Ok, I've edited to get Mia through the critical period, as you've waited long enough. I will continue to edit the chapters I've written and work on finishing the story. Cheers and thanks again for hanging in there!

Disclaimer: No ownership, no profit.


Nurse Phillips returned to the waiting room within 10 minutes, inviting Kate to follow him. She did so without question , Castle trailing not far behind. He didn't bother to ask if it was ok and figured that they could try their best to throw him out if need be.

It didn't come to that, especially because the PICU staff assumed Castle and Beckett were both Mia's parents.

"Now, I'm told that Dr. Matthews spoke with you about Mia's condition." The partners nodded in unison to the nurse.

"So you know that she's currently sedated and will be kept in a twilight state for some time." He clarified.

"Exactly how long?" Castle asked, Kate seemed to be too preoccupied with trying to look past the nurse to get a glimpse of Mia.

"We're not sure, several days is most likely-but it will depend on Mia. Each person recovers at a different rate and we'll have to monitor her swelling." Nurse Phillips saw Kate's desperation and led her into the small room, one of the many with glass walls.

"I know that she looks like she's in pretty rough shape, but we've got her on some really good pain medications and as long as she sleeps she should be able to heal from her trauma." The nurse whispered as Castle and Beckett took in the frail state of the young girl in the hospital bed.

Her head was completely bandaged and she had a pretty significant bruise below her left eye. Her right arm was casted from elbow to finger tips and her left leg appeared to be stabilized and plastered as well. There was a plastic device lining her hips and they appeared to be covered with similar casting materials. Kate let out a sob, part horror at the sight of her and part relief that somehow Mia was still alive.

"She's got a long road ahead of her, but she's a fighter." Nurse Phillips spoke while checking Mia's tubes and fluid levels. He patted Rick on the shoulder, "If you have any questions or need anything I'll be right outside." He motioned to the nurses' station.

There was only one chair in the small room, and Castle led Beckett to take it. It was conveniently located next to Mia's left side, where Kate could sit and take her uninjured hand. She leaned in and kissed Mia's cheek, making sure to avoid any scrapes or bruises.

"Hi sweetheart." She spoke. It was the first time she'd used any sort of endearing name for the girl, but it seemed to fit. The continuous beeps and compression of the life support machinery in the room was the only response Kate received.

"I know you've been through hell, and you're struggling now." She began, "but I want you to know that I'm right here and I promise you that I'll be here until you open your eyes again."

"You're not alone, Mia." Rick joined in. He stepped behind the chair where Kate was seated and placed his hands on the detective's shoulders, squeezing in support. "You've got a family now who loves you, and we'll be here watching over you."

Kate raised her free hand, the one that wasn't clasping her daughters', and laced her fingers through Castle's. They stayed there for hours, allowing the doctors and nurses to do their jobs, listening to the steady rhythm of the machines and keeping guard over the fragile girl who'd captured both of their hearts.


Days passed and Mia continued to heal. Her blood was clotting nicely and the swelling in her brain had subsided. It would be weeks and months of healing before she would return to full physical functioning, but all in all, she was a miracle.

The nursing staff loved the girl's family, and they appreciated the dedication of her parents-well, her mother. Once word got out that none other than famous author Richard Castle was on the floor, it was hard to convince anybody that he was the girl's father. However, his dedication to Beckett and his family's commitment to Mia alleviated any concerns about his presence.

The members of the PICU came to admire the relationship the partner's shared, and it was clear to all who observed them that they were in love. They may not have been married, and there may not have been full and traditional blood ties, but it was clear that the people in Mia's room were a family.

Castle and Beckett spent the majority of their time with Mia, as long as they were allowed to do so. They switched off and allowed for visitors to briefly pay their respects, but one of the two partners was always at Mia's bedside. Often times they both were.

The staff couldn't help but smile as they watched Castle seated comfortably in the large reclining chair, Beckett on his lap and curled against him as they watched the teen. Mia remained sedated upon the doctor's request. Her brain wave activity continued to look good and he assured them that there was minimal chance of damage.

"Mia's skull was fractured, but nothing was able to penetrate or puncture her brain matter. The biggest concern was bleeding and swelling, both of which are under control. The longer we can keep her sedated, the more time she has to heal and the less severe the pain when she awakens."

They were under no illusion that she would be pain-free when she was conscious, but the longer she remained under, the longer they fought the inflammation in her body, the better off she would be. At the same time they knew it was just a matter of time before they would be forced to wake the girl and get her moving again. They would deal with potential muscle atrophy and healing bone with physical therapy.


3 days after settling Mia into the PICU, news came to Beckett from her team.

"So, we've been tracking this guy , Rodger Fickwell, We believe that Tony hired him to plant and detonate the bomb. Locals gave a description and it's a damn near perfect match to Fickwell." Ryan explained.

"Yeah, this guy's got arson charges going way back, not to mention a record that's a mile long." Esposito added.

"We're bringing him in for questions now." Ryan finished.

Kate nodded, wanting to put these bastards behind bars once and for all, but finding that she didn't have much energy to put toward caring about anything but Mia at the moment.

"Thanks for the update." She spoke softly, her attention turning back to her daughter's still unconscious body.

"Any change?" Esposito inquired.

"She's getting stronger every day, but they've still got her sedated." Kate informed them.

"She's just like her mom, a fighter." Castle added supportivley.

The boys smiled softly and nodded in agreement. They couldn't stay long, as there were too many people in Mia's room. The fact was they were only able to be there with Kate because they'd flashed their badges and used official police business as an excuse.

"Alright, Beckett. We'll leave you guys in peace, just wanted to give you an update." Esposito spoke, patting Castle on the shoulder as he made his way out of the room.

"Keep us updated and we'll do the same." Ryan spoke before moving to join his partner.

"Hey, guys?" Kate called out to them before they could leave.

They both turned to look at her, waiting for whatever she had to say.

"Thanks. I do appreciate it…" She began.

"No problem," Esposito interjected, "your attention is more needed here." He spoke, giving her some sort of permission to let go of the case for the time being.

"We've got this Beckett." Ryan added before both left the hospital.


It was day 5 when the first major change came. Dr. Matthews entered the room on her morning rounds and examined Mia's sleeping body.

"I think it's time to reduce the sedatives and let Mia awaken. We'll keep her pain well controlled, but it would be good to get her moving again, little by little." She stated.

She looked at the teen's charts and circled several numbers. "I'm calling in a consult from endocrinology because I'm slightly concerned about some of Mia's blood work."

"What are you concerned with?" Kate questioned, looking from her daughter to the doctor.

"It's too soon to tell, but her potassium and electrolytes are off a bit. I want to run some more tests and call in a specialist to evaluate the functioning of Mia's kidneys." Castle and Beckett both looked to the doctor with concern.

"It isn't uncommon for there to be imbalances in blood chemistry following extensive injuries; we just want to be sure that all is ok." The doctor reassured them before making her exit.

Kate swallowed nervously at the thought of waking Mia, of the pain and anguish the teen would face when she awakened in her current state.

"She's already been through hell," Kate remarked, "it isn't fair."

She felt herself being pulled back, her body urged to sit with Castle in the chair by the girl's bedside. It was a standard hospital recliner, an off shade of pink and not designed for two people. Still, they made it work as she twisted herself to align her body against his own, allowing his arm to circle her waist and her head to rest against his shoulder.

Finally, Castle spoke. "You're right. It isn't fair, but we're here now and she'll never be alone again."

With his words Kate felt a rush of emotion, of gratitude and of love for her partner. She leaned in and burrowed her face in the crook of his neck, pressing her lips there to feel the sheer contact alone. His neck was rough with stubble, but she loved the feel of his skin and his smell as a soothing balm for her weary heart. His warmth gave her strength and she loved him for that.

She loved him for many reasons.


Mia woke several times in through the rest of the day, awake and somewhat alert for short periods and unable to speak at any great lengths.

It was clear that she was scared and confused, but the look of recognition and relief in her eyes was apparent when she saw the adults standing above her. They were keeping guard, conveying their dedication to her and it gave her a feeling of security amongst the storm of confusion.

She stayed awake along enough to take in her surroundings, to ensure that her mother and the author, her author were standing guard and to let out a feeble moan of protest. Her body was battered and swollen and she couldn't shake the grogginess. Soon, the darkness pulled her under again.

The doctors continued to monitor her blood work, watching her kidney functioning with great concern as she continued to heal.

As the days passed Mia spent increasing amounts of time awake; finally engaging in conversation with her Kate.

"Sorry." Was the first coherent word she muttered, earning a sympathetic gaze and soft stroke against her brow.

"You're ok and that's all that matters, Mia." Kate spoke, relief evident in her voice.

"You came so close." Castle added in from the other side of her bed, causing the girl's head to turn. She took them both in and knew, on some level that they'd kept constant vigil.

"You're both here." She reflected, somewhat pleased.

Castle nodded, "and we're not going anywhere."