City Slickers

A/N: Thank you for sticking with me through this one, I know the updates have been sporadic. Still a few more chapters to go with this one but I already have ideas for a 3rd installment. Are you interested? Any suggestions for titles?

Chapter 13

"Set her down on the table," Josh ordered as the group of men came rushing into the room, Kate cradled in Castle's arms.

"She was awake when we found her, she only just went unconscious," Castle informed and Josh spared him a glance before turning back to the unconscious woman.

"Kate? Kate, sweetie, can you hear me?" Josh called, slapping her lightly on her cheek, her head lolling but showing no sign of waking. "She's too cold. We have to warm her up."

Lanie was currently piling blankets on her friend while the others stood awkwardly by the doorway. Castle hovered by Kate's feet, his hands fidgeting nervously, one coming up to run through his hair and down his face every few seconds, as if he had forgotten he had just done it moments before.

Laura came rushing up to the doorway and poked her head over Alexis's shoulder in time to see Lanie turn towards them. Gina and Amanda were in the corner, seeming wanting to sink into the corner. Not able to look away from the woman lying on the table but not moving to help either.

Lanie glanced up at the group of people before she started to hand out orders. "Alexis go fill up the tub but don't heat up the water."

Alexis looked up startled. "But it will be cold."

Lanie moved to remove Kate's remaining boot, not bothering to look up as she answered the girl. "It's warmer than she is now. If we warm her up too fast it will kill her and she's close enough already. Now move."

Alexis pushed past Laura as she rushed down the hall towards the single bathroom at the end of the hall. When the hotel had been built, the porcelain tub had been an added luxury for the higher paying guests. Now, it was playroom for the children. Alexis ushered them out, throwing the small wooden toys into the hallway after them before turning to the tub and the water pump attached. The water would be freezing as she pumped it from the outside and she stuck her head back out in the hall to call Ryan over to her.

"Get Eustice to warm up a couple of buckets in the kitchen. This water is too cold."

Ryan answered with a single nod before bounding down the stairs.

Alexis glanced back down the hall in time to see all the men, besides Josh, being ushered out into the hall and hear the door to the room slam shut.

"Laura," Lanie called. "Come here."

Laura stepped forward, her hands twisting in the apron as her gaze settled on the woman lying on the table in the middle of the room. She stopped suddenly and her head twisted around to see her mother right behind her, Amanda's hand gripping her arm tightly. "You don't go near her."

Lanie glanced up as she worked at the scraps of cloth tied haphazardly around Kate's thigh. "Laura?"

Laura looked over at Lanie, the crease in her freckled forehead deepening as her head swiveled back to her mother. "I… um…"

"All of this is her fault. You shouldn't be out here. None of us should. You don't go near her. She's not normal and I don't want you around her. If you do you are no longer welcome in my house," Amanda's voice was low, menacing as she glared at her daughter.

Laura's eyes grew wide as she stared back at her mother, her head swiveling back to look at Kate, lying still on the table, a sickening blue-grey tinge to her skin. She looked back at her mother's dark eyes and set jaw and shook her head slowly. "No, it's not. She saved my life. If it weren't for her, I would have died in that fire. It's time for me to return the favor."

Amanda's jaw fell open as Laura worked her arm out of her mother's grip and made her way to Lanie's side, awaiting her orders.

Amanda's jaw worked, opening and closing slightly as she tried to form words, but Lanie cut in, her eyes flickered between the two socialites, before Amanda could say anything more. "Either you two help or get out. Now."

Gina and Amanda glanced at each other. Amanda's neck turned red as she looked at her daughter standing by Kate's head, stroking her hair gently and Josh and Lanie working to keep her alive. With a huff she turned and yanked the door open, flouncing into the hall. The plain floral dress she had changed into disappearing into the hall as the door slammed shut behind her. Gina gazed after her friend, her eyes catching Castle's as he stood in the hall worried, useless at the moment, unable to be in the room with the woman he claimed to love. His eyes left hers and his sight settled on Kate as the door slid shut. Her head swiveled around in time to see the bandage slide open and all of them gagged at the smell of rancid, burnt flesh and infection that wafted up towards them.

"God, Kate," Josh chided as he bent over to look at the wound, his arm up to cover his mouth and nose. "What did you do?"

Gina felt the bile rise in her throat and turned towards the corner, bracing her arms against the wall as she fought for a clean breath. She choked back down the need to vomit before twisting her head back around to glance at the group huddled around the table.

"Laura," Lanie called. "Find me some scissors. We will have to cut off the rest of her clothes."

Laura nodded as she headed to the pile of supplies on the other side of the room and Gina watched as she rummaged through the piles of materials. She glanced back down and a sewing kit on the floor caught her attention. She bent down slowly; untwisting the twine holding the box shut and lifted the top to see the supplies inside, her hand reaching in slowly to pull out a pair of silver scissors. She looked at them for a moment, before glancing back up towards the door and over to the table. If Kate Beckett hadn't come to town, she and Richard Castle would be married by now, settled in his house, his daughter off at boarding school. They would attend cocktail parties and he would have his book published.

Gina glanced at Laura and the girl's words echoed through her mind. If it weren't for her, I would have died in that fire. Alexis could have died, too. Richard would have been devastated. She shook her head slowly and she stepped forward, the scissors in her hand, holding them out to Lanie.

She had never truly loved Richard Castle. She had loved the idea of him. He was a good man. They would have made a good couple, powerful. Castle hadn't loved her either but he would have married her anyway because he was supposed too.

Lanie's eyes caught hers as she reached up to take the pro-offered scissors. She nodded her head slowly and turned back to Kate, raising the tool up to cut away at the fabric.

"Go check on Alexis. See if she's ready," Lanie told her softly. "We need to warm her up, now."

Gina nodded slowly and made her way back to the door, slipping quietly out into the hall. She glanced around as she stepped into the narrow corridor. All the men glanced up at her and Rick's eyes caught hers again momentarily. Amanda was nowhere to be found. She nodded at her ex-fiancé slightly before turning down the hall without a word. She arrived at the bathroom in time to see Ryan dumping a second bucket of steaming water into the tub.

"Not perfect, but it will have to do," he grumbled.

Gina cleared her throat and Alexis glanced up at her. "We're ready."

Gina made her way back down the hall in time to see Laura rush out the door and bound down the stairs, taking them two at a time as her braided hair bounced after her.

Gina slid back into the room to see Lanie wrapping a blanket around Kate's naked body, catching a glimpse of the woman's ribs jutting out through her skin a mirage of bruises and scars peppering her body.

"They're ready," Gina informed quietly and Josh lifted Kate's body up quickly and turned towards the door, Gina holding it open as he rushed into the hall.

He made his way down the hall all the other men watching after him as he disappeared into the bathroom. He placed Kate gently in the tub, blanket and all. Kate let out a strangled moan, followed by a series of whimpers as her limbs started to twitch and thrash, the blood beginning to flood her limbs once again.

Alexis stepped back, startled, standing next to Gina as Lanie rushed forward, holding Kate's head to keep it above water.

"No, no, no, no, no," Kate started to mumble.

Lanie bent her head over, stroking the side of Kate's head gently as she whispered in her ear. "It's okay. You're all right. You will feel better soon. I promise sweetie. Just hold on."

"No, no, no." Kate groaned again, her words slurring together. "Sarah. Find Sarah. She's cold."

Josh looked up startled, catching Lanie's eye as she placed a gentle kiss on the top of her friend's head. "Sarah's fine, sweetie. We have her right here."

Gina glanced over at Alexis, whose eyes were wide in shock. "Who's Sarah?"

Alexis glanced back at her, her eyes flickering slightly as if she just realized whom it was that was standing next to her. She glanced back at the tub before answering the question in low whisper. "Her daughter. Their daughter. She did in childbirth."

Gina's eyes flickered, a look of pain glancing over her features. She swallowed hard and looked back as Josh leaned over into the tub, taking Kate's hand in his, pushing on her finger tips gently, sighing in relief as they slowly turned pink again, the blood rushing in to fill them.

A ghost of a smile passed over Kate's lips.

"She's okay?" Kate mumbled again, a slight hint of awe in her voice. "Go tell, Josh. He was upset. Ran away because she wasn't breathing. Tell him she's okay. He'll come home if she's okay."

Lanie looked up when Josh sucked in another breath, his fingers twisting through hers. "Josh is right here sweetie. Can you open your eyes?"

Kate's eyes blinked open slowly, her lips pressing together as the blue tinge began to fade and they started to become pink again. Her body shivered violently, the water splashing as she did. Lanie cradled a hand under her head to keep it from hitting the side of the tub. She tilted her head slightly to look at her ex-husband. "Papa said he found you by the tree. Remember the tree Josh? It's where you told me you loved me. Don't know why you love me. Just following me around for your stupid story. I pushed you away because you deserve better. Too damaged. Came to New York because I wanted to tell you I made a mistake but you moved on. Don't blame you. But you asked me to marry you by that tree when I told you about the baby. Papa was mad but he built the cradle. Your mother cried. Called me a harlot. You remember? You defended me. Asked me to marry you. Alexis reminds me of her you know. You have a good daughter. I only hope Sarah will grow up to be as good."

The group listened as Kate rambled on, twisting two stories into one jumbled mess of words and phrases.

"She's delirious," Josh stated quietly to Lanie. "She's warm enough now. We should get her out, we have to work on that infection."

Lanie nodded and reached back for a dry sheet as Josh reached down to pull Kate out of the water. They made their way back down the hall slowly, Josh adjusting Kate in his arms every couple of seconds to keep her from falling, her body still shivering violently.

"Is she supposed to be shaking like that?" Castle asked as they approached the room again and he smiled softly as Kate's head lifted slightly and her eyes fluttered open to look at him. "Hi."

She stared back at him and her mouth twitched slightly at his quiet greeting.

"She's shivering to warm her body up. It's a good thing, ig means she's going to be okay as long as we can get the infection in her leg under control. It's bad but it could be a lot worse."

Josh turned to walk back into the room, placing Kate gently on the bed before turning back to look at Alexis. "Go find Laura, we need that poultice. She should have been back by now."

Alexis nodded and turned towards the door, stopping short as Laura came bursting back through, breathing heavy; a bowl in her hand. "Here."

Laura held out the paste to Lanie and the woman set to work slathering it on Kate's wound as Josh tucked the pile of blanket's back over her. Leaning down to stroke the hair off of Kate's forehead. "Where do you hurt, Katie?"

"Everything hurts," Kate mumbled back. "Whisper got scared. Wolves and a gun. Someone shot a gun. She threw me and ran. Hit my head. Hurt my back. Branch caught my leg."

Josh nodded slightly as he worked to feel for bumps on her head and Kate whimpered, trying to push his hands away.

"Hold still," he chided gently. "I need to make sure you're okay."

Kate settled down as Josh finished with her skull and rolled her onto her side to look at the wound on her back. She was covered in a pattern of black, blue, and purple bruises. One large one covered her left hip, but Josh only nodded his head, satisfied that none of them were too bad. He pressed his fingers into her ribs and she swore at him as he hit a tender spot.

"You're lucky, Katie," he whispered again. "Only a broken rib and that cut on your leg. It could have been a lot worse."

Kate's eyes rolled to look up at him. Her gaze was still slightly vacant, but becoming more coherent with each passing minute. "I should be dead?"

Josh nodded slightly. "Yeah. It's a miracle you're alive. Three days in that cold, anyone else would have died."

Kate's mouth twisted up into a slight smile. "I'm a stubborn son of a bitch."

Josh let out a rumble of a laugh. "Yeah. You're stubborn alright."

Kate's smile fell a little. "Is Castle here?"

Josh's mouth twitched slightly and his shoulders slumped slightly as he nodded. "He's outside."

"Want to see him."

Josh glanced at Lanie who was finishing tying a fresh white bandage on her leg. She nodded as she flipped the blanket back over her body and Josh nodded in acquiescence.

The others slipped into the hall as Castle stood awkwardly just inside the doors, staring at Kate lying on the bed, the blankets rising and falling slightly with her steady breathing. She looked smaller than he had noticed in the past, her shoulders more narrow as they stuck out from the top of the bedding, her arms anchoring the pile of blankets across her chest. Her eyelids fluttered slightly and she turned her head to look over at him.

"Hey," he said softly, taking a step into the room. "You look…"

Kate let a weak, half smile slip. "You can say I look awful."

"No," he amended quickly, his voice a little too loud for the silent room as he took another step forward, sinking onto his knees beside the bed. "I was going to say you look beautiful."

"Kate's half smile turned into a full one as she shook her head slightly. "Liar."

"No," Castle challenged as he took her hand in his, playing with her fingers gently, before threading them through his. "Not lying. Just happy to see you."

"Happy to see you, too," she replied.

He reached up a hand, pushing a lock of hair behind her ear.

"Sorry about Alexis," Kate started. "Didn't know she was sneaking onto the train. I promise."

"I know," Castle replied. "Stubborn girl. Kind of like someone else I know."

Kate smirked. "We strong willed women have to stick together."

Her smile faltered a little and she glanced down at their joined hands before pulling hers back slightly. "You should go. Gina's outside."

Castle looked up at her, startled, his eyes narrowing for a second before they grew wide. She didn't know. Of course she didn't know. She had been stranded in a cave.

He threaded his fingers back through hers gently and inched closer to the bed as she stared at him in confusion. "I called off the engagement."

Kate's eyes grew wide and she fought the smile threatening to cross her face. "Oh, why?"

Castle leaned forward and placed a chaste kiss on her forehead. "Because there is someone else I want to spend the rest of my life with. You may know her: pretty girl, stubborn as a mule. Strong-willed, carries the weight of the world on her shoulders; doesn't back down from a fight. Has a tendency to almost get killed. Annoying as hell."

Kate pressed her lips together. "Sounds like you found yourself a winner."

Castle chuckled. "Yeah, well, she's sort of amazing as well. Kind, considerate, loves my daughter. Smart, funny. Puts up with me."

Kate groaned. "I wouldn't go that far."

"Kate…" Castle started, his voice drifting off as he leaned forward, the back of his hand stroking down the side of her face.

Her breath caught in her chest as their eyes locked and she turned her head slowly, nuzzling her head into his hand. It wasn't weakness. Allowing herself to be happy wasn't weakness. If anything it was strength. The strength to finally move on; move forward.

"Yeah, I know," she whispered back. "I love you too, you bastard."