A/N the speech in italics is from the episode

"Castle?"

"It's clear, he's gone and Ryan needs an ambulance" when Javier heard those words his heart skipped a beat, he slightly relaxed when he heard "no I don't" but he still worried when he heard how feeble Kevin's voice was. He bent down beside Kevin and unlocked the hand cuffs; he went to put Kevin's arms in a more comfortable position but stopped when Kevin let out a moan.

"You sure you're ok Kev?" he was only answered by a moan, Kevin's eyes started to flutter shut, "nuh uh Kev, come on keep your eyes open… Beckett we're gonna need that ambulance"

"Already on its way"

Kevin let out another moan, but not from pain this time "said I don need one" slurred Kevin,

"Yeah you do Kev"

Beckett and Castle went out to wait for the ambulance, Javier stayed on the ground next to Kevin trying to keep him awake and talking. The EMT's arrived and loaded Kevin on a stretcher (ignoring the injured Detective's protests) Javier was about to call Jenny when he remembered Kevin saying she was out of town and he didn't want to worry her. At the ambulance Javier was told Kevin only had a grade one concussion and could go home if someone stayed with him and woke him every two hours otherwise he would be taken to hospital, Javier said he would stay with Kevin. It was the least he could do after letting Kevin go with Castle while he went home, the first time since being partners he didn't go with Kevin was the time his friend actually needed help.

When they entered Kevin's apartment Javier sat him down on the couch, "I'll go get you some painkillers"

"Mmmm ok"

Javier was no more than three minutes but when he got back to the couch Kevin was already asleep. Javier smiled took of Kevin's shoes, put two pillows behind his head and placed a blanket over him. He took out his phone and set an alarm set to go off in two hours and sat in the chair opposite Kevin who was sleeping peacefully. Javier however did not go to sleep. He knew come morning Kevin was going to find out Tyson took his badge and gun, and he also knew Kevin was going to blame himself for letting Tyson get away. Castle had come and apologized to Javier for putting Kevin in danger by suddenly announcing Tyson was the 3XK, Javier had remained calm but now having time to think about it, he felt his anger growing stupid Castle putting Kevin in danger like that! He didn't realize he had been running thoughts like those through his head for two hours and was surprised to hear the alarm go off. He got up and shook Kevin's shoulder, "Kev come on you gotta get up"

Kevin's eyes fluttered open and all he said was "I let Tyson get away and he took my gun and badge, if he kills again it's all my fault"

"Don't even think that Kev, it's his own fault not yours, I'm gonna kill Castle!"

"Why?"

"Because he said a theory to the person he suspected! And by doing so could have got you killed!"

"Well I wasn't killed so it doesn't matter"

"The hell it doesn't matter!" Javier hadn't realized he raised his voice until he saw Kevin flinch slightly, he bent down beside his friend and said in a quieter voice "here take the painkillers that you didn't take earlier" he helped Kevin raise his head and take a sip of water swallowing the pills. Kevin shocked Javier when he said,

"It's not your fault Javi"

"Course it's my fault I should've been there with you, but instead I went home"

"No it's my fault"

"What makes you say that Kev?"

"Well you Beckett and Castle figured out Tyson was the 3XK, and I'm the only who didn't and he got the drop on me"

Javier sighed "don't put this all on yourself Kev" he said while putting a hand on his partners shoulder, but Kevin hadn't seemed to have heard him.

"That's not the worst! He also took my badge and gun!" groaned Kevin.

Javier didn't say anything to the comment because he knew Kevin was going to feel bad about that for a long time to come. Instead he said "I've been a crap partner to you haven't I?"

"Huh? What are you talking about Javi?"

"Well I almost put you through what I went through with Ike and tonight I wasn't with you when you needed me"

"You've been a good partner to me Javi, and a good friend"

Javier looked Kevin straight in the eye and said "I now understand how you felt when you ran up to Racine's office, when Beckett and I found out Tyson was the 3XK and after Castle's mom called… I was so scared… the car ride to the motel took forever and when we ran up the stairs to the room… I was scared to see what we would find and when I only saw Castle, and he said you needed an ambulance…" Javier took a breath and finished "I'm sorry to have put you through all that"

Kevin tried to shrug but with the painkillers only starting to take an affect he winced with the pain the attempted shrug caused.

"Get some sleep Kev, I'll wake you up in two hours and I don't think you should go into work tomorrow, when's Jenny back?"

"Three days"

"Well I'll stay with you"

"You don't have to Javi"

"Well someone has to be with you, who would you rather me or your mom?"

"You"

Javier chuckled at Kevin's answer he knew that when any of Fiona's children were ill or hurt she fussed over them and as Kevin had put it in the past "it's like she's constantly smothering you!"

"Thought you'd say that bro"

"Well if you're gonna stay with me we may as well go into work" said Kevin hopefully,

"If you even try that tactic or any other for that matter to get yourself to work I will call your mom"

Kevin huffed in slight annoyance "Night Javi, and get some sleep yourself" and closed his eyes.

Javier smiled "night Kev see you in two hours" he wanted to get Kevin to sleep in his own bed as he knew that would be better for Kevin's head, but with Kevin already asleep he figured he'd move Kevin in two hours. He reset his alarm and settled back into the chair and following Kevin's order he dropped off to sleep.