81Authors Note: Hey guys. Sorry for the lack of writing. I've been super busy with life, and concerts, and work, and have been really uninspired for the last few months. I hope this makes up for my absence. I'm not promising anything, but I will leave this as an 'in progress' story. If enough of you like it, then I'll see where I can go with it.
Reviews are love, leave some.
-Krystle
Inspired by: The end scene of Heroes and Villains.
"A writer and a muse, fighting crime. Just like us."
Kate watches as Castle turns to leave, a smile playing on her lips. She's going to come clean about her therapy sessions. Having had her feelings for him blast through her barriers, she's not sure how much longer she can go without touching him. She's ready for their always.
Taking a calming breath, she turns and heads back to her desk -the tedious task of paperwork calling her name. She glances at Castle's chair before picking up her pen and getting to work. It takes her an hour and a half before she finds herself on the last page she needs to sign.
Dropping her pen onto her desk, she rubs her hand, sore from the writing, and then reaches for her phone to send Castle a text.
-You busy?
Organizing her papers, she clips them together and places them in the file just as her phone buzzes with his response.
-Never too busy for you, Detective.
She tries, but fails miserably, to hide the school girl grin. Shaking her head, she sighs happily, he really is too good for her, and she'll never understand why he wants her. She hopes she will never question it out loud-she'll just have to see how this talk goes.
-Would it be alright if I come over? Unless you've already got plans with Alexis or Martha.
His response is instantaneous.
-Mother and Alexis are both gone for the weekend. When should I expect you?
She lifts her jacket from the back of the chair, and says goodnight to the guys. Once in the elevator she texts him back that she's leaving the precinct now, and she'll be there in thirty minutes.
She decides on the way to the loft to stop and pick up something to eat from their favorite Chinese restaurant since she hasn't eaten in well over seven hours, and she's sure, Castle wouldn't mind a late dinner as well.
The doorman smiles as she walks up, "Good evening, Detective, is Mr. Castle expecting you?"
"Good evening, Eduardo," Kate greats, "yes, he is, and it's just Kate tonight. I'm off duty for the next twelve hours."
"Well, enjoy your evening, Kate," he smiles, tipping his hat to her.
"Thanks, you too," she says, tapping the button to the elevator and stepping in when the doors open. The ride up goes slower than she would like, although, with the way her stomach is turning from her nerves, the speed is probably a good thing.
The ding of the elevator snaps her out of her thoughts, and she steps out. Come on, Kate, get it together. It's just Rick. You've done this a million times. Before she even has a chance to reach out and knock on his door, it flies open and he's standing before her.
"Wow, Castle," Kate says, "were you camped out by the door for the last half hour?"
He grins, "Well, I was just walking by and decided to look out the peephole and I saw you walking up."
"Yeah, cause that's not creepy at all," she jokes. Holding up the take out bags, "I brought some dinner."
"Great!" he exclaims, a little too excitedly. "I haven't eaten in awhile, and I'm sure you haven't eaten since I brought you lunch earlier."
She looks away, guilt written on her face, "I got distracted…"
"Right, keep telling yourself that."
"Oh, hush, and feed me," she says, placing the bags on the table and shooing him into the kitchen to grab some plates and drinks.
Kate begins dishing up their dinner while Castle pours their wine. "So," he says, placing her wine in front of her as she does the same with his plate. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your company tonight?"
"We just-we haven't done this in a while, and I figured 'why not'?"
Castle narrows his eyes at her. He can read her like an open book. He knows when something is going on in her head, probably before she does. "Alright, that'll do for now, but you've got something on your mind."
"Castle-"
"No, Kate, it's fine," he says, smiling softly at her, "You'll tell me when you're ready."
Kate blinks at him. Oh, this man. "I was hoping to do this after we ate, but if you really want to know why I'm here, I'll tell you." Castle puts his fork down, and nearly bounces out of his seat with excitement. Kate takes a calming breath, tries to gather her thoughts, and then looks up into his baby blue eyes-eyes she's been getting lost in for some time. "When you came to see me in the hospital, you asked if I remembered getting shot, which I didn't. I've been seeing a therapist since I came home from my Dad's cabin. We have been going over that day with a fine toothed comb. I've been able to conjure up memories from that day, starting with standing at that podium. When I woke up from the surgery, I wasn't sure what was real or a dream."
"Kate," Castle whispers, "are you saying you remember everything from that day?"
"I'm still trying to figure somethings out, but what I want to know is if I was dreaming, or did you tell me-"
"That I love you?"
She nods, "Yeah. Did you? Or was that my subconscious playing tricks on me?"
The way his eyes light up, and his hand covers hers, is all the answer she'll ever need really, but still, he sucks in a breath, and nods. "I did, Kate."
Her heart is beating so fast inside her chest she's positive that it will beat a hole and spill out on to the floor. She bites her lip, and looks up at him with cautious eyes. "Did you mean it, Rick? Or was it because I was bleeding out in your arms? Did you want me to hear words of love in my last moments if I-"
"Please don't finish that sentence," he interrupts her. "I don't want to even imagine a world where you're not here." His hand finds it's way to her face, his thumb caressing her cheekbone. "I admit, my timing couldn't have been worse, but Kate, I didn't just say it. I don't know how or when it happened, but I have fallen so completely in love with you."
—
The loft is quiet. So quiet that Kate can hear her heart pounding in her ears. He's really in love with her. She's not imagining it. She knows she's not where she should be, but why should that stand in the way of her being happy? Of being with Castle? She's never felt for anyone what she feels for him. He's the last person on her mind when she closes her eyes at night, and the first one she thinks of upon waking.
Looking up, she can tell that he's afraid. He's afraid he's scared her, but it's the complete opposite. So she smiles at him, turning to face him better and brings her hand up to wrap around his on her cheek. She turns her head and kisses his palm and lets herself feel free, for the first time since she's been out of the hospital. She's going to live.
"I've been in love with you since I was twenty, Rick," she informs him. "Even though all I had then were your words. Our partnership, seeing you as a father, as a son," she shrugs. "I was a goner the first time I saw you with Alexis. I'm so in love with you, Richard Castle."
He releases a breath she wasn't sure he was aware that he was holding, and smiles so brightly at her, his eyes going soft. "Kate, if I don't kiss you-"
His words are cut off by her lips, stealing his breath. She wraps an arm around his neck as one of his bands around her waist, mindful of the scar she carries with her on her side, and pulls her closer to him. Mouths open and tongues collide in a dance that has been begging to be continued for months.
She moans softly in his mouth when he slips his hand under her shirt. Both of her hands untuck his button down from his pants to play with skin she's only dreamed of touching. Her mind is screaming at her to slow down, her heart pounding erratically beneath her breast, her breaths becoming more shallow than they should.
Reluctantly, she breaks the kiss and rests her forehead on his. They both suck in a steadying breath, and he pulls back to look at her. Her lips, swollen from his bruising kisses, cheeks flushed from their make-out session.
"Wow," he whispers.
"Yeah," she agrees, the fingers of her hands drawing patterns on his skin. "We are really good at that."
He nods, and leans in and softly kisses her again. "Stay with me tonight?"
"Rick, I don't think-"
"Nothing has to happen that you're not ready for, Kate," he assures her. "I just want to fall asleep holding you, and wake up in the morning and bring you coffee and hold you some more."
His words send a tingle down her spine, she can already see herself spending all of her time here with him, his family, so domestic. She can see herself waking up in his arms, and falling asleep with her head on his chest.
She wants that life. She wants it with him.
So she nods. "I'll stay."
