Hope you all enjoyed the first chapter, loving the responses, please read and review x

Two hours have passed since Kate arrived at Lutheran Medical, and everyone had arrived, apart from Medical Examiner Lanie Parish, who's shift was due to end soon. Still overwhelmed by worry and shock, Kate barely said a word to anyone; instead she just stared at the opposite wall, with tears still streaming down her cheeks.

When Lanie finally arrived, she headed straight for the waiting room. When the dark haired woman first noticed the state that her best friend was currently in, she rushed straight towards Kate.

"Javier Esposito is it ok if I take your seat next to my girl" Lanie asked with a tender smile.

"Sure thing Lanie" once he stood up, he whispered to Lanie, "she needs you." Nodding, Lanie took her seat next to her colleague but also her best friend, a person for which she cared greatly for.

Feeling Lanie's hand on her shoulder, Kate moved her head, so that they were looking each other in the eyes, tears streaming non-stop down Kate's cheeks. Kate greeted Lanie with a small, yet hardly noticeable smile followed by "hey Lanie."

"Hey sweetie, you okay?" Lanie asked, knowing pretty well what her response would be. "No, no I'm not okay, at all. He's in the Lanie without me, or anyone for that matter, fighting for his life." Lanie was so concerned for Kate, who was now sobbing with her head in her hands.

Trying to encourage Kate to get up and move around and hopefully talk to her, Lanie calmly said "Come on Kate, come get a drink with me from the cafeteria."

"No, I'm not leaving her, unless it's to go and see Rick." The stubborn brunette answered. "It wasn't a question, now let's go" grabbing Kate's arm, Lanie managed to pull Kate out of her chair and slowly start to head towards the cafeteria, her best friend clinging to her side for dear life, sobs still emerging from the tough NYPD detective.

On their way to the cafeteria, the silence was getting to Lanie, causing her to finally speak up "you know he's going to be ok right? I mean come on, its Richard Castle for god sakes." After getting a scoff in agreement as to what Lanie had just said she saw it as a sign to continue "and besides he's with you now, and if I know Castle, he won't be willing to throw that away anytime soon" making the detective smile, before it was soon replaced with a look of what Lanie thought was a mix of curiosity and regret.

"I'm guessing you found out the same way as the boys." Getting nothing but a sheepish grin from the Medical Examiner. " I suppose we were dreaming thinking that we could keep it a secret, I mean it is you after all, when you suspect something, you do better work than half the NYPD combined, just to come up with an accurate conclusion" making both of them scoff followed by a little laugh from Lanie.

"Yeah, yeah I'm a bit like that aren't I, I guess you're not the only stubborn one out of us." Gaining a grin from the brunette, quickly followed by the same look of regret. Lanie, overwhelmed with her sense of curiosity pushed the question "what aren't you telling us Kate, did something happen before the accident, did you guys fight?"

Kate sometimes could not believe how good the M.E was at reading people, "It's nothing, I just wish I did something differently this morning." Confused as to where this was going, the M.E. kindly replied "tell me, and that's not a question."

After a few seconds of thought Kate finally stopped and looked at her best friend and simply said "last night, Ca...Rick and I were about to fall asleep when he whispered 'I love you Kate'", tears now soaking her face but continuing "and when I was about to leave for work, he stopped me and kissed me and said it again, and I said 'I know' and then next minute I know, he's in there fighting for his life and I've never told him that I love him." Lanie grabbed her friends' hands and squeezed them tight and gave her a loving look.

"But you do love him, it doesn't take a genius to figure that out, I mean even Javi figured it out." The M.E scoffed at the use of her boyfriend to prove a point. Not getting a response from Kate made Lanie concerned until she saw the tears now forming a wet patch on Kate's shirt.

Trying to get a positive response out of Kate, Lanie pushed the topic "you do love him right?"

Lanie's previous question got Kate's attention almost immediately "Yes! Of course I love him, he's sweet, loving, funny, caring and childish at times, but Lanie he is my one and done and I want to spend the rest of my life with him. And when I do go to tell him that I do love him, I choke, I mean what's so hard about saying 'I Love You'?"

Lanie, who was a little shocked at her friends confession only had one thing to say "here's what you're going to do, when Rick wakes up, and he will, you are going to go and see him and then you're going to kiss his sweet lips, and tell him exactly what you just told me, that you love him and that he is your one and done. Okay?" she demanded

"You're really good at bossing people around aren't you? But that sounds good" earning a big grin from Kate, the biggest she's done since arriving.

"Now let's go girl, you need your caffeine fix, trust me" the black haired woman simply pulling her friend towards the cafeteria counter.

Once returning from the cafeteria, both Lanie and Kate handed out the coffees' to everyone and then seated back down in their original seats in between Ryan and Esposito, not letting go of each others hands.

It was about 45 minutes later when the doctor who was looking after Castle finally emerged. "Family of Mr. Castle" shock mixed with a soft smile was plastered on his face as everyone in the waiting room stood up and simultaneously said "Yes."

Kate, Alexis and Martha, all walked up to the doctor. Kate meanwhile trying to read the doctors' expression, but failing.

"How is he, is he ok" Martha said with concern in her voice. "Please tell us doctor" Kate interfered, now holding onto both Martha's and Alexis' hands.

"My name is Doctor Jack Burton and I operated on Mr. Castle" the Doctor said to all three concerned woman, tears running down both Kate's and Alexis' cheeks.

I'm sorry about the cliffhanger, i hate them but it adds a good start for the next chapter :) please read and review

Caskett rocks!

thanks xo