Part 2
I would like to thank the guest reviewer shame we don't live closer as I would love to debate the issue more. So I understand what you were saying about Kate not being herself in this but please consider where I think they were at the end of Headhunters - he was back to being a playboy and she was confused by it because she had no idea he heard her confession, he didn't think she cared because the confession and the part of her being in counseling hadn't come up yet and the fight in Always doesn't happen here for them to clear the air and give ultimatums.
Lastly there are more than this post 47 story where writers have posted their opinion of what they think the characters felt and acted.
Castles Loft
Rick sat nursing a glass of scotch as the sun came up to start a new day. It was how he ended the day before, in the same spot nursing a glass from the same bottle. All night he had been reviewing his life, the mistakes and pondering if the verdict was atonement to his erroneous ways.
To say that the news he had been given had rocked the foundation of his world was an understatement….Cancer. Colon cancer,… possibly stage 1,… more than likely stage 2. Best to have surgery as soon as possible to remove the tumor before it can spread.
Surgery
Cancer
Chemotherapy
That one thing since the diagnosis that kept bouncing around his head as he wondered the age old question of why me?
Three weeks before (day after Headhunters)
He woke up and groaned as the area where Slaughter had punched him was sore as hell. Finally the morning call of nature had him shuffling to the bathroom holding his side. He couldn't remember when in his life when he had been punched like that and vowed to make sure that he never was again. Making it over and lifting the seat he felt relief as his bladder emptied only to come fully wide awake as the toilet filled with blood tinged urine.
Holy shit came across his mind as he finished and leaned to the wall for support.
Once he regained his composure he stood up, flushed and turned to the mirror and saw the huge bruise that was spread out over his abdomen. "Damn, double damn." He said as he brushed the area with his fingers. The lower left side was a solid bruise.
Quickly washing his hands he headed back to his bedside table with one arm held tight across his body trying to ease the pain from movement. Picking up his phone he scrolled quickly through his contacts to find his personal doctor and punched his number. "Hey Rick! What's up?"
"Hey Marcus, I need to see you like asap."
"Got a burn that won't go away again Rick?" Came the teasing voice over the phone.
Huffing, "Uh no. I got into a scrape yesterday and now I pissing blood. I also have a bruise like you wouldn't believe across my stomach."
"Damn Rick, what are you doing this time? Last time I looked you over your hand was nearly broken and then there was the time where you had that minor facial fracture from being punched…."
"I know, I know and that's why I am curbing down my research but back to the blood, can you fit me in?"
"Sure, meet me down at the Mayo CT scanner in an hour, I will work you in and see if there is any major damage done. Once we have that then we can go to my office and fix you up."
"Okay, thanks Marcus."
"No problem, you are one of my few patients that pay in cash." The doctor replied back trying to make a joke. "See you there."
Rick hung up and dressed quickly hoping to avoid his mother and daughter seeing him as the grimaced in pain. He had not wanted to press charges against Slaughter but if it was more than a simple bruise that would heal, then he would be in Gates's office with a copy of his medical report by noon.
If only he had had a clue what the rest of the day would bring.
Back to present
From the CT scan, a worried Marcus had sent him for an emergent MRI which had showed the same thing, there was a mass in his abdomen. Discussions in his office had Rick heading for a lower GI and biopsy; it was there that his fate was sealed. The biopsy had come back cancerous and that surgery and chemotherapy were needed.
He knew that after finding out Kate remembered his telling her that he loved her that he would end his following the beautiful detective. Because as much as he put on a show for his mother, his heart just couldn't handle it anymore. Flashing women and trying to be all macho and show her that he was missing his wild life had left a bad taste in his mouth. It wasn't him anymore, that Rick Castle was as gone as the Kate in his head that had feelings in return for him.
The whole ordeal of following Slaughter had been about showing Kate that he could follow someone else it was actually a test that had failed miserably. His running to her for help showed that he wasn't going to find a new place to play. He guessed that the only good from that experience was the sucker punch that had led him to his doctor.
Of course through his connections he had heard that he had missed a cool case where the suspect was dressed as a Zombie. Just his luck but with Alexis's graduation and the tests he didn't have time to be the love sick puppy following his unrequited love.
He sighed, slugged back the last shot of his glass and got up. His daughter was graduating tonight, next she was leaving for a trip to Europe with his mother; then with them gone he was having surgery to remove a part of his colon. Recover for a week and then start chemotherapy at a small clinic in the Hamptons. Research showed them to be top notch and discreet, both were required because he didn't want to have the loves of his life moping around while he was battling for his life. In three months when they got back he hoped he could put on a great show and send Alexis off to Oxford without much of a scene because of his health. The last thing he needed was her holding off on school because of him.
Martha's wrath would be enough when she discovered what he had hidden while she was gone gallivanting across Europe. The main issue by then would be either he was on the road to recovery with the final doses making sure he was in remission or she would find out that her only child was going to die.
Hearing noises coming from upstairs he recognized that he better cover up his depressed mood and become the laughable playboy everyone thought him to be. Making a batch of happy pancakes for all would keep the mood where it should be, happy and excited for Alexis and her big day.
As he was standing he noticed the text on his cell phone. It was from Beckett, a crime scene and did he want to come. It was over an hour old now and by now he was sure she knew he wasn't coming in.
He was going to miss the mystery in solving the cases with the team but he needed to focus on himself. He needed to heal his body and spirit together and a trip to the Hamptons would do that.
She was also the reason he was going into hiding. He didn't need her concern as a friend or whatever she really considered him. He also didn't want her around out of some sense of duty to help out. His dignity wouldn't take that.
Then there were the guys, he felt that they were truly friends but they were Beckett's partners and team first and he didn't need their pity as he came to face the fact that he had been their loyal dog for over 3 years. Plus who wants to have their bros see them puking up after chemo and slowly going bald.
Please do not throw stone at me, don't worry about Rick, I am a Casket Shipper. Next part to be out by Wed.
