Part of Me, Part of You
by Castlefan6
Authors Note: Sequel to Girl from Yesterday, No Time Lapse, the story picks up where we left off. This is AU; Beckett has left for D.C. and the Feds. This describes the activity of each during the time away from the other. It blends some Canon dialog; courtesy of Dust Jackets Dot Com and then goes quickly and completely AU. This will describe what our friends have been up to, Rick and Kate WILL NOT END UP TOGETHER! Taking a Literary License to fill in the blanks.
A/N: THIS IS NOT A CASKETT ENDING: THIS IS NOT A CASKETT ENDING.
I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only, except the ones I create.
Also, we take liberties with the timeline from Canon and use events to make this more believable fiction, thanks.
**************************************************************************/
Chapter 9
Presbyterian Medical Clinic
New York,
Doctor Paul Rucker's Office
Six Months Later
Kate and Lanie sat in the waiting room of her husband's office, waiting for Dr. Paul to interpret Kate's latest test results, both were genuinely concerned. Things hadn't gone as smoothly as anyone had wanted during the last six months, including the good doctor. It seemed that for every step forward they had made, the next week, it reverted to one step worse than it had been.
Dr. Paul had changed the cocktails, or the mix of drugs administered to Kate to kill the cancer cells growing in her bloodstream over five times during the last several months. It had minimal success and had debilitated Kate to the point where she was now on extended sick leave, facing medical retirement.
"Lanie, I want you to know that I deeply appreciate the friend you have been to me, even during the time I didn't deserve it, you were always there. Look, I love you and Paul, but eventually, we need to face reality. The good guy or girl doesn't always win. I'm OK with that, I've enjoyed my life, well the majority of it, and I have memories that will last me a lifetime." She said holding back tears, as she began to make her peace.
"Kate Beckett, you keep talking like that and I'm going to beat what's left of that skinny ass of yours" Lanie replied, but turned away to dab at her eyes, she knew that unless something miraculous happened, time was running out for her friend.
What neither lady saw was a young red-headed woman sitting in the waiting room, just to their left. Alexis Castle was there for her follow-up appointment with Dr. Saunders, her OB-GYN, for the last two years.
Alexis thought the lady looked familiar when she signed in, but she was so frail, then she spotted Lanie and remembered she had married a doctor. Just as she tried to remember her new married name, she heard Katherine Beckett called by the nurse from the open door of Dr. Paul Rucker.
Dr. Rucker? Oh God, he is an Oncologist she thought to herself, so what the hell was Kate doing seeing him and why was Lanie helping her out of the chair and to the office? No, God, it couldn't be, Kate Beckett with Cancer? This news would destroy her Dad, even though he hadn't seen her in over a year and a half, she knew he still cared about her.
She had to think about how to manage this, Serena was pregnant, very pregnant with her baby due next month. The last thing she needed to hear was about Kate and her problems, especially now. She had put the shell of a man her Dad had been back together; she hadn't seen him this happy since she could remember.
She needed her Mom's help on what to do, so she sent her a text asking her to meet for lunch. The answer came back almost at once, "Are you OK, Baby? Anything wrong?" she asked,
"Nothing wrong Mom, just need to ask your advice and want to do it face to face. Everyone is fine, Dad, Serena, and Cosmo," the nickname for the unborn child since they wouldn't reveal the gender to anyone, opting for a surprise at delivery.
"How about Cereno's at 1:00? Are you sure everyone is OK?" Gina texted back.
"I'm sure Mom, and I'll see you at 1:00, LYAIAW" she typed, short for Love You And I Always Will, their standard ending to any email or text message.
Her phone pinged with two heart emojis and the same cryptic abbreviation. She watched as the door closed behind Lanie, and then heard her name softly called, so she headed to her appointment with Dr. Saunders.
Inside Dr. Paul's office, the nurse took the vital signs, Kate had lost another five pounds, which was not a good sign, she was quickly approaching unhealthy levels, and she could see the concern on Lanie's face. "Hey Lanes, don't worry about it, the damn drugs your husband is giving me are worse than the fricking disease" She tried to laugh, but it was weak at best.
Dr. Paul entered the office and looked at Lanie, she could tell he was still struggling to find the solution but was running out of time. Kate was wasting away before both of their eyes, and all of the hoping and praying in the world wasn't slowing down the horrible disease. "Hello Kate, how are you doing today, still taking the medication as prescribed?" he asked.
He knew the answer from her blood work, but it was a way to get her to open up, even complain, not just quit on him.
"Paul, you and I both know the drugs aren't working, and look, I appreciate all of the work you have done, but"
"Kate, let me stop you there. I told you when I gave you the diagnosis that a mental attitude was just as important as the physical actions we're taking. If you want to throw all of the work that you've put in away, I can't stop you.
"BUT as your doctor, the work we've done, well, I'm at the point where I'm calling in someone smarter than I am. That's a tough pill to swallow, especially for me, Kate, BUT I want you alive, more than my stupid pride." His voice had a tone Kate had never heard before, he silently prayed that the approach was the right one and wouldn't add to the impetus for her to give up.
She looked at Lanie, Paul looked like someone had just crushed his favorite toy and then laughed at him. Lanie's eyes let her know that he was hurting, and this wasn't an act. He cared, genuinely cared, and wasn't ready to stop fighting.
"Paul, I'm sorry, it's just so disappointing to keep going in the wrong direction every visit. I know how hard you have worked, how hard all of your team have worked, and well if you're still willing to fight this bitch of a disease, then so am I," she said as tears came to his eyes, Lanie was hugging her best friend tight.
"That better be the last time you even think about quitting Kate Beckett, I told you Paul was trying everything, and I'll stop interfering with your doctor now" She smiled and took her seat.
"Paul, I trust you, so I'm sorry if I made you think I had lost confidence in your treatment plan, I mean"
"Kate, I didn't take offense, I've been working on this for three months, and the doctor I have coming in to help on your case has a waiting list of six months or greater. I'm lucky that he owes me from all the shifts I worked for him during our residency, otherwise, we would be waiting even longer." Paul said, back to his good-natured calm self.
"O.K. Paul let's hear about this new doctor and your plan," Kate said, trying to keep her expectations realistic, but silently praying for a miracle, or at least a sign from the universe that her fortune was about to change. Then she smiled and thought to herself, really Kate, the universe, and you still don't want to admit what a huge part of your life you threw away when you left?
"Have you ever heard of a treatment protocol called Cord Blood Stem Cell Transplantation?" He asked as she had a puzzled look on her face.
"No, I haven't Paul, what is it, rather how will it affect our treatment plan?" she asked.
"Well, we located a donor that is a 97% match for you in all of the indicators necessary for a stem cell transplant." He said, and Kate cut in,
"Paul, 97% that's wonderful, why aren't we using that, instead of the other Cord Blood, or whatever you called it?" She asked
"Well, the short answer is the donor is pregnant and due next month. It would be too risky to put her under anesthesia to harvest the bone marrow from her hip as the traditional process calls for. All we know is she is female, lives in the state of New York, and has signed up to be an organ and bone marrow donor, which by the way is very painful for the donor.
"Her pregnancy threw a wrench into my original plan, and then I went to a conference and ran into my old pal from residency. He has been working with this process since its infancy, pardon the pun, and is willing to collaborate with me for the next three to six months to see if we can get you cured." Paul smiled,
"So, Kate, do I have your permission to call in my friend and associate? You will need to sign another batch of HIPPA forms, but I can have him here in about an hour. Why don't you and Lanie get something to eat, even a milkshake from Remy's, not what I normally approve of, but today I'll make an exception."
He saw her eyes light up, with some sense of renewed hope. He knew without her believing in the process, and that she had a fighting chance, she would succumb to this deadly monster. That wasn't going to happen if he could help it, he wasn't going to let his wife down.
"OK Paul, could I ask one question please?" she said, a slight smile on her face
"Sure, anything Kate" was his reply
"Does your residency buddy have a name, or should I call him Dr. X?" This time she did laugh, as Paul cringed, "Oh my gosh, I never told you that, I'm so very sorry."
"His name is Dr. Henry Barnett, we did our residency at M.D. Anderson after graduating from Baylor School of Medicine, and graduated from"
"Stanford University?" Kate asked with a look on her face that Paul didn't recognize.
"Yes, it was Stanford, how did you know that Kate?" Paul asked,
"Henry was a friend of mine, we were both nerds, hell we even belonged to this Sci-Fi club about"
"The TV show, Nebula Nine? OH, MY GOD, you're KBEX he always talked about, all through residency he couldn't figure out what happened to the girl of his dreams, she returned home at Christmas and never returned. No one would say anything except family matters forced her to transfer to NYU," he said.
"So, Kate, does this change your decision, or"
"No, not mine but it may change his. I mean I never answered any of his calls, texts, or letters, I just dropped off the face of the earth to him." Kate said sadly,
"Kate, he's a doctor, you need the process he has perfected, so I'm sure it won't but I'll tell him before he makes the trip over if that would satisfy you." He said,
"Please do Paul, I mean I hurt a lot of people, and Henry, well he was such a sweetheart. I knew he had a crush on me, but I swear, I never led him on." She said,
"Well, you and Lanie go to lunch, and I'll see you back here at 3:00 PM. If Henry doesn't want to take the case he has three associates whom I'm sure he will send one to help." Paul said with a smile,
Lanie looked at her friend, and said, "OK KBEX, let's get some food into you. Nebula Nine? Lord girl what were you thinking watching that cheesy show?" She said, as Kate looked over at Paul, who just shrugged, he wasn't about to get in the middle of this argument.
*******************************************************************/
Cerino's Restaurant
1:00 PM Same Day
Alexis arrived before Gina and had their table in the back for privacy, she knew this wasn't going to be easy for anyone. She knew that Gina, or Mom to her for the last ten years, would know what to do without hurting anyone, or as little as possible. She had just put her phone away when she saw Gina walking towards the table, she stood to meet her.
"Hi Mom, thanks for coming, and please stop worrying. Everyone is OK, I promise. Serena is uncomfortable with Cosmo pressing on her bladder half the night, but other than sore swollen feet, other than that she's been really easy to live with. Daddy is still on cloud nine, I don't know when he will come down" she smiled,
"He won't until the baby is going to school, God he worshiped the ground his little girl walked on when you were small. That's what made me fall in love with him so fast. Few single Dads went to the precautions your father did to ensure you were safe, happy, and well-adjusted.
"I'm sorry you got so worried, that wasn't my intent, but you know I had the appointment with Dr. Saunders today, and I"
"Oh God, you aren't pregnant are you Alexis? I mean you and Mike have been together for over three years, but"
"Mom, MOM a little louder, "No, I'm not. I went for my checkup and pap test like a good patient does, and it's who I saw in the adjacent waiting room that had me floored. Lanie Parrish, well now Lanie Rucker, wife of Dr. Paul Rucker, New York's top Oncologist was there with Kate Beckett.
"Mom, she was so weak, and frail, when they called her name to go back to see Dr. Rucker, Lanie had to help her up. She has some form of cancer, and from what I could see, things aren't going well for her." Alexis said with a tear in her eye.
"Honey are you sure it was Kate, I mean it could be another of Lanie's friends, couldn't it?" She asked, asking with hope for herself as much as for the young lady who had grown to be her daughter.
"I was hoping for the same thing Mom, then I heard the nurse call her name, and it was Kate. I don't know what type of cancer she has, but she doesn't look like the same woman who left for D.C. three years ago." Alexis said,
"Honey, I think I know what you want, but why don't you just ask me? It's about your Dad and Serena and how we should or if we should tell him, isn't it?" Gina asked,
"Mom, you know this is going to kill Daddy, and Serena is at a crucial part of her pregnancy, I wouldn't forgive myself if I opened my mouth and something happened to her or little Cosmo. God, I'll be glad when the baby is born, I am so damn tired of that name. If Daddy had named me that, I swear I would have made him sorry" she laughed weakly.
Gina laughed, "I know honey. What if we do this, I'll have one of the P.I.s we use for background checks do a preliminary check on Beckett, if she's going to a doctor, had prescriptions filled, or even worse on sick leave they will uncover it and then we can plan on how much and or what we tell your father. One thing I agree with is Rick will have to be the one to decide whether to tell Serena or not."
"That sounds good Mom, like I said, no matter what Kate did, or how much she hurt him, Daddy won't let her suffer if he can help her. I know Serena, well non-prego Serena would understand but who knows where her hormones are at on the normal chart these days." Alexis said.
"Well, I'll get on it, why don't you give me at least three days, then I'll let you know by text if we should meet for lunch or brunch to discuss our plan, is that OK?" Gina asked her,
"It's perfect, a far better plan than I was thinking of, so yes Mom. Let's go with that, then I know you won't meet with Dad without me, so we'll have to pick a time when it sounds like a normal meeting. Serena's not normally jealous, but Dr. Saunders told me that when a woman is pregnant, NOTHING is normal." She laughed.
"OK, let's have lunch, then I have work to do. Sit tight until you hear from me, I'll let you know the moment I get word back."
"Thanks, Mom," she said, relieved that she had someone to turn to in her crisis.
TBC
A/N: The time jump is to keep from having to describe details of the day-to-day life of someone fighting this disease. Having had a first-hand seat at the table, it isn't pretty and would serve no purpose to the end of the story and or its outcome. - Tim