Disclaimer : I do not own Castle.

Questions?

Kate walked out of the Ladies' Room as Castle looked up. She had no idea he had been waiting for her outside the autopsy room.

"You ok?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Kate looked up as Castle raised an eyebrow.

"Ah, maybe because I just saw you almost run from the autopsy room towards the bathroom looking more green than Kermit the Frog." He smiled.

"I said I am fine." She snapped as they reached the front door. The fresh air hit Kate like a tonne of bricks as Castle held the door open.

"So who do you think our shooter is?" He watched as she shrugged. "Same guy that shot Raglan?"

"I dunno. Ballistics wont be back until the morning at the earliest. Esposito and Ryan are talking to witnesses but someone knew we were meeting him at the Diner." She paused as they reached the car.

"You want me to drive?" Castle turned to her as she nodded once before handing him the car keys. "Kate are you ok?"

"Fine." She cursed herself for snapping. "Drive. Just drive."

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Alexis yawned as she opened the door to the loft she shared with her father, grandmother and Kate. It seemed like a lifetime ago that she had been there. The weekend with her mom had been great but Meredith was not a natural mother.

"Hi!" She yelled before realising no one else was home.

"Welcome home me." She whispered as she threw her bag and purse on the counter before throwing her jacket across the couch. She needed to sleep, but she also needed to read over her paper for English. It was due in the next day so she knew she had to get her paper on the Merchant of Venice in order before she hit the sack. Once the music was blaring from the CD player and the bread in the toaster she knew she would be able to study alot better. Singing along to the music she opened the cupboard where her father kept the tea bags. She knew some caffiene would be needed, but decided better of it. The Camomile tea Kate bought looked so much more appealing. She knew Kate wouldn't mind if she borrowed some so she set about opening the small tin.

"Oh Kate." Her hand flew to her mouth as she realised the tin didn't just contain tea bags. "Oh no, Kate."

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The 12th Precinct wasa hub of activity as Castle and Beckett walked through the doors. Ryan was on the phone and trying to take notes as Montgomery glared at the white board where the case notes and photographs were hung up. Esposito was reading files and talking to Lucy from traffic division as he looked up to see his friends arrive.

"Hey guys."

"Anything?"

"Yeah, I just left the morgue." Kate began. "Laine completed the autopsy on our guy."

"She did?" Esposito couldn't help but smile.

"You know something? I am amazed you thought you guys kept it a secret for more than five minutes." Castle laughed as he sat down.

"I could say the same about a certain writer." Esposito smiled as Castle blushed.

"Cause of death." Kate stood next to the desk, desperately trying to keep the guys on track. "Gunshot would to the chest. He died before his body hit the ground. Now whoever shot him is a skilled marksman. That bullet hit him in the centre of the chest. That isn't a lucky shot. That is someone who knows what they are doing."

"Question is who?" Ryan replaced the phone on his desk.

"And?"

"And I have to go out for a while. The guy from the pharmacy wants to talk." Esposito grabbed his jacket as Ryan stood up.

"You think he saw something?" Kate asked as the men prepared to leave.

"I think he saw more than he wants to tell us."

Kate nodded as she sat down in the seat vacated by Ryan. She didn't want to collapse in a heap in front of the guys. She was still embarrassed at running from the autopsy room. She hated the way Laine had been worried and she hated the way Castle had been looking at her since. She could deal with this on her own. The doctor had said there was nothing to be done until the test results came back. She had to just keep on as normal. That was all that could be done until she knew for certain. There was no point in worrying everyone until then. But the headache and the nausea was beginning to get overwhelming. Kate closed her eyes for a moment as she tried to get the nausea under control. She knew Castle was watching, she always knew.

"Kate."

"I am fine Castle." He raised an eyebrow as he realised her speech was slurred.

"Kate, say that again."

"What?"

"Please." He watched her face intently as she looked up at him.

"I shaid, I am fffine."

"No you are not." He got to his feet and marched to her side.

"Just tired Castle." Kate spoke a little more clearly and smiled. "What do you expect? After last night. I know Alexis and Martha were out but "

"But this has nothing to do with last night. You are pale, nauseated and your speech is slurred. That is nothing to do with last night. Amazing as it was."

"I." She got to her feet, ready to argue the point as the world began swimming around her.

"KATE!" He grabbed her arms as the world fell away from her into darkness.

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Martha was delighted that her play was still getting good reviews. She loved working off Broadway. The cast were all celebrating the success of the play when she had left them in the bar a few blocks away from the theatre. She was still singing as she opened the door to the arpartment.

"Alexis darling!" She smiled as she saw Alexis stood by the kitchen counter.

"Hi." The teenager smiled slightly. Martha immediately knew something was wrong.

"What is it?" She walked across to the normally bubbly teenager. "Sweetheart?"

"I think Kate is ill." She looked up as Martha frowned. "I found these." She held out the small bottle of pills that had been hidden.

"Painkillers? Oh honey I take painkillers when I get one of my heads. Nothing to panic over."

"You don't hide them in the tea caddy. Look, Gramms the painkillers you take are not that strong. These are. These are morphine based. I looked on the net."

"They haven't been opened." Martha frowned. "She clearly hasn't been taking them."

"But why were they prescribed in the first place?"

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Castle closed his eyes and rested his head in his hands as he waited in the small family room of the ER. He hadn't seen Kate since he had watched the paramedics wheel her away. He had no idea what had happened to her.

"Rick?"

"Thanks for coming Laine."

"Not the first time, is it? That you and me have been sat here because of her independent streak." Laine squeezed his arm as she spoke.

"No." He choked the word out as tears threatened to spill from his eyes.

"I called Ryan and Esposito. I also tried to call Jim, but no luck there."

"Oh right. I should call Mother, let her know I am not coming home." Castle watched as Laine nodded. He made to get to his feet as the door to the small room opened.

"Mr Castle?"

"Yes." He could feel his pulse racing.

"I'm Dr Morgan, I've been looking after your partner. You may want to sit back down."

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A/N Please review. More soon. xx