DISCLAIMER: The characters of the show CASTLE do not belong to me, they belong to ABC

Author's Note: How could the plot bunnies not multiply after the third season finale? Enjoy and please leave a review.

Carpe Diem

Chapter 1

Sirens. Screeching tires. Noises of a hospital. All manner of sounds assaulted Richard Castle's ears but he felt as though he was numb inside. He sat, unmoving in the emergency surgery waiting room while the woman he had grown to love, his partner and friend, Homicide Detective Kae Beckett was fighting for her life. Despite taking precautions that no one had known about, the bullet that had meant to kill her hadn't done the job right away but it had left enough damage that the Doctors were unsure as to whether or not she'd pull through.

Ryan and Esposito, sat across from Castle both of them lost in silent thought. Laney sat beside Esposito and Jenny sat beside Ryan. The two couples took soalce in each other, and in the one glance that Castle had given them he couldnt help but think of the injustice of the world as his eyes flicked to Kate's father.

Castle couldn't believe how stupid he had been. Hadn't his mother told him not to waste another moment? Hadn't she told him that he needed to speak up? Before the death of their fearless leader Montgomory, Castle had been sick to his stomach thinking how Kate could get herself killed and he had resolved to tell her how much he cared... but he was almost sure that he had waited to late.

Don't think like that, he chastised himself as he stared at the floor, squinting to ensure that the tears that were threatening to fall didn't show. He wouldn't let himself think the worst. How could he? It would be like condemming her to death while she was there in surgery fighting for her life. You can't think like that. She'll survive. She has too. I love her.

"Dad?" asked a soft voice causing Castle to look up. There walking towards him was his daughter Alexis, accompanied by his mother. Both of them looked beyond worried and Castle could do nothing but hug them. "Oh Dad..." Alexis cried.

"Shh," he soothed as he placed a kiss on top of his daughters head. "She'll be okay."

"Oh Dad are you sure?" Alexis asked as she slumped down into one of the charis.

Castle nodded. "I'm sure."

"Richard," Martha began in a warning voice, fully prepared to give her son what-for for nearly getting himself killed yet again but the look on his face and the pain in his eyes silenced her at once. For Martha could see what she had seen for the last couple years only intensified. "You told her," she stated knowingly. "Didn't you."

Castle sat down beside his daughter. "How could I not?"

"How could you not what?" asked Alexis, not sure as to what they were talking about.

Martha looked down at her grand-daughter. "Your father told her how he feels,"

Alexis looked to her father in surprise. "Did you?" she asked. "Did you really?"

Castle nodded but couldn't say anymore. The weight of what was going on was finally crashing all around him. His feelings, the adrenaline, the worry, the panic they were all tumbling about in his head and Castle felt as though he was going to have to scream. But just at that moment, a Doctor walked in and Castle was instantly on his feet again.

"Well?" he asked expectantly. "How is she?"

"Still in critical condition," the surgeon admitted. "But we've patched her up as best as we can. The blood loss that she suffered from the bullet passing through her spleen could prove to be problematic when she wakes up."

"What does that mean?" Ryan asked as he and the oher three came to stand near Castle.

"It means that there could be some brain damange, temporary or otherwise."

"But will she be okay?" Castle asked.

"Okay is relative Mr. Castle," the Doctor stated. "It's really all up to her now."

"Can we see her?" Kate's father asked, his face relaxing when the Doctor nodded.

"Just family right now, as she's still in the ICU."

Kate's father nodded and allowed the Doctor to lead him away, leaving the rest of them, the people who considered themselves to be Kate's family as well to wait. "Come on," Laney whispered to everyone. "There's nothing more we can do here. She's pulled through the surgery. We should all go home."

"Yeah," Ryan agreed relcuctantly as he put his arm around Jenny. "I suppose we should."

"See you soon bro?" Esposito asked, looking at Castle.

Castle nodded but said nothing.

Once the two couples were gone, Castle sat back down.

"Dad?" Alexis asked. "Aren't you coming?"

Castle shook his head. "No."

"Oh Richard,"

"Don't 'oh Richard' me mother," he warned. "She's not out of the woods yet."

"She's doing the best considering the circumstances,"

"No the best would have been her not getting shot at all."

"Dad,"

"I'm staying," Castle snapped. "And that's that."

Martha took Alexis by the hand and led the teenager out of the emergency waiting room, whispering to her grandaughter all the reasons as to why her father was staying behind. Alexis was a smart kid, she knew exactly how her father felt for the Detective. In fact she figured that she had realized how he felt before the thought had ever really crossed his mind, but that didn't make her feel any easier leaving her father alone waiting for news about the woman he loved.

Meanwhile, Kate's father was just sitting down at her bedside. She was hooked up to machines that were monitoring her vitals and bringing things too and from her inner workings. As strong as a man as he was, Kate's father couldn't bare the thought of his little girl hurt, let alone the sight.

There was a huge crushing weight on his chest and he wondered whether or not he would have to bury his child just as he had to do with his wife. "Hang in there Katie," he whispered as he took her hand. "You've got to hang in there."

Kate's father might have expected or rather hoped for a response from his daughter, but all he got in return was the sound of the hopsital. Silent, and deadly.

TBC