Just a friendly reminder that I have a companion piece for this called "Too Many Ways" with extra scenes. So, for example, if you wanted to see what happened after Beckett woke up in the previous chapter, or why Castle didn't call back in "I just Called to Say", all you have to do is click on my profile and then click on "Too Many Ways". It's all there.

Edit: So, I've gone in and cleaned up some stuff. It was, like 3 am when I posted this morning. I've been trying to write this scenario since I started this miniseries but it wasn't cooperating; then, yesterday Red came out and I fioud out I only have to wait a week for Season 5, not four months like I thought and all of a sudden I was in the mood to write it. Funny How that works.

Upload Date: October 23, 2012

Chapter Rating: K+ (Aftermath of violence)

Chapter Summary: Afetr Castle is injured, it's up to Beckett's ex-boyfriend to attend to him.

#27

Castle was cleaning the blood from his forehead when the doorbell rang. He dried himself with the towel and answered it. His mouth dropped open when he saw who it was. He should have guessed. It was just one of those days

"Detective Demming. Come in."

Demming nodded, business-like, before looking up, at which point his eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

"Holy crap, Castle!" The next thing he knew he was ripping off his tie. Castle stepped back in fear. He had just been attacked in his own apartment and now Beckett's ex-boyfriend seemed to have decided it was his turn, too. In that moment Castle wasn't sure if he wanted to strangle him or if he was coming on to him – and he wasn't sure which scared him more, either.

Turned out it was neither as he pressed it to his forehead.

"Geez, Castle, you're a multi-millionaire and you don't have a first-aid kit?"

"I was just cleaning the wound when you knocked," said Castle, leading Demming to his bathroom.

"Castle, the call came in twenty minutes ago."

"Yeah, well, I was getting the glass out – plus, I... kind of kept passing out," he admitted. "Guess I didn't realise how deep it went."

Demming froze. "Ok, that's it, we gotta get you to the emergency room."

"No – no, no, don't be so melodramatic. Come on, just... help me get cleaned up."

Demming reluctantly dropped the issue and helped Castle dress his wounds when the door opened and a woman's voice echoed through the loft.

"Ok, I'm home, so what's the - "

There was a crash. She had been out to get groceries. Perhaps she had dropped them.

"Castle?!" There was worry in her voice.

"Bathroom!" Castle called back.

Demming held pressure on Castle's bandage. "Is that...?"

"Uh, yeah. Probably should have warned you about that," said Castle sheepishly. "I blame the head injury."

"Castle, what the hell happened?!" Beckett panicked as she put away her gun. She froze. It's not every day you walk into your current boyfriend's bathroom to find him bleeding through gauze held up by your ex-boyfriend. She recovered quickly, though, pushing past Demming to examine his head.

"Oh, God, we gotta get you to the emergency room." She led him out.

"It's no good, Kate. I already tried - "

"Oh, you tried?!" She snapped. "The man is bleeding from his head. You don't try. You just take him."

"Well, I couldn't very much force him - "

"Maybe you can't. Come on, Rick."

"Uh-oh, calling me Rick. That means she's serious."

About four hours later, Castle was sitting on the foot of a hospital bed, his head clean and bandaged, his arm attached to a drip, while Demming stood in front of him, note-pad in hand.

"Ok, that should about do it. Thank you very much for your cooperation, Mr. Castle."

"Thank you, Detective Demming - and, uh, look, sorry for the way you found out - "

"Hey, it's fine. Kate and I, that was... very short-lived – and over a long time ago. I'm glad you guys finally worked things out."

"Yeah, it was about time, wasn't it?"

"I'll say. Hey, why did you guys break up in the first place, anyway?"

"Break up? We never broke up?"

"Didn't she break up with you just before she dated that surgeon guy?'

"Josh? We didn't get together in the first place until, like, a year after they broke up. We've only been dating for a few months."

"Oh," said Demming, confused. "All this time, I thought she broke up with me for you. I kind of hated you for a few months because of that. In fact I... may or may not have hidden a few copies of Naked Heat behind some cook-books at Barnes and Noble. Sorry, man."

"Why would you think she broke up with you for me? I wasn't even in town when you guys broke up."

"Uh, well, granted, it was over two years ago; but I'm pretty sure you guys were working on that Spy-Games case when she called off a trip I think we were gonna have for the weekend – and I realised it wasn't just the weekend."

"Kate - Kate broke up with you before I left?"

"Yeah, well, it doesn't really matter, now, does it?" said Demming quickly, apparently realising he had opened a proverbial can of worms. "I mean, the important thing is you're together now. Besides, if she didn't love you then, she definitely does now. I mean, Kate Beckett is one of the most sensible people I've ever met; but she was going crazy tonight over what happened to you."

Castle nodded slowly, smiling. "Look at us; two grown men talking about love like a couple of girls."

"Well, if this wasn't a hospital, I'd suggest a spitting contest. "

"Not necessary." He held out his hand. "Thanks again."

Demming smiled, shaking it. "You take care, Castle."

After opening and shutting the curtain, he almost ran into Beckett. It was fortunate that he didn't, as she was carrying two coffees.

"Uh - "

"Hi, Kate."

"Tom."

An awkward pause followed.

"Uh, so -"

"Look - "

"I'm sorry," they said in unison; and then laughed together.

"Look, I get it," said Demming. "No harm, no foul."

"Friends?"

"Friends."

"Yeah, I'd shake your hand but -" she indicated the coffees.

"No worries, said Demming. "I'm glad you're happy, Kate."

"But you don't know what I see in him, right?"

"On the contrary; I was at Captain Montgomery's funeral. The guy tried to take a bullet for you. Kind of hard to compete with that."

"Oh, well, uh - "

"Relax, Kate," he grinned. "It's been two years. I'm over you."

"Right. Well, I guess I'll see you around the precinct?"

He inclined his head. "Yeah, maybe. I just might stop avoiding you."

They both smiled.

"See ya, Kate."

"See ya, Tom.

"Hey, said Castle taking one of the coffees from her. "So, what's the verdict?"

"I get to take you home. The next available nurse is gonna take out the IV, we'll fill out some forms and then, we're out of here."

"Ok," he nodded. "Wait. What about Mother?"

"I've already called her; she was having a private lesson with a client and just got back. Alexis has had her phone turned off all day during classes. They both just got back to me. They're gonna meet us back at my place, then Martha's spending the night at the Hamptons and Alexis is going back to her dorm."

"Well, looks like you thought of everything."

"Mm," she said distractedly.

"What?"

She turned to look him directly in the eye. "Don't think you're getting off the hook that easy. Why didn't you call me?"

"I texted you."

"That just said to hurry up and get home. I didn't know it was an emergency!"

"Oh, I think emergency's a bit of an exaggeration - "

"Castle, a man broke into your Loft through the window and knocked you out with a glass bottle. Just how long did you have to wait before qualifying it as an emergency, when your lifeless corpse was laying in the middle of the living room?"

"Woah, Kate - "

"Castle, do you have any idea what it was like to walk into the Loft to find the whole place trashed and blood everywhere?!"

He bowed his head and gently wrapped an arm around her. She fell into his embrace easily; if not for the coffee she probably would have clung to him.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry; I should have called."

"Yeah, you should have called – an ambulance," she snapped again, breaking off.

"Ok, you're right. I should have been less careless. I should have thought about the people who love me; Alexis, mother – you."

Beckett's lip twitched. "Well.. yeah, you should have."

"Ah, so you admit it! You love me."

"I did not – in so many words."

"I don't know why. It's pretty obvious. Even Demming knew when you broke up with him for me."

He watched her face slowly for a reaction.

She took a sip before replying.

"So, I take it you guys discussed a little more than just the case."

"Hey, it's ok. Water under the bridge, right?"

She nodded. "Yeah. I'm over it. I have you now."

He smirked. "Yes, you do. I'm still sorry I hurt you, though," he said, getting serious again.

She shrugged. "It's ok, Castle, it was a long time ago."

There was a pause.

"I can't believe you loved me even then," he grinned.

She raised her eyebrows. " Even then?" She put down the coffee. He sighed in relief; she was smiling.

"Castle," she rolled her eyes as she sat on his lap. He gently supported her by the hips as she leaned in to whisper in his ear. "I loved you from the very first day."

So, did anyone fall for the mislead and think for a second that this was about Josh? I guess, since they were in the hospital, they could have run into him, too; but I think that would have been too cruel to poor Beckett. One ex at a time, I think. Plus, I've always had a soft spot for Hot Uncle Cooper. As for the last line... I guess I'm just in a Taylor Swift mood today.