A.N. This chapter is going to put the pieces together for you, my dear readers. Please send me a review to let me know what you think and any suggestions you can come up with to help make it better will be appreciated. Enjoy!

1 month later

That morning, Kate arrived at work as she would any normal day and was slightly startled when Castle bombarded her as soon as she stepped off the elevator.

"Are you ok? You sick or something? I've noticed you've made some pretty frequent trips to the bathrooms, and I swear I've heard you throwing up in there. And you haven't been eating lately or drinking the coffee I bring you." he rapid fired as he walked with her to her desk.

"I'm fine, Castle. Just a bit of stomach flu. It'll pass."

"But that's the thing." He insisted. "It's been going on got at least two weeks now." He continued as sat down heavily in his chair. He smiled as he held out a bottle of water for her while clutching his coffee in his other hand. "I figured today would be no different." a small smile spread across Kate's face as she took the offered bottle.

"Thanks Castle." she replied as she unscrewed the cap and tilted it, pouring a small amount into her dry mouth. Castle then proceeded to reveal a small paper bag, checking its contents before handing it over to her.

"I figured some dry corn cakes would at least be gentle on your stomach."

'God he's sweet!' She thought to herself.

After being sick for so many days, Kate had got into the habit of tying her hair back to avoid getting her puke in it, but today she tied it back in a loose pony out of sheer exhaustion.

As she munched slowly on the corn cake, she felt the dreaded sensation of something rising in her throat and could taste the awful acidic taste in her mouth; Kate dropped her corn cake and bottle on her desk and hurriedly made her way to the bathroom. She pushed open the cubicle door and released the minimal contents of her stomach into the toilet bowl. Kate tried to catch her breath again before she was ripped by another heave. Behind her, she could feel a presence and felt a pair of large hands gathering up the loose strands of hair and holding it back for her.

She didn't even have to look to know who it was.

"Thanks Castle." she mumbled, resting her head on the arm slewed across the toilet seat. Kate felt him transfer her hair into one hand and then proceeded to, with his now free hand; rub it up and down her back. At his soothing touch, Kate felt herself relaxing and, as inconvenient place it was, found herself nodding off.

"Come on, Kate. Let's take you home." Castle whispered to her soothingly. Normally, she would outright refuse him, but in her current exhausted state, she was in no position to argue. He carefully put his hands under her arms and lifted her up slowly.

"Can you stand?" he asked. Kate nodded weakly and let him help her out of the bathroom. Castle led her to her desk and sat her down with her bin next to her while he quickly went in to talk to Gates to get Kate the sick leave she needed.

"Sir, I respectively ask that Detective Beckett be put on sick leave. She's in no condition to be working. I mean, look at her." He gestured to slightly swaying Kate sitting at her desk as she waited for him to take her home.

"Alright, point taken. She has a week of leave. Get her to see a doctor." Gates instructed him.

"Thank you, sir." He replied with a smile as he practically bounded out of her office.

"Come on, Kate. I'm taking you home with me."

"Castle..." she started to protest.

"Please let me take care of you, Kate!" He near pleaded, shifting is weight to one foot, near pleading with her, as he lent in towards her. Kate looked into his insistent eyes and let out an exhausted sigh, nodding her consent. "Thank you!" He breathed out. "You think you can make it to the car?" He asked gently as he collected her things for her.

"I think so." she mumbled, slowly rising to her feet while she leant heavily on the desk for support. She took slow and steady breaths to try and prevent herself from being sick again. Castle slung her bag over his shoulder, her jacket over his arm and quickly finished his coffee before throwing it in her bin, he turned back to face her.

"How can you still look so masculine while having my bag over your shoulder?" She grumbled in an attempt to lighten the mood. He simply smiled and moved in closer to her, wrapping one of his strong arms around her ribs, supporting her.

"House full of girls. I find myself getting all sorts of things for them. But that story's for another time." He brushed it off with a smile, adjusting his hand for a better grip around her. "Come on, time to take you home and get you to bed. I'll take you to the doctor tomorrow." Fear flashed across her face for a split second and managed to go unnoticed by Castle. "Sorry, Gate's orders." He explained. She nodded in understanding, a small voice in the back of her mind screaming in terror, but the louder voice was saying; 'well at least they might know when this is going to end.' She let him help her to the elevator and as soon as the doors opened, they came face to face with Ryan and Esposito. The boys looked the pair up and down and took in their close positions, exchanging smirking glances with each other and then at the pair in complete synchronization.

"Excuse me boys, I've got to get her home. She's not well." He stated simply to deter any questions. They quickly parted like the red sea without question, their smirks dropping off their faces as they took a good look at their boss, and stepped out of the elevator, letting them step past the threshold and rest up against the back of the elevator. As the boys walked over to their desks in the bull pen, Esposito whispered to Ryan, "Thank god he's taking her home, 'cause if he didn't, I would." He emphasized as he turned his attention back to his work.

"You and me both, dude." He agreed. "You and me both." He repeated softer.