A/N: Okay everyone, this is the last chapter! Thanks for everyone who read and reviewed like I always asked. This was fun to work on! Keep an eye out for whatever I may write next. Business: (for the last time!) Castle and Beckett go check up on Castle's hunch, an important discovery, justice, and an epilogue. r&r and thanks you guys! Yours 'till the wheels fall off ;) (And ever after!)

"Just close your eyes, the sun is going down. You'll be alright, no one can hurt you now. Come morning light, you and I'll be safe & sound..."-Taylor Swift

Beckett knew full well that she wouldn't have jurisdiction in Jersey, but she'd listened to Castle and had brought back up on their way down. A few more minutes, and they would be there. Beckett sat in the passenger seat as Richard drove, lost in her own thoughts. She didn't know what they were going to find at the house. With their luck, it would probably be empty. But something else bugged her. What if something had happened to Michael? When the mob was involved, there were no guarantees. And that was the other thing that was driving her crazy. What if Dragani and Matthews had been right? What if...? But she didn't even want to think it, much less explore the possibility. It would destroy them all; Ryan the most. She couldn't imagine-

"We're here." And so they were. She got out of the car and gave the signal immediately. There was no longer time for any sort of hesitation.

AK slammed the window shut and stalked back to where he was keeping DiFrozo. He was asleep, but AK knew that he had to kill him. He'd seen his face already. He heard the front door fall to the ground as it was kicked down, and he made his decision quickly. There was no way in hell that he was gonna make it out of this alive. He smiled grimly. Scarface and Vinny already knew that. He was an acceptable loss.

"Might as well go out in a blaze of glory," he said sarcastically, taking the safety off of the gun and firing two quick bullets into the sleeping man's chest. He'd never wake. AK heard steps coming up the stairs, and he shouldered his way out of that room and into the attic where he'd stashed the lady and the baby. He locked the door behind it and leaned against it. The baby was crying again, and the woman was staring at him, eyes wide.

"Shut that baby up. No more fun and games," he hissed, brandishing his gun. He pressed an ear against the door and heard nothing for a moment. And then:

"We heard the shots fired. Leave your gun on the floor and exit the room with your hands up, or we'll kick down the door." They were right outside. The only thing that stood between them was a piece of wood. AK ignored them. He had another decision to make.

Castle held Beckett up as they waited at the foot of the steps. They'd both heard the two shots that had been fired. What terrified them was uncertainty. They didn't know who the shots had been for. As horrible as it sounded, Beckett prayed that it had been DiFrozo. They hadn't even considered the idea that Jenny and Riley might be here, and if they were...there was a good chance that they were already dead. She bit her lip as Rick's cell phone rang. He stayed right by her side as he picked up.

"Hello?" He mouthed to her that Esposito was on the other line, and she told him to ask what he wanted. Castle listened for a moment, and then pressed the phone into his shoulder.

"He wants to talk to you. Says you weren't picking up." Distantly, Kate remembered dropping her phone somewhere at the precinct. She shook her head and accepted the phone, peering up the stairs to get a good look at what was going on.

"What happened to Ryan?"

"Nothing happened-Where are you?" he asked suddenly.

"Why?" she retorted, just as another shot rang out. She closed her eyes because she knew that her people hadn't fired it. It was completely possible that it was just DiFrozo playing chicken, but it didn't make sense. She knew Scarface had ordered someone here.

"Beckett?" A cry. Soft and distant at first, but then louder, until it became an all out wail. Kate almost melted in relief. Riley was live. For now. But they had to act quickly.

"I think we found Jenny and Riley. Just don't tell Ryan anything until I call you back, okay?" She hung up.

Esposito stared at his cell phone for a moment before he dropped it and continued driving. He hadn't gotten the chance to mention that Ryan had convinced him to break him out of the hospital and drive him to Jersey. Something about DiFrozo still wasn't sitting right with him.

"What did she say?" Kevin asked hoarsly. He was still pale and a little weak, but he had mostly recovered. Javier chose to remain silent.

"Javi?" Nothing.

"Javier, if you don't tell me what Beckett said, I'm going to call her back, and she's gonna tell me."

"Fine," he sighed, "She's at DiFrozo's. And...she thinks Riley might be in there."

Jenny hadn't been able to keep Riley quiet after the man had shot a bullet into the wall just above her head. She was having a hard time controlling herself, she was so afraid. She knew it was the end, and she wondered why Kevin wasn't there. Maybe he had given up. The man turned around and shoved the gun in her face.

"I told you to shut the baby up!"

"She's upset!" Jenny shouted tearfully, already near her breaking point. There was nothing more

that she could do to calm Riley.

"Does it look like I give a shit?" He clicked the safety on and off for a moment before he aimed the gun at her face. She closed her eyes.

"Do it. But let my baby live," she murmured through her tears. She wouldn't give him the satisfaction of watching her die with her eyes open. A sudden shot rang out, and then the room seemed to explode. The door was kicked down, and there was an immediate exchange of bullets. She hugged Riley close to her and covered her ears, convinced that they would somehow be caught up in the crossfire. She opened her eyes, unscathed, and saw the feet in front of her. They belonged to a police officer.

"Ma'am, I have your baby. Come with me." Blindly, she reached out a hand as she was scooped up and carried from the room. Her ears rang so loudly that she barely noticed that the shooting had stopped. She threw a glance over her shoulder and began to cry when she saw that the one who had been taking them hostage was lying dead on the floor. Someone was dead because of her. She buried her head into the cop's shoulder and closed her eyes again.

Javier was just helping Kevin out of the car when it happened. They'd heard the spray of bullets from outside, but they had no idea what was going on in the house. Beckett and Castle weren't picking up. Though his expression remained stoic, Ryan felt as if he was falling apart inside. There was just no way to be sure. He had just pushed away from the car when people began pouring out of the house. He froze and watched with some mix of horror and anticipation. Esposito grabbed his arm.

"Bro," he whispered, "Bro...it's Jenny!" It took a long moment for the words to truly sink into his conscious. Kevin seized his partner.

"Where?" he demanded, trying to see between the masses of uniforms. For what seemed like an eternity, he couldn't see a thing. And then there she was, cradled in the arms of a police officer. He couldn't make himself move, so he simple stared.

"Go!" He stumbled forward, thoroughly surprised when her name broke free from his lips. And then she looked up, and their eyes locked. The world went silent as he tried to comprehend what was happening. After so long...

"Kevin!" The police officer put her down, and she launched herself at him. And then it finally hit him. He was holding Jenny. He was holding his wife. And she was alive.

Epilogue

Ryan taped up the final box and rested beside it for a moment. Javier knocked on the open door, and he waved him in. Lanie, Beckett, and Castle followed closely behind just as Jenny came back in from the nursery, rocking Riley to sleep.

"Hi," Jenny whispered, greeting them. Kevin put an arm around her waist and eyed the boxes that were scattered throughout the living room. His partner did the same.

"I can't believe you're moving, bro," he said, smoothing his hand over the closest box. Kevin shrugged.

"It just doesn't feel safe here anymore. Besides, we have to think about what's best for Riley," he said.

"You already spoke to Gates?" Beckett asked softly, crossing her arms. It was hard seeing one of her own go.

"Turned in my gun and badge." Lanie shook her head.

"I can't believe you're leaving." Kevin smiled sadly.

"Neither can I. I'm gonna miss you guys," Ryan said wistfully. Javier stepped forward and wrapped his partner in a bear hug.

"I love you, bro," he murmured. Ryan closed his eyes.

"I love you too. I can't even...I mean...For everything. Thank you. Seriously, Javier. You saved me, bro." He didn't want to cry, but he ended up doing it anyway. Everyone was a little teary eyed.

"Well, it's 12:30...not to early to drink," Castle announced, holding up the bottle of champagne he'd brought with him. As Richard poured, Kevin took a moment to study the friends that he had been blessed to have. He would miss them with everything he had, but he knew that this move was for the better. That didn't make it any easier. He accepted his cup and raised it in a toast.

"To friends, no matter how far apart they may be."