So I've got another chapter for you! I still have them in this fire saga, but they are moving forward. After doing a little more research I realized that moving them forward too fast with some stuff just wasn't logical considering the amount of time it would take to heal from these type of injuries. Like last time, if I don't have all the medical stuff completely correct, please feel free to send me a PM with the correct info. I've only done limited research, partly because of time and partly because of lot of the most informative sites about burns have very gruesome pics that not only did I find bothersome, but since my kids were running in and out of the room, I didn't want them to see either.
As always thank you all for all your wonderful support, every message, review, and alert is awesome!
On a side note, I don't know when I'll have my next chapter up. I'll work on it when I can, but we had a death in the family, and right now that's changing a lot of our immediate plans.
Disclaimer... please refer to the first 27 chapters if you are unsure about my Castle ownership. Thanks! :)
Oh, and one more thing... Happy Birthday Richard Castle! ;)
Chapter 28
At the sound of her voice, Rick immediately looked up at Kate.
He didn't know what he expected to see but this wasn't it. Her face was no longer black with soot, but was pink, like she'd been in the sun too long, and sported a few scrapes and gashes. Her hair wasn't spread out and smoldering, but was pulled back from her face into a loose pony tail. Her lips seemed to hold a bluish tint, but nothing like the dirty gray pallor from last night, and best of all, her green eyes, despite being bloodshot, sparkled with life and she was even smiling!
"Kate!"
He crossed the room in two long strides and was soon at her side. He wanted to hug her, but was afraid to touch her. Her arms and hands were bandaged, and she had tubes coming from several places on her body. Now that he was closer, he could see bruises forming on her left cheek and near the back of her neck.
"You can kiss me, I won't break."
He leaned in and gently captured her lips, while being careful not to nudge the oxygen tube at her nose.
When he pulled back, he looked over her again. He ran his fingers along some of marks marring her face and neck. Cautiously he lowered himself to sit on the bed facing her.
"How do you do it?" Rick asked, his voice husky, not only from the recent trauma but from all the emotions he was trying to keep in check.
"Do what?"
"Get yourself all banged up and burned in a fire and still look so damn beautiful?"
Beckett looked down at herself and chuckled sardonically. "And here I thought I was the one on the good drugs! Are you high or are you still just oxygen deprived?"
"Hardly. I'm quite lucid. And you are the most welcoming, beautiful, amazing sight these sore eyes have ever seen." Rick swallowed hard, which was quite painful. "I thought I lost you."
Kate reached a bandaged hand out to Rick, her two exposed fingers brushing along the skin of his own injured hands. "Don't worry, Write Boy, I'm not that easy to get rid of."
Rick leaned in again for a longer kiss, unfortunately it caused both of them to begin coughing. He held the plastic hospital mug of water up to her lips before taking a drink for himself.
"Look we take each other's breath away." He said
"If my hands weren't killing me, I'd smack you." Kate replied.
They both sat quietly for several minutes, looking at each other, but lost in their own personal thoughts.
"I love you, Rick."
"I love you too, Kate."
Rick was confused when Kate looked frustrated by his reply. Again she reached for him through all the gauze and dressings. It was so hard to not be able to experience the physical contact they both desired.
"I know you do, and I'm so thankful for your love, but I'm trying to tell you something even more." Kate took the deepest breath she could manage before continuing. "When we were in the building, you told me to tell you that I loved you when I got out. I'm out. I'm alive. I'm right here touching you and talking to you. Stop looking at me like I'm about to fall apart in front of you. I love you. We're partners, and... and I'm not going anywhere, now or any other time."
"But Kate, so much can happen. You can't promise me that it won't." As if to emphasize his point, he was again wracked with a fit of coughing.
"No, I can't. You're right." Every soft word she spoke took effort, but it was worth it, because they needed to hear what she had to say. "But I can promise that I would never intentionally leave you. And I can promise that when life does throw us these curve balls," she gestured at both of them indicating their injuries, "that I promise to keep fighting, for myself, for you, for us."
Rick reached up and tucked a loose strand of hair behind Kate's ear. "Are you telling me you're ready to make a commitment?"
She tried to take another deep breath but only wheezed. Rick gave her more water and waited until her breathing became more regular. "I'm not ready to go ring shopping, if that's what you're asking, but yes, I am completely committed to you."
"I wish I could hold you in my arms. I need to feel you against me."
She looked at the IVs and monitors on her left, but saw that that the other side was pretty clear. "If you can help me scoot over a bit, you could lay on my right side and hold me. Just be careful, that's where they had to do most of the debriding."
So he did, and they were soon snuggled next to each other, fast asleep.
When Lanie and Esposito returned to the room and found them that way, Lanie was just glad to see them both truly resting. Although sharing the small bed probably wasn't the best thing in the world for either their burns or their ability to breathe, being that comfortable and relaxed would definitely speed the healing process.
Unfortunately they didn't get to remain that comfortable for long. Kate's nurse soon came in the room to check things over and change some of her dressings. Rick got up to allow Lanie and the nurse to work, but Lanie shooed both Esposito and Castle out of the room.
Rick wanted to stay and support Kate, but Lanie told him not this time.
"I'll come get you when we're done. I promise."
The two men wandered down the hall to the family lounge and raided the vending machines.
"Has Lanie told you how bad Kate is? I wanted to ask but... I don't know."
Javier nodded. He understood. "From what she said, the worst is respiratory. She took in a lot of smoke. Not only are her throat and airways partially scalded, but they'll have to watch her for any serious side effects like asthma and pneumonia, at least for a while."
Rick nodded, he'd been told similar things during his discharge, but to a lesser extent. "What about burns? She's covered in dressings and drains and everything."
"From what Lanie said, some of the bandages are from cuts and stuff. I guess she's got over thirty stitches here and there, probably from falling debris, nothing major, but a lot of them have burns around them too so they are really cautious about preventing infections. Most of her burns are 1st and 2nd degree, especially on her back, arms and legs." Esposito took a drink from his cola before continuing, giving Castle a moment to digest the details.
"Most are 1st and 2nd but not all?"
"No, not all. She has a 3rd degree burn on her left hand and a couple patches on her side. Those may require skin grafts. She'll be in here at least a week if not longer."
Rick hissed air through his teeth. His elbows where perched on his knees and his head hung in his hands. So much had happened in the last twenty four hours.
"I need you to do something for me."
"Anything."
"I don't know if these injuries could effect her work, but I want to make sure we've done everything possible to make sure she has full mobility and use of her hands. Talk to Lanie, see what she says and then find out who the best of the best doctors are who can help her, not just who the department's insurance covers. Whatever she needs, pulmonologists, burn specialists, cosmetics surgeons, physical therapists... whatever she needs and make sure I get the bill."
"Definitely, Bro! You and Becks are like a brother and sister to me!I'm just glad I can help."
"You guys and Captain and Lanie have all been wonderful! Above and beyond."
"Well, Lanie has the whole week off, and Ryan and I don't go back on duty until Thursday, so we're at your disposal 24/7. If you need something, don't be shy.
"Thanks. I owe you."
The next twenty minutes were spent watching Jeopardy on the lounge TV. When Lanie came to find them, she came bearing a nebulizer and several small vials of clear medications.
"Before you can go back in there, you need another breathing treatment. You're already more than an hour late for it."
"Yes, doctor."
She quickly assembled everything and handed Rick the tube he needed to breath through.
"By the time you're done with this, our girl's pain meds should take full effect again and you can go back in. But, I want you home by seven. You need to sleep and stick to your scheduled treatments tonight, or I'll make sure they don't let you in tomorrow."
Rick didn't look to happy but nodded, causing the the cloud of vapor coming from the tube, to dance.
"Her dad just got here, so this will give them a few minutes alone too."
Again his head bobbed.
Just then Kevin and Captain Montgomery arrived carrying a teddy bear, several cards, a box of chocolates and a giant balloon bouquet.
Castle removed the breathing treatment from his mouth for just a moment to address the men. "For me? You shouldn't have."
"No, these are for Kate, but I'm sure by the time you get home, you'll have amassed your own pile of well wishes, plus all the rest of the stuff that's been piling up at the station, that I had rerouted to your place." Roy stated.
Kevin placed the things he was carrying on the table and plopped down on the couch next to Castle.
"This is just the stuff from us and the homicide department. Everything else is from adoring fans who've seen your faces plastered all over the news. You two are bona fide heroes! According to channel six, at least half the residents of Beckett's building are crediting you guys with them getting out safely! Thanks to you two, there were no resident deaths and very few injuries."
"What happened to the old lady I found Kate with?"
"Mrs. VandenBoer is at another hospital and being treated with severe smoke inhalation, some minor burns, and dementia due to her alzheimer's, but they expect her to make a full recovery from her injuries too."
"That's good. Kate will be glad to hear that."
Lanie who was still monitoring Rick, turned to the chief, "Do they know how the fire started."
He rubbed his temple and nodded. "Yes. Some fools were using one of the ground floor shops as a front for drug distribution. The meth lab they had in back exploded."
Ryan and Esposito, who had previously both spent time in narc units were justifiably angry. They knew, even more than some of the other's in the room, how far the destructive fingers of drugs could reach.
"Do they have the assholes responsible?" Esposito asked.
"Well at least two never made it out of the building, but they're looking into it. This could be the tip of something big."
A couple minutes later, Rick's treatment ended and he immediately got up so that he could return to Kate. Lanie cleared away the equipment and said she was headed home to get some much needed sleep, but then remembered to tell Castle that she had Kate's badge, gun and all of her jewelry that she was wearing, so not to worry about any of that. Javier said he could use some sleep too and they headed out fairly quickly..
Kevin and Roy began to gather all the gifts and slowly made their way to Kate's room as well.
When Rick entered the room, Jim Beckett had a chair pulled up to Kate's bed, next to the IV pole, and sat stroking his little girl's head.
The guys from the precinct were still in the hall, giving them a few minutes alone.
As usual Kate knew Rick was in the room without even opening her eyes. So she was aware of his presence even before her father was.
Still groggy and appearing to be asleep, Beckett whispered to Castle, "Will you hold me again?"
This caused Jim to wrinkle his brow until he looked up and saw the other man in the room. He stood and extended a hand to the man he already considered to be almost a son in law to him.
"Thank you Rick, for getting my baby out of there."
"I only wish I could have gotten her out sooner."
"We both know, she wouldn't leave before knowing everyone was safe. I'm just glad you were there to help her when she needed you."
"I'm in the room!" Kate said hoarsely.
Both men smirked, happy to see her spunk was still in full force.
"Now, are you going to come hold me again or do I have to beg?"
Just as she was saying this, Montgomery and Ryan entered the room. Castle moved to the side of the bed he'd been on before and looked awkwardly from Kate to the other men.
"I don't care if everyone is here. The only time I got any relief from all of this was when you held me earlier. I'm sure everyone trusts you to be on your best behavior, so they shouldn't mind either."
Rick again looked at the guys. They all held matching looks that clearly said, You heard the lady! So with Jim's help, he moved Kate over a bit and climbed in next to her. When she had her head resting on his shoulder, Kate finally opened her eyes and greeted Kevin and Roy. At first it was awkward but only because the four men in the room, four of the people who knew her best, had never seen Kate look so helpless, or willingly ask for help. It broke their hearts.
At Kate's request Ryan opened and read all the cards and gifts they'd brought with them, bringing a smile to her tired face. Then she asked Montgomery if he knew any details about her neighbors, the condition of her building or anything else about the fire. He filled her in, and was glad that he could tell her that, thanks to her, everyone got out.
When Kate started nodding back to sleep, both guys left, promising they'd be back the next day, leaving Rick and Jim alone with the woman they loved.
After she had fallen completely asleep, the two men talked for a while. Jim offered to take Rick home when it was time to leave and Rick insisted that Jim stay at his loft for as long as he was in town, which he gratefully accepted.
At some point Castle also fell back asleep and when he woke up the room was dark and empty of visitors, but Kate was looking at him from only a couple inches away.
"You need to go home soon so you can get some real rest."
"I don't want to leave you though."
"I know, I wish you could stay too, but Lanie told me the only way I'd get to see you tomorrow was if I kicked you out tonight."
"She told me that too."
Rick lightly kissed Kate's warm face.
"I love you so much, Baby."
"I love you too."
"Promise me, you won't scare me like this again? My old heart can't keep going through these things."
"I'll do my best. My heart isn't too fond of it either."
He kissed her again, this time on the mouth.
"No one's here. You don't have to be brave or strong for me. How are you doing, really?"
Her first reaction was to shrug it off, but the genuine concern on Rick's face made her be honest with him and herself.
"I hurt, a lot. The meds only dull the pain. And I feel like I may never get the burnt scent out of my nose." Several tears escaped and ran down her face. "When I breath I feel like I have ten year old sitting on my chest, and when I cough, I wonder if it will never stop." She wanted to stop there but he still watching her with a concerned and knowing look in his eyes. "When I sleep, I have nightmares. I just keep reliving it over and over and sometimes with not such great results."
Rick just kept stroking her hair as she spoke. He understood first hand, but on such a tiny level. He didn't know what else to do for her, so he just let her talk, and never let go of her.
"I'm scared Rick! All my stuff is gone, again! I'm homeless, again! I have these injuries that could prevent me from ever going back into the field. I have no idea what tomorrow holds. I hate not knowing!"
"It's going to be Ok. I'm sure you'll be back in the field in no time. It might take a little physical therapy, but you'll heel. And you aren't homeless. My home is your home, heck half your stuff is there already anyway. I know this isn't the ideal circumstance to bring this up, but, we're practically living together already anyway... I want you come stay with me while you recover, and I don't want you to feel like you have to leave when you're better. I want you to move in for good."
"Let's not talk about it right now, Rick. I don't feel like I can make good decisions right now. I'll be here for a while, and I'll probably end up coming back to your place at least for a while, but I don't want to be a burden to you either."
"Katherine Beckett, look me in the eyes right now," Rick said in a tone he'd never used with her before. "You will NEVER, EVER, be a burden to me. I didn't offer for you to live with me out of duty or responsibility. I asked you to move in because I love you. Because I love going to sleep with you every night and waking up with you every morning. Because your troubles are my troubles and your joys are my joys. Hell, if I didn't think you'd have me carted off to the psych ward, I'd get down on one knee right now."
Kate visibly stiffened at the thought of Rick proposing and he both saw and felt it.
"I won't propose today, because I know we're still not ready for that yet. But I can promise you I won't put it off forever either. Now, just so you're clear about my asking you to move in... the timing of my request may have been from the fire, but not the reason."
Kate was so moved by Rick's words. He really did have an amazing gift with them. She wanted to give him an answer, but all the events of the last day were catching up with her again and completely overwhelmed her. So she did the only thing she could ,and leaned her head against him.
Rick was scared he'd gotten her all worked up and was relieved when she didn't yell or cry or kick him out. He would have loved to hear that she was ready to take this next step, but was satisfied with her relaxed response. For the time being he'd take that as a yes.
It wasn't long before Mr. Beckett returned to check on his daughter and see if Rick was ready to leave. Kate had been given something to help her sleep, just before he came in, and was already close to comatose.
Rick got up slowly and stretched, already missing the feel of her body at his side.
Jim bent over Kate and dropped a kiss in her hair. "Good night Katie Bear, try to get some rest, we'll be back in the morning."
"Goodnight, Dad, I love you."
"Love you to, Sweetie." Then he addressed Castle, as he left. "When you're ready I'll be in the lounge."
Rick perched again on the edge of the bed and just stared at Kate. "Katie Bear?"
"Yes, Kitten, he's called me that whenever I was sick or hurt, for as long as I can remember."
"I like it. We all see you as this indestructible wonder woman, and he still see's his baby girl. That's how I see Alexis most of the time too."
Kate half smiled through her medicated fog.
"Call me if you need anything, anytime! K?"
She nodded wearily.
"I'll be back first thing in the morning."
She nodded again.
"I love you, Kate."
"Love you too," she slurred before falling completely asleep.
