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Disclaimer: Castle is not mine :/


[A Moment of Chance]

"I was so in awe of him, Castle," Kate says, cradling her head with her fingers as she let's him into the depths of her past. "When I first met him, I just hung on his every word." The memory overtakes her, and she softly smiles. "And then, later I realized he was just making up stories to mess with me." She gives a small laugh, her features falling as the realization hits in. "I can't believe I'm never going to see him again."

He's unsure of what to do, what to say. The pain he sees in her makes his heart ache and he knows he has to do something.

Rick leans back on his arm, his hands clasping together as he gazes at her. "You know what I thought when I first met you?"

She shakes her head as she looks, humoring him as she listens. But when her eyes meet his, she can clearly see how serious he is and she feels her heart pick up as the atmosphere around them thickens.

"That you were a mystery I was never going to solve."

Caught off guard, Kate knits her eyebrows and continues to listen as he goes on.

"Even now, after spending all this time with you, I'm still... amazed at the depths of your strength, your heart," she glances down at that. "And your hotness."

Her stare shoots up to his, and she lets a smile grace her lips. "You're not so bad yourself, Castle," the words are spilling from her lips before she can stop herself. She meant to tease him, but her words hold more truth than she realizes.

In the silence that envelops them, her eyes roam his face, and she can't help but stare at the smirk on his mouth before going back to his eyes. Rick notices this and does the same to her. Their eyes are locked and neither wants to let go, letting all of their unspoken feelings known.

The pure passion in his eyes makes Kate shiver. His smirk is gone; it is replaced with a look of awe, and is that love? Maybe it's the intimacy of the moment, or the fact that they're sitting in such close proximity of each other.

Hell, maybe it's the wine, but either way she feels weak.

Kate holds herself from leaning in for a kiss, and when she looks away, the room is suddenly burdened with air.

It all crashes to a blazing halt.

She feels nervous and afraid. She knows with everything in her that she wants him, right here and now, but she's scared.

So, she does the one thing she knows she's good at. She retreats.

"I should go. It's late." Kate whispers a fleeting good night before she rises and makes her way around the couch, feeling his eyes on her back as she walks. It's not until she reaches her bedroom door when she hears him call out to her.

"Kate."

The sound of her first name on his lips is almost enough to make her stay, but her fear holds her back. Hands shaking as she holds the door handle, a tight-lipped smile forces its way onto her mouth.

"Good night, Castle," she says quietly, shutting the door behind her.

Rick sighs as he watches the door close and mentally slaps himself for not stopping her. He keeps studying the door; in hope that maybe she'll come out. But the longer he looks, the longer he realizes she's gone.

He stands, and with a last glance toward where she's disappeared to, he turns and heads toward his bedroom. As soon as he's in his room, he runs his hands through his hair while he leans against the solid door.

He wants her. He wants her so much it hurts. His skin is buzzing with desire, his fingers and toes so alive and aware of the woman in the other bedroom that he can't think. She's in his very soul.

He needs her. He needs her like the oxygen he breathes.

He takes a deep breath and uses this single moment to collect himself. If he does this, this is it. There's no going back. Once the line is crossed, they can't uncross it.

It's now or never, he thinks as he opens his eyes and lifts away from the door.

With a shaking hand, he grips the handle and opens it.

She's there. Standing in the doorway of her bedroom, there's Kate.

Heart hammering in his chest, Rick slowly takes a step forward and watches as Kate does the same from across the room. They're silent as they continue to take one step, then another and another. And soon, there are no more steps to be taken.

Tentatively raising a hand, he cups her cheek and he has a smile for her when she cants into his hand almost unconsciously. The feel of her skin against his hand only intensifies his need to feel more. He pulls her in for a hug, his arms wrapping around her upper back as she leans into his embrace, her own arms circling his waist.

"Do you really want to be alone tonight, Kate?" He asks, voice soft and gentle as he strokes her back.

She doesn't say anything, only tugs herself away so she can meet his eyes, and what awaits her takes her breath away. The way he's regarding her makes her knees buckle. Unable to resist any longer, she leans up on her toes and presses her mouth to his.

Her lips move slowly across his, tasting and taking her time as she kisses him. His arms are still wrapped around her middle and she gasps when he tightens his grip, her chest flush against his.

Kate breaks the kiss, but keeps her mouth hovering above his. "Stay with me. Please."

Her words are encouragement enough. He kisses her soundly once more, hands traveling up her back and over her shoulders in order to come up and frame her face.

"Okay," he mumbles. "I'll stay."

When their need for oxygen becomes too much, Kate has a huge grin that curls the corners of her lips upward. Her cheeks are flushed and her hair is disheveled.

She looks adorable.

Reaching up, she takes one of his hands in hers and leads him to her bedroom. The air around them is thick with desire. And as she ever so gently lays back on the bed, she tosses a look his way that has him practically running to the bed. Carefully, with his body over hers, Rick tucks a loose strand of her hair behind her ear and gazes longingly down at her.

In the darkened light of the room, her face is silhouetted and the sharp line of her cheekbones becomes more prominent. Her eyes are a darker shade of green, the want swimming in them as she bites her bottom lip in nervousness.

"Tell me what you want me to do, Kate." He hesitates to move or take any further actions; afraid he may over step the boundaries. "I don't want to push you or—"

Her lips on his cut him off. She then says, "You. I just want you."

That's all the invitation he needs.

He claims her mouth again, while his hands journey south and slip underneath her purple shirt. Kate gasps at the feel of his hands on her bare skin, his fingers dancing along her hips and causing goose bumps to pucker on her skin.

She feels so loved as he caresses her and worships her body with his hands and lips. She knows this is right. And God, he is way too good at this.

"Rick—"

He removes her of her shirt, tossing the garment to the side before he sits up and explores every inch of her naked upper body with his eyes. She isn't wearing a bra, so her chest is exposed for his viewing pleasure.

"You're so beautiful," he breathes, his blue eyes eventually meet hers and he sees that she almost is on the brink of crying, but there's a smile on her lips. He closes the distance between them and kisses her forehead. "So beautiful."

He kisses her briefly, his hands tracing up and down her ribcage as he straddles her, a leg on either side of her hips, anchoring her to the bed.

Her breath catching in her throat, she threads her fingers through his hair as her eyes sparkle up at him. "So are you," she tells him, those green eyes of her shimmering with joy as she brings him in for a soft kiss, their lips slow and deliberate.

Everything from there on starts to move in slow motion, it's as if they had all the time in the world.

Rick tears his shirt off and it quickly joins hers on the floor. A pair of delicate hands move over his chest, her fingers dance along the muscles as she shudders with the feel of his hands on her skin once again. His hands roam her body, coming to rest on her breasts and she lets out a sigh as he palms them, before his seeking hands ghost over her ribs and head toward his intended destination. Trailing her lips downward, she ravages his neck and tastes the soft skin.

A sudden gasp spills from lips as Kate begins to simultaneously caress his bulge through his pants, making his eyelids flutter close as he moans in pleasure. Her hand stills when she feels him working her leggings off, the smallest movement of his hands on her thighs and hips causing a sigh of pleasure to escape unwillingly.

Head back, with her eyes shut and mouth open, Kate lets loose a low purr as his fingers dance along her calves before they make the voyage back up to her hips.

With Kate free of her leggings, Rick goes ahead and relieves himself of his pants. Now, both are left with only a few scraps of clothing between them.

But before progressing forward, Rick stops, and Kate can see the hesitation flash over his face. She grips his forearms, tugging him so he lies over her. The feel of skin on skin makes the air in their lungs disappear, both overwhelmed with the sensation.

"What is it?" She asks, stroking his cheek. He won't make eye contact with her. She curls a finger under his chin and turns his face toward hers. "Look at me, Rick." He does. "What's wrong? I thought you wanted this— wanted me?"

He hears the pain in her voice and he sighs because he's the one who put doubt in her mind.

"I do want you. More than you could ever know." He pauses. "It's just…"

"Just what?"

Gulping, his shuts his eyes closed for a brief second before they bore into hers. His voice is low and serious. "Are you still with Josh? Because as much as I'd like to continue, I won't if you're still with him. I'm not going to come between you two."

Kate can't help the smile from forming, her eyes shining bright, while Rick gives her a confused look. His head tilts to the side slightly as he listens to her explain.

Even when he has her practically naked beneath him, all he can think about is being a gentleman. It's in that instant that Kate recognizes she couldn't love him more.

"Rick." His name sounds like a prayer when coming from her lips. "Josh and I broke up over a month ago."

"But that was when…"

She nods her head. The bomb case. She'd broken up with him then?

"I just couldn't lie to him anymore. Or to myself. After that case, it was then that I'd realized you have been there for me, when he never was."

He can't believe it. When her words finally register and make sense in his mind, the smile that breaks out lights up the entire room. He plants a rough kiss to her mouth, gently biting her bottom lip before he's gone.

"I'll always be there for you, Kate. Remember that."

She returns the smile, the weight lifting from her shoulders. "I know you will."

He slowly leans in the rest of the way, covers the distance in a single breath and captures her mouth in a whisper of a kiss that makes Kate utterly helpless. In a manner of seconds, they are both completely naked, the remainder of their clothes in a pile on the floor.

With eyes locked, he pushes into Kate's warm, waiting body. They both moan at the sensation, the feeling of finally being connected is completely overwhelming.

Kate rolls her hips, locking her legs around him and pushing until he is fully sheathed inside her. Her head falls back, her mouth agape, and her hair is plastered to her sweat-soaked skin, as he hits that one, delicious point inside her.

They begin to move in a steady rhythm.

One delicate hand grazes down his neck and chest, finding purchase on his ribs. Her hands are cold against his hot skin and the contrast is numbing. Speeding up his thrusts, he nips at her throat before seeking her lips again; she can only whimper under him, already feeling pressure low in her stomach.

His hands rest on either side of her head, and with gritted teeth, he rocks his hips even slower. Kate's body immediately tenses at the change of pace, unable to hold it back any longer. She lets out a cry as she reaches her peak, stiffening then relaxing back onto the mattress, while Rick joins her only a few thrusts later.

Heart threatening to beat out of his chest, he settles next to her and huffs a deep breath. Kate curls into his side, her body slick with sweat as she latches onto him.

"That was—"

"Yeah," she agrees, pressing a tender kiss to his chest, right above his heart. Kate then can't help the yawn that escapes, her exhaustion from the day finally coming in at full swing and knocking the energy right out of her.

"Let's go to sleep, Kate."

She doesn't resist, merely snuggles further into his body as sleep grabs a hold of her. Rick presses a kiss to the crown of her head and yanks the sheets up over their bodies, holding her close as he too falls into the all-consuming grasp of sleep.

Neither knows what tomorrow will hold. But one thing is for sure…

They'd face it together, because they're there for one another. Always.


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