92 Days

by Castlefan6

Authors Note: This is Totally AU; Beckett has left the hospital after her shooting, This describes the activity of each, during those 92 days without contact, both in the hospital and out. It blends some Canon dialog, courtesy of Dust Jackets Dot Com, then goes quickly and completely AU. What were each up to during this time, Taking Literary License to fill in the blanks.

I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only, except the ones I create.

Also, we take liberties with the timeline from Canon and use events to make this a more believable fiction, thanks.

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A/N This fic is dedicated to a loyal reader MrsChabie, with love, gratitude, and best wishes for a fantastic outcome. Thank you for your very sweet private message, and just know that the entire fandom will support you during your upcoming procedures, God Bless and Thank You, Tim

Chapter 26

Presbyterian Hospital

New York

VIP Surgical Waiting Room

Friday, 2:00 PM

Rick had been in surgery a little over one hour, so the crowd knew they had some time to wait. Kate was in the waiting room as Gina was escorted there, she had been allowed to ride the elevator with Rick, rather she forced them to allow her to see him to the OR doors. She had placed one more kiss on his lips, trying to will the love of her and all of his friends to him. He had a fight ahead regardless of how well the surgery went.

The staff of Doctor Kovacs had warned them that typical surgeries of this type would take anywhere from 3 -7 hours, possibly longer, and asking for an update each hour wouldn't speed the process up. They had been assigned a resident who would be out to brief the family, Martha, Alexis, and Gina, she still was his Medical POA, (Power of Attorney) and the decision-maker for any questions that needed to be answered.

Dr. Evans would be the contact, he looked as if he should be working at a Dairy Queen, not almost a cardiac surgeon. If he had to shave it had to be once every other week, he really looked like Doogie Howser for real.

Kate chose a section in the rear of the room, not invading the family space until she saw a shadow in front of her. She looked up; it was Alexis.

"Hi Detective Beckett, it's been a long time since I saw you, and well, eh, I think we need to talk." She said, politely,

"Sure Alexis, do you want to talk here or take a walk to the cafeteria, maybe grab a cup of tea?" Kate asked,

"I think a cup of tea would be nice, I thought you only drank coffee? Did I get that wrong?" the red-headed teenager scrunched her nose as she was in thought,

Kate smiled, "No you're right, I switched, it seemed like tea was a better taste for me than that brown water they tried to pass off as decaff," she said as Alexis smiled,

They took the elevator silently to the first floor, and followed the signs to the public portion of the cafeteria, Alexis chose water and Kate ordered Earl Gray Tea with honey and then found their seats. Kate remained silent, allowing the young lady to collect her thoughts before she asked or rushed her into talking.

"Detective, we haven't talked in a long time, I'm not sure you remember but Grams and I visited you a few times when you were here, you were still pretty out of it," Alexis said,

"I don't remember Alexis but thank you, and please thank your Grams for me as well," Kate said, forcing Alexis to bring up the topic she wanted to get off of her chest.

"Well Dad, you might not know it, but he practically lived here, well until your doctor boyfriend had him kicked out. Dad could have caused him problems, so many ways but because he was your boyfriend, he didn't. That's a side of Dad you never saw, or if you did you completely ignored it.

"I thought the time you spent living with us at the loft would show you just how kind and honest a man he truly is. Hell, who would pay off my mother's house so she wouldn't get evicted, and then paid off her credit cards as well, not once but three times. What ex-husband does that, especially after he paid her a cash settlement when they first divorced?"

"I know you wrote him a letter, Mom, eh Gina told me I had to be kind and forgiving, that was what Dad wanted from all of us. Detective, I'm not going to allow you to hurt him anymore. I don't care what I have to do, call Uncle Bob, or whatever, but I'm giving you fair warning, you hurt him again, and I will make you wish you had never survived your hospital stay.

"I'm trying very hard to be civil and act like a lady as Dad would want, but I'm not interested in your words, I've heard them all before, and sorry only counts when you truly are. I know you've told my dad lies, and hurt him deeply, that stops now, if you love him as you have said, then you need to prove it.

"Look, I'm only his kid, turning 18 in a few weeks, but I promise you, Detective, no one is going to stomp on his heart again, not you, not Eva, not the flavor of the month that you accused him of having so often. I don't know what your problem was, or is, but hear this, you're not the only woman in the world whose Mom was taken from her, at least you had yours for 19 years to spend together. I had less than 2 years together, by the age of 5 my mother forgot all about me, try that on for size Detective.

"Dad did his best, he really did, and Gina, God Bless Mom, she is my MOM, so if you're not ready to see her at family events, or holidays, then don't start with Dad. He won't leave her, nor will she ever desert him regardless of who they are with. Just because they can't live together doesn't mean that they stopped loving each other.

"Just so you know, this isn't Dad's first heart attack, Gina found him when you were with your Robbery Detective and he was in the Hamptons for the summer. You probably thought they stayed at the same house, but she has her own home, two streets over from Dad's.

"She came to bring him lunch and found him, thank God. Rather than cause a publicity nightmare, Mom drove him to her neighbor, who is a cardiologist. He had a stint placed in after they did the balloon surgery, and began an exercise and diet regiment. I guess you were too busy to notice him losing 25 pounds and becoming much more fit, hell he sparred and worked out at YOUR precinct. Dad said you never noticed you were too busy with the last one, what was he a motorcycle-riding doctor?

"Detective, I'm a kid, I have chosen my words and my tone carefully, so I won't have to apologize to you once Dad knows of this talk. No matter how much you have changed, you have to prove it to a lot of people, Grams, me, and many others. I won't warn you again, and I won't wait to hear the full story, you lie to Dad, and I'm taking action, just so we're clear." Alexis said, in the same calm tone that her Dad used when he was driving home a very serious point.

"OK Alexis, that was a very heartfelt speech, and I understand more than anyone, how much I have hurt not only your father but also your family, Gina included. I'm working with a therapist now, and I have no idea of what your Dad will do WHEN he recovers from this.

"Yes, I wrote him a letter, but what it contained, and I say this as kindly as I can, is really none of anyone's business except his and mine. I understand you love Gina, I see the love between her and Rick, but IF, and I say IF, because I'm not sure your Dad will have me, but if he does, we will set the ground rules between us. You're almost 18, and I'm sure you would want to do the same with your relationship with your boyfriend, now that you're an adult it's a double edge sword.

"Along with the privileges it brings, it also brings responsibilities, and one of those is to treat your parents, and their lives with respect, even when you disagree with their choices. That's perhaps the hardest adjustment to make, but you will, you always have been more mature than those your age.

"I know your Dad is going to have a hard time letting go, but seeing it from the outside, I think you're going to have to have just as much trouble. Alexis, I failed, in so many ways, but as my therapist told me, it was the same as if I had an earache and was seeking attention. My condition was mental, wow, I didn't think I would ever be able to say that out loud, much less to a young lady I've admired since I met her,

"I am seeking help, and have made great strides, I won't talk about now, but when the time is right, I will answer any question you ask. Now, I'm going to the Chapel, say a prayer for your Dad, and light a candle. Text Gina, if you wish, you're both welcome to join me." Kate said as she looked the younger Castle directly in her eyes, not backing down an inch.

She slipped into the Chapel, her head bowed low when she felt Gina slide in next to her, followed by Alexis and Martha. After she had completed doing something that she hadn't done in years, not since her Mom's funeral, she slipped over and lit a candle, placing a donation in the poor box, and stood outside, waiting for the others. Gina was the first to exit and gave Kate a weak smile, then Martha, and finally Alexis. They made their way back to the VIP waiting room, locked in silence.

XxX

7 Hours, 46 Minutes Later

Gina saw the doctors approaching and since they were the only family in the waiting room, she was praying it was about Rick and good news. She jumped to her feet with Alexis and Martha beside her, Dr. Kovacs took off his mask, showing the weariness he had endured, hopefully to a satisfactory conclusion. He bumped the arm of someone sitting as he approached the ladies, then realized it was Katherine Beckett.

"Katherine, What on earth are you doing here, you're OK, aren't you? I just gave you your clearance a few weeks ago, something hasn't gone wrong already, has it?' The gentle doctor asked,

"No, no not me Dr. K, Rick's my partner, and well I'm here to support the family." She said,

"Oh, OK," he replied, but she knew he was aware that Rick was so much more than a partner to him, thankfully he didn't press the issue.

Gina walked over to her chair, "Kate, we want you to join the family, you will need to hear this, and it's best if it comes directly from the doctor." Gina said,

"Gina, I mean, I'm grateful, but what about Alexis, or Martha?" Kate asked, leaving the obvious unsaid,

"I have his Medical POA, so actually it's my decision, but Alexis is OK with it, she told me you two talked. We should as well later, now let's go meet with Dr. Kovacs who I understand was your surgeon." Gina said,

"Yeah, I mean yes Doctor K is my surgeon. Thanks, Gina, I appreciate this more than you'll ever know." Kate grasped her hand as she led her to a small conference room off the main room.

As they entered the room, she caught a look from Martha, that if she had control, Kate Beckett would be the last person allowed in this room. Alexis tried to smile at her, as Gina took her hand and whispered something into her ear. Alexis nodded her head and then relaxed with Kate being there.

"Hi, I'm Doctor Kovacs, I know Kate here from her incident, I was her surgeon but I understand his mother, daughter, and spouse are here," He said gently,

"Actually, his former spouse but I still have his medical POA, so, it's not your typical divorce," Gina said shyly,

"Mom's the only one Dad trusts with things like this Dr. Kovacs, so that's why, they're not married, anymore, but they still love each other and only want the best. Plus Mom's Dad's boss at Black Pawn, she's his editor," as a slight chuckle came from the tired doctor.

"Well first, I'm just going to come out and say this, Mr. Castle wouldn't still be with us if your Mom hadn't gone with him to Dr. Werner, actually she made the appointment. Well, Bernie, eh Dr. Warner was afraid the stint had slipped and formed another blockage, but the tests revealed his work was still in place as usual. Mr. Castle had suffered three small myocardial infarctions or minor heart attacks. That's when the blood supply gets cut off to a portion of the heart, damaging or causing the death of an area of the heart muscle (myocardium).

"In Mr. Castle's case we were searching for a suitable graft or vein to use, and it took us a few tries, before we found three grafts, meaning your loved one has undergone triple by-pass surgery in layman's terms. Each one was difficult because he hadn't had time to stop his anti-clotting medications and we had to battle keeping the blood supply pumped into him much faster than we normally do. That's why you didn't receive any more updates for the last several hours, I had all hands on deck.

"Dr. Kovacs, did you almost lose my father on the table?" Alexis asked, wiping her tears as Gina held her hand a little tighter,

"Alexis, we did, but a key report from Dr. Werner had us put him on the heart by-pass machine as an emergency measure, it proved to save his life. Your dad has been through a very tough surgery, he'll be in the ICU for about a week, depending on how well he responds to the medications.

"This is going to be at least three months before he can begin to think about resuming his schedule, any earlier and he stands the chance of a relapse, which, I don't need to tell you would be worse than this procedure.

"How long before we can see him, Doctor?" Martha asked, trying to conceal the tear stains that had run down her face,

"I'll warn you now, the Richard Castle you see isn't going to resemble the man you last saw, he has a breathing tube, and other instruments hooked to him and will remain for at least the next three days. I'll make an exception today, usually, we only allow two people for twenty minutes max, but if you wish, I'll allow two of you each ten minutes, please no crying, or dramatics.

"He's doing well, and you have to trust me, even if it doesn't look like it." Doctor Kovacs said, then added "Alexis why don't you and your Grams come with me for the first ten minutes, then we'll allow Kate and Gina the next ten minutes" as he held his hand out to assist Martha from her chair.

Alexis and Martha disappeared behind a door, leaving Gina and Kate sitting alone, in the waiting room.

"Gina, I want to thank you in person, you didn't have to call me, but you know how I feel, and, well, thank you, I appreciate it more than you know," Kate said as she dabbed a tear,

"Kate, I wasn't always the one Rick loved, trust me, it took me a long time to accept, as you have finally realized, he's real and genuine. I always waited for him to cheat, or step out, by the time I realized that wasn't him, well, it was too late, I mean"

"Gina, I know he loves you; he'll always love you. Alexis told me that If I wasn't prepared to accept and I quote, "her mom being at family events, don't even bother to start up anything with her dad", Kate said, as Gina looked on,

"And, what did you say?" Gina asked,

"I told her that first I'm not even sure if I even have a chance left with him, but I do love him, and I want an opportunity to prove it. I was surprised when you called, then I remembered something Rick said, He told me once that love meant you put the other's feelings before everyone else, including yourself. You put Rick's feeling above your own, so thank you" both ladies dabbed a few tears.

"Gina, I want to ask you something, well just put it out for thought, if you think it would help, Rick sent a nurse to the cabin where I did my last two months of rehab, the only thing that might be a drawback I have to tell you is,"

"You mean Renee, and that she still loves him more than life?" I thought about her, I know Rick wouldn't do anything, hell he won't be able to for a while, but it would be nice to have a private nurse to ensure he behaves himself, she's the one to do it I'm told." Gina smiled,

"Yes, she is, and you're right she was still in love with Rick a few months ago, even though he had explained to her that she was in love with a hero image, not him in real life. I know she will be truthful with us, and perhaps she could finally close the God-like image she has of little Ricky Rogers, as Rick put it when we talked." Kate said,

"Why don't you call her and see if she's interested in taking care of Rick, tell her that I don't hate her, I never did, I just cussed her out for calling Rick in the middle of the night after we were first married. I think any new wife would react exactly the same way." Gina smiled, it quickly faded as she saw Dr. Kovacs wave for her and Kate to follow him. Martha and Alexis must have gone home, it was a lot for anyone but Martha wasn't as young as she wanted everyone to believe.

"Come on Kate, and hold your breath, I know this isn't going to look pretty. Are you sure you want to see him like this? I mean what should I do if you have a panic attack, thinking of less than a year ago, you have to tell the doctor." Gina said,

"He knows Gina, Dr. Kovacs was my surgeon, he's the one who saved my life," Kate said, as they walked toward the tired doctor.

"Alexis said to tell you she was taking her Grams home, she wouldn't show it, but the sight of her son was pretty tough to see. Kate, are you sure you want to see him like this? Remember deep breaths and happy thoughts, OK?" He said,

"I'm sure Doctor, thank you." As they walked into an ICU Unit, Rick couldn't be seen, at least the Rick the ladies were used to seeing. There were machines, tubes, and wires everywhere and the noise from the machines was loud.

One display was showing a constant electrocardiogram (EKG), the waves wrapping the screen, then beginning again, almost like waves of the ocean. Another larger screen showed Rick's blood pressure, other pressure readings, breathing rate, and oxygen level

As they approached the bed, Gina took Kate's hand in hers and held it tightly, then they saw him lying on the bed, his chest rising in concert with the rhythm of the machine next to his bed. His face was pale, but the vision that neither could get out of their mind was the tube in his throat attached to the ventilator (breathing machine). Kate could see the bandages she was all too familiar with, and the chest tube from his side was discharging a bloody mixture of liquid and blood.

Kate knew the pain he was about to go through, even before he awoke, and thank God now it looked like Dr. Kovacs had pulled off another miracle. Gina leaned in close to his ear and whispered, low, "Hey, I would have given you more time for the next book, you didn't have to go to this extreme, she tried to laugh, and kissed his cheeks, and his forehead. I've got Kate here, and we'll be with you till you wake up, no arguments, just get better, I love you." She turned tears falling silently from her eyes,

Kate stepped forward, brushed his hair out of his eyes, "Rick, I only got to say some of the things that I wanted to, and, well thank you for reading my letter. I'm not the wordsmith, you are. You have to wake up for us all, Alexis, Martha, Gina, and me, we love you, I love you, Rick, please, if you can hear me fight this babe, I have so much more to say. Gina and I will be here, we promise, I love you and so does she, now get well," she brushed a lock of hair out of his eyes, kissed his forehead, looked at him for a long minute, then turned and took Gina's hand with her tears falling as well.

TBC