Beckett's dad had gone home to change his clothes, Lanie offered to go with him but he said he would be fine. Castle was leaning against a wall in the hallway. Josh had gone to get some sleep one of the rooms for doctors to lay down in. Castle just couldn't get the image of Beckett falling to the ground out of his head.

"Castle, how are you doing?" Lanie asked, as she leaned against the opposite wall facing him.

"I'll be better when I know she's okay."

"She will be Castle." She smiled hopefully. Castle smiled back.

"I know. I just can't stop thinking about her falling down, and I couldn't do anything. I saw…"

"This isn't your fault. Don't do that to yourself. And I know what you mean, I remember hearing the shot and you jumping up- it all happened so fast." Lanie said, as she creased her brow.

"I saw the shooter," Castle said softly, "I saw something bright and reflecting in the distance and I just ran to her to protect her."

"Castle I know you care about her, we all do, but I know." She said in a comforting voice. She rested her hand on his arm and walked back to her seat. Castle put his head back against the wall.

After a few minutes, Josh came back out and walked over towards Castle.

"Any news?" he asked.

"Nothing yet." Castle replied, trying to limit his talking to Josh.

"I still can't believe this is happening. I should've been there." Josh said.

"It's not like you're ever here." Castle mumbled.

"What?" Josh asked. Most cases Castle would've just acted like he didn't say anything, but this was a man who puts words together for a living.

"I said it's not like you're ever here. Do you even know what's been going on in her life lately? Or are you just too busy riding around the city on your motorcycle?" Castle's voice started to get loud.

"Excuse me? What the hell is your problem?" Josh demanded. He stood up a bit taller and got closer to Castle, who didn't seem to care about their size difference.

"I'm looking at him." Castle said angrily.

"Listen, I don't need this right now. Alright, my girlfriend is having surgery. I don't need some big shot writer to try and…"

"Yeah your girlfriend is having surgery. But do you know what she was doing before that? She was at a funeral for her captain, her mentor…her friend…my friend. And do you know where she was the night before that? With me arguing over you and how she doesn't even love you!"

"You…" Josh went, looking pissed. But Castle cut him off.

"And do you know where she was a few weeks ago? She was with me in LA, in a hotel room. And before that in a freezer in my arms, and before that we kisse…" Before Castle could finish, Josh's fist came at him. Castle ducked and his fist missed and went into the wall. Josh yelled out in pain. But before he could even shake it off he was hit with Castle's right fist in the face. Josh leaned over, and Castle panted. He was stunned that he did that himself. Josh rose up and shoved Castle into the wall, Castle shoved him back. Castle was so angry, that it didn't even phase him that Josh was bigger than him. The two men continued, until someone came rushing down the hall.

"Hey! Yo, Castle- guys break it up!" Esposito yelled, holding him back, Castle tried fighting his way out of Esposito's strong grip. Ryan heard the noise and came rushing down to help, Lanie and a few other people noticed also. Lanie had her hand over her mouth. Castle stopped struggling and fixed his collar as he walked away. Josh had his hand rubbing his jaw. Esposito and Ryan followed Castle.

"Man, talk about a writer's block…" Ryan smiled, Esposito smirked. Castle sat back down in his chair. Lanie came over next to him.

"What in the hell?" Lanie asked. As she reached to take a look at his hand, soon it would be bruised. Right now it didn't hurt, but it would. Castle couldn't believe he hit Josh. He knew he shouldn't have, but he was glad he did.

"Man, Castle, I didn't think I'd ever see the day you'd knock a guy out." Esposito joked.

"And I never thought I'd see the day when you would be carrying a man-purse." Castle smiled, as he nodded at the bag in Esposito's hand. They laughed for the first time since all of this happened.

"It's my change of clothes," Lanie smiled. She grabbed the bag and headed towards the restroom to change.

"Am I going to get arrested?" Castle joked, as he rubbed his hand that was in Josh's face moments ago.

"For what? We didn't see a thing." Esposito winked.

"Castle you should go home, get changed. We'll call you when…" Ryan spoke.

"Thanks, but I'm not leaving until my partner wakes up." Castle replied.

"Figured you'd say that." Esposito said, as he picked up another bag and tossed it to Castle. He opened it and saw a pair of dark jeans, a black shirt, and some hygiene products. Castle looked up and smiled.

Castle went into the bathroom to clean up and change. He rubbed his sore hand and this only made him think back to when Beckett had held it gently with her soft hands, as she wrapped it up in a bandage. He smiled at the thought. Castle grabbed his bag and went back out to the waiting room to see Lanie in a pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

"How's the vic?" Castle asked.

"He's getting his jaw checked out by a nurse." Ryan replied.

"Could I speak with Katherine Beckett's family?" a doctor said, as he pulled off his mask. All their heads turned. This was the moment they were waiting for all night.

"How is she? Is she awake?" Castle demanded. The doctor looked at the four of them.

"No, not awake yet. She's stable…still critical. But we got the bullet out of her chest. It hit pretty close to her heart, she lost a lot of blood. But she'll be okay. We just need to wait and see how the next few hours go." The doctor explained. A sigh of relief went through them all.

"I'm going to call her dad." Ryan said, as he started to dial and walked away.

"Can we see her?" Lanie asked, although being a doctor herself, she knew the answer already.

"I'm sorry only family. Are any of you?"

"We all are." Esposito said strongly.

"Castle you should go." Lanie nodded with a smile. Castle smiled at her, and patted Esposito on the back. He followed the surgeon back to the dimmed lit room where the woman he loved was laying hooked up to a few machines and ivy bags.

"Stay as long as you want." The doctor walked away, leaving Castle in the doorway of the quiet hospital room. He was scared to go in. He took a deep breath and stepped in. He couldn't really see her at first, because of the lighting, but he knew her face so well already. He walked over to her bedside and sat in the chair beside it. He stared at her body lying there, motionless. He had never seen her like this. So peaceful, and quiet. He just wanted to hold her in his arms.

Castle scooted the chair closer to her.

"Kate...it's me, Castle. I don't know if you can hear me…which is probably heaven for you if you can't." he joked, "but I'm here." He raised his hand above her face and brushed a lock of her brown hair away from her face. He leaned over her to pull up the blankets over her chest, trying to make her look more comfortable. He brushed her soft cheek, and leaned in and kissed her forehead. He wondered if she could feel him? If she could hear him? He leaned back into his chair, and he placed his hand on hers. Castle was glad he was next to her finally, although he wished she was awake, he felt safer beside her. He felt like he could protect her, and knowing exactly where she was brought him peace- something he hadn't felt all day.

The room was dark, and quiet. There was only the sound of the machines in the room and the occasional nurse walking by. There was only the feeling of her hand in his and the feelings they had for each other building up in the room. There was also another feeling that Castle was unaware of- the eyes of a jealous doctor standing feet away from the door, watching a writer hold his girlfriends hand.