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Fall

Kate felt her body fall forward as gunfire echoed around her. She heard a female voice she barely recognise call her name as footsteps ran near her. Castle remained rooted to the spot, unable to move for what felt like eternity. Suddenly Neimann screamed as the female voice grew closed. Kate opened her eyes slightly, aware that someone was reading the rights as Neimenn was arrested.

"Kate." Javier glared at Castle as he held his gun on the man that had tried to ruin their lives and had ruined so many others. Castle nodded, finally finding his feet as Ryan and Jane dragged the injured woman out. Castle stepped forward, watching 3XK as he did. Suddenly the man who had caused them all so much pain seemed pathetic and lost. His plans had been destroyed relatively easily.

"You, are under arrest." Javier stated as he stepped forwards. 3XK lifted his gun one more time, pointing it directly at Kate's head as she pushed herself up onto her knees. Castle looked up from his place at Kate's side, glaring into the eyes of the man that had tried to destroy him. "Give me an excuse to pull this trigger." Javier glared. "Just one."

"You'd never shoot me." He laughed as Kate's eyes focused on the gun staring at her.

"I would." Castle jumped to his feet, wrestling the gun away from Kate. She staggered to her feet as Korsak reached her side.

"I'm with the good guys." He smiled at her as he took her elbow. Kate nodded, recognising the older man. "Lets get you out of here."

"No." She shook her head, looking over to where Castle had been struggling with the man who had held her hostage for the last three days. Esposito held his gun steady, desperate to get a clear shot. Moments later a second gunshot reverberated around the room. Both men stopped struggling. Kate felt her blood run cold as she watched Castle lay silent on the floor. Korsak held her elbow as she felt her knees weaken. "Rick!"

"Urgh." Castle snapped as he pushed the body of the larger man off him. "That was not how I thought that would go."

"Really? You planned that?" Javier rolled the unconscious body of the serial killer over. The blood oozed out of his shoulder. "Dude isn't dead."

"Thank God." Castle whispered.

"Rick." Kate whispered as he got to his feet.

"Hey." He smiled as Maura and some paramedics appeared to begin dealing with Tyson's wounds.

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Laine stared out over the bullpen as Gates ended the phone call. She felt sick with worry but knew Gates would only have asked her to come to the station if she had something to tell her. She prayed it was good news. That Kate was safe and the nightmare was finally over.

"Thanks for coming. Dr Parish?" Gates frowned as the younger woman looked up. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. I. Hi, yeah I'm fine." She nodded as Gates ushered her into the inner office.

"I just spoke with Detective Ryan." She watched as Laine stared at her intently. "They're ok. They've found Detective Beckett alive and relatively unharmed." Laine smiled, relieved that her friends were coming home. "That little piece of scum that caused all this is currently in the OR having a bullet removed. I don't know the exact details, but it seems Esposito shot him."

"Really?"

"Apparently he warned him prior to the shot but he had no choice but to fire." Gates folded her arms across her chest. Neither woman believed that Esposito had fired the shot. "They'll be home in a couple of hours. The Boston PD will guard Tyson until he can be transferred back to New York."

"I see." Laine frowned.

"Are you sure you are ok?"

"Yeah. May be not but I will be." She smiled before watching the rest of the homicide squad celebrate the fact their team was coming home.

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Kate ran a hand over her face as Castle read a text message from Alexis. The other detectives were busy saying their goodbyes to the Boston detectives. Castle put the cell phone back in his pocket before turning back to Kate.

"Mother and Alexis are looking forward to having you back." Kate smiled slightly. "Hey?" He looked as tears filled her eyes. He crossed the room towards her as she shook her head.

"I'm ok." She bit her lip. "I."

"I thought we'd lost you." He whispered as he pulled her into his arms. Kate sighed as he held her, the emotion of the past few days had begun to catch up with them both.

"No way." Kate whispered. "But it's not over." She pulled back as Ryan and Esposito appeared. Castle frowned.

"No." Castle stated.

"But next time he crosses our path, we'll be ready." Kate stated determined that 3XK wouldn't win. Castle nodded as the guys caught up with them.

"Time to go home?" Ryan asked.

"Yeah." Kate nodded. "Yeah, time to go home."

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A/N Not entirely happy with the ending but this is the final chapter. Please review.