AUTHOR'S NOTE: Thank you for reading my first Castle fanfiction. This is now the second story/episode. Hopefully, you like this just as The Secret. Please review.
Also, if you noticed, I use the British spellings, even though I'm not, because I'm used to it and other British terms. I try very hard not to use those terms like bonnet for hood of a car, telly for television, series for season. If I do, please tell me. :)
If you've also seen the spoilers for 622, and the rumours about the body, please know that I know nothing about it. This is my own story. I killed Vulcan Simmons out of spite of what he did to Beckett in 617.
The Beechhurst PD arrived at the mansion before Castle and Beckett and their team so the driveway was already full of cops when they did. Beckett was out of the car even before setting it to park that Castle crossed over her seat and stepped on the brakes.
"Detective Kate Beckett, NYPD," she said to the nearest officer, flashing her badge. "We have an undercover civilian inside and we need to see her."
"Detective, I'm afraid I can't," the officer told her. "Please wait outside."
"You don't understand..." Beckett said.
"Kate," Castle said quietly, arms around her waist, turning her away from the scene. "Let them."
They stayed with Ryan and Esposito whilst Gates talked to the Captain of the department. Worry was written in all of their faces.
A few minutes later, gurneys were brought out of the house. A couple or so have bodies in them completely covered in blankets. One was of a man, conscious but obviously hurt.
"Sam!" Beckett exclaimed as they brought out the last gurney.
They ran to their friend and saw that her middle was covered in blood. She was shot.
"I need to be with her," Beckett begged the EMT. "Please."
The EMT saw the desperation in Beckett's eyes that he allowed her and Castle, to ride with them on the way to the hospital.
Ryan and Esposito remained at the mansion whilst Castle and Beckett rode in the ambulance to be with Sam. They already told Gates that Sam had been shot and that she also managed to stab her killer with her sword. Gates then told them to coordinate with the Beechhurst police for the list of the people who are dead and for Sam's shooter.
Another gurney was being brought out of the mansion so they approached the officer who accompanied the EMT.
"I'm Detective Esposito and this is Detective Ryan," Espo began, flashing their badges. "May I ask who this body belongs to?"
The officer looked at his notepad and looked back at them. "Hm...Vulcan Simmons. Notorious drug lord, he is. Finally someone managed to stop him." Then he returned to his unit whilst the EMT hauled Simmons' body into the ambulance.
Both Espo and Ryan were stunned and looked at each other. They knew that Gates said she heard what happened but they didn't believe that Simmons is actually dead. He's a man of many ways that maybe he's not dead at all, that it was all a ploy.
"Do you think…?" Espo said.
"Sam really did it?" Ryan asked. "Oh yeah."
When no one else can defeat the drug lord, Sam managed. They can't believe that she did.
"For that," Espo said. "I think she deserves something. Like a medal."
"Yeah," Ryan agreed. "I just hope she'll pull through."
She could hear her name being shouted but she can't make out the words. All she could feel was extreme pain. And she was moving, fast. Her thoughts are in disarray. What happened? She doesn't understand and she doesn't remember. There's just pain.
"Sam, hang in there," a female voice said. It sounded familiar but she couldn't place where she heard it.
"Daddy," she whispered again. "I want my dad."
"He'll be here," another familiar voice said, male this time.
She smiled and passed out.
"Where's my daughter?" a voice called out in the hospital corridor. "Where's my daughter?"
Senator Bracken and his wife had arrived as fast as they could. Detective Beckett had called and told them that Sam was shot and that they didn't know the extent of the damage. He saw Beckett and Castle outside the operating room.
"Where is she?" the Senator asked, grabbing Beckett by the shoulder. "Where's my Diana?"
Beckett was at a loss for words. This must be how her father felt when she herself was in surgery almost three years ago, after being shot by a sniper hired by the man before her.
"Senator," she began, but still cannot bring out the words.
"Bill," Sheila murmured, her hands gently put on her husband's shoulders he let go of Beckett.
Beckett looked at Castle for help but he too seemed speechless. The writer in him was thinking the worst of the worst scenarios.
"Senator," Beckett said again. "She's in surgery. We don't know how long it will take."
Sheila guided the Senator to the nearest chair. He sat down and he buried his face in his hands. When he managed to arrange his thoughts, he lifted his head and looked at Kate.
"You said she's going to be alright!" he exclaimed. "You said she's going to be safe!"
"Bill," Sheila said again, comforting her husband. "There is no one to blame here. The person to blame is the one who did this to her. Not them." She gestured towards Castle and Beckett.
"Senator," Beckett tried again. "We tried. She turned off her com device before she went on that meeting. She must have accidentally turned it on again. We did what we could."
Sheila smiled at her. "Thank you for all you've done, Detective."
Kate smiled back at her and continued to fiddle with the gloves she's holding. She turned to Castle and she nestled her head at the crook of his neck.
"Castle," she whispered.
"It's alright, Kate," he reassured her.
He led her to the other end of the corridor, away from the Brackens to give them privacy. When they reached the corner, Kate just burst into tears. Castle hugged her tighter, trying to comfort her. He hasn't seen her cry this way, not since she had to shoot Dick Coonan.
"It's not your fault," he said. "You've done everything you could."
"Rick," she lifted her head and looked at him in the eye. "I promised that I will keep her safe. And now she's here. She's shot."
"Shh," he replied. "She'll be fine. She's our strong Sam."
Beckett smiled at him and put her head back at the crook of his neck. She wished what he said is true.
"She asked for him."
At the operating theatre, Doctor Sheppard and the others are actively trying to stop the bleeding from Sam's abdomen.
"Single GSW on the torso," the EMT who wheeled in Sam said. "Point-blank."
"Her stomach must have been hit," Doctor Sheppard said. "She's bleeding profusely. She might need blood transfusion. Go check if they have available stock."
One of his nurses nodded and walked out the door.
"Doc," another nurse said. "Senator Bracken and his wife are here."
"What?" Dr Sheppard asked. "Why?"
"They said that that's her daughter," the nurse said.
"He doesn't have a daughter," Sheppard said.
"They said she is," the nurse repeated. "She's the first-born."
Sheppard looked at her and looked back at his patient. If she was indeed the Senator's daughter then they need to save her.
"Give me the scissors," Sheppard commanded to another nurse. "Let's see if we can find where she's bleeding from."
Just then, the girl's body began convulsing. They tried to stop it, doing everything they could. A few moments later, she stopped and a continuous tone was heard from the electrocardiogram machine.
Ryan and Esposito were on their way back to the precinct after an hour of sweeping the mansion. Gates didn't come along with them and remained with the Beechhurst PD. They haven't heard from Beckett and Castle yet so they assumed that they're still with Sam. Their silence were only broken by Javier's phone.
"Hey Espo!" Karpowski exclaimed. "That guy they pulled out of that Beechhurst mansion. Well one of the guys. He's conscious and awake."
"Cool," Espo said. "Which guy?"
"His name is Garcia," Karpowski replied. "Efren Garcia."
"Garcia's alive," he told his partner.
Ryan nodded and prepared to turn around.
"Where is he?" Espo asked.
Karpowski told him and Ryan made a U-turn.
It has been a couple of hours since they arrived at the hospital and the doctor treating Sam hasn't come out yet. Bracken and his wife were seated at the chairs outside the operating room; Castle and Beckett were seated opposite them, Castle still hugging her, one of his hands stroking her hair. Beckett had already called for uniformed officers to wait outside. A few minutes later, Dr Sheppard came out.
"Senator," Sheppard said when he saw him.
"Doc," Bracken said, standing up. "How is she?"
Sheppard looked at him intently. "Senator, we did everything we could."
"Are you saying…."
"She suffered a seizure due to shock. We managed to revive her but the injury she sustained is worse than we expected," Sheppard explained. "Her stomach was perforated due to being shot point-blank. When she had the seizure, her right lung had collapsed."
Bracken's face fell and tears just fell down his cheeks.
"My Princess," he whispered, clutching Sheila's hands. "Can I see her?"
"She will be brought to the ICU in a while," Sheppard continued. "She's unconscious and she's not responding to any test. We'll be monitoring her progress in the next day or two but I'm afraid she's in a coma."
Sheila hugged her husband tight and thanked the doctor.
Castle and Beckett stood there, taking in what Doctor Sheppard said. He acknowledged them as he walked away.
They watched the Senator cry silently in anguish, not knowing what to do, confused as their nemesis sat there, a father grieving for his daughter.
By the way, thank you to the Guest who reviewed the last story. I guess you're from Tumblr since it's where I posted the link unless you're a Facebook friend. As you can see, if you read until the last chapter, Sam is just a human being, not a superwoman. She's much like The Bride in Kill Bill. She's not infallible.
Expect the unexpected. ;)
Also, don't expect me to update this as frequently as before. I did have the other chapters written but there are still more tweaking and such to do. My muse has taken a vacation so until then... :) And I'm taking this from end to the last chapter I need to perfect, as I know the ending I want. Meanwhile, enjoy!