Chapter 39 - Chest pain

"Kaaaate!"

"Alexis! Molly!" I called back as the girls ran into the hospital room I was in.

They ran up to the bed and after Castle called out to them to take it easy they both carefully climbed up into the bed to crawl into my open arms. I dragged them close and kept them tight into my body, not wanting to let go.

"You're suffocating us," Alexis hoarsely groaned and I let them go just enough for them to be able to take deep breaths without any problem.

I heard Castle laugh at the other side of the room along with an elderly, redheaded woman. The woman shook her head with her big grin on her lips as she walked up to me and held out her hand for me to take.

"Finally darling, nearly thought I wasn't going to ever be able to meet the woman whose been such a sweetheart to my granddaughter and seems to be the love of my son's life," she winked at me as Castle groaned in the background.

"Mother!" he complained but she just shushed him.

"Call me Martha dear" she said before we let go of each other's hands.

"Hi, I'm Kate," I said with a blush setting on my cheeks.

She probably already knew who I was but I couldn't just introduce me anyway. I felt nervous about this, first time she's meeting me and it's at the hospital when I obviously haven't been able to prepare to make a good first impression. I didn't want her to dislike me. What if she disliked me? Alexis and Molly snuggled into my neck and I couldn't help but giggle at the way their hair tickled me.

"When are you coming home?" Alexis asked sweetly, probably hoping her sweetness would make me come home quicker.

"Doctor says I can go home tomorrow if nothing changes," I told them with a chuckle, kissing each of the girls' heads.

The young girls cheered before they both left wet kisses on my cheeks which had us, me, Castle and Martha, laughing. Without any warning there was a sharp pain in my chest and I gasped at the feel of it. Castle was immediately by the side of my bed and the two girls pulled away from me as if they were afraid they were the ones who'd hurt me. I put my right hand on my chest, right above my heart, where it had stung.

"You ok?" Castle asked his hands up as if he wanted to touch me to make me better.

Martha also came to the bed and told the girls to jump down. They carefully climbed down the bed and flocked around the redhead, holding her legs while looking at me with scared looks.

"I'm fine," I muttered, not wanting to upset any of the people in my room.

Castle's hand took my left hand and his right found my cheek. He pretty much forced me to look into his eyes, the blues holding a concern I had a feeling I had already gotten too familiar with these two days I'd been awake.

"Castle, I'm fine, it was just the laughing," I told him truthfully.

It didn't hurt anymore, it had just been a sharp few-seconds pain. caused by the laughing I hadn't done in a week, and by the fact that I was shot in the chest.

"You sure?" he questioned, stubborn.

I nodded with a sigh.

"Yes, I'm sure."

His eyes searched mine and I did my best to show him the truth, to tell him I was alright and that he didn't need to worry as much as he did. I decided to change the subject, I didn't want to be the one in the spotlight anymore. I didn't want to scare the girls anymore.

"Girls, are you having a great time with Martha?" I asked them with a big smile set on my lips.

I caught Alexis' eyes glance at her father while Molly answered.

"Martha is nice, I like her."

I felt relief fill my bones. I had been afraid Molly would find it strange or scary to have been in Martha's hands. Castle had told me that after Gates and the rest of my friends, along with the evidence of Bracken's work, had told the social service about everything being a setup they had agreed to let Alexis back into Castle's custody. Well, they had said they'd wanted to talk to me first but since I was unconscious they'd made the decision to let Alexis back to Castle and his mother. And since Molly refused to leave Alexis' side they'd agreed to let Martha and Castle take care of her while I was out. Castle had told me that if it hadn't been for my partners, my best friend and my boss it wouldn't have been possible though, he told me it was them who'd convinced the social service at last. He also told me my friends had visited while I was out, that they'd made him promise to text them as soon as I woke up. Which was a promise he'd forgotten until we'd laid in the bed for a couple of hours after I'd waken. They had immediately wanted to come and visit but I'd managed to talk to them through Castle's phone and told them they could come visit us at home once the doctor released me. Of course they argued but I told them I wasn't up for too many visitors and that I honestly didn't want them there until I was feeling better, which they to my surprise gave in to.

"Are you you're okay?" Castle insisted and I rolled my eyes at his concern.

"Castle, I'm . You need to stop worrying."

His eyes told me that he couldn't, but that he would drop it for now.

"Kate, when you come home, will I go back to you or stay with dad?" Alexis asked carefully and I looked at her with surprise.

How could she be so smart and aware of everything that was going on? I turned my eyes to Castle who looked surprise and a bit bothered.

"Well, your dad, since he's cleared from the reason they took you from him then I'm not your foster mother anymore," I said and couldn't help but notice my own despair in that statement.

"But... you can't... not be my foster mother," Alexis said with a lump in her throat.

"Awe, sweetie, I'll always be here," I told her quickly as I saw her eyes water.

"Always?" Alexis asked and I felt all eyes on me but to me the only ones I saw at that moment was the small redhead's.

"Always," I promised and reached out my hand towards her.

She left Martha's side and took my hand, I pulled her closer and she climbed up in my bed.

"And I'll always be here for you too Molly, come here," I promised reaching out for the smaller girl who immediately jumped up on the bed to carefully crawl to my side.

I hugged my girls and I saw Martha give her son a look that I couldn't place but Castle responded with a smile that told her he knew exactly what she meant.

"Will you be able to laugh again?" Molly asked carefully.

"Of course I will! Why wouldn't I?" I asked her and she looked at me with big eyes.

"Cause it hurt you" her small voice sounded so worried.

"Awe, it won't hurt me forever, it might hurt a few more days though," I tried my best to be honest, but I had no idea how long it would take before it disappeared.

"That mean we can't make you laugh?" Molly continued to ask.

I couldn't help but chuckle which got Molly's eyes to widen and her small mouth let go of a 'no' and put her small hand carefully above my heart. Her actions only made me chuckle more and I heard both Castle and Martha let go of a few chuckles as well.