Beckett was pushed out the way as the medics surrounded Castle. They started CPR and one of them wheeled over a defibrillator. Beckett couldn't move; she was paralysed with fear. All she could do was watch as the medics tried to resuscitate the man she loved.
"Charging to one-eighty," one of the medics said, picking up the paddles.
"Clear!"
The other medics stepped back as the paddles were put on his chest. His entire body convulsed as a hundred and eighty volts of electricity passed through him. Beckett felt hot tears running down her cheeks. Yet again, her knees felt weak and her head was swimming. Her chest felt tighter and tighter as though there was a huge elastic band around her, pushing in on her ribs; a combination of the virus and complete panic. She thought she might collapse again until she felt an arm around her.
Esposito had appeared behind her and was holding her up. He didn't say anything, but his presence was enough to keep her from becoming hysterical.
Even Ryan, who barely had the energy left to lift his head, had turned to look at Castle. Beckett was surprised and upset to see tears falling from Ryan's eyes as well, mingled with the sweat on his cheeks.
She watched as they shocked Castle again and again. Ten minutes passed and the medics continued to work on him. Beckett could hardly breathe. It was as if her lungs were closing with every passing minute as Castle drifted further from her.
"This can't be how it ends," she sobbed. Esposito just held her closer. He didn't seem able to speak, glancing between Ryan and Castle, looking like he was in shock. Beckett was struck by how unfair this was. As soon as she had started to let Castle in, to trust him, to love him, he was dying.
Seconds, or perhaps minutes later, Beckett saw one of the medics look at the other and shake her head.
"No!" Beckett shouted. Esposito's arms, which had originally been a source of comfort and safety now made her feel suffocated. She pulled herself away from him and ran to Castle. "You can't give up yet," she said, pleading with the medics.
"I'm sorry," one of them said, "but without the cure, there's very little chance he's going to survive."
"Just keep trying, just a little longer."
The medic sighed. "Okay, can you step back, please?"
"Come on, Castle," she said, willing him to come back to her as they continued the CPR. "Damn it, Castle," she said, angrily "this is why I was scared to fall in love with you."
"Charging to two hundred. Clear!"
"He's back," the medic said, sounding completely surprised.
Beckett gasped with relief as his eyes flickered open.
"Don't get your hopes up," a female medic said, bitterly, "there's every chance he'll go back in to respiratory failure without the cure."
Why was she being so negative? But the frightening thought hit Beckett that perhaps the medic had been in this situation before and she knew the outcome would be grim. But Beckett just shot her an angry look. Where was her faith?
She moved to Castle's bedside and took his hand again.
"Hey, you," she whispered.
"Hey, you," he croaked, giving her a smile. "So you love me, huh?"
Beckett didn't reply but a fresh wave of tears came over her.
"Here's an idea," Ryan said weakly from his bed, between hoarse breaths. "Maybe you should try saying you love each other when one of you isn't about to die."
Esposito gave a short laugh and Beckett couldn't help but give a teary smile.
"You really gave us a scare there," she whispered.
"Sorry," he said. "I'll try not to die again."
"That would be really helpful," Beckett said wiping the tears from her cheek.
He lifted his hand and put it on her face. For a second, Beckett really believed everything was going to be okay.
"Oh, Lanie," Castle whispered.
Beckett stepped back.
"What?!"
"Not you," he said smiling at the horrified expression on her face. "I mean look, it's Lanie."
Beckett turned around and sure enough, Lanie was standing on the other side of the plastic wall with a huge grin on her face, holding a big flask of liquid and a handful of syringes.
She came through the quarantine door, ignoring Ethan Ware as he tried to stop her.
"Did someone order a cure?" she smiled.