"You tell me what I need to know, one pro to another, and I'll put a bullet in your brain. You don't, you jerk me around, and you'll be begging me to before this night is up."

Esposito looked at his partner. They made a silent agreement, and he turned back to the killer. "I'm gonna have to go with option B."

Ryan nodded slowly. "Oh yeah. We're definitely gonna jerk you around."

Javier couldn't just watch. "OKAY!"

Kevin gasped as his head was yanked out of the water. "Don't tell this jackhole anything."

"I'm sorry bro, I can't watch this. Listen to me. You're too late. The cops already know about…" Javier paused. "Me and your mum." Ryan laughed, and Javier grinned at him.

The killer flicked his eyes to Ryan. "Shoot out one of his kneecaps."

"NO! NO! You CAN'T!"

When the paramedics left, when Beckett and Castle were doing their own thing, and when they were back in the familiar comfort of Esposito's home, he didn't know what to say.

He looked a Ryan, wrapped in a blanket, hair still wet from the icy water.

He started with the obvious.

"I'm sorry."

Ryan gave a weak laugh. Esposito knew his throat must hurt like a bitch. "For what?"

"Nearly getting your leg blown off."

"Just a knee, man. And it didn't happen, anyway."

Esposito tightened his lips, brow furrowing. "I'm your partner. I shouldn't have done something stupid like that. If that guy had shot a second earlier, you be in surgery right now."

"But he didn't. You're a good partner, Javier. I know you've got my back."

"I keep seeing your face-"

"-I was scared as hell. But I don't blame you. I blame the bastard who's now going to jail."

"I kept thinking, Kevin, while you were in the water, that we were both going to die."

"But we didn't die."

Esposito kept talking. "There was just one thing that I wanted to do, when I realized this. I told myself, if I had just a few hours left, then before I died I should tell you something." He took a breath, leaning closer to his partner, and looked at Kevin for some sort of confirmation. Kevin's face was unreadable.

Screw it.

Javier leant that final distance and kissed Kevin.

Oh Mary, Mother of Jesus, Javier thought. He put his arms around Kevin, pulling him closer and closer, and Kevin's arms were around his waist and my God, he can kiss.

Yeah, not so happy with this one ~