Moment in Time

To Love and Die in L.A.

Beckett held the creased paper in her hands, reading the words for the tenth time, "And now for the hard part, kid. It's clear that you and Castle have something real, and you're fighting it. But trust me, putting the job ahead of your heart is a mistake. Risking our hearts is why we're alive. The last thing you want is to look back on your life and wonder, if only." Beckett gazed at the man sleeping beside her. He was there for her, helping her whether she wanted it or not. She often couldn't bring herself to admit it, but she wanted it. In that moment in the hotel room, it had taken everything she had, not to call to him when his door closed. She was supposed to be with Josh, but Josh wasn't the one who was by her side without question. That was Castle, only Castle. She reached out a hand to touch his face, just as the plane lurched.

Beckett pulled her hand back as Castle's eyes flew open. "What was that?"

The Captain's voice came over the P.A. System. "Ladies and gentlemen, the plane has developed some mechanical difficulties requiring us to divert from La Guardia. We are attempting to obtain clearance to land at the nearest available airport."

"That doesn't sound good," Beckett said.

"Don't worry about it," Castle advised. "If we're late getting back it will give Captain Montgomery more time to cool off. We can always pick up another plane, or a train or an automobile."

"This isn't a John Candy movie, Castle." "Relax, it'll be...,"

The plane shuddered. "Ladies and gentlemen," came the Captain's voice again. "We will be executing an emergency landing. Please follow all the instructions from your flight attendants." The first class attendant began to give instructions for assuming the emergency position for landing. Despite her obviously thorough rehearsal of the words, her voice trembled. The plane creaked ominously and gravity seemed almost in suspension as they plummeted toward the ground.

Gravity reasserted itself with a jolt. The plane was still moving along the ground, way too fast. Castle and Beckett felt for each others' hands, clasping tightly. Sparks flew as the brakes tried for purchase. There was none, until the plane came violently to rest in a tangle of trees.

It was dark except for the dim glow of the emergency lighting in the aisle of the plane. Beckett could no longer feel Castle's hand. "Castle are you all right?"

Beckett heard a soft groan. "Wow, I think so," Castle told her. "I got banged up a bit when we stopped. This may be first class, but I still don't fit in that position. I think I'll change airlines."

Beckett breathed a sigh of relief at Castle's familiar if sometimes annoying humor, but her relief was short lived. The smell of smoke was invading the cabin. "Castle, we need to get out of here." Castle tried to move from his seat, but found the legs of the flight attendant, who had failed to reach a seat in time, in his way. Moving carefully around her, he felt for a pulse. She was alive but unconscious. Castle made his way to the exit in the front of the plane with Beckett close behind. The hatch released but the exit was blocked by tree branches. "We need to find another way out," Beckett said. Castle picked up the unconscious flight attendant, carrying her over one shoulder in the narrow space between seats. Coach began a few aisles back. The situation looked even more dire there. Flames shooting from the engines made the over-the-wing exits useless. Two flight attendants were attempting to deploy the escape slide from the door at the rear of the plane, while a third one was doing her best to line people up to use it. Coming from first class, Castle and Beckett were at the back of the line. Castle silently reflected on the irony of the situation. The smoke in the cabin was becoming thicker. By the time Castle was able to put his burden in the charge of the crew, he and Beckett were coughing and their eyes streaming. One of the attendants gave the unnecessary instruction to move away from the plane as quickly as possible.

They went down the slide almost blind. "Castle, are you here?" Beckett called in the smoky darkness. "Right here," Castle answered. "I'm reaching for you. Find my hand." Their fingers met and they stumbled across uneven ground away from plane, as fast as they could.

The roar of an explosion rent the air and they were pitched forward by the shock wave. Castle held Beckett beneath him as shrapnel fell in a rain of searing metal. As quiet came, Beckett felt the weight of his body, pressing her into the hard soil. Her voice came in a whisper, the air knocked from her lungs, "Castle, Rick!" There was no answer, but she could feel the movement of his chest as he breathed and the beat of his heart against her back. He was alive. She crawled from beneath him and examined him in the light of the flames from the burning plane. Blood flowed from a jagged cut on his temple and an ugly piece of fuselage was sticking out of his leg. She tore a strip from the bottom of her light, California weight top, to use to put pressure on his head wound. It was soon soaked through. "You may hate me for this," she muttered, pulling out the tail of Castle's custom made shirt and tearing it off. The heavier fabric seemed to help. The bleeding slowed and finally stopped. She was afraid to do anything about his leg, for fear of making things worse.

Castle stirred calling, "Beckett!"

"Shhh," she soothed. "Try not to move."

"Not a problem," Castle said wryly. "Did the plane explode? Are you all right? What happened to the other passengers?"

"I'm fine and most of the other passengers were further away than we were," Beckett told him. "They're probably okay."

"And the crew?" Castle asked.

"I don't know," Beckett told him. "The ones in the back were right behind us on the slide. They might have gotten out all right. I don't know about the captain or the co-pilot. I never saw them. How are you feeling?"

"Like I got hit by flying debris from an exploding plane. How about you?"

"I'm fine Castle."

"That's good," Castle murmured, his voice trailing off.

"Rick, stay with me!"

"So bossy," Castle muttered softly."I'm awake."

After what seemed like hours, Beckett could hear the thwup of helicopter blades in the distance. "Just a little longer Castle, help is coming."

Beckett smiled down at the sapphire eyes that looked up from the hospital bed. "You're back," she said.

"Where did I go and how long was I gone?" Castle asked.

"You were in surgery. They had to get that piece of the plane you tried to keep as a souvenir out of your leg. You've been out a few hours."

"Beckett, did you ever find out what happened to everyone else?" Beckett nodded. "All the passengers and the flight attendants came through, mostly with minor injuries at most. The front window of the cockpit shattered against the trees. The captain and the co-pilot took some hard hits, but got out through the window. They're both still in surgery, but they're expected to make it."

"Thank God!" Castle exclaimed. "I should call my family. For some reason Mother and Alexis worry about me."

"I already called them," Beckett assured him. "They're on their way."

"I hope they pick a safer plane than we did."

"Actually, they're driving. Martha is bringing you some things."

"Yeah. Beckett I seem to remember you tearing up my shirt."

"Sorry Castle, I had to keep you from bleeding to death."

Castle's mouth quirked in a lopsided grin. "I know an excuse when I hear one. That's all right, Beckett. Feel free to tear the clothes off me any time you want."

"Castle," Beckett mused silently, "you have no idea how close I came."