Esposito woke up to the phone ringing. He rolled Lanie off his arm careful not to wake her and made his way to the living room. He grabbed the phone off the hook and collapsed onto his couch still completely exhausted.

"Esposito" He was yawning when he answered.

"Dude, I've been trying to call you all day" Ryan scolded from the other end.

"All day? What time is it?" Esposito reached for his watch on the coffee table as Ryan spoke.

"It's one o'clock. What have you been doing?" Esposito grinned even though Ryan couldn't see him he glanced into his bedroom. Lanie was still sound asleep but had migrated into the middle of the bed and had stolen all the blankets.

"Nothing, What's up?"

"We got a lead on Mr. Hayes. We re -searched his apartment and found something the first cops overlooked. Schedules of all the dead Medical Examiners and Lanies as well. He had her home address too" Esposito felt every muscle in his body tighten.

"We also looked into his job...He was an electrician with enough no how to put together a bomb no question and he got fired a week before the first murder...boss said he was stealing important tools that a person shouldn't need at home...not like screw drivers but big stuff"

"So did you pick him up?" Esposito was on his feet now.

"No that's just it...we can't find him that's why I called you" Esposito was pacing in his living room now.

"Esposito...He's going to come after Lanie"

Esposito was quiet and he went to his bedroom looking in at the woman in his bed he took a deep breath and with more conviction then Ryan ever heard him use he spoke.

"He can try" Esposito hung up he knew what he had to do. He had to find this man before he found Lanie he just hoped he had enough strength to turn him in rather then kill him.

Lanie rolled over in the huge bed and stretched under the blankets rolling over she found the space beside her empty. She moved her hand and the sheets were cold so Esposito had been gone awhile.

She sat up and looked around the room he wasn't there and she couldn't hear the shower. She pulled on a pair of boxers she found at the bottom of the bed so she had bottoms to go with the massive shirt she was already wearing. She grabbed her crutches and made her way to the living-room but didn't see him anywhere.

"Esposito?" She grew worried when she found the apartment empty but when she found the note she was just suspicious. Tacked on the fridge was a note with his handwriting.

Lanie,

Something came up. Something I have to take care of I wish I could tell you when I'll be back but I can't promise I'll be back. It is important that I take care of this or I wouldn't be leaving my bed. Last night was amazing you're amazing. If I don't come back the memory will keep me with you.

Esposito.

She set the note down and grabbed the phone calling Kate.

"Beckett"

"Kate, Is Esposito there with you I can't find him anywhere" She sounded panicked even to her own ears.

"No, Lanie he's not listen...I'm coming over there I have something I have to tell you" Kate hung up and Lanie sat in agony waiting.

When the doorbell rang Lanie made her way carefully to the door and checked through the spy hole to see it was Kate before stepping aside and letting her firend in. Kate took one look at her and smiled.

"Oh...I see now why you were looking for him" Lanie blushed but smiled.

"So you haven't seen him?" Kate shook her head and led her friend to the couch.

"There are some things I need to tell you"

Kate told Lanie everything that had been going on. who was doing the killings and why. Lanie remembered the man and his wife. She remembered him being torn to pieces when Lanie concluded the same as the other medical examiners. She had tried to find anything they missed but they hadn't missed anything.

Kate told Lanie they were looking for him but to be on her guard. Ryan had been relieved of the case and instructed to find his partner before his partner found their killer. After all this Lanie proceeded to tell Kate all about the events leading up to his note.

"So he loves you just as I said" Kate smiled and Lanie frowned.

"He never said he loved me...not once. It was one night"

"Lanie, One night...sounds to me like it was more than that. Ryan called him at one o'clock said Esposito was still in bed"

Lanie smiled and blushed but didn't deny anything.

"Ok, It was one...AMAZING...night but still...one night" She sighed she wasn't delusional she knew that one night didn't mean anything it certainly didn't mean love. Not where men were concerned at least.

"You're in love with him. I know I'm your best friend and I can tell"

"I know that I'm in love with him I need to know how he feels about me"

"I...don't know" Kate gave her a sympathetic smile.

Lanie groaned and flopped back onto the couch with more force then was necessary.

"Hey, Look I have to go down and see if we got any leads on Hayes or for that matter Esposito...will you be alright?" Kate stood and Lanie nodded.

"I'll be fine"

"Just don't answer the door for anyone but Me,Ryan,Castle or Esposito" Lanie waved at her friend and Kate smiled as she walked to the door before the door closed Lanie called over to her.

"Have fun on your date with Castle tonight" Kate laughed and shut the door Lanie remained on the couch.

A few minutes ticked by before the phone rang and she grabbed it off of the coffee table looking at the caller ID she recognized Espositos number and mentally scolded herself for having it memorized.

"Where are you?" She didn't wait for him to say hello.

"LANIE!" He sounded out of breath and she was about to comment when the banging on the door began.

"Hang on. There's someone at the door" She started for the door and he yelled.

"NO! DON'T ANSWER IT LANIE! IT'S HAYES I WAS RIGHT BEHIND HIM BUT HE CAUGHT THE ELEVATOR!"

"what?" She heard a sickening crash and the door smashed in and Michael Hayes stormed in.

Esposito didn't know how Hayes had gotten so far ahead of him. He was following the guy closely and when he started across the street towards his apartment Hayes had broke into a jog and Esposito had too when Hayes jumped onto the elevator Esposito tried to slide in and catch him but missed.

Now he was running up the stairs as fast as he could he had another flight to go. Lanie was screaming but he knew she had dropped the phone. His back ached and his knees wanted to give away from the pain but he kept pressing on as her screams echoed into his phone and horrible images of her being held down and Hayes forcing his way with her flashed into his mind.

He reached his floor and threw his cell phone aside to pull out his gun before bursting through his shattered door. He didn't see Lanie or Hayes at first he didn't hear anything either. He moved through the apartment his bedroom door was shut and he froze. His anger grew and he knew in that instant he was going to kill the man. Taking his woman in his bed against her will the man was dead.

He kicked the door open Hayes was holding Lanie down on the bed and she was screaming and crying when the door shattered he jumped up grabbing her in a choke hold he pulled her up in front of him and held a gun to her head.

"DROP YOUR WEAPON!" Esposito advanced Hayes didn't flinch.

"No detective I think you'll drop yours unless you want your pretty little girlfriends brains all over the walls" Esposito flinched but held his ground.

"Drop your weapon" He said it more calmly he didn't look at Lanie he couldn't.

"So you can get a clean shot? I think not" He backed up dragging Lanie with him.

"Please...please...Let me go" She was crying and he shook his head.

"There there Dr. Parish...I only wanted to see if I could get the same sounds out of you that our detective over there did only" He checked his watch. "A few hours ago"

Esposito advanced.

"I SAID DROP YOUR WEAPON NOW!" Hayes backed up with a smile knowing he hit a sore spot.

Lanie closed her eyes and Hayes pressed the gun tighter to her head. Esposito wanted to hold her he wanted her to know that it was alright and he was right there.

"Lanie...Lanie look at me" She opened her eyes and he could see how scared she was.

"It's alright. I'm here it's going to be ok" He told her and she kept crying Hayes started towards Esposito.

"Move away from the door and I'll let her go when I'm gone"

Esposito backed up a little but didn't move. It was then a third voice echoed from behind Esposito.

"Esposito drop you weapon" They looked to see Ryan standing in the doorway his gun aimed at his partner.

"Ryan. Man help me here he's going to kill her"

"Listen to me. You've been suspended you followed him you are as of right now going rogue and you need to drop your gun. I promise I won't let anything happen to Lanie"

Esposito shook his head and kept his gun trained on Hayes. If he moved even an inch Esposito knew he could kill him as long as Lanie wasn't directly in front of him. None of the men spoke just stared at each other wondering who would break and start the blood bath first. Lanie spoke and her voice was soft and raw from screaming.

"Mr. Hayes. Listen to me...I remember you I remember your wife I'm so sorry for your loss but...It wasn't murder I promise you and if you like I'll review the case but it won't bring her back" His grip on her neck tightened and she winced Esposito look at her leg the brace was twisted and she had to be hurting.

"I...I know you're looking for answers but there aren't any...please...please...let me go...don't do this please..." Hayes looked mad but he wasn't moving.

"You don't understand...I told my wife we weren't ready for a baby but she wanted it so bad...if I had just held my ground she'd be here" It was the first time out loud anyone heard him admit it wasn't murder that killed his wife and Lanie used it.

"She would have found a way trust me...when a woman wants a baby you can't stop her...I want a baby too someday" She tried to appeal to his weakness and Esposito followed her lead.

"She's right. We're going to want a baby" He motioned at Lanie before he continued.

"I want to be a father some day don't take that away from me like it was taken from you" Hayes looked angry and he pulled Lanie close enough her feet were barely scraping the ground.

"HAYES! LET HER GO!" Esposito advanced and Ryan did as well gun still aimed at his partner.

"ESPOSITO STAY COOL MAN!" Ryan warned but Esposito barely heard.

Lanie gagged and chocked as Hayes began tightening his hold on her. She kicked her feet but found no floor and finally she grabbed his arm and bit him. What happened next seemed to be in slow motion but really only took seconds to unfold.

Hayes dropped her and when she sat up he hit her across the face with his gun knocking her to the floor. Esposito fired a shot and Hayes jumped dodging it. Ryan yelled at Esposito to stand down and Hayed threw a lamp hitting Ryan and knocking him down his gun skittered across the floor.

Esposito advanced but went straight to Lanie he knelt beside her and barely had time to reach her before Hayes attacked him from behind sending them both to the floor. With his back already injured Esposito barely had a fight left in him but he managed to shove Hayes off and land a few punches.

Ryan got up and Hayes saw him coming pulled his gun firing a shot into Ryans shoulder before going back to fighting Esposito who was fighting passing out from the pain in his back. He shoved Hayes off of him and Hayes stood holding his gun directly at him he grinned and Esposito prayed that after killing him he'd let Lanie go.

There was a gunshot.