new york wolves } { of returned hostages and contained anger

[impetere]

Castle: [runs into Espo on his way back after finding nothing but the rig that they probably had Cora chained to, but no other evidence that people were there] Hey. Something happen with the case?

Esposito: Can't really talk about it right now. Ryan and I are working on something else.

Castle: Oooh, secret case. How very clandestine. Anything fun?

Esposito: Not a secret. Just... sensitive.

Castle: Right. Well, I was just going to ... [his voice trails off as a strange van pulls up to the curb. The door opens and a dark haired bundle is dumped onto the sidewalk in front of the precinct. Castle blinks for a moment before he realizes who it is] ... Oh my God. [and he's rushing forward without even thinking]

Esposito: [turns to see and with just the van alone] Hey, NYPD! Stop! [he's pulling out his gun to go and shoot out tires because he knows that they probably aren't going to stop]

Castle: [nope, they're not, the van keeps driving, probably speeding. Castle drops down on his knees next to the twitching form, and his stomach drops when he gets a look at her face] Cora? Cora, sweetheart? Look at me.

Cora: [her eyes blink open, trying to get control of her body, and when she sees Castle her eyes widen, hands coming up to claw at his shoulders in panic]

Castle: It's alright, it's alright. You're safe. [he pulls back just enough to slide off his jacket and wrap it around her shoulders, pulling her in close. It's a second after that that she bursts into tears]

Esposito: [and he's on his hip walkie, calling it in the best he can] Get her inside, Castle. Flack's office.

Castle: [nods and scoops her up, cutting through the crowd and making his way into the bullpen. Cora buries her face in Castle's shoulder, trying to pull herself back together.]

Esposito: [goes to run interference because Derek and Beckett are not that far away in the interrogation room. He's also texting Laura that she needs to get to the station]

Castle: [slips into Flack's office and sits on the couch with her, but doesn't close the door all the way. She's still twitching, her body still confused with the electric impulses, but she burrows into his shoulder] What's going on? [that's directed to Flack, who is coming around his desk]

Flack: Is she alright? Does she need a doctor?

Castle: I'm not sure. I don't think they see the same doctors we do. [so yeah, Castle knows]

Cora: [manages to shake her head, fingers tight in the material of Castle's shirt] No doctors.

Esposito: [goes to see Ryan and tell him what's going on, and then knocks on the interrogation window in a code Beckett would know is him]

Beckett: [glances to the door and gets up from the table] Excuse me. [and with that she'll head out the door, closing it behind her] What's up?

Esposito: The vic in my case just got dumped here and Flack's handing it. [his eyes flick towards Derek] May want to take your time in here, stay a bit to avoid some of the chaos.

Beckett: [nods] They alright?

Esposito: [shakes his head] But safe, for now. That's what matters in the short term.

Beckett: [nods] Let me know if you need me.

Esposito: Will do. [and he's going to step back out and head to Flack's office]

Flack: Alright, sweetheart. No doctors. But when Detective Esposito gets back in here, think you can tell him what you remember?

Cora: [nods shakily as the shaking slowly starts to ebb]

Esposito: [comes in, shutting the door behind him] Alright, Laura's on her way and the interrogation is going to be lengthened a bit longer. [looks at Cora] You must be Cora. Sorry that this is the first time we're meeting. I'm Detective Esposito.

Cora: [she gives a bit of a shrug] It-it happens.

Esposito: Your sister is on her way. You want to tell me what happened though? The faster I know who I'm going after, the faster we can get them behind bars.

Cora: Kate Argent. [the words are soft, but she doesn't falter] I didn't know the others but I knew her. She made sure I did.

Esposito: That's who your sister though it was. [looks at Flack] We're running her cell and financials now to get a track on her.

Cora: [nods slowly before] Where's my brother?

Esposito: Working on another case. He'll be here when he's done. Do you know why this woman took you?

Cora: Yes. [but she can't tell you]

Esposito: I know she's the one your sister thinks set the fire at your house. Trust me, you can tell me.

Cora: [her eyes waver a bit because she wants to but she can't. Castle's hand rubs her back gently, and she goes with the one she can say] She wants to hurt Derek.

Esposito: [presses his lips into a thin line] Well, we aren't going to let her. He's one of us, and we take care of our own.

Laura: [Cora nods a bit and the door to Flack's office opens and Laura is there, with Nik looming behind her, and Laura cuts across the room to pull her sister into a hug] Thank God, you're okay.

Esposito: [looks up at Nik, sizing him up a bit before going to stand next to Flack and talk to him a second] You called the paramedics right to come look at her?

Laura: We have a family doctor, we'll take her there. You don't need to.

Flack: [glances up at him, before shaking his head] She said no doctors. I was trying to keep her comfortable.

Nik: [just looms, eyeing Espo in return. he's just there to protect Laura and Cora, nothing else]

Esposito: Yeah, but if she's been electrocuted.. She needs the ER, not a pediatrician...

Cora: [shakes her head] No doctors.

Nik: Marcus has a state of the art facility. He can do whatever the ER can, sans the wait time. She'll be fine.

Laura: [glances back to him with a small smile] She'll be okay. Really. [and there is so much gratitude on her face she's hoping he doesn't try to poke too far into the lies that aren't quite lies.]

Esposito: Alright, but I still need to know what this woman meant by... what she said. Do you remember anything else, Cora? Conversations she had with the other people? Where you were?

Cora: It was a warehouse. I was ... kind of out of it. There were three other people and they were ... big, but I can't remember their faces. They might have been wearing masks.

Esposito: Did they say anything else beyond that they wanted to hurt your brother?

Cora: [looks at Laura, as though to try and tell her what to do and how much she can say] Nothing worth repeating.

Esposito: [nope, he knows you're hiding something, Cora. He's a detective, after all. He just looks at Laura because he needs to know to be able to figure out this woman's motive.]

Laura: [takes a deep breath, because she wanted to give Derek the chance to do this, but it looks like she doesn't have a choice. she turns to face him before taking his arm and pulling him away from her sister, so that Castle can take over and his disbelief doesn't put her under more stress. She swallows and closes her eyes] Kate comes after my family because of what we are.

Esposito: ..... What do you mean what you are?

Laura: [exhales slowly] We're werewolves.

Esposito: .... The whole family?

Laura: [not ... the reaction she was expecting but she'll take it. She nods] Have been for generations. The Argents are hunters.

Esposito: [crosses his arms, nodding] So you're born, not bitten. That explains... a lot actually…about your brother.

Laura: I have a bitten beta, but he's new. Kate shouldn't know about him, and he's not leaving my or Peter's sight for now.

Esposito: One of my team in Iraq was a bitten. He and I got pinned down - guy ended up taking fire to help me finish a sniper shot. He explained about it to keep me from freaking out when I thought he was bleeding out from gunshots and then started healing in front of my eyes

Laura: [nods slowly] Good to know. How much did he tell you?

Esposito: He called it werewolf 101. When we got back, he got shipped back to the states so I couldn't ask anything more. I know there are some wolves in the city but I figured people would think I was crazy talking about it.

Laura: There are a couple packs, actually, but we can talk about that later.

Esposito: Yeah, later we apparently need to have a long talk. Think your sister will tell me what's going on now?

Laura: [nods, before glancing to Cora]

Cora: [sags a bit against Castle before nodding] She grabbed me when I was heading out to see my boyfriend. Hit me with one of these lightsaber wands they have and shoved me in the van. Next thing I know she has me chained up on a chain link fence and was using the electricity to mess with me. She used wolfsbane too.

Esposito: Did you think she was going to kill you, Cora, or was she using you to send a message?

Cora: [shakes her head] She wants me to tell Derek she says hi.

Esposito: This is why you wanted to keep him out of this. Because this is really aimed at him, isn't it?

Laura: [nods] Kate ... is obsessed with him. And if he ever sees her again, he'll kill her.

Esposito: [rubs his eyes and looks at Flack because not only were they dealing with this on Kate, but now with Derek too] Is this why they work so well together?

Flack: [holds out his hands in a "pretty much" gesture] She's not homicidal, but yeah.

Esposito: But Derek is.

Flack: [sighs] Derek has a lot of anger he never really processed. It's not so much intentionally looking to kill someone, but if he snaps ... it might not end well.

Esposito: I take it you're going to be wanting to break the news to him then.

Flack: [nods] And Cora can't be here. He sees her like this, it's over, and I'm not entirely convinced the penthouse is safe.

Castle: She can stay with me. Secure building, put a detail on it - you've done it before.

Laura: [considers for a moment, before glancing back to Nik]

Nik: [shakes his head] Not with us. I don't think anywhere werewolf is safe right now. With humans may be the best thing for her.

Laura: [nods in agreement] Okay. Fine. I'll send Stiles over too - I want him out of the line of fire.

Castle: [blinks ... frowns ... glances down to Cora]

Cora: Long story. Tell you later.

Esposito: [looks past her at the window] If you're getting her out, you better move quick. That was their suspect walking out with his lawyer.

Flack: [gets up and moves towards the door] I'll stall. Sneak her out the back.

Esposito: Castle, get here. I'll show you the door. [And they sneak out like sneaky people but will Derek smell it all anyway?]

Cora: [probably, his sister is a big pile of fear and stress and she's not good at hiding it]

Derek: [so yeah, he'll be in the hallway with Kate talking about the things that they were able to get out of the suspect]

Flack: [comes up and gives them both a small smile, before looking to Derek] Can I talk to you for a sec?

Derek: Yeah, sure. [is confused, but goes to walk over to Flack]

Flack: [pulls him into interrogation] Did Beckett tell you about the case I had Ryan and Espo working on?

Derek: Not much. Something about a snatch and grab.

Flack: It was your sister.

Derek: [and all the color just drains out of his face] Which one?

Flack: Cora. But she's safe. We got her back, and Castle is taking her back to his place for safe keeping.

Derek: I need to see her. [and he's going to try and move past his commanding officer]

Flack: [will put his hand on his shoulder to stop him because there's more he needs to know] The person who took her was Kate Argent.

Derek: [and for probably the first time in a long time or... maybe ever, Flack will get to see Derek's eyes flash] What?

Flack: She's coming for you, Derek. Which means I need you to be smart about this and not run off half-cocked.

Derek: So what... are you putting me into protective custody?

Flack: It means I need you to make a choice. I can say that you're too close to this and tell you to go home with Castle and be with your sister. But if you think you can keep it together, listen to Esposito and work this case without losing it? You can stay. [he's trusting you, Derek. He's warned Esposito about Derek's situation and he'll let him make the choice himself - he feels like it will get better results that way]

Derek: [he turns away to plant his hands on the wall, taking a deep breath as he worked to focus and tamper his anger down. He wanted to find Kate and rip her to pieces... but he was old enough to know what's what Kate wanted.] I'll work with Epso. [but he can't make any promises that he won't shoot]

Flack: [nods slowly] Espo knows what you are, and about your history with her. Laura told him. So he gives me any sign you're stepping out of line, I will bench you. Got it?

Derek: [the look is deadly, a very angry predator but he nods] Yes, sir.

Flack: Good. Take an hour, go see Cora, clear your head and come back.

Derek: [and he's going to go, not even saying goodbye to Beckett and just heading out of the station towards the Castle loft]

Cora: [is bundled up in one of the guest rooms, burrowing into the blankets with familiar scents. She knows Stiles is coming but he's not there yet, so for right now, she's just trying to stop the twitching that hasn't quite gone away yet]

Derek: [and he's going to talk his way into the room, going to the bedside and sitting next to it] Cora?

Cora: [jerks up at the sound of his voice and looks at him with big relieved eyes] You're okay?

Derek: I should be asking you that. [reaches over and pets the back of her head]

Cora: [turns into his hand a bit before reaching up to pull him closer. she is all about the snuggling right now] I'm okay.

Derek: [he will curl down around her, hugging her close] I'm so sorry, Cora.

Cora: [closes her eyes as she settles in, just glad that he's there. she feels twice as safe] It's not your fault she's insane.

Derek: No, I know it's not my fault for that. [but he was the one who dated her. Who had loved her. had let her get too close]

Cora: [yeah, and she fell in love with a boy with a broken brain. They can't help who they love] It's not your fault for the other stuff either.

Derek: [he pulled back to look at her, confused before his face softened as he stroked the back of her head] It's always going to be my fault. [for the big thing]

Cora: No, it's not. You didn't know what she'd do.

Derek: [goes back to just holding her a moment] I'm going to find her and make her pay, Cora. I promise.

Cora: Just be careful. I don't want to lose you too.

Derek: This is why I became a cop, Cora. I know how to take care of this now. I'm going to make sure she gets everything coming to her.

Cora: [part of her is worried about what he means by that and what it will mean for Derek, but part of her doesn't really care at the moment. She just burrows into her brother's chest and lets that promise rest where it is]

Derek: [he'll stay there a moment, just holding her tight. But finally] I have to get back to work so we can find her. You stay here, and you make sure Stiles protects you. Boy needs to learn how to defend the pack.

Cora: [nods, pulling back and burrowing back into the blankets again] Come back. [don't let her kill you.]

Derek: [leans down and kisses her forehead] When it's over. I love you, kid.

Cora: Love you too.

Derek: [and he's going to head back to the station as Peter's there to drop off Stiles who goes off to the room that he can smell Cora in.] Peter.

Peter: Derek. Please do me a favor and keep your control. She's baiting you, wanting you to crack so she can slip in and take advantage of it.

Derek: I'm not going to let her get to me, Peter. I'm going to find her and arrest her, and make sure we get a confession for the fire so the Argents know we aren't going to just forget.

Peter: Just stay with your team. Please.

Derek: [nods, and then heads out to work while Peter goes off to find Castle to thank him]

Stiles: [and he's poking his head into the room that he smells Cora in] Cora?

Cora: [her head picks up at the sound of his voice, and she stares at him for a moment and all she can think of is to say] ... I'm sorry I was late.

Stiles: [he scoffs and just goes to sit on the bed with her, trying to find her in that bundle] Hey, no, it's fine. Not like you were planning on getting kidnapped or anything.

Cora: [she pulls back the blankets enough so that he could get in there with her, burying her face against his shoulder as she pulls him closer] I thought she was going to kill me. [and that's about all he gets before there are tears again]

Stiles: [yeah, he can smell the tears and something else making her smell different. It makes him want to cry too, but he pushes that back so he can just let her use him as a rock] But she didn't. You're here, you're here and I'm going to make sure she can't get you again.

Cora: [she clings to him as she lets it out, the last of the exhaustion and fear ebbing out of her as she takes in where she is. Who she's with. she's with Stiles and Stiles is safe and she's probably just going to cry until she passes out from exhaustion, finally feeling like she was in a place to get some rest]

Stiles: [and he's going to stay there, holding her, and only when he's sure she's asleep is he going to reach up and rub at his eyes, letting out the tears he had been holding back. But he has her and he's not letting her go]

Peter: [finally getting a moment with Castle] So you knew the whole time?

Castle: I ... picked up on bits and pieces. I've always been good with the details. And I noticed that when they were kids, Cora could never come over on the full moon.

Peter: [chuckles] We always forget just how observant you really are, Richard. Thank you for keeping her and Stiles in your care while we handle this.

Castle: Really, anything I can do to help. [he practically loves Cora like she's his own, and he's helped her through a lot. It only makes sense to keep helping her now] You guys are like family to us. This is the least I can do.

Peter: [there's a small smile there] The feeling is mutual. [he holds his hand out] Once upon a time, I wasn't sure we'd even be this lucky to have this kind of life after the fire. You're one of the reasons we were able to recover like this. We you more than you'll ever know.

Castle: [reaches forward and shakes his hand] It's been my pleasure.

Peter: [grins] Well, I need to get back to the penthouse and see if I can find my daughter to get her home next. Just call if you need anything.

Castle: I will. Be safe.

Peter: One of my primary goals at the moment. [and he will duck out and is going to make his way back to the penthouse slowly, keeping alert since he has more than one enemy in the city at the present time]

Castle: [and he will just settle in for a long evening of keeping an eye on Cora and Stiles. Eventually he will check on them to see if they want anything, but for right now he's just letting them have some time alone]