Sooooo sorry about the late update. I've had connection problems which meant I couldn't post any chapters for the past few days, so now my connection is fixed, I've made it my first task to update. And because it's been about 4-5 days since then, I'm posting 3 chapters today to make up for it, and possibly another 2 or 3 tomorrow.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or any of the characters.

Chapter 6 - 3XK

The next day, Kate awoke to find the the catheter gone and less machinery around her, which obviously meant she was making some kind of improvement, though she knew full well that it would be a few months until she was back kicking ass. Her memory was still only coming back to her every so often. She was finding herself remembering odd details about random cases but could never pinpoint exactly which one. She'd ask Castle or the boys to bring back more of the case files, even though they weren't meant to leave the Precinct.

She was startled out of her thoughts by the opening of the door to see her favorite ME stick her head around the door and came to sit down slowly.

"Everything OK, Lanie?" She wasn't used to her friend acting nervously. Hell, she still wasn't used to her long hair.

"I should be asking you that. You got shot."

"I'll be fine. But seriously, what's wrong?" Lanie blushed looked to her lap and blushed slightly. She only ever got this way when it was about a guy. Esposito. God, it was weird thinking of them together, even if they were a perfect match. "It's Javier. I need some advice, Kate."

"What's he done wrong?"

Lanie looked up and caught Kate's eyes.

"He's done nothing wrong. In fact, he's done everything right. When we first started dating, it was so thrilling. He was charming, always saying the right things and damn, he's hot in bed. But over the past few weeks, especially with with the Captain and you getting shot, things have changed. He's still all those things, but the way he looks at me, as though he's staring right into my soul. He can't keep his hands off me, not in a sexual way, but affectionate, you know? Always holding my hand and kissing it, kissing my cheek just hugging me and the things he says to me. He tells me I'm beautiful and that he misses me whenever we're apart, even if it's just an hour or so. I've never been with a guy who's like that before and I feel so... happy."

"I never knew Esposito was such a romantic. But what do you want my advice on.?"

Roles were reversed. For many years, it had been Kate seeking advice, or Lanie forcing it down her throat - Castle this, Castle that - but know the tables were turned. She just hoped she could do her justice.

"How do you know when you're in love, Kate?"

Kate automatically smiled. She was so pleased for her friend. She may not remember her colleague and the ME interacting together, but it sounded like everything they both wanted and more, and they both deserved it.

"All the songs make sense."

Her brain registered that she wasn't the only one saying the words at that very moment. He head whipped around to the door to see Alexis and Castle stood there, looking completely casual. Castle was looking just as shocked as Kate at their simultaneous comment.

"Who told you that, Castle?"

"You did, a few months ago. Alexis was asking me and I couldn't even get a word in. Then you were at my door and I asked you and that was your reply. It's pretty sound evidence if you ask me."

"And trust me, Kate," Alexis piped up, "when you remember that moment, you'll laugh your head off, trust me. I wasn't there, but what he was wearing almost had me in tears laughing."

"Space Cowboy again?"

"Nope, steam punk." She gave him a confused look. "It pertained to the case, and I was willing to give it a try. Not my cup of tea, I must say."

Lanie had been watching the whole interaction. She knew Castle was odd and she'd seen him dressed up as Poe at his Halloween party, but he had more costumes? That was going on the list of questions.

"So, my question?" Lanie was wary that there were two other people in the room but she'd been worrying about her releationship as well as Kate, although obviously less so. But before the Detective could reply, the writer jumped in with his own answer.

"There are different kinds of love. Love for a parent, sibling, child. Love for a friend, though I'm guessing you're thinking romantic love? I've heard people say it's friendship set on fire. The best kind, to be honest. Get to know someone and their quirks before actually falling. If you love someone, you'd do anything for them. You want to spend time with them, and make excuses to do so and most importantly you put their happiness before their own, even if it means you being miserable, watching someone else make them feel that way. You go to the moon and back for them, kill for them, die for them, take a bullet for them..."

Alexis and Lanie were looking at Castle, Castle was looking at Kate, and Kate was looking at Lanie, once again oblivious to what had just happened. He'd pretty much admitted he'd fallen for her, hard, but she wasn't paying all that much attention.

"Thank you, Castle. That was just the answer I needed. Now if you excuse me, I need to go see someone." She picked up her purse, giving Kate's arm a quick squeeze, and Castle a quick wink, with a smile the size of New York.

"I'm glad she's happy. She deserves it." Castle was looking at the wall blankly, his earlier speech sinking in.

"Yeah. They both do. So, did you remember anything else or need any help from us? We've brought a backpack full of newspaper clippings to help you get up to speed with news and sport. There's more to life than police work, believe it or not."

Kate nodded as Alexis opened the backpack onto the table over her bed. There was plenty to look at. It was over an hour before Kate found an interesting article on a series of murders.

"What happened there?" She handed the paper to Castle and Alexis read it over his shoulder. Both their faces dropped at the same time. Not many things stopped Alexis from being Alexis, which meant this was something big.

"There were a similar sting of murders a few years back but the killer was never found. We called him the Triple Killer. Killed blonde women by strangling them. We found the murderer and arrested him. We thought we had anyway, until me and Ryan went to say goodbye to our witness, but we figured it out too late. We had the wrong guy, and me and Ryan were stood in a room with him. By the time you found us, he was long gone, Ryan was unconscious missing his badge and gun and I was tied to a chair. I was so glad to see your face."

His hand was resting on the bed next to hers, and before her brain realised what it was doing, she took his in hers.

He was sat alone on a small bench by the pool. The light was reflecting on to his face, exposing the troubled look. She walked towards him, a styrofoam cup of coffee in her hand. It was normally him bringing it to her, but tonight, he was the one who needed it most. She sat down slowly, holding out her offering to him. "Here you go."

He took it from her hesitantly, eyeing her up and down. "Thanks."

They sat in a comfortable silence for a few seconds before she spoke again. "Tell me something, Castle. Why did he let you live?"

Beckett was glad he was OK. She'd said it herself a few moments earlier but the question wouldn't leave her mind, plaguing her thoughts.

"To punish me." She turned to look at him, trying to keep a straight face. "Make me pay for ruining his plan."

He turned his head, breaking eye contact, trying to keep in control of his guilt. "Now he's gonna kill again all because I couldn't stop him... And I feel so..."

She did the only thing she could to comfort him. To make sure that he knew that she was there for him. She had to look out for him this time. She thought for a moment before removing her hand from her lap and placing it on his knee, stroking his leg slowly with her thumb without really thinking.

"I know the feeling."

"I know you do." He returned her simple gesture by covering her hand with his own and squeezing her fingers gently. Nothing more was said. They had each other, and right now, it was all they needed to stay strong.

Alexis carried on with the story.

"Gram rang him up while he was in the room and they spoke and at the end he said 'I love you', which he never says. So obviously, we knew something was wrong and rang you and you came to his rescue."

"My damsel in shining armour." He winked at her while giving her a sad smile.

"I know, I remember." She glanced down at their hands, his thumb absentmindedly stroking her skin. Castle sat up a little when he realized what had happened. She'd remembered as soon as they took each other's hands. Kate broke the tension after a few moments, as she always did.

"Wait, if I'm your damsel in shining armour, does that make you my knight in distress?"

He chuckled.

"Absolutely not. I'm your Prince Charming. You can't resist me and my..."

"Dad, finish that sentence and you'll scar me forever."

"Relax, Pumpkin, I was just gonna say my charms."

"Yeah, Castle, sure." She patted his hand and grimaced when the pain jolted from her arm to her chest.

"It's time we went. You should get some pain medication and your beauty sleep. Not that you need it of course."

"You still need to work on your charm, Castle. Could you tell the nurses to come in whe you've gone out? Could do with some morphine. Oh, and thanks for coming Alexis, I appreciate it, and all your help."

"No problem. I'm gonna get a coffee before we leave. Want some, Dad?"

"No, thanks. I'll be down in a minute." Alexis waved before leaving the room swiftly. Castle turned back to face her, reaching for her hand again, clasping it tightly.

"I'm so glad you're OK." Thinking of the Jerry brought back the painful memories, but with it the words that Kate had whispered in his ear at finding him alive.

She squeezed his hand back. "Me too."

After Castle and Alexis left the hospital, a nurse came in to the room and gave her some morphine, forcing her to sleep, but it wasn't at all peaceful. Memories had come back in dreams before and they would in the future, but this time they weren't whole, just fragments of moments she'd lived weeks ago and they sent a chill down her spine.

"I always thought, being a cop, I'd take a bullet. I never thought I'd freeze to death."

"I'm sorry... F-f-for being m-me."

"Thank you for being there."

"Stay with me."

"I wish I had someone who would be there for me, and I'd be there for him, and we could just dive in together."

"Always."

"Always."

"Always."