Title: Getting There In Time

Pairing: R. Castle and K. Beckett

Summary: Castle gets to Beckett before the shot.

It was a memorable day, a hero was been laid to rest. One who had been trying for years to repent for his foolish mistakes of his youth.

One that had sacrificed his life so that no one else would have to die, so that his family would be safe and that included Detective Katherine Beckett.

Captain Roy Montgomery had tried to correct his past mistakes, had tried to atone for the things he had done, and he had willingly gone down in a fight. Knowing beforehand that he wouldn't be making it out alive.

It was moving to see his selfless sacrifice, to see him so bravely forfeit his life to try and make up for his past, and even though it was his funeral it was a beautiful day.

He was being honoured for what he truly was a hero, a NYPD Captain that had tried his best to fight for justice. The sun was shining brightly upon the attendees who all come from different walks of life; he had touched so many people in his life time.

The person who my attention today was directed on wasn't the widow of the late Captain and their children, or the higher up officials. No, my attention was on one woman and one woman alone.

Katherine Beckett, she had come waltzing into my life with sass and a shiny badge. I would never forget the day I had met this beautiful woman, it seemed so very long ago. And so much had happened since then.

But no matter what happened I would always want her in my life, and I wanted to be more than her friend or her partner.

I wanted to be more for her, as I looked around the cemetery my eyes immediately fell onto her. She looked so very formal in her uniform, but it didn't take away from her beauty, it added to it. Another layer of strength.

She was such a strong and confident woman, the night at the hanger when I had to cradle her and wipe away her tears as Roy was dying, it hurt me.

To have seen her so very broken, emotional and sad, it wasn't what I was use to when it came to her. But even in that moment as the gunshots rang out, and I had to restrain her, I couldn't help but love her even more.

I caught her eye for a moment and the sadness was easy to see in her expressive eyes. I wanted to wrap her up in my arms and never let go, but I was certain the only reaction that would get was her pushing me away.

It was to be expected after all, she was with another man, in a steady long term relationship that seemed to be going well. Although I firmly believed she still had one foot out of the door.

But not only that, we had fought a horrible fight. A fight that had strained our relationship like never before, that was not going to be easily mended.

I looked away from her, breaking the eye contact that we had, the connection that we had been sharing for only a moment. I couldn't look at her and not give into my desire to beg for forgiveness and try to ease her heart ache.

I wanted to get rid of that, I wanted to get rid of everything and anything that hurt her; I just wanted her to be happy. And if I was completely honest with myself I wanted her to be happy with me.

I watched on as she gave her speech, standing there behind the podium gazing out at the people in front of us as she delivered heartfelt words about the Captain.

Something caught my eye, I can't explain why it had but for some reason I couldn't stop looking at it. The moment realization arrived, I could feel my eyes widen and share terror gripped me.

My head whipped to her; there she was still talking her lips moving but no sound reached my ears. The only thing I saw was her, and she was all that mattered in this moment.

I ran as fast as I could, not even have to send a message to my legs to run they just did somehow. I had to save her, she couldn't die.

Just as I wrapped myself around her, tackling her for all intense and purposes, I heard it. The gunshot was so very loud, it echoed over and over again.

I couldn't understand what was happening, there was chaos, and I felt the pain a moment later. Sharp and piercing, but I felt oddly numb.

I realized that I had taken the bullet that had been meant for her, and I was okay with that. If there was ever a choice between my life and hers, I would always choose her over myself any day.

The sky above was so very blue, but that wasn't on what I tried to focus my attention on. She was leaning over me, her body on mine as her one hand cradled the side of my face and the other was pressed to my chest to stop the blood flow.

"Rick?" I heard her voice; it was so very hard to concentrate. "Hey come on now, I need you to stay awake."

Her voice was growing fainter; I knew that in reality I was getting weaker, that I was dying. It was so hard to concentrate on her words, to hear and understand what she was saying.

"-you don't get to leave me Rick." I heard her beautiful voice; I absently noted that she was crying.

"-Rick, please, don't leave me."

I could feel my eyes starting to close; it was a struggle to keep them open. But I wanted one last look at her, the woman who had somehow stolen my heart and changed my life.

"Rick, I love you. I love you, Rick."

I gazed up at her unseeingly, not understanding her words at first, and then I did. Warmth spread through my cold body, if I had been able to I would have smiled.

But I couldn't, my eyes were sliding shut. The last thing I saw before losing consciousness was Kate Beckett over me, tears in her eyes and running down her cheeks as she looked at me having just confessed her love.

Pain.

Lots and lots of pain, my body hurt but it felt as if though something was tearing open my chest from the inside.

I tried to open my eyes but they were just too heavy, the strength needed for this task was just something that I didn't have.

My mind was fuzzy, I couldn't concentrate and it hurt my head to try and think, to try and remember what had happened.

I instead just willed myself to go back to sleep, that was the best thing to do.

Waking up again it took me a few moments to remember that I had already done this, that I had already awoken in pain.

I heard an insistent beeping, beep after beep sounded. So very, very loudly. I tried to open up my eyes, it was a strenuous task but I somehow managed.

I stared ahead not comprehending anything; it was so very dark in the room. I finally noticed the person sitting beside me.

Kate.

With that I allowed my eyes to droop close once again, I felt so very tired.

The door to my hospital room slid open, looking over to see who it was I felt absolutely ecstatic to see her. But I couldn't help but feel worried about her, which was ridiculous seeing as how I was lying in a hospital bed having just been shot in the chest several days ago.

But still, she looked so tired with dark bags under her eyes, her skin wasn't it normal silk and even her hair was dreary.

I had the desire to ask her if we should get her, her own hospital bed. I was lying on the bed propped up by several fluffy pillows, so I could easily see her enter the room.

She looked so very cautious, her eyes flickered to Alexis and then to me, it was easy to see the tension between the two.

"Hey sweetie, go blink those baby blue eyes at one of the nurses and see if you can't get me something better to watch. Okay?" I asked softly.

My little girl looked so very sad, it was clear that this had taken a toll on her. I couldn't blame her for that, I was her only parent.

"Dad-"She started to protest.

"Please." I asked softly, gazing into her eyes.

She didn't reply as she stood up, but she managed to offer me a shaky smile and a small nod before she turned and left the room.

"You should sit down, it looks like you about to pass out." I said quietly, my eyes locked onto hers.

She moved slowly to the chair at my bedside her eyes on me the whole time; I couldn't take my eyes off of her. Memories of what happened at the funeral rushed through my mind.

I was more than slightly doubtful if they were real or not, it could just be my wishful thinking that had created the images of her telling me that she loved me.

"You took a bullet for me." She said quietly, sounding bewildered.

"Of course I did KB." I replied just as quietly.

"But-"She started only to stop herself, she opened and closed her mouth several times before managing to choke out a strangled "why?".

"You my friend, my best friend." I answered truthfully. "I'm your partner; I know you would do the same for me. And-"

"And?" She prompted fidgeting with her hands.

"Kate… did you maybe…" I started only to stop. "Did you say that…?"

I don't know why I couldn't just come right out and ask her, either she would confirm what I had been wondering about or I would find out that it had been nothing but wishful thinking.

"Did I what?" She asked looking nervous.

"When I was down." I started slowly, building up my courage. "You were over me, talking to me. I… Did… You said you love me?"

Her eyes widened comically, and whatever colour she had left was lost immediately. I was thankful that she didn't break eye contact with me.

She shook her head vigorously from side to side, her entire body was tense. I felt my heart shatter all over again, this was why I didn't want to ask her. Why I didn't want to know for certain, because now I knew that she didn't.

"Oh…" I said quietly looking away, I swallowed hard. Ignoring the erratic beeping of the machines.

"Rick…" I heard her voice beside me, her beautiful voice that haunted my dreams.

"It's probably the medication, I mean… you." I shook my head not able to say anything more.

"No. I, I did say it." I heard her say quietly.

I looked over at her; she was staring down at the floor, her hands twisting in her lap. I watched her for several moments taking deep breaths.

"Did you mean it?" I asked quietly averting my eyes from her as my fingers twitched nervously in the fistful of blanket that I was clutching.

"Yes." She answered firmly, my head whipped around only to meet her beautiful eyes.

"Really?" I asked disbelief clear in my voice.

"Yes." She answered smiling softly at me.