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-CrimeShowTwinz13

Previously…

"No love for him, you say? None at all? Almost believable…"

She raised her eyes to meet the psychopath's. "No. No woman could ever love someone like that," Kate answered, almost convincing herself.

"Hmm, well this changes things. But unfortunately, not in your favor, Detective."

With that, Derek raised the gun and pointed it at his new victim, at Detective Beckett.

Beckett knew what came next. The loud pop, the smell of gunpowder, the searing pain, the nothingness. She had experienced it all before, a few months back, with the sniper scare. She shuddered involuntarily as the memory flitted through her mind.

She knew exactly what to expect. But this time was different; this time she was looking death right in the face. It hadn't crept up unawares to whisk her away when she wasn't prepared; no it was right here, right in front of her, and that scared her.

Beckett didn't know if she was ready. But when is someone ever, truly ready? She wasn't ready at the cemetery, a few months ago. She still had a life to live, things to do, people to love. To love.

Her eyes flashed to Castle at the thought. He met her stare with piercing blue orbs, filled with emotion and fear. Mirroring her own.

"Any last words, Detective Beckett?" Derek said, a grin spreading across his face, cruelty shining through his features.

Love…She knew. She had known since she woke up in the hospital. But even before that, she had known. And now, looking deep in to her partner's eyes, her voice caught in her throat. She wanted to tell him she remembered. She wanted to run to him and throw her arms around him and hold him tight. She wanted to never let go. She wanted to tell him she loved him, and always had. Always.

Kate broke the eye contact with Castle and found herself zeroing in on the barrel of the man's gun.

"Actually…yes," Kate began, looking back at Castle.

Castle seemed to hold all the sadness in the world in his eyes. His shoulders drooped with her sharp criticisms and taunts. Her insults had hit home, and he was rocked on his heels.

Annoying, egotistical, rude, sarcastic, childish.

I don't love him.

Shoot me instead.

Castle squeezed his eyes shut at the emotions threatening to consume him. They were worse than any pain he had endured thus far. With her words, Beckett had ripped out his heart and shattered it in to a million pieces. His heart physically hurt as her insults ran like a broken record through his foggy thoughts.

His head drooped down to his chest in defeat. She was going to sacrifice herself for him, when he had been trying so desperately to save her from that very fate. There was nothing he could do. He felt so helpless he wanted to scream.

"Well, by all means Detective, don't keep us in suspense!"

With those words, Derek retreated back to stand next to Castle. Grabbing a fistful of the author's hair, the psychopath roughly yanked Castle's head up, so he was looking straight towards Beckett.

A small grunt of pain was the only rise he got from the man in the chair.

Beckett's mind raced as she watched the waves of pain recede from the depths of Castle's eyes. This was her chance. Her opportunity to come clean. To be true to not only Castle, but to herself. She had been so afraid of acknowledging Castle's love for fear that she didn't truly deserve it. But if she had learned one thing from all her therapy sessions, it was that she wasn't perfect, and Castle loved her for her, flaws and blemishes included. She wasn't afraid anymore. She had come to terms with Castle loving her, and in doing so she had come to realize that she was irrevocably in love with him too. But was it too little, too late?

"Castle…I-"

"Thank you, very much Detective Beckett, but that's all we have time for," Derek interjected sarcastically. Beckett's mouth hung open, incomprehension garnishing her features. She hadn't even said anything yet. "Those two words were truly inspiring. I'm sure Mr. Castle here was as touched as I was."

Derek took a step forward. He was now standing a few feet diagonally in front of Castle. He prepared himself to, at last, avenge his brother's death.

"Goodbye, Detective Beckett."

It all seemed to proceed in slow motion. Castle watched as Derek began to raise the gun. He saw Kate square her shoulders and hold her head high. She was prepared to die for him; had sacrificed herself for him.

No! I can't let you do this Kate!

Fire surged in Castle's veins, as he knew he couldn't let her die for him. She had already almost been taken from him once; he wasn't going to let it happen again. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, Castle tensed his leg muscles. This is really going to hurt, Castle thought. With that, he leaned forward onto his feet and lifted the back of the chair off the ground. His back and legs strained with the effort and his whole world tinged black at the edges. Castle gritted his teeth and in a split second knew what he had to do. He lunged towards Derek in one last futile attempt to save Beckett, save the love of his life.

A shot rang out. Then a tremendous crash pierced the still air.

Kate waited for the impact, the searing pain. She waited. And waited. Not understanding, she cracked open an eyelid. She hadn't even realized she had shut her eyes.

In that moment, reality became crystal clear.

Castle literally had taken a leap of faith, and knocked Derek over with his chair, sending them both crashing to the floor. The kill shot had gone wide, sinking in to the wood of the wall a few feet to left of Beckett's head. Derek lay sprawled on his side a look of confusion and scorn adorning his features. Castle lay pinned to the overturned chair, deathly pale and unmoving, his bright blue eyes shut. Derek shook off his initial bewilderment and scrambled towards the gun. It had skittered across the hard wood floor and lay a few feet away. There was still time to finish what he had started.

Beckett jumped in to action. She reached for her holster and extracted her gun.

A second gunshot rang off the walls of the apartment. Kate stood, gun drawn, aimed at Derek. He had never gotten the chance to reach his weapon. Red blossomed from Derek's chest and he immediately crumpled to the floor.

Derek laid there, the life seeping from his bullet wound. He gazed up at the ceiling and whispered, "I'm sorry. I've failed you." His eyes closed for the last time. With a final exhale, Derek's body went still.