My first Castle fic. I don't know where it came from. I haven't written a FF in a while, I must be rusty. But hopefully it will come back to me.
Being French, I apologize in advance for any English mistakes (there shouldn't be that many) but as I do not have a beta reader (yet? I accept applications hehe) I may use a certain turn of phrase awkwardly at times. Feel free to let me know, any criticism is welcome.

This is starting out as a rather depressing story, but I promise it gets better. I am a very (very!) big Caskett fan so there will eventually be some of that further into the story.

Hope you enjoy. And comments are very welcome :)

A high kick shook the punching ball and was followed by a series of punches.
Kate smiled.
These past few days she hadn't had a chance to come train early in the morning. Their latest case had forced her to work into the wee hours of the night and she had foregone early training for a few more hours of sleep; she was only human after all.
But this morning she had once again set her alarm to 5:30. She had gotten up with a slight smile on her face, looking forward to her training session and the day that would follow. She had packed her bag for a day, swallowed a hot fresh coffee and headed to the precinct's gym.

An hour later she was still smiling. Sweat beads were rolling down her face, her neck, onto her torso, soaking her navy blue tank top but she didn't care. Her tensed muscles twitched, her breathing was ragged... she loved that feeling of sheer exhaustion. It was the best way to start her day.
She looked at the clock on the wall. Almost seven.
She grabbed her towel, trying to swab some of the sweat away and headed to the locker room.
As she gathered her clothes before hitting the shower, she saw the beeping light on her phone.
She had a message

The double doors flew open before her
- WHERE IS SHE?
Esposito appeared in front of her and tried to block her way.
- Beckett...
She stopped in front of her partner and glared at him.
- Where? she asked again.
She was about to yell some more when a small voice caught her attention behind her.
- Kate...

A whisper. A young girl in distress calling out for her.

Kate felt her heart sink some more. Alexis...
She took a few steps towards the girl who flew into her arms. Surprised at first, Kate finally wrapped her arms around the young girl's body and held her tight.
After all, she had made him a promise.

Kate closed her eyes. She hadn't realized how much she needed a hug until then.

A few minutes passed before Alexis released her tight grip around the detective's body.
- I'm glad you're here
Kate stroke the girl's damp cheek and attempted a smile.
Behind them she finally noticed Martha rising up and walking towards them. The two women acknowledged each other in silence.
- How is he?

Was that her voice she had just heard? So weak. She wished her voice had been stronger, for Alexis' sake.

- We don't know. He is still in surgery.
Kate felt Alexis pressing herself into her body again, wrapping her hands around her waist and burying her face into the woman's chest. She threaded her fingers in the girl's long red hair and stroke them soothingly.

Why didn't she take her phone with her? She always took her phone with her.

But she had wanted to take the morning off. To enjoy an uninterrupted training session. After all, every time her phone rang, it was to indicate the location of the latest dead body. Dead bodies could wait.
He couldn't.

She should have woken up earlier. Usually she woke up earlier. She would have finished training earlier. She would have heard her phone ring.

She shouldn't have taken such a long bath. She should have heated something up the freezer instead of wasting time ordering Chinese. But she loved Chinese. She shouldn't have started the latest Patterson's novel. She would have gone to sleep earlier. She would have woken up earlier. She would have heard her phone ring.

- Mrs Rodgers?
Kate's head turn to the approaching surgeon.
She tried to read him. But she saw nothing. She was New York's finest, the best in the interrogation room; capable of discerning the slightest show of emotion on her suspect's faces. But from the surgeon she got nothing. She cursed him for it.
Martha passed by her to meet the surgeon halfway. And as Kate turned around she felt Alexis' hand slip into hers.
- He's going to be fine.

That relieved sigh, was it hers or Alexis'?

- He was very lucky. He suffered significant blood loss but we were able to transfuse immediately upon arrival. Thankfully the knife didn't hit any major organs if only for the ligament on his right shoulder. Mr Castle's right arm will be incapacitated for a while, but there is no permanent damage.

The knife? Kate realized she still had no idea what she was doing here. What he was doing here.
The text she had received from Esposito only said "Castle injured. Lenox Hill. Come asap."
A stabbing? What the hell had the writer gotten himself into? Probably tried to be a hero again. And what was he doing out so early in the morning? Probably coming home from one of his one-night stands.

She was bothered. Irritated.
She decided she liked that feeling.
Yes, "irritated" was good, "irritated" was familiar; she could deal with "irritated".

- Can we see him now?
Alexis' shaky voice snapped her out of her thoughts.

Yes. See him.
And possibly slap him.