Thank you all for your wonderful reviews. I hope you won't be disappointed in another chapter of my story.
Once again please forgive me for any grammar or spelling mistakes I've made. Like I mentioned earlier English is not my primary language.

Three weeks that long I stayed at the hospital after regaining my consciousness.

I was twenty one long days of... taking meds... reducing painkillers... arguing with doctors about staying in the hospital bed all the time... endless visits from family, friend, acquaintances, etc...

Alexis and my mother stayed in the hospital all the time.
Gina came also very often. As truth... our relationship became a little stranded lately, but we still stayed very civil to each other.
Javier, Ryan and Roy also dropped by couple of times we played poker, laughed, had a good time. They also gave me a heads up about their latest cases.
Lanie Parish brought me newest Stephen J. Cannel's novel to read - of course my writing was better but I liked it anyway...

Even Mer and Judge Markway paid me a visit...

Everyone... except Beckett.
She came only once.

It was a morning after that night when I woke up for the first time. She entered my hospital room with Alexis by her side, she said "hi" and after couple of minutes she left...

...and she didn't come back.

For first couple of days I really didn't think anything about that.
I was slowly recovering from my wounds - so I was pretty much "dead to the world" all the time. But when my condition started to improve I was really starting to miss her.

As a friend... of course.

My cop friend...
My cop friend who happens to be a woman.
Very... Very beautiful and amazing women I might add...

But a friend neither less.

...
Yeeeessss... You believe me, right?
Riiiiiiight.
...

Of course we had cell phones.

She called me couple of times asking how was I feeling. I called her about some murder cases and other stuff... She told me once or twice that she was extremely busy with her job so I didn't push subject of her not visiting.

Not that I was missing her...

Hmmmm...

Ok... Maybe a little.

I didn't want to sound like sulking child... But I really didn't see her for three weeks and I started to think that I did something to her...
Something wrong and I had no idea what it was.

Why she wasn't coming to visit?

What the hell was going on?

Could it be possible that... That... I don't know how to say it...

That she really... didn't care?

I know that I'm not the easiest person to work with... I've got million flaws and I usually am playing on her nerves.

I know all that!

But I thought that... at least... we were... friends.

Am I THAT obnoxious that she don't want even to drop by and say simple "Hi"?

...

Shit! Why?

...

But... but... she was here!
I saw her on my own eyes when I woke up from medical induced coma.
She was here... close to me... watching over me...
So... why not now?

What the fuck did I do?

Three.

It all became clear three days before I was signed out from the hospital.

Alexis was sitting in my room doing homework she was seeing me every day after school even when I told her that she didn't need to.

She's stubborn that kid. I don't know from who she got that.

We were talking about my leaving the clinic in couple of days, when she mentioned something about Kate telling her - that I was looking healthier and healthier every day.

"How would she know that?" I snapped like an angry child. "She didn't come by for almost three weeks"

Alexis looked me like I had grown a second head.

"Yyyy... Dad? What are you talking about?"

"Just what I said... I haven't see her since I woke up, so..."

"Dad..." my daughter interrupted me. "...Kate was visiting you almost every day."

It was my turn to look at her with surprise.

"Honey... I really had no idea...WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT!"

Alex didn't respond for a moment thinking intensively and then she looked at me seriously.

"Dad... Is it possible that you really didn't saw Kate for more than two weeks?"

I was starting to feel very stupid.

"Lex... I really didn't."

"How it is possible?" she asked. "We've made shifts. I was always here after school and Kate was dropping by almost every day after her work I think it was usually around 8-9 pm."

...
O shit... o shit... o shit... shit... shit... shit... shit... shit... shit...!
...

"Are you sure? 8-9 pm?" I asked faintly.
"Of course I'm sure"

God! I'm such an asshole!

"Honey... mmmm... usually around 7 pm I'm out... I mean I mean... After my evening drugs kick in I usually sleep till morning. I swear... Last time I saw Detective Beckett it was over two weeks ago..."

She looked at me shocked and after couple of seconds a realization came into her eyes.

"Now that you mention it... I think you must be right about a possibility of not seeing Kate. I came here with her couple of times in the evening of course and you really were sleeping. We didn't want to wake you, so we stayed a while and go back home as always."

...
Idiot! Idiot! Idiot! Idiot!
...

"Yeah... honey. That must be it!" I said faintly. "I must have been asleep"

I close my eyes for a moment and mentally ask Kate for forgiveness and promised myself to thank her when I see her next time.

...
...

Suddenly one thought hit me like a ton of bricks. It was something what Alexis said in the end. I tried to sound nonchalant but something inside of me was trembling like a leaf in the wind.

"Darling... when you say that you and Kate went back home... as always? What do you mean by that?"

Luckily Alexis didn't notice my strange behavior.

"Ooooooo come on dad! You know exactly what I mean. Detective Becket was taking care of Grandma and me since you've got shot... We both were a mess and she saw that. Because of that - Kate is staying in our guest bedroom since day one."

I felt like I was kicked in the stomach.

"Yeah... this is Kate Beckett dear..." I managed to say. "I hope you don't cause her to much trouble?"

"Of course not daddy. You know me!"
"I know Sweets... I know... you."
"Dad?"
"Yes?"
"She's really amazing, you know?"

Here it was!

It was that moment! That proverbial "nail to the coffin" of Richard Castle.

"Yes... I... know that to honey... KB is extraordinary."

I suddenly understand with perfect clarity that I was a selfish little man...
Little man who was thinking only about himself. Sulking and bitching about some imaginary problem that his friend didn't visit him in the hospital.

Man who was acting like a spoiled and angry brat.
Stupid little brat.

Meanwhile the only person he was angry at - was not only looking after him and coming by almost every day to check out how he was doing, but... she was also taking care of two of most important people in his life...

For more than a month!

My brain simply shut down.

6 pm... 7 pm... 8 pm... 9 pm...

It was half past 9 pm when finally door to my hospital room cracked open and I saw Kate Beckett coming in.

I wasn't asleep of course although staying awake after getting my meds was quite strenuous job. But I simply couldn't drift off until I could see in my own eyes what a giant dickhead I become.

When she saw that I was awake she smiled a little and sit down in the nearest chair.

"Well well well ladies and gentleman... look who grace us with his presence?" - she teased me. "What happen to the sleeping beauty who we all know and love?"

"Good evening Detective Beckett" - I greeted her. "So finally you sort out all of your feelings for... well me... and admitted that you love me? Huh? I knew that it was just a matter of time."

She rolled her eyes in very familiar gesture.

"Sure Castle... suuuureeeee... Dream on writer-boy. Dream on!"

I laughed.

"Every night dear Detective. Till the end of the World"
"Yeah, right." - that was her only comment. "So Castle, why are you still awake? You should go to sleep and gather more strength before they kick you out of here?"
"I know. I just... wanted to talk to you first."
"About what?"

I was quiet for a moment.

I want to thank you Kate..."
"Thank me? For what?" - she looked confused.
"For everything... for taking care of Alexis, my mother you must be exhausted. Thank you..."
"You don't need to..."

She tried to interrupted me but I continued.

"I need to Kate. Alexis told me everything... I don't know what they would do in last month without you taking care of them. You are amazing... Thank you!"

I saw she was embarrassed and she tried to shook it off.

"Don't mention it. That's what are friend for, right? And... we are friends. Aren't we?"

I smiled to her.

"Yes Detective we are."

Beckett gave me a little nod.

"Good" - she said. "Now go to sleep it's an order."

"Yes, Mam!"