A/N: Thank you again, everyone...I've had some amazingly inspiring reviews, and I really appreciate every single one of them. Here is Chapter 10...This could serve as the final chapter, unless anyone feels like they need an epilogue...what say you?

I don't own Castle...

Kate Beckett flew out of the bullpen and to the elevator, making a dash for her car as soon as she was delivered to the first floor. Ryan and Esposito were right behind her, and jumped into their car as she sped off in hers. They had the address of Garrison's sister, which was only two blocks from Castle's loft. It was no wonder Garrison could be so quick with his stalking and his torment. He was right under their noses the whole time. Kate was furious that Castle had been so close all this time and she hadn't been able to figure it out sooner. If he did not survive she would never forgive herself, and she believed she would never fully recover if Castle were lost to her. Over these past three years he hadn't just captured her heart, he had made room for her soul within his, and she would always feel at home there.

She stepped harder on the gas, pushing into traffic as fast as she dared on New York City's streets. Ryan and Esposito stayed close behind, matching each turn she made. They did not put their lights or sirens on, but sped stealthily through the city streets to reach Rick Castle. When they got within a block of Castle's loft, Kate slid into a spot in front of a fire hydrant, and Ryan and Esposito did the same several car lengths away. The three got out of their vehicles, donned their Kevlar, and grouped together on the sidewalk. They parked so far away because they wanted to take Garrison by surprise, if that was possible, if he weren't watching, waiting for this. They confirmed their plan before breaking into a run for the remaining three blocks, Kate going the direct way, and Ryan and Esposito taking a more circuitous route that would bring them out on the far side of the block where Castle was being held. At least they knew there was no way Garrison could watch all three of them at once if he had indeed spotted them. But there are always unknowns in situations like this, and these unknowns are something that every police officer must be ready to face.

xxxxx

Once Garrison had delivered the final video to Beckett, he had stood at his sister's computer and laughed. He laughed at Castle's words, and he laughed at how he imagined Kate Beckett would react. He imagined her tears, her sadness, her determined rush to get to Castle as soon as the video was over. He could only assume, could only hope, that she had figured out where Castle was being kept. He had left her an obvious enough clue, one that he was sure she would have puzzled out by now. And he was ready. He was ready with a plan to make all his waiting worthwhile. When the precious Kate Beckett arrived, he would lead her into his trap and force her to confront her worst fear – the loss of her Richard Castle. And when he was sure she had seen enough, he would deliver the pièce de resistance, snuffing out the fire that resided in Kate Beckett's eyes. All he had to do now was wait. But there are always unknowns in situations like this, and hubris is a fatal flaw.

xxxxx

Rick Castle smiled the moment the idea sprang into his mind. Garrison would never see any sort of attack coming, and the element of surprise would work in Castle's favor. It had to, because this plan could in no way be considered fool proof. Rick was banking on surprise, human instinct, and good fortune to give him the upper hand, or at least a hand that was at the same height as Garrison's. The idea formulated quickly as soon as the initial idea presented itself to him, and Rick Castle set about putting it into action without hesitation. He had no time to doubt, no time to question, only time to scramble to get everything ready. He pushed himself up from the floor, moaning as shards of pain sliced through his head when he stood. He had to take a few precious seconds to steady himself before he could move over to a spot next to the door without feeling as though the spinning room was going to get the best of him. He reached the door, and sat down against the wall next to it. His fingers worked tirelessly until he had what he needed. In this already battered little room, Garrison would never notice this tiny spot behind the door. Once he held what he had set out to take, Castle stood up again. This time when he rose from the floor, he felt less pain, possibly because he knew what to expect or possibly because hope was making him feel just that much better. He walked steadily back to the rear wall, sat back down in his place, crossed his legs, and waited. He took one last glance at the time before removing his watch. Castle always expected the unknown, lived his life writing about it. And in this instance, he was waiting for it, anticipating the unknown with every breath he took. Because whatever the unknown, he would fight back. With everything at stake, everything laid on the line, he would not give up.

xxxxx

Garrison turned off the computer and left the tiny office in his sister's apartment. This was the only video he had sent from a private computer, but he didn't care. He wanted Kate Beckett to track him easily now. If she hadn't been sharp enough to figure out his clue in the Nikki Heat book, then he was sure she couldn't possibly miss this. He laughed again and headed outside to wait and watch, wondering how long it would be before Kate Beckett came running down the rain-soaked street toward this apartment, toward Castle, toward her own fate. He stood in the shadows and clutched the ivory handle of his weapon firmly, holding it down by the outside of his thigh. Several minutes ticked by, and he wondered whether Kate Beckett would live up to her reputation as the best police detective in New York City. His hand twitched, and just as he was about to make a new plan, he saw a thin figure loping silently down the sidewalk toward the building. Though she was still twos block away, there was no mistaking the identity of this determined woman. The way she stuck to the shadows, hugging the sides of the buildings as she ran steadily, silently down the street, he knew this could be none other than the detective herself, come to play the heroine once again. He turned and stole back into his sister's home, heading directly for the room where Castle was waiting on the splintered wooden floor. Garrison threw the lock and opened the door to the room, knowing that in just a few short moments, Kate Beckett would burst in, or perhaps sneak in, behind him. However she arrived, it would be of no use to Richard Castle. Grasping the cool ivory handle tight in his murderous fist, Garrison entered the room.

xxxxx

As Rick sat on the floor, every one of his senses was on alert to the movements of Jonathan Garrison. Castle breathed slowly and quietly, listening intently. He smiled when he heard the slightest of movements from what sounded like a door, possibly upstairs. He knew Garrison was on his way, and he only had a few seconds to do what he had to do. He quickly set the alarm on his watch to go off in exactly two minutes. That done, he took aim and deftly skidded it across the floor, watching it come to a stop against the wall next to the door, exactly where he had been sitting mere moments ago. He put his right hand into his jacket pocket and wrapped his fingers around the thin strip of splintered wood he had pried off of the shabby floor. He cast his eyes downward and bent his head forward just as Jonathan Garrison entered the room. It took only three steps before Garrison was looming over Castle, ordering him to look up. When Castle obeyed, what he saw in Garrison's eyes terrified him. Castle had never seen such venom, and the sight shook him to the core. Castle swallowed his fear as he thought about Kate and how this could not be their end before they even had a chance to begin. He would not leave her, and he would not allow her to fall at the hands of this depraved man. Castle looked at Garrison, and with a steady voice asked him, "What do you want with me now, Garrison?"

Garrison nearly roared at the nerve Rick Castle dared to show from his place on the floor. He stood over his captive and dangled the knife from his fingers, letting it sway in front of Castle's face. "I want nothing more than to see you suffer, Writer, but I'm going to have to be patient for just a few minutes more. It seems your heroine is not in as much of a rush as I'd hoped she'd be." He sighed dramatically and continued. "She does look quite fit, though, running down the street."

Castle's breath caught briefly in his throat as soon as he realized that Kate was on her way, that she would be facing Garrison at any moment. He had to keep Garrison talking, keep him distracted. His plan had to work. "She won't fall for whatever it is you have planned. She's too smart for that."

"You'd better be careful not to show too much pride in her, Castle. That only makes me want this more."

"I don't really care what it makes you, Garrison. You're going to get far more than what you're bargaining for tonight."

"Doubtful. There's nothing Kate Beckett could do that I haven't seen every other lovesick heroine cop try to do when faced with the loss she'll experience tonight."

Castle caught Garrison's gaze and held it, knowing it would be just a few seconds more until…

A loud beeping from inside the room behind the door broke the angry glare Garrison had leveled at Rick Castle. The alarm on Castle's watch severed Garrison's focus. As he jumped and instinctively whipped his head around to find the source of the noise, Castle took his chance. He lunged at Garrison's back, wielding the sliver of wood he held tight in his hand. As the huge splinter pierced his shoulder blade, Garrison reared back and howled. He clutched at his back and spun around, his eyes wild with rage.

xxxxx

Kate had entered the apartment silently, all her senses on alert. She heard angry voices coming from somewhere below her, and she crept slowly toward the basement stairs. She descended with agonizing slowness as Rick Castle's voice became her beacon in the dark building. She saw the light spilling into the basement and headed toward the open doorway. She paused just outside, not yet seen by either captive or captor. She could hear Castle telling Garrison he would get more than he was bargaining for. She heard Garrison's threatening reply. And then she heard nothing but silence. What was happening? Was Rick okay? She inched closer to the doorway, ready to dive into the room and take Garrison down when suddenly a loud beeping could be heard just inches from where she stood. She froze, her police training having skillfully conditioned her to process quickly before jumping in. In the moment of stillness, she heard a rush of sound and a guttural howl. She knew that one of the two men had just been attacked, and she wouldn't wait a second more to see which one of them it was. She flew into the room in time to see Garrison's wild eyes as he turned to face Castle. As he turned, Kate saw the piece of wood protruding from Garrison's back and knew that Castle had made a valiant effort but that it wouldn't be enough. Just as the thought entered her mind, Garrison wheeled, and with the viciousness of an abused dog, he grabbed Castle by the shirt collar and spun him around, putting him in a headlock with the ivory-handled knife pressing against Rick's throat.

"Garrison, drop the knife! Now!" screamed Kate, raising and steadying her gun.

"Not on your life, Detective, Beckett" he spat.

Castle's eyes were wide in fear – both for his own life and for Kate's. He felt the sting of the blade resting against his skin and felt the slightest warm trickle run down his neck.

"I'm warning you, put the knife down. Let him go."

"Detective Beckett", Garrison said calmly, "I am not here to agree to any of your demands. I am here to find justice."

"Justice? How is this justice for anyone?" She tried to keep Garrison talking, hoping to stall for time so that Ryan and Esposito would have a chance to get there. Garrison had been watching her, waiting for her. Ryan and Esposito would be the furthest thing from his mind right now.

Garrison seethed as she asked her question; and as he answered, Kate watched Rick closely, willing him to stand strong, to keep his eyes on her, to understand that back-up was on the way. She would not let him down. She saw terror in the eyes of the man she so desperately wanted to protect, who was sacrificing his own safety to keep her from harm.

Garrison began, "Justice comes every time I see one of you fall, every time I end the happiness for one of you, you who think you know what justice is."

"What are you talking about?" Kate demanded, keeping him talking, keeping him off-guard.

"What are you talking about?" Garrison mimicked. "I am talking about my father. He went to jail twenty years ago for a crime he didn't commit. He died in his god-forsaken cell fifteen years ago, and my mother was broken. The love of her life was taken from her, and my family was ruined. That, Detective, is not justice, but this is." Garrison moved to inflict more pain on Castle.

Castle groaned as he felt the hold on him tighten, felt the heat of Garrison's anger emanating from the man's very being.

Kate yelled, "One more move, Garrison, and I take you out."

"One more move, Detective, and I take your writer out. Got it?"

Kate heard a light tapping on the wall she was standing next to, and she knew Ryan and Esposito were there, had been listening, were waiting to be able to get a shot at the man who was holding Castle. Garrison hadn't heard the tapping, and was completely unaware of their presence. Kate Beckett slowly started to move into the room a little bit more, having to take the risk, betting on the hunch that Garrison would not make good on his threat quite yet.

"Stop right there!" Garrison shouted.

"I'm not coming any closer, Garrison. I just… I need…." Kate decided that the only way Garrison would calm down would be if he felt he was winning, saw her in emotional pain. She dropped her gun down by her side and continued. "Let me talk to him, then, just one more time."

Garrison laughed and looked down at the man he held in a painful headlock. "Just like all the rest. You have to have your one last chance to say goodbye, don't you? Well maybe I don't want to give it to you. Maybe I don't think you deserve that little bit of closure." Kate's plea was going to work. Garrison was going to move. As he spewed his final words, Garrison shoved Castle out to his arm's length and raised his knife. In the split second that Garrison took to raise his arm and ready himself to strike, Ryan had moved into the room with the stealth of a cat. He took aim and fired, bringing Garrison down with one shot. Garrison's hold loosed from Rick as the shot reached him. Garrison fell back and Rick stumbled forward. The jolt sent waves of pain into his head, and he could only sink to the floor. Esposito stepped in behind Ryan as the shot rang out, and they both went instantly to Garrison.

Kate dropped her gun and fell to her knees in front of Castle. A primal sound, somewhere between a moan and a cry, escaped from her lips as she reached out to grab him. "Rick - " Everything she had been holding back released from her as she held him tightly. One arm wrapped around him, her other hand reached up to hold the back of his head, and she sobbed deeply. Rick held her with every bit of strength he had, running his hand down her hair, caressing her softly. After a few moments, they let go just enough to look into each other's eyes. Rick placed one hand on either side of Kate's face as she reached out to brush the hair from his forehead and lightly run her fingers over the cut that was still visible on his mouth. Her eyes moved to the cut on his head, and filled once again with tears. She let them spill as he pulled her close once more. "I don't know what I would've done if I'd lost you."

"Shhh", he responded. "I'm here, Kate.' He pulled back and looked her in the eyes, "Always."

Kate cupped his face in her hands and whispered, "I love you, Rick. You are my heart, my forever.

Recognizing his own words from earlier that night, he closed his eyes, drew Kate in close, and kissed her gently on the lips. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back with the tenderness of a soul that had finally found its home.