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.
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Chapter 11
Presbyterian Medical Clinic
New York,
Outside Main Entrance
Same Time Frame.
Gina had called the P.I. Firm, not RCE, but the one she used to vet potential advertisers, and writers that wanted to become part of the Black Pawn family. They were stationed to get still photographs of Kate Beckett, and Lanie Parrish Rucker as they made their way out of the Medical Clinic entrance. They had already bribed a sanitation worker for the building who recorded the two going into the office of Dr. Rucker, as Beckett was called back for her examination.
Gina insisted the photographs be sensitive, and noninvasive of any private or potentially embarrassing moments, she merely needed to ascertain without a doubt that her daughter was correct in her discovery of Kate Beckett's condition BEFORE she developed a strategy to inform him of the awful news.
She received the report, including the WAV. File with the voices identifying the patient as Beckett, and the still photos, the next morning at her office. "Oh, God, she thought, what the hell are we going to do now? We have to tell Rick, but he is so worried about Serena, and rightfully so, what a freaking mess."
She grabbed her phone, and texted her daughter, "Your observation has been confirmed as accurate. We need to meet, possibly for lunch to discuss the approach to informing Papa Bear, any suggestions? LYAIAW two heart emojis, Mom"
"I'm free after 11:00 today, how about lunch across the street from your office, at Shapiro's, what time works for you," signed with the same emojis and cryptic letter message, Lex"
"See you at 12:30 PM?" Gina texted and her phone pinged with a thumbs-up emoji almost at once.
This was going to be delicate, to say the least, Gina thought, but after weighing the pros and cons, she knew that Rick would be deeply hurt, possibly angry if something happened to Kate. If he wasn't made aware of it in time to as he always said, make things right, between them, he would never forgive her.
She also had to consider the new Mrs. Castle carrying his child, her first, and what it would do to her. Her pregnancy had not been easy, no matter how tough she wanted to be, and as Alexis said, if anything happened because of the news, well it would be catastrophic for everyone.
She walked across the street and saw her Daughter's hair from the back, she was just being seated in a private booth near the back, so she quickly caught up with her.
"Hey girl, waiting for someone to have lunch with?" She said, and Alexis jumped,
"Hi Mom, I didn't see or hear you behind me, and well, I guess I'm a nervous wreck about what to do about Dad and the news." She said quietly,
"I know Alexis, but we have to tell him, he would never forgive us if he found out we knew, and didn't allow him to say goodbye, or make things right between them. I know he's still carrying hurt from her, but, your Dad has the heart of a saint. I could never figure out how he could forgive so quickly, but he does." She said, sharing the same concern as her daughter.
"Well, Serena has to see Dr. Long tomorrow at 11:00 for one of her final checkups, before she begins bed rest for the last four weeks, so it's tomorrow, or Dad won't leave her, no matter what excuse we use," Alexis said,
"I'll call him and tell him that Legal needs his signature witnessed on the contract extension he signed, I can B.S., my way through that, and if I tell him HIS signature, not his attorney's, then we have a shot of getting him to my office. Hopefully before or after Serena's visit." She said,
She pulled her cell phone from her purse and hit Rick's speed dial key as Alexis nodded in approval. She held up her finger to her lips with the universal sign for silence as Rick answered, "Hi Gina, everything OK with you and yours?" he asked,
"I'm fine Rick, pissed off at the attorneys but well, that's why I'm calling. They just bounced your contract extension back in my lap telling me that unless we had your signature, and it was witnessed, it couldn't be enforced.
"Rick, I know the timing sucks with Serena being almost ready to deliver, and I'm so sorry to bring this up now but we have a deadline of midnight tomorrow. Can you do me a huge favor and swing by my office, or hell I'll meet you closer to the Loft if you want today or tomorrow?" she said in the softest of tones.
"I understand Genes, it's not your fault, actually Kay (his pet name for Serena) has her final office appointment with Dr. Long tomorrow, so we'll be close by. I'll drop her off at the doctor's office and then run by and sign the documents while she is going through her labs and tests. That takes about an hour to get back so it will give me time to get there and get back in time to talk to the doctor. Would that work for you, say 11:15 AM tomorrow?" Rick said, softly
"It works, and Thanks Rick, I appreciate it, I'll see you tomorrow," she said and disconnected the call.
"That was great Mom," Alexis said, as she saw Gina down in the dumps, "is something wrong?" she asked,
"I never lied to your father, that was the first time, and I feel so damn guilty," she said,
"Mom, it's not a lie, you need to get him here for his own good. I'll be here with you, what he does with the information after that, well, that's between him, Serena, Kate, and the man above. You know how hurt he would be if he found out we knew, and didn't tell him, no matter the circumstances."
"Yes, but baby, I lied to him, I had never done that before, well other than due dates for his chapters." She said,
"Well, just consider it a due date for his chapter of life, Mom. He'll understand and thank us for it, I know Daddy" she said as she patted her hand. "Now, let's get something to eat, I'm starved," her nose crunched as she smiled. Gina couldn't stay down long with her daughter so upbeat, "OK baby but no alcohol, I don't want Mike to yell at me" and laughed.
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Dr. Rucker's Office
Same Time Frame
FLASHBACK TO HIS COLLEGE DAYS
Henry, AKA Dr. Barnett didn't want to tell anyone the entire story about Dr. Long, or Sarah, as he knew her. They hadn't dated, at least in the conventional sense, but rather he was in the ER that evening getting stitches for a cut when the paramedics had brought her in for treatment. The reason for the visit was listed as a fall at home, but even without an examination, even a layperson like himself told him she had suffered domestic abuse from a man's fists.
He was friends with the senior resident at the time, who examined her, and she recognized him as one of her classmates. She was married at the time, so her paperwork read Parker, but she was known as Sarah Long to him and in school. She confessed that her husband was abusive, and she was looking for a safe place to stay so she could file for divorce. Henry offered her his spare room, and whether it was his gentleness or her desperation, he never knew but she accepted.
He convinced his friend to treat her and not correct the records, when he discharged her, Henry took her to his apartment. They then went back to her home and moved her out when David was on shift at a different hospital, then visited an attorney, Henry stayed with her the entire day.
Her marriage was over in six weeks, uncontested, by her now ex-husband when Henry threatened to go to the school dean, with pictures from the hospital, and get him kicked out. He was months away from graduation, so he didn't fight the divorce, or protective order filed under his former wife's married name. Henry was there for her the entire time, until she transferred to Baylor, moving in with her Aunt.
They spoke every week, either she would call him, or he would call her, but they never had let more than two weeks go by without speaking. She was part of the reason he changed his major, she supported him through his sister's last days and the funeral of Heidi, she wasn't just his sister, she was his twin, his other half.
Sarah understood the depression he was in, and did everything to get him out of it, finally taking him to a psychiatrist using the pretense that it was for her. He credited her for saving his life, he was about as low as a person could be and still be breathing when she intervened.
He loved her, but not romantically, more like the sister he lost, and a bond was formed between the two of them that would never be broken. She, and Heidi, well her memory, were the actual reason he switched from law to medicine, a decision that he never regretted.
CURRENT TIME
He looked at the clock and it was already almost 6:00 PM, he was meeting Kate at Remy's at 7:30, so he had time to place the call, praying that he could shave a few weeks of the formal process of obtaining donor stem cell transplantation material. He locked the door, and then placed the call to not the doctor, but his friend,
"Hi Henry, how are you sport?" came the words from the other line the moment she answered the phone,
"Well, I'm good, not as good as a certain beautiful lady OB-GYN is, but I'm getting by." He laughed,
"Same old Henry, when are you going to realize that they don't give those awards lining your office for participation, you're a damn genius and everyone in the field knows it." She smiled into the phone
"Well, you always thought more of me than I did, so, well, I'll cut to the chase Sarah. I need your help, and you can say no, let's follow protocol if you wish, but please hear me out, OK?"
"Henry, I owe you my life, my career, so whatever it is, as long as I won't end up in a jail cell next to you AGAIN, I'm in." she joined in with his laughter. They had once been pulled over and when the police officer got a little fresh with her, Henry pulled him away. A second cruiser came, and they both spent a few hours in the holding area, not even a cell, at the local sheriff's office. The charges were dropped, and the deputy was fired months later when he tried the same deal with the mayor's niece.
"Oh, you'll never let me live that down will you?" he laughed,
"No, and you still owe me the pizza we were on the way to pick up, the store billed my credit card even after I called and told them we were in jail" Now it was Henry's turn to howl in laughter
"I promise, I'll pay up. I'm collaborating with an old friend Paul Rucker, he was in our class at Stanford, long story short, he has a patient who is in desperate need of cord blood transplantation, the donor was located and is one of your patients." He said,
"Really? One of my patients? I only have three that are listed as Organ Donors, one is also listed with the national registry for bone marrow donors" she replied,
"That would be the one Sarah, I mean we were going to go through official channels, but I'm afraid the patient is running out of time. In full disclosure, it's one of my friends from my nerd days at Stanford,"
"Oh my God, it has to be Kate Beckett, the one you founded the fan club for Nebula Nine with. I liked Kate, she was quiet around girls, but she protected you, and that made me respect her. I know you can't reveal her name, HIPPA and all, but I'm sure that is who you are referring to as your patient." She said,
"Well, as you said, HIPPA prevents me from confirming, but you also know me well enough to know, that I would find a way to correct you if you were incorrect. By the way, Nebula Nine was and still is a great show, even though I know you hated it" he laughed,
"Henry, I just looked through the records, and I see the problem. The donor you are seeking is now the new Mrs. Rick Castle, and Beckett had a long, at least a past with the writer. This could be complicated but let me see what I can do. I'll talk to Serena, one-on-one, outside the earshot of her husband to confirm she still wants to be a Bone Marrow donor.
"I'll explain the process now and correct me if I am wrong, but all you are looking for is for us to furnish the umbilical cord, and placenta, to your team. Parts of the birthing process that most often are discarded as waste. I'll disclose the recipient only if she asks, but I need that permission emailed to me tonight. Her final in-office visit is tomorrow, so please get that to me tonight." She said,
"It's on its way as we speak, you should have it," she heard a ping of incoming emails, and quickly glanced at the mail and the attached permission slip and its wording.
"I have it Henry, this will work. How long are you going to be with Ruck? It would be nice to get together for a quick drink while we are still near each other geographically. You are the world traveler now, and I know Paul is married, so I'm sure can sneak out for one quick drink when we get Kate past the danger zone." She said,
"That's a great idea, Sarah, let me run it by Paul, and we'll definitely make it happen soon, you know I love you, and Thank You for allowing me to intrude and for your help"
"As if I would ever say no to the man I owe my life to, I love you, Henry, thanks for always keeping in touch no matter how busy you get. I know you called in the middle of the night at your location when you were giving a speech sometimes, just so as not to inconvenience me. Can't wait to see you, so I'll be back to you as soon as I know something." The phone clicked off, and now it was up to one woman, Henry prayed she had the same compassion that Sarah did. He would know soon, good or bad.
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Black Pawn Publishing
Gina Castle Cowell's Office
Next Day
Rick had explained to Serena that he needed to make a quick visit to Black Pawn to straighten out a contract issue but would be back before Dr. Sarah was ready to talk to them. He was kissing his wife goodbye when Dr. Long caught him just before he left.
"Rick, I'm glad I caught you, we need to run some additional tests, all routine, but we're getting close to D-day, and it's my standard procedure to do this. Your lovely wife will be with me for about two hours, not the hour or so as usual today. I hope you can find something to entertain yourself for the additional time" She said,
"That's great Dr. Long, thanks for easing my mind about the additional tests, I have an errand to run, and it will give me plenty of time to get back before we do the consultation." He said, relieved that he wouldn't have to race like a madman.
"You know we would wait for Father Rick; this is too important to the both of you, one more kiss before I steal your bride away," Serena kissed him sweetly, "I told you it was going to be OK, now drive careful, I'll see you in a few hours," and she waddled behind Dr. Long as Rick turned to leave.
He drove to Black Pawn, thankful for the extra time, he hated to rush something legal, and he knew Gina was very sensitive about Serena and her condition. He arrived a few minutes early, and Shelly the receptionist showed him back to Gina's office.
A strange feeling came over him as if something was not right, Gina had a very serious look on her face and there was another person in the office. As soon as he walked in, he saw his little girl, a tear rolling down her cheek. "Hi Dad, before you get upset, this is my idea, Gina is just trying to help us out." She said, her voice cracking.
"O.K., so Genes, what's going on, something is wrong, or Alexis wouldn't be here."
"Rick, it's about Kate, Kate Beckett, there is something you should know," she said, then stopped as his face turned white as a ghost.
TBC
A/N: We are nearing the finish, and the sad news is just about over. Don't read into the ending, at least not just yet. It will be a happy one but may not be what you think it will be. Thanks for the kind notes, and reviews, again hopefully this is a message of hope, not of gloom.