Castle heard Motorcycle Boy telling Jim that he'd just come out of surgery with someone else when a nurse told him what was going on. He checked in to get an update, and thought he should inform the family. Castle noticed that glance at him out of the corner of Josh's eye after he said "family." Then Josh shifted his body to exclude Castle from the conversation at least physically. Jim spoke, and Josh answered that he wasn't her doctor because he knew her personally, but he'd keep informed. Josh came out to speak to Jim one more time over the next 4 hours, while everyone else waited. God, the waiting. Castle couldn't stand it. After Josh's second update, Jim came to Castle. They'd talked to each other during the infernal waiting, but this time Jim asked, "So how does she know that doctor?" Confusion showed on Castle's face while delight surged in his brain. She hadn't bothered to tell Jim about her beau. Nice. Castle answered, "Oh, they've been out a few times, I guess." Jim nodded in understanding. "Well, that explains the 'go to hell' look he was giving you. Probably sick of hearing your name during their dates."
Finally Kate's doctor came out and said that she came through the surgery fine, that she was very strong and obviously a fighter. She was sedated and in critical condition, and they would keep her sedated overnight. In the morning they would remove the sedative and see if she could wake on her own. The relief in the room was palpable. It was like everyone had been holding their breath all afternoon and could finally exhale. People slowly began to leave until it was just her family still in the room. Ryan and Esposito were her brothers, and Lanie her sister. They all sat, together, in the quiet. Martha stroked Castle's back, and encouraged him. Lanie asked Jim if she could go get anything for him, and Martha announced she would get Richard's things and a couple of blankets for the men. Everyone knew that neither man was leaving until Kate was awake and stable.
Late the next afternoon, she moved a little, but still didn't wake up. Friends came by all day to check on her, but they only had limited visitation time in the ICU. Castle seethed every time Josh popped in to check on her, but neither man bothered to speak to the other. In front of her, they've always plastered on fake smiles and acted civil. With her unconscious, there was no point in bothering. When the shift changed, the night nurses came in to introduce themselves, and Jim was thoroughly perplexed when Castle told them he's her partner. Clearly they were more. He guessed it had to do with the pretty boy doctor, and decided to ask about it later. He noted the flash of fury in Rick's eyes when Josh checked in for the last time of his shift and said he had to go get some sleep because he has surgery in the morning.
