Hello everyone! I have attempted many a Castle fanfiction, but this is the first one to see the light of the internet. I'm quite proud of this story, and I hope you all like it. It was inspired by the song "Last Night Last" by Lady Antebellum. It's a great song, you should definitely check it out!

The story is set a little while after 3x22.

Disclaimer: Castle belongs to the brilliant, talented Andrew W. Marlowe, not me.

The Morning After

It was warm beneath the covers. So warm that Kate wanted nothing more than to burrow deeper under the blankets and prolong her feelings of utter contentment. She couldn't remember a time when she had felt more at peace. The minutes passed slowly and the police detective felt consciousness begin to claim her. Suppressing a sigh, she stretched her arms over her head and frowned slightly when her palms met the head board – the texture of the wood felt different this morning. She inhaled deeply; a familiar scent she can't quite place overwhelms her senses. It is at that moment she becomes aware of the slight throbbing of her head and the aches in her muscles. Her thighs, her biceps, her tongue are stiff, but Kate found that it wasn't altogether an unpleasant sensation.

Kate opened her eyes and found it far less shocking than she should have to see Richard Castle lying fast asleep next to her.

Head tilted slightly to the left, dark hair dishevelled, bare chest rising and falling steadily as the still hour passed. Kate couldn't stop her smile as she watched him sleep.

She turned her gaze to the unfamiliar room, pulling the silk sheets to her collar bone as she sat up. Her eyes skim over the elaborate furniture, the expensive decorations and landed on her favourite blouse, which sat crumpled on the floor. Almost instantly, her feelings of serenity dissipated and cold, hard dread seeped into her being.

Flashes from the night before appeared in her mind's eye. The gruelling case... The adrenaline rush from the shoot out with the perpetrator... Red wine in the living room... The way he'd kiss-

Kate immediately stopped her mind from going back any further. Her stomach turned uncomfortably as her eyes skipped over the other pieces of clothing that were carelessly tossed about the room. She took her lower lip between her teeth and turned to face the person lying beside her.

What on earth was she going to do?

Rick stared silently at the slope of her bare shoulder, carefully contemplating his next move. He had to act quickly, but he couldn't afford to be rash. The wrong words or approach would send her running faster than he could blink.

Last night had been big – they'd made love, and there was no going back to the way it was before. This wasn't just an awkward comment that could be ignored or a meaningful moment that was going to be interrupted. Josh had been out of the picture for months – Kate had ended their relationship shortly after they had returned from brief stint in LA.

As for him... well. He'd known his little crush had developed into so much more a long time ago. It was something that he - a man who prided himself on having his way with the English language – would not, could not to put into words.

Rick knew there could be no more waiting, because if he and Kate kept dancing around each other they would miss their chance. Someday it would be too late, and then where would he be? He simply couldn't sit back and hope that she would finally see him standing right in front of her. He had to step up and make it work.

He had to.

In his peripheral vision, Kate shifted, as if to get out of bed. He quickly sat up and placed his hand on the shoulder he had been watching so intently only a few minutes prior. When she turned to face him, Rick felt his breath catch in his throat. Her long coppery locks were tousled, her face completely devoid of make-up. The morning sun was peaking through the window, highlighting her delicate features and making her hazel eyes appear a warm shade of gold.

God, she had never looked more beautiful.

"Hi," he said softly.

"Hey," she responded, tucking a loose stand of hair behind her ear. She looked incredibly uncomfortable, and Rick knew he couldn't confront her at this particular moment.

Catching her gaze once more he began to speak.

"I, umm... There are extra towels in the bathroom. And – I've got extra shirts in the closet over there." He gestured clumsily to the left side of the room. "I'm going to make us some food. Why don't you come join me when you're ready?"

He waited for her confirming nod before gathering up his clothing and leaving the room.

The hot water felt heavenly on Kate's skin as she rinsed the shampoo from her hair. It smelled very nice, completely unlike the cherry scented one she used at home. She sighed softly as she lathered soap in her hands.

The shower had calmed her nerves only slightly. The rational part of her brain was urging her to go, nagging that she should have left before Castle had even woken. It would be so easy to go now – she could tell Rick she had a mountain of paperwork sitting on her desk at the precinct. Or that she had some errands to run... needed to meet with a friend.

After rinsing the soap from her body, Kate stopped the water and wrapped a towel around her torso. She wiped the steam from a small section of the bathroom mirror and stared and her scared reflection.

"Risking our hearts is why we're alive. The last thing you want is to look back on your life and wonder if only."

Royce's words echoed in her head. He had said what she had with Castle was real, but there wasn't anything between her and her writer companion. Nothing other than friendship.

She could carry on and pretend that last night had never happened, but the second that thought entered Kate's mind, she dismissed it. She wasn't sure if she would ever be able to look at Rick again without remembering the way he'd whispered her name or the feel of his lips pressed against her skin...

Kate shook the thoughts from her head, and began to dry off.

She would leave.

She had to.

But she simply couldn't stop her heart from accelerating every time she pondered what would happen if she were to ignore what he nerves

Kate takes her time in the bathroom, and when she finally emerged, Rick has made eggs, pancakes and is working on the bacon. When he looks up, he notes that she is dressed in her clothing from the night before, and has her coat and bag in her arms. The police detective tries to leave, but Richard Castle has his persuasive side. She puts up a good fight, but eventually gives in and sets her things aside as he fills a mug with coffee for her.

They chat about mundane things – the weather, sports, and food. Anything but the topic of what transpired between them last night. When their breakfast has disappeared, Kate quickly helps him put the dishes away.

"When are Alexis and Martha coming home? I should probably clear out before they get back..." Kate says, and moves to pick up her coat.

Rick stops her by pushing her hands away from her belongings. "Alexis won't be back from her school trip until tomorrow night. Mother won't be around until evening, if she comes by at all."

Kate avoids his gaze. "Well, I do have to get to the precinct. The sooner I get a start on those forms the sooner I-"

"Kate."

She freezes when he plants his hands firmly on her shoulders. He uses one hand to lift her chin, so that he can see into her eyes. His heart is pounding, but he knows that this is it. This is the moment. He's going to take the leap and is praying with all his might that Kate will jump with him.

"Kate," he repeats almost desperately. "We can't pretend that last night didn't happen. It doesn't work that way, and I won't do that to myself."

Kate opens her mouth, but no words come out. Rick smiles slightly at her stunned expression before quickly running a hand through his hair.

"I care about you Kate. I mean I really care about you. This thing between us... we can't keep dancing around it. I don't want to wait anymore. It's now or never. No one... No one has ever made me feel like – like..." Rick took her hand in both of his and flattened it against his chest. His heart sped up at her touch.

"No one has ever made me feel like this. I want to be with you Kate. Really be with you. I want to hold your hand, to hug you, kiss you. I want your face to be the first one I see every morning for the rest of my life. I want last night to happen over and over again. I want last night to last." Rick closes his eyes briefly and swallows the lump that has formed in his throat. He tightens his hands around her much smaller one.

"This is it, Kate. All my cards are on the table. If you leave now, I know you don't feel the same and you'll probably never see me again." He takes a deep breath and locks his eyes with hers. There are tears in her eyes, and he fights the urge to wipe them away.

"Or, you can stay and we'll do this together. It's the beginning or it's the end. Will you take that chance with me?"

Kate's breathing is shallow; his words go straight through her body and to her soul. Her own pulse is racing every bit as rapidly as the rhythm his heart is beating into her hand. She looks into his fierce gaze and knows he means every word he has said.

"It's the beginning or it's the end. Will you take that chance with me?"

Her nerves are telling her to run, but she is frozen to the spot.

"It's clear that you and Castle have something real. And you're fighting it."

She blinks, and feels the tears trace a path down her cheeks.

"Trust me; putting the job ahead of your heart is a mistake."

She opened her mouth, but quickly closed it.

She repeated that action once.

Twice.

Three times.

"Risking our hearts is why we're alive."

Rick's shoulders slumped, and Kate thought that she had never seen him look so defeated.

"The last thing you want is to look back on your life and wonder if only."

She sniffled, and at last the words came. "Rick. Your friendship means the world to me. I don't know how on earth I would have made it through these last few years without you." The detective paused and wiped her cheeks with her free hand.

"I know we can't stay this way – somewhere between lovers and friends. We can't go back to the way it was before. And... Well, my self-preservation instinct is telling me to run out that door... but you... you have no idea how much I want... I want to stay."

Rick looked at her in awe. "Are you... Does that mean you'll..."

There are more tears crawling down Kate's cheeks, but there's a breathtaking smile on her face as well. Rick happily wiped them away as she stepped closer to him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

"Yes, I'll stay." She whispered before she leaned forward and kissed him.

Please leave me a review to let me know what you think!