A/N: Hi to all who decide to read this fic. Fair warning, it is based on the spoiler pictures provided for the coming season. If you are spoiler free please cease and desist reading until the 19th.

I'm not around much anymore but the writing bug still has me and whenever I have time between studies, work, and church I like to get a little bit in. I had this story on my computer for weeks, it was sitting at 600 words when I opened it tonight to work on it and I managed to pad it up with another 1000 words. I hope you enjoy and drop a review. Please and Thank you

Sacha :) (Absx0x)

She sat, using her feet to gently push herself to and fro on the swing set. She'd always liked swings, even as a teenager. Whenever she and her mother had had a fight she would walk to a near by park and swing for a good half hour, thinking through what had happened. The thing that had brought her here today was the thought-provoking, yellowish book in her hands.

He'd given it to her a few weeks into her physical therapy. He'd pushed the release date back after she'd been shot and the copy of Head Rises she held in her hand was a much coveted pre-release he'd managed to snag her. She'd never told him that it was his books that got her through her first break-up in college; that it was his books that got her through her mother's brutal murder. Even though she'd never told him she suspected he somehow knew because now this book, along with the man who'd written it were what was getting her through this latest battle. Since being given the book she hadn't seen Castle. He'd been away for two weeks in L.A. finishing up business. He'd pushed the trip back a month already so as to get through Montgomery's funeral and her subsequent hospital stay after being shot.

He'd just dropped her off after her tenth session of P.T.. It was getting gruelling now and she found herself in pain despite the amount of medication she was on. As always, he walked her up to her apartment despite her protests that she was a big girl. He gave the same reply to her protests about being able to get to and from physical therapy by herself: He was her partner. Always. And who was she to argue with that? If she was honest with herself, she was happy she wasn't going alone. He didn't stay for the session, giving her the privacy she needed but the knowledge that he was going to be there when she finished somehow made the pain more manageable.

She opened the door and turned to wish him a good night as this was where they parted ways for another day. When she looked at him she noticed he was fidgeting with his hands.

"Castle." When she got no response she tried again. "Rick!"

His head shot up.

"What's going on in that head of yours?" She said it kindly but her smile soon turned down as she gazed upon the concern that covered his face.

"I… I have to go to L.A. to do some last minute movie stuff. I've already pushed it back a month and Paula says I can't push it back anymore. I have to go." He looked sad, dejected, almost lost.

"I…ah… I've arranged for Lanie, Ryan, and Esposito to get you to PT while I'm away but I uh… I brought you this."

She hadn't noticed the bulge inside his large coat. He reached in and handed her weighted paper bag.

"It's not the same as me being here but it's probably less annoying. I hope it helps. Take care. It's a pre-release. I trust you not to leak it." He finished with a smile.

Opening up the bag she pulled out a yellow hard-back copy of Heat Rises.

"I thought this didn't hit shelves until October."

"It doesn't. But I'm the author. I pulled a few strings. Just don't tell Paula or Gina I gave you the pre-release I requested." He grinned. "They think it's because I like to read my own books in the cover before they go out."

"Wow, thanks." She smiled unsure of how to respond to this gesture. Then she suddenly remembered why he had given her this gift. "Wait, when do you leave? Will I see you again before you head out?"

"I'm on a red-eye tomorrow night. I've still got to pack so this will probably be the last I see you for a few weeks."

"Oh," The disappointment in her voice wasn't lost on him.

"Hey, you know the deal. If you need anything, call. I'll be on the first flight back." He smiled and gingerly approached her. They didn't cross the physical barrier much, save for when she'd had a really hard week and just needed the extra reassurance he so often provided in a gentle hug. She made no attempted to move out of the way as his arms gently came around her, being sure not to push himself against her in case he hurt her. She pulled herself closer, mindful of her still healing abdomen, and wound her arms around his torso, resting her head on his chest for a second. All too soon they pulled back.

"Call me if you need anything. I mean anything, alright?"

Kate smiled a sad smile.

"Always."

Ricks face lit up. He casually leaned in and softly kissed her forehead, something she had noticed he'd done a lot in hospital when he thought she was asleep.

"Always." He squeezed her hand and let it drop as he walk back towards the elevator.

That had been a hard day for Kate. Though for the most part she complained about Castle's presence throughout her recovery she never asked him to leave. She knew she was lucky to have him, to have someone to stand with her. He'd called a few times while he was away just to check up on her and she assured him that their friends at the 12th were taking good care of her. She'd finished reading the book a few days ago, she had rationed it out to herself to help her get through the weeks he was away, as if the words written on the page could make up for the ones that were absent without his presence.

After finishing the book she knew she needed to talk to him. She'd called him and asked him to meet her at the park where she currently sat, gently swinging.

She was so lost in figuring out how to start the conversation with her soon to be arriving companion that she startled when he came to stand behind her, grabbing the swing chains and looking down at her.

"Hey." His voice came out comforting, familiar.

"Hey." Her response was well practiced.

"You finished it?" He asked, gesturing to the hard cover book resting in her lap.

"Ah, yeah."

"What did you think?" As he asked, he moved around to sit on the swing next to her.

"Good. But you know I'm a fan."

"Anything more than good, fan?" He grinned lightly at her and she felt her heart flutter and her stomach twist in knots, and not the good ones. They were such conflicting emotions. Her body fighting between what it wanted and what she knew she needed.

"I ah, the dedication…" She trailed off, hoping he would take it from there.

"Ah, yes the dedication. What did you think of it?"

"I…um… I don't know what to say…"

He leaned over and took the book from her hands opening to the fifth page, though not really needing to as he had the short few sentences memorized.

"For the extraordinary KB who never ceases to amaze, mystify, and outsmart me. Always. I hope you heard me."

Kate smiled, acknowledging in her mind how much better the words sounded coming out of his mouth than they did in her head.

"What about the dedication? You know I meant every word of it, don't you?" He looked at her with sincerity in his eyes.

"I know you did, I just want to know what you meant by the last sentence. 'I hope you heard me.'?"

She watched as he visibly deflated. She thought she knew what he meant but she wanted to be sure. Before now she was convinced she had dreamed the three words he's spoken to her before she lost consciousness in the cemetery.

"It's uh, I just meant that I hope you hear me when I say always. Cause I mean it, you know?"

She smiled at him, waiting to speak until he looked at her.

"I do, but somehow I thought it had this other meaning…" She was half teasing and half serious.

"Well, ah…"

"Castle." She interrupted him to put him out of his misery. He looked up at her face again. "I heard you." His eyes widened, first in surprise, then in concern. She knew what he was thinking: What now?

"I just… I can't do this right now Rick." He turned on the swing to face her and gently took her hand.

"I know."

"Then, what now?"

"Now? I suppose I wait."

"Wait?" She was now confused.

"Yeah, you can't do this now. I'm good to wait."

"Ca—Rick, no. Don't do that."

"Kate," he squeezed her hand as he said it. "I will wait until the end of time for you. Don't try to change my mind. Always, remember? Til you're ready, we are what we are, partners, maybe even friends?" He asked with a hopeful tone in his inflection.

"Yeah, I'd almost go as far as to say best friends." She smiled at him and he looked taken aback.

"But what about Lanie?" he teased.

She laughed.

"A girl can have more than one best friend you know."

"Well I know now." He smiled and stood up, bringing her up with him and resting the book on the swing. He pulled her in for a hug and she collapsed against his chest.

"Hey," she pulled back to look up at him. "Me too…" She answered a statement long ago spoken. He smiled a slightly sad smile and pulled her back into his chest, kissing the top of her head before speaking.

"I know."

A/N: I have another Castle Fic sitting on my computer based on the comic-con preview video. (The hospital scene) It will need to be padded out too as it's only one or two scenes but I hope to have it out before the season starts. 15 days to go! wooohooo!