Of Theories And Psychopaths

A.N.: I really don't know what this is, or how to explain this. I think that the possibility of a "guy in 8B" ever showing up was always tempting me to do something with the idea. And I just wanted to add a case that could have a hard impact on everyone. Oh, and the paragraph about his next book was inspired by me wanting more interesting murders on "Castle". Less love-y, more murder-ey, please.
(I'm weird, I know.)

Castle connects the dots.

The MO is different, yes. And the victim is different - even though she kind of wishes it was the same and that this happened all those years before because this girl reminds her of Alexis a bit too much - and the whole fucking place is just different so why couldn't they just get some different psychopath - or maybe not a psychopath at all - than this idiot that just seemed to kill any random girl that didn't give him a second glance.

But it's the theory of "the guy in 8B" and it came to life in front of their eyes and she just really wishes it fucking didn't.

If it was any other one of his theories that decided to come to life, detective Kate Beckett is fairly certain that Castle would've been out of this world with his enthusiasm. But it's "the guy in 8B" and - as Castle says - he once tried to write about him, but when it came to writing the victim, she just kept coming out as the spitting image of Alexis and after he grounded her for absolutely no reason, he deleted the file.

Castle takes a better look at the girl. He shakes his head in realisation, "Clara-"

She turns to him, "Castle?"

He kneels next to the girl, "Fuck.", he sighs, "She i- um, was Alexis' friend. I just saw her on Friday.", he says and she swears under her breath. He looks up at her, his eyes broken, "How am I going to tell her?"

(Because, eventually, "the guy in 8B" had to show up.)

Detective Beckett doesn't really give a fuck about prisoner's rights anymore, because shit just got personal.

The idiot opens his shitty mouth the moment she walks in. "I didn't hurt h-"

"It was a game, wasn't it?"

"Wha-"

"Figure out her schedule; when does she do her laundry? When is she alone?"

"N-"

"Why did you kill her, huh? Was it because she just wouldn't notice you? Because she was young, beautiful; the kind of girl a guy like you would never have a chance with?", she doesn't really care if she's quoting Castle. Getting on this guy's last fucking nerve is the only thing she wants.

He leans in, "No.", but his eyes gleam with some kind of happiness - or is it satisfaction? - and she knows he's just another fucking liar.

His lips twitch with a smile.

That's a good enough confession for her.

(They have to drag her out.)

Richard Castle holds his daughter as she falls apart.

"She was my friend, dad. My friend."

He kisses her temple, "I know, sweetie."

"My friend."

She screams and suddenly, this isn't just a funeral. It's kind of like the end of everything he knew, because no matter what, his little girl just won't be that little anymore - even though she wasn't little for a long time - and this was her friend.

He'll put this in his next book, he decides. Not to sell more copies, or to make his publisher happy, but because murder isn't really as lighthearted as it was in his other books. And it isn't always about the sexy detective and a ruggedly handsome writer getting together; it's about the people that die and the ones that don't.

He'll put this in his next book, he decides. His last book.

(Not like he ever had to work a day in his life, anyway.)

Because, eventually, a psychopath gets bored of not being noticed. And a "guy in 8B" had to show up.