Rick Castle and the FBI Agent
Chapter 12 - Recovery OP
The FBI and NYPD Homicide had decided on a joint raid of the safe house of the child traffickers. It had to be carried out in a way that would protect the captive children from being harmed. So, it was decided a midnight raid, when the children were asleep, would be the best time to conduct the operation. A special swat team expert in conducting closed quarters intrusion and recovery were to spearhead the entry into the facility. There had not been deliveries to the safe house in a while and was one more reason the raid was decided on. The number of children there now at the safe house was at it lowest number. That number included the Sanchez infant.
The FBI team of Armstrong and Mickelson was to enter with the specialized FBI SWAT while the NYPD provided security and cover external to the building taking care of any opposing forces outside the facility. The evening of the raid, the team had the day off to rest, and then hours before the raid, went to the precinct to stay in a room where they got themselves mentally prepared for the raid. Armstrong and Mikelson were also there mentally preparing for their role in the operations.
They all doned their vests and helmets, and then head to the facility silently, approaching with lights out. The NYPD SWAT took care of incapacitating the external guards and Alpha team assisted to quickly take care of securing the outside area and perimeter. Once this was done the FBI CQC team entered the building with Sam and Paul in rear guard position. Based on the blueprints of the building, they knew where the children were sleeping and where the guards and other personnel slept. The team was to attack all locations simultaneously with Armstrong and Mickelson given the task of retrieving and evacuating the children.
The operation was executed almost flawlessly, with one exception. It seemed that one guard, unable to sleep, had gone to a parked vehicle to smoke and after finishing his smoke wound up dozing off. He went unnoticed by the NYPD clearing the area as the had fallen asleep in a supine position in the back seat. As he awoke from his slumber, he noticed the NYPD team taking out the outside security personnel. The guard chose to keep silent and unnoticed from the invaders.
As the undetected guard observed from his hidden position in the vehicle, he noticed the children being quickly evacuated on to waiting vans. They were led by two uniformed SWAT officers and at the end of the column of children, two plain clothes cops, one male, one female. As the children were now in the vans, with their SWAT protectors, the vehicles drove off. The two plain clothes cops stopped and watched the child driving off and seemed relieved the operation was done.
"Well partner we did it", says Paul Mikelson as he turned to face Armstrong.
Sam's back was directly in the line of fire of the undetected guard. That is when the guard with pistol in hand, opened the rear side window, and pointed his gun out, taking aim at Armstrong. This was a foolish action on his part as he was surrounded by enforcement personnel, but all he could think at the time was to get back at the invaders who had captured his fellow traffickers.
"We sure did Paul", Sam replied to her partner and then gave him a fist bump with the hand not holding her pistol.
That is when Paul saw the side window of the vehicle behind Sam rolling down and a handgun coming out pointed directly at Sam. Paul reacted instantaneously, on reflect, no thought involved, just reaction. He pushes Sam to the side and out of the line of fire as the undetected guard fires a couple rounds. Paul takes two rounds directly to his chest and one grazes his upper shoulder. Fortunately for Paul he was wearing his vest and that took the brunt of the two chest shots as he falls unconscious on the ground.
Simultaneously, Sam hears the sounds of the shots, and also on reflex, raises her weapon and turns toward the sound, spotting the unnoticed guard and then letting off three rounds in succession. They hit the shooter directly thru the open side window, taking him out. Then she turns and looks at Paul lying face down on the ground, he is bleeding. She turns him over and notices the two guns shots on his vest and the blood from his shoulder. He is out cold.
Kate and Rick had been approaching the two FBI agents to also join in on celebrating their successful operation. As they walked up to the couple from a distance away, they see Mikelson doing a fist bump with Armstrong, and then suddenly he pushes her aside. They hear two gun shots and see Paul fall. They draw their weapons and aim at the shooter, but Sam had already taken him out! They holster their weapons and run to the FBI couple. Sam had turned over Paul and was now looking at him for injuries. Kate and Rick both notice the blood streaming out of a shoulder wound on Paul. As they near the couple, they hear Sam speaking to Paul.
"Paul, stay with me partner. Stay with me, I cannot lose you now, when we just got together! Stay with me Paul, don't leave me. I need you here with me."
Tears are falling from Sam's eyes, and she hold Paul's hands tightly in hers. Rick kneels down next to Sam and also begins examing Paul for wounds. Kate is on her cell calling for an ambulance.
"Sam, he's okay, just a flesh wound to his upper shoulder, but his chest is going to be badly bruised", and with that Castle unzips Paul's vest and unbottons his shirt seeing two deep bruises on Paul's chest. The bruises are already starting to turn purple.
"He took one for me Rick. He saved my life! This brave caring man took a shot for me."
"That's what partners do Sam. You know that", he says as he hugs Sam and she continues to cry into his shoulder. She is visibly shaken by the whole event.
Aftermath
The Ambulance arrives and the EMT's examine and perform initial treatment on Mikelson.
"Your partner will be alright. Seems like a flesh wound to his upper top shoulder, where his vest had no armor plating for protection, just fabric, the bullet grazed him there. He took two direct chest shots where his armor protection is strongest, but his chest bruises will take time to heal. Our main concern now is his concussion. He will be monitored for possible head injuries at the hospital", says the attending EMT.
It is a welcomed diagnosis. Mikelson is still unconscious as the is transported by Ambulance to the hospital.
"Sam, go with your partner to the hospital. He will want to see you are safe once he is conscious. Also, you will need to file an immediate report on your partner's condition with your HQ. So go with him to the hospital. Alpha will take care of doing the mop-up and closing the op", says Kate Beckett.
Espo and Ryan arrive just then. Espo asks, "How's it going here. Mikelson okay?"
"Yeah, he will be, let's clean up guys and close the op", says Kate.
They spend the rest of the after-midnight hours doing just that. It is early morning when they finish up.
Rick Castle is taking in all that he saw during and after the op. Sam's reaction to Mikelson taking a shot for her tells him one thing, Sam's heart is not his to have. It belongs to Mikelson, Rick saw that in her reaction to Paul's taking one for her. Rick knows that Sam held back her feelings for Paul back when he was still married. But he is a widower now and single. Sam had not pursued that opportunity with Paul as she is in a budding relation with Rick and they had an understanding. Sam would make good on that. But Rick knew, he had to let Sam go so she could follow her heart. The heart wants what the heart wants and nothing can stop that. Rick cared enough for Sam to set her free so she could follow her heart. It would be painful, but Rick knew then what he had to do.
At the end of the day, Kate comes up to Castle and says, "Want to go see Sam and learn what is up with Paul?"
"You read my thoughts, let me grab my jacket."
"Espo and Ryan, ...Castle and I are off to see Sam and Paul."
"Yeah, we will join you but have to finish these reports first."
"Great, see you guys at the hospital."
They get to the hospital. It is the same hospital Josh worked at, but now Josh is on a six-month mission with DWB. The attending physian is one Dr. Jennifer Brighton, a close associate of Josh Davidson. Kate is the first to spot her.
"Hey Jen, did not realize you were the attending doctor here?"
"I am, and who is this with you."
"Oh, please forgive my manners, Rick Castle, this is Dr. Jennifer Brighton, a close associate of Josh."
"Finally, I get to meet you. I have heard so much about you from Josh."
"All good I hope", says Rick as he shakes the doctor's hand.
"Yes, it is, he tells me you have Kate's back and have saved her a few times."
"Well, we are about equal in that category. Kate has saved my butt a couple times also."
"Yes, quite admirable how you enforcement people have each other's back, as I learned from Agent Armstrong. My patient, Agent Mikelson, and her partner, having taken a shot for her."
"Well, it is what it is", replies Kate.
"Well, I know that Josh has expressed to me on a few occasions how he fears for your life Kate, even as he knows Rick would be there for you. Given the right circumstances, it could be Rick in there recovering and you out here waiting for a doctor's report."
"Well, we try not to dwell on that aspect of our investigations, but it is always there", replies Rick. But Rick is wondering how Josh talked so much about him to a colleague. Since Rick had met Josh there had been jealousy of Rick by Josh. So now Rick learns that Josh spoke highly about him, and this was a surprise to Rick.
"I understand, still that danger is always there for any law enforcement office", she says and then turns to Kate, "Oh, and by the way Kate, any word on Josh? No one here at the hospital has heard from him. I now you two decided to end it before he went on this extended six-month mission, but have you kept up on him?"
And there it is, busted! Kate is unintentionally outted by the good doctor. Out of the corner of her eye she sees Rick's reaction. He is clearly affected by this disclosure, but still, he remains silent, poker face showing.
"No word, we have not talked since we called it quits."
"Just curious, no one here has word from him also. Must be busy with the mission. Anyway, Agent Mikelson is conscious and can receive guests. So I will leave you two. Nice meeting you Rick."
"Same here", responds Rick, he then looks at Kate with a questioning face.
As the good doctor is leaving, Rick has a somewhat startled but puzzled look about him that Kate understands immediately. When Dr. Brighton is completely gone from their presence, Kate turns to Castle and says, "I was going to tell you, but you were with Sam, and I thought to just wait for a better time to tell you about Josh. It did not seem appropriate given the timing."
"And why is that, Kate? This is a personal matter for you. One of which I have no right to know. Why such a consideration in this matter?"
There is a momentary pause from Kate who just then has a bold thought and responds with, "Because you are the reason I broke up with Josh."
Kate had finally revealed to Castle what she had been trying to tell him for a while now.
Rick is stunned by Kate's admission. So much so that he cannot speak, his mouth just useless, with his jaw dropped open. Before he can recover to respond to Kate, Rick hears Sam entering the waiting room.
"There you two are", says Sam, "Paul's up and about and anxious to see you and the rest of the team."
Ryan and Espo arrive at the waiting room with perfect timing given the current situation.
"Wow, the whole of Alpha is here now. Let's go see Paul. Dr. Brighton says we can all meet in his room but only for a short while, but only one to two guests at a time. Dr. Brighton is just accommodating us, knowing the team is anxious in seeing Paul."
So Kate and Rick go first and then Espo and Ryan. As they return to the waiting room, Rick is the first to speak.
"What do you mean I was the cause of your breakup with Josh. I have stayed away not trying to interfere with the two of you?"
"Because Josh realized that it is you I have wanted all this time and that I was hiding in our relationship to keep you out."
"What...!?", there is an incredulous look on Rick's face.
"It's true Rick. I have had feelings for you as far back as Demming, but you were with Ellie Monroe and then Gina, and I thought you didn't want me. I only was with Demming because you did not want me, or so I thought. I have wanted to talk to you on it for some time, but now you are with Sam. Do I still have a chance with you?"
Still a little dazed by Kate's reveal to him, Castle responds, "Kate, I have similar feelings for you. But I thought it was the other way round, that you didn't want me. I saw you with Demming and then Josh and thought you only wanted to keep it professional. I only took up with those women since I could not be with you?"
Both realize how ridiculous they had been towards one another. It had been an unfortunate circumstance for all their three years as professional partners. They both had held back on revealing their true feelings and it had led to this current situation. If only they had talked to each other sooner!
"So what now Rick? You're with Sam."
"You didn't notice her reaction when Paul took that hit for her? She's still has feelings for him, but only held back because he was married in times past. But now Paul's a widower and single, he is available, but she is holding back presently because of me?"
"So what are you going to do about it Rick?"
"Well, the only honorable thing I can do. I need to give her space and let her decide without my undue influence from me on her current dilemma. I have to let her be free to choose where it is going with us, now that Paul is in the picture. I do not know the outcome of that, but know it could be the end of what I have with Sam. Regardless of the outcome, you and I are going to have a serious discussion, Kate. No holding back on our feelings. No more innuendos and disguised remarks. We are going to talk plainly and lay our cards on the table, agreed?"
"Yes, I want that Rick, but I now need to give you a private moment with Sam, so I am leaving."
"Thanks for understanding my position here."
She takes Rick's hand and gives it an affectionate squeeze.
"How are you going to get back, you came with me."
"Don't worry, I can take a cab or contact my car service. I will call you later."
Rick gives her a longing look as she leaves.
"I'll be waiting for the call", says Kate, her voice now filled with hope as to what the future can hold for the two of them.
Kate leaves, now invigorated by her initial talk with Castle and looks forward to the follow-on discussion about them. She has never felt so relieved and alive at the same time. She hopes for a good outcome now that the two of them had talked frankly about their situation.
Rick watches Kate as leaves and then takes a calming breath. He steadies himself for what he has to do, then walks back to Paul's hospital room.