Author's Notes: Welcome to my new story! I hope you enjoy this. It's probably a bit out of character for Castle and Beckett but I hope that I am not too far out there. I do know that in times of great pain, people can do things that they never normally would. Some of these chapeters are really short and others are pretty long. I will try to post at least one part per day.

Summary: Kate gets some bad news but Rick is there to help her back on her feet. He learns a lot more about her past and she learns that she can trust him with it, even the parts that she tried to forget. Rated T for some mild nudity, a somewhat graphic case, and some non-sexual domination/submission issues.

Spoilers: Everything up till Knock Down.

The accident

The three detectives and one writer walked back into the precinct in triumph after having just caught a particularly elusive killer. They all went into different directions, with Castle going to the break room and the rest to their desks in the bullpen. Castle went to get a cup of coffee and to make sure that the table was cleared off to put the pizza that he ordered on the way back to the precinct. He looked up and saw Beckett at her desk on the phone. He saw the two detectives smile did the little 'feed the birds' gesture, before he picked up the two cups of the frou frou coffee that she secretly loved. Castle had walked out into the hall when suddenly; Beckett ran by nearly knocked him down, spilling the coffee everywhere. She didn't even stop but kept on running skipping the elevator for the stairs.

"What just happened?" asked a stunned Castle as he stooped to start cleaning up the spill.

"I don't know," said Ryan. "She let us know that the message was from the DA and he was suggesting no bail, then all of a sudden, she went white as a sheet, grabbed her purse and ran."

"Captain, do you know what's up with Beckett?" Esposito asked as their captain came out of his office to see what was going on.

"No, I figured that she just wanted to get home."

"She about barreled over Castle, didn't even realize she spilled coffee all over him," Ryan explained.

"Shhh," Castle requested. He was standing at her desk holding her phone. Beckett wasn't going to like the fact that he has observed her enough to know her voice mail password. He also went pale before he relayed the message.

"He father was in an accident. He's at St. Vincent's but it doesn't look good."

"Esposito, call Lanie, let her know. Ryan, finish up the paperwork. Castle, go be with her," Montgomery barked out orders. Castle looked down at his ruined shirt but didn't want to take the time to go home to change. Esposito caught his look as he dialed Lanie, reached into his desk drawer and tossed Castle a NYPD t-shirt from his gym bag.

"Thank you."

"Castle, Peters downstairs will drive you."

"I have my car."

"He has lights and a siren," Montgomery stated.

"Yes, sir." He raced to the elevator, unbuttoning his shirt as he went. The doors closed as he was pulling the shirt off and balling it up before wiping his chest down to get as much of the coffee off as possible. He was just pulling on the t-shirt when the doors reopened and Peters waved him over.

They made it to the hospital in record time and Peters even promised Castle that someone would bring his car to the hospital for him to be able to drive home. Castle didn't really know where to start looking but he was able to find someone to direct him to the Emergency Room Waiting Area. He saw her there pacing but she didn't even seem to see him. She finally reacted when he forced a cup of coffee into her hands. She looked up at him and the hurt look on her face made him want to just pull her into his arms. She broke eye contact before he could and continued pacing. Kate held on to the coffee but she had taken a sip of it by the time that Esposito and Lanie arrived. Lanie gave Beckett a hug but she didn't seem to notice.

"She been like this the whole time?" asked Esposito, Castle nodded sadly.

"She hasn't said a word. I don't think she even knew I was here until I gave her the coffee."

Thirty minutes later

"Ms. Beckett?" a doctor called out as he walked into the waiting area. Finally, there was a response from her.

"Yes," her voice not at all like the strong and confident detective that Castle was used to.

"I am Dr. Peters. Your father is on the way up to surgery. He has extensive injuries and we don't know yet if he will pull through. We are doing everything we can and we'll let you know when we can. There is a private waiting area up on the surgery floor. If you follow the nurse, she will lead you there."

"Thank you," she said as the ER doctor left to see other patients.

The four followed the nurse to the other waiting room where Esposito sent a text to Ryan updating him on the news. Soon, Ryan and Montgomery were there also.

Two hours later

"Beckett, Esposito, Lanie, and I need to leave," Ryan lightly touched her on the shoulder, causing her to start. "We have that court case in the morning and I still have some paperwork to do. If you need anything, please call me. Anytime," Ryan insisted.

"Thanks," she barely acknowledged each of her friends and almost winced as Lanie gave her a quick hug.

Beckett sat between Montgomery and Castle but was still jittery and anxious. Finally around midnight, about 6 hours since Jim Beckett went into surgery, a nurse came out. Beckett nearly tripped over her feet to get to her to find out what the news was. Castle was close behind her.

"Ms. Beckett, your father is still in surgery. They have finished on the head injuries and are now working on some broken bones and other injuries. There have been a few times that his pressure dropped but they have been able to stabilize it for the time being. I don't know how much longer it will be but please know he is in the best hands in New York."

"Thank you," Kate said softly. She turned back to her seat only to find Castle in the way. She looked him in the eye and before he could back off, she simply stepped around him without touching him.

"Beckett," said Montgomery with a gentle hand on her shoulder, also causing a wince. "I am going to have to leave."

"Okay. You too," she said looking at Castle.

"No," he said in a tone that he rarely used with her. The last time she heard it was after her place was blown up and he insisted that she stay over at his loft. "I am staying with you until you leave. End of discussion."

She just nodded then walked away from him to sit in another chair.

"Take care of her, Castle. I haven't heard but a few words out of her since I got here. You might want to ask a doctor to take a look at her if she doesn't start talking or let anyone help her. Don't let her bottle this up. Especially, if…" He left it unsaid how lost she would be if her father didn't make it.

"I'll take care of her, sir. I'll call when there is any change." They nodded at each other and with one final sad glance at his detective, Montgomery left.

Castle wished that he could do something, anything. He knew that she was worried that she was about to become an orphan. She didn't talk about her dad too much but she wore his watch every day and he knew that he was important to her. Castle knew that her dad took too much solace in the bottle after his wife was murdered and that hurt the father-daughter relationship. They had only started to get that back after he joined AA and it's been a long haul so far for them. He looked at his inspiration and thought that she looked nearly defeated and it made him sad. Suddenly he noticed her watch was missing.

"Beckett, Kate. Where's your watch?" he couldn't help but ask but she didn't answer.

"Kate," he said almost harshly but finally getting her attention. "Where is your watch?"

"Home."

"Why?" he asked hoping to get her to start talking. "Kate, why?"

"I didn't wear it today," she said as he reached out to try to take her hand. She pulled away.

"Why, Kate?"

"We had an argument."

Unable to resist, he put his arm around her, she tensed a bit but finally let him comfort her for the first time that night. He was surprised that she actually had answered him when he took that harsh tone with her. He thought that she was going to be mad and start yelling or even throw a punch. He figured that a punch from her was worth it to get some sort of reaction out of her. She was being far too quiet and that worried him.

Three AM

"Miss Beckett," said the doctor softly.

"Yes," her voice nearly broke as she saw the grim look on the doctor's face. Castle wrapped one arm around her waist when he saw how unsteady she was on her feet.

"I'm Dr. Weatherwax. Your father is alive but in critical condition. He may still not make it through the night."

"Can I see him?" she asked.

"Not right now. We are moving him to ICU and should have him settled with in the hour. He is in a medically induced coma so he won't be awake."

"Okay. I just need to see him. I won't get in the way. I just need to see him," she insisted. "Please?"

"I'll come and get you two when I can," he said, not sure why he was bending the rules for her but sensing that it needed to be done.

They were led to the ICU after about an hour. The nurse was trying to make small talk as they walked and commented on the fact that usually they were very strict about visitors in the ICU. She mentioned that the doctor specifically gave Kate permission to go in but just for a minute or two. Kate walked silently to her father's bed and at first just stared at him. He was covered in bandages and bruises and with tubes leading everywhere. She was afraid to touch him but she knew that she needed to.

"You can touch him, Ms. Beckett. Just be careful," the doctor explained. Castle stood close to the door, he wanted to be close to her but he knew that she needed her space right now. He also wanted to be there for her if she asked for help but he knew that she probably wouldn't, as she was far too stubborn.

She just stood there a bit before she gently took his hand into hers. She hated to see him like this, all broken and battered. But she didn't cry, she knew that he would want her to be strong.

"Ms. Beckett," Dr. Weatherwax said softly.

"I'm so sorry, Dad. I really am. I don't want to loose you too. I need to leave now but I'll be out in the waiting room. I love you, Dad."

They went back out into the waiting room and Kate once again sat away from Castle but he kept close watch over her. Around noon, a new doctor came to give an update.

"Ms. Beckett?" he asked. "I'm Dr. Regan. Your father is hanging in there and to be honest, I am a bit surprised. We weren't even going to talk about when to bring him out of the coma but since he is doing better than expected, we might be tapering off the drugs as early as Thursday."

Kate's knees nearly wobbled in relief, once again bringing Castle to her side.

"You and your husband really should go home. There is nothing productive you can do here. Besides, if you don't get some sleep and some meals, I'll have some new patients."

"I don't want to leave," she was adamant.

"I know, trust me, I know," the doctor said with sympathy. "I doubt that your father would want you to hurt yourself over him though so please go get some food and a couple of hours of sleep at least. I will call with any changes, good or bad. If I don't have to call you before 9 tonight, give me a call and I'll update you before the end of my shift. I'll be back tomorrow morning at 9am and I will let you in to see him again then. Okay?"

"No, I don't want to leave," she insisted again.

"Ms. Beckett, please, let your husband take you home and give you a good meal and take a nap. That is honestly the best thing you can do for your father right now."

Castle knew that she was out of sorts because she usually always bristled whenever anyone linked the two of them together romantically. This time though, she just didn't seem to care.

"Fine," she said sad to have lost that battle. "Can I see him again? I want to tell him that I need to leave."

"Of course, just for a minute."

"I'll call for a car," Castle told Beckett before she walked over to her father's bed and softly spoke to him.

"There seems to be a problem with your father-in-law's insurance," Dr. Regan mentioned to Castle.

"Actually, he isn't my father-in-law. Kate is my partner of sorts. What's wrong?"

"I'm sorry, if you aren't married, I legally can't tell you due to privacy regulations," the doctor said.

"That's fine. I understand. Let me give you my address. Hypothetically, if there are any issues with the bills not being paid, send them to me and I'll take care of it. I'd appreciate it if you don't mention it to her though, not yet. She doesn't need the stress right now. I'll tell her later."

"Very good. I'm sure that will be a load off the Becketts' minds. See if you can get her to eat and get some rest."

"I will. I'm going to bring her back to my place, my number is on the card if you need anything. Call my number, not hers. I'm going to try to turn off her phone."

"Very well. Ms. Beckett, it's time to go," the doctor said as he walked into the room.

"Bye, Dad. I'll be back tomorrow morning. I love you."

"Ms. Beckett. I have your number, I'll contact you if there are any changes."

They walked down to the parking lot and Beckett reached in her purse for her keys. Castle took them from her hand.

"I need my keys to drive home, Castle."

"I have a car coming, Beckett. You won't be driving, you are exhausted. We'll stop to get something to eat or order in and head over to my place."

"No, I want to go to my place, and I can drive myself."

"No," Castle said with his rarely heard serious voice. "It is not safe for you to drive and my place is closer. I gave the doctor my cell number also so he will call one of us if anything happens."

"And if something happens, just how am I supposed to get back?"

Castle didn't respond, he just pulled out his phone and dialed.

"Esposito. Beckett and I are leaving the hospital. Her dad is stable but critical and the doctor is sending her home. My place is closer so we will be going there. My car service just arrived to drive us but we need our cars at my place. Can you and Ryan take them over?" He paused as they got into the car. "That sounds great, we'll see you soon."

"They are going to get the cars and some lunch for us also."

Beckett nodded but didn't respond. He was once again rather surprised at how she wasn't fighting back when he was pushing her to do certain things.