Don't you just hate it when you write a chapter and your laptop crashes the second before you can hit 'Save' and you have to rewrite a chapter? Anyway, enough of my troubles, there's a bit of angst in this chapter as it deals with the three most hated people in Castle fandom. Josh, Demming and Gina and there's plenty of telling Kate what to do.

Now please excuse me, Castle is finally premiering in the UK which means I get to see a ruggedly handsome writer on the widescreen TV instead of the puny laptop. Thanks once again for your reviews and don't be afraid to criticize. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle. *sob*

Chapter 3 - Josh, Demming and Gina

Kate Beckett had plenty to think about. She'd lost her memory and her father figure of a boss. It was a good job there was morphine or she wouldn't have slept without nightmares filling her mind.

Waking up the next morning, the pain was no better than the day before. Just as the doctor had said, she was now only allowed a maximum of two visitors at one time until she was feeling a little better, but right now there was only one person she wanted to talk to.

As soon as Lanie Parish entered the room, a sorry smile formed on her face. She worked with dead people, but the fact it had come close to seeing her best friend on the slab had rattled her. She was just glad she had a certain male detective to make her feel better.

"Hey, girl. Good to see you awake. Do you need anything? I can call the doctor or nurse in if you like."

"I'm OK, Lanie. Right as rain."

"Kate. I'm your best friend. I can tell your're not fine. You got shot and you've been in hospital for just short of three days. You almost died on me. So don't you tell me you're fine. Where does it hurt?"

There was no fooling Lanie. She saw straight through her like always.

"Everywhere. It hurts when I cough, sneeze and a little when I breathe, but I don't want to take the pain relief or I'll just fall right back asleep. This isn't like me, Lanie. I feel so weak." There were the waterworks again. She was a strong, independant woman and here she was in a hospital bed and she couldn't even go to the toilet or eat solid food. Lanie just held her for a few minutes before deciding to address the amnesia.

"So. This memory loss. What was the last thing you remember?"

"Gina turning up at the precinct. Castle walking away. Hell, I can't even remember leaving the building. Must have hit my head pretty damn hard... Speaking of relationships. Do I, uh, have someone special?"

Lanie's face changed. Kate thought she saw sadness and annoyance. And was that anger? "Yeah, you have someone, but to be honest, he's no one special."

The news shocked Kate. Right now, her brain remembered having feelings for Castle, which complicates having a boyfriend. Speaking of him, where was he? She'd been shot, and she wasn't being selfish in thinking he should be here. Does she love him? "What's he like?"

"I won't lie to you Girl, he's hot. Smokin'. His name is Josh Davison and he's a cardiac surgeon in this very hospital only he's not here right now. He's in Japan right now as part of a programme, giving medical attention to those who need it. There was an earthquake a few months ago so they need plenty help. Thing is, whenever you need him most, he's never in the country. He may be pretty, but the guys would agree when I say that he's not good for you. You don't like to talk about him and he's never around. I wouldn't say this to you normally, but I need to. He's not your one, Kate. Your mother's case is reopened twice and both times he's across the world which means it's Castle who's keeping you grounded, and keeping you alive. He saw the glint from the gun before the shot was fired and he tried to take the bullet for you, Kate. Josh wouldn't do that."

He'd done what? Castle had tried to save her by taking a bullet for her. Its not that kind of thing someone would do for just anyone. Personally, she'd only do it for people she couldn't live without, which raised the question, 'Why did Castle jump?' Lanie could see her mind working, processing what she'd been told.

"The sniper aimed for your heart, but Castle shouted your name as he was pressing the trigger which made you flinch just enough for you to be standing here. You were less than a centimetre from death. The man adores you, Kate."

This kind of talk wasn't doing her any good. She didn't need Lanie judging her decisions or telling her that she cheated death. Time to change the topic.

She paused a minute to take a few deep breaths before asking the question Lanie had been waiting for. "What happened with Castle and Gina. Are they still together? Married again?" She had trouble hiding the spite and anger that fuelled her voice, but Lanie could only smile at the answer.

"They broke up back in January. You had that case when the magician died. Zolman, was it? You played a pretty mean trick on the killer. Scared him half to death in the interrogation room when his twin brother made him think he was still alive."

She didn't hear the last part of her best friend's sentence. She was swimming in recollection.

She entered the break room to grap some bottled water, not noticing Castle was stood in the corner on his phone to someone.

"No... No... What I'm saying is..." He sighed as she overheard him talking. "It's over."

He was talking to Gina. She shouldn't be here. He wouldn't appreciate her listening in, so she turned and walked away.

He returned a few minutes later as she was preparing to leave.

"Heading out?" He sounded unusually happy considering he'd just broken off his relationship with his ex-wife/girlfriend.

"Yeah. It's late."

"Motorcycle Boy?"

"I really wish you would stop calling him that." She was trying to be intimidating, but she was smiling at him, showing him she didnt really mind. It was Castle after all.

"Doctor Motorcycle Boy?" She turned around to walk to the elevator whilst fixing her gloves, the smile remaining.

"He's on shift tonight. I was gonna see if I could catch the comfort food truck." She stopped walking as she came up with an idea. "You wanna come?"

"Macaroni and cheese? Warm biscuits, hot chocolate? How could I say no?" He waved his hands, emphasising his point, making her heart beat just a little faster at his eagerness to spend time with her. "Hey, I wanted to say thanks, for uhh... not mentioning that article or asking what was going on."

They were silent for a few moments whilst stepping into the waiting elevator, turning to face the doors. He watched intently as she reached her hand up her sleeve to reveal some plastic flowers, which she held out to him.

"Not a problem." He took them and let loose the grin that had threatened to escape, just as the doors closed.

Beckett couldn't stop the slight upturn of the corners of her mouth at the thought of Gina being gone. "Has he uhh... Got anyone else?"

"I think he's got his eyes on someone. She's a pretty kickass woman too. You'd like her." Lanie gave her the devious smile she gave whenever the subject of Castle arose.

"Can ask something? Who is Motorcycle Boy. I remember Castle mentioning something like that."

"Castle's nickname for your beau."

"He rides a motorbike?" She couldn't remember his appearance, but what kind of girl didn't like a hot guy in tight pants? Certainly not Lanie.

"Oh, yeah."

She couldn't help but bite her lip and then crinkle her eyebrows when she started imagining Castle. Damn medication.

"Listen, Kate. I gotta go, but I'll come back tonight, OK? I think your dad will be here soon anyway. This whole shooting business has really taken a toll on him. He spent most of the time sharing memories of your childhood with Alexis and Martha. It was nice to see him smile every so often and he was keeping Alexis fairly stable. I'll send him in if he's outside. It's been good to see you, and don't feel bad about Josh. You deserve so much better."

She leant over the side of the bed to squeeze her hand tight before releasing it, before leaving the room.

Within seconds her father and Castle entered, both looking better than yesterday. As soon as Jim laid his eyes on her, he was overcome with relief. He'd seen her alive the day before, but when your wife is murdered, and your little girl gets shot, you don't do too well in the emotional department.

"Hey, Katie. It's good to see you again. I missed you so much." She could tell he was trying to stay strong for her but he was struggling. She knew her father and he'd been just as much of a mess when her mother died.

"Hey, Daddy." She didn't know where the 'daddy' came from. The last time that name had been used was when she was eight, and she claimed she was too old to call her parents 'mommy' and 'daddy', but she was still his little girl, even if she was thirty-odd and not three. "How you holding up?"

"Me? You've been shot, sweetheart. It should be me asking you that question. But that was always you, huh? Ignoring your own needs and helping others. Your mother was the same, you know. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you. It'd be like losing her all over again, but this time I'd have no one to save me when I fell."

"You'll always have me, Dad. Don't ever forget that, OK?" They were holding each others hands so tight, they were starting to go a little numb. They sat there in comfortable silence, not having to talk about anything to know what the other was thinking.

She turned in time to see her shadow put some flowers in a vase next to her bed.

"You brought be flowers? That's sweet of you."

"Yeah well. Thought you might want something to brighten up the room. Been in here a few times due to my own stupidity and even as a writer, I couldn't make the room sound remotely cheerful in my head. Though you're looking better. Nice to see you smile after last night."

How could she forget? She cried herself to sleep in his arms, which hadn't exactly been on the agenda. He'd been good about it. Asked no questions and just held her as she needed for as long as she needed.

"Listen, Castle, I-"

"Hey, I know. Don't worry about it. Our little secret." He tapped his nose with his finger and put the hand back in his pocket. "I'll be back later. Give you guys some time, yeah?"

She nodded and gave him a smile. When he smiled she couldn't help but return it. After watching him walk out the door, she faced her father again.

"So. I finally met this Richard Castle of yours. He's a nice guy. He refused to go home for the first two days and would just sleep on the plastic chairs in the waiting room. Plus, he insisted on paying for the best care for you."

"He's not mine, Dad. He shouldn't be paying for me, I can pay for myself. He's just someone who follows me around for research for his books. I'm just Nikki Heat to him." She didn't actually believe what she was saying, but the thought had plagued her mind since she met him and became his muse. Not that she had had any choice in the matter.

"From what I heard, you'd have been dead months ago if it wasn't for him. I saw the way he was outside when the doctor came to give us news. He shot up from this chair so fast, I was surprised he didn't fall over. And when I was talking to his daughter, telling her all the little stories about my little Katie, I didn't miss the look on his face. There was even a hint of a smile which was an achievement after what had just happened. He cares for you, very deeply. You may not remember some of your times together, but something happened between you two to make him like that. A year ago, you were calling and all you'd talk about was how great he was. He was helpful on the cases, and every one in a while, he'd do something stupid, but he'd make you laugh as well. I hadn't seen you so happy since your mother was with us. And then for a few months, I heard nothing about him. Everytime I inquired about him, you'd shut down and ring off the phone. But eventually, his name started to come up again, and believe me, Katie, you were not talking about him as though he was just your shadow or a secret crush. He's good for you and you'd better hope to God that you remember everything, because you might just break him."

Kate was shocked to say the least. She was being told by her own father about her feeling for a man that she'd only known for two years, as far as she could remember. Everyone seemed to know more about her feelings than she did herself.

A lot must have gone down in a year for her father to think that, and Lanie had insinuated it as well, not that her doing that was unusual. And she had a boyfriend and all she really knew about him was his name. Josh. Hopefully her memory would come back and she'd be able to remember the time she with him, but according to her favorite ME, he wasn't worth the brain space. He couldn't be that bad if she was still with him. She also realised that having conversation with people would be more difficult than she thought. She'd already revealed information to Lanie that had surprised because Kate thought she wouldn't know. What would she let slip to Castle?

God. This was gonna be a difficult few months.

Castle was in the hospital elevator on his way to the ground floor. He wanted to stay for longer, but he knew how much father-daughter time would mean to Jim. When he'd first arrived, he'd seen Lanie in there with her already, obviously in the middle of a girl talk. Leaning next to the door, he hadn't meant to pick up on their conversation. They were talking about Demming and why he was gone. He moved away from his spot and sat down. He didn't wwant to eavesdrop and he'd heard more than enough. He realised that a year ago he had made the biggest mistake of his life. Kate had been his for the taking and he's chosen his ex-wife instead. She was ex for a reason.

How could he have been so damn stupid?