Once Upon A Crime post episode fic. I know it's been done tons of times, by writers who are way better than me most likely, but after watching the episode again, I mean, how could I not? Picks up right where the episode left off. Hopefully this is appealing to some of you.

Also, I really suck at picking titles for fics, so I apologize in advance.

He tried. God help him he whole-heartedly tried to pay attention to the scene before him. His mother, speaking in the intense vibrato she used in all her performances; her arms moving about adding just the right amount of drama to make it all believable.

But none of that even mattered. Not since the very moment Katherine Beckett placed her hand on his, atop his knee; blocking out all that was going on around him. His pulse raced, white noise filled his ears, muting whatever outlandish detail his mother was filling the room with.

Instead he focused on the new warmth encompassing his hand; the way her small fingers fit so effortlessly easy into the palm of his own. It wasn't the first time they'd held hands, or even touched each other, for that matter. But this time it was different; they were different. Neither of them was in pain, nor was there any life threatening situation looming above them. This time they were just two people, trying to just be.

His hand flinched slightly, gently squeezing her fingers in the process. He moved his gaze towards her, the perfect slope of her back something he dreamed about running his hands down on more than one occasion, then over to her profile. The soft smile at his mother's antics still adorned her face, the same smile shed been wearing more often lately. The one he put there on almost a regular basis. His heart skipped a beat and he squeezed her hand again.

Castle really did feel terrible the about not hearing the majority of his mothers one woman play. He figured it was just about over when he heard her quip about how he told her he wanted to be a writer instead of an actor.

All of that was forgotten once again when Kate turned towards him, their gazes finally connecting. He watched as her breath quickened, her fingers twitched, tickling the inside of his palm. He knew what she could see, his eyes so full with all the words he's yearned to say. All the emotions for this one woman he's tried extremely hard to keep buried deep inside until she was ready to see them. But this was it for him; there was no going back after this moment. He knew, before the nights end, Katherine Beckett would know once and for all, just how deeply he felt for her.

Castle gave his head a subtle tilt, silently beckoning her to relax against the couch, against him. He watched as her head dipped in shyness, a blush rising to her cheeks; the heaviness of the previous moment gone but certainly not forgotten. But nothing could have prepared him for the way it would feel once her body became flushed against his; the white noise in his ears like crashing waves, the pounding of his heart like a bass drum in a rock song.

Yeah, there was absolutely no going back after tonight.

Castle twined his fingers with hers, bringing their joined hands onto his lap, encompassing their hands with his free one, silently hoping she understood his meaning of, 'I've got you. You're safe. Please don't leave.' Kate's head fell softly to his shoulder, letting him know she understood.

That was it, he knew, that was all he could take. The white noise in his ears now at a deafening pitch, blood in his veins now at a boil. He placed a gentle kiss atop her head, holding her hand with a sudden force too strong for him to try and control while he whispered her name.

"Kate…"

The longing laced in his voice caused unexpected moisture in her eyes. She knew how he felt, she never forgot. She knew it in every smile he sent her way, in every coffee he brought in the mornings. Just like she knew that taking his hand in hers was a mistake. But ohh, if it wasn't the sweetest mistake shed ever made.

"Alas my fellow patrons, I give to you, my dear boy, Richard Alexander Rodgers!" Castle heard his given name fall from his mothers' lips, effectively breaking the spell he'd been under since he felt Kate's hand on his. "And that, my dear Katherine, is how you introduce your son to the world!" He felt Kate lift her head from its perch atop his shoulder and watched as she smiled brightly at his mother.

Castle watched as Alexis and Martin clapped jovially, while Martha curtsied and bowed as if she were on a grand stage in front of thousands. He smiled when Kate used her free hand along with their ball of fingers to applaud his mother; she didn't want to let him go either.

There was a flurry of motion in his peripheral, Martha, Martin and Alexis hugged laughed and passed the celebratory champagne around. But Castle couldn't bring himself to care; didn't care that his mother was putting a serious dent in his liquor cabinet today, didn't care that his daughter and Martin flirted like they were ready to run up to her bedroom any moment. None of the mattered, as long as Kate was still at his side.

He turned his attention back to the woman beside him, focusing solely on her and the way the green in her eyes shown brighter now than ever before, the moisture from unshed tears held at bay. The heaviness from their previous moments returning full force, bringing all the emotions they feel for each other back to the forefront. Everything he ever wanted to say, all the missed opportunities, all the 'what ifs' that remain unsaid, lay bare between them. And there was no going back.

Kate leaned just that much closer into his personal space, her chest against his arm, her forehead finding a home against his own. She felt her stomach begin to roll in nervous waves, her breath coming out in warm exhales as she began to speak.

"Castle."

"Kate, I…"

Castle moaned softly the instant her lips touched his. The warm, soft, velvety taste of her lips over his was almost more than he could take. Almost. He cupped her cheek in his hand briefly before grasping a loose curl between his fingers. He would never tire of having her so close.

Martha's loud chuckle broke through the cloud that settled over them once again, causing Kate to sever the kiss, but not their connection. She couldn't; even if she wanted too, she couldn't.

She realized then, the last place she wanted to be was apart from Castle; not now, not ever.