Disclaimer: Nothing owned. But it is getting closer to Monday.
Chapter 6
Castle knew that she was fighting for control. Control over the situation. Control over him. Control over her own body. He also knew that she was losing the fight for her own body. He felt her hand shake as she held his hand. The paleness of her skin, he's seen that before. That beautiful day in the cemetery as she lay bleeding near Montgomery's grave. That day he could cover her wound. Tell her to hold on. Today he felt useless. She was the one strengthening him. She was the one fighting while he lay there unable to even hold her.
As she was racked with another bout of coughing and vomiting there was a violent crash and soon lights began to flood the area. There had been enough light for them to see but now the area was awash with light and the light made everything worse.
Kate noticed Castle's color was pale almost green. Near a color she had become accustomed to, a color she often saw on dead bodies.
Castle noticed the absolute lack of color in Beckett's face. The lack of color a stark contrast to the bright red blood covering her shirt and vest and pants.
As the EMT's rushed into the space she sank back she sat down just beyond Castle's feet. One of the EMT's looked at her as he was about to say something. "Get him out of here first. Deal with him first." The EMT nodded and turned back to Castle.
Kate watched as they worked. She sat cradling her left arm. Stillness over took her. She felt herself leaning on her right side but was unable to stop it.
The EMT's had freed the bar from the concrete and slid a backboard under him. They were about to pick him up when the EMT looked back at her. The EMT knew she was about to pass out and she stopped him before he could come to her. "Get him out of here first."
"No I'm not leaving her." At this point as they lifted him he could see her again and the sight made him freeze. She was ashen. A trail of blood now flowed out of the corner of her mouth and nose. "No Kate. Please."
As the EMT's lifted Castle one called on the radio as they climbed over the rubble. "On our way out with the first one. But we're going to need another board quick. Detective Beckett is fading fast."
Down on the ground Esposito and Ryan were standing next to the Captain as the radio call came in. "Calahan, Curtis get up there. The two EMT's grabbed their board and bags and ran to the stairwell. As they got to the doorway the other two traded Castle off and headed back up.
They hadn't been gone more than five minutes but Kate had already slumped over on her side. Her eyes were open but she didn't move. The EMT's worked quickly. They saw the metal shrapnel sticking out of her back and quickly laid her on her side on the board and strapped her down. One last check and she was breathing, barely. "Detective, you hang on we're going to get you out of here."
"Go, go." The EMT's grabbed the board and covering the ground more quickly this time rushed down the stairs. At the bottom a gurney was waiting. As they loaded it into the ambulance the EMT checked and amazingly she was still breathing, barely. If she had stopped there would have been no way to give her CPR on her side, and there was no way to lay her on her back.
Thankfully it was 2:00 in the afternoon and traffic was lighter than it could have been. The ride to the hospital only took five minutes. As the EMT's passed her off to the emergency room staff they looked at each other. They both knew that they had done everything they could but that she was in bad shape. She'd taken a stand and ordered them to take him first. In those last few minutes she had gone downhill quickly.
