Time to get gritty. I am going to place breaks at several key locations so you will know there is a change in story location
Crystal Roberts steps out into the hall just outside the surgery waiting room. She takes her phone out of her bag and dials a number. After listening to the recorded voice mail, she leaves a message.
"I need you to call me immediately when you get this message. Beckett and Castle are back together. You said I could have him, so you need to fix this. He and Beckett are engaged. She has a ring and everything."
Then with more frustration in her voice "Call me NOW"
She punches the button on her phone so hard it looks like she should have damaged the front. Immediately, she begins typing in a message to the person she she just called and quickly hits the 'Send' button. After finishing the text, she drops the phone back into her bag and walks down the hall toward the cafeteria.
Sitting in the waiting room, Castle and Beckett are staring blankly at the television playing the local news reports. Kate is watching the reporters telling about the traffic conditions in and out of the city. The weather report for today. A beautiful sunny day with just a few high clouds. Then there are a couple of field reports. First one is concerning traffic accident involving a drunk driver. Then a convienence store robbery where the clerk shot and killed the robber. She laughs and Rick looks over at Kate
"What's so funny?"
"Nothing, just that clerk saved the taxpayers a lot of money prosecuting the criminal. That's all"
The door opens from the hall and a nurse steps into the room. She has a smile on her face "Beckett family?"
Kate jumps up "That's us"
"Oh, please sit down." Pointing back to the couch where the couple has been residing. The demeanor of the nurse indicates she is not bringing bad news.
"I am just here to give you an update. Mr. Beckett is stable. They have opened up the chest and placed him on bypass. The machines are breathing for him and pumping blood. They have began the replacement of the veins;" She looks at her notes again "And Doctor Davidson asked me to tell you he is raising Mr. Beckett's chances for recovery. His outlook is much better he said. He told me to tell you that he thinks your dad will come out just fine. He is not seeing any serious damage and things are looking much better for him"
Kate cannot contain her relief. She turns into Rick's arms and sobs. But Castle has tears as well.
Somewhere in the City
Ryan and Esposito are in their cruiser heading to meet two men at an abandoned office building just off the river. It is in a less than safe part of town so the two police officers are on constant alert to their surroundings. Once the two men arrive at the meeting place, Esposito knocks at the door while Ryan is on constant alert. The door opens and they are invited in.
"Good day gentlemen" the taller of the two men begins. "My. Name is Jackson Hunt. And my friend here is Michael Smith" Both men reach out to shake the hands of the detectives
"Castle has told us all about both of you" Ryan states
Hunt continues the conversation "So both of you know the plan?"
"Yes we know what we must do." Esposito answers
"Do either of you have a problem with what task has to be performed to make this come to conclusion?" Smith continues
Esposito steps over to a table containing several pieces of military hardware. Items that he had received training on including one very specialized item that he has not touched since he left active duty. He reaches down and touches the item and it is obvious memories of his past are flowing through his mind
"Detective, are you sure you can do this?" Hunt asks as if he knows exactly what thoughts are going thru Esposito's mind
"No doubt sir" is his response as he steps aback away from the table
The four men walk over to another table where communications devices are spread out in preparation for deployment. Each man picks up some piece of equipment and begins checking the items to verify they will function when needed
Waiting Room
The door opens again into the waiting room and the smiling nurse finds the couple. This time Kate is much more relaxed than before with the arrival of the staff member
"Ms. Beckett, they have completed the vein replacement and the only thing left is to remove him from the bypass machines and then close the chest. This still is about thirty minutes. Then they will move him to recovery. After they get him settles you can go in. Doctor Davidson said to tell you everything is looking great"
"Thank you so much" is all Kate can utter before the nurse walks back out of the room.
Beckett leans into Castle and places her head on his chest. He puts his arms around her and holds her tight waiting until he knows she is ready for conversation.
Then speaking over the top of her head "I told you everything would be all right"
Kate smiles into his chest. Thinking to herself 'Everything is all right as long as I am right here. YES! Everything is going to be all right'
DC
The sub committee meeting is breaking up and Senator Bracken is finally looking at his phone. There is one urgent voice mail and one urgent text message. Both from the same phone number. He opens the text message and anyone standing around could see his face turn crimson.
He walks out of the committee room and looks for his Chief of Staff Greg Athens. When he finds him he speaks up. "Greg! Back to my office. NOW!"
"What's wrong senator?"
"Just back to my office" then in a lower voice "We have to finish off Kate Beckett. She has finally got me to the point I will kill her personally"
The two men rush back to the senate office building
Hospital Corridor
In the corridor outside the waiting room, Crystal Roberts is pacing up and down the hall like a lion hunting her next meal. She looks in the door of the waiting room and at Castle being pawed by that other woman. Why did she come back? Bracken told me she was gone and I could have him. I was going to get him one way or the other. But now! There she is wearing an engagement ring. My ring! He is not supposed to be engaged to her
Her phone rings. Caller Id says blocked "Roberts!" she answers firmly
"What is going on senator? You told me if I helped you with this I could have Castle. Well he is in there cuddling up with that woman, Beckett! And he gave her a wedding rig. She is telling everyone that they are getting married"
She listens for a few moments. "OK good, so you are coming here to take care of her? Great! Can I shoot Beckett myself? Why NOT? I want to do it. Please, let me!"
Another short pause
"OH all right then. You're on your way here? Good I will be waiting "
She slams her finger on the phone's off button. When she looks up from her phone, she comes face to face with Detective Karpowski and two uniformed police officers
"That was a very nice conversation I just overheard. You want to kill Kate Beckett? Crystal Roberts. You are under arrest for terrorist threats to a federal officer"
Kate Beckett feels like a giant weight has been lifted from her shoulders. She is smiling at Rick as they talk about nothing at all. Nothing important. Just each other when the inside hallway door opens and Josh enters. He is still wearing surgical scrubs and smiling.
Castle and Beckett both jump up and wait for him to come toward them
"Kate, Rick, everything went great. He is in recovery. We bypassed three arteries. There was not any serious damage to the heart muscle, but he will require rehab. You will be able to see him in about two hours when they get him back to the ICU. He will stay in there until tomorrow then we start getting him up and moving around. After that he will move to a step down room where therapy will come in and work on getting his strength back for a few days. After that, we send him home. Is there anyone that can stay with him for a week or two?"
"I will be here as long as I need to be" Kate answers
"Kate, I thought you moved to DC. You took a job there?"
"I quit that job. I am moving back here. Here is when my heart is. So I have time to stay with my dad."
"That's great Kate. So if you need anything, call. OK?"
"Thanks Josh" Kate smiles to him as he leaves then she looks over to Rick
"So when did you quit your Fed job?" Castle asks
"The moment I opened that drawer in my bedroom, The drawer that was your drawer Instead of finding it empty, I found the note from you along with this"
Beckett holds up her hand and looks at the diamond gracing her finger "I knew that this is what I really want"
Beckett is snuggling back into her man. Feeling warm and safe but at that very moment, her cell phone rings
"Beckett"
The voice on the other end is anything but warm and safe"
"Ms. Beckett! We had a deal and you have decided to break it"
Kate looks up to Rick and shakes her head yes. Castle gets up and walks a few feet away and dials a number. When it is answered, Castle speaks "He is on the phone with her now"
"Look, Bracken, I had to come here for my dad. He had a heart attack"
"His medical needs did not require you getting engaged to Mr. Castle however now did it?"
"No, but we can still work together, you and me. We can get together and talk but I need to be here to see my dad when they take him to his room first. That will be some time after noon. So can you meet me at the Griffin's Transfer warehouse at Pier 14 at 6 o'clock tonight and we can talk this out"
"NO Ms. Beckett! You will not set the meeting place as a trap for me! I will set the place under my terms"
"All right. Where do you want to meet with me?"
There is an old tire factory on 88th and Lex. Be there at 6 and we will talk then. Good Bye"
The phone goes dead
Kate looks up to Castle.
"He wouldn't go to our place. He picked a different location"
Rick responds "Yes, I know"