Rick sat at the edge of the bed, his hand holding hers. He listened to the steady beeping of the monitor that was good he reminded himself; it means she's alive, there's still a chance. She could pull through, she would pull through she's a fighter.

He wasn't a religious man but he found himself saying more than one prayer lately. It was three hours since he got the phone call that changed his life, three hours since the possibility of life without her set in.

He was making dinner for her since they haven't seen each other for a few days. The others were out so they had the loft to themselves. He was making his special pasta carbonara for her; he knew it was one of her favorites. Her special ringtone rang from his phone he quickly turned the stove down to simmer before running over to answer it.

"Please tell me you are on your way," The smile evident in his tone.

"Richard Castle?"

"This is he."

"We need you to come down to Mount Sinai Hospital. There's been an accident."

That's how he got here, pleading for her to wake up. He knew she wouldn't, at least not yet. The doctors gave her pain medication to run some tests and let her body rest. Her taxi had been T-boned by another driver that ran a red light. He checked his phone again for messages but there was nothing.

The doctor came in again interrupting his thoughts.

He stood up out of the chair, "Any news?"

"We got her CT scan results and it showed a small amount of internal bleeding from a splenic rupture."

"What does that mean? She needs her spleen right? How do you fix it?" The anxiety built up and soon he was asking a million questions without letting the doctor answer the first one.

He let Castle get all his questions out before trying to answer.

"It was caused by the blunt trauma from the accident. It's fairly common when someone has been in an accident. Because it's just a slow bleed we can treat it with blood transfusions and monitor it to make sure it does not become severe."

"So she will be okay?" He needed to hear the words from the doctor.

"Yes, she will be just fine. We'll get her started on the transfusion after that it's just a waiting game. I know how hard this must be, is there anyone that can come wait with you?"

Castle let out a breath; she was going to be just fine. "They're already on their way."

The he nodded. "Thank you doctor," Castle said, before he left.

He went back to his seat next to her. "Do you hear that? You're going to be just fine, but do me a favor and fight. Don't let this injury get worse-" His voice broke and silent tears fell from his eyes, "I know you can be just as stubborn as me. Please fight, please."

There was a small knock at the door, he turned towards the new visitor hopeful, his face fell when he realized it was just the nurse. He didn't know how long she had been there but from the look in her eyes she heard what he said.

"I'm sorry to interrupt but there's something I need to talk to you about. There was a problem with our supplies delivery and we are short on A+. You are the best chance for a match." She held up the needle in her hand.

He rolled up his sleeve "Of course! Whatever you need," settling back in the chair, he stretched out his arm, his hand never leaving hers.

The nurse was good; he barely even felt the needle. "Wow, that is the most painless blood drawn I've ever had."

"I've been doing this for 20 years. I've seen it all."

"She really will be okay won't she?" His voice quiet, he wasn't sure if she heard him.

The nurse looked between the girl and him, "She will be just fine."

"How can you be so sure?"

"Because she has you."

Castle managed his first smile in three hours, it was a small one but a smile was a smile.

When the nurse left he pulled out his phone again, it rang several times before going to voicemail. "Dammnit," He cursed before he heard the beep. "It's me again. This probably the 1000th voicemail but I'm still here at Mount Sinai. Nothing's changed. So whenever you get this… If you can't come down I understand but please call me."

He resumed back to watching the monitor and praying. He ignored his rumbling stomach; he couldn't bring himself to leave her. Not until someone else was here to sit with her although even if the others were here he still wouldn't leave.

The doctor came back in, "I'm sorry Mr. Castle but I'm afraid I have some bad news."

He leaned forward in his chair, "What's wrong?"

The doctor shook his head, "You aren't a match."

Just because he isn't a match doesn't mean there's not hope. She could still go on the list he reminded himself. "But you are short on blood? What other options are there?"

"Is her mother close by? We can use hers if you know her blood type, even if you don't we can test her."

He shook his head, "Her mother is in L.A. But she's O blood type. I don't remember if it's positive or negative."

"That's find we've given her O- while we tested you, so we will continue with that. But wait I'm sorry, when you say you're her father you do mean her biological father correct?"

"Yes. Why do you ask?" He sensed there was something the doctor was not telling him.

"I'm sorry to tell you this but according to that information Alexis is not your biological daughter."