They had spent the past few days just reading and writing and enjoying each others company. There was also the tons of really hot sex. Couldn't forget that. For Castle and Beckett, it seemed they were in paradise. Castle awoke alone in his bed this morning and panic hit him right away. That is till he smelt the amazing smell of Coffee, eggs, and could it be? Bacon? Castle jumped out of bed at the realization of this last smell and dashed off to the kitchen, throwing a bathrobe on as he did so.

"Good morning, beautiful." He greeted her with a kiss on the cheek as she worked her way around the kitchen cooking breakfast for him.

"Morning" She replied, cheerier than he'd ever seen her in his life.

"You made bacon." He said as he sat at the island. "Best girlfriend ever." He stated as he reached out for a piece but his hand was smacked by Kate with the spatula

"Wait till everything's ready." She chastised him as she returned to the scrambled eggs that were almost done. As she dumped the portions out onto plates, Castle went to prep himself a coffee then returned to the dinning table where Kate took breakfast.

"Thank you." He said sitting down and she smiled a silent you're welcome at him as they began to eat. Today was planned to be like the past few days and so they would tan and read in the morning sun. Then take a dip in the afternoon. Dinner was on the fly whether they went out or stayed in and the evening, well they kept themselves occupied. Of course they would keep themselves occupied whenever the need seemed to arise through out the day as well. Breakfast finished and dishes washed in a team effort to speed up the process, they went and laid out on the back deck by the pool in their usual patio loungers.

Just as Castle was getting to a good part in one of his fellow author's stories that he was reviewing, his phone rang. It was Alexis. Probably just checking up so he answered it. "Hi Sweety, what's up?" He asked her.

His daughters voice on the other side of the phone sounded scared and distressed. "Dad, Hand the phone to Beckett, Ryan is here. He says it's an emergency." She told him quickly.

"What?" He began to ask but was interrupted by Kevin Ryan himself.

"Castle, We have a problem. We have another body. Guys name is Smith. Prints at the scene are a match. Were positive, Maddox did it." He said cool and calmly though you could tell there was panic behind him. "Please tell me you and Beckett are safe." He asked the worry now growing apparent in the detectives voice. A lump rose into Castle's throat. If they got Smith, no one was protecting Beckett anymore. She was fair game in their eyes. Hell she had been begging for it. "Castle?" The detective asked the silence.

"Yeah, I just.. Uh...That's really bad." He started. Not quite knowing what to say. "I have her safe. We're in the Hamptons." Castle told the detective. He was happy Ryan didn't bother asking the obvious questions like what she was doing with him there but at the same time he wanted anything to take his mind off this new development. They would be safe here right? Maddox didn't know where they were did he? How easily could he find out? "Here, you have to talk to Kate." He told his friend needing a minute to think. Then he looked up to see a very concerned looking Kate Beckett staring back at him. She wasn't dumb. She knew something was very wrong. "It's Ryan." said Castle before handing the phone to his partner.

Kate took it hesitantly, unsure of what she was about to hear. "Hello?" She asked almost sheepishly. Ryan explained the situation and Castle watched as Kate went through the different expressions of realization. "Ya, we'll stay out here for a while till you guys figure out whats going on back home, safer that way, I totally agree." She told her former coworker but before hanging up she made sure to let her friend know that she appreciated him. "Hey Ryan? Thanks for having my back. I'd be dead without you." they said their goodbyes and she hung up. She seemed oddly relaxed. Quite the opposite of Castle who literally jumped a minute later when it was Kate's phone that began to ring. Lanie's face was the one to appear. Kate answered her phone still not having a chance to talk to Castle about the new development in their lives

"Hey Lanie" She answered relaxed. Clearly not expecting news to have traveled that quickly.

"Girl, Ryan tells me you're shacked up in the Hamptons with writer boy? Is that your idea of thinkin' bout everythin'. Tell me it's true honey, cause were all scared for ya back home here." Her friend was loud and proud as usual. Nothing was secret in their little family and if Ryan was looking for Kate and had bad news it was no wonder Lanie found out when it turned a little better. Especially since Ryan and Esposito weren't speaking last they were in New York.

"Yes, I'm with Castle in the Hamptons." She told her friend. Kate had to pull her ear away from the phone for the excited noises Lanie made on the other side.

"Kate, It's been a long time comin' that I could say this, but sweety, you bring a whole new meanin' to curlin' up in bed with your favorite author." The M.E. joked through the phone.

"Lanie!" Kate exclaimed embarrassed about the knowledge of her being a huge fan of the author long before that fateful day she arrested him, leading her down a path to one day fall in love with him in a whole new way.

Castle laughed as he could hear both sides of the conversation going on beside him. Lanie's voice could carry. He finally started to relax again. Leaning back on the lounger he picked up his book of the table. Kate began to recall the events of the day she left the precinct and ended up in Castles bed to Lanie. The full details just like she promised herself. Seeing Kate blush and smile as she recalled all the events of that day calmed Castle a bit and he decided he could go back to reading. Kate and him would be able to talk about Ryan's conversation after. For now she could have giggle time.

Castle picked up his book again and began to read, a heavy sigh escaping him as the adrenaline and fear finally left his body. Kate now sat on the edge of her lounger, getting ready to head inside. Lanie probably wanted dirty details and Kate didn't think Castle needed to hear them. As Kate sat up, Castle saw something out of the corner of his eye. A flash of light or something. His head shot instinctively towards it and then he saw it again. A little flash. His heart flew back into his throat as he knew he had no time to react. They'd been found.

Castle tackled Kate to the pool deck as he heard the sound of the gun, knocking the phone from her hands. Chairs and tables toppling, Kate got to her feet, low on the ground with Castle as they tried to scramble inside. More shots went off. Maddox was determined to take care of the both of them this time. Instinctively, Castle followed Kate to hide between the island and the cupboards in the kitchen, providing the most cover. Searing pain shot through his stomach and chest and he knew he was in trouble. He looked down and his hands were red and shaking, warm blood pooled out onto them from his chest.

"K...Kate." His voice was scared. She turned to face him suddenly and was horrified with what she saw. Using his body as a shield, Castle had taken two bullets for her. One in the lower back out the stomach and one through his upper back and out his chest. "Can't breath." was all he could get out in a faint terrified voice. He coughed up more blood and this only terrified him more. He was going into shock. If Kate didn't get medics on him quick he was going to die.

"Oh god, Castle no." was all she could say to him. She flew to him pressing her hands against the wounds trying to stop the bleeding as she began to panic. He looked at her with a pleading in his eyes. No words could describe the fire he felt in his lungs and his gut. He was suffocating.

"Help" he sputtered out with more blood. If only there were some way how.

"Stay with me Rick." she begged panic in her voice. He could feel his eyes growing heavy and he couldn't fight it. The world was closing in around him. "No Stay with me damn it." The harshness of her voice seemed to reach him. "I have to get my phone so I can call for help but it's outside. I need you to try and stay with me till I make it back okay?" She asked him as she reached into the bottom of the oven for something big and metal to be used as a shield. A thick baking sheet would have to do.

"No. Kate." He tried to protest He wanted to tell her not to risk going back out there but the blood made it hard to speak so he shook his head as she spoke. This made him dizzy and it became harder to focus on her face "I Love you." He told her his voice cracking as he started to cry, biting his lower lip as he slowly came to terms with this being the end. It wasn't fair. They had only finally just gotten together. They hadn't even been together a full week.

"Oh Rick, I love you too, but don't talk like that" She began to cry too. This couldn't be the end. Not like this.

"Tell Alexis I love her too." He forced out. If this was the end he had to get it all out while he could.

"Don't you talk like that Richard Castle. You stay with me. Don't you go when I just got you." She begged him but had to straighten herself out. She had to be in control, for him. "I'll be right back, I promise." She started. "I'm going to get you through this. It's going to be okay. We'll be together, always." and without another moment to waste she kissed his forehead and dashed back out to the pool.

The image of her before him was now no more than a blur. He felt the kiss on his forehead and tried to reach out for her, to hold her one last time, but his arms wouldn't listen. "No" He tried to call after her but he was too weak and all that came out was silence. It was too late. She had already left. He chocked on more blood as he tried to hold on like she asked, but then he heard it, more gunshots. "Kate!" He screamed after her at the top of his lungs but this made things worse. His sight left him quickly and his eyes fell shut. No fight left in him, he faded into the darkness.

A/N: Just a short one for the sake of the cliffhanger. That and I've really just wanted to get the plot ball rolling in this one. Yaay for plot.