Author Note:

Hey guys! Oh my God. How amazing was Always? There are no words to describe adequately how I feel about this episode so I'll just leave you with my idea of the morning after night before. I hope you enjoy :) Please review! -Leigh xo

Disclaimer:

I'm not Andrew Marlowe, just a fangirl who wishes she had even half of his genius xD

Domestic Bliss

It took Kate longer than usual to get her bearings and work out where she was the next morning, a task made all the more challenging because she was unable to move more than a fraction for the weight of another body half atop her own. Tilting her head to one side –and seeing a sleeping Castle's head on the pillow beside her – a radiant smile spread across her face as bits and pieces from the previous few hours came flooding back. She emitted a contented sigh, shifting slightly to check the clock on the wall, which confirmed her previous thought that it was still relatively early, just after half past eight.

As she moved Castle's arm wrapped protectively around her waist and she couldn't quell the giddy feeling that rose up inside her. Her whole body ached, and she'd had barely three hours sleep but she couldn't remember ever feeling this kind of contentedness. She sank back into the mattress, her fingers lazily grazing his side. "Damn it woman, stop tickling me," Castle mumbled, half opening one eye, "Some of us are trying to sleep here."

Kate was about to reply when her stomach chose then to make its presence known –based on some quick calculations she realised she'd barely eaten anything in the past twenty-four hours, something which really needed rectifying given the amount of physical exertion she'd subjected her body to since. Kate gently shifted herself out from beneath him – resulting in a great deal of murmured protest – and placed a chaste kiss on his lips before slipping out of bed, and picking up his shirt from the night before. "Sorry...go back to bed Castle," She whispered, sliding her arms into it and doing up a couple of buttons. She watched from the doorway for a second, her lips curving up into a gentle smile as he rolled over into the space she'd just vacated and buried his face in her pillow.

It was almost two hours later when Castle stirred for the second time, and now only as a result of the brilliant sunlight streaming in through the blinds. What had been a storm of epic proportions (in more ways than one) had dissipated, leaving behind nothing but bright blue skies. Blinking sleepily, one particular sense was overriding all others and his heartbeat quickened as the familiar scent of cherries invaded his throat. "Mmm Kate," He murmured, still not quite awake although any traces of tiredness were gone when he rolled across the mattress and found the other side unoccupied.

Dragging himself out of bed and groaning quietly as aching muscles protested unhelpfully, Castle pulled on his robe knotting the belt around his body. An irrational sense of panic coursed through him, finally settling in his stomach and Castle's chest suddenly felt tight as memories of the night before chased themselves throughout his brain. An image of her was burned into the forefront of his mind...Kate writhing on the bed beneath him, her hair splayed out across the pillows and her hands clutching desperately at the sheets as she struggled to keep her eyes open. Surely she couldn't be regretting their night together that much that she'd bailed on him. She wouldn't, not after everything. Would she?

Interrupting his train of thought, his stomach rumbled loudly, alerting him to the fact that he was very much starving and as Castle's brain processed this, he was made dimly aware of the aroma of coffee wafting through his loft. His relief was clearly etched across his face and if it wasn't for how worried he'd been, Castle would have laughed but nothing could have prepared him for the sight that met his eyes though when he eventually exited his room.

In the middle of his kitchen stood a barefoot Kate, wearing just his shirt from yesterday, which was rolled up at the sleeves and fell halfway down her slender legs. Her hair tumbled in messy waves across her shoulders and she held a spatula in one hand, and a bag of flour in the other. She had her back to him, and so for a second Castle allowed himself the luxury of watching her completely uninhibited and revelled in the sheer domesticity of it all. He'd never seen her so carefree. Castle's heart swelled with love for her as he watched her move about the room with ease, he felt something stir within him as every time she reached up to retrieve something from the cupboard, his shirt rode up and he was rewarded with the glimpse of a fresh expanse of skin.

As Castle drew closer, he could hear the faint strains of the radio playing and Kate's soft voice singing along. He was about a meter away from her when her voice interrupted his musings, "I see you finally made it out of bed then." There were the faint strains of laughter in her voice but Kate didn't turn around, concentrating on carefully measuring out ingredients. "What's up? Not as much of a morning person as you thought?"

"Hey, I resent that," Castle started to protest indignantly, further closing the distance between them, "And I'd hardly call this morning-"

Kate rolled her eyes at him, and again he marvelled at the familiarity of the gesture. "Castle its nearly 10am," She pointed out, inclining her head towards the digital display of his state of the art microwave.

"Well I do apologize but somebody kept me up until nearly five," His lips twitched as they bantered back and forth, and it reassured him to know that they hadn't lost that ability because of their new closeness.

For a fraction of a second Kate was lost for words – her body reacting accordingly at the mental images conjured up as he'd spoken – but she quickly collected herself, feeling his triumphant expression burning holes in her back. There was no way she'd give him the satisfaction, "I didn't hear you complaining at the time," She retorted, deliberately lowering her voice.

"Who says I'm complaining?" They were barely inches apart now and Castle mimicked her tone, his strong arms wrapping themselves around her waist. "Mmm morning beautiful," He murmured into the crease of her neck, peppering kisses against the expanse of skin he found there, and feeling her smile as he moved against her jaw. She let out a breathy sigh as his lips grazed the sensitive spot beneath her ear and he grinned; it was as if they'd been doing this dance for years because it felt so familiar yet so new all at the same time.

Kate twisted in the embrace that he'd created, both comforted and turned on by the feel of his body pressed flush against hers, "Hey Castle," She answered softly, reaching up to wrap her arms around his neck but he just laced his fingers through hers and continued to stare at her. "Don't I get a good morning kiss?" Her voice was teasing, but he could detect the underlying concern in her words.

"Just give me a minute Kate," He reassured her with his eyes, taking a step back out of her personal space, "I just want to look at you." Castle's head was tilted slightly on one side, and his eyes travelled across the curves and contours of her body, which his hands had explored just hours previously. He worked his way from her painted red toenails, eyes briefly lingering on her bare legs before continuing upwards. She hadn't buttoned his shirt the whole way up and her scar was on full display, along with a hint of cleavage, and he found himself suppressing a grin as he noted the reddened hickey standing out against her complexion. However Castle was unable to prevent himself from smiling as he observed a smudge of flour across one cheek, unlinking their hands and reaching up to brush it away.

Kate's hand came up to her face, placing it over his, "You can look at me anytime you want," Her eyes fixed on his and he was startled at the intensity of her gaze but he held it steady. "This is real Rick; you've got me now and I don't want to be anywhere else." The way she spoke it was as if she'd read his mind and knew what he feared most. "I love you." She squeezed his hand gently placing it back by his side before trailing her fingers across his jaw line and finally pressing her lips to his, to which he tenderly responded. It wasn't the most heated of kisses they'd shared in the last twelve hours but one that meant so much more because of the emotions behind it.

Kate drew back, the satisfied smile never leaving her lips and a pale blush dusting her cheeks as he eyed her intently, his eyes shining slightly brighter than usual, "I love you too Kate. I love you too." Without warning he tackled her fiercely, pulling her into his arms and beginning an assault on her neck.

"Castle!" Her protest was muffled by his lips capturing hers, and she squirmed as his hands deftly roamed her sides, coming up to cup her ass. "Rick, the breakfast," She huffed again, unable to prevent the giggle that bubbled up inside her and Castle thought it was one of the most beautiful sounds he'd ever heard pass her lips. Kate's laughter caught in her throat as she felt his fingers beginning to trace patterns on the small of her back and she tensed as he ghosted over her thighs."You're incorrigible," She sighed wanting nothing more than to just stay wrapped up in his arms, but the persistent growl in her stomach made her mindful of the breakfast she was cooking.

"So I've been told," Castle grinned, seemingly proud of this fact but he loosened his grip on her enough that she was able to pull away from him and he inwardly sighed at the loss of contact between them, watching as she went back to preparing their food. "What are you making?"

"That's for me to know and you to find out once it's served," Castle couldn't help but to smile at the reappearance of her cop voice, as she pressed a glass of freshly squeezed orange juice into his hand. "Why don't you set the table and sit down? It'll only be about ten minutes." His stomach emitted another growl and Kate chuckled as he grabbed cutlery from the drawer and did as she instructed, finally sitting down and watching her work. Except Castle didn't do well with curiosity and every time he made to get up and waylay her, Kate silenced him with a mock glare, ducking her head to hide her smile.

Eventually she joined him at the table, first with coffee and then balancing three plates."You made pancakes," He stated, his tone of voice bordering on something between delight and surprise. "Chocolate chip pancakes?" He made to pull her down onto his lap, but she quickly twisted out of his grasp, amusement dancing in her eyes at the look of disappointment on his face.

"That's right," Kate answered, placing a plate on the table in front of him and with a slightly arched eyebrow she whispered her next words deliberately next to his ear, her breath ghosting over the side of his face and causing him to sit up straighter. "Because everybody knows pancakes are the edible way of saying thank you so much for last night," She finished off by giving his upper thigh a light squeeze and Castle bit back a groan as she slid into the seat opposite him – now offering him a plate piled high with bacon and sausages – a small satisfied smirk playing on the corners of her lips. Castle just grinned back; this woman would be the death of him but all things considered, he wouldn't have it any other way.