Y'all kept pestering me to hurry up. So here you go. Pardon any misspellings and improper grammar. :)
I think I'll have one more chapter after this. Sorry for the shortness, but hoped you enjoyed the story.
Chapter 6
She felt her breath leave her body, the gun she was holding suddenly felt like it weighed 50 pounds, and her eyes widened. She dropped her arm, gun hitting her thigh as her knees buckled.
"Lizzie…" She whispered as she ran for the door.
When she entered the room, she saw Esposito picking Lizzie up, strategically positioning her on his hip so she couldn't the body on the floor. Kate looked down and saw Pearson, shot once in the center of his chest and once in the forehead.
Looking back up at Esposito as he turned to leave the room. He was bleeding from his right arm. He smiled at Kate as she ran and took Lizzie from his grasp.
"Thank God." She said clutching her daughter close to her, tears rolling down her cheeks. Kate collapsed on the floor, her knees colliding with hard dirty concrete. She felt as if the weight of the world was lifted off her shoulders.
"Mommy?" Lizzie's small voice was shaky and scared.
"I'm here baby girl. I'm right here." Kate assured her running her hands up and down her back.
She felt Lizzie's small arms wrap around the Kevlar vest and give her a tight squeeze. At that exact moment Kate heard sirens and yelling. Cops filed into the warehouse, Esposito shouted "In here!" as he stepped out of the door.
Kate felt his hand on her shoulder, she looked up him.
"Let's get her out of here." He said gently, holding out the keys to his Crown Victoria.
"Thank you Javier." She said, standing with Lizzie on her hip, her daughter adjusted in her grasp so she could wrap her arms around Kate's torso again. She hugged him. "What about your arm?" She said pointing to his right arm.
"It's just a graze. I'll be fine."
"But Javi-"
"Beckett. Let's get Lizzie out of here. I can have it looked at, at the hospital."
Kate nodded and moved toward the door with Esposito next to her and Lizzie hugging her chest. She didn't even remember removing her vest or getting in the back seat with her little girl, but there she was. Holding her daughter close to her, in the back seat of Esposito and Ryan's blue Crown Victoria. She heard Esposito call Ryan and tell him that they had Lizzie. Kate didn't realize how quickly they had made it to the hospital, until Esposito was stopping the car and opening her door.
Kate grabbed Lizzie, she never wanted to let her go, and made her way to the elevator. She felt Lizzie fidgeting in her arms the whole ride up the seven floors. When they stepped off on Rick's floor, Kate wanted to run to him, she didn't though. But when they finally reached the door Esposito pulled it open for Kate. Putting Lizzie down when she saw her father lying in bed so she could talk to Esposito. Lizzie ran to Rick, who bent over and picked her up.
Kate turned back to Esposito. "What happened?"
"Excuse me?"
"When you kicked in the door and entered the room. Before I could go in I heard three shots. Who fired first?"
"Pearson, had Lizzie in front of him, his gun pointed at her head, so I lowered mine, but as soon as it wasn't pointing at him anymore he raised his own and shot at me. I ducked to the left. Bullet grazed my arm." He looked down at his right arm. "I raised my gun and shot him once in the heart and once in the head."
"I'm sorry."
"Kate, don't be sorry, we saved Lizzie. That's all that matters."
"Thank you."
"Anytime." Kate wrapped her arms around the detective. They hugged for a minute, as Esposito pulled away he said, "Now go over there with your family."
"Go find someone to look at your arm." She said stepping back.
"I will. But enjoy this time alone, because I'm sure Ryan alerted everyone that Lizzie is back and okay."
"I will. Thanks again."
Esposito left with a nod and wave at Rick. Kate moved over to her husband and daughter. Rick was holding Lizzie close. Tear tracks stained his cheeks, along with Lizzie's. Kate reached down and smoothed her daughter's brown curls. She sat down on the edge of the hospital bed. Lizzie clung to both her mother and her father.
Kate felt the tears burning in her eyes. Rick was holding her hand, Lizzie snuggled between them. She looked over at the writer and could see tears welling his eyes as well. But that sparkle that had gone out in them when Lizzie was taken had finally returned. Kate could never name that sparkle, it was like his scent, it could only be described as Rick.
They sat together on the hospital bed, holding each other for God knows how long. Lizzie finally fell asleep in their arms. Kate suspected that it was the combination of exhaustion, Rick stroking her hair, and Kate smoothing her hand down Lizzie's small back. She was on the verge of sleep when the door opened, revealing Martha, Alexis, Jim, Ryan, and Esposito and Lanie. Kate saw Rick raise a finger to his mouth and point to Lizzie whose chest was raising and falling slowly and gently.
Kate was unable to move from her perch on the bed without disturbing her sleeping daughter. Jim moved toward her. He squeezed her shoulder gently, before leaning over and hugging her. When he pulled away he carefully bent and kissed the top of Lizzie's head stroking her hair. He retreated and moved to the other side of the bed and shook Rick's hand.
Martha and Alexis had finished kissing Rick on the cheek and were approaching Kate. They smiled and hugged her in turn, before moving so Lanie and Esposito could hug their friend and look at Lizzie. Ryan was last to hug Kate. Everyone was circling the bed their eyes moving from Rick to Lizzie to Kate and back again as silence fell over the small group.
"When did she fall asleep?" Alexis asked, reaching out and touching Lizzie's back gently.
She was standing next to Rick, Martha's arm around her shoulder. Ryan was beside to Martha, his hands in his pockets. Esposito was beside his partner his arm wrapped protectively around his wife on his other side, the bandage on his right arm was clean and well done. Lanie's hands were placed on her very round belly, she looked ready to burst. Next to the medical examiner was Kate's father, his hand on her shoulder.
"Dunno." Kate whispered. "Lost track of time."
"So glad she's okay." Ryan muttered. Everyone nodded in agreement.
"She looks so peaceful." Martha interjected.
Kate nodded. Silence fell over them again. Ryan spoke first.
"As much as I hate leaving, I have to go, finish paperwork." He whispered, moving to shake Rick's hand then hug Kate.
"Thank you for everything Kevin." Kate said.
"That's what friends are for." He replied.
As he moved toward the door, Esposito asked him to wait. The Hispanic detective shook Rick's hand, before hugging Kate as well. He kissed Lanie, waved at the rest of the group then left with his partner.
"I should go." Lanie said with a yawn. She hugged Kate, stroked Lizzie's hair, and hugged Rick before walking through the door.
Martha, Alexis, and Jim didn't move from their spots beside the bed. Kate moved her hand up to take her father's in hers. She felt his index finger gently touch the ring on her right hand. She had removed her mother's ring from her necklace and moved it to her right ring finger, not too long after she and Rick had started dating. It felt like her father's watch on her left wrist, right, as if it belonged there the whole time. She smiled at her father, who she caught glancing down at the small emerald on her finger.
"I should get going. Hemingway is probably pacing the house waiting for his dinner." He smiled as he bent and kissed Kate's forehead and shook Rick's hand and kissed Lizzie gently on the top of the head. He waved and left the room.
Alexis and Martha decided to go as well. Hugging and kissing Kate, Rick, and Lizzie, before they too left the detective, writer, and toddler alone in the hospital room.
"I felt like the world was lifted off my shoulders." Rick whispered.
"Me too." Kate whispered back, stroking Lizzie's hair. "I'm afraid to move. I don't want to wake her."
Rick laughed quietly. "I'm so glad she's okay." He paused to tuck one of Lizzie's stray curls behind her small ear. "What happened to Pearson?"
Kate sat for a moment trying to figure out how to answer. "He shot Esposito…"
"Is he okay?"
"Grazed his right arm. Esposito shot Pearson once in the chest and once in the forehead. Pearson had been pointing his gun at Lizzie."
Kate felt Rick flinch beside her as silence came over the couple.
"Doctor said I could go home in the morning."
"Great!" Kate said, leaning carefully over Lizzie and kissing Rick gently.
"But he said I have to use a cane, because of the way I landed on my right leg when Pearson shot me."
Kate laughed. "Do we have to come back in a few days? I remember I had to when I was shot."
Rick nodded, moving the hand that he was using to stroke Lizzie's hair to brush up and down Kate's hand and arm.
"I love you." He whispered.
"I love you too."
X-X-X-X
Kate awoke the next morning with her back against Rick's chest. She didn't open her eyes, but felt the bed around them. She couldn't feel Lizzie. Her eyes flew open and she jumped up. Rick grunted next to her. She looked around the room; there she was asleep on Will Sorenson's lap. His head lulled forward and he jerked awake. Kate carefully got up and moved toward her ex. He looked up at her, standing and carrying Lizzie over to the hospital bed where she immediately snuggled up next her father.
Kate and Sorenson walked quietly out of the hospital room. After the door was closed behind him, he spoke.
"You okay?"
Kate nodded stuffing her hands in her back pockets.
"She looks like you." He nodded his head toward the door they had just closed.
"She has Rick's eyes." Kate smiled. Sorenson didn't reply.
"When did you come in?" Kate asked checking her watch, and noting that it was nearly 7:30.
"About six. Lizzie was asleep in the chair, and I didn't want to disturb you and Castle. So I picked her up and let her sleep on my lap."
Kate nodded.
"What happened to the woman who said she wouldn't have kids because she was focused on her career?" Sorenson asked.
"She grew up, fell in love with the right guy." Kate shrugged. She knew her words pierced Sorenson, but a little piece of her didn't mind. It was his turn to nod.
"Nice job, thinking of where she was." He said.
"Rick helped." Sorenson didn't need to reply, the look on his face said the exact words he was thinking. Of course he did.
"Well, it was nice to see you again Kate." He said starting to walk past her.
"Nice to see you too Will."
"I hope you're happy." He said a few steps away from her.
"I am happy Will. I love Rick. I love Lizzie. I'm very happy." Kate said turning and watching Sorenson.
He nodded. "Bye Kate."
"Bye Will." She said as Sorenson turned his back. Kate opened the door to Rick's room.
When she entered she saw Rick sitting up with Lizzie on his lap, both were smiling. She felt the smile grow on her face as she moved over to them. Hugging her daughter and kissing her gently on the forehead and kissing Rick softly on the lips, before sitting herself on the foot of the bed.
X-X-X-X
Later that morning when Rick was released Kate picked Lizzie up and balanced her on her right hip, while grabbing the bag of clothes she had worn three days before. She used her left hand to help steady Rick as he got used to the feel of walking on his right leg and with the cane.
They made it to the elevator without a problem. Ryan was downstairs waiting for them. When they stepped out into the lobby, Kate could see the news cameras mixed with reporters and paparazzi. She inhaled sharply when the glass doors slid open and they were greeted with the yells and shrieks of reporters. She forced a smile as Lizzie tucked her head into the small space between Kate's neck and shoulder, shielding herself from the flashing camera lights and microphones being thrust toward her.
Rick limbed next to Kate as they made their way toward Ryan's car. He was smiling at the cameras, but avoiding the questions the reporters were rapid firing at them. Finally they got to the car and Ryan ushered them inside. Kate exhaled and closed her eyes and felt Lizzie pull her head up.
"It's okay mommy. We're okay. We're on the way home now." Kate opened her eyes when she heard Lizzie's small voice. She smiled and looked over to see Rick stifling a laugh.
"I know baby." Kate said pulling her daughter in for a hug, before buckling the little girl up between herself and Rick.
She smiled over at Rick and reached over Lizzie's head and grabbed his hand. She laced her fingers between his and mouthed.
"I love you."
"I love you too." He mouthed back with his crooked smile plastered on his face.
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