserved. He should've been tried and convicted, with a jury to decide his fate. Then again, the Hood had taken that upon himself when he injected the Count with Vertigo, making him overdose.

Approaching the Count, Batman quietly took a blood sample from the drug dealer. Maybe Lucius could synthesize an antidote of sorts to help the Count, which would make him sane enough to be sent to trial.

Batman turned around to see the orderly trying to sneak up on him. The vigilante quickly took him down, but he wasn't quick enough to dodge the tranquilizer dart. Wincing as it struck him in the neck, Batman stumbled back, figuring that the good doctor had given him the strong stuff. Seeing the doctor pocket a handheld tranq gun, Batman fell to the floor, trying to stay awake but failing.

The last thing he saw before falling unconscious was the doctor and orderly standing over him, staring down in fascination.

After the Batman didn't move for a few moments, the doctor tentatively kneeled next to him. With shaking hands, the doctor reached out towards Batman's mask, half-afraid that the vigilante was merely playing possum and would attack at any moment. Gripping the mask, the doctor froze, waiting. When Batman didn't move, he let out a relieved breath, then slowly pulled the cowl away, revealing the man behind the mask.

"I don't believe it," the orderly murmured. "Doc… that's Richard Castle. My wife reads his books– he's just a writer!"

"A writer, hmm?" the doctor said in response. "Well, Mr. Castle… You've come to the right place. Don't worry. Whatever delusions you have in that head of yours… we'll fix them."

Alexis was in a panic. "Oh no," she breathed. "Oh no, oh no-" The ringing of her father's phone made her jump. Shaking, she looked at the caller ID, letting out a breath. "Mr. Fox?" she answered.

"Alexis?" Fox asked, hearing her desperate tone. "Are you alright?"

"Not really," Alexis replied shakily. "You know how my dad's cowl has a monitor on it that also measures his vitals? Well, I'm staring at the Batcomputer's screen, and the vital tracker just shut down."

"It shut down?" Fox questioned. "But the only way that could happen is if…"

"If he takes off his mask," Alexis finished. "Mr. Fox, my dad is Arkham Asylum, following a lead on the Count! There's no way he'd take his mask off!"

"Somebody took it off of him," Fox realized.

"Which means my dad is in trouble!" Alexis cried. "I have to call someone; Selina, or-or Captain Montgomery- Is Gabriel still in town-?"

"You could always try the Hood."

Alexis paused. "What?"

"It's why I was calling," Fox explained. "I finished the DNA tests. They're a match. The Hood is… whoever this DNA sample is from. They're the same person."

Alexis let out a huff, an idea forming in her mind. "Mr. Fox, you are the best! Okay, I have to make a call and save my dad!" She hung up before Fox could say anything else, typing away on the computer. "Come on, come on," she muttered, searching. A victorious noise escaped her when she found the number she was looking for. Using the Batcomputer, she dialed the number, masking her number appear to be one of Oliver Queen's contacts.

After a few rings, he picked up. "Felicity, I told you not to call tonight-"

"This isn't Felicity," Alexis answered seriously, before cursing herself once she realized how that sounded. "I'm not a kidnapper or anything; I don't even know who this 'Felicity' is-"

"Who the hell is this?"

Alexis winced. "Okay, rude much?" She sighed, forcing herself to calm down. She needed to get him to help, not get him angry. "We've never met, but you've met my father. The Batman." Hearing Oliver's intake of breath, she hurried to continue. "Look, I know you two aren't exactly friends, but he's in trouble right now, and I really don't want to lose him." There was silence over the line, and Alexis couldn't hide her desperation anymore.

"Look, I know who you are, and what you're capable of," she stated, "and I figured that you of all people would understand the fear of losing a father. I'm sorry for bringing up bad memories, but I need you to understand. I need you to help." She paused, still not hearing anything. "Please," she begged.

"Where's your father?"

Alexis let out a relieved sigh, closing her eyes. "His tracker puts him in the sublevel of Arkham Asylum. We figured out that that was where the Count was hiding. I'll guide you through the building once you get there."

Switching from his phone to Bluetooth, the Hood mounted the motorcycle he 'borrowed' and sped off towards Arkham. "You got a name, kid?" he asked.

"So you can find out who my dad is?" came the reply. "Yeah, no. You can call me Oracle."

Under his hood, Oliver made a face. "'Oracle?'" he repeated, unimpressed.

"Do not diss the name. Besides… it's better than the Hood."

Oliver found he couldn't argue with that. "Touché."

Castle slowly opened his eyes, grimacing at the bright light hanging overhead. Seeing the lamp reminded him of where he was; immediately, he attempted to sit up, only to realize he was strapped down to a gurney. His utility belt was gone, as was his mask. Gritting his teeth, Castle looked around, trying to figure out a way out of this, when the doctor and the orderly came in.

"So," he began, watching in satisfaction as both men jumped, startled. "The Count never broke out of the asylum. It was you. The whole time, it was you." Recomposing himself, the doctor went to a table, his back blocking Castle's view of what he was doing. "How'd you get him to give up the formula for Vertigo?"

"He didn't," the doctor replied. Castle discreetly took out a fob he had hidden in a secret compartment in his left gauntlet. He pressed down on the button, and waited as the doctor continued speaking. "Truth be told, he couldn't tell me even if he wanted to. I ordered a biopsy on his kidneys. The tissue was infused with the drug after his OD. From the results, I realized I could reverse-engineer the components of the chemical compound. It allowed me to create a synthesized version myself, using what was left of Doctor Crane's equipment." He looked at Castle. "Turns out you didn't confiscate it all."

"My mistake," Castle growled. "I'll have to remedy that."

The doctor chuckled, turning back to the table. "I wasn't trying to be a criminal mastermind," he informed, turning back to Castle, holding a graduated cylinder filled with green liquid in his hands. "I just needed the money… Something I'm sure a best-selling novelist wouldn't understand." He turned to the orderly. "Open his mouth."

Castle struggled, but strapped down there wasn't much he could do. His struggling lessened as the liquefied Vertigo poured down his throat, entering his system. He felt his grip on the fob loosen, and could do nothing as it fell out of his hand, clattering to the floor.

"What the hell was that?!" the doctor demanded. The orderly grabbed it, looking at it confused. "I thought you took away all his gadgets."

"He must've had it hidden somewhere," the orderly countered. He froze suddenly, brows furrowed. "Do you hear that?" he asked.

The doctor's brows furrowed. "Hear what?"

Castle managed to speak up. "Back up," he whispered.

"Back up?" the orderly repeated.

At that moment, the windows shattered as a horde of bats swarmed into the room. Both the orderly and the doctor screamed in horror, fighting off the bats unsuccessfully. The doctor stumbled back, crashing into the gurney holding Castle and sending it to the ground. Castle winced at the impact, but pushed through. He managed to pull one of his hands free, and worked on the other restraints.

It wasn't quick work, but the bats kept the doctor and the orderly distracted long enough for Castle to free himself completely. Looking around, he saw the orderly was struggling with the bats flying around everywhere, but the doctor was nowhere to be seen. Pushing himself to his feet, he fell right back down again, gasping for breath.

Down the hall and around the corner, the Hood stopped running when he heard the crash of the windows. "What the hell was that?" he muttered to himself, pulling out an arrow. As soon as he turned the corridor, he saw the doctor running out of a room, a few stray bats flying out as well.

Bats, Oliver thought, loading the bow and aiming at the doctor. Of course.

"Freeze!" he ordered, making the doctor stop mid-step.

"I suppose you're here for your friend," the doctor remarked once he recovered. "I'm afraid the Batman doesn't have long now… After all, the amount of Vertigo I just gave him is a bit too much for the human body."

Under his hood, Oliver grimaced. He of all people knew how badly Vertigo could affect you. If Batman died, then New York was in a lot of trouble. But the doctor gave him Vertigo… Not the Count? What the hell is going on? Knowing now that the doctor was involved, the Hood fired the arrow, killing the doctor instantly. Grabbing another arrow, he ran into the room. Most of the bats had cleared out by now, and the orderly was about to shoot who Oliver assumed was Batman. He fired the arrow, watching the orderly go down.

Rushing over to Batman, the Hood took out the antidote he had for Vertigo and rolled the other vigilante onto his back.

He stared down at the New York hero in surprise; he recognized the man from the back of multiple books his mother read. Not wasting anymore time, he plunged the syringe into Castle's neck, hoping he wasn't too late.

"Come on," Oliver muttered, frowning. "Wake up."

Castle's eyes shot open as he coughed harshly. He rolled onto his side, spitting out the Vertigo. Breathing heavily, Castle looked over his shoulder, his eyes refocusing. He wasn't entirely surprised when he saw who was crouched next to him. "Mr. Queen."

Removing his hood, Oliver smirked. "Mr. Castle," he deadpanned.

"You actually know who I am?" Castle asked, sitting up.

"My mom's a fan," Oliver sighed. The writer chuckled at this, taking in a deep breath. He looked at Oliver again, nodding.

"Thank you."

"Thank your daughter," Oliver protested as they both stood up, Castle still a bit shaky. "She's the one who got in touch with me, sent me over here."

Castle blinked, impressed. "That's my girl," he whispered. He spotted his mask and utility belt, and went to grab them. "It wasn't the Count."

"What?" Oliver demanded.

"I found him in one of these rooms," Castle explained. "The guy's out of it. The doctor told me he reverse-engineered the compound. The Count had nothing to do with this."

"He created Vertigo in the first place," Oliver countered. "People are dead because of him. And he has to pay."

Castle frowned as Oliver walked away. That was when he saw the orderly's body. The writer could easily guess what happened to the doctor. "Dammit," he whispered. While he was relieved his secret identity was safe again, he couldn't help regret what Oliver had done to save him. Pulling his mask on, he followed Oliver, albeit much slower as his body was still reacting to the Vertigo antidote.

"-memory not what it once was," the Count was saying. Batman supported himself against the doorway, relieved that the Hood hadn't killed the drug dealer yet. "Nothing what it once was."

From the corner of his eye, Oliver could see Batman standing there. What surprised him the most was that the other vigilante, who was so opposed to killing, didn't make any moves to fight. He wasn't arguing with Oliver about 'being better' and 'there being another way.' He stood silently, but Oliver could sense the man's imposing nature. The Batman was a force, and knowing that it was a writer under the mask didn't lessen his presence.

Knowing he was a father only strengthened it.

Clenching his jaw, the Hood armed his bow, aiming it at the Count. Batman watched as the restrained man leaned forward. "Is there a name on the gravestone? No… It's new. Clean. And waiting."

Oliver stood there, trying to release the arrow, trying to kill the Count. His body twitched with the hate he held for the man. He swallow in frustrated once he realized that he couldn't do it. He removed the arrow, replacing it in his quiver. Most of all, he tried to ignore the way that Batman seemed to stand straighter, an approving nod being sent the billionaire's way. "We're done here," the Hood stated. "Let's go."

"I have to look into some deterrents of some sort," Castle commented, studying his cowl. "Something to prevent people from taking this off."

"Considering you've been at this for years, I'm guessing that it's the first time this has happened to you?" Oliver said.

"First time for everything," Castle confirmed. "You know, you should really look into getting a mask for yourself. That grease paint doesn't really help hide your identity. I know a guy."

Oliver looked at him. "You know a guy?"

"What, you think I built all this myself?" Castle scoffed. He smiled, shaking his head. "I'm a writer, not an engineer. I can get by with small tweaks and adjustments, but other than that? Way beyond my skill set."

"Thanks, but I'm good," Oliver replied. "A mask would only impair my vision and affect my accuracy."

The two were standing on one of Manhattan's rooftops, not too far from the asylum, the moon being the only source of light they had. Batman had yet to call the NYPD, still unsure what to tell them. Yes, the Hood had killed Gregory Smith, the doctor, and the orderly; at the same time, he had saved Castle's life and hadn't killed the Count. The writer wasn't sure what to make of that.

"Thanks again," Castle said. "For saving my life."

"I lost my father," Oliver replied stiffly, the subject obviously unpleasant for him. "I wasn't going to let a young girl lose hers."

"So the Hood does have a heart," Castle joked. "Good to know." Oliver's lips quirked slightly, so the writer counted it as a win. The billionaire seemed so stiff, not at all what the press portrayed him to be. "What are you going to do now?" he asked after a moment.

"Go back to Starling City," Oliver answered with a shrug. "Keep doing what I'm doing."

Castle frowned. "Killing?"

"I am a murderer," Oliver said, quoting Batman's words. "Remember?" He wouldn't admit it, but Oliver was jealous of the working relationship Batman had with the NYPD. It must've been reassuring to know that the police weren't going to try to arrest you every time the mask came on. Granted, killing wouldn't help the Hood's case, but Oliver would do what he had to in order to save Starling City.

"Then why isn't the Count dead?" Castle challenged. "I mean, it must've been tempting; the opportunity to stop him for good."

"People change," Oliver replied. "Not too long ago, I would've put that guy down for good. But looking at him today, all vacant…" He shrugged. "There didn't seem to be a point."

Well, that's a start, Castle thought to himself. "What about guys like Gregory Smith? The doctor and the orderly from Arkham? I'm going to have a lot to explain to the NYPD."

"The system is broken," Oliver insisted, "and people like that are just cycling in and out of prison and institutions."

Castle could see where the archer was coming from. It was a frustrating part of the job, but part of the job nonetheless. "I guess we'll have to agree to disagree then," he stated slowly. Oliver looked at him, realizing the meaning behind the writer's words. He nodded once in thanks, and they returned to silence.

"There's one thing I have to ask," Oliver started. "How does a best-selling novelist become a vigilante?" Castle chuckled humorlessly.

"Probably the same way a billionaire playboy does," he answered, seriousness filling his eyes. "Life happened." Oliver flinched at that; it was true. Life did happen, and in the most severe way possible. "The only thing that keeps me from crossing the line is my family. The people close to me. They keep me grounded. They keep me from going over the edge. Oliver, I can't begin to imagine what those five years were like for you, but letting people isn't a weakness. It's a strength."

Oliver stiffened, staring straight ahead. "Like I said before," he finally replied. "You do things your way, and I'll do things my way." Expecting that kind of response, Castle merely nodded. "Well, Mr. Castle," Oliver continued, "I guess this is goodbye."

"Oh, I wouldn't be too sure about that," Castle countered, shaking Oliver's hand. "I have a feeling we'll be seeing each other again. Hopefully, I won't have to kick your ass again."

Oliver chuckled at that. "That's how it is?"

"That is most definitely how it is," Castle assured, grinning. "Seriously, though. If you need anything, you know how to get in touch." With that, the writer turned and began to walk away.

The billionaire vigilante hesitated before giving into his curiosity. "How do you know I won't reveal your identity?" he asked. Castle stopped walking, turning to look back at the younger man.

He pulled his mask back on as he replied, "Same way you know I won't reveal yours." Taking out the Bat-Claw, he fired it and flew off into the night.

"Oh, you're still alive," Felicity commented in relief, when Oliver arrived back to Starling City.

"I'm guessing you didn't run into Batman then," Diggle mused. Both Diggle and Felicity were surprised when Oliver smirked. "Oliver, please tell me you did not kill the Batman."

Sending Diggle a frown, Oliver shook his head. "No… no, actually I did the opposite," he answered. "I saved his life. I think that's probably why he didn't try to arrest me."

"And the Count?" Felicity wondered. "We've been watching the news, waiting for a report on him."

"Still alive," Oliver stated, "and extremely out of it. It was a doctor at the asylum who was producing Vertigo."

"You let the Count live?" Diggle questioned, a proud sort of disbelief in his eyes.

Oliver sighed. "He can't hurt anyone anymore. There was no point in killing him."

"Maybe that's the reason why Batman let you go," Diggle suggested. "Maybe he thinks you can change. Do things differently."

"So, are you two like… friends now?" Felicity asked.

"That is an excellent question," Oliver replied truthfully. "He knows who I am, and I know who he is. I'm not sure how much farther it'll go."

"Speaking of friends," Diggle said, "Tommy's upstairs in the manager's office. He said he wanted to talk once you got back."

Oliver nodded in thanks, heading back upstairs to the club. Tommy had his back while Oliver was away the last few days, and the vigilante was grateful. Things had been rough between the best friends; Oliver hoped that maybe they could move past this and go back to being friends. As much as Oliver pushed people away, he couldn't deny that he hated being at odds with his loved ones.

Part of the job, Oliver told himself. Although, Castle had mentioned being close to his family, despite his nightly activities. And it was his daughter who called me… How could the writer be so close to his family, and be the Batman as well? Oliver frowned, but pushed the thought aside. Right now, as he walked into the manager's office, he had to focus on fixing the problem between him and Tommy.

Tommy spoke before Oliver had the chance to open his mouth. "There better be something you want to say to me," he stated, glaring at Oliver. The vigilante paused mid-step, taken aback at his friend's tone.

"Yeah," Oliver replied. "Yeah, I came by to say thank you. Felicity told me what you did, and I-"

"How did it go in New York?" Tommy interrupted. "Did the Hood get his man?"

Oliver winced at that. "Well, uh… We won't be having problems with Vertigo anymore," he answered honestly. Silence hung in the air, making Oliver shift uncomfortably. "Tommy, what's going on?"

"This club is important to me," Tommy said. "To you? It's just a front. I bribed a city inspector to keep your little lair hidden! I had to lie to the police, to Laurel, so I could protect you and your secret!"

"Tommy-"

"Let me finish," Tommy snapped harshly, surprising Oliver. "You want me to keep your secret, to help you be this thing that you've become… but you refuse to see me for what I've become."

"I've been gone for five years, Tommy," Oliver argued. "The last time I saw you, you played hard," he continued, getting angry. "You were hanging out with bad people doing bad things-"

"Yeah, and so were you!" Tommy hissed. "But I've changed… and you have too. Now you put arrows in people who do illegal things. The last time I checked, bribing a city inspector was not legal."

Oliver felt his stomach clench at those words. "You actually think that I could hurt you?" he asked softly.

"Truthfully, I don't know what you are capable of anymore," Tommy answered. "You are a complete mystery to me. I don't know how you find it so easy to kill people," Tommy said. "So the next time you decide to think the worst of me, imagine what I now think of you." He turned around, walking away. "We're done, Oliver," he declared. "And I quit."

He would never admit it to Oliver, but finally meeting the Hood face to face had struck Castle with inspiration. He created a new character, a criminal simply seeking for redemption. Castle wasn't sure if this character would make it to the final draft, but at least he was writing again.

It was mid-morning, so Alexis and Martha would be waking up soon. He himself had been unable to sleep since returning sometime around 3 AM. After calling the NYPD, he made himself scarce and let them handle it. He couldn't, nor did he want to, hide the fact that the Hood killed two people that night. However, the Batman made sure to inform the officer in charge of the scene that it was done in self-defense. It wasn't the exact truth, but it would be better for Oliver if he ever got caught.

And hopefully he'll stop killing…

His phone began to ring. Finishing up a sentence, Castle grabbed blindly at his phone, placing it between his ear and shoulder. "Castle," he greeted.

"Hey."

The writer sat up straighter, grabbing the phone with his hand as his eyes widened. "Beckett?" He hesitated, considering his words carefully. "How are you?"

There was a pause. "Better," Beckett replied. "I'm actually surprised you haven't tried to weasel your way back into the precinct."

Castle huffed. "I didn't think you would appreciate that," he admitted.

"Well, I appreciate you respecting my space," Beckett thanked. "I needed time," she added. "I buried this case, and my feelings about it, a long time ago… I moved on." Castle heard her let out heavy sigh. "At least, I thought I did."

"Beckett?" Castle questioned.

"I realized that the only reason why I stopped investigating was because I didn't have any new leads," she explained. "No new angles. No new witnesses. I was dead in the water with this case… Now, I have something to work with. I'm still angry with you, Castle," Beckett warned. "You broke my trust."

"And I will do whatever it takes to make it up to you," Castle promised. "But if you want me out of your life, if you don't want me to come back to the precinct… I understand. I won't try to force my way back in."

Silence answered him. Despite his words, Castle hoped with all his being that Beckett would forgive him and accept him back at the Twelfth. He had grown to love working with Beckett and the boys, and honestly enjoyed what the four of them did together. They were a good team, and Castle worried he might have ruined something good.

They'll be fine without me, Castle thought to himself. They worked well before I showed up; they'll keep doing good work if I'm not there.

"Take the rest of the summer off, Castle," Beckett finally said. "I'll see you in the fall."

Castle felt his shoulders drop, his tension gone and relief filling him. "Sounds good to me," he replied. "I'll see you in the fall, Beckett." Both of them hung up, a heavy weight lifting off them.

Setting his phone aside, Castle leaned back in his chair, rubbing a hand over his face. He glanced at the hidden door and stood up, heading down to the lair. Reaching the main desk, he reached for the green arrow sitting there. Fiddling with it, Castle wondered how this had become his life. Fighting crime, working with the NYPD – both with and without a mask – and now dealing with other vigilantes.

With a huff, he stood up, walking over to his evidence locker. It was a fairly large metal container, with multiple drawers and compartments. Opening the one he had designated for the Hood, Castle placed the arrow next to Oliver's blood sample, and shut it close.

Having some time to kill before facing the reality of the new day, he opened a larger drawer, containing evidence from some still unsolved cases. Castle glanced at the joker card Montgomery had given Batman, sealed in an evidence bag, as he grabbed the newest present Riddler had left behind for him. For a moment, Castle considered looking into that case instead, but decided against it. Edward Nygma was a bigger threat.

After all, some guy who left joker cards behind as his calling card couldn't really be taken seriously.

That's it, everyone. That's the end of World's Greatest Detective: Genesis. We made it! A huge thank you to everyone who read. More thanks to those who reviewed and favorited. I didn't think people would like this series, but you do and it makes me extremely happy. So thank you, thank you, thank you!

I'll be working on the next story The Dark Knight for the next month or so. I'm hoping to have it all done before I begin posting, so I can give you consistent updates. I'm looking at posting towards the middle of September, but it may be a bit later. Keep your eyes open for it!

Thanks again everyone for your love and support.

Katrina