"Okay?" Castle asked.

"In these circumstances? Yes," Beckett replied, trying to keep from falling onto his lap at another bump in the road. "I wish we'd been back at home."

"I think they're backtracking a little," Castle replied before his wife responded.

"Yeah," Beckett said simply. She then said, "What are we going to do?"

"No clue," Castle said. "But I have my phone and my key," he said.

"Where?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"The key's in my pocket," Castle said.

"Front or back?" Beckett asked in concern.

"Back, my phone is in my blazer pocket," Castle said.

"Could you try for the key?" Beckett asked immediately.

"I'll give it a shot," Castle replied. He looked around the back of the van they'd been thrown into at the marsh and said, "Here goes nothing."

"Do you need me to support you?" Beckett asked him while he was moving his arms toward his pocket.

"No, I think… there," Castle said. He slid towards the font of the van and then glanced behind him to see that his wife was turned around. They pushed back towards each other until they'd met, and he moved the key around the handcuffs that were around her wrists.

As soon as she felt them loosening, Beckett turned and opened the ones around Castle's wrists. "We can't jump out," she said since she could feel they were moving faster.

"No, but I can do this," he replied, getting his phone. He dialed Brad's number and put it on speaker before his wife stopped him.

"They'll hear," Beckett told him hurriedly.

Though he wanted to say he'd put the volume down, Castle realized she was right, and he hurriedly texted Brad.

"What is it?" Darnley asked, going over to the chief.

"It was Castle," Brad replied. "But he hung up… at least I hope that's what- no, he's texting me," he started to say before stopping when his alert sounded. He went to the message rapidly, not surprised his friend was texting swiftly while they watched.

We were taken, we're in a white van, license plate 7FLFJJ0

"Call on your phone and have them search that, also tell them to track his phone," Brad told Darnley who was rushing to do so.

We're both fine, banged up but I have a key and- they're stopping. Find us!

"What happened?" Darnley asked, having hung up with the station.

"They're stopping, he didn't say who it was that took him," Brad replied. "But at least we have that license plate number."

"What did you say about a bomb?" Darnley asked.

"At the safehouse," Brad said. "I don't know how they managed to find them, but they'll have to be evacuated." His phone was ringing, and he had a moment of hope before he saw it was Rice. "Tell me," he said as soon as he answered, the officer responding as fast.

"We've got them, they're here in the Hamptons but on the border with Southampton," Rice replied.

"Alright, we're on our way," Brad said. "Text where the van stops for sure to Darnley." Hanging up, he explained it to the carpenter what had happened and said, "Go to the car, I'll tell the officers here we're leaving."

"Sure," Darnley said, watching the chief hurry away. He made his way back to the cars and glanced at the Castles' before he hurried to get inside the squad car when Brad was jogging up to it.

"Are your cuffs okay?" Castle asked his wife.

"Yeah," Beckett said with a nod as they were leaning against the partition between them and the front of the van. "Are you ready?" she asked him.

"Yep," Castle said before they were watching the doors fly open.

"Aw, cowering in the back," the man said mockingly. "Get down here."

Sharing a look with her husband, Beckett didn't say anything but was aware he understood her unspoken message. She pushed herself first, hearing Castle following her before she was nearing the man, looking at his gun before his partner stepped up behind and spoke witheringly.

"Hurry up," she said. "We've waited long enough." When the couple were out of the van and standing, she tapped at Beckett's arm saying, "Take off your clothes, both of you."

"I told you," the man said when the two hesitated. "Should we shoot them, and do it?"

"Yes," the woman replied easily, running her hand up Castle's chest.

Sucking in a breath of air as loud as she could, Beckett shook off the handcuffs at the same time her husband was and punched the man in front of her as hard as she could before they could react. She was relieved when he only had the chance to grunt before he was going down and she raced for his gun before she was aiming it at him. Staring at the killer she said, "Rick?" hoping her husband had been able to move as fast.

"Got her," Castle said, having done the same with the woman next to him. "Okay?"

"My knuckles will be bruised, but I'm fine with that," Beckett replied before she could hear the sirens.

"Me too," Castle said. "They work fast," he commented when he could tell they were from squad cars when they were closer.

"Unless we're near home," Beckett said. "If you're going to look around wait until they're here."

"That was the plan," Castle said swiftly when he heard a groan. "Hurry up Brad," he muttered under his breath.

"Stay on the ground," Beckett told the man as his eyes were fluttering open.

"You," he hissed, focusing on her. "You bitch-" he started to add before the sound of the squad cars arriving cut him off.

"Beckett," Castle said.

"Yeah?" she replied immediately, startled to hear him concerned.

"I punched a woman in the face again," Castle replied.

"She might be a little longer to wake up," Beckett said simply. "She had a gun on you and was going to rape you, I think you're within your rights to defend yourself."

"Guys, easy," Brad said while he ran up, his gun on the man. He then realized who it was and said, "The doctors?"

"Yeah," Castle said, stepping back and lowering Holst's gun he'd been holding. He went to his wife when Emerson was getting Budahas and told them, "They snuck up on us at the south cabin on the marsh, they were trying to see what we knew. When we couldn't tell them much, they decided to assault us both and kill us." Since he could see where they were he said, "And leave us here in the woods."

"I'm so glad you have that key," Brad said. Once he was sure Budahas was restrained and Holst; awake by then; was the same he turned to the couple and said, "No injuries?"

"No, they wanted to just shoot us and be done with it," Castle said.

"He's right, Budahas shoved us inside the van before the two of them argued, closed the door and we were gone," Beckett replied.

"Paramedics are here chief," Wade said, walking over.

"Alright, have one look at Holst but I want the other to check on Castle and Beckett," Brad said. "I'll be back."

"We're fine," Beckett said with a brief smile while Darnley stepped up to her.

"Hold on," Castle told the carpenter when he saw the man was about to hug his wife. He reached for Beckett, and they embraced one another tightly before he said, "Again."

"I had the same thought," Beckett replied. She pressed a little closer to him and said, "I am so glad the girls are in school."

Castle was about to speak before he heard someone sucking in a breath and he turned with her to Darnley. "What is it?" he asked.

"Brad got a call from Rice," the carpenter said. He paused, looking over at Brad who was still talking to the paramedics checking on Holst. "Looks like you stopped her," he said.

"Patrick," Beckett said firmly before he was sighing and finally finishing what he'd started talking about before.

"Your parents are at the station… with Josie," Darnley said, bracing himself for their reaction.

"What?" Castle and Beckett said at the same time.

"You said they'd done that before," Darnley commented.

"They did, but they didn't have Josie," Beckett said. "We-" she started to say before she cut herself off and breathed out in frustration. "Our car, I would have left right now," she said.

"There it is," Darnley said, looking down the road. Seeing the surprise on his friend's face he explained, "Brad thought you should have it. But you're lucky he got your texts because he had them follow until he knew where you were." He studied the two and said slowly, "But you're sure everything's okay?"

"The paramedics will let you know," Castle said, seeing one of them walking over.

"We're fine," Beckett said when the woman neared them. "All we have is bruising on our knuckles."

"You didn't hit your heads?" the EMT asked.

"No," Castle and Beckett said at the same time.

"Any cuts or scrapes?" she said. When the pair shook their heads she nodded and said, "Then if you have any problems later head to your nearest hospital."

"We will," Castle said, hearing Beckett murmuring the same next to him. "Brad," he told his friend when he noticed the chief was coming up to them.

"You're good?" he asked.

"Yes, we want to go to the station," Beckett said.

"I had to tell them," Darnley said defensively when the chief immediately turned to him. "They were going to see them once we went back anyway."

"Alright, but I just want to ask if you guys would stay a little longer," Brad told them. "At least until lunch."

"Sure." "I didn't think we were finished yet," Castle and then Beckett said.

"They don't have to go to the hospital?" Castle asked.

"No," Brad replied. "They'll have great shiners but no serious injuries, now go and spend that time with your family before I'm back and we'll hopefully be able to talk to them and see why the hell they targeted the company."

"Should I go?" Darnley asked.

"Yeah, we've got things handled here," Brad replied.

"Oh wait," Castle said. "My phone."

"I'll get it," Brad replied. "Yours?" he asked Beckett.

"Hopefully in the front," she replied. "Will I get it back?"

"Most likely," Brad replied. "Who had your gun?"

"She did," Castle said. "Holst got it from Budahas after he got the cuffs on us."

"You'll have to write a statement," Brad told them. "And tell me what exactly happened."

"We'll start it," Beckett said with a nod. After the chief told them to go, she was taking her husband's hand and they walked together rapidly to the car before they were getting inside.

"Kate," Castle said gently when she wasn't letting him go. When she murmured an apology before releasing his hand he said, "Don't feel bad, I would love-" before Darnley was interrupting him.

"Why don't you let me drive," the carpenter said. "You two can sit back here."

Sharing a look with her husband, Beckett said, "Alright," before they were hurrying to switch. Sitting in the back she said, "Is everyone on the board okay?"

"Funny you should ask that," Darnley commented. "There was a bomb threat there." He wasn't surprised when the couple exclaimed in response and said, "It's the white car; the one that hit the protesters by Roosevelt."

"Was that taken care of?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, the bomb squad got it set," Brad replied. "Turns out it was an amateur bomb, like their first one they got the directions for online. It wasn't going to go off."

"But do you think that could have been intentional?" Beckett asked.

"No," Darnley replied. "They took a picture of it and Brad showed it to me, it was trash."

"Interesting way to describe it," Castle said.

Shrugging, Darnley was about to start the car before he looked over his shoulder hearing Brad calling to them.

"There's something I need you to do while they're getting their statements… or greeting their family," the chief told him. "Will you take Scholz to the mother of his son."

"Really?" Castle asked.

"Yeah, I'd ask an officer but we're going to be a little busy," Brad commented.

"Not a problem, but where is she?" Darnley asked.

"Hutchinson got the address already," Brad replied. "So drop him off alright?"

"Sure," Darnley said before Brad was stepping back and he was starting the car, the pair talking behind him to his amusement.

"What do you think?" Castle asked his wife.

"I'm not going to say," Beckett replied with a smile. "Not until you say."

"Fine," Castle said in mock annoyance. "I think he might have realized how precious life is and is thinking of being with the mother of his son," he explained.

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said with a smile. "But I was thinking the same." She felt him entwine their fingers before she murmured, "You're not going to have a nightmare, are you?"

"No," Castle replied firmly. "You?" he asked.

Shaking her head Beckett teased him lightly saying, "I can hear you in my head; think of St. Croix." She was smiling before she recalled something and said, "The girls."

"I… we'll have to wait and see once we get them back," Castle replied.

"She texted Brad," Darnley said from the front.

"Julia?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah, he never answered because we were trying to find you guys," Darnley explained.

"That makes sense, but that means she had a feeling something was wrong," Castle told his wife.

"Do you guys want to use my phone?" Darnley asked.

"If you don't mind," Beckett told him. She let her husband take it and watched him pause before he turned on the phone. "It's almost the end of her class," she told him.

"Yeah, I'll schedule it," Castle said swiftly before he texted while Darnley was talking to his wife up front.

"Are you guys okay with me driving like this?" the carpenter was asking.

"It's fine, the van was a lot different," Beckett said. "I'm tired of being stuck in the back of them," she said in annoyance.

"Oh yeah, that's not the first time that happened," Darnley said.

"No, but we're hoping that's the last," Castle said in irritation. "What do you think?" he asked the two of them.

"About their motive?" Beckett responded with her own question.

Nodding Castle said, "Unless it's something to do with the medical field."

"Hopefully they'll talk to Brad," Darnley commented.

"We'll find out," Beckett said.

Glancing at her for that, Castle looked out the windshield and realized they'd arrived at the station. "First Josie," he said.

"And our parents," Beckett reminded him. She did her best not to smile at the groan he made under his breath before they were pulling around to the parking lot for the officers. She did her best not to move to the door until the car stopped, wanting to get to their youngest and make sure she and their family were okay.