I'm sure this has been done many times over. That said, it's such a emotion filled situation I couldn't help myself. Call it too much time on my hands...

Set anytime, but before Knockdown

The car skids to a stop and Kate is out the door and halfway into her bullet proof vest before Rick can register the movement. By the time he has one foot out of the car, she's unholstered her gun and she's calling back to him, "Stay here Castle"

He rolls his eyes, pulling on his WRITER vest. "So not happening."

But she doesn't see or hear him because she's smashing open the door to the warehouse with her shoulder and the adrenaline pumping through her veins is all consuming. God, she wishes he would just listen to her every now and again. It's not like she has time to handcuff him to the door before every shootout.

Kate barrels her way through the warehouse, footsteps loud on the concrete floor, straining her ears to make out the suspect or backup, or anything but the creepy drip of water. What she hears is Castle, none too gracefully stumbling along behind her.

"Castle." Kate hisses, hoping she sounds as convincing and lethal as this situation could very well become, "get lost."

She doesn't hear what could only be a very petulant squeak from the writer because in the next moment gunshots erupt from just around the corner. Kate flattens herself against the wall just praying praying that Rick is smart enough to do the same.

Rick watches, frozen in fear, as Kate peeks around the corner, gun first, yelling, "NYPD."

He wants to warn her to be careful, but he knows it's better to stay silent, and more than anything he just trusts her. They've done this enough times to know how it will pan out. Kate will swing around the corner, facing the shooter, and after a flurry of loud bangs and shouts, that have Rick wide eyed and scared, everything will fall silent. For a few seconds, he'll resist the urge to walk around the corner, just in case he sees her lying there dead instead of looking back at him, a successful gleam in her eyes and a sexy swagger in her hips. But she always comes back, safe and sound, if not completely whole.

Today it takes longer than usual. It seems like forever until the gunshots fall silent, with only a faint smell of gunpowder in the air remaining. Rick can't wait anymore, so he rounds the corner and his eyes fall on the deadly sight.

The first thing he notices is Kate, chest heaving and breathing heavily, but alive, like always. His Kate. The next thing he sees is the two bodies on the ground. Two bodies and two guns. The next thing he does is reach out and wrap her in a tight hug.

"Got 'em Becks." He says their catch phrase as he feels her arms tighten around his neck.

This has become routine as well. A tight hug that speaks of almost more than friends and partners after a near miss like this one. It's as much for her as it is for him, because even though she never admits it, Castle's solid form is just enough to bring her back to earth.

And the nickname. Well, that would be unforgivable under regular circumstances, but Kate lets it pass, just for these hugs.

Still, she pinches his cheek and says, "Call me that again and Ryan and Esposito are hearing about what your favourite colour really is."

Rick is about to make his retort – real men wear purple - but he doesn't get the chance. Out of the corner of his eye, he sees one of the men on the ground stir. In horror, he watches the man reach for his fallen gun, grimacing as blood from the expert shot in the chest spilled out.

It happens in the blink of an eye. The man raises the gun and points it squarely at Kate's back, a determined smile on his face. Castle tries to warn her, he tries to detangle himself from her arms so he can at least get her out of the way, but for once Kate is holding on too tight and most of all there's just no time.

So he spins them both around, crushing her body closer to his and squeezing his eyes tight.

She knows something is wrong. From the moment his body tenses and his breathing stops, she knows their relieved moment from before has passed. Something is wrong. When he jerks them both around and the pressure of his arms around her increases, she knows that 'wrong' is not wrong enough a word.

A single gunshot rings out and Rick goes limp in Kate's arms. Her eyes widen as she staggers under his weight.

"Castle!" She's never heard her voice sounding so scared before, never. "No, no, no, no, Castle!"

With considerable difficulty, she lowers them both to the ground. She sits on the concrete, pulling his upper body onto her lap. When Kate slides her hand under his back, she finds the bullet wound easily. Wide, gaping, and slippery with blood. His eyes are closed.

Kate shakes him as much as she can stand to. "Castle? Stay with me, Castle. Help is on the way." She jostles his shoulder, "Do you hear me?

It's an effort to get words out of his mouth, so he keeps it short and quiet. "I trust you Katie."

She chokes back her own tears and fumbles for the cell phone at her hip. Her hand brushes her gun. If only she'd shot a couple more times, been a little more accurate, a little surer…

Focus on Castle.

Her fingers fumble as she dials an emergency number, but she didn't need to bother. Half a minute later, the cavalry is teeming through the door and Kate almost collapses with relief when she sees the paramedics, carrying supplies and a stretcher.

"See Castle?" She whispers frantically, in an effort to keep his eyelids fluttering. "You're gonna be alright."

Strong arms lift Rick from her lap, affix an oxygen mask to his face and carry him away.

Kate stands up on shaky legs, barely noticing the blood soaking through her clothes from waist to mid-thigh. She's about to leave the crime scene to the rookies to clean up when she stops in her tracks and turns around.

She stares down at the two men on the floor. They are still, non-threatening, and they can't hurt her, but she pulls her gun out anyways, squaring her shoulders and holding it up without shaking.

How dare they shoot Rick? How could they?

Kate pulls the trigger once and the sound is much too loud in the echoing chasm.

She pulls the trigger again, and this time it's not too bad.

Blood spreads out on the shooter's abdomen, and then his head. She empties her clip, making sure to put some extra bullets in the other man as well.

Kate doesn't notice when the silent tears start falling down her face.

But she knows that these men are never gonna touch Richard Castle ever again.

Eek. I really didn't mean for it to end up so creepy. Please don't think badly of Kate. Uh, or me.

I told myself that if I got enough reviews, I'd continue this one, but I also think that this is just dramatic enough that it's a good place to end. Either way, I love reviews :) *hint, hint*

On another note, I don't know Kate's opinion on being called 'Katie', but I'm sure she's mentioned it once. Anyone care to clue me in?