OH Great!
I tried to not let this story come out but it did. I could not control it
I will update at least one more chapter soon.
As usual. I do not own any part of this story or the players, names, places or events
This does begin with the opening from an episode but that is where it ends. I go totally AU after that
Please forgive me
As she pours a refill into Lanie's wine glass, and her own as well, Kate remarks "I'm telling you, something happened…something's changed…it's been weird between us lately
"LATELY? Kate, it's been weird for four years"
"NO… this is different …he's different…it's like he's pulling away" Kate uses the wine bottle as if trying to emphasize her remark
"Well can you blame him? He's probably tired of waiting"
"WAITING? Waiting for what?"
"What do you think? The guys is crazy about you…and despite your little act, you're crazy about him"
Kate flashes Lanie a harsh look in spite of the fact doctor is totally right about the feelings inside the detective
"OH what, was that supposed to be some big secret?"
She answers in frustration "YES" and now finally wanting to show her true emotions Beckett drops down on the stool "NO!...do you think he knows?
"You remember how he used to be? Girl on either arm? You really don't see that guy much anymore"
Beckett knows that Lanie is totally right
"Why do you think that is?" Lanie pauses then finishes her thought then with a finger pointing at Kate "He's waiting for you"
Kate thinks about her response for a moment "Yeah, but Lanie…"
"I know…you dealing with stuff…unless you are OK with him pulling away"
Kate is expressing her worry about the possible situation "What if it doesn't work out? What if it ends up like you and Javi?
"Well at least we gave it a shot…and so it didn't work out. At least we gave it a try. Now we can move on, except for the occasional booty call"
Kate understands what her best friend is saying and smiles "I just don't want to lose what we've got"
"Girl please what do you have? Really?"
"A friendship?"
"NO. What you and I have is a friendship. What you and Castle have is a holding pattern. How long can you circle before the fuel runs out?"
Kate Beckett know her best friend is totally right in her description of the situation
"OK I will tell him. I just need to get my head straight…I have to make a plan…but I will tell him. I will tell him how I feel"
"Kate, please don't wait too long or it might be too late"
As Kate's cell phone rings "I promise…the next time I see him I will tell him how I feel. I will tell him I am ready to give it a try. I will give him all of me"
She swipes open the call "Beckett" pause "yes? That is me"
She has a strange look on her face then all the blood seems to push from her face and her skin turns snow white "WHAT?"
She drops the phone on the counter and tears appear in her eyes and she seems to have trouble breathing
Lanie picks up the phone and pulls it to her ear "This is Dr. Lanie Parish, who is this?"
She listens for a few seconds then her breathing also begins to increase "WHERE is he?" after a pause she responds "We are on our way. Thank you for calling" She looks across to Kate "Let's go I'm driving"
Using Kate's cruiser with red lights and siren blaring, the two women make record time to Heart of Mercy Hospital. As the two women rush into the Emergency Room doors, the hospital security officers try to stop them but Lanie has already pulled her badge and is holding Kate's as well
"I am Dr. Lanie Parish and this is Detective Kate Beckett. We got a call about Richard Castle"
The security officers still halt the forward motion of the two women. "Stop and let me see your id again" The very large uniformed man verifies the credentials then points toward the information desk "They can help you at the admitting station"
By this time Beckett is running on automatic and Lanie has taken control of the situation. When they arrive at the desk and she has identified herself to the clerk "We were called about a Richard Castle being admitted"
The woman nonchalantly looks at her computer screen "What did you say that name was again?"
Becoming very frustrated Beckett responds "CASTLE…RICHARD CASTLE!"
Beckett's stern action does not seem to faze the woman even a little bit. It is very evident she is accustomed to panicked family and visitors on an everyday basis. She finally looks up from the terminal "He is in trauma 8, but unless you are family, you can't go…" before the clerk can finish her sentence or even look up, the two women are heading toward the automatic doors trying to get through them before they close leaving them outside
Once they clear the gauntlet of staff and doors, Beckett and Parish reach the nurse's station where they find Ryan and Esposito waiting for them
Kate starts questioning. As Esposito is on his phone talking to someone. She begins. "What happened Ryan?"
It is very obvious to Lanie that Kate is not handling the situation very well. She seems to be very concerned
Ryan answers her question "It appears that Castle took a cab home from the Old Haunt. The driver said that he was definitely plastered drunk when he got in the cab and when he got to Castle's loft he had to let Castle out across the street from his building and before the cabbie could stop him, Castle just walked around the front of the cab and out in the street. He was hit by another cab. The other driver never even saw him"
Being the medical professional, Lanie begins asking questions "What are his injuries?"
Ryan looks across the counter toward a doctor who seems to be writing orders "He is the emergency room doctor I saw him going into Castle's room earlier. We are waiting for his report, but he won't tell us anything because we are not family"
Lanie turns and makes a bee line toward the white coated man. When staff tries to stop her, she pulls out her ID and tells them to move out of her way.
Once she approaches the ER doctor they have an extended conversation. He finally opens a computer screen and shows her some images, evidently X-rays and lab reports. She listens as the doctor reads some information off of the notes. She then looks at some other paperwork he has on his clipboard and then he asks Lanie a question. When she answers, the doctor, she turns and looks at Kate while indicating her to the physician. He then hands her a slip of paper and remarks about it. Lanie takes the slip from him
After the conversation Dr. Parish finishes, she steps back toward the three detectives
With a higher level of panic in her voice "Well?" Kate asks, drawing out the word "What did the doctor say? What happened? Is he going to be alright?"
"Kate we need to go somewhere and talk"
Fearing that Lanie is going to be delivering the worst news, Beckett begins to have tears in her eyes "NO! NO Lanie! Tell me. Is he going to be ok? He has to be OK. Please?"
"Come on all three of you and I will let you know where we are"
Kate still tries to pull away but Ryan takes her arm "Come on Beckett"
The four friends move to a family room that is unoccupied. After the group enters the room, Lanie closes the door and sits down on a chair beside Beckett and reaches over and takes her hand.
She takes a deep breath "He is critical. He sustained a severe head injury and is experiencing swelling on the brain. They have him in a medically induced coma waiting on the results of some tests. There are a few broken ribs and his left femur is fractured where the bumper hit him. He was thrown about twenty feet in the impact
Kate is not breathing very well and her two partners see that there is definitely something happening with Beckett more than just concern for a fellow worker
Knowing Beckett is no longer thinking clearly, Ryan begins asking for information "Where's Martha and Alexis?"
"They are in the Hampton's. The local police are on their way to get them and bring them here. It will be several hours"
Esposito needs more "Where was he when the cab picked him up?"
"They said he was at the Old Haunt"
"I've never seen Castle drunk before" Ryan interjects "I wonder why he was that bad off tonight?"
Esposito responds "The reporting officers said they interviewed the driver who told them that he has picked Castle up several times this week and taken him home, and every time he was plastered. This time maybe a little more so"
Ryan looks at the two women "Does either one of you know why he is drinking so heavily?" Both shake their heads
There is a knock on the room door and it opens and they find a nurse standing just outside "Excuse me but I need to talk to Katherine Beckett"
They all have blank looks on their faces when Kate answers "I'm Beckett. What can I do for you?"
She looks at a clipboard pressed against her chest "I have some forms that need to be signed for Mr. Castle"
Kate gets a very confused look on her face "Then don't you need his mother to do that?"
The woman looks directly at Kate "She is not the Medical Power of Attorney"
"Then who is?" Ryan questions
"Ms. Beckett is. She holds the Medical Power of Attorney and we need her to give us permission to treat Mr. Castle. We gave him emergency life support but to continue treatment, we need a signature"
Kate's face again goes ashen at the revelation
"We are all Mr. Castle's friends and I am a doctor. Are you sure about that? The medical POA? His mother should hold that"
The woman is looking intently at the clipboard in her hands "Oh yes, absolutely. The document names a Ms. Katherine Beckett to act as Mr. Castle's Power of Attorney to act in his interest in medical decisions"
"Why?" Kate looks at her partners "Why would Castle do that?"
"Ms. Beckett, you can try to determine that later but right now we need a 'Permission to Treat' form signed, so if you will come with me, we can take care of the paperwork and you can return back here"
Kate stands and exits the family room and walking like a zombie leaves the other three alone in the family room
"What about his condition? What do they think are his chances of making a full recovery?" Ryan asks
Lanie does not seem every encouraged "He has a bad head injury and if they don't get the swelling under control soon he could experience permanent brain damage"