Private Life
by Castlefan6
Authors Note AU: Beckett and Castle have reached their first If Only moment, which forces Rick to leave the precinct. The episodes Cops and Robbers and To Live and Die in LA have been rearranged to suit this Timeline; please go with it.
I am taking a Literary License to fill in the blanks.
I don't own Castle; I only use the characters for amusement, except the ones I create.
This is COMPLETELY AU and May or May Not Wind Up with a Caskett Ending.
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A/N: This chapter contains some injuries and catastrophic events. If that is a trigger, please proceed with caution.
Chapter 13
Presbyterian Hospital
Emergency Room,
Both Rick and Maddie were taken the short three blocks to Presbyterian Hospital, the nearest trauma center, to treat wounds of the type they both had sustained. Maddie was wheeled in first, and a surgeon stopped the bleeding after cleaning and irrigating the wound site. The shrapnel appeared to be part of the shelving units from inside the bank, but they couldn't locate the actual piece of metal.
That mystery was quickly solved when a nurse rushed into the area where they were treating Maddie and notified the doctor that the shrapnel that caused the wound was still lodged in the second victim, who was in surgery as they spoke. Apparently, it had passed through his back, all the way to pierce a significant artery of Maddie, which caused a great deal of blood that she had lost.
The doctors were more concerned with the massive bump on her forehead; it had grown as they had proceeded to save her life and keep her from bleeding out. Now the Neurosurgeon was called in, and preliminary scans were done, at least as many as possible while she was still bedridden. She was still far too weak to be moved and shuttled in and out of PET or SCAN machinery, even when she did wake up.
They attached electrodes to her head that monitored her brainwave pattern and settled her in the ICU section of the VIP Suite on the top floor. She would be monitored by one nurse for every two patients for any changes in her brain activity.
Every medical professional in the hospital knew Rick and his generosity. When Maddie was first brought in for treatment, they saw the massive diamond on her ring finger, confirming the rumors that she was the future Mrs. Castle and was afforded the same treatment as any member of Castle's family would have been.
Rick's surgery was entering its third hour, and Kate Beckett was pacing back and forth, almost wearing a hole into the carpeting beneath her feet. One moment of distraction came when Gina Cowell and Paula Haas showed up, and both were directed to Kate for information.
When Gina appeared, Kate braced for the onslaught, but Gina surprised her by asking in a soft, low tone, "Kate, what can you share with us about Rick and Maddie? I know Rick's in surgery, but the nurse told Paula and me we needed to speak with you since you held his and her medical Power of Attorney (POA)."
"What? There must be some mistake; I mean, I think he listed me as his emergency contact when we first worked together because you two had just divorced, and Alexis was a minor, but are you sure I'm the POA?" Kate asked, even more shocked than the two ladies standing in front of her.
"According to hospital records, you are, and Maddison made you hers in the event Rick was incapacitated, which obviously they both are. Can you tell us anything about what happened?" Gina asked, genuine concern in her eyes,
"I'm sorry, Gina. All I know is that they were at New Amsterdam Bank. Apparently, Rick called Captain Montgomery because something didn't seem right while they were waiting to speak to the manager. While they were on the phone, the bank was taken over by robbers.
"They were all dressed in medical scrubs and called each other by TV Doctor names, Trapper John, Dr. Quinn, and others. The crazy thing is that they blew themselves up, trying to blow open the escape tunnel to the subway below. Rick said he saw five people in scrubs, yet the Captain of the SWAT team only claims there were four bodies in pieces. I guess we'll have to wait to talk to Rick to find out the truth," she said as she wiped her eye and looked out the window,
"Kate, he's tough; he's been through some tough times before; he'll get through this; try not to worry too much. How is Maddie doing?" She asked with genuine concern
"When we first reached them, Maddie was bleeding very badly, but Espo and Ryan started first aid and managed to slow down the bleeding. She had a massive bump on her forehead that continued to swell, and the doctors were very concerned about it.
"The shrapnel that pierced her artery actually passed through Rick's back as he was trying to shield her and others from the blast," Kate said; this time, tears fell before she could catch them with her tissue.
"He's been in surgery for over three hours already, and I got word that it would be at least two more hours before they expect to complete the operation. There was a ton of damage done to arteries, veins, muscles, and tendons, so he has both Vascular and Orthopedic surgeons working on him at the same time." She got out barely above a whisper,
"Thanks, Kate, that gives me what I need to tell Alexis; now I have to find the courage and make that call. She acts like she's all grown up, but when it comes to this one," pointing at Rick's picture on her phone, "she's still his little girl and always will be," Gina said softly,
"Gina, tell her she can call me day or night. If I get any updates, I'll pass them along to you all, I promise," Kate said.
Gina turned and smiled sadly. Thanks, Kate. That would be greatly appreciated. People think we hate each other. Well, we fight like hell, but I still love him. I'm just not in love with him like you and Maddison are." She said, and for the first time since she had admitted to Maddison her true feelings, she didn't try to deny the facts.
Kate sat down and tried to focus on positive thoughts, doing the breathing exercises that Dr. Burke had prescribed to help her avoid panic attacks. Finally, about an hour later, a man in his late forties, wearing surgical scrubs, walked directly in front of her and said softly,
"Detective Beckett? She almost jumped out of her chair as she took in the man and then nodded as she struggled to get words to come out of her mouth,
"I'm Detective Beckett," she finally got out,
"I'm Doctor Paul Gresik, and I'm part of the surgical team that attended to your friend Maddison Queller in the ER. We were fortunate that we had the hybrid Operating Room open and available since we had to open her chest to close some bleeding veins. It's not uncommon for blast victims to have these types of injuries.
"One of our major concerns in that area was her having sustained a pneumothorax, which caused her left lung to collapse. We inserted a chest tube, which helped re-inflate the lung, but as I said, "Blast Lung" victims often display this type of injury, which forced more radical surgical repairs to be made.
"We have surgically repaired the fractured ribs and her left wrist, which was fractured, and are confident we have stopped all of the bleeds. Please understand that when a body goes through a traumatic event such as the blast she and Mr. Castle did, we have to consider injuries internally that we can't recognize at first. She will be monitored for the first 24 hours by one nurse exclusively, then moved to the step-down section of the VIP suite.
"Although I am not a neurologist, I can tell you that she also suffered a severe concussion, evidenced by the growing goose egg on her forehead. My colleagues are very concerned about that type of injury; if it were sustained because of the blast, unfortunately, they can't rule out brain trauma. It will depend on Miss Queller's response to the medication they are using to reduce brain swelling and how quickly she wakes up from her coma-like state.
"Wait, Maddie is in a coma?" Kate asked, trying to take everything in,
"Unfortunately, yes, again, not uncommon for someone who sustained that large of a blast near the ears and head. Really, there is no exact way of knowing the full extent of her injuries for at least 72 hours, even if she wakes up today, which is highly unlikely."
"What about Rick, I mean Mr. Castle? Is there any update on his condition?" Kate asked as she bit down on her lip,
"I'm sorry another team of trauma surgeons was attending to him, but I do know that his surgery is still ongoing. Two world-renowned Otolaryngology Surgeons just scrubbed in to join Mr. Castle's trauma team," He said, as Kat looked at him as if to say what the hell are you talking about?
"I'm sorry in plain English, a fancy word for Ear, Nose, Throat, or ENT Surgeons, again very common in what we refer to as "Brain-Blast Syndrome" or patients undergoing injuries such as your friends did. Often, small bones within the ear structure are fractured and need the attention of these doctors to repair those, and the most common injury is tympanic membrane rupture or ruptured ear drum." He said,
"Thank you, Dr. Gresik. I appreciate the information. Is there anything I can do right now?" she asked,
"Well, if you are a religious person, prayers help. I won't kid you; neither Mr. Castle nor Miss Queller are going to be leaving this hospital for some time; both face a long recovery." He said as tears filled Kate's eyes, remembering the last time she prayed. Maddie had drug her to mass for her Mom, saying that it couldn't hurt, even if she didn't believe it would help.
"I'm praying for your friends, Detective. If there is anything you need, here is my card. Call me. I have to run; I'm needed in the OR." He quickly turned and made his way to the elevators, and Kate heard his name being paged over the loudspeaker.
She chose to say her prayers while sitting in her chair. They would be silent since it had been so long since she had even tried to pray, she struggled to find the words to whisper to herself. After what seemed an eternity, she saw three doctors walk towards her.
"Detective Beckett?" The senior-looking one in the middle asked,
"Yes. I'm Detective Beckett. How is Rick?"
"My name is Dr. William Duhigg; this is Dr. Jorge Rector and Dr. Wayne Kordia. We're sorry to keep you waiting for so long. We encountered much more damage than we were first led to believe. The first crisis we faced was to get the wounds stopped and replenish Mr. Castle's blood supply before his body went into shock and organs began to fail.
"The metal shards and large pieces of shrapnel left us no choice but to remove, cleanse, and close the wounds as fast as possible. I will admit we did lose Mr. Castle twice during the first hour of surgery, but we were able to get him back with repeated shock to the heart and CPR.
"It was Dr. Kordia who caught the Pulmonary barotrauma, or a potentially life-threatening lung injury that occurs when air pressure changes cause the lungs to expand beyond their normal state, almost the reverse of what happened with his fiancé, Miss Queller. Both suffered many of the everyday occurrences that Primary Blast Syndrome produces when a person is too close to a massive explosion.
"The good news is that Mr. Castle appears not to have suffered any brain damage, although it is still too early to rule it out completely. He will be monitored, and concussion protocol will be followed until our Neurologists clear him.
"There was some damage to the middle ear, but Doctors who operated feel confident he will not suffer any long-term effects, although his ears and head will have the ringing in them for up to a week. They were able to surgically repair the fractured bones and repair a fractured ear drum." He said as he was going down a list, looking occasionally at the other two doctors who remained quiet,
"When can I see him and Maddison? I mean, I know Maddie is in ICU, but can I see her and him for five minutes?" Kate pleaded,
"They are in a VIP Unit on the 15th floor, one of the perks of being one of the hospital's largest donors, and Miss Queller is in the adjoining room, with a connecting slider door once she is awake and feels up to visiting her fiancé" he replied,
Dr. Rector finally spoke up, "Detective, five minutes, please, then go home and get some rest. There is absolutely nothing you can do for either of them here. I would say come back tomorrow, although, with his status, you are free to visit any time, day or night." And reached to shake her hand.
"My contact information is on the whiteboard in his room, should you need to get in touch with any of the trauma team. Please keep an eye out for any changes, such as confusion, fever, or problems with his vision. Call us immediately, please." Dr Duhigg implored her, something in his tone let her know that this was a serious matter.
"Of course, Doctor, if I could just steal a peek at them, then I'll be on my way, I promise." She said as Dr. Rector said, "Very well, follow me," and led her to the elevator to the VIP floor, advising her that the code for this week was 050869 but would change next week and for her to be sure to have the current week code before she left on Saturday.
Kate made her way down the hall, noticing the equipment and the many nurse stations, all staffed by very serious-looking nurses observing the screens. She followed the doctor into what looked like the bottom level of a luxury townhouse, and then she saw her. It was Maddie, looking even smaller than she was in life.
She was lying on a bed, with electrodes coming from her head and chest, as a machine breathed for her friend. Monitors displayed her heart rate, the oxygen level in the blood, pulse rate, and a cardiac scan represented by distinct wave patterns repeated across the screen continuously.
She held her breath for a second, remembering the warning the doctors had given her. Don't show any worry or terror; the patient may be able to pick up on it, but it would delay the healing process. She could see the gigantic bump on her forehead as she walked toward the bed.
"Maddie, I don't know if you can hear me, but this is Becks. Look, you're a little banged up, but hell, you have been through worse; you are going to be okay. Just rest and listen to the doctors. Rick is doing OK. He will be in the room right next to you so you can see him when you wake up, so please, fight to wake up, OK?
"I'll be back tomorrow. The doctors want you and Rick to get at least 24 hours of uninterrupted rest, but I promise you, I won't leave either of you alone here in the hospital; I know how much you both hate them."
She touched her friend's hand; it was cold to the touch, but now that she thought, the entire room was on the cool side. The doctor nodded and opened the slider, and there was Rick or a form that resembled him. He had bandages everywhere, as well as the machines beeping and his right arm on a surgical board to keep the shoulder from moving. He looked very pale, and the pain was etched on his face,
"Is he in pain, Doctor?" Kate whispered, not wanting to violate the condition of her being allowed to see them,
He shook his head, no, and she grasped his free hand, one without IV lines going in and electrodes attached. "Rick, it's Kate; I mean Beckett, look, I just saw Maddie. She's right next door, you both are going to be OK.
"You need some rest, and then you need to wake up and start to heal. You and Maddie have a wedding in five months. You can't use these little bumps and bruises to delay that. I'll be back tomorrow after you both have gotten some rest, so fight, Rick. You need to fight to get well for Maddie and for me, OK?" She whispered the last part, then leaned in and kissed his forehead. She knew Maddie wouldn't be jealous of that.
She backed slowly out of the door, looking at Rick, then Maddie, and finally following the doctor to the head nurse's station. She received the elevator codes for the next month and was told not to share; if she did, she would be banned from the floor and hospital. They didn't take security lightly on this floor, especially since no one knew the patient's real identities.
She made her way to the precinct and briefed the boys, then Roy called her in for a sit-down meeting. She knew that something was up the moment she walked into his office; his old look of concern was on his face, and he offered her his flask.
"Kate, what I'm about to say is that you MUST stay in this room. I am breaking my oath of silence, but given the circumstances, I don't think you should be operating in the dark." He said as he looked at the floor,
"Sir, I don't understand, but of course, what is said here stays here." She assured him,
"How many bank robbers in scrubs were accounted for at the bank?" He asked, looking her directly in the eye
"Captain Pederson is adamant that we got the intel wrong; he found four doctors in pieces. It helped that they all wore different color scrubs, but he is closing the case at four unidentified mercenaries killed while trying to rob the bank." Kate replied,
"Good, he's taking the lazy way out, typical for Pederson. There were five doctors in that bank. One was a man known only as Jackson, head of field operations for counterintelligence, but Rick and Maddie both knew him," he said, turning away, knowing that Beckett would push it.
"Sir, how did they know a man with those credentials? I mean,"
"Kate, I'm telling you more than I should, but Jackson is Rick's biological father and Maddison's boss until she left the operation four months ago when Rick finally retired from the U.S. Marines. They were there to arrange investment of the proceeds of Shai De Blough restaurant that Maddie had just sold, so their reason for being there had nothing to do with Jackson."
"But Why? I mean, that was his son. How could he?" Kate stammered,
"I know, Kate, I'm working to get that answer, but bear with me; it is going to be a long process. For now, you are assigned to their hospital room for security reasons; it gives me a chance to allow you there without burning all of your vacation time." He said,
"As far as anyone else knows, it's just the NYPD returning a favor to one of its largest donors and supporters, and Kate, that included Ryan and Esposito."
"Yes, Sir," she mumbled, as she stumbled from his office.
TBC
A/N: No one is dead, at least YET, but stay tuned. We have a few ways to progress; I'm trying each out before I publish the next few chapters. Thanks for the reads, reviews, and comments. Again, don't count on any emails from the site, Till next time _ Tim