[Author's Note: Okay, kids. This is a little oneshot that popped into my mind about half an hour ago. And now here you have it: a legitimate story in thirty minutes or less (or your money back). Anyway, it takes place post-Always, and it's very fluffy and sweet. I hope you all enjoy.]

[Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, or these characters, or any part of the show. All I own is a lot of feelings about it.]

I Told You So

Kate woke up suddenly and looked around the room. As her exhausted mind took in her surroundings, she couldn't help but release a soft giggle. She briefly registered that it was a sound she hadn't made in quite some time.

Her quick survey had told her that it was almost 4:00 A.M. and reminded her that she was currently lying in Richard Castle's bed, or more specifically in his arms. She closed her eyes again, enjoying the feeling of the slow, rhythmic rise and fall of his chest against her back and his warm palms flattened against her hip and her toned stomach. Feeling Rick languidly pull her closer in his sleep, she couldn't hold back a second fit of giggles.

"Mm… What's funny?" Rick mumbled groggily.

The giggling gradually blossomed into full laughter, and Kate turned in Rick's arms to hug him tightly. "Nothing," she whispered between quieting peals of laughter.

"Something," he insisted, more awake now. He nuzzled her forehead affectionately before dropping a kiss just above her eyebrow.

"It was just a dream," she told him. But her smile was so radiant that she seemed about to burst, and Rick was almost certain he had never seen her look so happy. She bit her lip as she continued to grin at him, and he leaned closer to place a tiny kiss on the tip of her nose. When Kate responded by hugging him tighter, he did the same to her.

"This must've been some dream." He heard Kate laugh again- a light, airy, joyful sound, and one that he desperately wanted to hear more of- but he also felt heat building against his shoulder, and when he looked down there were tears staining her flushed cheeks. "Kate?"

"No, no, Castle. It's fine. I'm fine. I just can't even believe that really happened."

"Okay, come on. You can't just talk like that and then not tell me what this dream was about." Kate bit her lower lip again and then kissed him firmly, his lips already feeling wonderfully familiar to her.

"Okay," she whispered. Between the sweetness of her voice and the joy written all over her face, Rick couldn't believe how stunningly beautiful she was in that moment. "Castle," she spoke on an affectionate sigh, "Castle, it was her!"

"Her…?" he asked slowly. He believed he knew the 'her' to whom Kate was referring, but he paused, looking for her confirmation.

"Yeah… Her." Tears welled up in Kate's eyes again, but her smile only grew. "Oh, Castle…" she whispered, nestling closer to him. Almost immediately she pulled back again, pressing another brief kiss to his lips. She didn't continue speaking for quite some time. Instead she held Rick close and simply enjoyed the feeling of him doing the same. When she finally began again, the tears sprung back into her eyes almost at once. "Castle, she was here. She was here, and we were talking. It wasn't one of the dreams where I'm with her as a kid, Castle. I was me- present-day me- but she looked just the same as she was thirteen years ago."

Kate paused briefly, gently laughing to herself while she brushed away a few of the tears. "My mom and I were sitting on your couch. I was upset, and she gave me a hug…" she trailed, her smile dimming, "I told her about how Maddox got away." Rick brushed his thumb across Kate's cheekbone, looking at her intently. "And then… Then I told her that I had finally realized that I've already lost her, and that no matter how much I love her I can't live with myself if I lose you just because I lost her. I told her that I realized the only time I could get anywhere on her case was when you were with me, and that even if I somehow solved her murder- the whole thing, got all the answers- that was never going to change it, or fix it, and I was never going to really be happy if you weren't there."

"Kate…" Rick whispered, overwhelming love obvious in his voice. She leaned back into him, hugging tightly, clinging just a little.

"And you know what she did, Castle?" Kate asked after a minute, the laughter back in her voice. "She hugged me again… And I swear I could feel it, Castle. I could feel a hug from my mom… But while she was hugging me, she leaned in extra close, and she whispered in my ear, 'I told you so'." Kate burst into tearful laughter against Rick's chest.

And Rick couldn't help it: he laughed too. He felt tears welling up in his own eyes as he sensed the waves of emotion coursing through his partner as he held her close. As he thought about it, his smile grew just a little bigger, the realization that she was finally his partner in more than just work taking complete hold of him for the first time.

"'I told you so'… Castle, if I didn't know any better, I'd almost say she made her death this complicated on purpose- just to get us together." She shook her head a little. "You had to know her, Castle, but… It just sounds like something she would do." She laughed again, tears still streaming down her cheeks. Rick didn't say anything: simply hugged her closer and brushed his lips against her forehead. He heard a quiet, contented sigh in response. "You know, this is the first dream I've ever had where my mom and I actually talked to each other, Castle," she said as she looked up into Rick's eyes. Adoration poured from her own eyes as she did, and she was met with much the same look.

"Well then I'd say that's a sign, Kate Beckett."

She smiled knowingly. "The Universe again?" she teased lovingly.

"Mm hm…" he responded, kissing her deeply. "And you know how I feel about disappointing the Universe."