A really short post ep for 5x22, now that Still finally aired I wanted to post this up.

He steps backwards into his room, gazing at her as he does so. She begins to follow, admiring the dancing candle light flickering around the room. She runs her hand across the massage table she didn't know he owned. He steps up right behind her and whispers in her ear, giving her chills,

"This is the part where you take off your clothes and lie down." He puts his hands around her waist and turns her so she is facing him. Their faces are inches apart, he takes his hand to the bottom of her shirt but she stops him. Tears begin to swell up in her eyes.

"Castle, I can't," the look of hurt he gives her shatters whatever restraint she had left and the tears she was fighting back fell.

"I just," she paused, taking a deep breath, "I want to talk before we do anything." She took his hand in her two.

"Do anything…?" Castle was confused.

"Our relationship, Castle! Where are we going? We're just circling around the same things over and over again and I need to know; where are we going with this?" At this, Castle lifted her up and set her on the massage table so she sat eyes level to his.

"Kate, this is real for me," he looked down, then back up, straight into her eyes, "this past year has been the best year of my life. You mean the world to me and I don't know what I would ever do without you," he paused, seeing her positive reaction, he continued, "I want to spend every moment of everyday with you for the rest of my life. I just don't know what you want."

Kate grinned, "Castle, you're all I want now and forever." She thought briefly in her head how cheesy that sounded but didn't care as she saw Castle's countenance changed, eyes lighting up and smile beaming.

"Good." Castle chuckled. "So this means I can ask you to marry me now?"

"Richard Castle you will get a ring first and take me out and -"he shut her up with a kiss.

"Not now as in now, Detective. I'm going to ask you when you're least expecting it, then I'll sweep you off your feet and claim you as mine."

"I'm already yours." She put her arms around his neck.

"I love you, Kate." He said, leaning in towards her.

"I love you too, Rick." She smiled, closing the remaining distance.

Thanks for reading 3