Chapter 7

Tori walks to the other side on the curtain and almost immediately begins to weep. She thinks quietly to herself that he looks so broken lying there in front of her. Why had this happened to him. Dr. Wesley was right when he said that he would be a sight. Taking a seat next to his bed she turns her head to give the doctor a nod that it's okay for him to leave.

"The most I can give you two alone is 10 minutes with him alright?" As the doctor turns and leaves.

She agrees nodding her head and turns back to Javi. Reaching out her hand to gently caress the side of his face she feels the heat he is emitting. Brushing her fingers through his short fuzz he calls hair then she lets her hand drift down along his neck and then to his chest. It feels good to feel his chest rise and fall. He is amazing and she will stay with him until he is well enough to leave the hospital.

Then she wonders how long he will be here. Making a mental note to find the doctor assigned to him again and ask him how long he will actually be here then her thoughts wander to their night together. Feeling a strong hand on her shoulder she is startled at first and then realized looking down at her watch that it has almost been an hour since she had sat down. Dr. Welsey told her that it was time to go. She slowly gets up and leaves looking at him one last time.

Kate, Ryan and Castle are waiting to see Tori in the lobby. Walking slowly towards them they ask her how he is doing.

"He looks like hell, but he is stable."

"Tori we will get through this together okay." Ryan states.

"I was selfish earlier today when I asked Javi to meet me for dinner"

"How so" Kate asks

"Well, I was pushing him way too hard to meet me tonight and when he got the lead on his case he tried to rush through it to get done so he could meet me for dinner"

Ryan and Kate look at each other and both agree, "Tori this is not what happened Javi did everything by the book Kevin can confirm this." "You are not to blame for what happened to him the shooter who is now dead is the person to blame for this"

"Then why do I feel so guilty?"

"Tori it's not a feeling of guilt. What you are feeling is a feeling of how deeply you love him."

"Kate, I feel like I am a child when we are together all my thoughts and feelings are always about what he does for me. I always feel so safe when he holds me in his arms."

Kate walks over to Tori and takes her by the shoulders and tells her "Tori do you have anyone to stay with tonight?"

"No Kate, I am all alone tonight."

"Well, you're not anymore, you are coming home to the loft with me and Rick tonight."

"Kate I couldn't I don't...

"Tori there's nothing to worry about we have many spare rooms and there is no way you are going to be alone tonight. So it's settled."

Castle who was watching the two women interact chimes in with "Tori when you are ready we will take you over to your place to pack an overnight bag and then we will then grab a bite to eat before we head back to the loft."

Kate is looking at her intently and then she agrees.

Before long they have her overnight bag, had a great meal and now they are trying to decide what movie to play when Tori says "Kate while I appreciate movie night do you think we could talk for a little bit?"

"Rick would you mind if me and Tori skipped movie night?" Rick shows a disappointed look on his face because he really wanted to watch the Matrix series with everybody.

"Kate do you need my help?"

Kate looks to Tori and she shakes her head no.

"Sorry Castle this is a conversation for women only."

Occupying himself in front of the TV he starts to play the first installment of The Matrix.

Kate and Tori walk into Rick's office and sit across from each other. Tori starts first.

"Kate first I'd like to thank you and Rick for having me here at your place." Unsure of how to say what comes next "I am afraid for Javi"

"Tori what do you mean?"

"Kate I see the way you and Rick are with each other, when anyone who looks at the both of you, they can see how much the two of you care and love each other."

"I want what you and Rick have with Javi and me. I can't loose him, Kate, he is everything to me."

Kate realizes that Tori is an all in type of person when it comes to being in love with someone. Considering how to continue Tori interrupts her thoughts again...

"Kate I am not too sure if I should tell you this but I think you will understand my situation better if I do." The other night when I invited Javier in for a dinner we ended up making love. The night was extraordinary for two reasons I was in love with the man of my dreams and iwasavirgin.

Kate missed what she said because she said it so fast. But she thought she was able to decipher it.

"Tori were you a virgin the night you and Javi made love?"

She sheepishly shakes her head to the up and down. "He was my first."

"I just thought telling you would help you know how I'm feeling right about now."

They both talked for about two hours touching on relationships and girl topics as well.

"Tori I totally understand how you are feeling now. How about if we get some rest so we will be at our best when we go see Javi in the morning okay?"

"I'd like to, and again thanks for letting me stay with you guys tonight."

"Not a problem Tori, but you are going to have to excuse me while I go wake up Mr. Movie. I can guarantee he is out like a light."

As predicted Kate was right. Castle was fast asleep with the remote in his hand. The movie was fast forwarding over and over again. Kate reached for the remote and Castle instinctively tried to pull it back. Kate whispered to Castle to let go of the remote so they could both go to bed. He released it and then Kate turned off both the TV and the DVD player. Heading to the master bedroom they both got ready for bed. Kate had set the alarm for 6:30 am. This would give everyone time to get ready before heading over to the hospital.

The alarm clock was buzzing relentlessly and Kate tried to quiet it quickly. Quieting the bothersome noise her arm swept his side of the bed. Feeling nothing she raises her head and sees the right side of the bed empty. Looking over to the master bath she sees that the light is off. Curious she throws on her robe over her scantily clad body and walks to the door. Stopping mid-step then she notices it. That amazing aroma of Castle cooking breakfast. Being only 6:30 am he has almost everything set up. She rounds the corner of his office and sees Alexis setting the table for everyone. He is just finishing up cooking the home fries and places them in the warmer. He will cook the eggs to every ones personal preference.

Kate walks over to him draws him into a soft hug and asks what time he got up this morning, he replies with "I could not sleep so I got up and started breakfast somewhere around 5:30 this morning."

Kate told him "You know Rick if you couldn't sleep then I think I could have found better things to do than make breakfast." She threw him a very seductive smile. Just as he was about to say something Tori had walked down the stairs and said that she was starving. Seeing Kate and Rick she walked over to them "Wow this food looks amazing"

"Tori everything is set out on the table all you need to do is tell my dad the chef how you want your eggs prepared." Alexis said. Martha was the last to rise. She requested a ham and cheese and onion omelet. Castle finished that and then made his own eggs, scrambled of course. He took a seat beside Kate who had just finished her eggs over easy and was sipping her coffee and dug in. Everyone had decided that they would get ready after breakfast and head over to the hospital to see Esposito.

By the time 8 am rolled around breakfast was finished, and the mess was cleaned up Rick was turning the lights off in the loft and making sure the front door was locked. Rick had hired a stretch limo for transportation to and from the hospital. They were off to the hospital.