Way-ow! (That's wow, with a twang for all you people who didn't understand that.) You guys are amazing reviewers! Thanks so much for all the feedback, peoples!

This chapter isn't as... "funny" for lack of a better word. Hopefully the next few will be. I imagine Beckett angry at Castle and Castle high on meds and kinda excited about the experience and what it'll bring to his writing will be fun to write... But that's not in this chapter. So stick around, folks!

Beckett felt like she was having a panic attack when she got into the car, switched the lights on, and swerved onto the road in the direction of the store.

Castle was intelligent, but also borderline idiotic.

She kept that thought to herself as Esposito put calls out on the radio.

He was going to do something, she was sure of it. That was what got people killed.

When they neared the store, a loud blast echoed between sky scrapers. She slammed on the brakes and skidded wildly into an acceptable parking position. As she jumped out of the car she realized that Esposito's door had slammed while she was still driving.

He already had the guy on the ground, a gun shoved into his back and dark threats issuing from his mouth.

Ryan got out of the back seat, drew his own weapon, and headed over to where his partner held the man.

Beckett hopped over both of them and ran into the store. "Anyone hurt?" She managed to shout.

A woman mutely motioned to a pair of dark shoes jutting from an aisle.

It was Castle. She knew it was Castle. He always wore shoes like that.

An alarming amount of blood was pooling beneath him. His face was a milky white.

And he was wearing that smirk he always had when he was doing new things.

Beckett tried to ignore it as she grabbed several "I love NY" tee shirts and pressed them to his shoulder.

She heard Ryan walk in and call and ambulance. His blue eyes were wide at the sight of his friend on the ground.

He had nice eyes, she thought, and then wondered if she might be in shock.

But she was a detective. She had seen countless dead bodies, shot a few people herself, and had a best friend who spent a good portion of her day in the morgue. She refused to be in shock.

Someone handed her a first aid package. When it slid open to reveal a few pads of gauze and an ice pack, she considered laughing.

But that might worry Esposito and Ryan, and then they'd make her leave Castle.

A hand on her shoulder started pulling her away.

"No!" She shouted, not much caring who it was who had her. "I didn't laugh!"

The hand turned her around and pulled her into a hug. She caught a glimpse of dark skin before hearing Esposito ask, "Why would you laugh?"

She murmured into his leather jacket about the first aid kit. His chest rumbled with a chuckle and he squeezed her neck comfortingly.

She composed herself and turned back around, noting that paramedics had surrounded Castle and were now lifting him to a stretcher.

"He'll be okay," Ryan informed her, "he's lost a bit of blood, but the bullet went straight through and didn't do much damage."

He would be okay.

She slid to the floor numbly, then realized that her fingers were stained red. And they were shaking.

The paramedics asked if someone would like to ride with him.

Esposito cupped her elbow and pulled her back to her feet. Ryan told the guy that she would.

They didn't question it and helped her into the back of the ambulance. Castle's eyes winked open in the dim light.

Beckett wanted to slap him.