Castle's partner

Little Sis

Ross pov

Everyone files out of my room except for my Tío, who stays with me.

He lays next to me.

"I wish you could leave too Chica. I don't like seeing you here. When you get better, you can go home."

A few days later, and I'm mostly healed. I can breathe without oxygen, and my head doesn't hurt so much anymore. Nick was released yesterday.

Espo walks in, minutes after I wake up.

"Today?" I ask excitedly.

"Yeah. Today," he smiles.

"Yay!" I'm so ready to go home. I hate hospitals.

Beckett has so far been unsuccessful in finding the organization.

"But not now, in a few hours. I have to get to the precinct, but Nick will be here okay?"

"Okay."

Just as I agree, he walks in.

The hours pass slowly, but I'm ecstatic about leaving.

Finally, finally at seven, the doctor says I can leave.

I hug Nick, because it's all I can do to keep myself from crying of happiness.

All the paperwork is done, and we reach the parking lot.

"Nick, can I walk back to your place? It's not a crime scene anymore, and it's not dark yet. I'll be safe." I almost beg him.

He sighs. "You have your phone?"

"Yes."

"You know how to get there?"

"Yes."

"You're not in pain?"

"Nick!"

"Alright, alright just making sure. I guess you can. BUT, if you're not back within an hour I will send every police officer in New York after you. Okay?"

I nod, and wander off.

I go the way I'm supposed to, but before long I get lost in thought, and when I finally snap out of it, I realize I'm actually lost.

I twirl a few times to get a sense of where I am, but it doesn't help much.

"Well crap." I mutter under my breath, and reach for my phone.

But before it even leaves my pocket, a hand reaches around and covers my mouth so I can't scream.

A strong arm and body drags me unwillingly into an alley, but I fight back, hard.

I bite down on his hand, causing blood to squirt everywhere.

The man yells in agony, and I start screaming at the top of my lungs.

"Help! Help!"

He comes at me again in an attempt to silence me, and hits me square in the jaw.

I stagger, but punch him too, repeatedly.

My knuckles are already bruised, and I'm screaming still, and blood comes from my mouth.

He hits me again, this time in the stomach, and I can't breathe.

I sink to the ground, things going blurry, when I hear a punch land, and then silence except for heavy breathing.

"C'mon, c'mon let's go before he wakes up!"

Nick helps me to my feet and grabs my hand.

"Can you run?"

I nod.

He grips me even tighter and runs. My brain doesn't process it but my legs know to run too.

He leads me down streets that I can't see in the dark, but he somehow knows his way.

We finally reach his apartment, and he slams the door behind us, turning the lock and deadbolt.

I'm still shaky from the attack.

"Little sis!" Nick gets my attention hurriedly. "Where does it hurt?"

"I-I don't know."

He grabs my shoulders and shakes me slightly.

"Samantha! I need to know where it hurts!"

"M-my hands, and my jaw. My stomach." I manage.

He guides me to the bathroom, flicking on the light as we enter.

He sits me down on the counter, and takes a cold wet rag. He gently dabs at my hands, and I grimace and pull away involuntarily.

"Sorry," I mutter.

He moves on to my jaw, wiping away blood.

"I need to take off your shirt," he states, though I know he's asking for permission.

I nod, and lift my arms up. He takes it off slowly.

He must notice my scars, but he says nothing as he focuses on my injury.

"Dammit," he mutters.

"What?" I ask as I groan at the pain his touch causes me.

"You broke a rib. Why the hell did you tell me you could run?!"

"I couldn't feel it that's why, adrenaline."

He's angry, and that's never good.

He grabs an ice pack from the freezer and wraps it in a thin towel before pressing ot lightly to my side.

He picks me up and carries me to a bedroom, setting me on top of the bedding.

He touches my jawline gently, where a purple bruise is quite obvious.

"I'm okay, Nick. I'm fine."

"What happened? You said you knew where you were going!"

"I-I got caught up and I got lost. He came up from behind. I fought back, but he was a lot bigger than me. How did you find me?"

"When you didn't get here in 45 minutes, I went out to start looking for you. I know I said an hour but I was worried. I heard screams and I knew it was you. You were a block away when I heard them. I got there just in time."

"Thank you Nick, you saved my life."

He bends down and kisses me on the forehead.

"You just got out of the hospital, I don't need you back in there. Please be careful. I love you."

"I love you too Nick."