Castle woke, a scream caught in his throat. The trauma psychologist had told him that he would have nightmares. He already knew that. His childhood had been full of nightmares; ones that he and his mother refused to speak about. His life hadn't always been about penthouse apartments, summers in the Hamptons and fun.
His grandparents had disowned their daughter when she got pregnant with him at 18. She refused to abort him or give him up for adoption. She refused to name to man. She had grown up as the spoiled only daughter of multi-generational wealthy family. She had played with the Rockefellers and Kennedys. Things were appalling for them until she began to land parts in good plays and it didn't hurt that she came into her trust fund when she turned 30. Something her grandparents had created before they died.
Her four marriages in attempt to find some stability for them were spectacular failures. One of the four was an actual good guy, but he had been the last of them. By that time, Castle was wary of his mother's choices. Those years of his life until he turned 11 were times he refused to remember and couldn't forget.
Castle wiped the sweat from his face with the sheet. Pain lanced through his body as he reached for his water glass. The nerve block for his back was wearing off and it was time for the Marquis de Sade's assistants to turn him and change his IVs. He gritted his teeth as he tried to turn himself. No matter how he laid, it hurt. He reached for the water again. It was out of his reach. He closed his eyes, frustration pounding in his brain.
A black hand picked up his glass and tilted the straw to his lips. Castle jerked away, flaying his right hand at what had touched his face. The glass dropped to the floor, shattering loudly in the stillness of the night. Castle's arms covered his face defensively, ripping the IV from his arm.
He was no longer in the hospital. He was lost in the terrifying feelings of just days ago. He could smell the room he had been trapped in; the smell of filth and his own bodily fluids strong in the straw of the mattress; the fleas and other bugs dining on him. "Castle. Rick. Come on up, buddy. You're safe." A masculine hand touched his shoulder, shaking him slightly. "It's alright. Come on into this world."
A light hit Castle's face, Captain Roy Montgomery swallowed hard. The man was trying to curl into a small ball. Montgomery looked at the door where one of the rank and file uniformed officers observed him and the broken glass on the floor. "I'll take care of it." The uniform closed the door.
Castle heard the voice and tried to make sense of what the man was saying. After long moments, Castle pulled his arms from his head and tried to straighten out. Fiery pain lanced through him from head to foot, he forced his eyes open, needing to focus on something. The brown eyes of the captain caught his gaze. "Breathe, Rick. Breathe through it."
Montgomery hit the call button for the night nurse. Seconds, later she came through the door. She turned on the soft light over the bed. The captain smiled. This would do the trick. She was Asian, not too young, but very pretty. She was average height and slender. "Ahh, the benefits of being a celebrity." He thought watching the nurse care for her patient.
She repaired his IV line and then gently, cautiously stroked Castle face with a wet cloth. "Mr. Castle, can you hear me?" At his slight nod, she continued. "We are going to give you something for the pain. It will be better in just a moment." She pulled a syringe from her scrub and injected it into his IV. "Hey, can I see your eyes for just a moment?" He carefully opened his eyes. They were still swollen and bloodshot, slightly unfocused as he looked at the nurse. She looked deeply into his eyes then used a pen light to check his pupils. "Good." She watched him as his breathing calmed and the panic left his face.
"Thanks." He muttered trying to hold her hand. The nurse had worked in a military trauma center for a few years. People who have been badly treated generally have one of two reactions. They either do not want anyone to touch them or they cannot get enough of physical contact. Obviously, Mr. Castle required the reassuring touches. She would make a notation in his file.
"Feeling better now?" She squeezed his forearm. She cleaned up the glass shards and water on the floor. She took a plastic glass from the bathroom and tore the cellophane from it. She filled it with water from the carafe on the bedside and added a straw from her pocket. "Mr. Castle, would you like some water?" At his nod, she placed the straw between his lips allowing him to drink. When he finished she placed the cup on the nightstand. "I'll be back later. I am Rachael. If you need me just push the button." She put the call button in his right hand and placed his thumb over the button She threw a smile at Montgomery and left. Mutely, the door closed slowly behind her.
Castle watched her go. "Ask her out."
The Captain's head swiveled to Castle. "I'm married." He stopped then qualified. "I'm separated, but that is still married."
"So? You have filed for divorce, haven't you?" Castle settled a little more into his pillow. "Ask her out."
He thought Castle had gone back to sleep. "What time is it?" Castle asked softly.
"A little after 1 am."
"I'm bored and I don't want to sleep. Got any cards?" Castle asked, easing himself up. Montgomery stopped him and showed him the buttons to move the bed. "Cool." He began to play with the controls.
Montgomery decided he liked it better when Castle was asleep. "I need to go to the bathroom." Castle muttered and pulled sheets off him. He swung his feet over the edge of the bed before Montgomery could move.
"Hey. I don't know if you are allowed up. Let's get the nurse, Rachael, in here." Montgomery saw that Castle was wavering a little. "You look a little green."
Castle pressed the button. "Ask her out."
Rachael and Montgomery helped Castle to the toilet. She showed him the button to push if he needed her, shut the door and left him in peace. She and Montgomery stood facing each other, trying to ignore any sounds coming from the bathroom.
"Will he be alright in there alone?" Montgomery asked, clearly concerned.
She liked that this man was so obviously anxious over his friend. There was none of the macho behaviors so often seen when men were hurting and their male buddies came, but it was early days yet. He was kind of sexy, too. She flashed him some of her perfect teeth and placed a hand on his arm. "Sir, Mr. Castle should be fine. He knows that we are here if he needs something. Sometimes, when someone is in pain the best thing you can do is simply be there."
He placed his hand over hers. "Roy." He saw her bewilderment. "My name is Roy Montgomery. Not even my detectives call me 'Sir.' Generally, it is Captain."
She smiled. "Roy it is." They had plenty of time to get to know each other if he continued staying with his friend. Mr. Castle would be here at least another 10 days. "Rachael Suhana."
They heard the toilet flush and waited for Castle to exit the bathroom. Moments past and the door didn't open. Rachael knocked on the door. There was no answer. Concerned, she opened the door and was not really surprised by what she saw. Castle was standing in front of the mirror looking at himself.
Richard Castle never really thought of himself as ruggedly handsome. He knew he was passably attractive and didn't scare children with his looks. He figured it was more his money and status that drew women to him. He decided he would have to write a lot more books and make a lot more money before a woman would want to be seen with him again.
There were patches of hair missing from his head. He couldn't see the sutures, but he could feel them with his fingers. Both eyes were black, bloodshot, just slits in his face. His nose was swollen and blood was crusted around his nostrils. Purple, blue, yellow and green were the colors of his face. His lips were cracked and slightly caked with blood. He could see several stitches in his upper lip and some more on his chin. He counted 16 stitches just above his left eyebrow.
He felt his teeth with his tongue and realized a trip to the dentist was going to be a priority. He opened his mouth and looked at them. None of his teeth were actually broken, but there were cracks and chips. He had bitten his tongue at some point. No wonder it hurt.
A warm hand touched his back of his neck and Beckett's face appeared in the mirror beside his, her head laying gently on his right shoulder with arm traveling around his back to is left. Definitely a 'Beauty and the Beast' moment, he thought. "It is bad now, Castle, but it has only been three days. Your looks will improve." She smiled at him, tears clouding her green eyes. "Would help you to know that I think you are better looking today than you have ever been? There is more to you than your looks. Your looks aren't what drew me to you. It was your heart."
He stared at her. "Watch out. Someone will figure it out." His right hand traced her cheek and lips.
"Let them." Her hand slid down his arm and across his hip to his bare ass. Lightly, lovingly she patted it. "I'll cover your ass for you." She pulled his hospital gown closed in the back, loosely tying it. "Let's get you to bed."
"Finally, she says the words I have been waiting to hear for three years and I can't do anything about it." He lamented to all that would listen.
