The day after, Castle was sitting at Kate's bedside. She still hadn't woken up from her surgery, and he was still worrying himself into exhaustion. The intubation tube was still helping her breath, and her pulse was remaining steady since she had gotten out of surgery. Even so, Castle was worried sick about her. The doctors had come in a few times and tried to convince him to go home, but he hadn't moved out of his chair for since they had let him in. She was so pale, and she looked so small in that hospital gown that Castle couldn't leave her alone. Without realizing it, Castle had begun talking to the unconscious detective in front of him.

"Kate, wake up. Please. I need you." Suddenly, everything Castle had been holding back came pouring out his mouth. "I can't believe I left you alone. I shouldn't have done it. If I had known he was coming, I would have stayed and protected you. I mean, I know you're a totally badass cop and everything, and you don't need anyone to protect you, but I should have been there. I should have taken that bullet, not you." He paused, not sure what else to tell her. "Your ringtone is Lucky. You know, Do you hear me? I'm talking to you, across the water, across the deep blue ocean, under the open sky, oh my, baby, I'm tryin'." Castle grinned sheepishly. "I know you hate the song, but I played it for you anyway once, and you couldn't help but smile a bit at the cheesiness of it all. Plus, the chorus fits… Lucky I'm in love with my best friend, lucky to have been where I have been, lucky to be coming home again…" He paused for a second to wipe the tears from his rough cheeks. "I love you, Katherine Elizabeth Beckett. I know it's stupid to confess it to you while you're unconscious and, frankly, it kind of ruins the moment, but the songs finally make sense. I'm so scared, Kate. I can't lose you. You're my muse, and, what can I say? I'm a one-cop guy."

With that, Kate Beckett opened her eyes.

X

"I'm so scared, Kate. I can't lose you. You're my muse, and, what can I say? I'm a one-cop guy." The voice sounded far away, but Kate grabbed onto it and pulled herself back. Her eyes felt like they weighed three tons, but she opened them slowly, her vision too blurry to make anything out.

"Kate?" It took her a second to recognize his voice. Castle? Something was in her throat, and she began to cough and gasp. "She's awake!" Castle shouted. A nurse walked quickly into the room, and slowly pulled the tube out Kate's throat after giving her a quick once-over. She coughed a couple of time before collapsing on the bed in pain. "Oh thank god you're awake. I was so worried about you!" She could feel Castle squeezing her hand, and, as her eyes got clearer, could see tears streaming down his stubbly cheeks.

"Castle?" she moaned hoarsely.

"I'm right here," he whispered. "I'm not going anywhere."

"Castle, the Captain?" She stared at him, silently praying that he would tell her the doctors had miraculously saved her mentor's life. Instead, Castle sadly shook his head, and Kate looked away, feeling tears stinging her eyes.

"Kate, I'm so sorry. I should have been there for you."

"Castle, shut up. It wasn't your fault. It was…" She wiped the tears out her eyes as she remembered what had happened. "Castle, where's Josh?" Castle looked at her with a mixture of horror and disgust.

"Why? The oaf tore down your mother's murderboard! You kicked him…" She looked away as he paused. "Oh my god. Kate, Josh shot you, didn't he? Josh killed the Captain." Kate nodded, a tiny gesture of agreement, but it caused Castle to drop her hand, and slam his fist against the bed. "The fucker! I'll kill him!" For the first time in nearly two days, Castle stood up and stormed towards the door.

"Castle, wait!" Kate's plea made him freeze and turn back to her. The anger in his eyes was genuinely frightening, but she stared into them anyway. "I thought you said you weren't gonna leave me." Castle slumped a bit, and slowly made his way back to the chair, sitting heavily in it. Kate reached out and grabbed his hand again. "So, you're a one-cop girl, huh Castle?" she asked with a devilish smile. Castle stared at her in shock.

"You… you heard that?" Kate's grin grew with the blush that was creeping up Castle's cheeks.

"Yeah. Yeah, I did. It was really sweet."

"Well, it's true," Castle said. They sat in silence for a while, Kate still smiling and Castle still a very bright shade of red.

"Castle, you never told me what my ringtone is," Kate said, causing Castle to laugh sheepishly.

"Kate, you were shot and you want to know what your ringtone is?" Kate nodded, raising an eyebrow at him. "Fine, where's your phone?" It was on the table next to her bed, and Castle grabbed it, handing it to her. "Call me." Kate pushed two buttons, and the two of them waited until Castle's phone began to ring.

Lucky I'm in love with my best friend.

Lucky to have been where I have been

Lucky to be coming home again.

Kate stared at Castle, who couldn't quite meet her eyes. "Castle? I hate that song."

Castle found himself talking again with no control over what he was saying. "I played it for you once, and you smiled a bit, which leads me to think that you don't hate it as much as you say you do. Plus, it fits. You're my best friend, and I care about you more than anything in the world. It kills me to know that I wasn't there for you." His voice cracked, and he flushed again. "You're my best friend, Kate, and I love you. The songs finally make sense. I love you, and I will protect you until the day I die. You light up my life. I know I can be incredibly frustrating sometimes, believe me, Alexis has mentioned it, but I really care about you. I'm in love with my best friend." Kate sat up gingerly and wiped the tears from his face. "I know you just broke up with Josh, but –" His hoarse voice was silenced as Kate pressed her lips onto his.

"I love you too, writer monkey."