Here's the action that i promised. we're closing in on the end of Always no more than three chapters left.

"Brandon Colehauser," Beltran said and passed the file back to Kate. "US Army Ranger, enlisted March of '97, Airborne in 98 and then went on to Ranger School. Volunteered for Combined Reconnaissance Team and received Seal training. Served in Iraq, Afghanistan, Bosnia, Kosovo, then in '06 he was tapped by the CIA for classified operations in South America where he disappeared into the Cartels. We believe he's part of the Raven's hit crew."

"And you expect the three of us to bring him in?" Kate snorted.

"Not him." Beltran said. "We'd need a massive tactical assault to take him. His brother however..." She passed a new file back to Kate.

"Our target is David Colehauser, Brandon's brother, an addict who can't go a week without feeding his habit." Beltran pointed at the file. "Petty theft, robbery, fleeing arrest. Only violent offense was striking an officer at a DUI checkpoint. Davie boy has an addiction to heroin. We've traced his various ins and outs of rehab. Brandon physically forces his brother in and pays for everything. Bring David in and for the price of a fix we should be able to get him to flip on his brother."

Jane glanced over from the driver's seat. "And you haven't moved on this because..." She twirled a finger in the air.

Sera smiled wolfishly. "Because we didn't know until your information clarified it with ours. Barricade and I were going to run the creep down until I got orders to shut you down." Sera shifted in her seat, "contrary to your belief that Federal Agents are always out for their own glory, I wanted you involved. Call it a guilty conscience if you want but bottom line is that I hate taking cases away from hard working people who are good at their jobs."

Kate continued to glean through the file, "And if we come across Brandon?"

Sera looked back at her. "Intel suggests he's not in New York. But if I'm wrong, we keep eyes on him and call for backup, lots and lots of backup."

Jane snorted, "Special Forces make you nervous?"

Sera eyed her, "you're not?"

Jane arched a brow but said nothing.

Sera looked back at Kate who continued to read the two files. "Your partner better not get me killed."

Kate shook her head. "Jane, listen up. Brandon Colehauser is a sharpshooter, trained with the Israelis in Krav Maga, Special Forces hand to hand and knife combat techniques. He's 6'2", 230lbs, brown hair, blue eyes. His position is lineman." She looked up. "What's a lineman?"

"Part of a fire team." Jane said. "He's a ground pounder."

Sera looked at her. "How did you know that?"

Jane shrugged. "I used to date a Lieutenant Colonel."

Sera arched her brow. "She must have been something to hit Lt. Colonel. Why'd you stop seeing her?"

"Because 'she' was a 'he' and that was a problem for me." Jane growled.

"Ohh…" Beltran stretched the word out. "You were a late bloomer; didn't know you were gay until later."

Kate cleared her throat. "Anyway, my point is, Jane, this guy is very well trained so if we come across him, we back off. Do not leave my ass hanging."

Jane smiled. "Never will, sweetie."

"Good." Kate said and turned back to the files. "David doesn't have much here beyond his arrest record. 27 years old, six foot nothing, 180 pounds. Guy looks like a crack head but he could be in a drug induced rage so watch him carefully."

She then looked up at Beltran. "If for any reason this goes south, whatever happens, whatever you do, do not get near Jane."

Beltran's eyes shifted from one to the other. Jane felt that cold place inside her stir uneasily.

"Why?" She asked with interest.

"Let's just say it would be very stupid on your part if you get too close."

Sera stared at her with those cold eyes. "Again, why?" She asked. "Something I need to know then you should tell me right now."

Jane leveled a glare at her. "You want us to trust you, try trusting us first."

All three women were strapped in body armor as Beltran lead the way into the rundown apartment building. Warrant in hand Beltran stopped at apartment 3C.

"Nice digs." She mocked.

Kate sniffed the air. A pungent stench emanated from the hallway. "This isn't a good neighborhood."

Jane nodded and turned away. "Espo, where you at?" She said into her radio.

"Coming up. Unis are set up at the edge of the block."

"Copy. We're outside suspect residence. Charlie three."

"Fifteen seconds." He said.

Jane drew her primary weapon and held it tight. Kate drew down too as did Beltran. They waited to see Ryan and Esposito to come out of the stairwell when the door to the apartment opened.

Instead of David, Brandon Colehauser stepped through and froze. Seeing Beltran he lurched for her. "YOU BITCH!" He grabbed Beltran by the throat.

Kate leapt right past Sera and cracked him in the head with her pistol. Brandon jerked to the side and his grip on Sera's throat slipped. Sera fell and crawled back away from him to catch her breath. He straightened and looked to Kate, murder in his eyes. Kate stepped back with her gun trained but he snapped a kick right into her ribs. Kate dropped her pistol when she bounced off the hallway wall landing on her knees. His foot snapped out again this time aimed at her head but it never made it. Jane caught his leg and drove her elbow into his knee. Brandon shouted in pain but his surprise was replaced by his fight instincts kicking in.

Ryan shoved his gun into Brandon's face. "Freeze."

Instead of freezing, Colehauser jerked and drove a fist into Ryan's sternum. The gun tumbled from his grip as he went down. Jane stepped back in and Brandon turned on her allowing Espo to jump him from behind. His beefy arm locked around Brandon's neck. He tried to squeeze the man into a sleeper. Brandon wrapped one hand around Espo's bicep and slammed his back into the doorframe. Espo groaned from the impact. Jane got in front again and Colehauser threw a fist at her head. Jane's reflexes kept it from connecting. She dropped to a knee while he was over extended and drilled her fist right into his rib. His reaction was a knee to her shoulder that sent her sprawling backwards. Ryan and Kate jumped in as he slammed Espo back into the door frame. He kicked Ryan again, this time in the knee. Causing him to crumble and catch Esposito's foot to his head as Colehauser swung around. Brandon swung at Kate who ducked but he continued around and hit her with the back end of his heel. Espo pounded his free fist into Brandon's face. The response was short. Colehauser slammed him against the wall and drove his head back. Espo saw stars and his grip was broken. He never saw the fist that came at him and sent him into darkness.

Jane caught Kate from hitting the floor and they climbed to their feet. They saw Espo get knocked out cold and fall like a sack of potatoes. Ryan tried to stand but a jab from Colehauser put him right back down.

Beltran took a step towards him fists up and he lunged for her. Kate rushed between them as Jane sent three strikes right into his broken rib. His arm came back and she ducked the elbow. But before she could throw again, Brandon's arm snapped around her neck, jerking her into a headlock. He jerked, trying to break her neck. But Jane, well versed by Colin, protected it by grabbing his arm tighter. Kate jumped in again. Her kickboxing with Jane paying off as she delivered three blows quickly; a jab to his ribs, an elbow to his chin and a knee to his groin.

It did not have the desired effect. Enraged, he feigned a throw and she ducked. As she came up he connected right in the face, sending her into the wall, hard.

That was it for Jane. Seeing her partner and best friend crumple to the floor, Jane reached inside. It came out like a tsunami, instantly numbing her to the pain. Still in the headlock, Jane punched him in the groin with a satisfying squish. Jane drilled him in the groin again and again until she felt his grip loosen before twisting and firing her newly freed elbow into his ribs. She heard the crunch from a second rib breaking and felt him gasp. His hold finally broken, Jane spun and delivered a fist into that one area just under the ribs that took his breath away. She rocked his jaw twice with her fist before driving her knee into his stomach. He recovered but not as fast as she did.

Her face devoid of any emotion or exhortation, she threw two more jabs at his broken rib and spun to sweep him. He caught her leg and, gasping for air, he grabbed her throat. Before she could respond, his head exploded with a gunshot. His grip gone and his remains falling to the floor, Jane pulled her nine and leveled it at the source in the blink of an eye.

Beltran's gun was smoking as she lowered it to the floor.

"Goddamnit!" Jane shouted as she reigned in her other side. "I had him!"

"He was going to kill you!"

Jane lowered her gun and ran a bloody hand over her equally bloody face. "I said trust us!"

Sera set her gun down on the floor. "Look around!"

Jane did and her heart stopped. Ryan was helping Espo to his feet. It was clear that her friends were badly injured. But what panicked her was Kate. Laying on her side, she wasn't moving and blood pooled under her head.

Oh no! Jane rushed to her side and felt for a pulse. It was strong, steady and slow.

"Kate," Jane checked her friend out, "C'mon girl, wake up." She saw the nasty bruise on the younger woman's cheek. "C'mon, partner. Wake up. I'm sorry. I should have been watching out for you. Please, wake up." Jane smacked Kate's face softly. "Kate. Don't scare me like this. You know I need my sister, wake up." Four more light slaps to the cheek.

Beltran watched, not truly believing what she was seeing. Jane had been absolutely oblivious to everything other than taking down Brandon Colehauser. Her skills at fighting were stunning to say the least. She was cold and methodically driven to beat him. But now that she'd known her partner was hurt. She was completely emotionally panicked. As if it was her lover on the floor and she'd put her there. Beltran might have believed that had Jane not used the word sister.

"Katie." Jane said softly with a tear sliding down her cheek, "I'm sorry. Please don't do this to me. I promise I'll always have your back first. C'mon, Katie. Please wake up or Ma's gonna kill me."

A groan came out of Kate's throat as she stirred.

Jane leaned over her. "Katie?"

Kate's eyes fluttered open. "Janie," came the croaked whisper.

"That's it, c'mon." She said softly. While stroking Kate's brown hair. "C'mon Katie, wake up."

Coffee colored eyes pulled into focus. "Janie. My head..."

"Yeah." She replied. "You took a nasty fall. But I'm here. Your sister's here."

Kate blinked twice and her head stopped buzzing. "I thought I said don't leave my ass hanging."

Jane hung her head, "I'm sorry. I messed up."

Kate sighed, "Yeah you did." She looked up at her sister. "Jesus, what the hell happened to you?"

Jane's face was a mess, "I got my ass kicked."

Kate snorted, "That'll be the day." She looked over to the grisly body across the hall, "What happened!" She looked at Jane. "Tell me you didn't kick his head off."

Jane shook her head. "Beltran shot him in the head."

Kate looked over to see the brunette staring at them. "She could have taken him."

Sera's eyes went wide. "You were out cold. Your two other partners were down. I was knocked into a wall and Rizzoli doesn't want to admit it but she was about to get killed. I wanted him alive but he died so your 'sister' could live."

Kate groaned. "She could have taken him."

The EMTs came up the stairwell and Kate shouted from the floor, "Someone clean up Rizzoli before her wife sees her like this."

"Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, save me!" Gates shouted as she walked into the hospital room, "Can I ever send you two out to pick up a suspect and not come back with a corpse!?"

"I didn't kill anyone, Captain." Jane defended. "I was trying to take him into custody."

"Beltran shot him." Kate said. "So it's on the DEA."

"Beltran said that Rizzoli was about to have her head twisted off, claimed it was necessary."

Jane rolled her shoulder stiffly. "I still could've taken him."

"It doesn't matter now." Kate said to her partner. "Brandon Colehauser is dead along with anything he could have given us."

Gates crossed her arms and started one of her trademark rants. "That's right and now the DEA wants an inquiry into the events leading up to shooting. Can either of you say definitively that the NYPD had no direct involvement in Colehauser's death?"

Jane thought on it but Kate answered.

"Yes, Sir." She said quickly. "Beltran fired the shot while Jane was trying to subdue him."

"You were unconscious. How would you know?"

"I trust my partner." Kate said, "I stand by her word that she didn't get the chance to put him down."

Before Gates could ask any more questions there was a knock at the door.

A dark haired man around six feet tall stood in the door, "Detective Beckett, Detective Rizzoli. I'm Jim Koch, Special investigator for the Department of Justice."

"Another Fed," Jane groaned. "Just that kind of day, I guess."

He smiled lightly. "I understand it's been a rough one but I need a statement."

"Can't my people get a break from DOJ?" Gates growled. "Between the DEA ransacking my unit and Beltran pulling my people into a brawl that landed four of them in the hospital I've had as much of the Federal Government as I'm willing to take for the day."

"You must be Captain Gates." He said. "Unfortunately, I need to investigate this as quickly and thoroughly as possible."

Jane and Kate looked at each other.

"This is fast." Kate said. "What's the rush?"

"It's not like we're going anywhere." Jane added.

"NYPD was supposed to be out of this investigation while the DEA verified information you presented and yet Agent Beltran recruits you into a takedown that resulted in a dead suspect. We just want the facts of the incident."

Jane locked eyes with her partner, Beltran's in hot water.

Kate nodded. She acted out of orders.

"My Detectives will cooperate so long as you understand that they were doing their jobs."

He nodded. "The truth will suffice."

They sat in the hospital for two hours while CSU took pictures of the injuries, doctors conducted examinations, and Agent Koch asked questions. All with Iron Gates breathing down their necks. Jane sat next to her partner on the hospital bed, both dressed in blue scrubs while a doctor shined a penlight in Kate's face. Gates paced as Dr. Arliss finished up.

"Detective, you have a mild concussion and a pretty nasty gash in the back of your head." He said as he looked over her chart.

"Yeah, some jerk hung a wall sconce right where I landed." She said.

"The nerve of some people." Jane chirped.

"Stow it, Rizzoli." Gates growled.

He looked straight at Kate. "Your MRI came back clear and there doesn't seem to be any serious injuries that we can find so I'm going to release you but I am recommending that you take twenty four hours off duty and consult with your department or personal physician before going back to work. If you feel any nausea, dizziness, or fatigue, you need to report it immediately as it may be a symptom of a more serious brain injury."

Kate nodded. "Got it, thanks doctor."

He set the chart down and picked up Jane's. "Detective Rizzoli. Despite your excellent health, you suffered blunt force trauma to your wrist, both elbows and of course the makings of a rather significant shiner."

"Well, I was hoping to break his knuckles on my hard head." She chirped.

He looked at her. "Next time, duck." He looked at the chart again. "Also there is a strain to your sternomastoid muscles of your neck. Bruising to your thigh as well as two bruises on your right ribs. The only part that concerns me is the neck injury."

"You said it was a strain," Kate said.

"Yes and x-rays don't reveal anything but I'm still putting you on 24 hour observation until we can determine if there is any other injury hidden."

"Wait." Jane interrupted. "Kate gets a concussion and sent out the door. I get head locked and punched in the face and you keep me overnight? No way! Put me on 24 hour leave."

"Damn it, Rizzoli!" Gates shouted. "Shut the hell up and listen!"

He sighed. "Detective Beckett has a mild concussion caused by being thrown into a wall. You were reportedly in a restrained position by your neck for a significant period of time. I just want to make sure you haven't suffered any significant injury to your neck that could affect your spinal cord or brain stem."

Jane shook her head and winced. "No! Forget it. I've already had my fair share of hospitals and there is no way I'm not going home short of dying."

Rather than let this deteriorate into another fiasco in front of the Captain, Kate cut in, "Doctor Arliss. Jane lives across the park from Mount Sinai Hospital. She also lives with a doctor from that medical center. And I can personally assure you that Dr. Isles will drive Jane insane with constant questions and examinations. I'm willing to bet that I'll sleep more than she will tonight."

He frowned. "Dr. Isles is a medical doctor? Not a PhD?"

Jane nodded. "Graduated from Boston Cambridge University's Medical School with top honors."

He sighed. "Then I will release you to his care."

Jane smiled, "Thanks. I apprec-"

"Jane!"

Her eyes widened as Maura rushed into the examination room followed closely by Castle.

"Maura." She sputtered, "Baby, what are you doing here?"

Maura reached to hold her but stopped as she took in the bruises, "Dammit, Jane?" Her voice filled with concern. "Why didn't you call me when they took you to a hospital?"

Maura took the chart right out of Dr. Arliss's hand and flipped through it.

"Maur, I'm sorry. I was going to tell you tonight when I got home."

Maura held up her hand and Jane fell silent, allowing her to hear Kate and Rick.

"It's nothing," Kate said. "Just a mild concussion."

"Are you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah," She said. "One hell of a headache and missing about three minutes of my day. But I'll be fine."

Maura handed the chart back and picked up Kate's.

Arliss looked down at the blonde woman. "Dr. Isles, I presume."

She nodded and looked up at him. "Your recommendations?"

Her tone was that of one of his med school teachers and he shifted slightly. "Twenty four hour observation to make sure there are no complications. Though Detective Rizzoli's neck has me concerned, she assured me that you would monitor her. Would you like to consult?"

Maura shook her head. "That won't be necessary. But I will observe them both and transport them to Mount Sinai should the need arise."

"Maura," Kate started.

"No, Kate." She said sharply. "You're coming home with Jane and I. Rick, pack an overnight bag as soon as we get home."

She looked back at Jane. "You are going to be the death of me, Jane Rizzoli."

Jane's brow rose in sadness. "Baby, it's my job."

"Don't give me that!" Maura barked, "I know it's your job and I know you love it. I know you're a badass but you are not invincible. You have more to worry about than just getting the bad guy. I would die without you! You can't just rush head first into danger like that! Especially when you're only two weeks away from leaving the NYPD! Would it have killed you to think about that!"

"Maura," Kate tried.

Maura turned to face her, "Don't you dare defend her when you're just as much at fault. You should have known better! You had information that this very dangerous person could be there and you went in with just Javier, Kevin, and Jane. You put our family in danger over a federal agent whom neither one of you know, nor trust!"

Everyone in the room stared as Maura railed against them. Soft sweet rational Maura Isles chewing out the two people she loved most. Only Jane saw it for what it really was; pure fear.

Maura was afraid of losing Jane and she was afraid of losing Kate too.

"Now I don't want to hear another word from either of you until we get home." She turned to Gates. "If there's nothing else, we'll be leaving."

Gates nodded. "They're all yours."

"Thank you for calling me." Maura said, her voice hard. "Sign your forms and let's go."

Rick watched in complete disbelief as they both stood up, grabbed their things and followed the blonde out the door. He stopped next to Gates. "You called Maura?"

She smiled lightly. "Cavanaugh said she's the only one who Jane listens to."

"I didn't expect her to go off like that."

"Me neither." She shrugged. "But I've never seen either one so cowed."

"Castle!" Maura's stern voice echoed from the hall.

He jumped at the sharp tone and rushed out the door.

"The woman knows how to run her family." Gates chuckled.

Kneeling, Romeo swung the sledge hammer with all of his considerable strength. The forged steel head impacted the arch of a man's foot splattering blood, flesh and bone across the concrete floor in a five foot radius. The horrendous screams of his latest job were muffled considerably by the pair of socks that were duct taped into his mouth.

"I leave you alone for a few days and you make a huge mess."

Romeo set the hammer down and stood up to face his partner.

"You wanted him to talk." He said with a smirk, "He declined, so I'm persuading him to open up."

Ravenna stopped next to him and admired his work. "This is different." She indicated the hammer.

"It was his idea." He said happily as pointed to the man tied to the chair.

Ravenna arched an eyebrow, clearly intrigued. "Really? Do tell."

Romeo smiled widely, "Well, after his boss declined our offer, he gave me a brief history on the Irish mob here and told me to leave town before this happened."

Ravenna laughed as she leaned over the man. "How did that work out for you?" She looked at his hands bound to the arms of the chair and the flattened, mangled fingers. She reached out and he whimpered as she picked up the loose flesh that dangled from the nubs that used to be knuckles.

"Not a sledge hammer,"

Romeo picked up a smaller light weight hammer and handed it to her. "A ball peen was used on his fingers."

"Interesting," She looked up at her favorite person. "Your idea or his?"

He grinned again, "You know I like trying new things."

"So he told you about a sledge to the feet and you came up with the rest of this on your own?"

He nodded. "I have a nice dead blow hammer I'm going to take to his knees and shoulders next."

Ravenna got a wicked grin, "How does he scream?"

He let out a regretful breath, "Like a schoolgirl. You won't be satisfied."

She looked back at the beefy Irishman. "Pity." She sighed and handed him back the hammer. "Continue."

"So what happened to Brandon?" He said as he knelt down on the floor, taking aim at the undamaged foot.

"He's dead." Ravenna said dryly as she watched him bring the hammer down. The Mobster screamed through his gag, the high pitched sound she could only describe as girly. "He's dead, courtesy of the NYPD and the DEA."

Romeo nodded, "Any possibility that he gave up something first?"

"None," She replied. "Or we'd have heard about it by now."

"This reeks of trouble."

"There is an added bonus to it." She replied, "Beltran is in hot water for bringing in Beckett and Rizzoli so she should be out of the picture for a while."

He lowered the hammer and glared at her, "Sera Beltran is our only liability. You know that."

"And when the time comes, she'll die, plain and simple." She narrowed her eyes on him, "I'm not stupid, Romeo. I know what i have to do but the circumstances around her are… unique."

Romeo stood up and yanked the razor out of his back pocket. He cut the duct tape from one side of the man's mouth and flayed his cheek open in the process.

"Tell me about your boss, where's he hiding."

The man gurgled then hocked a blood soaked lugie in Romeo's face. "Fuck you." he gurgled.

"End this," she said, "We can bring him out when we come back through."

He nodded, "Yes, Mistress."

Romeo dug into his pocket and came out with a rubber glove that he slipped on before holding his hand out. Mango placed a used icepick in his hand.

So from what I gather, his boss likes to shove them in the ear. An appropriate message don't you think?"

"Very." Ravenna sighed, "Let them run around looking for us while we go back to Arboles. There's some kind of problem at the fields."

He grinned, "Ah, going home. I have to admit that I was starting to miss it."

"More like you miss that cute young chica you left behind." she chuckled. "She does have a luscious ass though she kind of reminds me of J Lo."

"It's that blonde Latina thing." Romeo touched the ice pick to the man's temple and shoved. The blubbering whimpers stopped instantly. "And she knows how to use it."

Romeo smiled genuinely at his work. It wasn't that he liked killing, he had no feelings about it one way or another, but he did take pride in his work.

He turned to Mango, "Burn the building down, dump the body in Southey and meet Julio at the airport." The younger man nodded and went to move the body, Romeo grabbed him by the shirt, "Don't screw this up, Mango, or Patrick Doyle is going to be the least of your problems."

He nodded confidently, "I got this."

Romeo let him go and dumped the glove on the floor. "Nice kid but he's not too bright."

Ravenna looked over her shoulder as Mango stared at her ass.

She smiled and winked at him, his tanned face went white.

"Oh I think he has potential." She said with a look of pure unadulterated evil on her face as they headed out to their rental car.