Rick hated hospitals. Sitting miserably on his hard, vinyl seat, he scanned his surroundings again. There wasn't much to see besides a few empty chairs, a water fountain, a rack filled with outdated magazines, and an unmanned information desk.

The waiting room assaulted his senses. Sparsely decorated, the pasty, white walls shimmered eerily under flickering fluorescent lights, giving a feel of trepidation. They couldn't have washed more life out of the room if they had tried.

Sniffing, he wrinkled his nose and reached up to rub it, trying to wipe away the antiseptic smell. He sighed, resigned to the cold, empty feeling that reminded him of that night, so long ago. Everything about this place triggered those painful memories.

Even without the reminder of her passing, the wounds of Kyra's death had not even begun to close. He missed everything about her; her smile, her encouragement, and her love. An intense ache had settled within him years earlier - the last time he'd set foot in a hospital.

Now his worry for Alexis tightened his chest and made it difficult to breathe.

An emotionless voice came over the PA system, startling him out of his thoughts. He forcefully brushed his fingers through his hair and leaned down to rest his elbows on his knees. Absently, he twirled and pulled at his wedding band as he stared unblinking at the emergency room doors. Open, he commanded silently. Please open and tell me she's all right.

He peered again at his watch, dismayed that only three minutes had passed since he'd last looked. Unable to contain his unease, he sprang from his seat and began pacing, repeating the routine he had developed since the nurse ushered him into the waiting room half an hour ago. Six steps to the double doors, then stop and peer through the window before turning to the right and taking the ten steps to the drinking fountain. He spun around and made his way back to the door and looked through again, willing the doctor to appear.

After a few more circuits without variation, something, or someone rather, interrupted him.

"Didn't you're mother ever tell you that 'a watched pot never boils'"?

Rick turned to find the source of the sound. It was a woman, a beautiful woman. He had seen someone enter, just out of the corner of his eye on his last circuit, but had been so lost in thought that he hadn't even glanced her way.

Now, he stared openly.

In his lifetime, he saw plenty of women but there was something different about this one. Something intangible emanated from her.

He tried to drink in every detail. She had a flawless complexion with high cheek bones all highlighted by a mass of chestnut curls flowing down her back. It was her face that captured him, especially the sparkle in her green eyes and her slightly upturned lips, clearly laughing at him.

She set down her handbag on the seat next to his and removed her coat to reveal a scoop neck shirt that highlighted her figure. Although a few inches shorter than he was, she seemed perfectly proportioned, with long, slender legs encased in a pair of tight jeans. He almost chuckled out loud when he noticed that her feet were in fuzzy, purple slippers.

He realized with a start that he had been gawking and hadn't responded to her comment. He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"Actually, no. The image of my mother in a kitchen is quite terrifying," he stated dryly. He saw her full mouth twitch in amusement before he turned back to the glass.

She crossed her legs as she sat, watching him renew his pacing routing. She didn't mind really, it gave her an opportunity to observe him.

He wore expensive clothing, and judging from the fit, it had been tailored for him. His posture spoke of a privileged background or perhaps it conveyed the confidence from being successful. Besides rugged good looks, he had a dark head of hair you could lose yourself in. She couldn't help but think there was something familiar about this man.

But what really had Kate intrigued, was the look on his face. Although he tried to hide it, he was scared and in pain. The fear could be attributed to whatever brought him to the emergency room, but this pain was old and deep. She wondered what caused it.

Kate, she chided herself, you should stay out of it.

But when it came to comforting pain, she never listened to anyone's advice, even her own. Without looking up, she opened her mouth.

"You know, you look like a caged tiger." She looked up and threw him an amused smile. "You better be careful or you could walk into something or someone, and wind up seriously hurt. A guy came in here last week after a near miss with a delivery truck. Someone knocked him to the ground and he walked away with only a concussion."

Rick stopped walking and gaped both at the pace with which she spoke and the content of her story. After a moment, he turned and walked back towards her. When he reached his seat, he discarded his jacked and plopped down, resuming his nervous perch on the edge of his chair.

"Talking helps to calm my nerves." She eyed him hopefully. "You don't mind, do you?"

Rick turned to look at her again and gave her a slight shake of his head. He actually did want her to keep speaking. The minute she started, the pressure in his chest had dissipated a little. And he desperately wanted a diversion.

Remembering his manners, he extended his hand towards her. "Richard, uh Castle."

"Kate Beckett "

She took his hand and made eye contact, smiling warmly at him. Rick released her hand rather abruptly and turned to look at anything but her face. He felt such an attraction the moment she touched his hand and flashed that brilliant smile. If she noticed his discomfort, she didn't show it.

"I'm here with my daughter. She'll be five this Tuesday. She is my little angel. She wants a big birthday party with the works."

She paused a moment and gazed off into space and took a sad breath. "I'm really hoping that she won't be readmitted tonight. Neither of us wants to spend another birthday in the hospital."

Her voice quivered slightly at the end of her comment, and she stared at her hands a moment.

Rick finally broke his silence with a soft, "How long?"

"What?"

He cleared his throat and repeated, "How long has she been sick?"

"Oh, about 14 months. She was diagnosed with Leukemia. We don't give in easily though, and after four months, she fought it into remission."

Kate sighed and smiled weakly. "Unfortunately, she started feeling tired again a couple of months ago, so she and I found our way back here. Cancer is stubborn, and this time, she had an allergic reaction to the standard chemo drugs. We just started on something new. It helped for a while, but now..."

She trailed off sadly, but he immediately saw her expression firm resolutely. "We'll find a way to beat it!"

Rick lost himself to her story. Her accent was hard to place. She wasn't bridge and tunnel, and no trace of the boroughs when she talked. He assumed that meant she was from Manhattan which meant money but her posture and forlorn expression made him think otherwise. He was captivated by the fire and passion in her voice and her expressive looks.

He noticed that she never mentioned the girl's father and realized she wasn't wearing a ring. His own curiosity in her personal life unnerved him. He diverted his own attention by asking how her daughter handled the sickness.

"She hates all the tests, treatments and medication, but she hasn't lost her sense of humor. She laughs and finds joy wherever possible, usually at little things."

Kate smiled thinking about their trip just yesterday.

"She loves the butterflies and ladybugs in Central Park. She stares mesmerized by the city lights, she absolutely LOVES Chinese food and chocolate is her weakness," Kate smiled conspiratorially and winked. "For both of us."

She opened her purse to retrieve a picture of the two of them together. Rick glanced at it and smiled. The girl was a carbon copy of her mother, with shorter wavy hair. Kate inhaled slowly and held it for a moment before continuing.

"I just wish she wasn't in so much pain."

Rick understood the feeling and said so. They sat in companionable silence.

After a minute, Kate turned the conversation toward him. "So, what are you in for?"

Rick didn't like to talk to anyone about his personal life, especially strangers. He looked at her a bit apprehensively and tried to avoid answering her question.

"You seem fairly calm for a hospital emergency room."

"Not calm exactly, just used to it." He had no idea what she was talking about, but her tone was just so friendly and playful. She laughed softly as his look as it transformed slightly into confusion. "I work here as a nurses aide part time, so consider me the late-night 'welcome wagon'."

Feeling comforted, he relaxed and answered her earlier question.

"My daughter woke up with stomach pains this evening. We didn't understand how painful, until she began vomiting up blood." His unease returned immediately, and Rick looked away from her toward the emergency room doors again.

"Try to relax a little. I know the pediatrician on staff tonight and he's very competent and experienced. I'm sure he's taking good care of your daughter."

She paused and picked up on the tidbit about his family. "Is your wife at home with your other children?"

He closed his eyes at the wave of grief that overtook him. It always did, but he had never been able to share it with anyone. He didn't know why, but he suddenly wanted to confide in this beautiful and compelling woman beside him.

"No my mother is, " He took a shaky breath and looked down at his ring. "My wife died four years ago. Now it's just me and my children."

"I'm so sorry for your loss." The concern he heard in her voice was genuine. "How many children do you have?"

"Just one other. My son, Aiden. He's almost 10 years old."

He pulled his wallet from his jacket and removed a picture of his family to show her. His two children and Kyra smiled back at him. She noted the loving look on his face and leaned over to gaze at the picture.

"I haven't set foot in a hospital since the day she died." He squeezed his eyes shut against the memories. "My wife was the strong one. She was the glue that held our family together. After she died, I struggled to connect again. I couldn't find comfort in anything. I felt like I wasn't really there for my children. I still feel like I'm just going through the motions."

His voice cracked against the strain of containing his emotions, and he clenched his fists in an effort to remain in control.

"You're too hard on yourself. Being a single parent is not easy, even without the grief of losing someone."

He felt her hand rest gently on his lower arm. He finally looked up at her face as a tear trailed down her cheek, her eyes full of compassion.

Rick looked down again and covered her hand with his own to thank her for the kind gesture and words.

"Coming here with Alexis tonight made me realize that I've not felt this way, this frightened and alone, in a very long time. It's still so difficult..."

Rick trailed off feeling immediately self-conscious about sharing his grief with a total stranger. He removed his hand and looked away just as a doctor pushed his way through the emergency room doors.

"Mr. Castle?" He stood and shook the doctor's outstretched hand. "I'm Dr. Davidson. Your daughter is just fine."

Rick felt his knees weaken and released a relieved breath he didn't realize he held. "What happened to her?"

"Alexis has a ulcer, that's what caused the abdominal pain and the bleeding."

"An ulcer? I thought only adults got ulcers."

"Yes, and no. While Peptic ulcers caused by a bacterial infection are quite common, Alexis's is different. Gastric ulcers are infrequent in children, so I'd like to admit her for treatment and observation."

The doctor peeked around him at Kate. "If you'll wait just a few minutes, I'll give you a more detailed explanation and my recommendations."

Rick nodded and the doctor turned from him to extend his hand to the other parent in the waiting room.

"Miss Beckett, it's always a pleasure to see you, even at 2 in the morning."

"I wish I could say the same about you." She winked and smiled at him to show she meant no malice. "And Joshua, I'm not working now, so please call me Kate."

She held onto his hand waiting for the rest. The doctor sighed and looked solemnly at her.

"As you suspected, your daughter's body did not respond well to the new drug. Her body seems to be hypersensitive to any sulfa drug variant. It not only lacked effectiveness in fighting the cancer, but her allergic reaction caused the headaches. I recommend that we stop using it immediately to avoid severe side affects, such as blood clots."

Kate released his hand and crossed her arms. "I agree. So, where do we go from here?"

"I'd like to switch to a drug with a different base. It should be more tolerable, but it is 15% less effective. Since the cancer has not moved into her brain or spinal cord, I think if we combine it with radiation treatments, we could still knock this out."

Kate chewed on her bottom lip, considering what the doctor had told her. Chemotherapy with radiation was so hard on her daughter, but what choice did she have. She nodded her acknowledgment to continue.

"Look Kate, I know you're concerned about the costs, but we'll work something out. The staff and parents are very happy with our arrangements so far. I'll work with my department head to get this new round covered under our existing agreement."

Kate smiled in relief and hugged the doctor, making him blush.

"Okay, then I'll get her moved to her room, while you see Laura about the paperwork." Kate released him and retrieved her belongings from the chair.

"Thanks Josh. I'll see you tomorrow."

She turned to Rick and offered her hand. "Good luck with your little Alexis , Mr. Castle. If you need to talk or just laugh, Mackenzie and I will be in room 204."

Rick took her hand, realizing that Mackenzie must be her daughter. He thanked her and slowly released her hand. Together, he and Dr. Davidson watched as she and her very purple slippers shuffled towards the elevator.

"A remarkable lady," Dr. Davidson remarked. Rick couldn't help but agree.

Dr. Davidson invited Rick to sit and began explaining what happened to Alexis.

"Mr. Castle, Alexis is going to be fine physically. Her pains have subsided. However, I'm a bit concerned about the type of ulcer, especially for someone without any apparent predisposing factors, such as acute illness, trauma or stress. Can you tell me if there's anything else in Alexis's life that could be a contributing factor?"

Rick took a deep breath. "Alexis's mother passed away a few years ago and she...well, we have all taken it rather hard. She regularly withdraws into her own world."

Dr. Davidson nodded, thoughtfully. "That does fit the trauma criteria. Stress and anxiety can exacerbate it. I'd like to admit her for a couple of days to observe her response to the medication, run a few psychological tests and have her work with a specialist on learning relaxation techniques. How does that sound?"

Rick nodded and the doctor gave him a reassuring smile. "I'd like to move Alexis into a shared room with Mackenzie Beckett, unless you have any objections. I know that it's less private, but given her condition, I think the interaction with the Becketts would be good for her."

Rick had no objections. He sheepishly admitted to himself that the prospect of seeing Kate Beckett again was rather intriguing. He shook the doctor's hand before following Kate's path to the elevator.