Title: Not Unheard Of

Rating: Surely you all know me by now.

Disclaimer: You saw the last three episodes of Season Five, right?

Summary: Flinging yourself into your fiancée's arms and squealing with joy is not the usual reaction to getting fired.

Dedication: To CJ, for her infinite patience and all-around awesomeness.

Kate flung herself into Rick's arms the second the door shut behind her – now former – FBI partner, letting her fiancée spin her around and around his living room. She was giggling ridiculously, clinging to him as if for dear life.

This was not the typical reaction to getting fired.

In fact, showing such exuberant joy hadn't been Kate's reaction to anything in… well, in a long time. Six years ago, she wouldn't have even cracked a smile. Not in front of anyone else, at least. Three years ago, she would have given Castle a brief hug, not holding on for nearly as long or as tightly as she'd wanted to.

Now, though, now… well, she was acting giddier than a teenage girl who'd gotten her dream car for Christmas. And she didn't give a damn.

"You are amazing." Rick told her, finally setting her down. "You are the most amazing woman I've ever met."

She wanted to tell him that she didn't understand what he saw in her. She was doing what she'd always promised herself she would do – speak for the dead, fulfill their last wishes and bring them justice. She was giving them peace. But what for her had always been a mission, was for him a mark of her heroism. She didn't understand it and probably never would, but she was learning to accept it.

She was learning to accept his love.

"This calls for a celebration." He informed her, setting her down. "Preferably with wine. Or champagne? I have both."

"Champagne." She decided. It was a little late for wine, and she preferred it with dinner anyway.

Rick obliged, quickly setting out the necessary glasses and bottle. They clinked glasses, grinning helplessly, and she couldn't help but think as she took a sip that this never would have worked on paper. On paper she never would've bent, and he never would have committed, or they would have gotten together too soon. Either way they'd be dead in the water by this point.

But they're not on paper, and they're far from sinking. They're strong – stronger than ever. They even survived months of being apart.

As she set down her glass she felt his hand close over her wrist, letting her place her drink on the kitchen island before tugging her against him, kissing her. She opened her mouth, letting their tongues swirl together in a mix of heat and champagne. She hummed, knowing he loved the vibrations rippling through from her to him.

"House to ourselves." He murmured. His lips brushed against hers as he spoke.

Rick had always been a sucker for celebratory sex.

"Indeed." She conceded, letting him take a few steps backwards and lead her towards the bedroom.

They were about halfway to the main event, her breast in his mouth, when Rick pulled back and said, "Move in with me."

Kate raised her head. "What?"

He shrugged, he thumb circling her nipple. "I want you to move in with me."

"And you couldn't have asked about this later?" She replied.

"You asked me if I wanted kids while you were sucking my dick two weeks ago, Kate. I don't think you're really in a position to be making judgments on good timing."

Point taken.

"Do you want an answer right now?" She asked, sliding her hand down to stroke him. "Or, ah, can I take some time to think – oh god – about it?"

"You can think about it," He murmured, kissing his way up her neck and tugging on her earlobe with his teeth.

"I mean, I technically still have an apartment in the city," She reminded him, spreading her legs. "Because I had a year lease left and I couldn't get out of it."

Rick hummed, linking their fingers together as he slowly entered her. "I'm going to enjoy you not having a job for a few days," He informed her, his voice low and husky and fucking perfect.

She grinned at him, her body automatically adjusting to the feel of him inside her. She'd missed this – the familiarity of their bodies, the feeling of completion and connection. "I'm going to enjoy it too. Just don't tell anyone else that."

"Our little secret," He assured her. He rocked into her, starting out slow.

"This means we have to start planning for the wedding," She reminded him.

Rick groaned, his eyes slamming shut. "Really?"

Kate leveled her gaze at him. "You're the one who brought up our living situation."

"No, it's just… bouquets and table placements and… yeah," Rick made a sheepish face. "It's just hitting me how much preparing we have to do."

"But it'll be worth it," She assured him. And herself, if she were being honest, which she was really working on being.

Rick paused, ignoring her whine of protest, and brought his hand up to stroke her face. "Of course it will," He whispered.

She reached up and kissed him, as deep as she could.

There wasn't a lot of talking after that.

There were a thousand other things, of course, besides discussing living quarters during sex and celebrating getting fired by letting your fiancé fuck you into the mattress so hard you left a permanent dent in the wall from the headboard.

There were a hundred retellings where Lanie would arch her eyebrows and say, girl…

There were a dozen days when Alexis would look at them, puzzled.

There were countless times when Ryan and Esposito (and even the Captain, when she thought no one could see her) would roll their eyes.

There were millions of moments were Martha would smile, her eyes bright and knowing.

But for all of the stares and the strange looks and the questioning glances from others, Kate knew that they worked. She knew, deep in the marrow of her where the soul sang clear, that this was it. This was what they wanted, what they needed, and it was special.

It was difficult and rare, what they've got, but it's not unheard of.

Well, it took longer than I thought, but I'm back in the Caskett saddle! Woohoo! Now tell me – how amazing has Season Six been!?