Hey guys, this is a little one-shot that happened in my head this morning. I'm working on some bigger stuff, but I do't have much time to write an I don't want you guys to have to wait for weeks for another chapter. SO I write when I can and once I can write regularly again, I'll start posting the other stuff.

This is set early season 5

Disclaimer: Are these things actually necessary?

Kate walks around the corner when she sees him slumped on her desk, staring at the now empty murder board. The sadness in his eyes breaks her heart and she hesitantly takes a few steps towards him. He doesn't react. He just keeps staring at the white surface of the board, lost in his own miserable thoughts. Probably seeing the pictures that were up there for days. She has to force herself not to think about them, has been pushing them away from her mind's eye for days.

"Castle," she says softly when she gets close to him and his eyes meet hers for just a millisecond before he's gone again.

She can't take his pain and steps up to stand between his legs. She wraps her hands around his neck and kisses his cheek before she pulls him in for a tight hug. It takes him a few moments before she feels his hands around her waist. "Gates will see."

"I don't care," she replies. All she wants to do now is comfort her partner. Take the pain away. She feels him pull her closer and hide his face in her hair at her answer and she caresses the nape of his neck.

"How can someone be capable of doing something so gruesome?" he whispers and she has to fight back tears at the defeated sound of his voice. She doesn't know. It's a complete mystery to her how someone can do that to another person. Much less a child.

"I don't know, Castle," she whispers back and pulls back so she can see his eyes. She's relieved to see that he's here with her as he rests his forehead against hers. They breathe each other in, taking comfort in the closeness as they stare into each other's eyes. "But this is why we do what we do, right? Making sure that psychos like this never get the chance to do it again."

"It hurts me that he even got the chance to do it once."

"Me too, Castle," she whispers and closes her eyes, fighting back the tears. She feels the ghost of his lips against her cheek, but he pulls away before he can actually kiss her. She smiles a little and opens her eyes to see the fight going on in his. She pulls at his neck and kisses him softly. At the sharp intake of breaths around her she suddenly remembers where they are.

She doesn't care, she caresses his ear as she pulls him even closer. They can needle her later all they want. Right now, her boyfriend needs comforting and she will do everything to help him forget. And herself for that matter.

When they pull back he chuckles. "Well, at least now we don't have to hide anymore."

His little chuckle is the best thing she's heard all day and she smiles at him. "Guess not," she grins. "Going to do anything with that?" She raises her eyebrow.

He growls and crashes his lips to hers again, but she pulls away all too soon. "I do have to remember that we kind of have to act professionally at work," she mumbles reluctantly.

"Then why are we still here?" he asks with a sly smile.

"Because I still have paperwork to finish," she answers on a sigh. "You okay?"

"I will be," he whispers. "Thank you." He gives her another kiss and lets her go.

"Always."

Thanks for reading Xx