*So, kind of a little intro...I have a collection of ficlets on tumblr that were written to fill specific prompts. I decided I should share them here as well, so that they can be enjoyed by a wider audience. So, without further ado, here we go!
Prompt 1: What happened the night of Always, before After The Storm
(Castle)
"I almost died, and all I could think about was you. I just want you."
He hears Kate's words, comprehends them even. But he's too preoccupied for all of them to fully register.
"I almost died."
It doesn't hit him until hours later, after they've thoroughly exhausted each other and she's drifting off to sleep in his bed. He hasn't stopped touching her yet. He can't help it; she's just so soft and warm and here. He's still not entirely sure this isn't a dream, and he's scared that if he stops touching her, if he breaks that connection, she'll disappear.
Almost unconsciously, his grip tightens on her side, just below her rib cage. Kate tenses, and the little whimper that she tries to muffle in her pillow sends his heart straight into his stomach. He withdraws his hand immediately, whispering apologies in her ear.
"It's okay, Castle," she murmurs. "I'm okay. Just a little sore."
"I almost died."
The need to be touching her is overwhelming, so he gently settles his arm across her waist. "Kate," he starts, speaking past the lump in his throat, "when you said that you almost...died, exactly how close were you to..."
She sighs, and he thinks she isn't going to answer until she turns over on her other side to face him. Her hand comes to rest on his cheek and she holds his gaze when she answers, "Too close."
She tells him about tracking Maddox's hotel room down through his rental car, about chasing him onto the roof, about the fight that left her dangling off the side of the building, certain that she was going to fall to her death.
"How..." He swallows and starts again. "How'd you get back up?"
"Ryan," she says, smiling sadly. "He pulled me up." She pauses. "I thought he was you," she admits, a tear escaping. "And when he wasn't..."
"Kate." He pulls her into a hug, kisses the crown of her head. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I wasn't there."
"It's okay," she whispers again. She pulls back just enough so that she can kiss him. "You're here now."