They settle into a routine over the coming week.
Beckett sits with him over night while Martha and Alexis either sleep on the couch or go home to sleep.
When they arrive in the morning Kate gets up, takes a shower, changes clothes, then sleeps as much as she can in the spare bed in the room.
Throughout the day people slip in to visit with him from the twelfth and when visiting hours are over Martha wakes Beckett up if she isn't already awake and heads out for the night.
On the seventh day Beckett is walking out of the bathroom after answering nature to see Castle not only awake but moving his hand in front of his face curiously, but all she registers is awake.
She's almost sobbing with joy as she lunges across the room
"RICK! YOU'RE AWAKE!"
she says in a loud whisper, her hands caressing over his cheeks as she leans down and gives him a quick kiss.
He returns the kiss and smiles
"Yeah I am, what happened? Last thing I remember is Demming admitting what he did then waking up here"
Beckett's eyes fill with tears, she swallows a rock but recounts what happened to him including that Demming is being charged with first degree assault with intent to render bodily harm.
When she's done she strokes his cheek
"How are you feeling Rick?"
Castle thinks a moment on how to respond to this then smiles a little
"well my head is hurting like a son of a bitch but for the first time in three years I'm seeing light and shadows"
Beckett's breath catches, her eyes opening wider as she starts punching the nurse button
"is it just shadows or can you make anything out?"
Castles brows meet as he tries to focus then shakes his head
"Just shadows, but that's better than nothing"
The nurse hears what's going on from the doorway and is immediately on the phone calling doctors and specialists.
Beckett barely gets another good kiss in before she has to leave, she calls out that she'll call everyone then rushes over to the waiting room and starts doing just that.
Things are insane for the next twelve hours as Castle is run around for a whole slew of tests ranging from basic eye exam all the way through mri and ct scans.
Finally after the twelve hours Castle, Beckett, Martha and Alexis are sitting around listening to the doctor talk
"Well what appears to have happened, or at least our best educated guess, is that there was a small blood clot in the artery that supplies blood to the optical nerves, cornea, iris, so on and so forth that was preventing enough blood flow to the eyes to sustain sight. The blow to your head a week ago appears to have broken said clot loose so that blood flow may return. We've put you on blood thinners for the time being and agents that will dissolve any other blood clots that remain. I am optimistic that your eyesight will return, how much of it is unknown but it is likely that you will require glasses at the end of this"
Everyone is trying to keep their excitement reigned in but the joy in their eyes is unmistakable.
Castle finds his voice after several swallows
"Doc after three years in the dark I don't care if I need glasses or not so long as I can see"
The doctor smiles at him and nods
"I imagine so Mr. Castle, unfortunately there's no time table on how long it will take for eye sight to return. Just try to rest them as much as you can and try not to force it. We're doing all we can to help, the rest is on your bodies ability to heal"
After waiting a minute for further questions the doctor takes his leave.
As soon as the door closes Alexis lets out a happy squeal and Beckett gives him one hell of a kiss.
Castle grins at it all
"Wouldn't that asshole Demming be pissed off to know that his little stunt would end up being the catalyst for getting my sight back?"
Beckett can't help but smirk
"Oh be sure Rick, once you're sight has returned we're going to pay Mr. Demming a visit to rub his nose in it, he deserves no less"
Castle grins wickedly
"Evil woman, I like it"
He wiggles his eyebrow then hugs Alexis as soon as she gets enough control to do it without pouncing on him.
