(A/N: You know the plot bunnies are rabid when you put off studying for your big-tush Econ test to write. Oh, I am such a nerd. Anyway, this story is one of a serious nature. It was inspired by tonight's episode "Setup", (OMIGOD, I'M GOING TO DIE BEFORE THE WEEKS OVER!) but not connected to it. As a matter of fact, it's a future fic. Hope you enjoy, and try not to cry too much.)

Summary: She felt her breath catch to its extremes as she stared at what Martha was holding. "Kate, believe me, I'm his mother - I've never seen him so sure of anything in his life."

Disclaimer: I do not own "Castle".

One Last Jump

A Beckett/Castle Fanfic

by Jill Diamond

~Chapter One~

Her hands were interlaced as tightly as they could without tearing skin. She gently rocked back and forth in her seat and tried not to let the tears escape her eyes. She hated crying in public, with a thousand people coming up to her and asking if she was alright, when clearly she was not alright, and all she wanted was to be left alone. The serious mood of the hospital waiting room only intensified her emotions, and she let out the tiniest of sobs just to herself.

She heard the soft ding of the elevator, and looked up in earnest. It was the boys. They weren't nearly in tears like she was, but she could still see the same tense emotion behind their eyes. She got up to meet them, her legs thankful to walk.

"What happened? How's Castle?" Esposito breathed. Out of the corner of her eye, Kate could see that his hands were twitching with the need to be rung. Ryan was in a similar state, along with the color slowly draining from his face. Kate ran her own hands through her hair in weak frustration.

"We got to the parking garage, and somebody got a good shot at him, and they just took him into the OR, and the nurses are all being bitches and not telling me anything, and-" She cut herself off, for she realized she was rambling, and that wasn't stopping her tears. She planted her face in her hand and took a moment to breathe. Kevin sympathetically rubbed her shoulder.

"Hey, it's gonna be okay."

Kate looked up and bit her lip with another heavy breath. And then, the elevator dinged a second time, revealing a very distressed looking Martha and Alexis.

"We got here as fast as we could."

"Is it true? Did Dad get shot?" Alexis choked with tears in her eyes.

The detective took her into a comforting hug, realizing she would have to be strong for her sake. The girl looked up to her like a mother figure.

"He'll be fine, Alexis." She added a small "I hope" secretly in her mind. "Oh, and Martha? Rick said there was something he wanted you to give me...something in the safe."

Martha's blue eyes went wide.

"Oh! Yes! In the safe...oh, my little boy. Well, you can ride with me back to the loft. I've got the key."

"Gram!"

"Don't worry, Alexis. You'll stay right here with Detective Esposito and Detective Ryan. You'll be the first to know if anything happens." The older woman placed a reassuring kiss on her granddaughter's forehead.

"Yeah, and Lanie just called and said she'd be over in a minute," Javier added.

"Alright, you guys text me if anything happens," Kate threw over her shoulder as she and Martha speedily filed back into the elevator. Just before the heavy chrome doors closed, she could see Alexis sitting down hard in a chair and beginning to cry.