DISCLAIMER: "Castle" and all its wonderful characters are the property of ABC and Andrew Marlowe. Much as I enjoy playing with them, I unfortunately do not own them. Please don't sue me.
SPOILERS for the Always promo
He opens the door and she's there. Not Esposito or Ryan coming to tell him the tragic news, as he'd feared.
No, it's her. Hair wet. Breathing hard. Face contorted. From worry? From fear? Desperation? Relief?
It doesn't matter.
She's there. Alive. And she's reaching for him like a drowning man reaches for a buoy. Something solid to keep herself afloat. And he's more than willing to be that for her. That's all he's wanted all along.
Her hands are at his neck in an instant, they pull him close, until her cheek is pressed to his.
She shudders, her breath hot against his skin, her dripping hair wetting the tip of his nose. And she clings to him, her fingers clutched in his hair, her thumbs stroking at his jaw.
He doesn't ask questions. He's too relieved. He just wraps his arms around her, pins her against his chest, and holds her.
Because he thought he might not get the chance again. He'd thought so many things. Dreadful things. Sniper scopes and pierced flesh and another flag-draped coffin. But none of those things matter anymore. She's still alive. Solid, living flesh in his arms.
He slides his hands up her shoulders. His fingers catch on the damp material of her jacket. Yes, definitely solid, not a ghost or an apparition or a hallucination. His hands continue their path up, until his fingers are threaded in her hair and he mirrors her stance. They cling to each other now. Partners in the teeming silence.
They stand there. Still. Temple to temple, eyes closed. They breathe the same air. Their hearts beat in the same time. It's a desperate rhythm and she's shivering from the cold of her damp clothing. But that's okay. He lends her his heat. And they just stand in the doorway. Wrapped up in each other, relishing the sound of ragged inhales and exhales. Because that means they are both still breathing.
It's the most thrilling thing he's ever done. Being still. With her.
"I-" she starts.
"Shhh," he quiets her gently.
He doesn't need words. Doesn't want them, for once. He understands. This is better than words. Or an apology for the mess she's made. Or a declaration of the love he already knows she feels, even if she can't say it. Or a kiss, a slow, tender, soul-stirring kiss. Because there's time for all that later.
Now, he has this. And this is all he needs. This embrace. Her embrace. Her.
A/N – For dav, because he wanted an embrace, not a kiss.
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Fight On and You'll Never Walk Alone