Those Seven Years

AN: Watching the finale I was hoping someone would fill in those seven years. Well I'm back and hoping to finish this one. Who knew it would be me? Each chapter is an event from that year or the whole year with little snippets. This is all purely my idea. Don't hate me for it!

The first year was all about recovery. Both Kate and Castle had been injured quite badly in the shooting. Kate was worse off than Castle and took much longer than him to recover. She'd gotten hit near her spinal cord and would have to relearn how to walk. It was a struggle but Kate was super resilient, and that helped her bounce back. Not completely but close enough.

"Are you ready to go home?" Castle asks, putting his arms out so he can lift Kate up and into the wheelchair. She'd have to spend some time in it at home, but she'd been cleared to go home. Which Castle knew would make her get much better. Hospitals are no fun.

"Yeah I am, I can't wait to feel our bed. I can't wait to cuddle next to you in our bed." Kate smiles brightly as Castle pushes his wife towards the door. They'd already dropped all their things to the car, so now it was to get Kate next. She was quiet most of the ride down there. Mainly thinking about the rest of her recovery and how she was going to traverse the loft with her wheelchair and crutches. Castle had done it before when he broke his leg, but this had been so long ago she couldn't remember what they had done.

"Are you alright?" Castle asks, pushing Kate up to the rented van they had in front of them.

"Yeah, I'm just thinking." She sighs.

"About what?"

"Everything."

"How I'm going to get around the loft, how this is going to affect our chances of getting pregnant."

"Doctor said you'll do fine, everything in that department still works."

"I know, but I'm still scared."

"That was quite a jump though, let's just worry about getting around the loft first, I don't want to jump to far ahead," Castle smiles softly as he lifts Kate into the passenger seat and buckles her in before putting the wheelchair in the back folded down seat. He comes back and gives her a small kiss before closing her door and going around to the driver seat. He gets in and starts the car, driving them on home. He parks in his second spot in the parking garage and helps Kate into her wheelchair and grabbing her forearm crutches and telling her he will get the rest later. Martha had offered to come over and help them, but Castle told her that they were fine and just needed a night alone. No hospital noises and no friends. Once inside the building they take the elevator up and find themselves at the front door. Castle unlocks it and lets out a surprised gasp. It had been decorated with welcome home banners, and there was a nice hot cooked meal waiting in the warming oven. There had been a sign on the counter about it. No one was here but to know they were loved made him feel good.

"This looks like the work of the girls," Kate smiles softly, as she rolls in the room more and looks around.

"Yeah it does," Castle smiles over at Kate unsure of what to do next.

"What do you want to do first?" Castle asks.

"I'd love to just relax on the couch and catch up on some YouTube." She replies.

"Sounds like a plan Stan."

Kate lets out a small chuckle at her husband's response and smiles as she rolls towards the couch. She pulls herself out of her chair and onto the couch. Castle is quick to help, but she's already done by the time he gets there.

Grabbing two waters, Castle comes back and sits next to his wife, turning the TV on. He hits the smart button and then selects YouTube. Kate's account had been logged in, and it was full of videos from those family daily vloggers, plus a few cute toy and game channels. Their first video was a quick Minecraft bridges episode with ChadAlan and SallyGreenGamer. Kate's two favorite game channels.

The couple spend the next hour laughing at the antics of Chad and Sally as they play Minecraft. Once that was done, they catch up on the last few vlogs of the DailyBumps and Cullen and Katie. Two of her other favorite channels. She feels great hanging on the couch with her husband. Nothing better.

"I'm hungry, think we could check out that dinner your mother made?" Kate asks, looking over at her husband as the last video ends.

"Yeah sure, I'll go check on it," Castle smiles softly.

"Bring me my crutches too please, I want to try getting to the kitchen."

"Sure."

Moments later, Castle has the casserole dish out of the warmer and on the counter. It was pretty hot still, so he lets it rest while he takes Kate's forearm crutches to her. He lets her take them and moves her wheelchair out of the way. She's able to stand but when she tries to take a step she can't move. She's starting to get frustrated after a few more tries. She'd been doing pretty good at the hospital rehab she just can't understand why right now she can't move. Letting out a small upset grunt, she almost throws the crutches as she falls back on the couch. She's crying now, completely upset that she can't do it.

"Hey, hey, don't cry." Castle sighs, sitting down and pulling his wife into his arms.

"I can't do it." She cries, holding onto him tightly.

"It just takes work; we will try tomorrow and then you can try again at your physical therapy appointment," Castle smiles softly, kissing his wife.

"I don't want to try again; I want to do again." She huffs sighing.

"Sit up and I'll carry you, we will eat, shower and then go to bed, its been a long day," Castle smiles, lifting his wife up and taking her to the kitchen and helping her onto one of the barstools. He serves dinner and the two chat about the videos they'd seen earlier and finally finish eating about 20 minutes later.

A shower is ordered up next, and while waiting for the shower to heat up, Castle pulls out the shower seat and gets it set up for Kate. He makes sure it's secure and at the right height so Kate can feel comfortable. They get in the shower moments later and Castle is helping get her cleaned off. Kate is happy to be having a real shower. She can finally get all the hospital junk off her.

"Oh, this feels amazing." Kate moans as the warm water hits her.

"This is much better than those crappy hospital showers where I barely got clean. Not to mention the sponge baths. God those were horrible. I felt dirty for like a month. I mean I still felt dirty till now." Kate chuckles as she uses the shampoo and cleans her hair.

"But you are all clean now finally," Castle smiles as he leans down and gives his wife a small kiss.

"Yes I am, thank you."

"Always."

The two get out of the shower a while later and get dressed for bed. Before getting in, Castle makes sure to get Kate's wheelchair and position it next to the bed so she can get into it in the morning. He knows how independent she likes to be.

Crawling into bed, Castle snuggles next to his wife as they fall asleep. It's been a long day and sleep is what both of them needed. They might sleep for three days, but when you need sleep, you sleep.

"Night my love," Castle smiles.

"Night."