Thanks to an anon on tumblr for this prompt!
DISCLAIMER: If I owned Castle, I most likely wouldn't be here. Or...maybe I would. That would be fun. Imagine that one of these fanfic writers is actually a Castle writer! That would be epic!
"Achoo!"
Kate sneezes again. It seems to be an ongoing occurrence this morning. Sneezing, sneezing, and more sneezing. Plus, when she gets lucky, a throat-wrenching cough is thrown into the mix. And that's not including the insane tiredness and the fact that her head feels like it is pounding harder and faster than her heart. But she's okay.
"Kate!" Castle says. "You are sick! Can't you just admit it?"
"Castle, I do not get sick," she shakes her head. "Now, come on. We're going to be late. There's a body and the boys are already -" She stops talking and her body shakes a little. She jerks forwards and her head snaps back as another sneeze overpowers her. "- there."
"Kate."
"Not sick, Castle," she says in a fake sing-song voice. "Let's go."
He gives her a look, one that almost makes her cave in, but she holds strong and he sighs, "Okay, let's go."
It's only an hour later when Beckett cannot stop sneezing again. She tries to pass it off as allergies to Ryan and Esposito but they don't buy it, not for a second.
Ryan is actually the one to suggest she go home, "Go. We got this. It's an easy case, open and shut. You're going to be bored with it anyway. Go. Castle can take care of you, we'll take care of the case."
"Ryan..."
"Beckett," he says sternly. "Go home, or to Castle's. It doesn't matter. Just go. And don't come back until you can go five minutes without sneezing or coughing."
She gives him a small smile and closes her eyes for a second. Opening them, she says, "Thank you. Tomorrow?"
"Only if you're feeling better."
She won't be, but that is not going to stop her from coming in.
"Of course," she lies and she knows that Ryan can see straight through it. He is a detective after all. And he was the first to figure out that they were together. Not that he was alone for long. She was pretty sure Esposito knew now and she had finally caved and told Lanie. Only one in the dark was Gates, but she was okay with that.
Ryan rolls her eyes at her but Kate turns on her heel and heads in Castle's direction. He's bent over some evidence, talking to Esposito about it.
"I'm sick," she says.
His head snaps up and he smiles, "You admit it!"
"Gee, you're happy that I'm sick? That sounds like a good start to the day Ryan just told me to take off. Wanna go?" she says, trying to tease him, but now that she's admitted it to herself, she can't help but feel all the effects of this cold she has. "Please?"
He stands up immediately, as she knew he would, and takes her hand, "Yeah. My place or yours?"
"Can I go home?" she sighs. "I just want my own bed, you know?"
"Yeah, I understand completely. Come on, I'll drive," he holds his hand out for the keys and she doesn't even try to resist. Wow, he thinks, she must be really sick.
He's right. She is sick. She's really sick. Because only a very sick Kate Beckett would fall asleep on the five minute drive from a murder scene to her apartment. She looks so peaceful asleep, head resting on his shoulder as he drives. He almost doesn't want to wake her when they get to her place, but he knows she'd kill him if he let her mess up her back sleeping the way she is.
"Kate?" he whispers, lifting her head of his shoulder and shaking her gently. "Kate? We're here."
She mumbles something and rolls her head off him. Slowly opening her eyes, she has to blink a few times before the setting sinks in. "Oh. Okay. Let's go inside."
Her eyes are drooping and Castle doesn't think she'll be able to walk too well. He contemplates carrying her up but he doesn't think he'd like that either, not even sick Kate would like the attention that would draw.
Instead, he chooses to wrap his one arm around her waist and rest her limp body against him. He tells her to walk and she does, with his support.
"Wow, Kate, you're sicker than I thought," he mutters in the elevator as she struggles to stay alert.
"Yeah, I'm a good actress," she shrugs, closing her eyes for a minute before popping them open and looking at him, as if checking to see if he saw. "Thanks for bringing me home."
"No thanks necessary. Just doing what I can," he says, nudging his girlfriend's eyes open again when the elevator comes to a stop on her floor.
She jolts awake and follows him to her apartment. Practically tripping over her own two feet, she collapses on the couch and falls asleep the moment her head hits the throw pillow.
He lets her sleep for a while. He's had experience with this before, knows she needs her sleep. Everyone needs rest and relaxation when they're sick - R&R.
He putters around her kitchen. He makes her tea and makes himself a sandwich. When she starts to stir, he decides it's a good time to wake her. He's got her tea ready and hands it to her when she sits up.
She rubs her eyes, takes a sip, and smiles at him, "Thanks Castle."
"Anything for you." He sits on the couch next to her. His arms wrap around her and he pulls her into him. She leans in and wraps herself around him as well. "You feeling better?"
"Actually, yeah."
"Really?" he asks.
"Yeah!" she says. "I am. Promise."
He narrows his eyes at her, "Okay - I believe you."
"Good," she says. "But I still don't feel one hundred percent."
"Didn't think you would, not yet anyway," Castle whispers into her ear. He presses a small kiss to her temple and she sighs. "I wish you felt better."
She stiffens next to him as his breath tickles her neck. Her voice comes out in a hazy whisper, "Yeah, me too." And right then and there, all she wants to do is push him over and climb on top. But she can't. Because she got a goddamn cold.
"We could..."
She straightens up and pulls away from him. "No. Castle, I am not getting you sick too!" She shakes her head but she's smiling. "After."
"Promise?" he asks, pushing hair behind her ear.
"Promise," she smiles.
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