A/N Hi Guys this is my first ever story so I hope you like it. Please leave a review. I'm not sure if I'm going to keep writing it was just an idea that I had.

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Chapter 1 - He's Alive!

Katherine Houghton Beckett looked at the car burning and fell to her knees, head in her hands as she started to cry.

"No…This wasn't supposed to happen. Today was supposed to be perfect…"

A soft croaky "Kate?" came from the side of the car.

Kate looked up to see her fiancé walking towards her.

'He's alive'

His jacket was missing and his clothes had charred holes, there were cuts and bruises on his face, he had a black eye, but he was alive.

"Rick!"

She got up and ran to Castle as fast as she could.

When she reached him she wrapped her arms around his neck and held him close

"You're alive!

God Castle I thought you were gone.

I thought I was never gonna see you again."

"Kate! Kate relax I'm okay."

Katherine loosened her grip from around him and they sat down on the edge of the road.

She looked into his eyes hoping he was as happy to see her as she was to see him.

But all she could see was blank expression and confusion in his eyes.

"Castle? What happened?"

Castle, who's mind had wandered, snapped back into focus.

"Hmm?''

"I asked you what happened?"

Castle looked into his fiancés eyes and seeing the worry lingering in them thought hard.

"I don't know. I remember…being on the phone with you.

I told you I was no more than twenty minutes away.

You told me you loved me. I said I love you too…"

Castle stood and turned to face the car that was still burning but slowly going out with the help of the firemen he hadn't heard arrive.

Kate stood up and went to join him.

Thats when she noticed the blood on the back of his head.

Before she could even react he collapsed into a heap on the floor…

A few hours later…

"The family of Richard Castle?"

Kate, who was still in her wedding dress and had been pacing the hospital corridor for what felt like forever was the first to respond.

"That's us! Is he okay? Can we see him? What happened?"

Martha who had been sitting in one of the chairs in the corridor where Kate had been pacing with Alexis by her side stood and put her arms around the younger woman.

"Katherine please calm down, let the man speak''

The doctor, who had not reacted the slightest to the woman's worried questions, offered her a soft smile.

"Mr castle will be fine.

He is however extremely lucky.

It seems that he was shot from close range about 15 feet at most.

Thankfully the shooter missed his brain but it was by less than an inch.

The bullet did however fracture his skull slightly and the fragments had pushed against his brain.

His central nervous system had also shut down which was why he could feel no pain.

It seems he blacked out and lost control of the car which veered from the road before the fire started and he was thrown from it.

He also has no recollection of the accident which is completely normal.

He should remember in the next few days but if he doesn't its nothing to worry about.

As far as we are aware there was no permanent brain damage so we'll monitor him for a few days but he should be good to go home in no more than a week.

Kate, Martha and Alexis all let out a relieved breath

"Oh thank heavens" said Martha who was so grateful that her son was all right. "May we see him?"

The doctor nodded and led them to a private room. "I understand this is difficult however he needs to rest so please don't stay too long."

After assuring the doctor that they would indeed leave soon, they entered the room to see Castle lying in bed with a bandage wrapped around his head and some small white bandaids spread randomly across his naked chest and arms. He looked up as they walked in and smiled.

Alexis who had entered first ran to her fathers side and hugged him tightly.

"Dad I'm so glad you're okay."

"Yeah me too pumpkin." replied a sleepy Castle.

Martha was next to speak to her son.

"Oh darling. How are you feeling?"

"Im fine really. Just got a killer headache." replied Castle smirking who was not only starting to wake up a little more but had also found his sense of humour.

As he looked past his mother he noticed Kate standing behind her.

She was in her wedding dress and looked more beautiful than he had ever seen her.

"Wow Kate. You look absolutely stunning." Castle could not believe that it was only a few hours ago that they he and Kate had left the small town of Willow Creek in upstate New York to have Kate's ex husband sign the divorce papers so that he and Kate could get married.

"Oh…Umm…Thanks" She looked down realising she was still in her white dress. "I forgot I was still wearing this."

Martha who noticed that the two of them clearly wanted to talk alone grabbed Alexis' hand and they left with the promise to return later.

"So…The doctor said you don't remember anything…"

Castle could see that his fiancé was clearly very anxious about him. He gave her a weak smile then replied:

"Yeah. The last thing I remember was driving in the car and I was talking to you on the phone and I told you that I loved you. I do remember hanging up. Then everything goes fuzzy "

Castle strained to think as hard as hard as he could to remember what happened after he hung up. Castle closed his eyes and imagined he was back there in the car

Flashback

"Hey Lover. How close are you?"

"Twenty minutes and you'll be happy to know things went smoothly with the judge.

You are a free woman.

But not for long.

I've got the marriage licence in my pocket, and I will be there soon.

And Kate?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you."

"I love you too."

The car…

"I remember a car coming up behind me. It was just before the overtaking lane started. It was gaining on me so I sped up a little so that it wasn't so close."

"CASTLE!"

Castle snapped back into the present time Kate, who had been trying to get his attention for quite some time, was as white as the dress she was wearing and the worry on her face mere prominent than before.

"Castle, its ok. You don't have to remember everything now. I'm just happy you're alive. All you need you need to do now is focus on is getting better and coming home."

Kate was on the verge of breaking down into tears. She now understood how he felt at Montgomery's funeral and after when he came to visit her in hospital and when she didn't call him when she said she would. She felt what he felt when he thought he had lost her forever. When he first told her he loved her.

"Kate I love you"

"I love you too Rick. You get some rest I'll come back later ok?"

Ok I'll see you later"