The Coming Future (A Castle Fanfiction)

Part Eleven: Healing and Death

Carpenter and Harris had helped Addison up to stand, but her leg seemed seriously mangled. Her calf and knee were shredded with cuts varying in length and depth and he thigh was wrecked with offal bruising. Burns had suggested taking her to the hospital, but that had sent fear deep into Addison's heart and during her struggle and fit to say no, she'd fallen back to the ground and stayed there. Ryan had tried to reason with her, but that seemed impossible. Kaylin finally took him and the other men inside and allowed Burns to do what she could. From the blood soaked pavement where the two sat together, Melissa asked, "Do you remember me?"

Addie nodded, "Teen mom, you became a cop to survive. How is Sophie?"

"Rambunctious. We just left her upstairs so that we could go find- well- so that we could go find you," Burns replied. She then stated the obvious, "We didn't think we'd find you on our steps with your leg in the state it's in and your shirt covered in fake blood."

Addison quickly switched topics, "Where is Maddie?"

This sparked more curiosity in Burns than a simple question would. The way she said it sounded more concerned than someone who just met the girl, even in their situation. "Addison, did you know Maddie before this?"

Looking up at the detective, being grateful for the not descriptive pronoun, she replied, "In grade school, yes. We were best friends." She was still in shock. It was more than apparently obvious, it was written all over her terrified face, clenched hands and tight posture. she didn't even trust the single detective enough to be comfortable with being close to her at all. This was all something Burns was much too familiar with, having seen it in too many trauma cases. No matter what happened anymore, Addison would be much harder to reach than Maddie was because she didn't have a relationship with any of them. She repeated her question before Melissa could say anything, "Where's Maddie?"

Melissa looked into the child's tormented, sunken eyes. Her body had started to become emaciated and it seemed as though she'd not slept in days. Telling her that Maddie was being treated for a deadly toxin which could kill her at any minute was not the best idea. Instead she replied vaguely, "She's with Detective Beckett and Mr. Castle."

Addie smiled. "Good. She's with family."

"So you knew about her father?" Melissa asked, just to get off stay on topic without staying absolutely on top of it.

Addison shrugged, "She never told me, but the bruising said more than her words ever could. We danced together. I saw everything through her tights and leotard."

"You danced?" Melissa asked to show personal interest and distract the girl with happier times. In most situations, any kid would have either smiled out of embarrassment, joy or laughed at themselves for ever doing something that was so unlike they were now. Instead of this, though, Addison's face didn't budge but her head dropped as she stared at her lap. Her soft confirmation seemed meaningless for the girl and helped neither of them. "Addie, I have to ask this because I'm a cop and I need to know, but I also want you to know that I care about you and I can't help you unless you answer this question."

Burns got an answer before she asked. "I don't remember anything. All I remember is that suite and holding Maddie after he hit her in the head and she passed out. that and his hideous smile and blood thirsty eyes."

Melissa jumped at this. "He took off his mask for you?"

"Yeah," Addison let out in a breathy, pain filled laugh. "And that's the last time I remember not being in pain. I think he might have drugged me because there are times when I swear he roared like different big cats when he spoke and didn't use words." She was strong. Even for as young as she was, Addison was strong. Almost exactly like Beckett had been until recently according to rumors and exaggerations in the precincts.