"It's a bruise," Castle told them.
Lanie raised an amused eyebrow at that.
"A hickey shaped bruise?"
"It's undercover."
Beckett rolled her eyes. Bad enough he was trying to cover for her, but doing it completely doped up, he was only making it worse.
"It was an accident," she said, quickly.
Now Cutter couldn't help himself, and had to speak up.
"You were vacuuming the floor and slipped?"
Lanie snickered.
"She was asleep," Castle said, still gamely trying and not quite realizing he wasn't helping. "She also had her hand on-"
"We should let him get some sleep," Beckett interrupted, squeezing Castle's hand a little harder than necessary, perhaps.
He frowned, which made him look fairly wretched when coupled with the swelling and bruising on his face.
"I'm okay."
"No, Rick, she's right," Cutter said, still amused. "You do need to get some sleep."
"But I don't want to sleep. I'm awake."
"If we let you rest, you'll go back to sleep," the doctor assured him. "You really should. You look awful and you'll feel better."
"I feel fine." His hand tightened on Beckett's and she realized that he wasn't so much objecting the idea of sleep, he just didn't want to be alone. Specifically, she was pretty sure he didn't want her to leave.
"Let me get situated," she told him with a smile and a slight squeeze of his hand. "And then I'll come back and sit with you a while." She looked up at Cutter. "If you think that will be all right?"
"I doubt the hospital staff will mind," Cutter agreed, realizing the same thing Beckett had. Of course, she spent more time with him, so it wasn't surprising that she'd catch on first. He turned his head and winked at Lanie before turning back to the others. "Maybe we can turn a single room into a double? If Detective Beckett promises to let you get some sleep and keep any vacuum cleaners away from your neck…"
Beckett blushed despite herself and Lanie didn't even attempt to bottle up her amused snicker. Castle didn't get the joke, but that wasn't too surprising, really. Not as medicated as he was. He did brighten a little, though.
"Can we?"
"It doesn't take much to bring in another bed – at least since neither of you require any serious monitoring equipment."
Rooms were almost always designed as two-bed rooms, and Cutter knew that they'd put Castle in his own room because he was famous. And rich. Famous and rich people didn't usually like to have roommates because that gave the roommate's relatives access to them. Castle wouldn't have that problem with Beckett.
Cutter looked at Beckett to see if she was okay with that and she shrugged. She was okay with that. She let go of Castle's hand.
"I'll be back in a little while, okay?"
He nodded and was closing his eyes even before the three of them left his room.
OOOOOOOOOOOO
Esposito and Ryan were waiting with Montgomery outside the door, and all three headed for them when they closed the door behind them.
"How's he doing?" Montgomery asked.
"He's pretty beat up," Cutter answered. "They've got him on some pretty potent painkillers, though. The swelling on his face should go down in a day or two, and after that he'll look worse."
"Is he going to be able to golf with us?"
"Not a chance."
"Damn."
"Did you guys take care of this?" Cutter asked, curiously – and with just a little annoyance. "Or am I going to see him get more and more mangled?"
"It's taken care of," Montgomery told him, being more familiar with Cutter and knowing that none of his detectives would give that kind of information anyway. "How about Beckett?"
"The doctors want her to stay overnight, and I'm inclined to agree with them. She hit her head pretty hard. Might not hurt to give her a few days off to make sure that there aren't any migraines as a result."
"I'm right here, you know?" Beckett told him, slightly annoyed.
Cutter flashed her his amazing smile.
"Sorry, Detective. But none of it changes depending on your location. I know they gave you a shot and then a painkiller when they put the stitches in, so you're in a similar situation as Rick; you feel better than you will tomorrow. Better that you're here, where someone will be able to make sure there aren't any nasty side affects to your wreck."
"Consider it an order," Montgomery added.
She scowled at the amused looks from both Esposito and Ryan and then turned her attention to Montgomery and nodded.
"Yes, sir."
"Good." He smiled. "If you need anything – anything at all, even your pillow fluffed – feel free to call Ryan or Esposito."
The two lost their amused grins immediately, which had almost certainly been the Captain's intent, and Beckett's lips twitched in an effort to not smile.
"I will, sir."
"I need to go talk to the nurses," Cutter told them. He touched Kate's shoulder. "I'll come by to see you sometime in the morning when I see Rick – just to check on you."
"Thank you, Doctor Cutter."
"Gerald," he corrected.
She nodded.
"I'll walk with you," Montgomery said. He looked at Beckett. "You okay?"
Meaning was she annoyed, but also he was asking her if there was anything he could do for her, and Beckett smiled, touched.
"I'm fine, Captain."
"Good. And good work, Beckett."
"Thank you."
The two left Beckett standing in the hall with Lanie and the guys, and Esposito cleared his throat.
"We have the clothes Castle wanted earlier," he said, when Beckett looked over. "Do you want us to go to your place and get you something?"
Lanie shook her head.
"The last thing Kate needs are you two rummaging through her place trying to figure out what bra to get her."
Both men flushed immediately – and Lanie and Beckett exchanged an amused look.
"Lanie already offered to get me some things," Kate told them. "But thank you."
"Something to eat?"
She shook her head.
"I think we'll be okay. Go home and get some rest guys."
God knew they probably needed it as much as she did.