Chapter 5

Note: thanks for your awesome reviews! I hope you're continuing to enjoy my own little rabbit hole here. Not totally sure where I'm headed yet, but really enjoying the journey. On with the story! Enjoy!

Nathan followed along as they wheeled her into the ER. As they reached the big double doors to take her back to the exam rooms, he paused. Was he supposed to go back there with her? Just then a nurse appeared.

"Sorry, immediate family only," she said.

"Oh, ok. No problem." Thank God! He thought, how awkward would that be.

"No, it's ok, nurse. He's my boyfriend. He can come back." Beckett smiled as she reached for his hand.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Go ahead, sir."

"Thanks," he said with an attempt at a smile. How the hell am I gonna get out of this? he thought.

He followed them into room 147, where the medics began removing the straps holding her to the cot. Just as the last strap was undone, a short middle-aged woman wearing nurses scrubs walked in.

"Hi Ms Beckett, my name is Jillian, and I'll be your nurse today. Let's get you into a gown and then well take a look at you."

Nathan's eyes flew open. "A gown? Is that necessary? I mean, she just bumped her head, she shouldn't need to get undressed to check that right?"

"Sir, it's standard procedure. Should we need to do a CT scan it makes it easier to get IVs in and do any other tests that may be required. Also, with taking a fall, doctor may want to check for any other possible injuries. You can wait in the hall while she changes, if it would make you more comfortable."

"Ok, yeah. I think I will." Thank God! he thought.

"No, it's ok. Nothing he hasn't seen before. I don't mind."

Seriously! Could she make this anymore difficult? Suddenly the maddening, challenging, frustrating line spoken so long ago made so much more sense.

"Actually, nurse..."

"Please, call me Jillian."

"Right, Jillian. While she's getting changed, could I speak to you outside a moment?"

"Sure, no problem."

"Castle, what are you doing?" Beckett gave him a quizzical look. "What are you up to?"

"Nothing, just need to think about... Um... Uh... press, yeah. Press and what not to tell Captain Gates." Nathan could feel his palms getting sweatier by the second.

"Oh, right. Good thinking. Just, come right back, ok?" The look she gave him then almost broke his heart. It was so strange, away from the lights and cameras and crew, seeing the real Kate Beckett, as others saw her, he could see why they loved her. WAIT! What the hell! There is no REAL Kate Beckett. Get it together man!

"Before I step out, I'm going to quick send down for some tests, but first I must ask. Any chance that you may be pregnant, Ms Beckett?"

Beckett looked at Nathan and gave him a shy, awkward smile. "I guess it's always a possibility."

If he could have crawled under a chair, he would have. Could this get any more awkward? Seriously!

As they stepped outside the room, Nathan ran his hand through his hair. How the hell to explain all of this.

"So, Mr? I'm sorry, I didn't get your name."

"Fillion. Nathan Fillion."

"Nice to meet you Nathan. You are Ms Beckett's boyfriend?"

"No, no I'm not. I'm just a friend."

"Oh, I see." She gave him a slightly judgmental smirk.

Shit! She thinks we're sleeping together. Damn it!

"No, not like that. We work together. We are both actors. I play her boyfriend in the show we're on."

"Oh, so you guys are method actors, huh?"

Did she really just giggle? Good lord it's gonna be a long night.

"No, see, we are actors. I'm her boyfriend, on the show. Only on the show. We co-star on a show called Castle. You may have heard of it." he said, puffing out his chest a bit.

"Oh yeah, the cop and the writer, right?"

"Yeah. So you've seen it?"

"Yeah, watched an episode once. Not really my thing. Oh, no offense of course. I'm sure you guys do a great job."

"Yeah, um right." He didn't know what to think. Oh well, at least she wasn't fangirling all over. "So anyway, her name is really Stana Katic, she plays Detective Kate Beckett. We were shooting a scene today where she was chasing a suspect and she fell and hit her head. When she came to, she seemed ok except she believes she is Kate Beckett and that I'm Richard Castle. She has stayed in character this whole time. We didn't want to freak her out, so we didn't push the issue. But any questions you ask her, she likely will answer as her character."

"Wow, this is a different one. I'll go chat with the doctor before he sees her to give him a heads up. Do you know anything about her medical history?"

"No, I don't. Sorry. Bit I can tell you that her character has been shot in the heart and has PTSD. That's the big reason we didn't push it. If she thinks she is Kate, could she have PTSD too?"

"That's a great question. I don't know. But I'll go have a chat with her doctor and send him in soon."

"Castle? Are you still out there?" Beckett's voice came from inside the room. Nathan looked at the nurse, his eyes pleading for help.

"Go, be with her. Keep her calm, and we'll see what we can do to get Ms Katic back."