It only took a few hours into the day before the Bracken news went viral. They just barely managed to tell Gates everything before the news were broadcast all over the city. Gates had been skeptical until she was seeing the files for herself. Then all hell had broken loose in the precinct. Gates had made some calls at the same time as she'd ordered Beckett to gather a team to go arrest the senator before he decided to make a run for it. They needed to be fast, especially considering the senator had friends in high places and most likely would be able to disappear if he wanted to.

Kate was still putting together a team and informing them of their mission when the news came on the tv and she quickly rounded it all up to get them going. They had looked up three different addresses which they were going to check out since they didn't know exactly where the senator was. So out of that one big team Kate had divided them into three groups. She'd talked to Rick about splitting up but he'd refused to leave her side, thinking if they did split up it would most definitely be her team that came face to face with the senator. And so the two of them along with two other officers were on their way to the press-meeting that were supposed to take place in ten minutes. If they were lucky he'd be there making himself ready for the press.

"You okay?"

Kate sneaked a glance towards her partner while still trying to keep her focus on the road. "Yeah, why?"

"Just checking," he said and she felt his hand land on top of hers to gently show he's got her back.

She smiled at the electricity of comfort that shot through their skin. "Thanks."

"Always," he picked up her hand and brought it to his mouth to kiss it gently.

As soon as he let go again they turned serious, because they were about to face the demon behind her every nightmare for the past decade.


The reporter looked down at her papers, her new scrubbles everywhere. She'd just gotten the news when she was on her way to the interview and the second she'd gotten there she'd started to scratch the questions she'd prepared earlier and write new ones they'd need to ask. She couldn't believe the things she'd heard about the senator and almost felt ridiculous for believing them. Could it really be true? Was he a murderer? The man seemed like a sweetheart! But then again so had her ex.

When the senator entered the room she felt her veins freeze and she was starting to tremble with her papers.

"Welcome senator Bracken," she started and took another deep breath, nodding to the camera-man who counted down on his fingers to show when they were live. If the senator was here, had he heard the news?


Kate showed her badge at the door and was immediately let inside, Rick right behind her along with Karpowski and LT. They followed the guy who'd offered leading them to the interview without missing a heartbeat. Kate could feel her nerves picking up, she was this close to catching her mom's killer. The wolf part of her wanted to rip him apart for doing what he did to her family, but the cop and human side of her just wanted to put him into jail and let him rot in there like the dirtbag he was.

"You can do this."

His voice was so soft and low that only she could hear it and she felt her insides melt because he managed to figure out how to talk to her without anyone else hearing without her instructions, just to calm her and remind her he's right there with her. A sense of pride prickled her mind for a few seconds before she felt her body prepare for the meeting of her personal nightmare.

"So, senator Bracken, what are your comments on the newfound information about you using bribery, supporting drug businesses and using leverage to make people do what you want?" Kate heard the reporter ask and she felt her stomach knot itself.

"What are you talking about? I've done no such thing," the dark voice questioned and Kate rounded the corner to see the surprise on the senator's face. The second the senator's eyes met hers she could see the surprise turn hard on her. He knew who she was.

"Really? We have papers here that state…" Kate wasn't listening to the reporter anymore, she felt herself surge forward to take her stand against the man who was still sitting down, watching her every move.

Taking a quick but deep breath she moved into the camera view and interrupted the reporter.

"Senator William Bracken, you are under arrest for conspiracy, fraud…" she paused to take another quick breath. "...and the murder of my mother Johanna Beckett."

Her voice was stronger than she thought it would be. Stronger than she felt. The reporter looked shocked while the senator stood up and glared at the detective with a stare that told her he had no intention of backing down.

"Either you turn around or I will do it for you," she threatened with a low growl at the tip of her tongue. She answered the glare he gave her with a stare so cold it made the senator's eyes go wide before he obeyed and turned around for her to slap the handcuffs on his wrists.

Right before she did she took a breath to think about the fact that she was finally closing the case that formed her. In one way she's imagining her mother looking down at her and watching as the cuffs hug her murderer's wrists.

"Let's go," she said, pulling the senator with her as she moved towards the corridor they came from.

"Detective! May I ask what your name is?" the reporter sprung to her feet in order to come with them and so did the cameraman.

"No, you may not," Kate said and then kept her mouth shut for the whole way to the police cars.

Once she'd put Bracken inside the car LT and Karpowski had driven there she radioed the others to let them all know she'd arrested the senator. The others let her know they'd all wait for them back at the station and that they'd meet there. LT and Karpowski got into the car and waited for her orders. Through the window she told them to drive back to headquarters and she and Castle wouldn't be far behind.


Back in the car Kate suddenly noticed the black car moving behind them, following them. She used her heightened eyesight in order to try and see who was behind the wheel but the faces weren't of people she knew.

"What's wrong?" Rick asked, having sensed her split attention.

"Someone's following us."

Rick immediately looked in the side mirror to try and see what she saw. The biggest question on her mind was if the people in the car were Bracken related or hunters. Perhaps it was the same thing? The wolf who bit her partner had been the one to contact the hunters, which didn't make any sense now that she thought about it. Why would a wolf talk to hunters anyway? Apart from getting information from them that is. Then again he did confess to calling the hunters on her.

Kate started clicking the buttons in her car making a call to her uncle. Maybe he'd be able to help her.

"Earl," he answered.

"Hey uncle Earl, it's Kate. I have a car following me, do you know if the hunters have come into the city yet?"

"According to Jake and Felicity three men and one woman entered the city an hour ago in a black car," he informed her. "They said they'd follow them and keep an eye to see if they were indeed the hunters."

"Okay, thank you."

"Stay safe Kate, we'll try lure them away," he promised and she smiled.

"I know, you be safe too," she answered before hanging up.

"How many can you make out through the window? I can only see the two in the front," Rick said as he continued to observe the car through the side window. "Wait, three."

Kate looked through the rearview mirror. Two men in the front, she was sure she could see movement in the back but she couldn't tell how many or gender.

"Three or four," she told him, returning her attention to the road.

They were almost at the precinct now and once they got into the parking lot she observed as the black car continued on the road, however she noticed the men in the car were looking after them. She breathed out a sigh of relief, one problem at a time. Her main focus right now should be getting senator Bracken to confess.

When they got into the precinct Bracken had already lawyers lining up to help him get out of the accusations that were piling up against him. They led them into the interrogation room along with the senator and while the officers made sure to guard the door Kate and Rick went to Gates' office.

"Is he in?" the captain asked the second they walked into the office.

"Yes sir. I'm about to go in," Kate said and waited a few seconds for her captain to speak.

"Sounds good, I'm coming to join you. Mr Castle, you can watch from the observation room."

Kate felt like arguing but the way her captain stood up like there were no way to change her mind she didn't even try, not this time. Besides, if the senator knew about her being what she was then it would be better if Rick wasn't in there and showed he had become the same. She wasn't going to risk him getting known and getting hurt. On their way to interrogation Rick did voice his own thoughts of injustice, only as whispers though, just loud enough for her to hear. And she told him off just as low.

"I'll take the lead but I expect you to draw the facts," Gates told her before they walked inside the interrogation. "Senator Bracken, I'm guessing you know why you're here."

The senator gave Kate narrowed eyes right before turning to Gates with a confused expression. "I cannot say that I do, captain. I have not done anything wrong."

Kate felt her insides boil with anger rising high.

"Well, then I hope we can clear the air. Shall we?" Gates looked to Kate and gestured to one of the chairs across from Bracken and Kate sat down at the same time as her captain, opening the files she has with her.


A/N: Hi everyone! Hope you all enjoyed this chapter and thank you all for your endless support! I can't believe you're still here, so thank you! Love you, until next time xxxx