The bikes are propped up against the far wall in the back room of the store. Two minutes later, she drags him back out into the aisles for first aid supplies.
"Kate," he says, trailing behind her as she grabs for bandages and sterile wipes.
She spins quickly, drilling a finger into his shoulder. "No. You said after we had food. Done. Then we went out and got transportation. I'm done with you postponing your own good for mine."
With arms full of first aid supplies, she turns back for the the back room even as he whispers her name.
There at the end of the aisle is an unfriendly, her gun trained on Kate's back.
Kate's gun peeks from under her shirt, useless to her, but Castle slowly flicks the safety off on his own weapon. She nods.
It takes two quick shots. Two because his hand wavers when he first swings his arm up and the shot goes wide to the left. But the unfriendly drops.
"Shit," she mutters. "We're getting sloppy."
Castle pulls the body to the back of the store, behind the seafood counter and out of sight from the front windows. He takes the unfriendly's weapon and spare ammo before following Kate to their safe room.
He wants to leave the door open, try to pull in some of the late afternoon light, but he knows they can't. Not after such a close call. So he lets the door click shut behind him.
"Sit," Kate demands, pointing to the corner.
She dumps the bandages and wipes and tape into a pile next to his knee, sitting cross-legged at his side and pushing up the shirt to get at the wide band-aid. Her fingers are cool and soft as she rolls up the sleeve, smoothing down the curve of his shoulder. Almost too gentle.
"This might hurt," she warns as she wiggles a nail under the edge of the band-aid.
"Nike, Kate."
"What?"
He grins. "Just do it. Nike."
She slaps his chest, leaning over him brush her lips to the corner of his mouth. "That was stupid."
"Kinda, yeah."
He's grateful that she doesn't count down. Instead, she just rips the band-aid off. The pain flares up from the sudden shock to the already reddened skin making him grit his teeth. Still, a curse escapes on a breath when she touches her fingertips to the area.
"I think it's infected," she says quietly, using her free hand to twist her hair back and push it down under the neckline of her shirt to keep it out of her way; strands are escaping the too-loose hair elastic. "Not good."
"Nothing for it right now," he sighs, resting his head against the wall. "Just… do what you can."
She skims her hand over his thigh. "As soon as we get out of here, first stop is a hospital," she warns, ripping open one of the antiseptic wipes. "If I have to drag you there after knocking you unconscious."
He starts to respond, something about wanting to see her try, but then she presses the wipe to the edges of the wound and the words are erased as he tries not to hiss in pain. Kate murmurs apologies into the air, her eyes focused on his upper arm as she cleans it up as much as she can.
"We're leaving tonight," she says while she smears some ointment onto a pad of gauze that she places over the swollen graze. Holding it in place with one hand, she grabs the elastic bandage, unhooking the metal fasteners with her teeth. She wraps it tightly and he sees her eyes glance down to his fisted hand, back up to the hard line of his jaw before she takes a deeper breath and keeps going. "It's not safe here anymore."
"Might be safer under darkness anyway," he adds, watching as she secures the bandage with the metal hooks.
She tapes down the hooks, her thumbs careful of the pressure she applies. "As soon as the sun sets, we're gone."
"Good thing you picked the girly bike," he teases, nodding toward the pair against the wall. "We've got a basket to carry some food in now."
Kate stands, dropping the used supplies into the corner with their empty cans, coming back to sit at his good side. "Here," she says, handing him a bottle of water and a couple of pain relievers. "Might help." Her head falls to his shoulder, her arm slipping under his until she can slide their fingers together.
His arm aches as he twists the cap off, swallowing the pills with a mouthful of water.
"You're exhausted."
"I'm fine," he says. Maybe if he denies it, his body will comply.
"Castle," she groans, squeezing at his hand. "You're falling asleep on me right now. Take a nap until the sun sets. I'll watch the door."
Her thumb rubs little circles against his knuckles.
It takes two minutes for him to drop into sleep.
