Castles hand gripped something small, metallic and obviously strong. The grip was frighteningly tight, his hand white from the pressure he was mounting on the object. Squeezing ever tighter as imagery coursed through his head. Her laugh, her smile, her quick and always sharp retorts. Her blood, so much blood. He felt the rage swell in him.

5 Hours had passed since the shot rang out and Castle wasn't fast enough. That alone sent his mind into a fury. No one in the waiting room, bar his daughter and mother, had approached him. They had all seen it, Lanie had even heard it. I love you kate and now some hired gun had placed her on a table with a gun shot wound. He knew he'd been irrational, how his actions to try and take a bullet would undoubtedly have upset Alexis and his his Mother, but he would not have been able to undertake any other action and they knew it.

Jim Beckett sat on a chair directly opposite from the writer, who was incapable of even beginning to form words to describe how the man looked. He was stone cold. As if he would not allow himself to collapse until his little girl was safe. Again, the rage. He looked towards his hand. Loosening his grip to reveal Beckett's badge. The doctors had released that, along with her gun and personal possessions to Esposito, Ryan and her father. Esposito had handed him the badge and just nodded. The meaning of his actions to deep for Castle to put into his normal narrative that helped with these kinds of things. These kinds of things? It sounded like this was a normal occurence, but it wasn't. Castle was a trainwreck. His head was falling to pieces again, he could feel the tears building up and he only had one solution, he stood and scampered his way towards his daughter. The usual cocky swagger was absent from his steps as he wrapped himself around his daughter.

"Dad?" She herself was nearly in tears, but held it together for his sake. Ryan had suggested she go home earlier on and she had snapped at the detective, stating that as long as her father was upset and Detective Beckett was in surgery, she would not be going anywhere. In her fathers arms she could feel how erratic his breathing had become. She was without a doubt the rock in his life. The relationship they had was incredible, even for a father-daughter relationship. She kept him steady and true while he provided the light-hearted love, fun and wisdom that she needed in life. He began forcing back the sobs as he took a step back, hearing footsteps. A surgeon stepped through the double doors of the wide corridor like room.

"Mr. Beckett." The removal of his mask revealed to Castle he face of none other than Josh Davidson. "I've just overseen the surgery, Kates stable, shes out of the worst." Castle stood with the group behind Jim, who allowed himself to feel again, his shoulders slumped and his entire frame shook, the last few hours of nerves, worry and sheer desperate pleas with some greater power came crashing out of him, Lanie and Martha taking the task of seating him and calming him.

Castle stepped toward Josh, pratically squaring up to the surgeon who showed so very little emotion at the situation. Logically, he was merely using his training to surpress his feelings so he could actually help Kate, but Castle didn't care. He had questions. "Where were you?" The venom in his voice was almost masked by the cracked dryness of his throat. Almost. "Excuse me?" Josh was taken aback by the comment, responding exactly how Castle thought he would. "The hospital needed me, I'm a surgeon Cast-" He didn't get to finish his sentence before Castle opened fire. "Working? Your girlfriend's mentor, close friend, captain, hero dies and you work through his funeral when she needs you most?" Josh had become quickly irritated with Castle, who in his mind was just competition, he knew exactly how Kate felt about Castle, he wasn't stupid. But that didn't mean he wasn't going to fight for her however. "Some of us have responsibilities, we can't just drop everything on a whim." Before even realizing, Josh was gripped by the collar of his scrubs, his back against the wall. "A whim? A goddamn whim?" Esposito and Ryan didn't move. They didn't need too, they themselves were in complete agreeance with Beckett's shadow. Castles grip loosened. "Get out." Josh had nothing to say, his argument had been ripped apart through a poor choice of words and a even more poor choice of priorities.

Kate would have squirmed, if it didn't feel like she was squirming within an iron maiden. Pain wracked her upper half and her head was reeling. Her eyes rolled to her right handside, it took her less than a second to realize who it was. "Castle." But something was off, he was scruffier looking than usual. His hair was matted, bags under his eyes and at least a few days worth of facial hair rested on his chin. "How long..." She couldn't finish her sentence, but she didn't have too. As he moved a little closer, she realized her hand was warm, gently wrapped in something a little larger than her own, and softer than she had expected it owuld ever be, Castle's hand. "Four days, you've been in and out of consciousness since surgery but they took you off the heavier medication last night. Do you remember anything?" She remembered something, a loud band, a sharp pain and those baby-blues, full of fear. His voice saying something he had always deep down hoped for, and then nothing. "No." She lied, smiling gently as though to say she didn't remember the pain of being shot. "Liar."

He smiled gently, his thumb gently moving against her skin. Regardless of the pain, right now she wanted to take the fear and pain out of his eyes. She didn't like it. The one thing she could always count on was his happy, relaxed attitude and incredibly annoying conversation. She loved it, but it wasn't there and she just hurt, all over. He groaned and moved ever so slightly. Either the injury wasn't as bad as she feared or she pain was centered in one place. "How do you feel?" Castles voice was soft, like it had been the first time he stayed in her loft and they had drank a bottle of wine between them, or every time the word "Always." Escaped his lips. She replied almost instantly. "It hurts, but I'm alive, and I'm thankful for that." Kate had always been a strong one, personally, she was very aware of how close she had come to death, but she refused to let it take a great emotional toll on her. Whether it was the meds or the man next to her, she felt a great deal better than she guessed most people did after being shot. Jim Beckett appeared in the doorway, noting his daughter's conscious state he made his way to the opposite side of the bed, her eyes following him. "Katie.." His voice was still shaken. Like Castle, he had not left the hospital. The two of them had camped out in the small hospital room, being brought food and clothes by Castles family and the other detectives. Lanie had also been a regular fixture between more normal hours. Rick, who had calmed down considerably, had returned in his own head to using his first name, his second name was reserved for angry self-doubt and comments about his own arrogant charm. He stood up gently, and nodded to Beckett Sr. "I'll give you two a moment." His fingers slipped from Kates hand and a pain nearly as great as getting shot hit her, this did not get by her father unnoticed.

"Thats the first time he's left this room since we were allowed to visit. Well, except for the toilet." Kates eyes widened a little as her father, like a mind reader, fed her some water. "Four days? Why has he been here that long. What about Alexis, Martha." Her father shook his head at the raspy and quiet comment. "They've called by for an hour everyday. He's just sat there, your badge in one hand, your hand in the other. Staring at you or the badge the whole time. It may not be the right time for me to say this as your father but my god Kate if you don't tie him down soon I am going to ground you for life." He smiled gently as he saw her blink then look downward, he knew it wasn't that simple but the small smile on her lips let him knew at least she was happier. He didn't want to think about what could have happened. It was always a worry, one that he got himself throuh by repeating the words "But it didn't happen, and shes a stronger person for it." He wasn't going to start up the argument about how dangerous her work was, or the fact digging into her mothers case was far too dangerous. Nothing he said would phase her. He could feel the emotions from his wifes death resurface a little. His wife, now his daughter. If he knew who these people were, he would have retribution. He sighed as he gently placed a kiss on his daughters forehead. "The doctors say you should be out of here by next week. You're recovering quicker than they could hope for and your good physical condition has meant something about above average muscle repair rates or some jibberish. Josh overlooked the surgery and hes been in once or twice." The last words he spoke were tainted with the same venom that he had heard Castle use four days ago. He was goddamn angry that his daughters boyfriend hadn't shown his face more than three times in four days. Nice guy or not, that wasn't something he could recover from. "I'll get Castle, this old mans tired and is actually going to go home for a shower and some food. Get some rest Katie." She knew from this point alone how much trust he had for Castle, leaving her in his care (well maybe not completely) while he went undoubtedly to have a good cry and shower. As he disappeared through the door Kate felt the rush of butterflies that in her current state made her feel sick as Rick entered the room. Rick? since when did she call him that when she wasn't making angry point or expelling him from her life in fury? She caught his eyes, holding the same look as he looked over the IV, monitor, and various machines. Reminded of his words thanks to the sheer amount of care and fear in his eyes still. I love you.