I'm working on Chapter 3 as you read this, but I'm almost done with it. I don't know when i should have it up.

Oh. So sorry I forgot to say this earlier. Esposito and Lanie are married with a baby girl on the way. I will bring this up in the story in a little bit. I'm so sorry for my forgetfulness.

Chapter 2

Forty minutes passed in the deafening silence. When a doctor wearing light blue scrubs and a catching scrub cap came up to the family, the three women stood from the bench while Jim straightened up and stepped forward, his shoulder brushing Kate's.

"Mrs. Castle, I take it?" The girl asked.

"Yes." Kate said stepping closer to her. "What's going on? Is Rick okay?"

"Mr. Castle has just been released from surgery." The small doctor said. "If you'll just follow me. I'll take you to his room." Kate nodded and followed the young doctor.

She stopped outside a closed door. "He's lost a lot of blood, but he should be okay."

"Thank you." Kate exhaled as the girl opened the door. Kate stepped in the hospital room, Alexis followed, close behind her Martha entered, and Jim closed the door behind the family.

Kate moved slowly to the bed in the middle of the room. She took in the sight of Rick lying motionless on the bed. His chest barely rising and falling, but still there was movement. He had IVs stuck in both his arms, Kate noted one was a blood bag. She walked around the bed and grasped Rick's hand in her own. He was warm and slowly gaining more color.

Kate didn't even notice Martha and Alexis each kiss Rick's forehead and squeeze his hand whispering hopeful thoughts into his ears. She was startled when Jim placed his large hand on her shoulder. Kate turned to look at him.

"I'm going to head home. Call me when you have news."

Kate bowed her head. "I will dad."

"Love you Katie."

"Love you too dad. You won't mind keeping Hemingway a little longer would you?"

"Not at all." Kate knew he loved the giant lab like it was the son he never had.

"Thank you."

As her father left Kate glanced around the room, Martha and Alexis had left sometime before. Kate placed Rick's hand back on the bed and turned grabbing a chair sitting in a corner she pulled it as close to the bed as she could. Digging her phone out of her pocket, the pregnancy test from earlier in the afternoon fell to the floor. She bent and picked up the forgotten test. Gazing at the small plus sign she rewrapped the paper towel around it and jammed it back in her pocket, After all of this. Kate thought as she texted Lanie, Esposito and Ryan that Rick was out of surgery. They all replied almost simultaneously they would be by as soon as possible. Kate dropped her phone on the sheets and grasped Rick's hand. She put her elbows on the tough mattress and clutched Rick's left hand between both of hers, his cold gold wedding band clashed violently with the heat from her hands.

She closed her eyes and steadied her breathing, enjoying the warmth and comfort Rick's hand was giving her. Keeping her eyes closed Kate thought about David Pearson. The name and voice were familiar, but she couldn't recall when she had last seen the name or heard the voice, that now haunted her thoughts.

"Why Lizzie? Why our family?" Kate muttered to herself. She thought of every scenario she could, Esposito still hadn't called with anything, nor had Ryan or Sorenson.

Kate had dozed into uneasy and light sleeps, the slightest noise or movement causing her eyes to fly open and her body to start forward. She was sitting with her right elbow resting precariously on the arm of the chair, her hand propping her head up as her eye lids threatened to close once again. Her eyes shot open when she heard the door open quietly on the opposite side of the room, Lanie, Esposito, and Ryan all entered. Kate stood, placing Rick's hand on the bed, and checking her pocket to make sure the secret test hadn't fallen out onto the floor or chair, it was still safely tucked away in her pocket.

"How is he?" Lanie asked stepping forward to look at the writer better.

"He hasn't woken up yet. But thank God he's not hooked up to any breathing tubes." Kate answered.

"We stopped by the loft and I picked you up some clothes, I noticed earlier that the ones you're wearing were covered in blood." Lanie said holding out a bag.

"Thank you Lanie." Kate smiled taking the bag.

"Well anesthesia affects people differently. He could wake up anytime." Esposito said as Kate placed the bag on the chair behind her.

"He still looks pale." Ryan whispered. Esposito and Lanie eyed him threateningly. "But he looks good." Ryan added.

"How you holdin' up?" Esposito nodded at Kate.

"Not well. Did you find anything on Pearson?"

"Everything. Where he worked, lives, and the cemetery where his wife and daughter are buried."

"Both wife and daughter are dead?"

"Wife, Lindsay Pearson died in a car accident two years after giving birth to daughter, Sarah Pearson. Starting to sound familiar?"

Kate thought, but before she could respond Esposito continued.

"Sarah was abducted when she was four years old. The kidnapper demanded ransom. But David already struggling to make ends meet didn't get-"

Kate cut him off. "The ransom by the deadline the kidnapper gave him. Sarah was killed. Sorenson worked the kidnapping, but shortly before it turned to a homicide Castle and I started to help. The kidnapper sent us the address to where her body would be found. I went with Sorenson, and found her, inside an old abandoned warehouse. The kidnapper was never caught." Kate finished. Esposito nodded.

"The only theory we have is that since you and Castle worked that case shortly before you got married. He blamed you guys for the death of his little girl and wanted you to feel the pain he went through. We're also guessing he waited until Lizzie was about the same age as Sarah was to take her. Alexis being too old and not your biological daughter."

"Esposito and I went to his apartment. He wasn't there, neither was Lizzie, but we found old newspaper clippings about you and Castle. All dated after the case up until the latest case you guys worked. Including an article and picture of you two at a book signing while you were seven months pregnant, the article also said you were carrying a baby girl and you and Castle had been happily married for almost two years. He highlighted that the date you were due."

Kate shuddered. "He's been stalking our family for almost five years?"

Esposito nodded. "We'll catch him Kate. We have his picture out along with Lizzie's in case someone sees either of them."

"Thanks."

A minute of silence passed before Ryan said, "Guess it was a good thing you went home for lunch."

"That's why I married her." Rick croaked out in a whisper.

"Rick! You're awake!" Turning and grasping his hand.

"Have been since Esposito said something about anesthesia." Rick said hoarsely as he squeezed Kate's hand lightly.

"We were worried you'd end up on my table, down at the morgue." Lanie said, she hadn't spoken since arriving.

"Let's just keep my daughter off that table." Rick replied as Ryan handed him a paper cup of water. "Thank you."

Ryan nodded, "We're working on that Castle. Sorenson running the case, who knows if he'll kick us off the case."

"If I remember correctly that has never stopped any of you before. " Lanie said raising an eyebrow and looking at all three detectives and the writer in turn.

"We never said we weren't going to investigate ourselves, just that Sorenson is running the case so he might need us there." Ryan defended.

"Castle can you tell us what happened?" Esposito asked after a moment of silence.

Rick nodded while taking a sip of water. "Lizzie and I were coloring in her room. I had lost all track of time, I heard something downstairs so I told Lizzie to stay put and keep quiet. Going downstairs there was no one there so I headed back up to Lizzie's room, entering I saw she wasn't there. I was about to call out her name, when I heard someone at the door to the bedroom, I turned and saw David Pearson, I recognized him from the case. I kept as calm as I could and tried to talk him out of taking Lizzie while I slowly moved to grab one of the small wooden chairs, but he noticed, told me stop. But I didn't. He pulled a gun from his waistband, it was against his back so I didn't see it, he told me to stop, still id didn't, be brought the gun up and smiled slightly. Then there was a stabbing pain below my ribs. My vision went blurry, I saw him take Lizzie, I heard crying. I tried remembered where my phone was to call you guys, but I left it downstairs. So I rolled over and grabbed a scrap of paper and crayon and wrote down that Lizzie had been taken before passing out."

Rick's voice was becoming hoarser as he continued through the events.

"I remembering hearing Kate and then sirens, but nothing else." He finished.

"Thanks Castle." Esposito said.

Rick bowed his head. The group fell silent all looking around the private room.

"We should go." Ryan said.

"Yeah." Esposito nodded. "Get better Castle."

"We'll find Lizzie and Pearson." Ryan added, looking at Kate.

"Thanks guys." Rick and Kate said in unison.

"We'll keep you posted." Esposito half smiled.

"Thank you." The couple replied as the three turned toward the door.

"We'll see you soon." Lanie waved. Rick and Kate returned the gesture as the door opened and the two detectives and medical examiner filed out into the hall. As the door swung closed behind them Kate fell on to the bed.

She was still clutching Rick's hand. More tears she had held back since Lanie, Esposito, and Ryan arrived burned the corners of her eyes. She shuddered as she tried to breathe.

Rick didn't speak, but tugged on Kate's wrist with his free hand. She didn't move, he scooted over on the hospital bed, wincing in pain as he did so. Rick gave her wrist another tug after he was down moving. She collapsed on to the space of bed next to him. Rick readjusted himself so he was on his left side, his left arm tucked under Kate's body, his right wrapped around her shoulders. He cradled her to him, ignoring the shooting pains in his right side, below his ribs. Her head nestled in the crook of his neck. Lifting his head slightly he checked and made sure neither of his IVs were blocked by Kate's body, they were fine so Rick continued to cradle the woman next to him.

Rick didn't know how long he and Kate stayed like this, but it was long enough for Kate to compose herself again. Her breathing stead, eyes dry, and the lump that had made a home in her throat since noon had long since gone.

"You shouldn't be lying like this." She whispered into his neck.

"I don't care. I needed to hold you." He whispered in her hair. Rick could feel her try to smile as he kissed the top of her head.

After a beat of silence Kate spoke softly. "Rick I'm scared. Pearson could be anywhere. Lizzie could be-"

"No Kate! Don't think like that." Rick said pulling Kate closer to him. "Lizzie is going to be fine. She is fine. We'll find her."

The couple fell silent. The shrill ring of Kate's phone startled them. Kate jumped slightly and Rick grunted in pain at the sudden movement.

"I'm sorry." Kate said rising and getting off the bed to grab her discarded phone off the chair. Looking at the number she hadn't seen in four years she answered.

"Will, please tell me you have Lizzie."

"Kate, are you at the hospital?" Sorenson asked, ignoring her plead.

"Yeah. Do you have Lizzie?"

"I'll be there in a few." Sorenson hung up.

"Will?" Kate said into the phone. She hit redial and listened, but the FBI agent didn't pick up. "Ass." Kate muttered dropping her phone on the chair.

"Sorenson?" Rick questioned.

"Yeah he said he's on his way."

"Does he have Lizzie?"

"He didn't say, which makes me think no."

Kate paced at the foot of the bed. A doctor had entered. Kate was too distracted to listen to anything that they were saying, she only caught bits and pieces of the conversation; something about losing blood, the surgery, and keeping him here until he was okay. Sorenson had opened the door while the doctor was going on about something. The male doctor turned to look at the newcomer wearing a suit and tie.

"I'll be right back." Kate said walking toward the door.

Both Rick and the doctor nodded. Kate stepped past Sorenson and into the hall. Will made sure the door was fully closed before speaking.

"Pearson was the gather of Sarah Pearson. A kidnapping I worked back in 2012. I asked you and Castle to help but you two were wrapped up in a homicide already, you two came in the day before she was killed. The kidnapper killed Sarah-"

"Before Pearson got the ransom by the deadline." Kate interrupted. "Esposito told me everything about the case, him stalking my family for five years, and that his only theory was he blamed Rick and I for the of his little girl."

"Okay." Sorenson sounded agitated. "We canvassed around your home and found a burner phone across the street in a dumpster. The last call was to you cell."

"Were there any prints?"

"They all matched Pearson's."

Kate stood for a moment then voiced one of the many questions that had formed in her mind. "Why would he give me his name, he had to have known we would have released his picture?"

"There could be a lot of reasons. One is that he wanted you know why Lizzie was taken. Another is he doesn't actually want to hurt her so he's hoping we catch him." Sorenson explained. "Could be both."

"Why hasn't he asked for ransom?" Kate asked, under other circumstances she would have known the answers to her own questions.

"Probably because he knows Castle is rich and can have the money in an hour. I think that could be one of the reasons he told you his name, gave you his face, he wants you to go through the same pain he did, but since ransom would have ended his plan or game too quickly he gave you his name and fell of the grid. So you know who he is, but can't find him." Sorenson answered.

Kate ran her fingers through her long auburn hair. As she closed her eyes she saw Lizzie smiling and laughing. Her brown curls bouncing as she jumped up to sit at her chair and eat her breakfast this morning. The sparkle in her blue eyes, her laughing as Rick did something funny. Before Kate was walking out the door, the loud kiss her daughter gave her on the cheek then Rick's soft gentle kiss on the lips. She wanted to stay home today. Lizzie's Love you mommy. Rang through Kate's head. Kate could hear Sorenson's phone buzz, opening her eyes she saw him reply quickly to a text.

Looking up to meet his gaze he said "I have to go."

"I'm coming with you."

"No you're not Kate."

"Lizzie is my daughter Will! I need to find her!"

"Kate you wouldn't be any help. You're a distraught mother, whose daughter has been kidnapped." Will took a step closer to her. "If you really want to help find her, stay here with Castle. Comfort your family. Let Ryan, Esposito, and me take care of finding Lizzie and Pearson.

Kate could feel the tears burning in her eyes again, but she wouldn't let them fall. She didn't respond, but stood her ground as Will stepped closer to her.

"I will find her Kate."He whispered, looking down into her hazel eyes. "I won't let Lizzie get hurt."

He waited until Kate nodded before turning and walking to the exit. Kate stood outside Rick's room for a minute. She knew Will wouldn't let anything happen to her or her family. And Ryan and Esposito would rather die than let harm come to her or her family.

She took a deep breath and opened the door.

Please REVIEW. I know the chapters are long, but bare with me. :)