A/N - stay with me guys, things are gonna be deceiving. I'm a Caskett shipper and believe in happy-ever-afters. ;)

Beeping. That's the first thing he hears. Something is beeping. It's cold, wherever he is. There's no weight on his hand.

"Mr. Castle."

A voice, far away.

"Mr. Castle, you need to wake up now."

Wake up? From what? Did he dream getting shot? Is he in his bed at the loft?

"Mr. Castle, wake up for me."

Rick Castle opens his eyes to a blinding white light. It burns. Just like his chest. He quickly closes them. If that was a dream, why does he still feel like his chest is on fire?

Taking a moment, he lets his senses take in his surroundings. This doesn't feel like his bed. There's no warmth beside him where Kate should be laying. And what is with that ridiculous beeping?

Once more Castle opens his eyes. The light has dimmed and he is able to look around. He finds a woman standing beside whatever bed he is laying on.

"Hello there, Mr. Castle. It's good to see you awake."

Why does this woman want him to be awake? Where's Kate?

"Beckett."

"Mr. Castle, do you know where you are?"

Silence

"Mr. Castle, you're in the hospital. Do you remember anything from before you're current state?"

Thinking with all the function he can, Rick conjures up the memories. He was going to make Kate a meal. She went into their bedroom to change. As he was talking, someone shot him. Caleb Brown. He shot him, and then he shot Kate. Where's Kate?

"Mm, I remember someone breaking into my home and shooting me, and my wife. Where's Kate?"

"You're correct Mr. Castle. We've treated you for a gunshot to the chest. You'll be fine with some rest, and a whole lot of healing. As for Mrs. Castle, things aren't so easy."

She took two bullets, he remembers. Could she have had complications?

"Tell me." Castle says.

"I'm sorry Mr. Castle, I'm afraid Kate Beckett-Castle didn't make it out of surgery last night."

Everything stops. The beeping is gone. The only sound he can hear is his blood rushing through his ears, feeling like he's about to be swallowed into a hole from underneath.

"We did everything we could, but her wounds were too extensive, and she lost too much blood before the ambulance made it to our facility. I'm so sorry, Mr. Castle. I know this is hard to hear, but you need to focus on your recovery."

This couldn't be happening. A world without Kate Beckett is not a world Richard Castle wants to experience.

Castle feels his eyes shutting. They must have put something into his IV, he imagines. Just as the tears begin to fall from his eyes, everything fades back to black.

A/N - Don't hate me too much. Stay tuned for the next chapter. I promise we'll get through this together.