It was such a beautiful morning. Castle was still unsure whether he's awake or not. He felt that he still needed some sleep. But he can't, he had been thinking about Beckett all night long. How was she doing after she got out from the hospital? He hasn't met her after she got out.
"Dad, Detective Beckett called you." said Alexis.
Kate called me? It was such a coincidence. He just thought to call her. Maybe it's fate? I don't know.
"Morning, Kate. How are you today?"
"Morning, Rick. I'm just ... fine." said Beckett in a low, raspy voice.
Castle frowned. Her tonality showed that she's not okay.
"Kate, please tell me the truth. What happened?"
"Can I come to your house right now?"
"Umm, yeah, definitely. Alexis is going for a date with Ashley and Martha is going shopping."
"Okay, I'll be there in 15."
She hung up the phone. Castle just got confused. What was she going to do at her house? Why today? What happened to her?
Suddenly his door bell rang. He was alone. Alexis and Martha had gone 10 minutes ago.
"Who's there?"
"This is Kate."
Castle opened the door. He was really shocked. He looked at Beckett's appearance. Her hair was a mess, she had a thick eye bags, like she hasn't been sleep for a day or two. She looked so terrible.
"Oh, Kate. Please come in."
They both sat down on a couch, comforting themself before starting to talk. There was complete silence, but Rick can't stand it anymore. He felt so broken looking at Beckett. He felt so useless in fact that he couldn't help her. So he thought that the only way to make her better is to talk.
"Kate, I'm not forcing you to tell me anything, but if you have something to say, I'll always be here."
"I broke up with Josh."
"Kate, I'm so..."
"No, no, don't tell me that you're sorry. It's none of your fault. I only feel that our relationship is going nowhere and it didn't work for us."
Castle looked at her eyes, her teary eyes to be exact. It was so beautiful, yet so vulnerable. He didn't know what to say. Well, he didn't even know whether to be sorry for her, or to be happy instead. Without Josh on his way, he could easily get Beckett. But still, whenever Beckett is sad, he felt that too. The excruciating pain.
He cuddled her. She needed to feel comfortable, and he wanted to give her some advice.
"Kate, please don't cry. I know, it must be hurt to break up with someone. But you can take it from the positive side. I don't want you to stuck at that moment and keep blaming yourself for everything. Let the past be the past, I know you can get through this situation. You're Detective Katherine Beckett, the most powerful woman in the world right?"
"Rick.. I don't know how to thank you for that. You make me feel better right now. Thanks for being my friend."
"Always."
Always. Indeed, Castle is always there whenever she needed him, or even when she didn't need him at all. He never felt that way with Josh. She's glad that he has been shadowing her for the past 3 years. It's the best years she ever passed when she became a cop. Everyday, spending time with him in the precint or at the crime scenes, it felt good.
"Rick, may I ask you something?"
"What is it?"
"What are you going to say, if I say 'I love you' ?"
Rick blushed straight away. Was she flirting him? Or she was just playing tricks on him? He's a wordsmith. Beaten by a cop this way? Not a chance.
"Oh you little naughty cop. Are you flirting me?" said Castle as he lifted his eyebrows.
"How if I say yes?"
He grinned.
"Of course, Kate. I love you too no matter what."
They finally kissed each other. It was so passionate, full of compassion. He felt so relieved, that after 3 long years, he could tell her the truth, and she felt also the same.