It's me, the cliche, formula, unoriginal retired writer with another unoriginal, cliche-riddled spew of vomit for you.
White Lies
Chapter 6
29 Palms Marine Hospital
He was tired but couldn't sleep. His mind was flitting from subject to subject, dwelling on things he hadn't thought about in years but carefully avoiding one area that his mind had decided was 'forbidden territory', his relationship with Kate.
He listened patiently, like he had a choice, as Natalie talked about the final production issues, the antics of her son and finally about how 'your girlfriend is having trouble getting a flight out of New York but she'll be here soon, Rick'.
He figured Natalie was being kind to him. He no longer had a 'girlfriend'. He understood exactly where he stood with Kate – somewhere outside. He'd done nothing wrong but had been punished as if he had. No investigation, no evidence, no trial, no sentence, just the punishment part.
He sighed and Natalie interpreted as his needing another 'hit' and so she juiced him up with the 'good stuff' that was the last thing he wanted or needed. If Kate was coming, unless he'd imagined it, he needed to be fully aware.
While he slept, Natalie made phone calls. She arranged transportation for Beckett and Dr. Parish to Palm Springs, respecting Kate's desire to rent a vehicle so she'd have wheels to go back and forth to the hospital. She also reserved two rooms in Beckett's name for Kate and Lanie. She'd been a good girl, helping Kate make it to Rick's side.
Natalie called Beckett and advised her of her transportation and her local motel reservations and was surprised at how good it felt to tell Kate all she'd done. Castle was definitely rubbing off on her. She wanted some of her to rub off on him.
"Natalie, how badly hurt was he? I'm handing the phone to Lanie to interpret any med-speech."
"Well, he's got two broken wrists from flying into the seats in front of him when the plane crashed. Something hit him hard in the face and one eye is totally swollen shut and he had problems opening his mouth but the jaw is definitely not broken."
"Natalie, did they say anything about neurological problems? It sounds like he took a pretty good whack to the head." Lanie was glad Natalie was on-site. She didn't want to deal with another doctor who might be protective of his turf.
She chatted with Lanie and then hung up saying that she needed to find a charger for her phone.
JFK Airport
Kate heard her page and went to find 'a white courtesy phone' while Lanie spoke with Natalie Rhodes. She vowed to herself to be extra nice to Natalie because of her own horrible comments to her. She didn't deserve the treatment she was getting from the actress. If the situation had been reversed, she'd have told Kate to go to hell.
"This is Kate Beckett. You have a page for me?"
"One moment, Ms. Beckett. I'm transferring this call to a local TransCon representative. Please hold. This may take a moment or two to locate the rep and connect."
'What the hell do these people want now?'
"Ms. Beckett, this is Myra Johnson. I'm the local TransCon representative. I've been trying to locate you and your Precinct Captain told me where you were. Stay put. A tram will be coming within 20 minutes and we'll have you on-board our jet within 30 minutes. We've been cleared directly into 29 Palms Marine Training Base and we'll have you and your fiancé reunited within 6 hours. I'm so happy that he's alive and getting such excellent care. Your luggage will be located and delivered to the plane or flown to you as soon as possible."
Kate sagged against the wall. She should have called TransCon and laid a guilt trip on them. She'd been here 5 hours and if she'd had her head on straight, she could have been at his side.
"Oh, God, thank you, Ms. Johnson. There are two of us. Dr. Lanie Parish will be accompanying me."
"No problem. I'm just so happy for you."
Kate found Lanie holding two coffees and staring out the windows at all the planes lined up for departure. She couldn't imagine how Kate was coping because she knew if Esposito had been in the same situation.
"Hey, good news." She filled her in between sips on her coffee. A tram came by and a man held up a sign reading 'Beckett/Parish' and the pair identified themselves and got on board. Thirty minutes later their flight was given priority clearance and was on the way to California.
Kate called Natalie but had to leave a voice mail regarding the changes in location and arrival times. She figured that the actress was with Castle and cell phones weren't allowed. Lanie had filled her in on Rick's injuries and she was so grateful that someone like Natalie was there with him.
29 Palms Marine Hospital
Castle's doctor had come in and examined the incision in his chest and then double-checked the stitches above his eyebrow and seemed satisfied with his patient's progress. His EKG monitor showed no anomalies and he breathed a sigh of relief. He'd checked with other surgeons and they'd all expressed a sense of disbelief that his patient had survived the crash let alone a trauma so massive and the surgery to repair the injury.
"Mr. Castle, you're a miracle man. You should be dead and yet, here you are, still alive and kicking. Here's what you can expect – annoying pain from your facial injuries, some muscle aches and pains from the trauma of the crash but your heart is the real miracle. It's strong and shows no significant signs of any lasting damage. I'm going to transfer you to a civilian hospital in a few days for a normal period of recuperation and then you can go home. I just want to monitor your heart before releasing you. It's just to be safe."
Castle just nodded. It hurt to talk. His jaws ached and he didn't want any more pain killers and had hidden the pain device from Natalie who seemed to think that 'stoned was best' for him. She mashed the damned button at the least provocation – a grunt, a groan from moving around in the bed – anything set her off.
"Just keep the excitement levels to a minimum for a week or two. You will have to see a cardiologist back in New York for a schedule of activities but as I said, you're a walking miracle. Three months and you'll be good as new, less, if you continue recovering at your current rate."
He turned to Natalie, assuming she was his 'significant other' and that she'd be with Castle during his recovery.
"Ms. Rhodes, you'll need to keep him walking, but no stairs at first. Walking is good for him. He'll need help dressing, bathing, pretty much everything so you'll need to check into home health agencies once you two get back home. Oh, and no air travel. Ground only until his cardiologist clears him. No sense risking his progress if he had problems with altitude changes. And no sexual activity until he's given a clean bill of health by this own physician."
Natalie didn't answer but she was watching Rick like a hawk. When the doctor mentioned New York he'd frowned in disapproval or distaste. He'd blushed and glanced at her when the doctor mentioned bathing and dressing and sexual activity. She knew he was pretty much limited in what he could do because of his broken wrists.
"Thanks, Doctor. I'll call Rick's agent and she can arrange everything." She saw Rick's face relax in relief at her comment. She knew he wasn't thinking clearly and obviously needed help with even the little things.
Once the doctor left, Natalie resumed her position, sitting on the bed beside him and holding onto the fingertips of his right hand.
"I know this has been really scary, Rick, but you're on the mend now. Soon Beckett will be here and you two can make up and then plan on how to get your broken self back to New York and home. I'm sure your daughter and mother are anxious to see you. I know I would be if I were in their place."
He frowned again. He didn't look forward to his confrontation with Beckett. He knew that he still loved her but he questioned the depth of hers for him. She had reacted angrily without even allowing him to explain a damned thing. That angered him and made him wonder about the whole engagement business.
He hurt all over and he had trouble talking but he figured if things got too heated someone from the hospital staff would intercede. He didn't want to make a scene but he had to have answers to his questions, assurances for his concerns.
The only person he felt he could trust right now was Natalie because she seemed to bend over backwards to tell him how sorry Kate was and how much Kate loved him.
She seemed to be trying to convince herself of Kate's feelings for him as much as she was Castle.
29 Palms Marine Training Base
Air Station
The TransCon executive business jet landed 20 minutes ahead of schedule. Lanie and Kate were led off the plane to a car that would take them to the Base Hospital. Their luggage had miraculously made the flight and would be taken to their motel. TransCon was footing the bill for everything.
"Kate, remember, he's in a lot of pain right now so handle him with care. No hugging and I think you should keep the lip locks to a minimum. He's got facial contusions and from what Natalie said, he can barely move his jaw but it's not broken. Talk to him, Kate. I'll drag Natalie out for coffee and a 'thanks a bunch but you can go now' conversation."
"We owe Natalie a great deal of thanks, Lanie, and I don't want to run her off. She's been Castle's anchor for the time he's been here and I don't want him to think I'm ungrateful."
29 Palms Marine Hospital
Lanie and Kate checked in with the reception desk and were issued visitor identification badges that allowed them 24-hour visitor privileges. Having a famous high-profile author as a patient had brought the hospital and its staff civilian scrutiny and all the stops had been pulled to assure that the image of the hospital was untarnished.
"I don't see any press, not that I'm complaining." The receptionist laughed. "You should have been here yesterday. The local police kept them at a fair distance but the Shore Patrol had a field day arresting paparazzi and 'escorting' them off the base. Things are pretty calm today."
They were escorted to Castle's room and were surprised to see Natalie in the corridor just outside the room, leaning against the wall and softly crying.
Kate pulled her into a fierce hug and whispered her thanks and then straightened Natalie up and asked her quietly why she was crying.
"He's in so much pain and won't use the morphine dispenser. He just lies there and grunts. The doctor here said it was holding back his recovery and he just glared at him. He's being transferred to a civilian facility in a few days but only if his condition stabilizes or improves. Talk to him, Kate. Maybe you can get it through his thick skull that pain is not good."
She shoveled it on Kate, maximizing the guilt. He was in pain but not as much as she alluded to. She wanted Beckett to feel emotional pain for causing this in the first place.
"Natalie, let's you and me find the cafeteria and some coffee and you can fill me in on what you didn't tell me on the phone." She knew Natalie had been holding something back for Kate's sake. Once again she felt bad that she'd had such 'impure thoughts' about Natalie in the past. Kate was right. She did deserve their thanks.
They left Beckett standing outside the door to his room. She looked in but he looked like he was asleep so she crept in and took the chair that Natalie had obviously moved to be as close to him as possible. Kate didn't know if that was a good thing or a bad thing.
She spoke his name very quietly. "Rick? It's me, Kate. I'm here, sweetheart, and I'm not going to leave your side until we get back home. I've got leave from work and Lanie's with me to interpret the med-speech we'll run into. I love you, Rick, and I'm so damned sorry to have caused you this pain."
She grasped the end of his fingertips and held on to them. She promised herself that she wouldn't let go until things were right between them again.
Cafeteria
Lanie thanked Natalie for all she'd done and asked if she'd been totally honest about the extent of Castle's injuries. "Natalie, I got the feeling there was something you weren't telling me. His injuries, that's the extent of them, right, just what you told me?"
"No, Lanie, there's more. He – somehow – well, crap. Castle got harpooned by something. He's got a hole in his chest and heart. They fixed it and he's fine but it's the major reason he's doped up. They don't want him excited. The doc here said it was just like open heart surgery and the recovery time could be months but he would leave that up to Castle's New York cardiologist."
"A h-hole? Did I hear you right? A hole?"
"Yeah. That was my reaction, too. Beckett's lucky he didn't die, Lanie. The docs here are amazed that he's still alive, seriously. Amazed."
Castle's Room
A sudden movement of his bed woke him. She'd somehow managed to lie down beside him and had one arm under his head and was whispering to him about how much she loved him and how sorry she was for his injuries and pain.
"Nat, no, don't. Get off, please. I have to talk to Kate. I have to explain things and then – "
"It's me, Kate, sweetheart. I finally got a flight and I'm here until you're ready to go home. This is all my fault and I'm so ashamed and sorry but I was just so damned mad when – "
"Stop. Not now. Please." He fumbled around for the pain device but couldn't handle it. "Beckett, push the button for me, please. Hurts." The pain in his chest was like a hot throbbing burn and he could hardly keep from crying out.
She leaned over him and took the control and pushed the 'Relief' button and set it on his thigh where he could reach it.
"Oh, honey, you can't even push the button by yourself" she managed through her tears. Kate watched as the drug released the tension in his face and arms and he slipped back to sleep.
She eased off the bed and sat back down on the chair. She'd already caused him enough pain. He thought she was Natalie at first and his words had warmed her. Maybe this time they'd get it right. Maybe this time she'd get it right.
She heard Lanie call her from the hall and when she turned, she saw Lanie's face and walked quietly out of the room.
"He's in pain. He thought I was Natalie and basically told her to get out. Why the long face? He's alive and on the mend, right? Right?"
"Kate, there's something you have to know before you talk to him."