A continuation of episode 6X17 "In The Belly of the Beast." The best drama episode of the series! Kudos to the entire crew and cast, especially Stana Katic for an incredible performance.

His fingers gentle lightly over her previously porcelain skin, now marred with angry colored bruises,roughened red skin and fierce open cuts. He breathes her in, as she fitfully sleeps in the warm curve of his body, his arms wrapped protectively around her, her face ensconced in the crook of his neck. Her breath cascades warmly over his cooling skin, as he once again tries to contain the myriad of emotions barreling through him.

In the empty darkness of their bedroom, Castle finally closes his eyes and thanks a higher power for her life and another chance at their forever. His heart stutters angrily at the thought of the evil that almost stole her from him. Who without a second thought would have snuffed her life essence from this world.

Kate's body unconsciously seeks him in her sleep. Molding herself to the planes of his body and instinctively seeking his warmth and love. Sleep sadly eludes him as he watches over her. Watches as all his hopes, dreams, and desires tangle in this beautiful woman who stole his heart years ago, and his thoughts drift...drift into a darkness he can't quite escape.

They came so dangerously close today. Her crumpled, tortured body found bound and beaten just feet from the man sent to dispose of her. His blood pooled against her as it had leaked from his body, blood from her injuries mixing with his in the cold wet dirt surrounding them. Her hands and feet tied so tightly bound that the ties had cut through the pale skin of her wrists. Her hair matted and crusted with dirt and blood.

Unconscious, cold and traumatized she hadn't responded to them upon arrival. Her body hung,limp and cold as he put her in the ambulance. Not until they were well on their way to the hospital, had she come to gasping and calling desperately for him. Her eyes clouded and unseeing as she tried to claw herself away from a perceived danger.

He reached for her, trying to calm her with his voice, afraid of hurting her if he touched her. As her visions cleared she had thrown herself at him and had sobbed incoherent words into his neck oblivious to those around her. Stroking her hair he whispered his love and tried to soothe her. Wondering what horrors had she endured to have broken her like this. A vile hot anger coursed through him as he calmed her.

She had been reluctantly released from the hospital. To the dismay of her doctors, Gates and Lanie who had really wanted her to stay overnight. She had shaken her head stubbornly and promised to follow their orders, if she could just go home. Home with him, to him. No one understood she only needed him. Only he could put her scattered pieces together.

They had stopped at the precinct and given her statement. Espo and Ryan grasping at anything that could lead to who had done this to her. Angry when they finally conceded that Vulcan Simmons was untouchable for now, and she was still at risk.

Castle recognized the moment she had put the pieces together and had figured out who had been behind this, the boys following suit quickly. Her eyes searched his and let him know that this fight was far from over.

Castle had taken her home, fed her, then slowly walked her into the bathroom. Her eyes wide with panic as she spotted the shower and bath tub. He had gently undressed her, joined her in the shower and reverently washed all traces of the night away. His tears merging with hers as they watched blood pool around their feet, and then slither down the drain reminding them of how close they had come to loosing everything. Stepping out of the shower he gently tended to her wounds and wrapped her in her warmest robe.

Before bed she had seen Bracken's Presidential announcement and the political chest he had already amassed. They had discussed how the score was now even and next time Bracken and her met, one of them would not survive. There was nothing more to say, they knew that there was no escaping it. They knew that together they would stand.

He had walked her to bed and had slipped in next to her, desperately needing to feel her body against his. She had reached up and kissed him so reverently he felt his breath escape him and his heart race.

"I waited my entire life for you, Castle." Her fingers slowly tracing the line of his jaw.

"You brought love back into my life, when I had shut it out. I built a wall, you bulldozed through it. I'm not ever going to give that up without fighting with everything I have. I want this, Rick. I want everything, all of it, because of you. You are everything." Her lips ghost softly over his as she draws him closer.

A tear escapes and runs down his cheek. She kisses it away then kisses him again soundly. He watches her and captures her hands kissing them with such adoration in his eyes.

"I was so helpless, Kate. So angry at Captain Fowler for putting you in danger, for putting his case before your life. He risked you life like you were expendable." His eyes brimming with unshed tears, anger suddenly coursing through him.

"Rick, Gates offered me an out. She said I didn't have to do it, but at the time it seemed like a simple thing to do. I wanted to help." She scrapes her fingers through his hair and places soft gentle kisses on his eyes to soothe him. " I wouldn't have done it, if I had thought it was dangerous. You mean more than anything to me."

"You were there with me the entire time, Castle. You urged me to not give up. You gave me the strength to keep going, because I knew you would eventually come for me. You never left me."

He holds her so close he feels he may be hurting her, afraid to tell her he may never let her go again.

"I love you, Kate. Please don't leave me, I love you." The words reverberate through both of them as the images crash into them of another time. A time where those words caused her to run, but now they swell her heart and give her strength and courage.

"Look at me, Rick. I love you, but this is now not then. Now, I want you to love me. I need you to love me. Show me how you love me, Rick. Please?" She kisses him with all the passion and love she has for him. "Please make me feel alive."

He looks at her and is overwhelmed by the look in her eyes, by the undeniable love emanating from her. She is every dream he has ever had.

"Your wish is my command." He growls as he kisses a path from her neck to the warm valley between her breasts. His fingers carefully sliding down her toned stomach. He will pay homage to her tonight and make her feel as loved as he does. Because Bracken has money, and he is a force of evil to be reckoned with, but they're more, and together Bracken will have one hell of a fight. Tonight he will show her his love and devotion making sure she remembers his eternal love for her.

Long after she has fallen into this fitful sleep, he replays the better part of the day with her. The morning when her smile lit up the room as she told him she knew exactly what kind of font they needed. The talk they had had, where she told him in her words how she loved him, and then he had slowly sunk deep into her wetness and felt one with her until both of them shattered together in bliss. His eyes felt heavy, as sleep finally overtook him, and his final thoughts before sleep swept him into darkness were of her swollen with their child in a not so distant future.