Still in Mexico. Enjoy your snow and rain. 84F here.

Chapter 32

Manhattan South Trauma Center

Things were tense between Kate and her father and some of that stiffness seemed to flow over into how she interacted with Castle. It was worse after Captain Montgomery and the Internal Affairs people had spent the majority of the morning with her and then she'd spent a few of her afternoon hours being examined by several doctors.

Castle walked in bringing her coffee and a 'nutritional supplement' that Lanie had told him was definitely needed to calm Kate down after her interview with the gnomes from IA.

"She's going to be edgy, Rick, so watch what you say. Try and keep the conversation light until she's back on an even keel. Esposito sat through his portion and came out almost in tears! Esposito!"

"Hey, Kate. I brought you a 'nutritional supplement' that Lanie said would definitely improve your outlook on life. And coffee."

He set the pastries on her adjustable tray table beside the coffee. He reached into his inside coat pocket and presented her with a sealed plastic packet of utensils.

Kate had managed to brush her hair but it didn't feel right. She had to do everything with her left hand and nothing seemed as easy or as 'right' once it was done. It made her day all the more stressful and, indeed, she was on edge.

The only bright spot in her day had been when her doctor had made rounds earlier in the morning and had taken great care in examining the wound on her neck. His fingers had been warm and gentle and he assured her that the scar would hardly be noticeable.

"Detective Beckett, um, it's none of my business but the burn scars on your neck and cheek…have you considered plastic surgery?"

She liked the way he'd hesitated in bringing the subject up and she thought it was very charming.

They'd spoken for almost thirty minutes before his pager went off. When he left, they were on a first name basis and she found herself considering plastic surgery for the first time in years. He had patiently explained that with the advent of laser surgery, much of the scarring could be reduced without much pain or an extended hospital stay.

She was feeling pretty good about things until Captain Montgomery and the two dickheads from IA had shown up. The rest of the day had been an emotional wringer for her.

Castle caught the full effect of her 'interview' in the glare she shot him.

"The only thing that would improve my 'outlook on life' was if people would just leave me alone. First my dad gives me an ultimatum and then the Captain and those two ghouls from IA came and asked question after question, and I swear each of them asked the same damned questions just worded differently."

"I talked to Montgomery about the attack. The fault, if there is one, lies with our culture. We're so PC that rather than risk offending Humal, they let her waltz right past the metal detector. You did nothing wrong, Kate. I'm just glad she didn't hurt you worse or... If I lost you…"

"Castle, don't you start on me! First my dad and now you? It's my job, understand? It's what I do."

"Kate, I'd never ask you to quit your job. It's too important to you and it gives you great personal satisfaction. Yeah, I worry about you but not as much as I would if I hadn't been shadowing you all this time and know how good the guys are about covering your back."

She wasn't mollified at all by what Rick said. If anything, it seemed to anger her.

"Don't you dare patronize me, Castle. I don't need it. Go home to Alexis. She needs you more than I do. Tell her I said 'hi' and I miss her but you really need to go home."

"I wasn't patronizing you. I was just stating how I feel. I haven't asked you to quit and I don't intend to. Kate, you've had a long day and the inquisition probably tired you out more than you know so I think I will head on home. Alexis is sleeping over again at Paige's. I'll pass on your message."

He didn't want to further antagonize her. She was tired and she always got argumentative when she got overly tired like now.

"Oh, yeah, I almost forgot. Natalie said to say 'hi' but she's headed back to L.A. I think these past few days of having a really traumatic reality check have shaken her. It'll be interesting to see how she portrays you. She suggested maybe we could fly out since you're on medical leave and tour the studio and just enjoy a few days away from all this."

"I don't know what's going to happen with this," pointing to her thickly bandaged arm, "so we'll see. I'm really tired so I'll see you tomorrow."

"Yeah. Tomorrow." He didn't even try to kiss her goodnight.

He walked past Lanie and Esposito in the lobby but he was already out the door before they could get his attention. From the look on his face, the visit hadn't gone well.

Esposito stood in the hall outside Beckett's room at Lanie's request. She didn't want Esposito to witness the conversation she was about to have with her best friend.

"I see your appetite's good," pointing to the remnants of the pastries that she'd told Castle to bring. "Where is the gift bearer? I figured he'd be sitting here beside you holding your hand like a good fiance should." She was trolling for information. She'd seen the look on Castle's face. Well, she'd tried to warn him.

"I told him to go home. I'm really tired. Those ghouls from IA were here and they really dragged me through a meat grinder. So, yeah, I told him to go home."

"Okay. I'll stop by later in the week. You should get – "

"Oh, no, Lanie, you just got here."

"But you said you were tired, Kate."

"I am but at least you're not going to give me a lecture like my dad did about how I'm hurting the people who love me by being a cop. He tried to get Castle to get me to quit but he refused to even discuss it."

"Well, he knows you, Kate. He knows how much being a cop means to you."

Castle and his absence never came up in conversation again that evening. Lanie left after an hour despite Kate's declaration that she wasn't tired. Esposito came in for a few minutes but then took the hint and left to wait for Lanie in the lobby.

"Y'know, Javi, I think Beckett's having second thoughts about her thing with Castle. She tells him she's tired and wants to sleep and then corrals me into staying. You mark my words, Javier, she's getting cold feet and this time I don't think Castle will be nearly as accommodating as he was in the past."

"I think the whole deal with the Slasher just scared her, that's all. But I wouldn't worry about Castle. He's in it for the long haul. You'll see. She'll snap out of it and they'll be married before you know it."

By the time Rick got home to the loft it was cold and raining and it matched his mood exactly. He went into the study and started writing and was shocked to find himself hunched over his keyboard several hours later. His arm ached from the position he'd slept in but that was the least of his concerns.

Forty-eight hours earlier they were planning a trip and now, here he was, asleep at his desk and Kate in the hospital. She'd almost died.

The more he thought about his last visit with Kate, the more concerned he became. She seemed indifferent to him and he wondered just how much her father's 'lecture' had affected them as a couple. He glanced at the clock on his computer and grunted. It was way too early for visiting her but he needed to clear the air. He couldn't fix it if he didn't know what was broken.

He took off the bandage and checked on his injury. He could hardly call it a wound. Figuring that warm water and soap would be better than letting it sit under a gauze bandage, he took a shower.

It was still far too early to appear at the hospital so he made himself an omelet and coffee and sat watching the news on CNN. It was nothing new. He had a feeling if he'd replayed a broadcast from a year ago, except for the names of places, the news would be the same.

He sent a text to Alexis reminding her that he was going to be at the hospital for most of the day and asking her to please be responsible and careful. He read it again before he hit SEND and shook his head.

He erased it and sent I'LL BE WITH KATE. HAVE FUN. CALL IF YOU NEED ME. He didn't need to add 'careful' or 'responsible'. It was his daughter, after all, the one who was raising him into the fine man he would one day become.

Manhattan South Trauma Center

Mike Trent enjoyed talking with Kate Beckett. She was so much different from his girlfriend. She was alive and vital, not a sleep-deprived last year intern like Pam.

They talked about everything while he did a cursory check of her wound. When she told him about how she got it and the background leading up to it, he was amazed.

"Wait! You're the detective that caught the guy who threw acid in your face! Wow, I never made the connection."

"Well, actually my…partner, Richard Castle, caught him. I was busy with chasing him down. He shot Castle but he took him down just like a real cop."

"Real cop? You mean he's not a cop? But you said he was your partner…or did you mean like 'domestic partner'?"

"Oh, no, no. You misunderstood. Castle's a novelist who shadows me and my boys for background for his novels. We're not 'domestic' anything."

Mike immediately noted the lack of proper descriptor for the man who'd been almost crazy when quesitoning him about the detective's status when she was admitted. She didn't mention 'fiance' once. Hmmm. Someone was definitely out of the loop here. Maybe there was trouble in paradise?

Rick Castle stopped and stood just outside Kate's room. He could see the doctor who handled her initial surgery but he could also hear…and see. Kate was twisting her hair around one finger and giggling like a schoolgirl. We're not domestic anything.

He was still standing there when the young doctor walked out of Kate's room backwards, waving and smiling to her. He turned and walked away, never seeing Rick.

Rick waited a few minutes, long minutes, and then walked into her room and smiled at her. She smiled back but it wasn't the usual 'Kate smile'. This one was somewhat reserved, as if she was uncertain whether she should smile or not.

"I brought you coffee. How're you doing? I thought I saw your surgeon coming out of your room."

"Mike thinks I should consider plastic surgery now that lasers are so effective. I told him I'd have to think about it. I don't want to lose any more time at work. Are you going to give me the coffee, Castle?"

Her tone had changed from the light, pensive tone when talking about the plastic surgery to a more 'Beckett' tone when she asked for her coffee.

"Oh, sorry. Yeah. So, are you going to do it?"

"Haven't been alone long enough to think about it, really. I'll let you know."

The rest of the visit seemed strained with Rick carrying the conversation and Kate finally told him she was really tired and so Rick left her alone to sleep. She was Detective Beckett now. Kate had left the building.

Had she also left the relationship? He remembered his mother's words and what he'd told her father. Had he pushed her too hard and too fast? Was she having second thoughts?