So, this is something I feel is like a lost scene from the premiere. Which, was absolutely incredible, speaking of. I really honestly thought one of the most moving aspects of the hour was Tamala Jones's performance, and Lanie's situation. Think about it, first, we see her ride in, literally on her best friend, life-or-death situation. And then later, we see how upset she is when Beckett comes back and doesn't call her. Seriously, go look at Lanie's face during the crime scene.

Anyway, enough of my schpeel.

The idea to write this has been bugging at me, and I managed to squeeze this out in record time. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Castle belongs to the brilliant Mr. Andrew Marlowe.

A true friend unbosoms freely, advises justly, assists readily, adventures boldly, takes all patiently, defends courageously, and continues a friend unchangeably.
-William Penn

The hall was far too cold, Lanie thought, for a hospital. A place so disconnected and nerve-wracking should at least try to offer some comfort. She sat with her arms wrapped around herself, holding in the pitiful quake she felt in her body. Her face was dry, though for how long, she couldn't guess. Javi had made sure to giver her some time before running back to the precinct with Ryan and Castle.

He had taken her by the arm to get cleaned up, standing right next to her, her rock, as she scrubbed her hands clean of her best friend's blood. And when she couldn't hold it in any longer, her shoulders and hands shaking uncontrollably, he took over.

"Here, let me help." Javier took her wrists in his hands, wrapping himself around her. She stood between his chest and the countertop of the hospital bathroom. Her hands were trembling. Never had he seen his girlfriend so distraught. "This water's scalding, Lain," he whispered, voice shaking, "you're gonna burn yourself."

She heaved. "Just…help me get it off."

Javier could feel his heart pounding in his chest. This was not the Lanie Parish he was used to. And it scared the crap out of him. "Okay," gently, he cooled the water down so that it wouldn't melt her skin off, and rubbed the red flecks and splotches away. Once he was sure there were no more stains, he washed her hands one last time, toweled them dry for her.

The instant she could, Lanie turned, burying her face in his shoulder. She didn't care that he was wearing the starched uniform – she just wanted him.

"She crashed. On the way in?" She felt him pull her in tighter. "And I couldn't do anything. Just…kept putting pressure-" Her voice tripped on itself, spurring a short stint of hiccups.

"Shhh…" he pressed his face to her hair, rubbing his hand up and down her back in an effort to soothe her. "I've got you." He had no choice; he had to push out the images of his boss, his friend, lying on a table with a gunshot wound. He could only concentrate on this right now. Lanie needed him before he went back into battle. "I love you, Lain. Don't forget that, okay?"

He had then taken her to the cafeteria, made sure she had something in her stomach before regretfully leaving her. But she made him go. She felt better.

As 'better' as was humanly possible right now.

Lanie had waited with Kate's father, and Castle's mother and daughter. The doctor came out at some point; to bring Jim back with the promise to let her come too after Kate woke up.

That was almost two hours ago, she guessed.

"Lanie?" She snapped her head up to find Kate's dad standing in front of her. He looked so incredibly torn, she thought. "Katie's up, a little out of it, but up." He wrung his hands, "I'm going to run home for a change of clothes."

Lanie scrambled to her feet, "Yeah. I'm just gonna…" she motioned limply to the door he had come through.

"Keep her company for me?" He hugged her, surprising her. "Thank you. I'm so glad Katie has you."

"You don't need to thank me Mr. Beckett," she smiled softly when he let her go. "I'd do anything for her."

"Well then," he sighed, returning her smile, "I'll let you get back there. She'll be glad to see you."

Lanie nodded at the older gentleman. After he rounded the corner she took a deep breath, more air than she knew her lungs could hold, and pushed open the doors to the ICU.

Her stomach was in knots.

Kate's bed was first. On her right. She looked so small and frail. Not that Lanie thought she looked much better herself. Kate's head was tilted back, resting on a mountain of pillows. Her eyes were closed, but she was breathing.

There was a small series of wires attached to a machine running under the neck of her hospital gown, presumably monitoring her heart.

There was an IV attached to her left hand, of course, leading to a pole, where there were about three different bags of solution, plus a bag of blood, hooked up.

She had lost a lot of blood.

Cautiously, she stepped closer to the bed, clearing her throat, not wanting to scare her.

Kate's eyes opened, she lifted her head. "Hey," she smiled faintly. Her voice may have been raspy and tired, but Lanie was sure glad to hear it again.

"Hey yourself." She couldn't help but smile back at her. "You up for a visit?"

"Yeah! Yeah, come sit. My dad just left."

"I know," she sighed, taking up the chair he had probably just been sitting in, "I saw him outside."

"He didn't want to leave. But I told him he should probably shower and put on clothes that aren't funeral clothes."

"Hmm," Lanie kept her head down, trying to hide the stress on her face. "How are you feeling?"

Kate tilted her head side to side. "Hurts. But," she thumbed her IV, "I've got pretty good meds. So I can still hold a conversation and not sound like one of the guys from the Narcotics lockup."

"Good. It's good that they're letting you stay awake for a bit. It means you're strong enough to heal on your own."

They were quiet, just staring at each other until Kate giggled, wincing slightly.

"What?" Lanie asked, laughing ever so slightly. "What's so funny?"

"You look terrible," she squeaked out.

Lanie huffed, "Gee, thanks. Shouldn't I be telling you that?"

"True," she cocked her head. "I'm sure I look awful right now." Suddenly the realization washed over her face. She ran a tired hand over her face. "I feel pretty awful."

Lanie leaned over, resting her hand on Kate's. "It'll get better, baby. Eventually."

"Yeah," she sighed, "there's the catch. 'Eventually'." She was clearly frustrated, they sat in silence again, both lost in a multitude of thoughts. "My doctor said that you came in with me. On the gurney?"

"Yeah," she whispered. She had to fight her mind to not flashback to those moments. Those terrifying minutes of the ride between the cemetery and the hospital. And the tense exchange between she and the surgical assistant who greeted them in the ER. "I had to make sure you didn't end up on my table, didn't I?"

She got a nod and hum in return. Kate abruptly gripped her hand again, tighter, lacing their fingers together. "Lanie, you saved my life."

Her head shook violently. "No, I didn't."

Kate continued without hesitation. "Of course you did. We wouldn't be here arguing about it if you hadn't done what you did."

"Kate," she tried oh so hard not to cry again, "you're my best friend. It was a knee jerk reaction. I wasn't losing you."

They laughed again, oddly. A watery sound shared between the two. "I'd thank you, but I'm pretty sure you'd smack me. And I don't think I could hit you back right now."

Lanie shifted, leaning back in her chair to be more comfortable. "You should know better than to try that anyway. Regardless of being in a hospital bed."

"Of course," Kate smiled and rolled her eyes at her friend. "I assume you haven't left?"

"Mhmm. You're stuck with me 'till your dad gets back. The guys went back to work – I'm not sure what they found, before you ask – but they'll probably be here later. Martha and Alexis were here, but I made them go home to rest."

"Then why are you still here? You should rest, too."

"I'm okay. And if you think I'm leaving you alone you've got another thing coming." She sighed, leaning forward again. "I don't know if you remember much-"

"It's all pretty blurry right now."

"-but Castle pushed you out of the way. Before I got to you."

Kate's face dropped, her eyes wide in shock. "He did?"

"Yeah. I had to fight Javi to let me go. Castle was stunned, just holding you on the ground when I made it up to you. He came with us in the ambulance, too."

"Oh?" She shrugged, her brain frantically trying to remember those seconds between speaking and passing out. Her doctor told her that her memory could come back shortly, or never. She wasn't sure which option she was more scared of. "Where is he?"

"He went with the guys. You want me to call him?"

"No, I'll, uh…I'll have my dad call him later. Before he leaves again."

"You sure?"

"Yeah. I'm sure Lanie. I want to spend some time with you right now. I'm sure I'll have plenty of time for everyone else coming up." She held her hand open on the bed again, as far over as she could reach.

Lanie smiled, putting their hands together again. "I was really worried about you, Kate. I thought they were gonna take you back to that operating room and that'd be the last time I'd see you. Javi had to take me aside earlier so I could get cleaned up."

"He's good for you, you know?" Kate smirked. Yeah, it was still a little weird for her that her best friend was dating one of her partners, but they made each other happy. Esposito was a good man, certainly loyal, and if Lanie was happy with him, she was happy for her.

"Yeah," the smile that appeared reached her eyes, all the more proof that they were good for each other, "I know he is." She sat, just twiddling her thumbs for a minute. "You probably have no idea, but I sort of yelled at you while we were coming in."

A few spare tears spilled over, for each of them. "Would I expect any less of you?" They laughed, letting the good feeling relax them.

"I yelled at the surgical assistant too." She grinned.

"Again, you wouldn't be you if you didn't." Kate face softened, really noticing the worry on her friend's face now. "I don't know what I did to get so lucky Lanie. To have you as my friend."

"I don't have an answer to that one. But, I'm really happy we are. Friends. We're a pretty good pair."

"Yeah," Kate laughed, rolling her eyes again, yet more playful this time. "You make me get dressed up and go out and try to have a life. And you yell at me and call me at all hours of the night just to talk."

"Yeah, and?"

"And, I kind of love it."

"Good," they let the laughter flow free now, "because if it weren't for you I'd still be the creepy woman in the morgue who didn't have any real friends to go out and have a life with or to call and talk to in the middle of the night. Who knew the rookie Detective who showed up to my very first solo homicide would've become my best friend?"

"Really Lanie, I don't know where I'd be without you. And I don't mean just this." She looked around at the open ICU. There were other patients in a few of the beds, but she was the only one with a visitor. Or at least, a visitor who didn't let her sit and wallow in her unfortunate situation.

"So," Kate fingered a lump in the blanket laying over her legs, "I'm gonna go with my dad, when they release me, up to his cabin. To recover, you know? I'm not sure how long I'll be gone."

"Of course, go! You need the time to rest and recuperate. I want to see you back on cases ASAP. Just…don't overdo it okay?"

"I'll try, Lanie."

"No!" She wagged her finger in Kate's face. "Don't just try. I want you to really do exactly what you're supposed to do. I meant it when I said I wasn't losing you. Don't screw up."

"Okay," she nodded frantically, shocked by Lanie's sudden change in demeanor, "I won't do anything I'm not supposed to. I'll take my time."

"You damn well better." A heavy puff of hair blew out of Lanie's lips. She relaxed again, folding her arms over her torso. She eyed Kate with a sly smile.

"Hey, Lanie?"

"What?"

"You promise not to hit me?"

Lanie's eyes quirked, "Sure?"

"Thank you. Really. For saving my life."

Lanie looked at Kate, and Kate looked at her, almost afraid. Then there were smiles.

"What are best friends for?"

There we have it readers! I really hope you liked it. If you all like it enough and I have time, I'll write one other tag-along piece I have in mind this weekend. I have an exam tomorrow, and an exam Friday, so unfortunately, the weekend is my free time.

Thanks for reading!

Tappin

=)