Shaking his head Darnley said, "One of the three thought there was someone running by the employee parking lot, but they couldn't see what or who it was. We've been pulling security footage from other businesses nearby, but we can't find anything at the time of the shooting."

"We don't need to talk about these cases during the meal, do we?" Mary asked as she was handing the menu to Castle.

"No, but I'm wondering if we could write everything down?" he asked his wife.

"We'll see," Beckett said, knowing he wanted to get everything they knew written so it'd be easier to see what they needed to tell them to look into. She studied the menu with him and then asked as her husband was going to order, "Nothing to distract the guards."

"No, it's… strange," Darnley said.

After he'd hung up the room's phone, Castle said, "You know, if there's something missing from where Villa was it might be an airline."

"He was in the section for aircraft parts," Darnley admitted. "We weren't focusing on airlines though."

"I'm not fully sure who uses this alloy," Skye said since the detective had looked at her. "But it won't be a problem for you to look it up."

"That's a relief," Darnley said. He turned his attention to the table as his husband was picking up the papers, getting them into the file and handing it back to Skye. They talked idly together while they waited before he noticed something and was about to ask how they'd fit around the table when Beckett was asking them about their food they'd decided on.

"Did any of you get something you can eat on the couch with me?" she asked.

"With you?" Mary asked.

"I'm getting a salad," Beckett explained.

"Oh, I did too," Skye said. "I'll join you."

"You two don't mind?" Darnley asked them.

"Not really," Beckett said with a smile. She looked at Skye as she was going over to the couch before she said to everyone, "Rick and I will be writing notes for these two cases."

"To keep everything clear?" Nkosi asked.

"Yeah, we got a lot of information and we need to keep it straight," Castle said. "But once we have a chance, unless we're staying here when you guys leave?"

"It depends on what we have," Darnley said. "But we'll let you know after lunch."

Before Castle and Beckett could reply to that there was a knock on the door, and he opened it so the workers could bring the food and set it on the table. He tipped the two before he said, "Are you sure about treating us to dinner?"

"Yes, don't ask that again," Darnley said jokingly.

"He won't," Beckett said.

"How's the house in Mill Valley?" Mary asked her.

"It's good, I forgot that you didn't hear about it from us," Beckett said. "The painters are going to start on the house next week," she said.

"You're painting the entire house?" Nkosi asked.

"We are," Beckett said. "But what I'm wondering about is when exactly you two will be coming over to see it."

"That I don't know," Darnley said with a sigh after he'd drunk some of his water. "We have time off for Spain of course, but after that I can't take off for that long until next year."

"How often are you guys planning on going back?" Mary said.

"We're going to stay every Memorial Day weekend," Castle replied. "And we might make it a permanent end to our Tahiti trips."

"End?" Nkosi asked in confusion.

"The girls urged us to go," Beckett said to explain. "And Julia had the idea of us going on a Wednesday, staying until Sunday and flying to Mill Valley before we come back the next Wednesday night."

"Can you do that?" Darnley said, looking at his friend.

"Not this year, the concert, but we will for sure next one," Beckett said.

"Nice," Darnley said.

"Why are you looking at me?" Castle asked him.

"You're making sure it's a nice trip, right?" Darnley replied.

"Patrick," Beckett said with a groan.

"I am," Castle said. "Don't worry Patrick, I figured you'd be giving me the older brother routine at some point."

"Which you don't need to do," Beckett said sternly.

"I think your dad would be happy I was," Darnley said with a smile. He couldn't help laughing as Beckett was rolling her eyes and said, "How is he? I forgot about him. Your mother in law too."

"My mother is fine," Castle said first. "She's trying to retire in the city and move into the house with us before the end of summer she was originally aiming for."

"Will she be able to?" Nkosi asked.

"Most likely," Beckett said.

"Wait, did you say retire in the city?" Skye asked, looking at her and Castle.

"I did," he said first. "She says she'll focus on helping us with the girls, but I wouldn't be surprised if she works with the local theater at some point."

"You think they'd ask her?" Mary said.

"It's likely, the theater director is aware she stays sometimes," Castle explained. "And if he finds out she's living there I'm sure he'll ask her for help with the actors."

"Would she?" Nkosi asked.

"She probably would," Beckett said before her husband could say anything. She smiled when he looked at her and reminded him, "She has mentioned considering it."

"Martha-speak for 'it's dealing with the theater so of course I'll be involved,'" Castle then said with a smile.

"And your dad?" Darnley said.

"He's doing great," Beckett replied. "And he's enjoying retirement if you're wondering about that too."

"What does he do?" Nkosi said.

"Photography mostly," Beckett said. "But he does take care of the girls."

"And he sees his friends that are in the city," Castle reminded her.

"The entire Hamptons," Beckett told him. She smiled when her husband nodded in agreement and she turned her attention to Darnley and Nkosi asking them, "How're Bethany and Joseph?"

"Good, they'll be disappointed when Keo starts school but they're enjoying the time they have now," Nkosi said first.

"What will they do when he goes?" Mary asked.

"Good question," Darnley said, looking at his husband. "Well… I should say that I do know Joseph will try to garden a lot more."

"He wants to make his garden bigger?" Castle asked.

"He'd like to try growing corn," Nkosi explained. "I am not sure if he will manage but he's always loved it and would want to try at least."

"Hopefully he can if he loves it," Skye said before she was putting her fork into her empty bowl. "Okay, we need to check on our investigation," looking at her co-IIC before he was nodding in return and speaking to Castle, Beckett and his husband.

"If you don't mind, we'll do that here," Nkosi said.

"Go ahead," Darnley said. "I need to check in with Sumner, see if she has anything."

"Would she?" Beckett couldn't help asking.

"Probably not, but I need to see if I need to go back," Darnley replied before he left the room.

Feeling a little awkward as the two investigators were waiting for Skye's call to be answered, Castle touched his wife's arm and nodded to the bedroom. He wasn't surprised when she was nodding in return and they headed together to it to begin unpacking. While they were doing that, he looked at his wife's phone that was on her nightstand and said, "Julia?" before he was looking at his watch.

"Yeah," Beckett said, looking at the message. She opened her phone before she noticed the time and said, "She sent this almost a half hour ago," showing the picture to her husband.

"Connect to the hotel's wi-fi," Skye said, looking into the room. "We had the same problem with texts, but it was fixed after we did that."

"Are you finished with your call?" Castle asked.

"Not yet, Trevor's talking with MacCallum," Skye said, shaking her head quickly. "Who texted you?"

"It doesn't have to deal with the cases," Beckett said quickly as she knew why the investigator had asked. "Julia." She watched Skye nod before she went over to Nkosi and she herself turned to her husband.

"I'm glad you mentioned the time," Castle said. "I would have wondered why she was texting us now."

Nodding Beckett said, "I wish we'd have gotten the message before though."

"You're not going to respond?" Castle asked her.

"I can't," Beckett said.

"You know she'll have the volume down," Castle said. When his wife just gave him a look he said, "I know, it'll distract her, but you do need to text her back."

"I'll set it to send later," Beckett replied easily.

"Did she say anything or was it just the picture?" Castle asked.

"Just the picture; it was after they ate lunch," Beckett said, the picture of their middle daughters at the field with their friends behind them. "I'm just telling her why I'm texting so late and that I'm glad they're having fun."

"What time are we calling them?" Castle asked.

"Later, before dinner," Beckett said, shrugging before she sent the message. She was looking at the picture again before she said with a smile, "I'm glad they accept Quentin into the fold."

"I know," Castle said. He studied his wife for a moment and asked, "Are you remembering this morning?"

"Yes," Beckett said in amusement. "I'm just glad Julia's not falling asleep in class," she added, thinking about that morning as she and Castle were getting ready to head into the city.

"I made this… a little strong," Castle said as he was giving his wife a to go coffee cup.

"I'll take it," Beckett said, about to say more when she saw her husband was looking up behind her. Turning, she saw their second oldest and was about to speak when the girl was doing so first.

"Hi," Julia said.

"Sweetie," Beckett said, looking up at her. "You're supposed to be in bed."

"I know, but I knew you were leaving and I wanted to see you again," Julia said, starting down the stairs to her parents in the entry. She hugged her father as she was reaching him first and told them, "Are you all ready?"

"Yes, we're about to leave," Castle told her.

"Do you need to leave now?" Julia asked.

"Not right this second but you need to go to bed soon," Beckett said sternly.

"Can't I say goodbye?" Julia said. "Watch you leave the house?"

"Not leave the house," Castle said. "And we did say goodbye, but I guess we need to say it again," he told her.

"Right now?" Julia asked.

"Yes," Beckett said when her husband looked at her.

Smiling when Julia sighed, Castle hugged her tightly to him and said, "We're missing you already sweetie."

"Good, 'cause I will too," Julia said, smiling up at him. She shared a kiss with him before she hugged him tightly one last time.

"I really hope you're not tired once you're at school," Beckett said as she took her daughter into her arms.

"I won't be, don't worry," Julia assured her. "I still hope you have a dinner at least," she said.

"Your mom told me," Castle said in amusement as the girl was looking at him. "And we'll try the best we can."

Once she had shared a kiss with her mom, Julia said, "We can't wait to see you when we talk."

"Neither can we, but pay attention to your classes," Beckett said.

"I will," Julia said simply, smiling when her mother was laughing. She hugged her again and went up the stairs as her parents were watching her.

Beckett was about to speak when the girl stopped at the top of the stairs, but Julia was merely waving to them before she continued quietly down the hall. "Alright love," she told him.

"Yeah, let's go," Castle said.

Beckett tried to ignore the slight guilt leaving their daughters, paying attention to getting into their already loaded car. She settled back with her coffee, watching as her husband drove them from their house to the highway where they could make their way to the city and JFK.

"Are you okay?" Castle asked his wife.

"Yeah, I'm a little less guilty," Beckett began. "But I'm glad we're going with them to Mill Valley soon."

"Me too," Castle said with a nod. He was about to lean over to kiss her when they looked to the living room as they could hear Skye and Nkosi saying goodbye. "Is-" he started to ask before he was interrupted by a knock on the door.

"I should have told him to take one of our keys," Beckett said, walking swiftly to it. "They finished," she told her friend as he was stepping inside. "So do either of you have anything?"

"Sumner said there might be a break in our case; a former co-worker of Villa," Darnley replied. "I have to go because she's being brought in."

"She? She was in the military?" Castle asked.

"She was, sniper training according to Sumner," Darnley said. "I need to go. What time were the reservations?"

"Six thirty, I just hope the three of us can make it," Skye said.

"You will," Mary said. When the others looked at her, she said, "She always worries about what will happen when she has an investigation and we have reservations, but she manages."

"I'll be home before then," Darnley told his husband before he was going over to him.

Looking to Skye as the two men were talking quietly for a moment and then sharing a quick kiss, Beckett noticed something and was about to speak before she was suddenly gasping. "Shouldn't you have done that to Trevor last?" she asked in amusement as her friend had suddenly hugged her tightly for a moment.

"I will before we sleep," Darnley replied. He laughed when she playfully shoved at his shoulder and he went to the door, saying goodbye to everyone.

"You guys?" Mary asked her wife.

"We're good for now, they're looking for anything else from the wing," Skye said. "We offered to go but they're okay right now; they'll call if they need any help." She then looked at Beckett and said, "What?"

Shaking her head, Beckett said, "I just noticed you two ate with your jackets on."

Looking down at her NTSB jacket, Skye glanced at Nkosi and said, "Yeah, force of habit."

"If we were back at Dulles we'd be eating, very quickly," the male investigator said. "No time to change or take the jackets off."

"Are you wearing an NTSB shirt under there?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, polo shirts," Skye said, moving her jacket aside so they could see the agency's seal on the left side of the chest. She looked at her co-IIC and was about to say they should head back to the plane when he was speaking first.

"Should I check on the boxes?" Nkosi asked, his brow furrowed.

"You realize not enough time has passed," Skye pointed out.

"I don't enjoy this," Nkosi said in frustration, sitting at the table.

"Neither do I," Skye said musingly.

"Do you want to head back and look over everything again?" Mary asked her.

"No, I've been doing that constantly since we started and I don't want to burn myself out with it," Skye replied. "But," she said, standing suddenly. "I want to go back to the plane."

Turning to Mary, as the investigator was looking out the window by the table, Beckett saw her motioning to her. She frowned for a moment before they walking up to her saying, "What're you looking at now?"

"I'm seeing the footage," Skye said with a frown. She turned back towards the room and said to Nkosi, "Has it bothered you at all?"

"The tipping downwards?" the investigator asked. At Skye's nod Nkosi said, "You know once it lost the spoiler it tilted down… banked right and then down."

"Yes, but the angle of attack," Skye said.

"We… you know we found a flap," Nkosi said, realizing what she meant.

"Yes, and all of them on the right were damaged," Skye said. "We assumed it was the flap but what if the damage made it look like a flap?"

"You should head back," Mary said as she was watching them with the writers.

"Yeah, look I don't know if you want to go… you didn't unpack yet," Skye said, turning to them.

"We can do that later," Beckett said, seeing her husband looking at her from the corner of her eye. "As long as we're allowed."

"Luckily I'm here too," Skye said.

"You can get away with more," Castle said slowly.

"To a degree; I'll remind you two people know you," Skye replied. "And since you helped me you have a slight bit of carte blanche. Let's go."

Leaving the room, Beckett checked her phone before they reached the elevators and she turned to see Skye and Mary weren't with them. "I feel bad for her," she said to the two men, both nodding before her friend's husband was speaking.

"She and I have talked about it," Nkosi said. "And she's lucky Mary was coming here already," he added, speaking quickly as the two women were walking around the corner and down the hall.

"Mary's stopping two floors down," Skye told them as Nkosi was pressing the down button.

"You can't come with us?" Castle asked.

Shaking her head quickly Mary said, "No carte blanche."

"Are you sure we do have that?" Beckett asked.

"You do," Skye said.

"But we didn't really help you with your flight investigations," Beckett pointed out to her. She paused and said, "You're a filthy liar Rose McDouglas."

Smirking, as the other three were looking at Beckett in shock, Skye said, "In effect it was to get you down here to help Patrick. But yes, I said I'd feel better if I had your protection. I do know the owner of the alloy factory though I've only met him a few times." She grew serious and said, "But you can't go with him."

"The new commissioner he has?" Castle asked.

"Exactly, she's tougher than Le Blanc was," Nkosi said.

Before anyone else could say anything, the elevator stopped and Mary was hugging her wife tightly, whispering in her ear before they shared a quick kiss and she stepped out, waving to them.

Hearing the bitter tone of her friend's voice, Beckett asked, "Swearing?"

"Japanese, she was talking to me in that," Skye said with a sigh. She shook herself and said, "We need to finish for the day," turning to Nkosi.

"Could I ask you something," Castle said.

"Once we're in the car," Skye said quickly as they'd reached the lobby. They went to the SUV Nkosi had driven to the hotel and she got into the passenger seat just as their phones were starting to ring.

"What the…" Nkosi said, sharing a look with his co-IIC.

"Get in," Skye told them before she reached for the passenger door. As soon as she was sitting, she answered her phone saying, "MacCallum-"

"They were shot! They were shot!" the woman was yelling. "Oh god, there's blood everywhere!"

"Go, go now," Skye said, taking Nkosi's phone as another investigator was telling him the same.

Once they were on the highway Nkosi said, "Could you-"

"I texted him as soon as I heard they were shot," Beckett said. "And… that's him," she said, pausing when her phone started to ring.

"What happened, we have 911 calls there were shots at Dulles," Darnley said frantically on the other end. "Where's Trev-"

"I'm here," Nkosi said. "We were just getting to the car or going down to the lobby when it happened," he added. "But we are fine, we're going now."

"No… I mean," Darnley said. "I see you! I'm right behind you! Sumner's with me and she's holding the phone. We have our lights on."

Looking into the back window of the SUV, Castle could see the nondescript car with red and blue lights, and he called, "We see you."

"I'm cutting in front Trev," Darnley told his husband. "We'll get there faster."

Beckett, looking out the side window where she was sitting, watched her friend driving around them until he was in front and shortly after the sirens began. It managed to clear the lane they were in and they drove off the 267 and Skye was calling back to the phone.

"Turn a right onto Windshear, you know the security checkpoint, but they'll have it open; they'll have declared an emergency," the investigator was telling him.

Seeing the man leaning over in the window of the booth and waving Darnley's car by, Beckett heard sirens behind and spotted ambulances. "The EMTs are here," she told the two in front.

"Hope that we don't need them," Skye said, watching Nkosi pull up behind Darnley who was behind the other SUV that had obviously been shot at.

Jumping out of the car, Beckett ran with Skye to the man who was laying on his back, blood soaking his shirt. "Does anyone have a belt?" she called.

"I do," Darnley said behind them. "But-"

"He's lost too much blood; we don't have time," Skye said, taking his belt. She helped Beckett in getting the man's arm tied and she put her hand to his cheek gently, "Stay with us Lamont."

"He's out," Beckett said before touching the investigator's arm to get her out of the way of the paramedics who'd come over to them.

"Was anyone else hit?" Skye asked. "Who was in the car?"

"Joon and me," Jensen said, walking up to them. "And…" he said before he stopped appearing to be in shock.

"Sit," Skye said. "Where's Joon?"

"I'm here," the Asian woman said, sniffing. "Will he be okay?"

"He should be," Nkosi said. "Now they have him. Come, we must talk with the police and see if you can say who it was that shot you."

"We'll have to wait," Darnley said. "This car is off limits to everyone."

"Do you want us to stay with you?" Beckett asked.

"You can head in with them Castle," Darnley said.

Watching her husband going, Beckett turned to her friend, about to tell him off for doing that before he took her arm and led her away from the others and the car, speaking to explain shortly after.

"I know, but I think he would be of better use to them in there," Darnley said. "He's helped you with people who… Castle."

Turning at her friend saying her husband's name, Beckett saw he was walking up to them and said, "Skye told you to come back out?"

"And Trevor and Sumner, neither of them needed me there," Castle replied. "What about Jensen?"

Looking to the man Darnley said, "Yeah, we have to wait for CSU. But I was going to ask you to talk to him Kate… sorry."

"It's alright," Beckett replied, leaving them as she knew she needed to try and calm the man down if she could.

"Is she really okay?" Darnley asked Castle as soon as the writer's wife was out of hearing range.

Looking at the detective, Castle was able to discern what he was asking exactly, and he nodded before saying, "I may need to watch her tonight, she'll tend to have a nightmare sometimes with the more violent cases. And I think the footage unsettled her; me too."

"And me," Darnley said, shaking his head before he was looking with the writer to Beckett.

"Mr. Jensen," she was saying gently once she reached the investigator, sitting next to him. She touched his shoulder and realized he was shaking before she called to another investigator who was standing by the hangar. "I need a blanket, and you to help me get him to a chair or something… the SUV behind the car."

"Yes ma'am," the man said before he ran back into the hangar.

Turning to Darnley and her husband Beckett called to the men before they hurried to her. "I need help with getting Mr. Jensen to the car we came in. He's shaking and I don't want him sitting on the ground."

"Take him," Darnley said to Castle.

"Sure," he replied quickly before going to the man. "Mr. Jensen?" Castle said, waiting for him respond. When there was none he said, "We're going to help you up and have you seated inside the hangar," looking pointedly at his wife.

"He's right, I only said the car because it was close Mr. Jensen," Beckett said quickly. She helped her husband in getting the man to stand and they both had to help him in walking over to the hangar.

"Here," one of the other investigators said as he was setting down a chair.

"Here's the blanket ma'am," the investigator Beckett had talked to said.

Taking it, Beckett paused when she realized it was one the NTSB used for investigations but knew she couldn't wait. "Mr. Jensen," she said as she was covering his shoulders. "Would you like me to take this box?" she asked, indicating the one he'd been holding the entire time.

"S-Skye," Jensen stammered.

"She'll be out here in a second," Beckett said soothingly as she realized that box likely had to do with the case. She spotted a woman among the investigators and went to her saying, "MacCallum?"

"I am ma'am," she replied with a nod.

"Can you get Skye? She's talking with Joon, but Jensen needs to speak with her," Beckett told her.

"Will he be okay?" MacCallum asked hesitantly, looking at her fellow investigator.

"I think once he talks to her, he will be," Beckett said before watching the woman run to the room towards the back of the hangar. She walked back to her husband; who'd stayed with Jensen; and she knelt in front of the man so they were more eye to eye. "Does this box have to do with the case?" she asked very gently.

Castle wasn't surprised when he nodded and he said, "Skye's coming now," as he could see the investigator jogging from the room.

"Jensen," Skye said in a gentle tone of voice. "You have something for me?"

"This is what we found," the investigator said, holding out the box suddenly.

Skye was a little surprised before she took it from him and said to Darnley, "Is it alright for me to look at this?"

"Mr. Jensen, did you have this in your hands the entire time?" Darnley asked the man. After the investigator had nodded, he said, "Go ahead."

Opening the box, Skye paused and then breathed, "Oh god… they destroyed the spoilers."

"What is it?" one of the investigators said behind them.

"Where's… Nkosi," Skye said before she spotted him walking up to them, Joon just behind him. "Look at this," she said to him before she walked to a nearby table with schematics of the 777. She set the box on it, upside down, before she lifted it up and the parts spilled across the tabletop.

"What…" Nkosi said in horror. "How did that happen?"

"I don't think we really have to look very hard for that," Skye said grimly. "The wing was sabotaged."
Beckett was about to speak before they could hear sirens and she said, "Officers?"

"And CSU," Darnley said.

"That's not the police," Nkosi said, sharing a look with Skye.

"No, airport emergency vehicles," Skye said with a frown before they went together outside of the hangar. She grabbed the walkie-talkie she had attached to her waist and called in to the tower, "Tower, NTSB in Hangar 1. Over."

"Plane heading in with spoilers unable to deploy, emergency level one," the voice said before it stopped there.

"That's not a coincidence," Castle said.

"No," Skye said. "Damnit, I wish I could have asked who it was," as she'd tried calling the tower but there was no response.

"We'll see now," Nkosi replied before they paused.

"I'm feeling better now," Jensen said when the others looked at him. "I… will Lamont be okay?"

"We'll have to check on him, but they rushed him out of here," Skye assured him as she looked over to where the ambulance had been. It had left while they'd been talking to him and she called to one of the other investigators. "Stay here with him, please," she told the woman who quickly nodded before she rushed out with the others.

"How-" Castle started to say. He stopped himself when Nkosi held up his hand as voices were coming over the radios he and Skye had.

"They're coming in fast," she said, looking at her co-IIC.

"She is," Nkosi said, turning his attention up to the sky.

"There!" an investigator said with them. "She's too high, way too high."

Beckett was grabbing her husband's arm as she spotted the plane after the others had and even she could tell that something was wrong with it. Castle had just grabbed her hand when the plane suddenly started to bank to the right as something ripped off the wing.

"No, no, no… Kip…" Skye groaned.

"He's there?" Nkosi asked her.

"He's straightening," another investigator called out.

"He's losing it…" Skye said before she covered for mouth with her hands as the plane was obviously fighting with the flight crew as it tried banking again before it struck the ground in between the two runways.

Beckett wanted to close her eyes as the plane turned slightly before sliding and the right wing was ripped off, leading to an explosion. But she was watching with everyone as the dirt flew up around the plane, tangling with the fire before it stopped, and Skye was running. "Wait!" she said, going after the investigator as she recalled she was supposed to be protecting her.

"I can't, Kip Denzil is there," Skye said. She turned to Beckett and said, "He's my friend, and an investigator," before turning around and running over to where the plane was being surrounded by emergency services.

"Stay there," Beckett called to Castle before she was running after the investigator.

"Like hell I will," Castle mumbled under his breath, going after Darnley as he was following his husband while they were getting closer and closer to the fire as it was burning over the teal painted fuselage of the motionless Potomac Airways 777.