Disclaimer – I do not own Castle
4 DAYS LATER ... Wednesdays Night
Private Room – 19:21
Ever since Kate's little interaction with the group, the writer wasn't game to leave her side just encase she woke up. Rick didn't shower or use the bathroom unless one of his friend, or family was sitting with Kate. If he had to use the bathroom and a family member was present, Molly was by her side. The Doctor informed him that Kate was getting stronger with every passing day. Rick wasn't actually surprised. The detective needed the feeding tube and ventilator until she woke up.
Rick walked out of the shower, drying his hair with a towel and wearing a fresh pair of grey sweatpants and a black tee shirt, slight stubble on his face. He walked over towards the detective's bed. Lanie was with Kate, doing leg exercises. Lanie and Jenny had changed Kate into a pair of sweatpants, the another day.
Rick stood near Kate's head, looking down at Lanie who was lifting her leg, pushing it up, and then lowering it in the running motion.
"We ran a K this evening," the medical examiner informed the writer.
Rick smiled down at his friend, his gaze then focused on the sleeping detective, sadness filled in stony blue eyes. "Why hasn't she woken up yet, Lanie? She responds with the machine when we talk to her but she won't open her eyes. I do not understand why," letting out a deep sigh.
"You know how stubborn Kate is, when she is ready to wake up. She'll wake up," her best friend explained. Hoping that would been soon, her charts indicated that she was ready to wake up. Lanie was curious to why her friend hadn't woken up yet.
She finished the exercise, lowering Kate's left leg. She shifted her gaze up the bed, looking at the writer and the way he was looking at Kate. She knew that man loved his best friend. He had even confessed to that a few day previous, it pained her to see the pained looked in his eyes.
As Rick slid his fingers through her beautiful dark hair, he couldn't help wonder what his detective was thinking about. Rick had been doing research on Coma's, that's why he talked to her. Reading that even in the comatose state, the patient could still hear some things, which they dreamed, it was basically like they're in a deep sleep.
Coma's can last from 24 hours up to several years.
Rick once read an article to where a guy was in a coma for thirty years, one day he just woke up and found out that his son was grown and his wife remarried. That life had went on without him. Rick didn't want the same fate for Kate.
He had already envisaged how he would propose to her, their wedding day, their first child, growing old together and sitting at the Hampton's on a swinging seat, watching the children and grandchildren on the beach below them. They would be holding hands, their great granddaughter, age four, spitting image of her grandma – Alexis. With her red hair, blue eyes, walking up the stairs and asking. "Poppy build with me?"
Kate would chuckle and tease. "Poppy's to old," the eighty year old writer would find that as a challenge and swing off the chair, the early seventy year old Kate would watch them in the sand, building a castle.
The writer smiled at the thought, even let a slight chuckle escape at the future dream, which caught the medical examiner's attention. "What's so funny?" Lanie asked.
Rick proudly shared. "I just saw our future," smiling down at the detective.
A smile played at Lanie's lips as she watched the writer, both turning back towards the detective. Kate's eye lids began to slightly flutter, rapidly, like she was having a dream.
The writer looked at the detective concerned. "Kate, Kate you okay?" Getting no response verbally but her heart rate was racing, Rick's eyes widened. "Something's wrong!" he stated, turning his attention down to the medical examiner before ordering. "Lanie, get her doctor."
She didn't need to be told twice, Lanie was out of the door before Rick could blink.
Kate was standing in front of the Captain. He was explaining to her why he did what he did and he was telling her that he was going to use himself to stop this, shaking her head, she couldn't let that happen. All of a sudden he said. "Castle."
Rick then appeared at her side, the Captain ordered. "Get her out of Castle," Rick looked just as uncertain as she did.
"Castle, don't argue, that's why I called you. Get her out of here, now!" as Rick walked closer to her, the Captain was watching the car come in from a distance. She was trying to talk sense into the captain. "I forgive you, you hear me. I forgive you."
Roy was shaking his head. "This is my spot Kate, this is where I stand," he whispered.
Kate shook her head, tears running down her face.
Turning to Rick, Roy shouted. "CASTLE,GET HER OUT OF HERE, NOW!" without another word, Rick picked her up and walked her out of the room. She was shouting and screaming at him to let her go but he wouldn't. They got to the car and he pushed Kate against it, covering her mouth so she couldn't scream out. He brushed the hair from her face. She could tell it was breaking him, seeing her like this.
Hearing the gunshot ring out through the air, Rick kept her pinned against the car until the last one was fired. The writer was stronger then he looked, finally losing the group. She pushed from the car and started running back towards the hanger. She was crying and it was cold but she ran, when she got in there, they were all dead. Kate ran over towards Roy, kneeled over his body, and cried. Tonight the detective lost a great friend.
The Doctor entered the room, with Nurse Joy and Nurse Molly. Lanie right behind them.
Rick had his fingers laced with the detective's, panic over his face. Her heart rate hadn't gone down, her eye lids still fluttering but hadn't opened and a few tips were slipping from them.
Dr Bridges was on the left side of Kate, looking at the machine that read her heart and brain activity, after studying it for a minute. He turned back to the writer. "This is a good thing, her brain is active. She's dreaming, Mr Castle," the doctor was now smiling.
Rick looked down at the sleeping detective 'Dreaming' he thought 'about what?' was the writer's next thought.
Kate stood at the podium of Roy's funeral. "The Captain would want us to carry on the fight ..." Kate was saying her last goodbyes to the captain, so much was going through her mind. It was all hitting her at once, the Captain's words, Royce's words, how Rick had always been there for her. The detective had pushed him away more times than one person should, yet he kept coming back. All of a sudden popping scene filled the air, sounding like a gunshot and Kate felt like she had been hit. It was like having the wind get knock out of her.
Rick shouted. "Kate" and the detective was on the ground and Rick was hovering above her, cradling her. A look of pure horror in his eyes, hearing Lanie scream, her heart was racing and she was finding it hard to breathe. She'd been shot. Her first thought was her dad. He saw her get shot. Her second was Rick and not being able to tell him how she felt.
As Rick cradled her, she faintly heard his voice. "Stay with me Kate, don't leave me please," he was pleading, the detective wanted to shout 'I am not going anywhere' but breathing was becoming hard, Kate knew she was bleeding out. Rick looked so sad.
"Stay with me okay, Kate, I love you."
The detective wasn't sure if she heard him right but then he said it again.
"I love you, Kate."
There and then, he finally confessed to loving her. Kate felt a slight smile tug at her lips before everything started getting dark and she just needed a little rest, just a little one.
Rick was looking down at Kate.
The doctor was pressing buttons on the machine, watching it with widened eyes, as the doctor mumbled. "Oh my."
Rick was about to question that when all of a sudden the detective's eyes shot open, filled with panic.
"Kate," he whispered, stunned.
As soon as he said her name, all eyes were on the detective. A tear rolled down the writer's cheek.
"Kate," he said louder, their fingers still laced, except this time the writer could feel her squeeze back. She was squeezing his hand, her heartbeat started racing again.
A screamed filled the room, the scream belonging to her best friend. "KATE, oh my god," the medical examiner was now in tears. Her best friend was finally awake, a moment later, more nurse entered the room. Lanie and Rick were pushed away and the nurse crowed around Kate, they could only watch from the side lines.
Kate watched as Lanie and Rick disappeared from her eyes slight, Rick's hand slipping from her's. She had woken up in a panic and now was confused. Where was she? What happened? As images started hitting her, the detective began to panic, her heart rate picking up. She was in hospital. She had been shot, that had to suck.
Kate began chocking because something was shoved down her throat, wanting it out. Kate tried lifting her arms but it was finding it hard too. What was wrong? Why couldn't she move her arms? She panicked more, causing her heart beat to rise more.
An unknown man in a white lab coat was looking at her, was telling her. "You need to calm down, Kate. You're in hospital."
She wanted to roll her eyes at him and answer. "Dah!" but couldn't because of tube that was shoved her throat.
The nurses and Doctor's worked quick to removed the breathing tube first, so the detective would stop choking. As soon as it was removed, Kate started coughing. That was a good sign, the nurses still surrounded her, and she still couldn't see her friend or her writer anymore.
Her eyes searching, it was one of the nurses that smiled down at the detective brightly. "Hi Kate, good to have you back, your husband and family have been so worried."
The words hit Kate like a train hitting a brick wall. Husband? What god Damm husband? How long was she out? Did she have amnesia? Had Kate forgotten an important part of her life? A thought then donned her 'Oh crap, I didn't marry Josh did I' shaking her head. No, she wasn't that stupid.
Gasping, trying to find words, the detective began. "Ri –ck," was all she managed to say.
The same blonde nurse nodded and smiled.
Kate was a little confused at that, the nurse turned away and waved someone over. A moment later, her favourite writer, partner and the person she entrusted her life with, was standing beside her.
Kate smiled at him, which got a smile back from Rick. She took in the writer's appearance. He was slumming it in a pair of sweats, needed a shave and had bags under his eyes, Kate felt guilty for worrying Rick like this and what about her father and Alexis? Oh her friends.
As soon as the writer saw Kate's beautiful smile, a heavy weight lifted off his chest. The next thing he knew, his hand reached for her's and her fingers automatically laced with his, like they belonged. His blue eyes didn't leave her hazel-greens, as the doctor's worked on removing all the tubes and wires that were connected to the detective. But all Rick saw was Kate. He could hear two things, Lanie in the background on the phone to Javier and music.
Kate could feel tubes being pulled from her, hands all over her but her main focus was the Rick. He had always been there, like he was now, looking at her with such emotion. His words hitting her, what was she going to say? The brunette knew she loved him but was that enough.
As music filled the room, the detective smiled at the song, taking her back to when she had first heard it. It was playing one night at Remy's a few months ago, the detective was having dinner with Rick and Alexis after they had finished a case. Josh had to work. Wow Josh. That was the first time his named and popped into her head, but Kate pushed any thought of her boyfriends from her head and focused on Rick, since the writer was the one by her side.
"When your tears begin to shed, I'll be there. In those times when you feel all alone, forced to find your way through worlds unknown, look ahead and don't be scared, I'll be there..." and as the song played on, a few tears began slipping from her eyes, Kate realizing that Rick was there.
Feeling tired, the detective closed her eyes. Now that she was awake, she could finally sleep.
Rick watched as his beautiful detective closed her eyes, panic slowly filled him. Her grip was still tight, feeling Molly's hand on his shoulder. "She's fine Rick, now that she is awake. She can finally sleep."
He was confuse with the nurse's words, Kate had been sleeping for the last five days. What was she talking about?
That's when he realized what she meant. During the coma, Kate's body had been healing but the detective hadn't been sleeping. A smile took place on his lips as he nodded, leaning over her face, placing a kiss on her forehead. A moment later, a smile played on Kate's lips.
21:13
Rick was sitting in his temporary bed, laptop opened. He was busy at work, his fingers running over the keys. The lights dimmed, Rick was surprised that the novel was half finished, after the doctors had removed all the tubes and checked Kate over, they had left the room. The doctor was hopeful that Kate could leave in a few days. As soon as she was discharged, Rick was taking her back to his loft, even if that meant abducting her. There was no way Rick was letting her out of his sight, especially since there was a shooter out there still.
Kevin and Javier have heard talk that the shooter has gone underground for now, they had feelers out to report if he resurfaced.
The Hispanic detective had picked Lanie up an hour ago, she was hesitant in leaving her friend, but Rick promised her that he would text her if Kate re-woke, after Javier promised her that they would be back in the morning.
Lanie finally agreed to leave the hospital.
That's when Rick pushed his bed back in its place beside hers and began writing. All of their friends and family had been notified of Kate's condition, all relieved. He had even left a message for Josh. It was the right thing to do. Rick had to talk his daughter into not coming in. Even though she had school tomorrow, the teen promised that she would be there, first thing.
"Rick," was the first word that left her mouth, almost as a whisper.
He turned his attention on her. The brunette slowly opened her eyes, turning towards him.
"Since when did we get married, you do know it's illegal to marry someone while they're in a coma," she finished, her throat sounded scratchy.
The writer was temporally stunned, Kate then smiled at him. Rick let out a chuckle and the words that slipped from his lips. "You sound like my mother," remembering what his mother had said when she first heard the whole married thing.
Kate faked to be offended but then let out a slight chuckle, before getting hit by a slight pain in the chest, her hands moved to her chest.
Rick's eyes were filled with worry, closing his laptop and turning to the detective. "Kate, you okay?"
She rolled her eyes at the remark. "I was shot," the detective replied, meaning for it to come out sarcastic but instead it came out a little harsher. Seeing the upset and hurt in his beautiful blue eyes, the detective reached for his hand. "I'm sorry," Kate started, as she linked their fingers.
The writer's responded by circling his thumb back and forth over the surface her hand while their fingers were still laced. It was his way of letting her know that he was there.
Kate was almost lost for words. The hardcore detective wasn't use to having someone to lean on when she was hurting. It was new for her and if she was honest, it scared the hell out of her.
"I know," Rick replied, not needing to go into explanation.
The two could often have a conversation with a few words yet so much was said. Kate was stunned at how much she liked this feeling that was washing over her. Sure she was scared, ever since her mother's death. Kate guarded her heart, only loving her father, at times the detective thought she loved others but it was just a reaction to how they felt. After her mother's death, the first time the detective fell in love again, was with words. His words, Richard Friggin Castle's words.
Neither spoke for several minutes, neither needed two. They had fallen into a comfortable silence, basically having a conversation with their eyes. Like they had many times before, she finally needed some answers, so with one word she asked "How?"
Rick understanding what she meant began explaining in his storyteller mode, which was one of her favourite things about him, even though she would never admit that to him. She listened to his side of the events, starting from when she closed her eyes, pain evident in his voice.
"Jenny's sister is a nurse and Jenny must have heard about you being bought in, you were in surgery for several hours. God, I was so worried, thousands of possibilities were been written in my mind. A hospital waiting room for a writer is basically hell, a limbo. Anyway the doctor informed us that you were okay but in a coma. I couldn't breathe when I heard that, everyone went into see you. I called Alexis, telling her that you were gonna be okay, and talking her down from coming in. I was finding it hard to go into your room, it was your dad that talked me into it. He told me 'stop avoiding it' I know where you get your bossiness from now," the writer shot a smile at her.
Kate softly chuckled. Rick loved hearing that sound.
"When I first saw you, I couldn't breathe. You looked so fragile, never had I ever seen you look so fragile. I then heard your heart beating through the monitor and I could breathe again. So thanks to nurse Molly, I got a bed moved in here. I wasn't leaving your side and until you came back to us. Molly, Jenny's little sister informed the staff on this floor that we're married, so I could stay with you, no questions asked. She told them that we married in secret three months ago, and had been together for a year. That it was a secret from the pap's, that they weren't allowed to tell anyone. Everyone bought it."
Rick decided to leave out the part about what the doctor said about his wife and about the press outside of the hospital.
The detective was speechless, her friends had been through hell and back waiting for her to wake up, Kate knew she would have to make it up to them and Rick. She wasn't shocked that he didn't leave side, the writer had told her 'Always' and he meant it.
A few tears slipped from the detectives eyes. Kate couldn't help it, must be the drugs they have her on. Rick wiped her tears from eyes, feeling his touch filled her with some sort of feeling and emotion that the detective was finding hard to name. Kate felt Safe.
22:21
An hour had passed before the detective knew it. Rick had been filling her in about the room and she had scowled him for paying so much just for her. He just told her, genuinely.
'Kate nothing's too good for you'
Kate asked Rick if she could borrow one of his shirts. He helped her in it, she then removed the grown and the two went back to talking.
Rick had moved on to telling her more stories about Alexis. Kate loved hearing them, at the moment Rick was telling her a story about the time he had created the Chinese pancake, informing her that Alexis had told the group about the story. She let out a slight chuckle, feeling the same pain for before informing him. "Stop making me laugh, it hurts."
Rick pressed the morphine button, easing the pain for her. Kate was grateful because she was too stubborn to press it for herself, determined to fight the pain.
A few minutes passed before the detective answered. "This might be the morphine talking, but that pancake actually sounds pretty good right now," a loopy chuckle slipping from her lip.
Rick shook his head and laughed. He liked seeing Kate like this, at ease.
She still had her fingers intertwined with the writers, not in hurry to let go. Kate like the feeling, neither had talked about what Rick had said. Those three little words, he hadn't bought it up and the detective wasn't going to push. They would discuss it when the time was right. She was technically still with Josh.
That little problem she would have to fix as soon as possible. Josh was on some trip at the moment, somewhere saving the world, while Rick had saved her.
All of a sudden, the detective felt tired again, letting a yawn escape her lips, her eyes drifting. Kate was trying to fight it but the drug was too much, hearing the writer's voice answering. "Don't fight it, Kate. Sleep, I'll be here when you wake up, Always" Rick promised.
Hearing that, the detective let herself drift off. A smile on her lips as she whispered 'Always'
Rick smiled as a smile appeared on Kate's lips, hearing her repeat their promise to one another, his heart skipped a beat. He put his laptop to the side then laid down, his hand not leaving the detectives.
Rick moved over closer to Kate; since she had no wires to stop them this time, facing her as he closed his eyes, listening to lonestar sing everything he felt.
"- Every little thing that you do, I'm so in love with you. It just keeps getting better. I want to spend the rest of my life, with you by my side, Forever and ever. Every little thing that you do ... Baby, I'm amazed by you."
As he drifted off to sleep, the lyrics to 'Amazed' echoed throughout his mind. It was like they wrote the song with him and Kate in mind. Now that Rick had Kate back, it didn't plan to let her go.