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Beckett and Esposito sat in the front seat of the blue Charger in silence, dressed in full tactical gear with weapons ready and loaded sitting between them while they drove to Conor's house. The Gang Unit was covering the bar with Narcotics which left Homicide and a few SWAT for Conor's home where, according to an informant, he was at this morning along with a few others from the crew. Castle for once was silent in the backseat realizing the magnitude of what was about to happen and the extreme danger they were walking in to. While no murders had ever been actually attached to Conor there were thirty-two that held him as the main person of interest, this was not someone you ever wanted to mess with. Beckett had only had to tell him once to stay in the back and to stay on high alert, he was well aware this was far different than their regular arrests.

The Charger slowed and pulled in behind two other police cars across from the SWAT van on the other side of the road and after Beckett put it in park everyone exited. After adjusting her vest she took the offered AR from Esposito and the pair waited with pounding hearts for the word to move forward. A senior officer from SWAT held up the picture for everyone to see and addressed the group. "This is out main target, Conor Boyle. We want him alive. As far as we know there are at least five other people in the house, all should be considered armed and dangerous. I want this quick and clean people, no mistakes. This is our one chance."

When everyone stayed quiet he dropped the picture and waved his hand, "Move out."

Esposito said a quick silent prayer before everyone burst into the home, guns raised and ready. Gun's went off, people fell, chaos reigned, but he moved through it allowing others to do their jobs while he did his. Nothing was going to stop him from getting to Conor, he would make sure that bastard paid for every little thing he ever did to Ryan. He moved room to room, officers breaking off to clear rooms or arrest people throughout the back and upstairs of the massive home. A small noise alerted him to a bedroom on the third floor and he quickly entered and was met with the sight of Conor looking around wildly with a .45 gripped tightly in his right hand.

"NYPD hands up!" he shouted as he leveled the barrel of his matte black AR-15 at his chest.

Conor's eyes locked on his and he shook his head, it was only then that Esposito realized he had a hostage kneeling next to him with a bag over his head and hands tied together. "I had hoped it would be you and I don't think so. You let me walk out of here or I paint the walls with his brains and we both know I'm very serious so don't jerk me around."

He continued pointing at him. "I can't do that Conor. No one else has to die here."

"But he does," he sneered before grabbing the bag and ripping it off the man's head. "He's always had to die."

Esposito's grip tightened on his gun when he realized it was Kevin, a black eye and bloody nose seemed to be all that was wrong but he looked dazed and confused. He wanted to run forward and grab him, wanted to scream in fear and frustration at this suddenly dire situation but he forced himself to remain calm. "How you doin' Kev?" he asked, his eyes never leaving Conor.

"J'vi?" he slurred. "What are…" he broke off and looked down at the carpet blearily.

"What'd you do to him?" he screamed at Conor who was grinning maniacally as he shoved the pistol barrel against his head, his left hand clenching the collar of Ryan's shirt to keep him in place.

"Heroin, it's a bitch the first time you use it. Confusion, nausea, delayed reactions, altered reality. There's no telling what's going on in the fucked up warped thing he calls a mind. Now put down your gun or I'll blow his brains out."

Esposito fought with himself but he had to comply, Ryan was too far gone to offer any assistance right now. He couldn't even get him to make eye contact. With slow movements he set down the gun and kicked it away, Conor instantly walking over and grabbing it before throwing down his pistol. "Smart choice. You know I have to ask, what do you see in him? He's so useless and small. Serves absolutely no purpose. He's just a sad waste of space."

He kept his mouth shut and just stared at Conor, all the while trying to watch Ryan out of his peripheral vision as he fell over and began to struggle with his hands tied behind his back.

"No answer? Is it pity? Yeah it's probably pity. Well you don't have to worry about that anymore because I'm going to put him out of his misery. Rat's deserve to die. Don't worry though, you won't have to watch because you'll already be dead. What do you think about that Quiet?" With a smile he turned to look at Ryan but froze when he found himself staring down the barrel of his own previously discarded weapon.

Ryan was standing, unsteadily and leaning heavily against the wall, but standing no less. He had somehow wormed his way out of the ties around his wrists and grabbed Conor's discarded pistol while he was talking. "Don't talk anymore Conor, I've heard all you've had to say too many times."

Esposito could see Ryan was fighting against the drugs racing through his system but it seemed to be a losing battle since his hands were shaking and his eyes kept looking like they couldn't focus. At least he seemed able to form thoughts and sentences so hopefully his mind was mostly clear.

Conor snorted, "Really Quiet, now you get a backbone? How about I just kill him, there's a small chance you'll take me out but I'll take him with me. No matter what you're still just a pathetic stray looking for a home. You're just a mangy dog that has no loyalties. You think this is the end? It'll never end. You want to shoot me fine, I'll see you on the other side you sorry prick."

"You really are stupid aren't ya? I know your da taught you better than this. Well maybe not since he was teaching me everything. Do you want me to let you in on a secret?"

Conor frowned as he stared at Ryan, "What?"

"You're awful, at everything. You're a fucking disappointment to everyone around you. Why do you think Ed waited so long to give you your first hit, you were what? Twenty-four? He gave me my first when I was fifteen." Ryan laughed bitterly, "Plus Gorgeous and Handsome had to go with you because he knew how much of a screw up you are. He knew if he sent me it'd get done fast and clean but you needed the practice so he retired me and started sending you. You seriously thought you were just that good? That he was waiting for something worthy of your talents? It'd be funny if it wasn't so pathetic."

Conor aimed the gun at Esposito's head as his hand started to shake. "You're lying."

Ryan swayed a little and swallowed thickly against the rising feeling of bile in his throat as he noticed Beckett and Castle quietly enter the room behind Conor. "You're stupid but not that stupid. Remember when all you wanted was to watch tv? Ed was giving me shooting lessons; I've known how to shoot since I was eight. You want to know who killed all your friends, all your buddies who thought it'd be cute to cut away from Ed? Me."

"Enough talking!" Conor screamed. "I'm going to murder him just like Jenny."

Ryan gritted his teeth and the gun began to shake violently in his grip. "You don't get to say her name!" he screamed before chastising himself when Conor grinned at his outburst. "You were five when your parents got a divorce weren't you?"

Thrown off balance by the question Conor just stood with a confused expression.

"You were so upset when your mom took your sister and left, after all you two were inseparable before that. They ran away from you and your da, the mob. Changed their names and actually got away from this Godforsaken place. Your mother changed her name to Sarah and stayed away but your sister… She had to see you and your da even though it could ruin everything she had worked for. She was right under your nose and you never even realized it. Do you know what she changed her name to?"

Esposito, Castle, and Beckett's eyes widened as it clicked, Beckett knowing it was going to hit the fan the second the name left his mouth.

The answer was whispered but was so loud in the room it could have been yelled.

"Jenny."

Conor was frozen as emotions raced past his face, the realization at what he had done finally hitting him. He screamed and charged a wide-eyed Ryan as he threw down the gun, blind fury blocking out everyone else in the room. Beckett lifted her gun and tried to take the shot but the risk of hitting Ryan was too great and when she realized where they were headed it was too late anyway.

"No!" Esposito screamed as Conor hit Ryan, both men smashing through the large glass picture window before disappearing from view. He could hear glass smashing and shattering against the concrete patio three stories down and a sick broken thud met his ears as he moved across the room. This couldn't be happening, this was all just a terrible nightmare that he needed to wake up from. There was no way he just watched his boyfriend die, no way he was going to look outside and see his body smashed against the patio surrounded by a growing puddle of crimson.

When he reached the edge he looked over not knowing what he might find but knowing he had to see. When he only saw Conor laying on the concrete in a broken position coughing up blood he frantically looked around wondering what the hell happened. "Kevin?"

"Javi," a small voice answered from close by and he looked farther over the edge of the window.

He couldn't but laugh slightly hysterically in relief at the sight of Ryan dangling precariously from a decorative iron railing about three feet down. Upon closer inspection it seemed his foot had gotten lodged in between the bars by some miracle. He pulled back and looked at Castle, "We need a rope or something."

Castle ran from the room and Esposito stared helplessly at his dangling boyfriend. "We'll get you up in just a second, just try to stay still."

"It hurts and I think I'm going to be sick," he groaned.

Esposito leaned a little further out and saw his ankle was twisted a little, it had to be uncomfortable but if he moved he ran the risk of dislodging it and falling. "I'm going to get you free in just a sec, just don't move." He turned when he heard heavy footsteps and Castle came running in with a long rope and a member of the SWAT team a second later. The man quickly attached the rope to his harness and after Esposito, Castle, and Beckett grabbed the other end they slowly lowered him over the ledge.

The man quickly took in the situation and after grabbing on tightly to Ryan tried to wrestle his foot out unsuccessfully. Ryan was exhausted and what little energy he had left him after they struggled for over five minutes. "What's your name?" the man asked as he tried to keep him alert.

"Ryan."

"Ryan this isn't working. I need you to try to roll your ankle a bit alright?" the man requested.

Ryan was getting lightheaded from all the blood rushing to his head and stared upside down at Conor's unmoving body and the EMT's bustling below them. "I'll fall."

"I won't let you. Rotate it to the left."

Forcing his foot to move he bit back a cry when his bones felt ready to snap and a second later he slipped free and dropped. The man thankfully had a hold of him and after the line jerked a bit he shouted for the occupants of the room to lift. As soon as they were to the window sill the man shoved Ryan inside before climbing in himself. "Are we good? Is there anyone else?"

Beckett shook her head and thanked the man before he gathered up the rope and left the room.

Esposito helped Ryan to a sitting position and patted his shoulder, "You ok?"

He just slammed his eyes shut and sucked in deep breaths through his nose. He felt out of control, like his mind was trying to take off without him and the feeling was more than a little unpleasant. His ankle was throbbing and any adrenaline he had was completely gone.

"How're you feeling Kev? Do you have any idea how much he gave you?" Javier asked quietly as he looked him over and unlaced his boot to check his ankle. Other than a small about of swelling and an already forming bruise it didn't look sprained or broken.

Ryan was trembling, "Like I'm going to be sick. Like none of this is really happening and I have no idea. Not enough for an overdose I think. It's been a while since he gave it to me, I'd be dead if he gave me too much."

"How did Conor get you?" he asked curiously.

"I was stupid and left the apartment. He got me and brought me here and injected me with God knows how much heroine," he answered tiredly.

Javier shook his head sadly, "You'll make it through this just fine, I'm right here with you."

"Conor?" he asked quietly.

Beckett, who had just approached, spoke into her radio and stared down at the back patio from the window before walking over and kneeling down in front of Ryan. "He's alive. He's got at least a broken arm and leg and internal bleeding but there's a good chance he'll make it. I'm glad you're alright Ryan."

Ryan just nodded and stared blankly at the wall, his mind not able to fully grasp that the nightmare was over, that the man that had taken everything from him and tormented him for most of his adult life was finally gone. "Come on bro," Esposito said gently and after being helped up he followed the detective out to the car before they climbed in and began their drive back to the precinct. Beckett had sent them ahead, telling Esposito she was going to use one of the other officer's cars since she was staying a little longer.

Esposito glanced over at his passenger who was sitting quietly with a slight frown obviously trying to comprehend everything that had just happened as the light breeze from the open window whipped across his face. One of his hands moved away from the steering wheel and grabbed Ryan's, their fingers intertwining automatically. "You know everything Conor said isn't true right?"

Ryan turned sluggishly and let his eyes slide closed, "It holds some truth. I am useless and small and serve absolutely no purpose." When Esposito opened his mouth to argue he shook his head, "Just leave it. Please."

They descended into silence again and Esposito braked to stop at a red light. His eyes strayed over to a man leaning against the side of a building and he frowned as he tried to place the seemingly familiar face. When recognition hit him his eyes widened and he looked at his boyfriend. "Kevin!"

Ryan startled at his shout and opened his mouth to ask what was wrong when two strong arms suddenly reached through his open window and began to drag him out of the Charger. "Javi!" He fought as hard as he could against his captor while Javier pulled on his legs trying to keep him in the car. It was a losing battle as Ryan was finally pulled free by no other than Handsome Bob. Esposito jumped out of the car and began to run over but halted and was forced to hide behind the car when shots rang out. He couldn't see anything; he had no idea if Ryan was still even alive. A sharp cry filled the air and Esposito began to shake from fear and adrenaline at the sound of the man he loved in pain. It was silent for a few seconds before a single shot rang out shattering the tense atmosphere.