Livingston Avenue

Detective Strong, her team as well as some uniform officers pulled up in front of the house on Livingston Avenue. They were gearing up preparing to make entry as Beckett pulled up with Castle's family. Seeing Kate get out of her car and knowing she wanted to get in there to Rick, Nikki quickly approached her.

"Detective Beckett I know you are dying to get in there and get to him, but I need you to remain out here with his family. I'm not sure what we are going to find in there. I promise I will let you know as soon as possible."

To say Beckett was happy with this was an understatement, but she understood where Nikki was coming from. This was her investigation and as much as Kate wanted to be involved… she couldn't. So she just gave the detective a nod and stood waiting outside with Martha and Alexis. If she couldn't be there for him at least she could for his family. Before she knew it Alexis grabbed one of her hands to hold while Martha took the other.

As they made their entrance they spotted Castle passed out in a living room chair. Nikki headed straight for him as Riley and Jacobs continued to clear the first floor. She was startled by what she saw. He was unconscious and holding a Glock in one hand and the phone receiver in the other. Taking in his injuries she found that the left side of his face was bruised with his left eye swelling. The right side of his rib cage was all black and blue with possible broken ribs. His shirt was wrapped around his left thigh and covered in blood.

She called out to him "Castle… Castle… Rick"

He regains conscious just enough to look up at her "Hey Nikki, what took you so long?"

She had to laugh to herself "Sorry Rick" she looks around "Is Tyson here?"

The blackness starts to take him over but not before getting out "Basement…dead….over."

Nikki motions for Riley and Jacobs to check it out as she calls for one of the uniforms to get the paramedics in here a.s.a.p.

Waiting outside had been the longest fifteen minutes of Beckett's life. The longer it took for Detective Strong to get back to them the more worried she was becoming. She was trying her best to hide what she was feeling; she didn't want to upset Martha and Alexis any more than they already were. Finally she saw her emerge from the house with a smile on her face, making her way over to them. Before she is able to say anything Alexis jumps in "Where is my dad? Is he okay? Why isn't he with you?"

"Alexis if you give me a minute I will explain?" Nikki replies.

"Ri… I mean your father is fine. He did receive some injuries and the paramedics are looking him over and are preparing to transport him to St. Peter's Hospital."

"And Tyson?" Beckett asks.

"He's dead."

"Good" is all she can say.

Knowing that Rick is alright and Tyson dead relieves some of the stress and worry. She turns to Martha and Alexis and asks "Who wants to ride with him?" As much as she wanted too, she knew is should be one of them.

Martha looks over at her granddaughter and tells her "Go ahead dear; I think it would be better for you to be next to him right now."

"Thanks gram, I'll see you and Kate there." She follows Nikki as she leads her over to the ambulance as the paramedics are bringing out her father on a stretcher. She takes his hand in hers as they load him into the ambulance. He is unconscious but just knowing he is going to be okay makes her feel better.

St. Peter's Hospital

Beckett and Martha join Alexis in the waiting room. Castle was taken right into surgery as soon as they arrived. Even though all three women know he is going to be okay, it is still stressful waiting for the doctor to come out and give them an update. After two hours Dr. Joseph comes out of the O.R.

"Family of Richard Castle" He calls.

Martha grabs Alexis and Kate's hands as she responds "That's us."

"Richard is doing fine and I expect him to make a full recovery. He had bruising to the left side of his face… so we performed an MRI which came back normal. He has bruising on the right side of his ribs… we took an x-ray and discovered two broken ribs. He has a gunshot wound to his left thigh. It missed all the major veins, but he did suffer significant blood loss. We are going to keep him over night just for observation. He should be released tomorrow, but he is to take it easy for the next two weeks."

"Thank you doctor, when can we see him?"

"We are currently moving him to his room. You should be able to see him in about fifteen minutes or so."

"Thanks again"

Kate turns to Martha and Alexis "I'm going to quickly run to the cafeteria for a coffee and call Captain Montgomery and Ryan and Esposito to give them an update. Do you want me to grab you anything?"

"I'm good" says Alexis.

"Kate dear don't worry about me, I'll get something a little later."

Thirty minutes later Martha and Alexis are in Castle's room. He is conscious and talking, actually joking around causing both women to give him one of Beckett's famous glares.

"What" he asks.

"Really Richard, you almost got yourself killed and here you are joking about it?"

"Mother I'm fine."

"Dad, how can you say that? Have you looked in the mirror? What about your ribs or your leg?"

"Alexis, I'm sorry if I have upset you… but I don't regret anything that has happened. Five women had lost their lives and I wasn't going to sit around and do nothing about it."

Seeing how she wasn't going to win this argument she decided to let it go. He was just about to say something else when his eyes locked on Kate's as she entered the room. Martha and Alexis both turned seeing what had caught his attention.

Neither Castle nor Kate spoke, they just continued looking at each other. Finally he reached his arm out towards her and she began making her way to him. They embrace… Kate whispering "I thought I lost you "while he replied "no never."

They slowly pull away eyes still locked, when it happens. Neither knows who initiated it; they lean back in their lips joining in a sensual but sweet kiss. It isn't long before the kiss deepens… lost in themselves they forget they are not alone. Suddenly they hear someone clearing their throat. Breaking the kiss they turn their heads to find both Martha and Alexis staring at them with a look of delight.

"So dad, Kate is there anything you would like to tell us?"

Kate turns her head trying to hide the blush that has overtaken her as Castle has a look of somebody who had been caught with their hand in the cookie jar. Unsure how to answer he glances over at her… trying to see if she is comfortable before he gives his daughter an answer. She gives him an encouraging nod and he begins.

"Um… Kate and I have decided that we both want more... we are together."

Alexis squeals and Martha replies "It's about time."

Deciding to give them some privacy, Martha turns to Alexis "I think it's time we went to grab something to eat."

Castle laughs "Very subtle Mother"

"Martha you and Alexis just got here, you don't have to run off."

"Oh no darling, I think you and Richard can use some time to yourselves."

They exit the room leaving Castle and Beckett alone. They look at each other again and he can see that something is troubling her.

"Hey is everything alright?"

"Sorry, it's just that when I got that call from Strong… I almost lost it. I really thought I lost you… that I would never see you again."

"Kate, look at me. I'm sorry if I caused you pain. I never meant to hurt you."

"I know it's just… Rick you mean everything to me. I don't know how I would have survived if I lost you." Taking a deep breath… knowing she needs to tell him. "Castle I…I love you."

He gives her a warm smile "Kate, I love you too."

They both lean in and once again their lips meet. The kiss starts off slowly and then deepens… they become lost in each other. He can't believe it when he once again hears somebody clearing their throat. You got to be kidding me… he thinks to himself. Breaking away they turn to find Detective Strong standing in the doorway, slightly embarrassed about ruining their moment.

"I'm sorry Rick, Kate… but I need to take your statement for my investigation."

Beckett pulls away and is about the leave the room giving them some privacy, but Rick has other plans and grabs her hand looking at her confirming that he wants her to stay.

"Okay he tells her, what do you need from me?"

Pulling out a tape recorder and placing it on the bed next to him she says "start from when you left the station that day."

He begins talking about walking back to the hotel. Stopping for a coffee and seeing Tyson walking across the street in the other direction. How he decided to follow him. Nikki asks why he didn't call her and Kate gives him a questioning look herself. He blames it on not thinking straight. They just found the fifth victim and all he could think about was getting Tyson. He then continues about it being a trap. Tyson hitting him in the ribs with a pipe and knocking him out, him waking up in the basement duct tape to a chair. The conversation they shared. He tells them about Bryan Travis being Tyson's foster brother. He goes on about being knocked out again and coming to and finding the board with the victims. He tells about getting free from the chair.

This time it's Beckett who jumps in. "Castle if you were able to get free how come you didn't leave and call the police?"

"Kate, there was still a sixth victim out there. I couldn't leave. What if he knew I escaped and didn't come back? Five women already died… I couldn't let him kill another one."

He then goes on about the trap he decided to set, waiting for Tyson to return… finding out the sixth victim's name and that Tyson was going to finish him off when done. Beckett could see his anger starting to flare. He then described catching the killer off guard… the beating he gave him. How Tyson got to Ryan's weapon… the struggle… his thigh being shot. How he got control of the weapon and shot the killer dead when he charged him.

Nikki thanks him for everything, shaking his hand as she leaves. Once they are alone once more, he is surprised when Kate asks him "now where were we?" as she leans back in pressing her lips to his.

A/N: Was thinking about one more chapter with Beckett looking after Rick while he recovers. Let me know what you think.