A/N: This is set sometime in s5 after Target/Hunt but before Still. I owe a big shout out to jessmuir0407 and escape-reader.13 for helping me get the wording right. Sorry for any mistakes this is also unbeta'd.

Previously: "I'm sorry to tell you this but according to our results Alexis is not your biological daughter."

"What? What do you mean I'm not her father?"

"According to the blood types, you are not her father. See, in order for Alexis to be type A, her parents need to either be, A & A, A & O, AB & AB, or AB & O. So if you are correct that her mother is type O and we know that you are type B, then Alexis cannot be type A."

Rick was stunned. What was he supposed to do with this information? What does someone say to that? He took a breath; he needed to keep it together at least in front of the doctor

"I know this is a lot to take in, I am sorry to be the one to tell you this. However, you are still listed as her father on her birth certificate so you are her legal guardian so you can still make medical decisions for her."

He managed a weak, "Thank you," not knowing what he was supposed to say to the man that just informed him is daughter isn't actually his daughter.

The doctor left revealing Kate in the doorway.

"How long have you been there?"

"Long enough. I would've come in but he was in the way and didn't want to interrupt."

"So you heard?"

She nodded. "I heard." She took two long strides over to him; pulled him into a tight embrace.

He clung to her, buried his face in the crook of his neck inhaling her scent. He took several deep breaths, now was not the time to fall apart again. Rick took comfort in her familiar scent but it wasn't what he wanted, he wished it was Alexis in his arms but Kate was the next best thing.

Rick pulled away and looked back at Alexis; she looked so childlike. The hospital bed swallowed her up. Her skin was pale, paler than usual and her face marred with scratches and stitches above her left eyebrow.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here sooner. I was in an interrogation and didn't have my phone."

"It's okay, you're here now."

He sat down in the chair and pulled her into his lap. He needed to touch her, he needed her close.

Her hand caressed his cheek, "What do you need? What can I do?"

"Can you arrest or preferably kill the son of a gun who did this."

She looked at him out of the corner of her eye. "Ryan and Esposito are already in his room."

He kissed her hard, "I love dating a cop."

"That's detective to you. What does she need?"

"She has a few bumps and bruises, you can see the stitches above her eyes and a small bleed from her spleen." He recapped the treatment plan the doctor laid out for him.

The same nurse came in from earlier, "I hope I'm not over stepping but you have a wonderful husband. He hasn't left your daughter's side."

Her cheeks flushed pink, "I'm not his wife and she isn't my daughter."

"Oh I am so sorry. It just seemed like you were a family."

"This is my girlfriend Kate. Kate this is… Oh I didn't catch your name earlier."

"I'm Susannah." She took a few minutes to prep Alexis for surgery. "I'm going to take her up to CT for another scan, the doctor wants to check the bleed again, but you can have a few minutes."

Kate stood up to let Rick get up.

Rick kissed her forehead, "Hey pumpkin. You're going to be all right, they're going to take you up for a quick picture to make you better okay? I made sure the finest doctor is working on you. I'll be right here waiting for you to come out. I'm not going anywhere so you can't either."

They stepped back and watched the nurse wheel her away, Rick's hand found its way to Kate's.

"I think she's going to be just fine," she said, looking between him and Kate before giving a wink to Rick reminding of her earlier words.

They were left standing in the empty room with nothing but their thoughts.

She squeezed his hand, "Come on let's get something to eat."

"I'm not hungry," He mumbled.

"You and Alexis were supposed to meet for dinner, I'm assuming the…the accident happened before she arrived meaning you haven't eaten."

"You must be a detective." His lips quipped into a smile too small to really be sure it moved.

Her hand came up to the hair behind his ear knowing it soothed him. "Let me feed you or at least get you coffee."

"That's my job in this relationship."

"And it's my job to be stubborn. Come on," She tightened her hand around his and pulled him to the cafeteria.

They sat in the cafeteria; the atmosphere wasn't much different than the rest of the hospital. It was quiet and thick with anxiety and sorrow. Each had a cup of coffee in front them. Rick's hands were wrapped around the cup trying to absorb the warmth, hoping to feel something but he didn't. He couldn't feel anything; numb everywhere the only thing that could fix that knew Alexis was out of danger.

They let the silence hang between them for awhile. There was nothing for Kate to say, this wasn't her territory at least with Paris she was in a position to do something but here she was just as helpless as Castle.

"Where's Martha?"

"She's in the middle of the show. I left her message but I don't expect her to hear until after the show."

"What do I do? Do I tell her?" Castle's voice was small and quiet.

"I think she deserves to know but you don't have to tell her right away. You can let her recover first and talk to Meredith."

"But what if Meredith doesn't know who her biological father is. Why else would she lie all these years? Am I just supposed to shatter her world? What if she wants to know but we don't have answers for her? What if she wants to find him?"

"Her world may shatter but she'll be okay because you will be there to help her put it back together. If she wants to find him then I know you. You will honor her wishes but I think she at least needs the choice."

Rick was about to respond when Kate's phone started to ring.

"Beckett. We're in the cafeteria…Okay see you in a minute."

"That was the boys. They're done with driver and coming down now."

Right on cue the boys entered the cafeteria, scanning the room for them. Beckett waved alerting them to where they were sitting.

"How is she?" Ryan asked.

He explained again what he knew.

"Well at least she'll be okay." Esposito reassured him.

Kate could see he wasn't ready to discuss what this accident revealed. Hoping to give him some good news she asked what the boys found about the driver.

"There was some rookie on the case from 15th but we took over. His blood alcohol level was 0.085."

"He was drunk?!" His voice raised higher and higher. "You mean a DRUNK DRIVER put her in the HOSPITAL." He stood up, his chair falling over behind him. "I WANT TO TALK TO HIM. I WANT TO SEE HIM NOW!"

Ryan and Esposito hadn't seen him like this, Kate had seen him yell before but it was always directed at her and never like this.

Kate stood up, putting her hand on his chest. She spoke her voice calm and even, low enough for only him to hear, "What are you going to do Rick? Are you going to 'appeal to his humanity'?"

His fist clenched and unclenched with his teeth, "Maybe. He deserves it."

"That's not going to solve anything. That's not going to make her better."

"It would make me feel better," He grumbled.

"Think about Alexis. Do you think she wants to wake up to find out her father's in jail for assault and battery?"

"That's just it, I'm not her father."

Esposito looked at Ryan puzzled, Ryan just shrugged and shook his head.

"Don't say that! Of course you are. You raised her; you were there for her through the good and bad moments. You went above and beyond to protect her."

"I know. I'm sorry this is all just so overwhelming." He plopped onto the chair, his shoulder's hunched over. He looked tired and defeated.

Kate kneeled in front of him; her hands cupped his face bringing his eyes to hers. "I know it is but you aren't alone."