Author's note: ok, so this is almost the end of the road for this story. I wish I could say I'll keep working on it after the next chapter is posted, but I'm not sure about it. If inspiration strikes I will, but I can't make any promises. In really don't feel confident enough to write about them being in The Hamptons.

And in case I forget to say this in the next chapter, thank you to all of you who reviewed, followed and favorite this story. Each one of those alerts made my day and spired me to keep going, even when I wasn't sure about were each hour was going to take me. And to my beta, caskett. vs. stanathan, you were amazing! Thanks for never giving up on this story J!

And now, on we the show. The one hour before the end!

Ps: I wished I owned them!

Ps2: is it me or Christmas is coming earlier this year? Can't wait until the next episode gets here!

Hour 71

"Beckett, you can't do this." Esposito says to me.

"I can't do what, Javier?" I respond.

"Try to patch things up. You're no longer part of the team. You quit while the ship was sinking, remember?"

"Esposito, that's not fair, and you know it!"

"Isn't it? Why not! You're no longer a detective! You were frustrated at Gates, Ryan and myself and you just left us!"

"I wasn't leaving you Espo! And yes, I was frustrated, but not at you guys, and not at Gates. either As far as I'm concerned, the three of you saved my life the other day. Each one at a different moment and each in different ways, but Espo, if Maddox had hit me as he hit you, I would be dead today. And Ryan, if you hadn't told Gates, if you and that officer hadn't come looking for us, I would be dead today." And as an afterthought, I turn around and look at Castle: "And even you not being there saved me. Had you been there with me, I wouldn't have had the courage to quit and come looking for you later. And we all know that if I don't stop investigating, that case is going to get me killed."

At that time Ryan decides to intervene. "Does that mean you won't come back?"

"We don't know yet…"

"We?"

"Yeah Ryan: Castle and I. We haven't really decided what we're going to do. We've only planned the next few weeks, and after that, it doesn't really matter right now. All that matters is that we're going to do whatever we choose to do, together."

"But you have to come back!" Esposito says.

"We don't have to do shit Esposito!" Castle yells at him.

"Castle!" I exclaim, looking over at him.

"It's true Kate! You almost died one time too many! I don't know if I'm ready to go back and watch you almost get killed again!"

"You didn't tell me that's how you felt!"

"I don't know how I feel! All I know is that I don't want to see you die Kate. I already went through that while you were in the ambulance, I can't do that again… I just can't."

"Are you really forcing me to decide?"

"No. I'm just saying that I don't like the guys forcing you to come back… We should have time to decide…"

"And we will. Don't worry about it. The guys just wanted to know. Doesn't mean I'm coming back. We said we'd talk about it and we will. I said I wanted to know what your opinion was and I still do. Just not today, ok?" He looks like a lost puppy. His usually bright and shiny eyes are rapidly filling up with unshed tears. I can't help myself; I lean in and kiss him on the mouth.

"What?!" A voice exclaims.

We let go, shocked to the bone! What was that?

"You guys didn't tell me about this development! Kevin Ryan you're so dead!"

"We were going out on a double date, what on earth did you think that meant!?"

"I know what I wanted it to mean, doesn't mean I knew what it meant…"

When did Lanie and Jenny come in here? And why hadn't I noticed? As if reading my mind, the ME says: "We got here just as you were sticking your tongue inside writer boys mouth!"

"Man, Lanie, it's writer MAN!" Castle says.

"Oh no pretty boy, I know nothing of the sort. As far as I'm concerned, my friend, whose waist you're so strongly grasping, hasn't dish any juicy details, so as fair as I'm concerned, it's still writer boy. And be glad you've been upgraded. Used to be writer monkey."

"Lanie, I haven't dished any secrets because there's nothing to dish yet!"

And that's when all three boys step over each other:

Espo goes all brotherly, saying: "You better not hurt her Castle, cause cop or not she's still my little sister. So watch it man!"

Ryan goes all infantile covering his ears and chanting lalalalala over and over again. If her face is any indication, Jenny seems to agree with Lanie's eager need to know as well as emphasize with her husband cause she goes to were he's standing and helps him cover his ears.

Castle on the other hand, with a deep state of shock doesn't know if he wants to protest Lanie's namings, my promise to dish as soon as there's something to dish, hide from Esposito's threat or if he wants to defend his pride by stating the reasoning behind our current celibacy. Making a quick choice, I decide Castle's mouth is bound to be more dangerous so I immediately shut him up by saying to him in my best detective voice: "Open your mouth and tonight is over before it begins." I then turn to Ryan and Jenny and say: "you can stop covering your ears little bro, there won't be any more sex related talks tonight." And last but not least, I point at Espo and say: "That better be the last man talk you give him. If not, between you and Lanie he'll get too scared to do anything!"

It comes as no surprise when Esposito's the first to recover: "Well, it's my duty to warn him. AND you. You hurt our boy over there, and there will be consequences too."

"Yeah? What you gonna do? Kill me and hide my body? We both know you love me too much to do that."

"No, but we might show him your pictures of your modelling days."

"Not a good threat Espo, you already did!"

"Bro you told her? So not cool! It hasn't been a week yet and you already went and dished one of our secrets?"

"Beckett! You promised not to tell on me!"

"Oh, grow up and stop whining Castle! This absurd conversation got way out of hand! Where were we?"

"Castle here was telling us he didn't want for you to ever come back."

"What? Rick you don't want to ride along anymore? Does that mean the Nikki Heat series is over? I love reading those books!" Jenny seems intent on keeping this conversation off topic!

"You do? You never told me you did!" Ryan says to her.

"Man do you even talk to your wife at all?" Esposito asks Ryan.

"Yes I do!"

"Hun, you've seen me reading them countless times!"

"I knew you read them, never knew you'd miss them!"

"Well, it's a nice way to get to know all of you guys better! I sometimes feel as an outcast you know? I never go to the precinct to do any of the fun stuff, and as you once said, Castle's descriptions of the characters are quite accurate. So, by reading the Nikki Heat books I get to know your work family a lot better. I like it. And I want to keep getting Castle's input on my husband's dangerous job. No pressure Rick, I'm just saying…"

"Yeah, I get it Jenny. You like the books. And trust me, I love writing them. But I don't know if I'm ready to go back yet…"

"And you don't need to go back today or tomorrow for that matter. I'm just saying, keep the door open, you know, for the team?"

"He never said that door was closed Jenny. But he's right. We've all been working nonstop for quite some time. I say it was about time we all got some well-deserved vacation time."

"Or suspension time… we had that coming too…"

"We sure did. How about this: we all agree to keep low for a few weeks, and two Thursdays from today, we meet again here and decide what to do."

"Seems good to me."

Ryan and Jenny look at each other. "Works for us too. I've actually asked Gates for a few weeks off myself. It doesn't feel right to go to the precinct by myself you know?"

"I agree. We should all take a few weeks off and meet again to talk about it. But how about a trip to the Hamptons? We can make the house our own Camp David…shake hands on a how to save the word treaty."

"Castle! We already told Alexis we wouldn't ruin things with work! Taking half the precinct there would be just that! Ruining the holidays!"

"We won't! It wouldn't be a working trip, more like a vacation-ny, non-official, bonding seminar."

"Really? Like a vacation-ny, non-official, bonding seminar? That's what you're going to call it?"

"I don't know about you, but I'm starving. How about we discuss the name for it over some pizzas?"

I know many things were left unsaid. I can't help but wonder if the guys are OK, and if they are, I can't avoid envying them for fixing everything so easily. Is it a guy-thing or a like-brothers thing. Since I'm not a guy and I don't have any siblings, I guess I won't be finding out anytime soon unless I ask them.

"It's a guy thing."

"What?"

"They love each other too much to be truly mad, and the idea of us considering not going back was enough to have them trying to be nice. And eventually, they weren't trying anymore. And Jenny was just brilliant!"

"What? I kept thinking when will she stop interrupting."

"But those interruptions were what we needed! The guys are friends again, we have them off our backs for a few weeks and now that this talk is over we can go and enjoy the pizzas, a few drinks and whatever else we feel like doing!"

"I guess you're right."

"You know I am!"

"I know no such thing."

"Whatever. Just kiss me and let's go out there! I truly am starving!"

"Why do I have to do all the work? You kiss me!"

And he leans in and does so. "I love you."

"And I love you."

We stay like that, until Espo shouts: "You guys done smooching? Cause we're starving out here!"

"Coming!"

And just like that, the dreaded part of the evening is behind us.