Hey everyone! Sorry it's been so long... I just started high school and homework's a jerkbag... Anyway, here's the next chapter! Hopefully I'll be posting more soon!
DISCLAIMER: Not my people blah blah blah
Untrue to his promise to Esposito, Castle stayed overnight at the hospital. He didn't sleep much, though. Jim stopped by a few times after the others left, saying he needed to keep making sure she was still alive. Castle just nodded and used those oppurtunities to get something to eat or drink.
As Castle sat alone in the uncomfortable hospital chairs, his mind was empty. Not even Beckett made it into his thoughts. He thought of nothing but emptiness.
Suddenly, Kate cried out. Castle's head snapped up and he reached forward to comfort her, but the moment he made contact, she swatted his hand away with her cast, making her groan in pain. Eyes closed, she breathed heavily.
"Kate, baby, it's okay," Castle said quietly, reaching out to try again.
"Don't touch me!" she screamed. But when her eyes snapped open and she saw Castle, she fell apart.
"Oh Rick," she sobbed, falling into his arms. By this time, nurses had come rushing in, but Castle shooed them off.
"Shhh, you're okay," he soothed. "You're okay."
"Oh Rick," she said again. She looked at his face. "Oh, Rick is it really you?"
"Yes, baby," Castle said, rubbing her back. "I'm here."
"Oh God," she said. "What happened?"
Castle didn't know where to begin. "Well, someone took you. And beat you up really bad." He paused. "But, you're okay now. You're safe and being taken care of."
Beckett's eyes widened with a sudden recognition of the recent events. She looked at Castle with fearful eyes. "Oh Rick," she said. "The man kept asking me where a box was but I didn't know anything about a box and he beat me every time he thought I was lying and he said he'd take you if I didn't give him answers and so I lied and told him that the box was at your house in the Hampton's."
Castle's eyes widened with fear. "The Hampton's?" he managed to choke out.
Beckett's eyes became dark with concern. "Yes?"
"Oh God," Castle gasped. "That's where I sent Mom and Alexis."
After a filling meal of burgers and fries, Alexis and Martha had gone to see a movie. They had begun to drive back to the house when Alexis' phone rang.
"It's Dad!" she exclaimed before answerig the call.
"Hi Dad," she said. "Are you-"
"Alexis, listen to me. You and Grams need to come home. Now. Don't ask any questions, just drop what you're doing and go to the loft."
"But-"
"No buts, Alexis. This is serious. Get in the car and drive home right now." Then a click.
"What did he say Alexis?" Martha asked, concerned with the look of shock and fear on her granddaughter's face.
"Dad said we need to come home now. Said it's serious."
Martha frowned. It wasn't like her son to not give them any information.
Which probably meant that it was a life or death situation.
Martha did a quick U-turn and began taking the quickest route to New York City.
Castle called Alexis immediately, and told her to leave the Hampton's and go straight to the loft. At first, she objected, but he wasn't going to argue. He hung up the phone, hoping his daughter would make the right decision.
"I'm sorry, Castle," Beckett said quietly.
"For what?" Castle asked.
"For putting your family in danger," she said, a tear trickling down her bruised face. "I was trying to keep you safe, but I didn't think about you trying to do the same thing for your family."
"Oh, Kate," Castle said, lightly kissing the tear off of her cheek. "You couldn't have known. You were otherwise occupied and in no position to worry about Alexis or Martha. I'm quite flattered that you even thought about me."
Kate smiled. "Oh, Rick, how I could I forget about you."