A/N: I realized that I have to post this before Monday to participate in the "What happens in Dreamland"-guessing.
Yesterday I was typing 10 word-pages and today I've added some more, althought I should be working on two other stories.
Again the info: I've not seen the 4th season or the first half of the fifth.

Will have finished it before the next episode, hope you enjoy.^"^

"Based on the amount found in your blood-stream you have less than a day to live."

The words echoed in his mind.

Less than a day.

Less than a day means no tomorrow.

No winter.
No Silvester.
No kiss for Kate on Silvester.

Kate.
No wedding.
No kids.

Alexis.

Missing her growing up further, no seeing her getting old.
Leaving her alone, like he promised he'd never do.
He wanted to be a good parent.

Martha.
She'd have to bury her only child.
The son she was so proud of.

No future.

Rick looked back into Kate's eyes.

Although she'd shut all emotions down, he could see the hurt behind those strong high walls.

He couldn't do this to her.
Him not listening to her, not obeying her orders shouldn't be her next breakdown. She'll never be able to pick herself off the floor after the world broke that weight on her shoulder. She'd be buried alive under his death.

How could fate do this to them?

Building something light in the first year.
Breaking her down the second year.
Breaking him as well because of her hurt.
Finally letting them close this seemingly huge gap and find something beautiful.

To rip it all away on one single day?

To start at square one and let them fall harder than they did for each other?

No way, not as long as he's breathing.

"I've fought too hard to let it slip now because of my stupidity."

He said it quietly, never letting her gaze wander.

She just looked at him, thanking whatever higher force to let him be this strong.

"Then we'll better start." She stood up, gripping his hand even tighter.

How could she now be the one to let go, after all the times he didn't give up on her. On them.

Before she'd gotten into the interrogation room to him, she'd talked to McCord and their boss.

If Castle wanted to do something against the toxin, they would help them.

She knew this wasn't just for her or him. She presented them a guinea pig to run tests if this toxin could be stopped in case the killers who stole it couldn't.

Not for one second moving more than an arm's length away from Castle, and as if her hands were fused to his, she rushed to the elevator, nodding to McCord, who turned around to confirm her boss that Castle wouldn't go home and spend quality time with his family but maybe his last hours in a white-tiled room, needles and cords in his body to grab the less than slight chance to live through this.

Kate stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the floor before the last.
Then she leaned back against the cool wall, closing her eyes and slowing breathing.

She was sure for this to happen. Only a tiny voice inside her thought he'll go home, sit on the couch and watch his last movie with Alexis, Martha and herself drinking coffee.

Kate knew he was on the same wavelength and wanted to spend many more evenings like that.

"I love you." His steady voice broke her out of her reverie. She smiled and opened her eyes to look at him.

"I love you too." Despite the cameras she knew were watching them, she leaned in and kissed him slowly. Both her hand stroking his cheek and her lips moving on his telling him wordlessly that everything will be okay.

For some odd reason he wasn't nearly as afraid as when he held her in his arms, telling her to stay with him, telling her that he loves her, wishing the bullet was not killing the love of his life. Especially not on the day she spoke on the funeral of her Captain who has been somewhat of a father to her.

She had buried too many beloved ones.

Kate had survived than.

And he will now.

"I want a white picked-fence," he told her, smiling.

She laughed. Of course he had to joke in a situation like this.

Not so long ago in the dead of the night he'd told her that the scar on her would make him find her anywhere, even in the dark, even if he lost his eye light like the prince searching for Rapunzel, because of the sign of strength she had so close to her heart.

Her heart. So long she was being heartless to him, because he had stolen it without her noticing.

"So I can't push you away any more?" She asked, a glint of happiness in her eyes.

"So I remember that I can't let you be unprotected from this world."

He wasn't joking, although he sounded like it. He was deadly serious.

"I'll give up DC. I'll try to get back at the 12th and have you near me to protect you."

He opened his mouth to protest, but she shut him up with another kiss.

"I had my chance. Maybe if it were solely for me and the boys and Lanie, I'd stay here and visit them. But with you and your family-"

"Our family."

Kate breathed out, smiling and closing her eyes once more.

"Sure. Our family. I can't do this. I'm not on my own anymore. All my life I was, but now I have to take care of Martha and Alexis as well as you and me."

"But-"

"I'm not fighting the bad guys solely to take revenge for my mother and help the remnants of victims. I'm solving crimes because I want to.
I want to come to work in the morning, stare blankly out the window, waiting for you to waltz in and hand me my coffee; for the boys to brief me and for Gates to give us all a new puzzle to solve as a team. I want to have lunch with Lanie, banter with Esposito and see Ryan as soon-to-be-father have that special glow I believed was just for the pregnant women. I want my people and my pace. And you of all people know best that I always get what I want."

u-_-u

For I'm still new in the fandom, please give me feedback! And if you're willing to beta this story, tell me!

btw:"Silvester" is in this case no black cat chasing a yellow bird, but the evening before new year, the 31st of December.

Typing hectically to finish this and waiting for reviews, Sunny