Author's note: Okay, so it seems that you're interested in another chapter or two and I'm willing. Obviously I'll have to take my own license on who the shooter is and all that – provided we get into that part of the story – but at least this way you won't have to wait until I know 'who dun it 'to get the story finished.

OOOOOOOOOOO

Alexis had heard the loud bang and had been flung to the ground painfully by one of the police officers that had been standing by her. He held her down as people around her were shouting orders and questions. She struggled to see what was happening, and saw that her grandmother was being held down beside her by another officer, but couldn't see her face to ask her what was going on. Whatever it was, it was serious. She turned toward her dad, automatically looking for him for reassurance, but she couldn't see him through the people who were now scrambling around, keeping low and looking in every direction. She saw Detective Ryan hurry toward where Detective Beckett had been standing, and saw her crouched on the ground, holding her dad down.

Ryan said something to Beckett, who shook her head and looked around. In that glance, she saw that Beckett looked scared. Alexis had never seen Beckett scared before and she tried to see what was going on, but all she could see was her dad lying on the ground and Beckett leaning back over him, talking to him. Then she realized that there was something red smearing Beckett's hand and her shock-frozen mind suddenly realized what she was seeing.

"Daddy!"

She struggled against the weight holding her down and saw Beckett turn toward her. The police officer that was holding her down tightened his grip, keeping her flat despite her best efforts to get up.

"Stay down, honey," he told her. In the distance she could hear a siren – more than one.

"Daddy!"

The girl was no match for the man holding her down – especially since he had figured out what had happened as well, and now he wasn't just keeping her down to keep her safe. He was keeping her from seeing something that she might be better off not seeing. She didn't understand that, though, she just continued to struggle against him until suddenly Esposito was there, too, his hand on her shoulder just as firm as the other police officer's, but his eyes expressive – as if he understood her fear. Which, of course, he did.

"Alexis, you need to stay down until we clear the area."

She stopped struggling.

"But dad's-"

"I know. And you're not going to be doing him any good if you get hurt, too. You need to be strong right now, okay?"

He was projecting a calm that she wasn't immune to, despite her fear, and she nodded.

"Good girl. Take care of your grandma, okay?"

He didn't wait for a reply. He scrambled back to his feet and headed for Beckett while Alexis turned to look at her grandmother again, who had managed to get turned around and was now looking at her, just as dazed by the sudden turn of events.

OOOOOOOOOOO

"Move Kate."

Beckett found herself pushed to the side by Lanie, who immediately tore open Castle's jacket and then his short, exposing a bloody mess. Still grasping his hand in hers, Kate tried to see just how bad it was, but all she could see was a lot of blood.

"Oh God…"

"Relax, girl, I'm working on it…"

The doctor – not that kind of doctor but still far more versed in saving lives than Beckett was – used her shawl to wipe away enough blood to see where the wound was.

"Please, Lanie…"

She watched as her friend found the bleeding and pressed the cloth against it.

"Hold that, Kate."

Beckett held the compress tight, her eyes never leaving Castle's face, but Lanie was working quickly, turning Castle a little to see if there was an exit wound, and then checking his vitals as well as she could.

"How is he?" Esposito asked, appearing out of nowhere beside them.

"He's losing a lot of blood, but I don't see an exit wound. Tell me there's an ambulance on the way…"

Esposito nodded.

"We're bringing in a helicopter to transport him. The ambulance will take him to the clearing."

"Good." Lanie looked at Beckett, who was white as a sheet. "Are you hit?"

She shook her head.

"No."

"You're sure?" Esposito asked.

"Yeah. I-"

They were interrupted by a groan from Castle, and everyone turned their attention to the writer.

"Stay still, Castle," Lanie told him, putting her hand on his shoulder. "You've been shot. We're going to get you to help."

He looked up at her, and then over at Beckett, but his eyes were glazed with pain and shock.

"You're going to be fine."

The fear was still in her expression and even dazed he saw it. Her hand squeezed his and he looked at it, dumbly, and then back at her.

"Alexis? My mother?"

"They're fine," Esposito told him. "An ambulance is on the way."

"Stay with us, Castle," Lanie said.

"How bad…?"

"You'll be fine," Kate said, immediately. "Just hold on-"

The siren had been turned off the ambulance and the vehicle had arrived without them realizing it. While Kate was reassuring him, a small army of medics suddenly swarmed them, all of them moving in on Castle with equipment that Lanie had lacked. He was hooked to an IV in only a moment, and Beckett and the others were moved unceremoniously to the side to make room for the rest of the medics. She lost her grip on his hand, and he noticed right away.

"Kate…"

Before she could answer, another voice broke in.

"Daddy!"

Alexis had finally been allowed to her feet and she'd broken the grip of the officer that was keeping her away from her father. Now she was standing between Beckett and Esposito, looking uncertainly at the crowd around the fallen form on the ground.

One of the medics looked up at the shout, and caught Esposito's gaze. Between the two of them a question was silently asked, and with an almost imperceptible shake of his head the medic answered. They'd do what they could for Castle, but this wasn't something that a young girl should see. In response, Esposito wrapped his arms around Alexis, holding her away from the chaos.

"They're taking care of him, Alexis," he told her. "We need to stay out of the way."

"But-"

"What hospital?" Esposito asked as a backboard was produced and Castle was carefully put on it and strapped to a gurney for transport.

"Mount Sinai."

They watched as the medics raised the gurney and locked it into place, and through a break in the wall of people they heard a whisper.

"Alexis…"

Alexis looked desperately over at Beckett, who tried to smile reassuringly and failed.

"Stay here."

She moved into the clear space beside him and her hand found his. He was still pale and dazed, and there seemed to be even more blood than before, but he recognized her – which was a good sign, she supposed.

"Alexis?"

His voice was so soft she had to lean over to hear him.

"She shouldn't see this…"

Castle couldn't summon the energy to argue. If he'd been less out of it he'd have been the first to agree, though, and she knew it.

"She's okay?"

"I promise you."

He nodded, and closed his eyes, his energy spent and the most important question answered.

"We need to go," one of the medics said, taking his hand from hers and strapping the arm down to keep him from moving it again.

Beckett nodded, and turned to Alexis and the others.

"I'll go with him."

Martha nodded, her own worry very real in her expression. She moved to take Alexis from Esposito.

"We'll meet you at the hospital."

The medic started to protest, but Kate turned back to him.

"I'm going."

There was no denying her, and it was plain in her very stance and expression.

"Fine. Let's go."