A/N : Short story, sorry! Please comment prompts :)

DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN CASTLE

Kate felt the bullet before she heard it. She felt a sharp pain in her chest and her entire body was burning. Any of the words she was about to say would remain unspoken, as she was not able to form even a coherent sound. Everything felt as if it was moving in slow motion.

She was standing at the podium giving the eulogy at her former captains funeral. She had heard Castle call her name. Before she could even turn her head,the bullet pierced her skin and all the oxygen left her body.

All of a sudden, Beckett felt a strong weight against her as she fell to the ground. Rick had jumped in front of her and tackled her, trying to shield her from the deadly projectile. Too late. Adrenaline was coursing through her veins to the point where she couldn't even feel the pain. Kate could heard the screams and cries of the people in the crowd but she felt as though time had froze. All she could focus on was the pair of blue eyes above her and the hurt and fear swimming beneath.

Rick was watching the blood drain out of the love of his life. Beckett's father's words from their meeting earlier that day played on a loop in his head. "Look she cares about you Rick, and unless you're a lot dumber than you look I know you care about her. Don't let her throw her life away." He felt the guilt hit him like a ton of bricks. If he had just noticed the glint of the sniper rifle a little bit sooner. If he had just jumped in front of her a little bit earlier. Now she was going to die never knowing how he truly feels. Kate's father was right. He does care about her. He's in love with her.

"Oh, Kate." he whispered, cradling the back of her head as she lay bleeding out on the grass.

Beckett tried to make some sort of sound, anything, but her attempts were futile.

"Shh." he said putting pressure on her wound. "Stay with me Kate. Don't leave me, please." he cried.

"Stay with me, okay?" he pleaded, begging her to just keep her eyes open.

Castle decided he couldn't let her die without knowing the truth. "Kate, I love you." he whispered. "I love you, Kate."

A tear slid down her face when she heard his deceleration. Or maybe those were his tears dripping off his face onto hers, she couldn't tell. His words sounded tortured when they hit her ears. Timing was never their strong suit and this situation was no exception. He confessed his love for her as she lay on the freshly grown grass with a bullet in her chest.

Kate had always suppressed her feelings for the writer. She had pursued relationships with men she didn't love because it made it easier when she lost them. Castle was different. If she admitted to herself that she felt something for him that ran past friendship, she wouldn't be able to keep one foot out the door. And that terrified her. She knew she wouldn't be able to handle losing Castle.

Beckett thought about all the time she had wasted. Had she just admit to herself that she had feelings for him, things would be different.

She searched his eyes and all she could see was his love for her and his fear of losing her. He had begged her to walk away. But she was just so damn stubborn. She never backs down. But now it's going to cost her her life. Kate felt herself grow faint as her eyes started to roll back her her lids fell closed.

Rick felt Beckett's body go limp is his arms. His breathing stuttered as he watched her eyes close. His eyes were burning with the tears threatening to spill over. He couldn't lose her.