Disclaimer: *Reads over contract* Nope, I do not own Castle, ABC and Andrew are the geniuses behind the show. But that doesn't mean I won't put the through hell and back and a little bit of fluff.

Beta-d by Teelduo

A/N: Thank you for all of the reviews through facebook, FF and Twitter.

CHAPTER TEN

Sunday – 12th Precinct – 09:01am -Bullpen

Kate was sitting on the corner of her desk, staring at the murder board. Her hazel greens absorbing in every bit of information, every photo on the board. She had added the information from the CSU report onto the board. The brunette detective was dressed in long black hipster bootleg jeans and a deep red v neck sweater that hugged her curves. Her black leather jacket was hanging over her chair and her hair was partly pulled back, a few strands hanging loosely framing her face.

Since it was Sunday, her team didn't have to be in early. Trayvon went back to the loft with Rick this morning so he could hang out with Shane. Shane was staying until this case was solved, so Alexis was safe. She expected the boys to appear any minute now, along with her partner. A smile stole her lips when Rick crossed her mind.

Kate's Apartment - 08:01am – Lounge Area

Kate felt warm, really warm. She could also feel her pillow breathing, which was odd since pillows shouldn't rise and fall. She slowly began opening her eyes, letting them adjust to the light in the room. It was morning and she knew she wasn't in her bed.

The brunette could hear a strong heartbeat. She opened her eyes and noticed that she was in her lounge room and not alone. Her head was resting on her partner's chest, as it rose and fell. Her arms were snaked around his mid section. He was holding her close, his arms encircled around her.

Kate lifted her head and looked up at the writer, as a smile stole her lips. He looked so peaceful when he was sleeping, an innocent expression on his features.

She watched him for a few more minutes before he spoke up and startled her.

"You know, I could get used to this," Rick mumbled, before slowly opening his eyes and a smile spreading across his lips. His blue orbs locking onto her hazel greens.

Kate bit down on her lip, grinning. "Well you make a great teddy bear," she whispered back, surprising herself at the comment. She hadn't meant to say that out loud.

Rick grinned, his eyes widening at the comment. "Did you just admit that you like waking up in my arms?" he asked, a little cocky.

Kate could feel heat rising to her face. She turned her face away from him so he wouldn't notice her blushing, her gaze flicked to her wall clock and she noticed the time. She had slept in.

Kate remembered they were watching a movie and must have fallen asleep before it ended. She turned her attention back to her partner, concern now washing over her.

"Is Alexis gonna be wondering where you are?" she asked, softly.

She watched as a smile stole his lips. He lifted his head so his lips gently brushed against hers, before he answered. "It's Sunday, she won't be awake for at least another hour."

Kate enjoyed the brief good morning kiss, even though it ended too soon for her liking. She loved the fact that they could do that now. Just kiss when they felt like it, well except when they were at the 12th or anywhere that the paparazzi might be lurking.

"We have enough time for pancakes," he assured her, giving her another peck on the lips before sitting up and detaching himself from her. Rick hopped up from the couch and headed in the direction of the kitchen as Trayvon walked in.

Kate had enjoyed the feeling of his arms wrapped around her, like her own personal security blanket. And she missed the warm embrace when he left. She looked dead ahead and watched as the two males greeted each other good morning with their own personal high-five handshake.

"So should I start calling you Uncle Rick?" the teenager teased the older man. Rick looked at the kid and faked a laugh.

Kate's mouth dropped open.

The smell of coffee brings her back. She turned her gaze on Rick. He was standing there in front of her, smiling and holding out her coffee.

"Morning beautiful," he greeted her, handing her the hot beverage.

She could hear the boys walking off the elevator, chatting animatedly about something. Kate didn't turn around. She bit down on her bottom lip, suppressing the urge to grin. She was at work and she had to remain professional. Kate retrieved the takeaway cup from him, their fingers brushing only for a moment, but long enough for his touch to send a shiver down her spine.

His eyes were locked on hers as she managed to respond. "Morning."

Kate was lost in his eyes, damn those blue eyes. If they had a child, she hoped they would have his blue eyes. Child? Where did that thought come from? They had only started their relationship last night, why was she already thinking about children with him?

Detective Ryan cleared his throat as the two stopped a few metres from her desk.

"Are we interrupting something?" he asked, grinning like a cat that got his cream. His partner was standing beside him with a matching grin.

Kate tore her gaze from Rick's and turned it on her team mates. She bought the cup to her lips letting the rich smell fill her nostrils.

"Any news on Samson yet?" Kate asked them, staying on track and ignoring their previous comment. She took a sip, letting the warm liquid greet her.

The male partners let it slide. Obviously Mom and Dad didn't want to share their news with the family yet.

"No one has reported his whereabouts. He hasn't even showed up at his house yet," Javier spoke up.

"His financials are showing no unusual activity. He hasn't used any of his cards since two days ago," Ryan added.

"We even spoke to his classmates, apparently he kept to himself. Didn't go out of his way to make friends," Javier informed them.

Kate let out a heavy sigh. This case was frustrating the hell out of her. Where was this guy hiding? She turned her eyes on her partner. He was reading the CSU report that he picked up off her desk, his eyes scanning the information on the sheet of paper.

"I skimmed it, nothing that leads us to where he would be." Kate tells him. "Molly's blood was found in the freezer in the truck," she told him.

"He stored the body with the ice-cream that he sold to children," Rick responded in disgust, his blue eyes darkening. Kate placed her hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze.

"I've always found that song creepy," the female detective confessed.

Rick turned his blue orbs on her. Her hand was still on his shoulder, he knew she could sense his anger towards the killer. It was her way of letting him know that she was there for him.

Rick returned her gesture with a soft smile, letting her know that he was okay. He wished he could take her in his arms and prove to her that he was okay, but they were at the precinct and PDA wasn't allowed.

Kate removed her hand from her partner's shoulder and turned back to her team mates. The boys were watching them, curious expressions on their faces. She knew they knew something was going on between her and Rick. She was surprised that they hadn't mentioned anything about it yet.

Kate was highly annoyed because they were getting nowhere with this case. The killer was still out there and it scared her because he was targeting young girls that looked like Alexis.

"Go over Samson Preston's life history again, there has to be something we're missing here. Some little clue that we have over looked," she ordered them. "I'm gonna go see Lanie," she told the boys. "Alone," she told Rick, softly. She hoped he understood that it was nothing personal.

Rick nodded, giving her a slight smile. He turned his attention back to the murder board and focused his attention on it.

Kate watched as the boys headed to their desks. She headed in the direction of the elevator.

Castle Loft - 09:09am - Open Lounge Area

Shane and Trayvon were playing Battlefield 3 on the Xbox. The teenager and former Marine were chatting, animatedly. Trayvon had spotted the tattoos on the older man's arms and asked him about them. Shane had informed him that he used to serve but was honourably discharged after being injured.

"What's it like to kill people?" Trayvon asked the older man, curiously.

The almost eighteen year old kept his eyes locked on the large plasma screen. He wasn't sure if the older man would answer him, his father never did when he asked him that question.

A long minute passed before Shane spoke up. "It's not easy," he began. "But the people we we're ordered to kill are bad people."

Silence engulfed the room for another long minute.

"Why did you join?" the teenager asked, now looking at the older dark haired man.

Shane paused the game before turning to face the teenager. He could tell that the teenager was curious about the Marines. Shane wasn't sure how much detail he should go into, but he didn't want to sugar-coat it either.

"It is sort of a family tradition," he began. "My grandfather served, along with my father. When I turned eighteen I wasn't quite sure if I wanted to serve, I wasn't quite sure what I wanted to do. So my father sent me here to New York to attend college while I figured out what I wanted to do with one condition." Shane told the boy.

Alexis was standing on the middle platform of the stairs, watching the two male. She knew it was wrong to ears drop.

"I had to be in the ROTC, Reserve Officers' Training Corps. So I agreed, figured it would a great way to stay in shape. I didn't count on liking it though," he confessed, proudly. "So after four years in the ROTC, I joined the marines and was sent to serve."

Trayvon could hear the pride in the older man's voice.

"Something you need Alexis?" Shane asked, without turning his head towards the stairs.

The female teenager was taken aback. How did he know she was there?

Alexis fixed her eyes on the older man. She began walking down the stairs and towards the lounge. "How do you know my dad?" she began asking. "I know you keep telling me you met while at College but I feel like there is more to the story? More that you're both not telling me?"

Shane locked his eyes on the young woman that stopped just off from where he was sitting. She was a younger version of Martha. He knew it wasn't his place to tell her.

"For the full story, I'm sorry but you'll have to ask your father ... it's not my place." He told her, honestly.

Alexis folded her arms and glared at the older man. Why wouldn't he tell her? She was tired of being kept in the dark? She had changed into a light blue v-neck sweater and a long dark brown flared skirt with white ballet flats. Her hair was pulled back with a silver dragonfly hair clip.

Alexis headed for the door. "Well I'm gonna go see some friends -" she began informing her father's best friend before he stood up in his spot.

"Not without us," he informs her.

She stops just before the door, turning around to look at him. "What?" she questioned in disbelief. "You're kidding ... right?"

Shane folds his arms across his chest, stone expression filled his features. "Your father said I am not allowed to let you out of my sight until this killer is caught," he tells her, solemn.

Alexis couldn't believe this. He was being serious. She was almost eighteen for crying out loud. What was it about this case that made her father so protective? Alexis felt anger boiling inside her.

"Je ne peux pas le croire," (I cannot believe this). Alexis muttered in French, annoyed.

Shane kept his gaze fixed on the teenager, walking towards her. "Croyez-le, chérie," (Believe it, darlin). He replied back.

Alexis's eyes widened. He knew French? Was there anything this guy didn't know?

Trayvon watched as the redhead stared down the former Marine. He had seen the photo's of the young girls that were killed, they looked a lot like the teenager. So it was understandable why the writer was being so protective over his daughter. She could become a target. Obviously Alexis didn't know about the killing. Because if she did she wouldn't be acting like this, he pondered.

Autopsy – 09:11am

Kate entered through the doors of Autopsy and headed in the direction of her friend who was filling out a chart.

The young medical examiner heard the doors open and her friend's heel boots clicking on the tiled flooring, heading in her direction. She lifted her gaze from the sheet she was filling out and fixed her brown eyes on the female detective. A smile curved her lips as she took in the appearance of her best friend. Kate looked more carefree and trying her best not to smile.

"Did you and writer boy get it on?" Lanie questioned, hugging her clipboard to her chest.

Kate stopped a few metres from where Lanie was standing, her jaw dropped. "Lanie!" she hissed.

Lanie grinned at the female detective, waiting for an answer.

Kate could tell that her friend was waiting for her to respond. Thank god they were the only two down here at the moment.

"No! We didn't," Kate informed her friend, sternly.

Lanie knew there was something going on, especially after the talk they had last night. "But...?" she asked, still smiling.

Kate knew she couldn't keep anything from her friend, even though she was a private person. She needed to tell someone about Rick because she was happy and it was because of a certain writer. A grin stole her lips as she confessed.

"We kissed again and again and again ..." Kate began telling her friend, letting out a soft chuckle.

Lanie squealed in delight, jumping up and down as she hugged the clipboard.

"So does this mean that ..." Lanie began to question before being interrupted.

Kate looked at her friend serious, letting the smile briefly slip. "You cannot tell anyone that Rick and I are together, including Javi." She ordered her friend. "Promise me Lanie!"

Lanie was still grinning. She nodded her head rapidly even though she disliked keeping secrets from her man. Kate was her best friend, they were practically sisters.

"I promise, so spill." She demanded

Kate's expression remained serious for a few more seconds before a smile stole her lips one again.

"Well yesterday afternoon when I got back to my apartment," she began telling her friend in detail.

Bullpen – 09:13am

Rick's eyes were still fixed on the murder board while he was talking to his daughter who had called him a minute ago, not happy.

"Sorry pumpkin, you are not allowed to leave Shane's sight until this case is solved." He told her, trying to keep his voice calm. He didn't want to worry her.

"Why?" she demanded, sounding pissed. "What is it about this case that I need a security detail?"

Rick turned from the board; the girls' faces were already burned into his brain.

"Alexis, you just have to trust me on this one ... okay?" he told her.

A moment of silence passed between them and Rick wasn't sure if she had hung up on him.

"Dad, what about this case has you so worried?" she asked, softly.

Rick clamped his eyes shut. The girls from the freezers flashing through his mind, their crystal blue eyes staring back at him.

"Dad?" his daughter's voice flowed through the speaker, apprehensively.

Rick's eyes shot open, his daughter's worried tone bringing him back. "I can't tell you that one, pumpkin. You just have to trust me," he told her, assertively.

The line went dead.

She had hung up on him. Rick sighed as he closed his phone, sliding it back in his jeans pocket.

"You okay Man?" the Irish detective asked.

Rick turned his attention towards the two male detectives who were looking at him, both mirroring concerned expressions.

"I hate keeping things from her," he admitted. "We always promised to be honest with one another." He told them.

Kevin placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "Its better then telling her that some psycho is killing off young girls that look like her," he theorized.

The writer sighed again. The blue eyed detective had a point. "Just wait until you're a dad," he responded, sincerely.

A long moment of silence passed between them before Kevin spoke up.

"So Castle ... what's going on with you and Beckett?" Kevin bit the bullet and asked. The two male detectives were standing beside one another, arms folded and looking at him, determined.

"We're not stupid. We know something is going on between you two," Javier informed him, staring him down.

Rick was a little taken aback by their sudden change in attitude. He wasn't going to betray his partner's trust. When Kate wanted the boys to know, they would know. He turned to face them and stared them down, mirroring their stance.

The two detectives stared at the writer for a good few minutes before Javier spoke up.

"You wanna play it like that! Be warned. We like you Castle but if you hurt Beckett, we will make sure they never find your body!" He threatened the writer.

Rick didn't flinch or blink. He didn't make a joke or deny it.

"It would physically cause me pain if I hurt Kate," he responded. "I'd kick my own ass," he told them, dead serious.

The boys looked at him a little stunned before turning and looking at one another, surprised.

Autopsy – 09:15am

Lanie was grinning from ear to ear as her friend stood opposite to her. She had placed the clipboard on the empty autopsy table.

Kate had left out the part when Rick confessed to her about his past, if he wanted them to know that part. He would tell them. She only told Lanie about how she went over to Rick's apartment and the conversation they had in his office that led to all the kissing, then the talk with Alexis before heading back to her apartment and Rick insisting to walk them to the door.

"So we must have drifted off on my couch, because when I woke up this morning. He was there and I felt safe," the brunette detective confessed to her friend, honestly. "It wasn't awkward when we woke up, it was ... perfect." She admitted, a smile spreading across her features.

Lanie softly smiled at her friend. "It's good seeing you like this," Lanie told her friend, sincerely.

Kate just smiled back. She didn't know what to say. It was true, for the first time in a long time. She truly felt happy. Rick made her happy.

A minute of silence passed before the medical examiner spoke up again.

"I won the bet," she grinned.

Kate looked at her friend confused for a moment. Bet? What was she talking about?

"What bet?" she asked, unsure. The brunette had an inkling to what her friend was talking about.

Lanie rolled her eyes at the detective, placing her hand on her hip. "Don't act like you didn't know?"

Kate looked at her friend sternly, folding her arms. "Fine, I knew and I am not pleased about it. I cannot believe that the entire precinct was betting on Rick and me," she told her, annoyed. "And our first kiss was last year, not yesterday." She informed her, matter-of-factly.

Lanie looked at her friend puzzled. "Last year?" she asked, in disbelief. "When?"

The female detective's eyes darkened and her tone changed to serious. "The night we caught Hal Lockwood," she told her friend.

Lanie looked at her friend wide eyed, placing her hand on her shoulder. "Sweetie," she whispered.

Kate didn't want to discuss Lockwood, too many bad memories attached to him.

She cleared her throat. "So who had that night?" she asked, changing the subject. Her voice thick with emotion, keeping her tears at bay.

Lanie turned from her friend and walked towards her office.

Kate took in a deep breath, holding it for a moment before releasing it.

Lanie returned a moment later with what looked like a large bind notebook in hand. She stopped opposite her friend and flipped open the notepad, searching through last year's months. When she found the date of that night, one of the scariest nights to the young M.E, it was the night that Javier and his partner were held captive by Lockwood and put through hell and back. She pushed that thought from her head as she slid her finger across the page and her eyes fell on the name of the person who had that night.

Kate watched as her friend's eyes widened in surprised and then grew sad.

"Lanie?" she asked, worried.

Lanie lifted her eyes, tears glistering in them. "Roy," she answered.

Silence fell over them. Neither said a word for a few minutes.

"Donate the money to the NYPD's Widow's and Orphan's fund in Roy's name," Kate told her friend. "I better get back to the boys. I'll talk to you later." She told her friend before heading towards the doors and walking out.

Bullpen – 09:33am

Kate walked out of the break room with two large coffee mugs in hand. She walked towards her desk, where Rick was sitting in her chair. His eyes were fixed on a file in front of him. She stopped in front of her desk, placing the cappuccino in front of him.

Rick was reading Samson Preston's file again, trying to find the missing puzzle piece, when a mug was placed in front of him. He lifted his gaze and locked eyes with his beautiful partner. She gave him a soft smile but he could see sadness in those beautiful eyes.

"Is everything okay?" he asked, concerned.

Kate forced a smile. How did he know she was feeling a little down?

"Yeah, I'm fine," she lied, bringing her coffee to her lips and breathing in the aroma. She took a sip of the warm liquid, watching her partner do the same. No words were needed, their eyes held the conversation.

"So why are you sitting in my chair?" she questioned, sounding serious but a smile twitching her lips.

Rick placed his mug in front of him. He knew she was playing tough because of the boys.

"I told him it was a death wish," Detective Ryan spoke up from his desk.

Kate turned her attention towards her co-workers. They were watching them a little like they were watching their favourite TV show. She was still thinking of a way to get them back for betting on her and Rick.

"You find something?" she asked them, bringing the mug to her lips again.

Both detectives shook their heads.

"I think I have an idea," Rick spoke up, a serious tone echoing through.

Kate turned back to face Rick, her eyes fixed on her partner. She was drinking the sight of him in. His eyes lifted from the file and locked with hers, a smile stole his lips when he caught her watching him.

"What does Samson do every Sunday night at six pm?" he asked her, seriously.

Kate looked at him with curiosity, placing her mug down on her desk and sitting on the corner of it. She thought for a minute before it hit her.

"He calls nana Porter," Kate answered, smiling.

Rick nodded, looking at her. "The one person left in his life, now what would happen if he called her tonight and nana ... didn't answer the phone?" he suggested.

"Are you saying you want us to knock off an old lady?" Kevin asked in disbelief.

Kate and Rick both looked at the blue eyed detective perplexed. What would make him think that? They thought.

"No stupid," Javier answered before turning to look at his boss and the writer. "You didn't mean that did you?" he questioned, unsure.

Both shook their head. "No," they answered in unison.

"I have a friend whose father owns a surveillance company, globally. I just have to get him to tap the lines at nana's house, going through proper protocols of course. So when Samson calls his nana for their weekly phone call, McGarrett security can track the call and inform us of his location. He talks for an hour, plenty of time to locate him and arrest him." Rick informed them.

"What makes you think he will call his nana?" Javier questioned.

"She's the one constant in his life, his only family. He knows she would worry if he didn't call," Kate told them. "He will be smart about it, calling her from a payphone or burn phone. Since he hasn't made any charges on his card, I am guessing that he has a lot of cash on him."

"What if he isn't still in the city?" Javier questioned.

The partners turned their attention towards the male detective.

Rick spoke up. "Like I said, McGarrett security is a global company ... we'll get him!" he promised.

A moment of silence passed over the four before Detective Ryan spoke up.

"The phone call isn't for several hours yet, what do we do till then?" Kevin asked his boss.

"Castle and I will set up everything on this end," Kate smiled at them. "You guys can have the day off and we'll meet up at Castle's at five thirty and set up for the call," she told them, easily.

The two male detectives high fived one another, like two children celebrating after a big win.

Kate smiled, shaking her head before turning her eyes back on her partner. Rick had pulled out his phone and began dialling a number. She watched as he waited for it to connect, his face lighting up when the person answered.

Castle Loft - 10:01am – Open Lounge Area

Rick and Kate walked through the front door of the loft.

Kate had to brief the Captain on what was going on before they left. Patrick had been contacted and was setting up the phone tap. Two of his guys would go to the older ladies house and inform her that they were checking phone lines because customers had been calling about problems. While one of the guys talked to the older woman and distracted her, the other would bug the phone. They would inform the older lady that her phone was fine.

"What if she sees her grandson on the news? His photo was released yesterday to all the major news stations?" Rick asked his partner.

Kate turned her eyes on him. "Nana Porter doesn't watch the news, too much violence she told me. I casually slipped the news into the conversation yesterday," she told him.

"Dad ... Kate?" Alexis's voice questioned. "What are you guys doing back so early?"

Kate turned her eyes on the blue eyed teen, feeling out of place. The teenager was sitting on the far end of the couch with her laptop. Shane and Trayvon were sitting on the older end, having what looked like a serious conversation.

"Hey Alexis," Kate greeted the girl. "How are you holding up?" she asked her. Rick had told Kate about his daughter breaking up with her boyfriend.

"Dad told you?" she questioned. "Of course he told you, he tells you everything because you two actually talk." Alexis vented. "Whenever he has any news, you're the first person he thinks of to share it with because he loves you. That's what you're supposed to do when you love someone," Alexis blurted out before hopping up and running up the stairs.

The room fell quiet. All eyes turned on the writer and his muse.

Kate fingers were still laced with Rick's. It was no state secret that Rick was in love with her. She knew it because she had heard him say it. Saw it in his eyes every time he looked at her. The brunette turned her hazel greens on his stony blues, eyes locked on one another.

"I'll go talk to her," Kate told him, placing a quick kiss to his lips before unlacing their fingers and heading towards the stairs.

Rick just stood there as he watched his beautiful partner walk up the stairs to talk to his daughter. Alexis had blurted out that he loved her and Kate didn't run in the opposite direction. Which he was relieved of but that also made him think, why didn't she clam up or run? They had just become them, so why didn't this freak her out?

Alexis' Room

Kate softly knocked on the door. She waited until she heard the teen mumble. "Come in."

Kate turned the knob and walked into the room.

"Kate? I thought you were..." Alexis began saying before being interrupted.

"Your dad, nope just me," she told her. "I figured you might want to talk woman to woman."

Alexis did want to discuss this with another woman, her Grams was still in California and her mother wasn't really the type to take good advice from. Alexis was sitting on her bed, her legs curled up to her chest and her chin resting on her knees.

"I'm sorry about exploding down there," the teenage girl apologized.

Kate softly smiled at the girl, taking a seat on the end of the bed. "It's okay," she assured her. "You're allowed to have emotions," she told the girl. "It's what makes us human."

Silence passed between the two for a long minute.

"What if I made a mistake?" she asked as a few tears slipped.

Kate's hurt went out to the girl. She reached forward and brushed the tears from the girl's cheeks. "Do you feel like you made a mistake?" Kate asked her, reversing the question.

Alexis sighed. "I don't know?" she confessed.

Kate knew being a teenager was tough. You're not a child but not quite yet an adult, you're stuck in between. Kate remembered when she was a teenager and her mother would give her advice. A sad smile stole her lips when she remembered the advice her mother had once given her when she was eighteen.

"It's not who you want to spend Friday night with ... It's who you want to spend all weekend with ... is Ashley the one you want to spend all weekend with?" she asked the girl.

Alexis didn't even have to think about the question. "He used to be," she honestly answered without hesitation.

"We'll there is your answer," Kate told her.

17:28pm – open lounge area

The doorbell rang throughout the loft. The writer headed towards the front entrance and opened the door. Standing opposite him was the two detectives, with serious expressions on their face.

"Evening," he greeted them, stepping aside and letting the two male detectives in.

Rick's lounge area had been converted into a mini operations area. A long fold out table had been placed in the middle of the room. On it was a laptop with a phone and other technical equipment involved to trace a call. Shane was finishing setting it up. He knew how to run all of this equipment ever since he was little.

Kate, Trayvon and Alexis were in the kitchen sitting on stools behind the breakfast bar, drinking coffee and chatting. Kate spotted her two co-workers. She excused herself from the two teenagers and walked over towards the boys who were gathered around the mini op's area.

"Wow, this isn't the same equipment we use to trace locations." Kevin spoke up.

"No kidding, this is the advanced equipment," Shane supplied.

Both male detectives looked at the stranger, curious.

Rick could see his friends were curious about Shane. They were detectives so they were suspicious to why a stranger was involved with this investigation. Rick stood opposite of the table from his friend, his partner standing beside him.

"Ryan ... Esposito, I would like you both to meet my best friend, Shane McGarrett." He introduced. "He will be running the trace from here and getting us a location on Samson," Rick explained to the two detectives.

Javier spotted the dog tag hanging around the dark haired man's neck. It was sitting in front of his shirt. He knew he could trust this guy, the Hispanic detective was curious to how the writer knew him though. He watched as the two were talking, looking to be having a serious conversation. As his eyes darted from the writer to the stranger, something dawned on the male detective.

Javier turned to his partner and whispered. "Is it just me or do ..." he began.

"Yeah, I was thinking the same thing," Kevin finished.

18:01pm

Five sets of eyes were glued to the phone that was connected to the computer. It was set on loud speaker. They listened as the phone began to ring. As soon as nana picked it up, they could start the trace and would hear the entire conversation but not be heard.

"Hello?" Nana Porter's voice flowed through the speakers.

Shane began the trace, all eyes glued to the laptop screen as they watched the trace begin.

"Hey Nana," a male voice replied, calmly. "How have you been?" he asked, casually.

Kate couldn't believe this psychopath was having a calm and normal conversation with his grandmother.

The room was quiet as they listened to the conversation, all eyes watching the screen as the location got closer and closer.

"Woodhaven," Kate whispered. It was narrowing down on Woodhaven. That was where the killer lives?

"He is at 8539, 87th St, Woodhaven," Shane told them, seriously.

The three detectives' and writer's eyes all widened, stunned. How was that possible? How was he calling from inside that house?

"Okay guys it's gonna take us twenty five minutes to get there, Espo call the locals and tell them to meet us there." She ordered them. "Let's go."

The three detectives and writer headed out of the loft.

Woodhaven – 18:31pm – Sam's House

Cops surrounded the suspect's house, all donning bullet proof vests. It was dark and spotlights were set up and shining on the house.

Javier led a team from the back door and Kate led one through the front. In a matter of minutes the house was covered in cops. When they had entered the house, Samson had still been talking to his grandmother according to Shane.

Rick was on talking to Shane through a wireless earpiece. "Is he still talking to her?" Rick whispered.

He waited for his friend to respond. "No, just said he had to go and the signal dropped. He is still in that house," Shane informed his friend.

Kate was standing in the middle of the front entrance, looking around at the empty house. Where the hell was he? If the signal was coming from here, then why couldn't they see him?

"Why sneak back in the house at the risk of getting caught?" Kate spoke up, her eyes searching for any sign of movement. Only cops and detectives passed them by, no sign of Samson.

"What if he never left the house," Rick suggested.

Kate turned to face her partner. He was a metre from her in his writer's vest, looking at her serious.

Kate flashed back to the Dunn case. He had been hiding in plain sight the entire time her team had been in that apartment, was this the same? If he was hiding, where would it be?

Samson's Room - 16:51pm

Kate and Rick had informed all of the officers present that their suspect may be hiding in a hidden wall or crawl space. So for the last twenty minutes they had been knocking on walls and floors throughout the entire house, looking for his hiding spot. The brunette detective and her writer were searching the suspect's room. Even after his parents died, he stayed in his childhood room.

Rick was tapping each section of the floor, hoping to hear a hollow part. Kate had tapped every section of the wall with no luck. They both headed towards his closet which had been searched earlier. Kate held her gun towards it, nodding to Rick. He opened the door and stood back. They peered inside of the dark closet, only clothes and shoes greeted them.

"Damn it," Kate muttered.

Rick stood in the doorway of the closet. He pushed the clothes aside and looked at the wall, something seemed off about it. It seemed closer than it should be.

"Kate," he whispered.

Kate looked at the writer who was looking at her seriously. He pointed to the scrape markings on the right side of the wall, like something has constantly opened and closed. They were faint and hard to miss if you weren't looking for them. Rick knocked on the wall, it was hollow.

Kate raised her gun towards the wall, they were unsure if Samson was armed. He didn't own a weapon but that didn't mean he didn't have one.

"Get behind me," she told him, quietly.

Rick didn't want her to be his shield. He shook his head and reached behind him, revealing a glock. He rarely brought his weapon out to play but knew he might need it tonight. Rick had a carry permit, since he worked with the NYPD, not even Kate knew about that.

Kate just nodded. They didn't have time to argue about him with a gun right now.

They heard from behind the wall a clicking sound, it sounded like someone just cocked a gun.

Kate and Rick stepped out of the doorway, both standing to either side leaning against the wall.

"Samson?" Kate called out. "You're surrounded," she told him. "There is no way out of this, come out with hands in the air." She ordered.

A gunshot echoed in the room.

Rick and Kate stood still, not moving from there spot. Kate turned and looked at Rick who was standing on the other side of the closet.

"You okay?" she whispered. He nodded.

A few seconds later a few cops and the two male detectives entered the bedroom, all looking at the partners worried.

"You guys okay," Javier asked, holding up his shotgun.

They both nodded and Kate called out. "Samson?"

No answer.

Rick peered his head around the corner into the closet. There were no bullet holes in the wall. If he wasn't shooting at them, what was he shooting at? The writer's eyes dropped to the carpet and saw blood seeping under the hidden wall. Rick holstered his gun and stepped into the closet kicking down the wall.

His eyes darkened as he saw the dead young man, sprawled on the floor. He had shot himself in the head. He took the easy way out, instead of facing his fate in jail for killing four young girls.

Kate entered the closet and stood beside her partner, lacing her fingers with the writer. She gave his hand a gentle squeeze and led him out of the closet and towards the bed.

"He killed himself," Rick whispered in disbelief.

Javier called the body in.

The female detective and writer sat down on the end of the suspect's bed, fingers still fused together. Neither saying a word, what was there to say?

It was all over in a second. He had killed himself because he believed there was no way out.

"Lanie and CSU are on their way," the Hispanic detective informed them. After that, everything went by in a blur.

Rick's Loft - 20:31pm – Rick's office

Kate was in Rick's office, talking to nana Porter. She didn't want the old lady to hear about her only grandchild over the news or from a stranger in passing. That was why he loved her so much, her compassion and heart for other people. She had lost her mother and yet she still gave her all to other people.

Rick just watched her for several minutes before she caught his eye. He heard her saying her goodbyes to the older woman and promising to keep in contact before hanging up.

The brunette felt bad for the older woman, the only person she had had left in this world killed himself.

Kate stood up from Rick's work station and walked towards him. She stopped opposite of him, feeling defeated. Within seconds he closed the distance between them, encircling his arms around her waist and pulling her close. She responded by encircling her arms around him and resting her head on his chest, listening to his heart beat.

A few minutes passed before she spoke up. "I should get Tray home."

Rick didn't want her to leave yet. He always missed her when she was gone. "Stay the night," he whispered softly against her ear.

Kate didn't want to leave yet but she couldn't stay either. She had Trayvon to think about.

"I can't," she whispered, pulling back and looking into his eyes.

The writer's eyes darkened. "Tray can sleep on the couch. And my bed is big enough for both of us," he told her.

Kate bit down on her bottom lip, unsure. "Rick ... I'm not ready yet to take that next step," she confessed. She was worried how he would react to the bullet wound. She was scared that he wanted want her after seeing it.

"What?" he looked at her astounded. He hadn't been thinking about sex at all. "I'm not talking about sex," he told her, honestly.

Kate looked at him surprised. "Oh," she responded. Didn't he want her?

Rick saw the hurt in her eyes. He raised a hand to her face and brushed his fingers along her cheeks, softly. "Of course I want to make love to you, but when you're ready. I would never force you to do anything you didn't want to do," he honestly told her.

Kate was stunned for a moment. So much emotion was flowing through her. This man in her arms was the best thing that ever happened to her and he deserved to know that.

"I love you," she confessed before capturing his lips in an enticing kiss.

A/N: I didn't plan the fic to end here or like this but it did. I also know this chapter seems rushed, but I wanted to get it out and finished before cuffed aired. And I could have had this fic go on for a few more chapters yet, but I didn't want to drag it on. This will most likely be my last post till after christmas. Work is becoming hectic and my novels have taken the sidelines.

Reviews are appreciated. I am so sorry if this chapter disappoints. Mistakes are mine.