She never saw him. One minute she was breaking down the door with Esposito, and Ryan. The next thing she knew, her chest burned like fire and her world was spinning out of her control. She never heard the gunshot, but the pain she felt was everything she heard it would be. Her mind was racing.
Her thoughts went to her father. This would send him spiraling downward again. For too long it was just the two of them. If she died right here, what would happen to him? Who would worry about him? She knew the drinking would start again.
Then there was Castle. She always fought to have him stay in the car. This time he listened to her, and all she wanted was to have him right here with her. He would calm her. He would focus her. He could make her fears turn into her strength.
Then she heard him, "Kate, what happened? Are you all right, Kate?" She couldn't answer him. She didn't have the strength. She felt his presence. He touched her face and brushed back her hair. "Kate, stay with me. Don't you leave now. " She opens her eyes and sees concern and worry on his face, but the sight of him soothes her. "Castle, stay…" was all she could say. "Don't worry Kate, I am not leaving you."
"Where is that ambulance?" he yells. Esposito answers, "There here, Finally!" The crew rushes into the room. Before you know it, they are checking Kate's vital signs and trying to stop the bleeding." "We need to transport her now," the EMT says. "Sir, we need you to move, "the EMT says to Castle. Castle stares the EMT right into the eye and answers, "I am not leaving her, no how, no way." Esposito, walks over and says to the crew, "It is ok, he is her partner and we take care of each other in this department. He needs to stay."
With that settled they place Kate on the stretcher and rush her into the ambulance with Castle running along side them, all the while holding Kate's hand. "Come on Kate, you are strong. Stay with me and fight. You are a fighter Kate. You are a good tough cop. I need you to be stronger than you have ever been before." She squeezes his hand and he knows she is listening.
The next few hours are a blur to Castle. She was rushed in to surgery and he is waiting for the doctor. He needs to know how Kate is doing. He won't let his mind think of the "what ifs," She'll make it, she just has to make it," he says out loud. The doctor is approaching. Castle jumps up and runs to meet him. "Dr., how is she? Will she be ok?"
The Doctor take his surgical mask off and sits down. "She's lost a lot of blood. We tied off the artery and luckily there was minimal damage. She needs rest and time. The next 24 hours are critical. When a patient loses this amount of blood they can easily go into shock. That is what we worry about right now." "We'll keep her sedated, let her body heal and then see how things stand tomorrow. She is young and she is very healthy. I think things will look better to us in the morning. Now go home and get some sleep. We'll call you if anything changes."
"Sorry Doc, I am not leaving her. I will do anything I can to help that lady. She is a fighter and I plan on helping her anyway I can." The Doctor smiles and says, "I knew better than to tell a cop to go home. She will be brought to ICU in a few minutes. You can sit with her there."
Castle did not correct the doctor when he called him a cop. All of this time with Kate has made him feel like a cop. He admires he so much for her ability to rush in and help others, help the victims families. All he did before that was write about victims. He never felt for them or their families for that much. It was just a means to an end for his story. It wasn't real. It wasn't personal. Now these past few months with Kate made him see how superficial his world was. How his writing crime novels was like child's play compared to her world. He didn't have her courage, her strength. But when he was with her on a case, he felt she made him stronger. She made him care. He knew he was a better writer now than before because his writings took on a more personal line. He felt things he never felt before. He more than admired her. He knew he loved her. He also knew telling Kate Beckett that would send her rushing away as fast as the patrol car could take her. She was hurt. She was scared. She needed protected and he was just the one for the job, even if it meant protecting her from him.
Kate was wheeled into the room. His heart sunk. The tubes and machines frightened him. His throat closed on him and his eyes grew moist. "She looks so helpless" he thought. He stood by her bedside and brushed her hair with his fingers. "Kate, I'm here Kate. I know you can't hear me, but I am not leaving you. I want you to fight this Kate, be strong. We have so much to do yet, me and you. I want to meet your Dad and hear about when you were young. I want to see a few cute baby pictures of you. I want to know all about you, Kate."
He is tired from the emotional events. He wants to rest a bit. Kate stirs in her sleep and reaches out for his hand. He comes to life again. He sits on the edge of Kate's bed and stretches out beside her. She lays her head next to him as he places his protective arm around her. "No one will hurt you again, Kate." He closes his eyes and falls asleep.
He is awakened by movement at his side. He glances down at Kate who is smiling through closed eyes. "Leave it to you, Castle, to spoon in a hospital ICU."
She is back. He knows she will be all right. He turns to her, smiles and says," if you weren't all hooked up there Little Missy we could see what else we can do in ICU." They both laugh and she goes back to sleeping in the protection of his arms.