So yes it's yet another finale fic...I mean who wouldn't write one about the finale? This is carrying straight on from Castle's admission. Thank you for reading this and giving it a chance even if you are or may not be bored of reading the finale fics yet.
Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, if I did Beckett would so not have been shot! Any and all mistakes are my own.
Richard Castle sat there and watched as the eyes of Kate Beckett slid closed all the while knowing there was nothing he could do. All around him people were screaming and looking around for where the shot had come from.
"Don't leave me Kate." He whispered. "I don't know what I'll do without you." He sat cursing himself. Why did they have to do things so differently than other people? Both knew that there was something between them, even if they didn't know everyone around them had told them. It was only days ago that Jim Beckett had turned up on his doorstep, they had never met yet Kate had talked about Rick that much he knew. He lifted his hand up to wipe the tear that had been making it's way from Kate's eyes and noticed how the corners of her mouth had turned up into a smile.
Castle sat there wondering what if. He had seen the glimmer of light from behind the gravestone and he kept wondering what if he had been that quick second earlier. Kate Beckett wouldn't have been shot she would still be breathing and not hanging onto the brink of death.
He didn't know how long they had been there but before he knew it he was being pulled away from Kate, he didn't fight back. He couldn't. He watched as the paramedics lifted her onto a stretcher and carried her away. He sat watching knowing that if Kate Beckett died that day then a part of him would die too.
"Castle!" Esposito said. He knew it was useless he didn't get a response, he just kept staring at the blank and lifeless face of Castle.
Lanie moved from where she had been kneeling and made her way towards him. After the initial shock had wore of Lanie had moved into full action mode along with all the other NYPD officers at Captain Montgomery's graveside. She saw Evelyn Montgomery being comforted by one of the officers along with her daughters. She took a breath and went to where Esposito and Ryan had gathered around Castle.
"Castle listen to me." She said as she shook him a little, gaining a bit of a response. "You need to pull it together."
He sat there still, motionless, not making a sound. It was then that Martha and Alexis had come running over to him.
"Dad!" Alexis said through tears. She kneeled beside him and wrapped her arms around him burying her head into his shoulder.
"Richard! Thank god you're alright." Martha said coming to them.
It was then that he blinked. He turned his body towards his daughter and wrapped his arms around her, he turned to his mother and tried to speak but nothing would come out. He cleared his throat and took a breath.
"I want you to take Alexis and go back to the loft." He barely managed to get out.
Alexis stiffened in his arms. "No! I want to come with you."
"No Alexis." He said looking at her. "Please just go back to the loft."
"But dad…" She stared at him and then gave up. "Just be careful and ring with updates."
He nodded and released her from his arms giving her a kiss on her forehead. "I promise." With a quick hug between Martha and Castle they departed and made their way out of the cemetery. Castle watched them and then turned and faced Lanie, Esposito and Ryan.
Lanie was about to say something when Castle stopped her. "Don't." He said. "I don't want you to worry about me I'm not the one that has just been shot."
"Well then what are we waiting for let's get going." Esposito said.
Before they were about to leave Castle looked around from Jim. With all the people moving around he tried to look through the crowd but couldn't find him.
"Have any of you seen Beckett's dad?" Castle asked looking at them.
"He left with Beckett." Lanie said.
They arrived at the hospital in record time and made their way through the hospital looking for the waiting room where they would find Jim Beckett situated. Walking through the halls they found the receptionist desk.
"Hello. How can I help you?" The cheery receptionist asked.
"We're looking for a Jim Beckett, he's the father of someone who just came in." Lanie said.
"Right, he'll be in the waiting room." She gave the directions to the group of people and then watched as they left picking the phone up as it rang.
As they rounded the corner they saw Jim Beckett sat in the hospital chair, unshed tears in his eyes. He was staring at the floor before he sensed someone sit next to him. He took a breath and looked to see Castle taking a seat and staying silent. Lanie and Esposito sat opposite them and Ryan went to fetch a drink.
"They're working on her now." Jim said looking at nobody in particular. "They say that the bullet just missed her heart so she was lucky, but they don't know whether she'll make it through surgery."
"She's strong." Lanie said. "She's a fighter she'll make it through."
"Besides she has too many people here who need her and love her."
At the word love Castle tensed up remembering how those had been the last words he had said to Kate when she was still conscious. Nobody but her had heard him say those three crucial words. It kept running through his head, hearing the shot then watching her fall.
He didn't know how long they had been sitting there. he guessed a few hours, but all he knew was that he had to do something. He didn't want to leave the floor in case he missed news on how Kate was doing but he didn't want to stay sitting. He stood up and paced around the room for what must have been the tenth time since they had arrived.
"Castle will you please sit down, pacing up and down the room is not going to help anything." Lanie said.
"I know, I just need to do something. I can't just sit around and wait." He said as he ran a hand through his hair.
As he turned around and looked towards the door of the waiting room he saw a surgeon standing there with blood visible on his scrubs.
"Family of Katherine Beckett?" He said looking at the clipboard he held in his hands.
Jim stood up and made his way towards him, followed by Lanie, Esposito and Ryan. Castle however was stuck where he stood he didn't want to go any closer in case he heard the worst. Even if he did want to get any closer he couldn't. His legs weren't cooperating with him and so he stood hoping he would hear the words he wanted to hear. He stood holding his breath as he listened carefully and caught the last of the conversation.
"…it appears she will make a full recovery. She had a lucky escape this time."
His breath left his body and he didn't even register his body falling towards the floor his back again the wall. He closed his eyes and let his head fall back and for the first time that day he cried. Thanking whoever would listen that she was alive and that they had another day together. He looked towards Lanie and Esposito who were embracing each other, Ryan who was on the phone more than likely with Jenny and then to Jim Beckett who just like him was in a chair and thanking the same people he was.
He looked towards the door way again and that's when he saw him. Josh Davidson. His whole body tensed and he didn't know why, the relief and happiness that was surging through his body was replaced by anger. Where was Josh when they were burying Captain Montgomery? When Kate had had a tough day with her mothers murder and he went to see her? Or when they had travelled to LA after finding out her former training officer was shot. He was starting to question the nature of the relationship between them. He was the only one who had seen him so far and he stood up, he was here for Kate not to cause an argument between them both. If she were here right now he knew she would want him to behave and so he took a breath and made his way towards him.
Lanie and Esposito watched as Castle stood up and looked to where his gaze was concentrated. One word left there mouths.
"Josh?"
A/N: So what do you think? Should I continue? Reviews are appreciated so that I can improve.