Chapter 2

My legs shaking as I grab a hold of the rails against the walls. Oh my gosh Kate, Please no!

"What Lanie? What's wrong with Kate? Please god, tell me she is okay!"

Lanie studied Castle's face in unbearable pain – it was clear he was in love with Beckett. Little did she know that he already told her…

"Castle! Calm down. The surgery is over, there were complications…" Lanie holding her finger up to keep him silenced. "…the bullet skimmed the aorta; they did all they could; now it's a matter of time to see if she wakes up. You can go see her if you want." She could see how quickly his expressions changed as she went from good to bad. It was a horrible sight.

"But she's alive, her heart is beating? Uhh… I'm gonna go see her please." Not allowing Lanie to respond.

I don't know what to feel or say, I can't be happy, but I'm not sad. Please Kate make it through the next 48 hours.
Walking down the corridor to the intensive care unit, my legs start to shake like never before. Never have I been this scared. What if she is awake? What if she doesn't want to see me? What if Josh is there? What if she is struggling to stay alive?
Positive Rick, Positive!
Slowly opening the door, I start to creep in only to be confronted by Josh.

Just. Freaking. Great!

"Richard Castle, what are you doing here?"

his voice stern and assertive.

"I was just about to ask you… aren't you meant to be in Haiti?" trying to size the guy up, is that much harder when I am a midget compared to him.

"No, when I heard Kate had been shot I came back"

"Well I never left…"

my voice trailing once I knew what had slipped out of my mouth.

"Excuse me! She is MY girlfriend, and I have an actual job to fulfil unlike you. I think you should go home, you have no place here"

That's it I don't care if Kate never wants to talk to me, I can't let this guy act like the biggest jerk out, she deserves better!

"I have a place here, I care about her, more than you would ever, I worked with her for three years – unlike you, she is my partner – not yours, and she is my best friend – something you don't understand. I'd take a bullet for her. Would you?"

With that he stepped back, but I was getting a totally different response than expected, feeling stinging pains jolt up my neck as I was sucker punched right in the jaw, then in the nose. This guy had some nerve coming up here and thinking that he owned the place, I don't care that he IS with Kate he treats her like she is a nobody in his life, if he really cared about her, he wouldn't go gallivanting around the world every four weeks. Before I could respond I heard something from Kate's room.

"RICK!"

Oh my god, Kate you are awake, you didn't die on me thank god.

But before I could go into her room Josh pushes me out of the way and heads to her room, I stand at the door way listening.

"Hey Kate, how are you feeling" How do you think she is feeling you jerk, she has just been shot!

"Uhh… like I've just been shot, how do you think?" Her voice fragile.

Before Josh could respond Kate started to talk

"Where is Rick?"

"Oh Rick… umm he went home to have a shower and eat." That's that. Who does he think is to lie to her!

I sneakingly walk in trying not make so much noise, I want to catch this guy's reaction.

"What the hell Josh? I was just outside waiting; you of all people should have known that!"

Kate interjected

"Why should he know?" Turning around to see my face.

"OH MY GOD Rick! What happened to your face, who did that to you?" The pain in her eyes made my heart ache; I just wanted to comfort her.

"Why don't you ask that shining example of a boyfriend over there?" Tilting my head so she would focus her attention onto Josh and his swollen knuckles.

"Josh! What the hell did you do?You could tell Kate was getting worked up, which would be bad, seeing as she just got out of heart surgery.

"What? I did nothing"His voice soft, he was trying to suck up to her.

"Nothing? You hit my Partner. My partner, not yours. If anyone is going to be hitting him, it'll be me. Get out and go…" Josh hesitated, he wasn't done just yet. "…NOW!"She was over him; she wasn't going to take any of his crap any longer.

Reluctantly he left the room, giving Kate sorry eyes, and death staring me, he is lucky I didn't punch him back.
Once he left the room, I shut the door giving Kate a half-hearted smile; mainly because I couldn't smile without the pain kicking in.

"Rick… I'm so sorry, he had no right, and I can't believe he did that to you" The pain in her eyes were unbearable, she shouldn't be worried about me, I wasn't the one shot, she needs to rest.

"Kate, don't worry about it, I'm fine. Rest… please" Sitting down in the chair next to her bed, resting my head against the edge of her pillow.

"I'm so sorry" Her words slurring at the end of each letter as she grabs my hand, letting her eyes close as I caress the top of her palm.

Thank god you're alive Kate.

Authors note:

So I posted two chapters today. Aren't you guys lucky ;)

I will probably post another chapter by the end of the night, I'm in one of those crazy writing sprees.

Yep this is exactly how I spend a Saturday night. No shame :)

reviews make my night :)

XX - Quel