A/N1: Hello peoples and WELCOME to my first ever episode based one shot I have titled 'Decompressing'! Veritas was such an awesomely badass episode inspiration seized be by the figurative balls and demanded I write this little thIng (Actually it's not a little thing it's a few thousand words, but eh who's counting?) I wrote more words in the preceeding 24 hours that I did in the five weeks between chapters of my other WIP Dancing With Death (You should so totally check that out) I hope you like reading this as much as I enjoyed writing it, peace out!

It was over.

She had arrested Bracken.

The relief Kate felt as she rested in the arms of Castle on the steps of the senate building was indescribable. Fifteen years of emotional weight had lifted from her shoulders and she felt free.

Castle didn't say a word as he held her. He felt her lithe frame sag against him as the previous fifteen years of angst, worry, depression and anger leave her. They stayed like that in silence revelling in the relief until the pack of reporters and photographers that had been in Bracken's press conference and had followed him down the steps of the senate building spied Kate and rushed over to her surrounding her and Rick and disrupting their personal serenity.

"Detective, Detective, can you tell us what happened in there?"

"Chin up luv, give us a shot of ya face!" a photographer called showing an enormous Nikon in Kate's face.

"Did Senator Bracken really murder your mother?" another reporter called.

"Shit," Rick muttered as his eyes began to sting from the flash of the cameras. "C'mon, let's get out of here."

The media pack was so relentless in their pursuit of peppering Kate with questions it was impossible to navigate the way to the curb where a string of NYPD squad cars were lined up. Twice Rick stepped on the toes of one reporter and was about to snap at one photographer that wouldn't let up when a loud and familiar stern voice interrupted the mayhem.

"NYPD MOVE THE HELL OUT OF THE WAY OR I WILL FIND SOME REASON TO ARREST EACH AND EVERY ONE OF YOU!" barked Victoria Gates.

The group shrank back and Rick and Kate's eyes fell on their boss who ushered them forward to the squad car they had arrived in.

"Get in and let's get going," she urged the pair opening the back door for them as the media pack closed in on them again. "We'll talk on the way."

Castle pushed Kate into the car ahead of him then seamlessly slid in after pulling the door shut with a resounding thud. Gates rushed around to the driver's side and got in, swiftly fastening the seatbelt and starting the engine with a menacing roar. She reversed out, flicked the indicator on and turned on the sirens.

"Thanks...for rescuing us," Kate piped up a moment later her voice sounding tired and ragged.

"No problem," Gates replied as they zoomed off into traffic "You did very well today, Lieutenant, that was the epitome of professionalism and decorum. I'm proud of you."

"Thank you Sir."

"So am I," Castle murmured, pulling Kate close and nuzzling her brunette tresses affectionately. "I am so proud of you, Kate. You have no idea."

Kate smiled and snuggled further into his warm bulk as they continued back to the twelfth.

Only a few minutes later they arrived back at the precinct. Gates cut the sirens and drove into the parking garage to where the assigned parking for the homicide department was situated and cut the engine.

"How are you two feeling?" she asked kindly

"Overwhelmed to be honest," Kate replied honestly and as she unfastened her seatbelt. "It took so long to get to this day and now…well."

"I'll send you two home shortly but you'll have to do some official stuff first," Gates informed her apologetically. "I'm really sorry but IA want to talk to you after what happened in the hotel room."

"Is that really necessary?" Castle asked in annoyance. "Victoria, they've already put her through so much crap..."

"I know and I told them that but unfortunately when someone is shot with a service weapon and dies as a result there are procedures that need to be followed," Gates replied as they all got out of the car. "I tried to convince them to do it tomorrow but IA are all about procedure and want it done now. It's probably not going to be a pleasant experience but it'll give Kate a chance to stick it to Captain Donovan."

"Well I suppose that's a thing," Castle grumbled.

"Hey, I'll be fine," Kate assure him, giving his hand a squeeze. "Not the first time I've had to deal with IA."

"I know, it's just Donovan was such an ass to you, and pulled a gun on you in the precinct. I mean you of all people didn't deserve that. I don't think anyone should pull a gun in the precinct unless their personal safety is in danger and you weren't going after anyone. You were handcuffed and only wanted the elephants."

"He was just doing his job."

"I know."

"Have they found my forty yet?" Kate asked Gates as they headed toward the elevator.

"If they have they haven't told me," Victoria replied. "But IA keep things pretty close to their chest. I know there are search teams going to Bracken's house and office and to those of his known contacts so it might be recovered there."

"I won't hold out hope," Kate replied screwing up her nose in distaste.

"You really ought to get that looked at you know," Gates commented indicating to the wound on the side of her head as the elevator doors opened.

"I'm alright," Kate insisted at once as she stepped forward. "Bit of a headache but I'll live."

"It wasn't a suggestion, Lieutenant," Gates replied sternly. "Once you've finished everything here I want you to go and see your doctor. Then you're taking the rest of the week off. You get married in less than a week and you don't need any more stress in your life."

"Can't disagree with that," Castle said as Kate looked to him for support. "I did my best in cleaning it up, Kate, but it needs a professional hand. There could be glass splinters in the wound."

The female detective rolled her eyes. "Okay, I promise I'll go to the doctor on the way home," she assured her partner. "I'll even go to the hospital, or I might even ask Lanie to come to the loft. It'll be too late to go to see my own doctor by the time I've finished here."

The trio travelled in silence up to the fourth floor where the homicide department was situated, the doors opened with a metallic crunch to a buzzing bullpen. Several personnel were gathered around the two television sets hanging from the ceiling which were tuned to CNN and ABC who were giving a rolling coverage to the Bracken arrest. Karpowski noticed their return and called out to them.

"Castle! Beckett!"

Every single person on the floor snapped their heads toward the elevator as Gates led Castle and Kate forward.

"There is a lot to tell detectives but now is not the time," Gates announced firmly. "Lieutenant Beckett will inform you of what went on today only if she chooses. Until then, back to work!"

"I'll let you know what happened, okay Ros?" Kate said to Karpowski as she passed her colleague. "I have to talk to IA first."

"You're talking to those sons of bitches?" Karpowski asked in surprise. "After what they did? Donovan's an asshole."

"Well I don't want to but I have to," Kate replied. "I'll tell Donovan what I have to but I'll be difficult as I can about it. He can't take my badge or gun if I tell him what I need to tell him. Being difficult isn't a chargeable offence."

"What took you so long to get back?" Donovan snapped from the door of the. "Jesus Christ, I have a job to do."

"So does she," Gates snapped, swelling like a bullfrog at her colleague. "Lieutenant Beckett will be with you shortly but you are not to harass her. If I hear or see anything contrary to the standards of your position don't think I won't go straight to the Commissioner!"

"Ooooh buuuuuuurn," Someone muttered.

"You have five minutes," Donovan snarled.

"Well, he hasn't been laid in a while …" Castle quipped.

Kate couldn't help it and let out a snort of amusement.

"Coffee first?' Castle suggested and the buzz of chatter once again broke out.

"Yeah, I think I'll need it," Kate replied with a sigh allowing him to lead her into the break room.

Kate stuck close to Castle as he bustled around the espresso machine pressing the coffee into the filter, tamping it down and snapping it into position with a practiced hand.

"Where did you learn to make espresso?" Kate enquired in interest as he poured milk into the jug and began texturing it.

"In my last year of college," he replied. "There was a little café near NYU that I used to go to before I was old enough to go to the Old Haunt and write in the middle of the night. I became really good friends with Giancarlo the owner and one night he taught me to make espresso when I took a break. He said 'Richard, you're in here every night and buy more espresso than any other customer; it's time I taught you how to make real Italiano espresso!"

Kate smiled at her fiancé's Italian accent.

"After that I bought my own espresso machine and when I wasn't writing or studying I was perfecting my espresso skills," Castle continued. "I wasn't very good in the beginning, I burnt more milk than was decent but I got there in the end and now I like to think I make a pretty good latte."

Kate smiled.

"You do," she said softly, her stomach erupting in butterflies as she watched him pour the extracted coffee and vanilla syrup not her favourite NYPD mug. "What now Rick?"

The writer looked at his soon-to-be wife and his stomach fell as he saw her beautiful hazel eyes fill with tears. He set down the texturing jug and immediately enveloped her in his arms.

"We just take it one day at a time honey," he murmured. "But know this, you're safe. Nothing can ever hurt you like Bracken has again, alright? I'll kill them for even thinking of it."

"Don't do that I wouldn't want you to go to jail," Kate replied her voice muffled by the dip in his collarbone. "You've been by my side all this time, and I want that to continue."

"Always."

"Kate?" Gates inquired softly a few minutes later. "I'm really sorry but Donovan's getting antsy."

Kate lifted her head from Castle's chest and sighed. "Alright I'll be along in a minute," she answered picking up her mug.

"Victoria, can you go in with her?" Castle asked. "Please? Donovan won't try anything if you're in there. I'd do it but it'd only take one word from that asshole and I'd flip."

"No, you wouldn't." Kate said at once.

"I will go in," Gates replied. "I don't approve of Donovan's interrogation techniques and I want to make sure you're treated properly."

"Thank you," Castle replied with a relieved sigh.

"I'll be back soon," Kate informed her fiancé in barely a whisper as she dropped a lingering kiss on his lips. "Then we'll go home okay? I need to go and see Dad."

"Okay then…Kate?"

The female detective turned around.

"I love you."

"I love you too Rick."

Castle remained in the break room nursing a mug of coffee contemplating recent events when he was snapped out of his reverie by the break room door opening. His head snapped up and he saw Ryan and Esposito burst in.

"Please tell me booking went smoothly," he requested of his friends.

"As silk," Esposito replied at once. "The pissy little coward is shitting himself. We put him in with a wino coming off a night on cheap vodka and a coke addict going cold."

"The look on his face when we shoved him in holding was priceless," Ryan added gleefully. "Son of a bitch, he deserves every damn second of what he gets. L.T and Ann are watching him until he's picked up to go to Rikers."

Relief coursed through Castle's body and he sagged in his chair with a sigh. "Thank you," he told his friends gratefully. "Thank you for all your help in this case. For what you did for Kate, for me to help us nail Bracken. We wouldn't have been able to do it without you."

"Hey, what are friends for?" Esposito said. "What are partners for, huh?"

"We wanted to see him busted as much as you guys did," Ryan added.

"I think Kate might dispute that, but thanks for what you did for her," Castle continued. "You have known her longer than I have and have been with her every step of the way."

"That's what friends are for," Ryan declared. "That's what family is for; Ohana y'know? It means family and family means nobody gets left behind or forgotten."

"Bro did you just quote a Disney movie?" Esposito questioned in amusement.

"Yes and I don't care, it's true. Beckett and Castle are family," Ryan answered defiantly as his partner chuckled. "And you go the extra mile for family whether its blood or otherwise."

"True."

"So where's Beckett?" Esposito asked.

"In with IA, Donovan wants her version of what went on in the hotel room when she put bullets in Bracken's stooges," Castle replied.

"That son of a bitch wants what?" Esposito exclaimed angrily. "Like hell-"

"Espo, it's only procedure. She used her service weapon," Castle piped up grabbing the Latino detective's sleeve as he made to leave the room. "You know whenever anyone dies as a result of a GSW from a police issue firearm IA have to get involved. It was self defence and there's more than enough evidence to corroborate that. She's not going to lose her gun or her badge. Don't worry Gates is in with her, Donovan's not going to go overboard or Gates will flip her shit."

"If he tries anything I'll flip my shit." Esposito muttered darkly.

"Did he say anything in the car on the way to booking?" Castle asked Ryan once Esposito calmed down.

"One thing," the Irish detective replied. "He said "how did you do it? Esposito told him 'wouldn't you like to know?' it's driving him nuts not knowing how we broke the case open."

"Good, I hope it drives him mad," Castle replied sourly. "He deserves it after what he put Kate and by extension us through."

"Word."

An hour later the break room door opened and Kate walked back in her eyelids swollen and her eyes red, evidence she had been crying.

"What did that son of a bitch say to you?" Esposito asked firing up at once.

"Javi, not now!" Kate croaked as she dove into Castle's embrace. "Please?"

"Guys, can you give us a minute?" Castle asked his friends as Kate began to shake in his arms. "Please?"

With one concerned look Ryan and Esposito acquiesced to their friend's request and left the break room shutting the door behind them. Kate finally crumpled and collapsed against Castle and totally broke down, as the enormity of what had happened hit her. She sank to the floor and cried her whole body wracked with grief and relief. Castle drew her close and hugged her hard as she blubbered, heaved for breath and coughed, causing a lump to form in his own throat.

"Let it go," he whispered. "Let it go Kate, I've got you...let it go."

And she did. Kate cried so hard she began wheezing and hiccupping. Her nose ran, her and her eyes ran as she truly began letting go of the last fifteen years of emotional torture. Kate clutched at him as if afraid he was going to leave til moisture seeped through his shirt and singlet to his skin.

There was a furtive knock on the door several minutes later, just as Kate began to calm down and it opened and Victoria Gates poked her head around.

"Kate, go home," she ordered in a soft voice. "The precinct is not the place for you to be right now. Mr Castle, take her home."

"Kate c'mon...let's go," Castle murmured once Gates closed the door. "Let's go home."

The female detective allowed her fiancé to help her up. He took a cloth from the sink, dampened it and lovingly wiped her face clean.

"Feel better?" he asked softly.

"Y-y-yeah," she replied with a watery hiccup. "Th-thanks for that. I needed to purge."

"Purging is good," Castle replied.

Another knock came at the door and Esposito entered.

"You okay?" he asked in concern.

"Y-eah thanks Javi," Kate replied with a small smile.

The Latino detective reached into his pocket and pulled out a set of keys.

"Take my car home," he said giving the keys to his friend. "I know you came in a cab today..."

"I was thinking of taking one home," Castle began.

"You don't want to do that, there's a massive pack of paparazzi out the front of the precinct," Esposito replied. "There's no way you'll get a cab easily. The paps don't know what my SUV looks like. Take it back to the loft and I'll ring you later to pick it up. Maybe if you're feeling up to it we can head to the Old Haunt for a few drinks huh? You were badass today Beckett. I saw vision of the arrest on CNN. Your Momma would be proud of you."

Kate smiled and embraced her friend.

"Thank you Javi," she whispered. "For everything."

"No problemo."

"C'mon, let's head home," Castle urged his fiancée lacing his fingers through hers. "Call your Dad on the way."

In silence the pair left the break room and took the stairs down to the parking garage.

"Let me drive," Castle told her, gently prising Esposito's car keys from her. "Ring your Dad. You need to be with him."

Wordlessly Kate nodded and retrieved her iPhone from her pocket. She punched in her father's cell phone number and hit dial. Almost immediately Jim Beckett answered.

"Katie?" he exclaimed worriedly. "Katie is that you?"

"Yeah Dad it's me," Kate replied in a small voice as she and Castle reached Esposito's SUV. "Have you h-"

"Of course I have, it's all over the news," Jim replied. "Is it over?"

"Yeah Dad…it's over," Kate replied with a great shuddering sigh. "All over."

"I am so proud of you sweetheart," Jim informed his daughter in a thick voice. "So so proud of you."

"I don't know what to feel, Dad!" Kate squeaked as she climbed into the passenger seat and fastened her seatbelt. "I never thought it would be over, then we got a break and now it is."

"You don't need to know what to feel sweetheart," Jim advised his daughter sagely. "Is Rick with you?"

"Yeah, we're in Javi's car," Kate choked out. "Can we come over? I need to see you."

"Of course of course! I'll be home. See you soon, sweetheart. I love you."

"I love you too, Dad."

"Your Dad's?" Castle questioned as he looked over his shoulder and reversed.

"Yeah," Kate replied pulling her hood up and over her head and tucking her hair away. "Apart from you, he's the person I most need to be with. This is his day as much as mine."

Luckily Castle and Beckett managed to slip past the huge group of paparazzi outside the precinct and begin the journey to Jim's apartment. They arrived at the elder Beckett's home less than twenty minutes later and to the contrary managed to find a parking space in a little side street under a tree covered in little yellow flowers.

"How are you feeling?" Castle enquired cautiously as he cut the engine and pulled the keys out of the ignition.

"I'm still a mess," Kate confessed. "But that's not necessarily a bad thing, get me?"

"Yeah I do," the writer replied easily exiting the car. "You just need time, huh?"

"Pretty much."

Castle locked Esposito's car and made his way around the font where he once again slipped his hand into his fiancée's. She flashed him a dazzling smile and led him down the sidewalk and up the steps to the lobby of her father's apartment block.

"Hola Miz Kate!" a heavily accented voice called from the corner.

"Hey Jose, how are you?" the female detective replied to the doorman seated behind an ancient reception area. "The family?"

"The family good Miz Kate!"

Kate gave Juan a friendly wave then led Rick toward the elevator. They got in and travelled up to the fifth floor where Jim's apartment was.

"Shit, I left my handbag at the precinct!" she exclaimed patting her trouser pocket. "The keys were in it."

"Your Dad will let you in," Castle assured her. "I'll text Espo and ask him to bring it with him when he comes to pick up his car, okay?"

"Thanks."

Kate led Castle down the hallway to where apartment 18 was situated. She then lifted a fist and knocked smartly. There was a flurry of footsteps and a pause before the door was yanked open and Jim Beckett appeared. Wordlessly he opened his arms and Kate fell into them, once again breaking down. Jim just held his daughter close and comforted her, patting her back and stroking her hair which had come loose from the hood of her sweater. Castle steered them further into the spacious apartment and closed the door behind them. Standing back he watched as father and daughter held each other as the realisation the man who was responsible for taking their wife and mother from them had been arrested hit them.

"D'you feel up to telling me what happened, sweetheart?" Jim asked eventually. "How much of what is on the news true?"

"What are they saying?" Kate asked croakily as she led the two most important people in her life over to the couch.

"That you arrested Senator Bracken for conspiracy, fraud and the murder of your mother, there's also been mention of some drug dealing and money laundering..." Jim began. "And earlier today, you were a wanted woman for murder. I saw your picture on the news, then there was news. You were caught along with Rick, Kevin and Javier. What for? I actually had a bunch of officers that said they were from Internal Affairs come here, search the apartment and ask me where you were. I've been trying to get in contact with you all day..."

"Maybe I should make some popcorn..." Castle suggested, keen to lighten the mood.

"That good a story huh?" Jim asked in amusement.

Kate rolled her eyes and gave her husband-to-be a playful shove.

"Maybe not popcorn worthy, but it is a big story,' she confessed. "How much time do you have?"

"For you Kate, all the time in the world..."

"And then I just walked in, in the middle of his press conference," Kate finished off a couple of hours later. "I will never ever forget the look on his face, Dad. He genuinely never thought I would get him. But if it wasn't for Mom hiding that micro-cassette in the elephants she bought on your honeymoon and me having that dream when Rick and I were on the way to Canada, I would never have put two and two together and known where to look for believable evidence. It was there all along. Anytime in the last thirteen years I've been on the job I could've arrested Bracken. I had known."

"But you didn't," Jim cut in. "There's no way you could've known, Katie. As you said no one, not even the people you went to at the CIA or FBI could crack your mother's diary code. The time wasn't right til now. And better later than never."

"But..."

"But nothing," Jim declared firmly. "The time was right. Everything happens for a reason sweetheart. Your Mom used to say exactly the same. It's finally over and it's over because of you and I am so god-damned proud of you."

Kate blushed

"We all are," Rick piped up.

"Seems you had a big part in it too son," Jim said turning to address the writer directly.

"A bit, but in the end it was all Kate," Castle replied casting the brunette an adoring look. "I wasn't there when she made the arrest but I saw it on TV afterwards at the precinct and it was an awesome thing to watch."

"You two are partners though!" Jim exclaimed in surprise. "I thought you made all arrests together."

"Not this time," Castle replied, shifting in his seat so Kate could snuggle into him. "I decided this was an arrest she needed to make on her own."

"A bunch of uniforms escorted me into Bracken's offices and I escorted him down the steps to the squad car," Kate explained. "Ryan and Esposito took him back to the twelfth and saw him through booking. And now he's chilling with a hung over hooker and a detoxing crack addict. He should be in Rikers Island by midnight."

Jim exhaled loudly and flopped back on the couch, running his fingers through his grey hair.

"I can't believe it's all over," he said after a long and contemplative silence.

"Neither can I," Kate chimed in. "But it is and it's wonderful."

"Jim would you like to come back to the loft with Kate and I?" Rick invited. "We're heading back home now and I don't think anyone should be alone tonight especially you and Kate. I can run you home in the morning if you like."

"Oh I-I," Jim stammered. "Surely you'd like some time on your own?"

"Dad please?" Kate asked. "Rick and I get married in less than a week and after that we've got three weeks in the Maldives on our own. I need you to be close by, and I know you need me close by."

"Well a-alright then," Jim relented. "I'll just go pack a bag."

"Oh shit!" Castle exclaimed once Jim had gotten up and disappeared into his bedroom. "Oh god!"

"Oh shit oh God what?" Kate asked in alarm.

"Mother and Alexis!" the writer exclaimed, smacking himself on the forehead as he yanked his iPhone out of his pocket. "Ever since I got those burner cells, I've had my phone turned off and they wouldn't have been able to get through to me...or you. They would've seen everything on the news about us being on the run from the Hamptons and must be wondering what the hell's going on!"

"You better ring them, they'd be worried," Kate said. "Go on, I'll go help Dad."

The female detective then got up and leaned down to drop a kiss on his crown before going in search of her father. Castle hurriedly punched in his mother's cell phone number and hit dial.

"Richard Alexander RODGERS!" the effervescent actress scolded loudly the minute the line picked up. "Where the hell have you been? You've had Alexis and I worried sick! You've got some explaining to do young man! What the hell happened?"

"Are you and Alexis still up in the Hamptons or have you come back down to Manhattan?" Castle asked.

"Well we're back down here now," Martha answered. "We had to come home. Don't avoid the question Richard, what the hell's been going on? There's paparazzi and reporters out the front and-"

"Sit tight, Kate and I will be home soon," Rick informed his mother, cutting her off mid rant. "We're bringing Jim with us. I promise I will explain everything when I get home, alright? Every single piece of information you need to know I will tell you."

"W-well-a-alright," Martha replied. "Be safe sweetheart."

"I will mother, see you and 'lexis soon."

Castle hung up and pocketed his phone just as Jim and Kate emerged from the Master bedroom.

"All set to go?" he asked.

"Yeah, did you get in contact with your Mom?" Kate inquired.

"Yes, and she called me Richard Alexander Rodgers," Castle replied. "I don't think I've heard her call me that since that time I was arrested for stealing the police horse."

"You stole a police horse?" Jim asked incredulously. "When?"

Kate rolled her eyes.

"Long story Dad," she piped up before Rick could launch into the well told story. "Maybe now's not the time?" she added, giving her fiancé 'The Look'

Castle chuckled. "Yeah maybe another time," he said slipping his hand into hers and giving it an affectionate squeeze. "C'mon honey let's head home."

A/N: After watching 'That 70's Show' I have deduced that if Kate is in charge of the Homicide department when Gates is away her rank would be that of Lieutenant the rank directly under department Captain. However she's still investigates homicides so my headcanon says day to day she would still be addressed as 'Detective;

Read and review peoples!