AN: This popped into my brain when I couldn't sleep last night. I wrote it since I couldn't sleep tonight. Just a little one-shot. No real spoilers.

Disclaimer: If I owned the wonderful world that is Castle then I wouldn't have missed the last two live airings because of a job at a movie theatre. I do happen to own the same belt that Beckett wears from time to time, so that's something-ish.

Out of Gas

Five hours into Kevin Ryan's wedding reception found Richard Castle back at his table, trying to catch his breath. The dance floor had been open for almost three hours now and Castle was fairly certain that his partner turned plus one, Kate Beckett, had kept him there for most of the night. Not that he was complaining.

God she looks amazing, Castle thought, where did she get too, anyway?

Just as Castle lifted his head to scan the room, he felt a hand on his shoulder as a body flopped into the seat next to him. Oh, there she is.

"Hey Castle." Beckett greeted, resting her elbow on the table and her head in her hand.

"Hey back. Where have you been?" Castle asked, feeling less tired already. "And how did you manage to flop so gracefully?"

Kate let out a soft chuckle as she answered. "Practice, Rick. Besides, I am in fact a woman. You should know by now that women do everything gracefully. I'm sure your mother would have taught you that much."

"Mother was more of the 'teach by example' type. Most days were like an encyclopedia of what not to do." Castle answered, mimicking her position, head in hand. "And that only answered one of my questions."

With a slight shrug, Kate answered. "Lanie dragged me to the restroom for some girl talk. Seems she and Javi are headed toward a reconciliation faster than she anticipated." Kate finished her abridged story on a yawn.

"Like we didn't all see that coming," Rick replied, little smirk in place. "Come on, Kate. Let's get you home. We can split a cab."

Kate's reply was interrupted by another yawn, so she just nodded as she rose to head toward the coat check.

After getting the cab, Castle reluctantly agreed to go to his loft first. As much as he wanted to make sure she got home safe, Beckett's apartment was further away and, try as he might, Rick couldn't seem to keep his eyes open.

Two blocks away from his apartment, Rick felt a pressure on his shoulder and realized he wasn't the only victim of the long day and longer night; Beckett was fast asleep next to him.

As the cab pulled up to his building, Castle had made his decision. Paying the fare, Rick gently woke Kate and helped her out of the cab.

"Come on, Kate. You can stay here tonight. We're both clearly too tired to get anywhere else."

Castle knew he had made the right choice when Beckett just nodded and continued to lean into his side as they made their way to the building's front door.

The trek from his elevator to the front door had been slow but considering that they had nearly fallen asleep on the ride up, Castle felt that making it in the front door qualified as a minor miracle. He was only mildly surprised when Beckett made a beeline for his room, grabbed a long t-shirt, and continued into his bathroom.

Castle slowly followed his partner and, as quickly as his tired body could, changed into his pajamas. He had just finished sorting out his laundry when the bathroom door opened and his partner stepped out, make-up free and already headed toward the bed.

"And here I thought I wouldn't be getting lucky tonight."

"Shut up, Castle." Beckett replied as she slid under the covers. "Hurry up and sleep, your thinking is making me tired."

"Yes ma'am." Castle returned, as he went to take his turn in the bathroom.

When he emerged again, Rick was fairly certain that Beckett was already asleep. As quietly as he could, Castle made it to the other side of his bed and was about to settle in when he noticed a slight problem; Kate was on her lying on her side in the middle of the bed. Castle was making sure he wasn't about to fall off the edge when a hand shot back, grasped his own left hand, and pulled him onto his side behind his partner.

"Be a grown up and go to sleep, Castle." Kate whispered, still holding his hand, lacing their fingers together.

Rick slowly let out the breath he had been holding when he noticed something different about his partner's hand. "Kate?"

"Hmm?"

"What's on your finger?"

"Hmm? Oh, yeah. That would be the engagement ring you bought for me but haven't had the courage to do anything with, Rick." Kate mumbled into the pillow, still trying to let sleep finally claim her.

"And you're wearing it because…?" Rick asked, fingers moving around the ring in confirmation of its presence.

With a sigh, Kate momentarily gave up on trying to sleep and turned over to face her very nervous and admittedly, fairly new, boyfriend.

"I thought the meaning of an engagement ring, purchased by you, for me, on my finger would be obvious for someone that's done this twice already."

"How did you-? When did-? Where did-? What?" Rick finally managed after stuttering along with his brain. He was too tired to follow what was happening.

Kate smirked a little as she started answering his incomplete questions. "I found it last week in your underwear drawer. Not a very creative hiding place, especially when you take into account the fact that I wear your boxers around the loft a lot.

"I've been waiting on you, trying to drop little hints, but apparently you're a little more dense and patient than I anticipated. When my 'third time's a charm' comment didn't seem to click I decided to be obvious."

"So…" Rick began, starting to understand but still unsure. "Are you proposing to me?"

"Not really, no." Kate replied. "This is me telling you. I told you once I'm the 'one and done' type and I still am, so the third time better be your charm. I may like cats but I'd rather not die alone and surrounded by them."

"Is this real?" Castle asked, a smile growing on his face.

Kate responded with a quick kiss before answering further. "Yes, it is. But let's make sure you're not dreaming. Go to sleep and then you can wake up and see that it's real. I'll even pinch you if you need me too."

With finality in her tone, Kate finally settled down to let the sleep she so wanted claim her. Just as she felt herself slipping, she heard, "I love you, Kate."

"Go to sleep, Castle. Just because you say it all quiet-like doesn't mean it's silent." Kate whispered on a sigh. "I love you too, though."

The End