Rocket Man Chapter I

First of all I would like to thank the awesome BBB's (Bree's Beta Babes) Marjo, Stella and Melody for putting so much thought and time into this story, for all the corrections and suggestions you sent my way. I couldn't have done it without you! Thank you!

To the readers,
this is set sometime during January 2012. Definitely after Ryan's wedding, probably after Dial M for Mayor, though I'm not sure about that yet.

Reviews are what keeps the writer happy and makes them type faster, so please leave a comment when you have the time. I really appreciate it! Feedback is more than welcome, one way or the other.

This is going to be a multi-chapter story and I hope you'll enjoy it.

Disclaimers:
They are not mine. I'm not keeping them, just borrowing, although I wouldn't mind to keep Castle. ;-)

January 2012

'Where was he?'

She checked her watch for the tenth time in the past 30 minutes and then glanced at the elevator as if she could will the doors to open and reveal the object of her desire and her coffee. She frowned, that was not what she meant, or was it? She wanted the coffee that was her object of desire. She sighed, who was she kidding?

Ryan turned to look at her, wondering what had caused that sudden outbreak of frustration. "Beckett? Something wrong?"

Her head snapped up, shooting him a puzzled look, "Um, what?"

Ryan's facial expression turned into a similar perplexed one and the only thing he could come up with was a matching, "What?"

She regarded him with a frown that created that little wrinkle on her forehead that Castle would have adored if he was there, unfortunately for him, he missed it. "Did Castle say something about being late today?" she asked as nonchalantly as she could.

Ryan shook his head, "No, but since we have no case he might not show at all, right?"

"Right," she replied and pondered that in her head. Hadn't he left the precinct yesterday evening with his familiar; 'Until tomorrow?' But Ryan was right. He had no reason to be here, if there wasn't a case. She leant back in her chair and rocked it gently, while she considered her options. She could get her own coffee, but that would be like accepting that he wouldn't show at all, sort of challenging the universe. He would have liked that idea. But she hardly could sit here all day and wait for him to make an appearance - now that would be pathetic, wouldn't it? She sensed that Ryan was watching her and shot him a pointed look that made him swirl around in his chair and put his nose back into the paperwork in front of him. With one last glance at the elevator she finally decided that enough was enough and while repressing another sigh she got up and walked over to the break room to get herself the much needed dose of caffeine.

Esposito whistled at his partner the minute she got out of sight and nodded his head towards the break room where Beckett had just disappeared, "What's up with her?" he hissed.

Ryan shrugged, "No coffee?" he suggested in a hushed tone, afraid Beckett might catch them talking about her.

"I think, No Castle, is more like it," Esposito smirked and reached over his desk to do that funny feed-the-birds thing with Ryan that the boys had invented.

"What are you guys so cheery about?" Beckett asked when she stepped back into the bullpen and witnessed their very own version of a high-five.

"Nothing," Esposito stated innocently and started typing again, pretending she had imagined the whole thing. He was good at that. He had actually perfected it when he had still been with Lanie.

Her eyes travelled to Ryan, knowing that he was the weak link in this connection and much easier to crack. And sure enough Ryan found it hard to ignore the piercing set of eyes that were pointed at him. But he wouldn't look at her! No! He was not going to look, knowing it would be all over if he did. "Just a guy thing," he somehow got out, keeping his eyes glued to his computer. No, he wouldn't look!

"Ah," she mumbled and raised her head in a half nod, before she shot the guys one last, very pointed look that she also considered to be a warning and returned to her desk.

For the next fifteen minutes she stared at her computer without getting anything done. She could call him, right? There was no harm in checking, was there? But again, who was she kidding? Everything they said or did lately had become an opportunity for suggestiveness, hidden meanings and implications. And while their banter and teasing was mostly very entertaining she had realized that she had to be careful not to reveal too much, not to push too far, not to pass that final threshold when she wasn't ready to go the whole distance. Calling him now and asking for his whereabouts could be considered being needy. And that was really the last impression she wanted to make. Okay, so maybe a text? As if that was any different to a call – where was a dead body when you needed one? She grimaced at her own thoughts. Pathetic, Beckett! Pathetic! She glanced at her watch again. URGH!

Finally she managed to concentrate on the pile of paperwork in front of her and started typing, abandoning any thought of a certain writer, his whereabouts and the beloved coffee he used to provide. For the next 40 minutes she did not once look at the elevator, nor at her watch and was so focussed on rephrasing one of her reports that the ringing of her phone actually startled her. Without looking at the caller's ID and just the slightest hope that a body had dropped she answered it, "Beckett!"

What came from the other end of the line was a flood of words that didn't really make any sense to her, nor did she recognize the female caller. Taking the phone from her ear to have a look on the screen to see who was calling she just felt a sting of worry building up in her.

"Alexis?" she asked, but the stream of words continued. "Alexis, I need you to calm down! I don't understand a word."

Two pairs of eyes were suddenly pinned at her, since her rather determined tone and the mentioning of Castle's daughter got Esposito's and Ryan's attention.

"Alexis what happened?" Kate tried again and this time got through to the teenager. Her partners watched the growing worried expression on her face. She was mainly listening, adding a 'yes' or 'okay' from time to time. "Which hospital?" she finally asked and looked at Ryan and Esposito with an expression that they had hardly ever seen on her - Panic. "I'll be right there, Alexis! I'll get there as quick as I can, it's gonna be alright, okay? Just hang in there!" She mumbled a goodbye and already grabbed for her purse and coat.

"Beckett?" Esposito called out over their desks. Uncertainty written all over his face.

"That was Alexis. Castle had an accident," she stammered and was frantically searching for her keys. Pushing files aside and toppling over some, sending them to the floor, "Damn it!" She cursed with clenched teeth.

"Here," Ryan handed her the key, she was looking for and barely dared to ask. "How bad?"

"She doesn't know. They just called her. She's on her way over to the hospital," she started towards the elevators, stopping in her tracks when she realized she couldn't just leave like this. For a second she looked totally lost.

"Go!" Ryan spoke gently. "We'll take care of things here. Just go!"

"Thank you," she whispered and ran towards the elevator.

Traffic was insane as expected and though she was sitting in her Crown Vic, protocol forbid her to use special rights, so she was penned up with all the other New Yorkers on Park Avenue. She was sure they had all conspired to keep her between 29th and 23rd Street as the sea of cars slowly crept forward, "Move!" she yelled at no one in particular, knowing that her outburst wouldn't make anything or anyone go faster, but it felt good to let it out nevertheless and to point that gut-wrenching fear at someone. It was like the bank robbery all over again. The explosion and the dreadful minutes until she had found him safe and sound. She hated this feeling, this helplessness. For years she had been able to mainly banish it from her emotions but since that day in May it had been a constant reminder to her, that she was not okay. That she still had a long way to go. She slammed her fist at the steering wheel, when she had to stop at the next red light.

Finally after a seemingly endless 45 minutes she parked in a no parking zone, happy that at least here her Crown Vic was of use, since no uniform would tow it away. She grabbed her bag and stormed towards the ED, almost running over an elderly woman. She muttered a 'Sorry' under a breath but barely stopped. Her lungs were burning when she finally stumbled through the sliding doors and let her view wander, searching for Alexis. She found her crouched over in one of the plastic chairs. Castle's usually frail but vivid looking daughter was a heart-breaking image of misery. Her heart leaped out to the girl and she quickly crossed through the waiting area, "Alexis!" she called out softly when she was still a couple of steps away.

Alexis head shot up and Kate could see relief flicker through the clouded blue eyes, what the Detective didn't expected was what happened next. The young woman jumped up and threw herself into Kate's arms. Taken a bit by surprise, she needed a second before she wrapped her arms around the red head and held her close, "Hey, it's okay!" She tried to soothe her and rubbed her back, like her mom had always done, when she had sought refuge in her arms.

When Alexis finally pulled away, she looked slightly embarrassed by her emotional outburst and Kate knew why. They hadn't exactly been on the best of terms with each other, since the summer. Though none of these feelings had ever been openly discussed, Kate knew they were there and she didn't really blame Castle's daughter for having them. Alexis was protective of her father, she didn't want him to get hurt. And Kate had done just that, she had hurt him. So she understood why Alexis was guarded towards her, she had every right to be. She had been the one who had to absorb it, the one who probably had to build him up again and made him continue. It was a lot to take for a seventeen year old girl, even if the teenager was such an extraordinary young woman as Alexis. And even though things had shifted slightly to Kate's favor since the bank robbery, Kate knew, there was a lot of compensation for her to do, towards Castle and Alexis.

"Thank you for coming. I didn't know who else to call." Alexis pulled her out of her thoughts, sounding apologetic and just a bit regretful.

"Hey," Kate tried to get the younger woman to look at her without success. When her verbal approach didn't get the desired reaction, she placed her hands on Alexis shoulders and gave them a gentle squeeze to get her to meet her eyes, "Alexis, I know things have been kind of rocky between us lately, but I want you to know, you can always call me! Okay? When you need me I'll be there. I promise. No strings attached." she added not wanting the girl to think that this was some kind of trick to win her over.

Alexis nodded, unable to say anything but her eyes showing the gratitude she felt. Kate had seen the same expression when she had been able to embrace her dad and grandmother after being held hostage during the bank robbery, because Kate, true to her word, had saved them.

"Have you reached Martha?" Kate suddenly asked, when she remembered that Castle's mother was on a skiing trip to Aspen.

Alexis shook her head, "I left at least a dozen messages on her mailbox."

"Okay, I'm sure she will call as soon as she can!" Kate said with more confidence than she felt and took a deep breath, deciding on her next step. "Let's see if we can find a nurse or doctor in the meantime." And with that she placed her arm protectively around Alexis shoulder and noted with a small smile that the teenager actually leant into her, while she guided them to the reception.

The nurse on duty greeted them with a stern face and always the same answer, "You'll have to wait for Dr. Bernstein." Beckett had to admit that part of her admired the way Nurse Karen was able to deliver the exact same sentence, in the exact same tone, exactly five times. But she was playing with her patience and that was never a good idea.

"Listen," she said and tried to stay calm. "Couldn't you send someone to ask how Mr. Castle is doing?"

"You'll have to wait for Dr. Bernstein," Nurse Karen repeated for the sixth time and Beckett felt Alexis shrink against her side. Okay, this was it, she was done playing nice.

She flashed her badge and in her most stern voice, the one that even the most bad-ass criminals feared she said, "You'll get someone out here to talk to us in the next three minutes!" She didn't even add a threat, she didn't need to. Nurse Karen reached for the phone, reluctantly, but she dialled nevertheless, requesting for Dr. Bernstein to come out front.

Sure enough two minutes later said Dr. Bernstein walked through the sliding doors that separated the waiting area from the actual emergency room and headed towards the waiting women.

"Mrs. Castle?" he asked and looked at Beckett.

For a second she just stood there and stared back confused, before she pulled herself together and hastily said, "This is Alexis Castle. Castle's," she caught herself, "I mean Mr. Castle's daughter."

"And you are?" Dr. Bernstein asked suspiciously.

"Detective Kate Beckett, I'm with the NYPD." Again she flashed her badge which seemed to satisfy him.

"How's my dad?" Alexis finally spoke, not being able to bear it any longer.

Dr. Bernstein pointed towards a bench to his right, "Please, let's sit!"

TBC

Thoughts? Ideas?