A/N: I do not own any of this.

Come Around to Me

I could lie to you all my days

But you're the one, you're the one

And I'm a fool for waiting so long to let you know...

She wasn't sure how long she had been standing outside his door. Her fists were clenched tightly in an effort to stop her damn hands from shaking. With an unsteady breath and her heart pounding loudly against her chest she raised her hand and knocked.

He's fine. He's fine. He's fine. She chanted silently. With every second that passed she grew more and more anxious. Why couldn't he have just waited for her. Why couldn't he have just listened to her for once-

"Kate!"

"Hi Martha. Is he here?" Her voice was surprisingly even. None of the worry she knew was wracked across her face had seeped into her words.

"I think I heard him about twenty minutes ago. Check his office." Martha explained as she moved to let Kate in. "Is everything OK?"

"No." Kate mumbled and she quickly crossed the room not bothering to explain herself to the poor woman. She found the door was open a crack. She hesitated before confidently pushing into the room. He didn't even flinch. He was leaning against the side of his desk with a tumbler of scotch pressed to his forehead. She was prepared to yell. She had the words ready on her tongue. But the sight of his slumped shoulders caused her resolve to falter.

Castle looked defeated, utterly broken. She felt a lump form in her throat and attempted to swallow it, willing herself not to cry. She cautiously made her way toward him, trying not to startle him out of wherever his thoughts had taken him.

"Hey." He jerked at the sound of her voice, blinking several times.

"Hey." He horsed out. It was then she saw it. The angry skin around his neck where the rope had left its indentation. There was no stopping the tears now. They spilled freely as her hand came up to lightly touch the marking.

"Rick..."

"It looks..." He cleared his throat, unable to hide a wince. "And sounds, worse than it is. I'm OK." With her fingers still on his skin she looked into his eyes.

"I'm not." She spoke in a whisper. She saw his eyes go wide as he quickly scanned her body for any sign of injury. She wasn't hurt, not physically anyway. She shook her head in reassurance. "Why didn't you wait for me?"

"Huh?"

"I went looking for you at the scene, and when I couldn't find you-" Her voice cracked with emotion. She swallowed hard trying to regain some semblance of composure.

"I'm sorry Kate. I just...I had to get out of there. He..." Castle stopped talking and shook his head. "I'm sorry." The sincerity in his voice was echoed in his eyes. His beautiful blue eyes.

His hands tentatively came to rest on her hips. She jumped slightly at the contact as she realized how close she was standing to him. She was practically nestled between his legs. He felt her stiffen and quickly pulled his hands back. She missed them.

The second she had seen Castle with that awful green and white rope around his neck she had decided to stop running. She didn't want to fight him anymore. She no longer wanted to ignore the words he thinks she doesn't remember.

She closed the little space left between them and wrapped her arms around his neck. One hand found its way into his incredibly soft hair, while the other drifted up and down his back in an attempt to comfort. His arms immediately circled her waist and pulled her even closer to him, burying his face in her hair.

"You gotta stop running into the line of fire." She could hear the desperation in her voice but didn't care. He could have died tonight.

"I can't-"

"Castle..." She was pleading with him.

"Kate, if you're there then I'm there. Always." She squeezed her eyes shut as fresh tears prickled behind her lids. Before she could stop it a strangled sob broke free. The patterns Castle was drawing on her lower back ceased and he squeezed her firmly to him. After a few moments he pulled back to find her cheeks wet. He gently cupped her face and wiped the salty tears away with his thumbs. She took a shaky breath and rested her forehead against his. She was about to cross a line, hell she'd already crossed at least a dozen tonight.

"Castle?"

"Hmm?"

"Did you mean it?" He pulled his head back and raised his eye brow quizzically urging her to elaborate. "In the cemetery." She saw it instantly. The recognition followed by the fear. He swallowed hard but maintained eye contact. She knew it was the truth before he said anything.

"Yes. I-"

Before he could finish her lips are on his. He responded in kind, gently dragging his hands up her sides. His right hand found its way into Kate's hair, the other back down to her hip. He jolted when her tongue traced his lower lip begging for entrance. He happily obliged. When air became a necessity they reluctantly broke apart, chests heaving.

It was a few heartbeats before either them opened their eyes only to find huge grins playing across each other's slightly swollen lips.

"Man, I should get nearly strangled more often." Kate choked on a laugh and then sobered immediately.

"That's not funny."

"I know." He said sincerely leaning in to press a sweet kiss to her lips.

"I love you." It was quiet but confident, her eyes never leaving his. She watched as his eyes lit up for the first time in over a week. His smile grew wider and wider.

"God, I love you too Kate..." He stood backing her gently into the bookcase, his mouth covered hers in a heated kiss. Every nerve ending in her body was on fire. She grabbed at his shirt trying to pull him as close to her as possible. He pulled her bottom lip between his teeth, and then followed with his tongue. He soon moved his focus to her neck finding her pulse point. A small moan slipped out without her permission and she could feel him smile against her skin. She was about to pull his mouth back to hers when the sound of a throat clearing froze them both. Please don't be Alexis.

"Finally." It was Martha looking quite pleased as she leaned casually against the door jamb. "Just wanted to let you know I'm heading out Richard. Oh and Alexis is out for the night..."

"Thank you mother." He smiled at Martha while Kate buried her head in his shoulder.

"You kids enjoy your evening." She called as she left the room.

"Oh we will." Rick whispered in Kate's ear sending a shiver down to the tips of her toes. She placed soft kisses along the bruised skin of his throat. Castle's hands found their way under her shirt massaging the sensitive skin of her lower back occasionally dipping below her waistline.

"Hey Castle?"

"Hmmm?" He resumed his attack of her neck and collarbone, playfully nipping at her flushed skin.

"In all the times I've been here, I don't think I've ever seen your bedroom." His entire body stilled and pulled away from her. A cocky grin found it's way to his face while his blue eyes darkened with desire. Without a word he laced his fingers through hers and pulled her behind him. When they reached the bedroom door he stopped abruptly and turned to her.

"Before we do this, I just have to say one more thing..."

"OK..." Her eyebrows raised in question. What could be so important that he had to say it right this second? He smiled at her confusion and pulled her flush against his body, resting his forehead against hers. He looked intently at her for a moment before taking a deep breath. Her heart felt like it was about to burst through her chest. God, would he just spit it out already so I can take his clothes off.

"Thanks for saving my life today." Her lips quirked as she brushed a thumb across his lower lip.

"Always." She pushed past him and into his room. "Now get in here and take my clothes off." He laughed loudly and followed her.

"Yes ma'am."

Come around come around come around come around to me

There's something in between you and I

Come around come around come around to me

You feel like breathing

Come Around to Me.