Chapter 1

Kate is lying motionless on the gurney. Her best friend, Lanie Parish an M.E, rode barefoot on the side of the gurney pressing her hands over the wound in Kate's chest. The heart monitor beeped slowly as Kate is rushed to surgery.

"Come on Kate!" Lanie said tears welling in her eyes.

"Do not die!" She still spoke as the gurney hurried down halls and burst through doors.

"Stay with me! Come on Kate!" Rick ran steps behind the stretcher as it flew past open doors and around corners.

"Do not die Kate Beckett! Do not die!" As Lanie spoke to her friend a nurse sprinted toward the speeding gurney.

"Single GSW in the left chest. Initially unresponsive!" As he continued he looked up at Lanie.

"Trauma one switch. We got this!" He said to her, she didn't look up from her friend's expressionless face.

"She is my friend you hear me! My friend!" The tears that she tried so hard to keep in fell down her face.

"Then let us save her life." The nurse said to her still keeping up with the speeding gurney.

Lanie looked up to meet his gaze. She understood there was no more she could do and released her hands from the wound. It was immediately recovered by the nurse's hands. Lanie leapt from the rushing stretcher she landed safely and stood in the hall her arms crossed over her chest. Watching as the doctors hurried Kate to surgery. Rick came up behind her and halted. His hands also covered in dried blood. They stared down the hall watching their friend, but the gurney made a swift turn and vanished from site.

Kate was laying unconsciousness on the operating table, but her mind flew with memories of her and Rick.

She was bending over to look at the picture Rick was holding, her hair hit his face, he turned and said "You smell like cherries." They stared at each other meaningfully.

Her phone rang, she picked it up. "Beckett," she said. "We have the wrong guy! The killer is still out there!" Rick yelled just as the voice of the detonator went off. She ran to the bathroom and slammed the door and dove into the tub. Rick came in gave her his jacket. And they stumbled out together.

Rick held the felt blue box and said with no expression at all asked "Will you marry me?" She looked at him waiting for him to realize what he had said as he came to the realization Ryan grabbed the ring he was going to propose to his girlfriend Jenny with.

Rick grasped her hand and spun her around to face him. He reached one hand behind her head the other down at her lower back and pulled her into him; kissing her passionately. She broke away but regained her cover. She knocked out the guard. "That was amazing." Rick said. She turned and looked at him. "I meant about the way you… knocked him out."

They were inside the building she had wounded two of the men, all that was left was Lockwood. She reloaded her gun, while Rick climbed to the top of a shelf where he knelt. He saw Lockwood first; Lockwood was looking through his sites at Kate. Rick jumped down onto him pulling him to the ground, he rolled him over and slugged him until Kate walked up "You okay?" She said giving him a concerned look. "Yeah. Fine." He replied, his hand covered in Lockwood's blood.

She watched from a distance the uniform wrap Rick's injured hand. The cop left Rick to sit alone in the back of the ambulance. He didn't look up when she entered; he was trying and failing to rewrap his hand. She reached out and gently grasped his hand with both hers. She began wrap it tenderly. Still wrapping it she looked up to see him watching her, she smiled "Thanks for having my back in there." He smiled back and answered "Always."

Ice clung to every part of her body. Rick held her as they shivered violently. She turned and touched his face saying "I just wanted you to know how much I l…" She broke off and closed her eyes. "Kate." Rick said looking at her, before he too blacked out.

As she finished the letter that Mike Royce left her, darkness surrounded the plane. She would glance up occasionally and watch Rick sleep. She finished reading and watched Rick until she too fell into a deep slumber.

The bullet made contact with her chest just as Rick pushed her down. "I love you Kate." Rick uttered to her. Her eyes fluttered to a close.

Rick paced in the hallway of the hospital. Alexis Castle, his daughter sat in one of the chairs by the wall watching him. His mother, Martha Rodgers sat with Alexis. Javier Esposito hugged Lanie. Kevin Ryan leaned against one of the walls. Jim Beckett, Kate's father stood in the doorway of the hallway. The group was silent, even the nurses behind the desk were noiseless. The sound of hurried footsteps from one of the near hallways made the group look up. Josh Davidson, Kate's boyfriend was rushing toward them. He looked furious without a word he stopped in front of Rick. Josh and Rick's eyes met their hatred for each other was matched. Josh shoved Rick. Rick hadn't seen it coming and staggered back. Javier released Lanie and jumped between Rick and Josh, Alexis and Martha jumped to their feet, Kevin stood straighter, and Jim Beckett stepped forward out of the doorway.

"She flat-lined!" Josh stammered.

"Is she okay?" Jim asked first.

"Fine now but in critical condition." Josh answered him

"Then why did you shove me?" Rick asked him heatedly waiting for another attack.

"It's your fault she was shot!" Josh said squaring up to him.

Rick was over six foot tall but Josh was over six and half foot tall.

"How's it my fault?"

"You reopened her mother's case!" At this Jim cut in.

"Hey let's not go blaming people here!" Jim said the mention of his wife's murder was still a hard subject. After the death of his wife he had become a drunk. It took Kate a long time to get him to stop.

"He was doing what he thought was right!" Alexis cried at Josh making a start toward him. Kevin grabbed one of her arms, Martha the other.

Rick still stunned understood Josh's reasoning.

"He's right," Rick whispered. "It is my fault."

Everyone looked at him astonished by what he had said.

"I'm sorry." Rick said looking at Josh. "You're right, I was wrong."

Josh was amazed at how fast that had gone. Rick extended his hand to Josh. Josh looked down at it then up into Rick's face, he clutched Rick's hand in a firm handshake. Everyone exhaled.

"Is Kate okay though?" Lanie asked.

"She is fine, but like I said before in critical condition. She will have to stay here for a while." Josh answered with a smile.

"So can we see her?" Jim pleaded.

"Yeah I'll show what room she's in."

He led them wordlessly down the hall and around a few corners and stopped at a door marked 726. He opened it. Lying in the hospital bed was Kate, the heart monitor beeping at a steady pace. She was sound asleep, breathing deeply.

Everyone stood and watched her. A few minutes later the door opened behind them and a nurse stepped in.

"Dr. Davidson, we need you in surgery." Josh looked around and said he would be right there.

"Have to go stay as long as you want just don't wake her." He trooped out into the hall leaving the group alone with the sleeping Kate. Slowly the group left one by one.

Rick, Alexis, Martha, and Jim were the last in the room. Rick turned to Jim and opened his mouth to speak, but Jim held up a hand.

"Don't say anything Rick. You saved her. If you hadn't seen the flash she wouldn't be here now and I would have no family."

Rick smiled and held out his hand. Jim took it. Rick released his hand and wrapped his arms around his mother and daughter and escorted them out of the room, leaving Jim with his daughter.

Once out in the hall he asked "How about an early dinner?"

"Sure." Alexis replied happily.

The three of them meandered down the hallway.

After Rick finished his burrito from Chipotle he called a cab for Alexis and Martha, then one for himself.

"Hey kido," His mother greeted him as she and Alexis walked out of Chipotle. "Where do you think you're going?"

"Back to the hospital." He explained slowly. Opening the door of one of the taxis for Martha and Alexis and handed the driver some money and gave him the address to his loft.

"I'll see you later." Rick said closing the door behind his daughter and mother.

After the cab cut into the traffic of the New York City street he walked over to the second taxicab and gave the driver the address to the hospital. Rick could have easily walked to the hospital but he was tired. A few minutes later the cab pulled up to the hospital entrance. The cabby turned around and looked at Rick. Rick looked up and handed the cab driver his fee and a tip.

"Keep the change." He muttered to him exiting the yellow taxi.

Rick walked into the lobby of the hospital and walked over to the elevator and pushed the up button. The doors opened, Rick let the people in the elevator leave before he stepped on and pushed the third floor button. In minutes he was stepping off the lift and strode down the hall. When he got to the right room he was surprised to that someone, most likely Kevin and Javier had stationed two uniforms, Rick identified himself before he pulled open the door and stepped in. Jim had left some time before, but others must have visited because the table under the window had flowers and cards covering it. Kate was still asleep in the bed in the corner. Rick pulled off his jacket, throwing it over the back of the chair. And loosened his tie before sitting down by the bed.

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