All credit for the creation of the characters and universe in which this fic takes place goes to the creator of Castle, Mr. Andrew W. Marlowe and the fantastic writers that create the storylines week after week. Thank you as well to the respective actors for bringing such realism to the characters, and to everybody involved in the production of the show.

TL;DR: I own nothing, please don't sue.

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The shots rang out throughout the empty cement shell of a building as Kate fired two bullets clean into the sub's chest. There was a dull thud as the suspect's body fell to the floor, followed by a sickening crack of his skull connected with the concrete but by then Kate was running towards the man that had saved her life. The sound of her heels clicking against the floor was the only sound echoing through the abandoned plant, her expression a mixture of horror and panic as she dropped to the ground next to him.

"Oh god," she whispered as her eyes took in the quickly spreading pool of blood seeping out of the bullet hole in his chest. And yet, even as her hands moved to find something, anything to staunch the bleeding she couldn't help the question that slipped from her lips. "Mr Castle, you saved my life. Why?"

"Because I love you Kate." The four words were said with a quiet intensity as his pain glazed eyes focused on her if only for a brief moment. And yet it was the way he said it, it was with an undercurrent of common sense, as though she should have known what the answer would be even before he voiced it.

It took her a moment to realize that she had even asked the question and his answer barely registered between her frantic attempts to control the blood flowing form his wound. "Mr Castle," she started, her response instinctive to a man she barely know, a perfect stranger declaring his love for her. But before she could say any more, she saw his eyes flicker shut, his head nodding off to one side as he drifted into unconsciousness. "No please don't go, stay with me. Stay with me. Castle!"

By now, her hands were red, the blood soaking through the makeshift bandage that was her blazer. Adrenaline roaring through her veins, she barely had time to react when she finally registered the sound of heavy footfalls behind her. Her hands grasping towards her gun, she yanked it out of her holster and spun around, aiming straight at the SWAT team that was infiltrating the building.

"Ma'am, put your weapon down!"

The adrenaline pumping through her veins did little to calm her down, and it took her a brief second to realize that it was the backup she had called for before entering the building. Removing her finger from the trigger as she put one hand up in mock surrender, she angled her right hip towards the team, revealing the badge pinned there. "Captain Beckett of the 12th Precinct, badge number 41319," she called out, identifying herself before nodding towards Castle's figure on the ground. "Civilian down, we need an ambulance down here stat."

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The thudding of blood rushing against her eardrums as she pressed the blazer against the wound.

The wail of the siren as the ambulance pulled into the warehouse lot.

The metallic protest of the gurney's wheels, escorted by two Emergency Medical Personnel across the uneven cement floor.

Hearing Esposito and Ryan's voices behind her, telling her that she needed to let the Paramedics to their job as their hands pulled her up and away from where Castle's body was splayed on the ground.

A blanket being thrown over her shoulders despite her vehement protests that she's fine, watching as Castle is loaded into the back of an ambulance. The doors slamming shut, cutting off her view and the van pulling out of the lot as the wail of the sirens grow fainter and fainter.

Her mind scrambling to put together the details of the event: the gunshot, shooting the perpetrators, the blood spreading across Castle's shirt like a grotesque flower. And her mind finally registering the words that had slipped from between Castle's lips.

"Because I love you, Kate."

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There was always a moment before sleeping and waking, when time seemed to stand still. Even if it was only for just a brief moment, Castle still clung to these moments as best as he could. In them, he could pretend life was perfectly fine. The fantasy world of his imagination would balance precariously for a brief moment, almost tangible in it's reality.

And then, the delicate balance would come crashing down around him as he was brought back to reality. How his latest book had been a spectacular failure. How Alexis had moved across the country to Los Angeles in what he knew deep down was an attempt to get away from him. How his mother now dominated his life once again, telling him what to and what not to do. How he couldn't seem to write another novel, not after the critics had ripped his life's work to shreds.

Oh, and not to mention how the closest relationship he'd had in the last four years had been with an escort named Chelsea.

The last one always hit an especially sore spot of his ego, considering how fan girls had practically been throwing themselves at him a few years back. Perhaps he shouldn't have killed Derek Storm off after all? But it was too late for that, he had made his bed and would have to lie in it. Figuratively, of course, as Castle hadn't made his bed in years.

Shifting underneath the sheets, Castle couldn't help but notice the strange stiffness in his limbs. What had he been up to the night before? Oddly enough he couldn't remember, though that wasn't an unusual experience for him especially when Tequila shots were involved. The sheets were unfamiliar as well, certainly not the expensive silk ones that he had splurged on for his bed at home. Perhaps he had gotten lucky last night after all.

And that beeping, the insistent and irritatingly repetitive sound that refused to stop. Opening his eyes groggily as his arms extended above his head to stretch, the last remnants of sleep were stolen from him as an involuntary gasp slipped past his lips. The pain came out of nowhere; the searing pain in the middle of his chest that stole the breath right from his lungs and left him gasping in bewilderment.

The commotion was enough to rouse one of the two figures sleeping by the window, if the hurried footsteps were any indication. The beeping had quickened as well, matching the heartbeat thudding away in his chest. His hands reached towards the source of the pain, the shock registering on his face as his fingers met gauze and tape rather than his own skin.

"Dad? Dad, you have to relax. The doctors said you can't get excited or…" the familiar voice trailed off as she attempted to phrase the sentiment in a way that wouldn't cause him to panic more. "…or it wouldn't be good." Her own fear was thinly veiled behind a false mask of certainty, one that she seemed desperate to maintain as her hands reached to restrain her fathers.

"Alexis?" Castle asked, his panic momentarily subsiding at the newest development. "I… I thought you were in LA. You know. Saving the world or something." Even with the pain thudding away in his chest, he couldn't resist the opportunity to throw a quip at his daughter's expense.

It wasn't very good, but it was enough to elicit a choked sound of laughter from Alexis. "Shut up, dad." she retorted, her face relaxing momentarily as she rearranged the sheets so that it was covering her father. But within seconds, the tension had reappeared as she turned her worried glance towards the figure in the remaining armchair. "Gran hasn't slept properly in days, with Mame in previews and all. She's been going directly to the theater from here." she said as she turned back to Castle. "I told her I could call her if something happened, but you know Gran."

The opening was all Castle needed, and he dove right in. "But what happened?" he asked as he brought his hand up to push the hair off his face. What he wasn't expecting was the needle inserted into his hand, connecting to a plastic tube that snaked it's way up the side of his bed and into an IV drip. "Am… am I in the hospital? Alexis, seriously, tell me now. What happened?"

The worried expression on Alexis's face was back in full force as she eyed her father apprehensively. "You were in a warehouse, and jumped in front of a NYPD Captain to save her life." she started slowly as she watched for her father's reaction. "You… you were shot. Don't you remember any of this?"

The blank expression on Castle's face said it all.

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A/N: Chapter title based on the movie title 'Saving Private Ryan'.