Author's Note: Here we are! The final chapter. Thank you all so much for the response to this fic; I think this has been my most popular fic to-date, and writing it was a blast. I hope you enjoyed it, and I hope you'll continue to support my other fics (and please buy my novel!). I may have another crossover fic in the wings, but I'm gonna sit on it a bit. Enjoy!

"So let me see if I understand this," Victoria Gates leaned forward in her seat, ignoring the flicker of the lights above her in Interrogation One. The bulb badly needed changing, but truth be told, the ambiance was fitting for this room. "You killed Hal Lockwood, but you didn't kill Hal Lockwood?"

The man who, to this point, had only called himself Smith gave a tight nod, his lips pursed together and his hands clasped on the surface of the table. His drab clothes were as unremarkable as the white hair atop his head; that appearance, combined with the name Smith, gave him the anonymity he often desired.

Smith was content to be a background player. The only domino left standing while everyone else stared at the other ones toppling all over each other.

"Technically, Captain," he sat up a little straighter, "that's correct."

Gates removed her black-rim glasses and set them down before narrowing her gaze, cocking her head to the side as she studied Smith. He sat motionless, whereas most who wound up in the box would fidget or rock back and forth or even blink more than once every few seconds. Smith held an air of confidence about him – confidence usually reserved for either the truly innocent or those who didn't care about what they had done.

"So explain it to me," Gates sighed, grabbing for her glasses again. "Don't get me wrong, I'm glad the man who killed three former policemen and tried to kill my best detective is gone, but you understand this is still a homicide."

Smith gave a knowing smile. "Of course." He sat up a little straighter, casting a brief sideways glance at his own reflection in the two-way before turning his gaze back to Captain Gates. "I hired a man to take down Hal Lockwood."

Gates put her glasses back on, pen at the ready. "Does this man have a name?"

Smith shrugged. "I call him Maddox. Cole Maddox." Smith shook his head. "That's not his real name, though. Former Special Forces, been off the grid for the last two years. You won't find him in any of your databases."

Again, Gates removed her glasses. "You do realize that means we'll pin the crime on you."

"That's the idea, Captain." Smith shrugged again. "I've played my part in this sordid game. The buzzer's about to sound, and it's best I'm not around when it does."

"From what I can tell, all of the people who could do you harm are either in prison or dead," Gates countered, setting down her pen and folding her arms across her chest. "Are you saying you want to go to prison for protection?"

Smith chuckled and shook his head. "There's no telling when it comes to a man like Senator Bracken. His assets, his connections, are why Montgomery and I struck that deal with him in the first place."

"And yet Roy Montgomery is dead," Gates said. "And were it not for an overly foolish mystery writer, Detective Beckett would be, too. Forgive me for saying so, Mr. Smith, but these deals don't seem to mean a whole lot."

"Doesn't matter now," Smith shrugged again. "Detective Beckett slayed the Dragon."

"Which I'm sure will result in half a dozen more Nikki Heat novels," Gates muttered with a hint of a growl in her voice, shaking her head. "I want to believe this is really over, Mr. Smith, but this seems like the case that just keeps on giving."

Smith shook his head, a glimmer in his eye for the first time as he leaned forward, his elbows now resting on the surface of the table. "Trust me, Captain. Now that I've put a bullet in Hal Lockwood's head, Detective Beckett can go back to worrying about your garden-variety homicides. You know, bodies stuffed into dryers and hanging from trees."

"Stand up, Mr. Smith."

Smith did as asked, while Gates also rose from her seat and produced a pair of handcuffs from her suit jacket. She placed Smith's hands behind his back, latching the cuffs to his wrists. "Michael Smith," she announced. "You are under arrest for the murder of Hal Lockwood. You have the right to remain—"

"I wave it," Smith interrupted.

"Alright, then," Gates said with a nod. "Let's make your confession official."

Once the doctors cleared out of Richard Castle's room, convinced that everything was normal once he regained consciousness, Kate Beckett hadn't left his side. In fact, she hadn't let go of his hand the entire time, either; when it was time for lunch, Castle was relegated to eating his Jell-o cup one-handed.

Not that he minded, but Kate could see the quizzical glances he would throw her way every now and then. Two hours ago, Castle had a brief nap – despite his insistence that he wasn't tired after being unconscious for days – and she'd held his hand then too.

Never mind the fact that her palm was sweaty.

Since waking from that nap, Castle's eyes never left their conjoined hands, and every now and then, he'd squeeze. Something had shifted between them since this whole ordeal began, and she was buoyed by the fact that he felt it as well. Kate didn't know what it was, and she was somewhat afraid to give voice to it, but it was there. There was no denying that.

"So," he swallowed when his voice cracked from lack of use, "I saved your life."

"You did." Kate nodded and pursed her lips. "Go ahead and gloat, Castle. You've earned it."

Castle shook his head and grimaced when he tried to sit up, the surgical scar near his shoulder pulling. "No, no gloating," he said. "Just…" Castle shook his head and his jaw clenched. "Just please tell me you got the guy, Beckett."

"It wasn't us," Kate shook her head, her thumb tracing small circles over the space between Castle's thumb and forefinger. "A friend of Montgomery's took the guy out, same day I arrested Bracken."

Castle's stubbled face visibly brightened. "So it's over."

"Yeah, it is," Kate's voice lowered to almost a whisper, and she scooted her chair closer to Castle's bedside, her hand still clasped in his. "Look, Castle…"

"I know," he nodded. "What I did was dumb. And if the NYPD decides I can't shadow you anymore—"

"No!" Kate cringed at how the word blurted so forcefully out of her mouth, she shoulders deflating when she took a few seconds to gather herself. "No, Rick, that's not it. I mean, yeah, jumping in front of a bullet probably wasn't your brightest move, but you saved my life."

A ghost of a smile crept onto Castle's face. "And I'd do it again."

"Let's not test that theory," she countered, her free hand lifting to run her fingertips along his hair. One of the nurses had washed it not long after he came to, for which both he and Kate were grateful.

"Martha and Alexis will be here later on," she said. "Once Alexis gets out of school."

A soft smile crept onto Castle's face again, and his eyes fluttered shut while Kate's fingers were working along his scalp. He was silent for what felt like minutes, and Kate wondered if he had drifted off again. His shoulders relaxed and his breathing found a slow and steady rhythm. Kate was about to remove her fingers from his hair when his head turned again.

"Wish I could've been there," he whispered. "To see you make the arrest."

"I'm sure you'll see it on the news," Kate shook her head. "Did it right in front of the cameras. Even gave an interview after."

"Detective Beckett," Castle sat up and some of the mirth returned to his eyes, "I thought you hated publicity."

"I do." Kate shrugged. "But I wanted to humiliate him."

"Well, I hope it worked."

"You should've seen his face, Castle." Kate's face lit up into a genuine smile for the first time in what felt like weeks. "I don't think I've seen anyone that angry since the first time my dad saw my motorcycle."

Castle chuckled at that, careful not to go full-on laugh because of the scar still stitching back together near his shoulder. Certain movements caused it to pull and though he tried to hide the grimace each time, Kate could see the flare-up in his eyes. She said nothing about it, though, respecting his desire to keep the pain hidden.

Besides, that pain meant he was healing. Right?

"Castle…"

"I know you heard me," Castle said with a nod, pursing his lips.

Kate frowned. "How did you—"

"The silences," he explained. "We never go that long without saying anything. Even if you're yelling at me for something, we're never silent like that, Beckett."

"What if I was just scared you were gonna die on me?"

Another boyish grin crept onto Castle's face, even though it hadn't met a razor is a little more than a week by now. "Detective Beckett, do I detect some actual concern for my well-being?"

"Yes, okay?" Kate admitted with a shake of her head, strands of hair framing her face when she ducked her gaze. "Alright? I'd care if something happened to you."

"Hey…"

"You're right, Castle." Kate lifted her head, forcing herself to meet his gaze even though she could feel the tears building in her eyes. "I did hear you. And first of all, your timing is terrible."

Castle huffed a laugh at that, his eyes focusing on their conjoined hands, as if he expected Kate to withdraw hers at any moment. He sucked in as deep a breath as the pain in his shoulder would allow, bracing himself for what he was hoping wouldn't happen.

"Look," Kate shook her head again, "I'm bad at this. You're the one who's good with words."

"Thank you for admitting I have talent, Beckett."

"Shut up," Kate rolled her eyes and bit back a smirk. "I'm trying to open up for once. Don't ruin it."

His smile this time was softer, and the way the edges of his eyes crinkled almost took her breath away. Kate ducked her head once more, her free hand twirling a strand of hair before tucking it behind her ear.

"Sorry," he whispered.

"I…" Kate huffed a frustrated sigh. "I don't love you." Her eyes widened when Castle's face fell, and Kate immediately cursed herself because that was absolutely the worst thing she could've said. "I mean… not right now. Castle, not yet."

She squeezed his hand in an effort to get Castle to look at her, her hazel orbs full of hope when his blue eyes finally lifted to meet hers. She allowed the tiniest flicker of a smile, both of her hands now cupping his.

"I will, though," she amended. "Probably before too much longer. I think I've known for a while this was where we were heading."

Castle arched a brow. "Is this because I saved your life?"

Kate shook her head. "No, I… I felt it before that. Before Coonan, even. I could tell. And then I killed Coonan and they shot Montgomery and we found the tape and…" Kate stopped to take in a deep breath, removing a hand from Castle's to wipe under her eye. "You didn't have to go with me, but you did. You didn't have to dive into that file with me, but you did. You could've walked away when things got too real, but you didn't."

"Cause I'm your partner," he offered.

"Yeah." Kate's smile widened. "Yeah, you are. And I think… I think I want more."

Castle opened his mouth to speak, but no words came. Kate ducked her head again with a laugh, shaking her head and scooting closer still to his bedside. "Did I just render Richard Castle speechless?"

All Castle could do was nod, a smile tugging on the corner of his lips and his blue eyes bright with love and disbelief.

"Castle, say something."

Castle arched a challenging brow. "What if I'd rather you kiss me right now?"

Kate smiled practically from ear to ear, leaning over Castle's bedside before cupping his face in both hands and pressing her lips against his. The kiss was light at first, but once Castle's hand reached for the crook of her elbow, the kiss deepened and she felt his teeth graze above her lower lip.

She wanted to reciprocate, but Martha and Alexis would be there any minute, and she didn't want them to walk in on the two of them making out. Not only that, but the beeping on Castle's heart monitor was starting to accelerate, and the last thing Kate wanted was the nurses bursting in thinking something was wrong.

So she reluctantly broke the kiss, her forehead pressed against his, the both of them smiling wider than they had in weeks. His thumb brushed back and forth over her elbow, and Castle laughed a little in disbelief.

Her laugh matched his. "Done."