As he watched her standing at the podium delivering a heart filled speech about her mentor and friend, Richard Castle was filled with a sense of pride. This woman who he had come to know over the last three years never ceased to impress and inspire him. Only days after loosing her Captain and she was still able to hold it together and give a speech in front of hundreds.

He was just admiring how even in a uniform, Kate Beckett was still stunningly beautiful, when he saw it.

A flicker of light coming from far off in the distance, somewhere in between a row of tombstones. It only lasted for a second, but that was long enough for Castle to recognize what it was.

As he dove in front of Beckett simultaneously tackling her to the ground he felt a quick punch in his upper back.

When they landed on the ground the look of horror in her face was undeniable. Castle couldn't understand why she was so afraid. It wasn't until he tried to sit up that he realized. A long sharp pain was spreading from his back near his shoulder blades.

In the distance he could hear Alexis screaming and Esposito yelling and all he wanted to do was to tell them that he was fine but he felt paralyzed. It was as if the world was in slow motion and only he was in real time.

He felt Beckett's soft gloved hands around his face and began to feel tired. Almost like he was over-tired and in need of a nap.

But he didn't want to sleep. Richard Castle had written far to many death scenes to know that you never go to sleep.

So he grabbed Beckett's hand in one quick move move that was so excruciating it nearly knocked him out completely, but he held strong.

As they locked gazes he felt the pull to unconsciousness become unbearable.

She must have noticed it too because Beckett began to plead with him through her tears, "No! Rick stay with me, please!"

He was trying so hard but it just wasn't enough. Just as he felt the blackness take over he heard the four words that he had been praying to hear in from her beautiful voice for so long,

"I love you Rick."

And then he was gone.

The ride from Cypress Hill to the Hospital was quite possibly the longest 15 minutes of Katherine Beckett's life. Next of course only to the day she found out her mother had died. However this time she felt different in almost every way possible. When she learned of her mother's death she lost all contact with her body and sank into a depressed paralyzed haze.

But siting in an Ambulance watching as paramedics ran wires and tubes in and around a man who had become so much more than her partner, Kate Beckett felt as if every neuron in her body were alive. Adrenaline was coursing through her body causing her legs to shake.

After her mother died Beckett swore to herself that she would never let her emotions take control of her again, but none of that was on her mind as she sat hunched over holding onto the hand of Richard Castle as though it might fall off were she to let go for even a second. She was no longer crying and switched to being focused on the task at hand: making sure that Richard Castle survived.

Somehow unbeknownst to Kate the media had already arrived at the hospital and started swarming the ambulance as they entered the driveway of Forest Hill Hospital. For the split second that they were stopped due to photographers Beckett contemplated jumping out the back of the ambulance and arresting every one of them.

But that second ended and they moved and the next thing she knew they were getting out of the ambulance and Castle was being wheeled through the front doors into the waiting arms of a surgical team.

This kind of situation drove her mad. For someone who needed to control the situation, being in a place like this where everything was completely out of her hands left Beckett feeling helpless and alone.

She didn't realize how long she had been standing there until Martha came up behind her and put her arm around her.

"We got here as quickly as we could but there was so much traffic I…" Her shaky voice trailed off.

"I know. I know" Was all Beckett could say.

When Alexis came in looking flustered with tears on her face Beckett could tell she just needed some support, so she walked straight over to the girl and held her.

Helping to keep Alexis strong was what she needed to do right now. If for no other reason then it kept her occupied.

Within minutes the waiting room had filled with the 12th Precinct family, everyone just as in shock as Beckett.

Not a word was spoken, because there were none to be said.

Everyone just sat quietly in silence waiting to hear something from the doctor.

An hour passed.

Then another.

After they had all been sitting there for 4 hours a doctor walked out of the restricted area towards them with a completely unreadable expression on his face. This itself was an impressive feat because they are all homicide detectives who pride themselves on reading expressions.

"I'm looking for Kate." Dr. Poker-Face said to the group.

Beckett gently transferred a sleeping Alexis to Martha's shoulder and was on her feet and inches away from the doctor within seconds.

"Yes." She replied quizzically and subconsciously held her breath as she awaited his reply.