Castle's partner

Hours

He watches as I chew, and I try to finish quickly, choking down the last of it.

"I hate hospital food. Hurry up and get better."

"I've only been here a few hours!"

I laugh. "I know, still too long."

Then my smile fades.

"We're gonna find who did this to you."

"I know. You're smart, if anyone can do it, it's you."

"You're gonna have a scar," I say softly.

"Hey, that's okay. I still have that one that you gave me from the first time I tried to help you. You punched me with a ring on!"

"Well everyone else was hitting me I thought you were too. Natural reaction. Sorry."

"I almost had to get stitches, look!"

He points to a spot on his cheek, and I immediately notice the scar I left there.

I run my thumb over it, thinking back to that moment.

He's the only one that stood up for me.

I punched him, and cut his skin after he helped me, and he still cared about me.

"I'm sorry big brother."

"Hey, you I know you didn't hurt me on purpose. And it's a reminder of you every time I look in the mirror."

I close my eyes, reminding him to sleep, and he quickly falls silent.

"Nick! Nick! No, I can't lose you too! Please!"

He's bleeding out, the bullet lodged in his chest.

He stares up at me with weary eyes.

"I love you. Let me go."

"No, I won't. Nick!"

As I awake, my screams echo off the hospital walls.

Nick shoots upwards, his body rigid. He grabs ahold of me, and immediately my heart rate slows.

I relax in his arms, and he holds back my tears.

"You're alive," I whisper aloud, not sure if I'm reassuring myself or Nick.

I try not to show my fear to my older brother, but it's hard because that nightmare was almost reality.

"Did you have a nightmare?" He asks gently.

"No, no it was nothing."

"Don't lie to me. What was it about?"

For a brief second, he's dead in front of me, my mind flashing back to that scene in my head.

"You died."

"Well sorry to disappoint but I'm not dead."

"Yeah I can see that thanks."

"Hey, nothing's going to happen to us."

"You don't know that so don't say it!"

"Little sis, I'm here now alright?"

I sigh.

"You can go back to sleep. I'm going to the precinct for the day to find who did this to you."

I kiss him on the cheek.

"Little sis be careful."

"I will."

I close the door behind me as I walk out.

I sink to the ground just outside his room, burying my face in my hands.

I'm tired. It's not even seven in the morning.

I'm assuming the rest of the team went home.

Then someone sits next to me.

Out of the corner of my eye I see Ryan.

I lean against him, resting my head on his shoulder.

"You doing okay?" He asks.

I shrug.

"Can we go to the precinct?"

"Yeah. Let's go."

We get in his car and start driving. For being so early, there is a good amount of cars on the road.

We stop at a red light and wait forit to turn green. When it does we move.

But by the time I see it, it's too late.

"RYAN!" I scream at the top of my lungs.

Then there is the overwhelming sound of crunching metal on metal and skidding.

And everything goes black.

----------------------------------------------------

I open my eyes, and pain floods my senses.

I'm hot. Too hot.

That's when I realize there are flames dancing on the hood of the car.

But I'm tired. Too tired to care.

I let my eyelids fall closed slighty, then a thought hits me.

Ryan.

I fly upwards, only to ve stopped by my seatbelt that has miraculously kept me in place.

There is glass everywhere, along with blood.

I look over at Ryan, and he's unconscious in the driver's seat.

I have to get us out of here otherwise we are going to die. The fire will kill us, if not our injuries.

Adrenaline is coursing through my veins.

I unbuckle myself and him. I grab both his arms, but his weight is too much. He can't help me, his body is limp.

I pull as hard as I can, but it's not working.

I'm losing my strength.

But I can't let him die.

"Just get him out." I tell myself. "Just get him out, then you can rest."

With a sudden surge of energy, I manage to pull his upper half onto my seat.

I attempt to open the door, but it's stuck. I resort to slamming my shoulder into it to get it to open.

Finally, the crushed metal gives way, and I tumble onto the street.

I don't hear sirens yet.

No cars move.

We are in the middle of the intersection.

I drag Ryan out beside me and lay him on the ground.

I quickly survey him. He seems in better shape than I am, but then again I took most of that hit.

And it catches up to me.

I fall bext to him, my injuries have outlasted my adrenaline.

I drag myself next to Ryan and take his hand.

"I tried Ryan."