Authors note: This is my first Castle fic. I'm pretty excited about it. Not sure if I'm going to make it a chapter story yet…we'll see.

I started this at the 'I love you' scene in "Still". I kept the dialogue, but added what I thought could have been going on in Beckett and Castle's minds through out the scene.

Hope you like, and please, tell me how I did.

Reviews are love, leave some.

-Krystle

CB

As the broken man before her turns to leave-as she requested-she comes to realize that if this is really the end for her, she can't die without telling him how she feels.

Holding back her tears, or trying to, she calls out his name, "Rick!" When he turns to her, she attempts to smile at him, "I love you."

"I love you, too," he returns, without hesitation, and the ghost of a smile on his lips.

This isn't exactly how she planned on telling him. In a perfect world, she'd plan something romantic-or he would-she may have told Alexis what her plans were; in no so many details, no need to scar the poor girl. She'd set up a miniature scavenger hunt each little clue getting him closer to his prize.

But fate had other plans. She's standing on a bomb and if they can't defuse it, she'll end up dying in ten minutes. She's never wanted to be in his arms more than she does in this moment. Of course, she'd rather be in the darkest ally in New York than to be standing on this bomb-her death warrant.

She tries, and fails, to hold back her tears as he does as she asks, once more, and turns his back on her. Once the door closes, she allows herself to fall apart. She fancy's herself Wonder Woman, and has many a time been strong in the face of danger, but this seems to be far too much for her to wrap her head around. She's going to be blown to smithereens in a matter of minutes and there's nothing she can do but have faith that the bomb squad figures out the code to defuse the bomb before it explodes.

She thinks of other things to keep her mind occupied. She replays every moment she and Castle have shared over the years. How stupid and guarded she was when he was right in front of her like he told her last year.

"For four years, I've been right here!"

In the back of her mind, and she will deny this if she's asked, she knew that they would end up together. There has been this attraction between them since day one, and she was foolish to not act on it sooner.

She calls her dad, to tell him that she loves him. She needed to hear his voice one last time, and to leave him with a little bit of her to remember. Hanging up her phone, she shoves it back in her pants pocket, and rolls her head back, closing her eyes, trying to even out her breathing.

"Hey, what are you doing? Napping? Cause I can come back later."

She's shocked. He came back. "Castle, what are you doing here? You promised-."

"Yeah, I promised that I'd leave, I didn't promise that I wouldn't come back. I got coffee, later for when you're off that thing."

"No Castle please, you have to leave, there's no reason for both of us to die."

"Oh, I didn't come here to die; I came here to defuse the bomb."

He continues to be stubborn; she continues to insist he leave. She should have known that he wouldn't leave her. Once they realize that the bomb wasn't set for cops, they begin to unravel every detail they could. Finding out that he's got a kid, Castle figures out that the defuse code is the kids name.

"William," Ryan says, "the kid's name is William!"

"William," Castle repeats, his heart dropping slightly. "Seven letters." Looking to Beckett, he can see the defeat in her eyes, "Billy!"

"Or, Willy," Ryan says, really not helping.

"What kind of mother is gonna call her kid 'Willy' unless she wants his ass kicked everyday at school?!" Esposito asks.

"Guys!" Castle shouts, shutting them up. Meeting his girlfriends eyes, "Your call, Beckett."

She trusts him, "Billy. Go."

He types in the code, "B-I-L-L-Y"

They hear the same clicking sound that triggered the bomb to start counting down, the timer runs out. Nothing. Taking a breath, Beckett slowly lifts one foot out of the damned red circle, and when she is still standing, no explosion, she launches into Castle's arms.

"Castle!" she sighs out with relief, hugging him close to her.

"She's off!" he informs the waiting ears on the other end of his phone, pulling her closer to him, if that's possible. He kisses her hair, thanking God, or the universe, or whomever he can, that she's in his arms. These close calls and near misses with her life are starting become a pattern, and he's not thrilled about it. He knows that her job means there are risks out there for her every day, but that doesn't mean he has to like it.

He barely remembers hanging up after letting the boys know that Kate was safe. As she clings to him, he pulls her close, kisses her head, and repeats in her ear a few times, "I love you, I love you so much, Kate."

For the first time since she's been stuck standing still, and the first time since she's been in his arms, Kate finally smiles. She's safe. She's in Castle's arms, and he loves her. Well, she knew he did. He's told her plenty of times, and bless his loving heart that he waited until she was ready to finally say it back. Sure it was when she thought she was going to die, but she meant every word of what she said to him. She keeps her arms wrapped around him, but brings her head back to look at his handsome face. Her eyes, so full of love for the man in front of her, shine brightly like diamonds. She opens her mouth to return his words of love, but jumps almost ten feet away from him when she hears the bomb squad rushing into the apartment.

Damn them and their timing, she thinks, as she points them in the direction of the bomb.

They hurry out of the building, Kate gripping his hand as tight as she can. Once in the middle of the street, she turns to him, "Castle, listen. Thanks for staying up there with me."

He half smiles at her, his next word holds so much meaning to them both, "Always."

She smiles wildly at him, and leans in and again they jump apart as a siren sounds, a red police car pulling up, Ryan, Espo and Gates step out and make their way over to the pair.

Ryan hugs Castle, "Perfect timing."

Espo heads over to Beckett, "You okay?"

She nods, "Yeah," hugging him back, whispers, "Did she see?"

"No."

Gates smiles at Castle and Beckett, finally catching up to her team. "It's great to see you, Detective, even you mister Castle. I don't know too many men who would have done what you did."

"Neither do I, Sir," Kate says, sideways smiling at her boyfriend, he smiles back at her, both standing there awkwardly, wanting nothing more than to be in the other person's arms.

Gates looks back and forth between the two and rolls her eyes slightly, "Oh for Heaven's sake, Detective. Just," waving her hand, "kiss the man."

Espo's eyebrows shoot up, Kate and Castle look shocked, and worried at the same time, "Sir you know?"

"What? Do you think I'm an idiot? I had to maintain plausible deniability, which I can continue. As long as you two can keep it professional at the precinct."

Always the jokester, "I know I can, but Captain, she has a long history of coming on to me at work-"

Kate cuts him off, "I don't think it'll be a problem, Sir."

"Good," Gates smiles, "Now, as long as we're all on the same page, I'd say, he deserves it, wouldn't you?"

Kate smiles, blushing slightly, "Yes, Sir I would."

Rick puts his arms around Kate's waist, pulling her to him, and she pulls her mouth away from him, "You know, Castle, when I was standing up there I kept thinking about all the times we kissed. And I was trying to decide on the best one."

"And what do you think?"

She smiles at him, "I think we're just getting started."

CB

After returning to the precinct, and doing the paperwork for the case, Beckett walks into Gate's office as she requested she do before she leaves for the night.

"You wanted to see me, Sir?"

"You did some good work today, Detective," Gates praises her. "I want you to take a couple of days, calm down from the day's events."

"Sir, I'm fine," Beckett tries to argue. But Gates holds up her hand.

"Detective, go spend the weekend with your man. Ryan and Esposito can handle it. We will see you and Castle back here on Tuesday."

Kate smiles at the woman, "Thank you, Capitan." She walks out of Gates' office, and smiles to herself when she sees Castle sitting in his chair next to her desk, and a cup of coffee next to her computer. She walks over to him, and when he looks up at her she smiles, "Let's call it a night, Castle."

"Sounds good to me," he says, standing. He gathers her coat, as she reaches for the coffee. He notices a shift in her mood, "Is everything okay?"

Stepping inside the elevator with him, she nods, "Everything's fine." Once the elevator doors close, she reaches for his hand and laces their fingers. Turning to face him, she gives him a light kiss. "Gates gave me tomorrow and Monday off."

His eyebrows shoot up, "Really?"

"Yeah."

His devilish mind is already forming all the things he's going to do to her, with her. She's his, no interruptions for four whole days. His night just got better. He smiles at her, "How kind of her."

Kate nods, "I thought so." Pushing him up against the wall of the elevator, she kisses him fiercely, "What do you say we get our things packed and head to the Hamptons? We'll turn our phones off, and shut the world out and just be together. No murder, no Martha, no Alexis, no Gates…" no bombs.

"I say, that's the best idea I've heard all day."

She smiles wildly at him, and when the elevator dings, they walk hand and hand to her car. "I'll see you in half an hour."

"I'll be ready," he replies.

She leans up to kiss him, longer this time, and rests her forehead on his. "I love you, Rick."

He will never get tired of hearing those words come out of her mouth, "I love you too, Kate."

This slope is treacherous,

This path is reckless,

This slope is treacherous,

And I, I, I, like it