Querencia
(n.) A place from which one's strength is drawn, where one feels at home, the place where you are your most authentic self.
The sunbeams of the soft morning sun were drawing miraculous shapes on her bare skin and the whole bedroom was illuminated in an almost surreal morning glow.
He watched her as he stood in front of the bed, carrying a tray with a single, perfectly shaped, red rose and two cups of coffee on it.
She was so perfect, lying there in the bed, the sheets draped over her thighs only, her long legs stretched out and her arm resting on his pillow, searching for him even in her sleep.
He moved to place the tray on the night table, next to what she had claimed as her side of the bed a long time ago. He could see her eyelids flutter slightly, her eyelashes catching some of the light and painting shadows on her face like the most marvelous piece of art he had ever seen.
Watching her sleep was something that would never cease to amaze him, the way she was at complete peace, the way she was able to let go of the world around her.
He sat down on the bed next to her, watching out carefully as not to startle her and started playing with her hair.
Sometimes he still couldn't believe he was allowed to do this. Touch her, kiss her, care for her and love her in every way possible.
He saw her eyes opening lazily. She was blinking a couple of times in order to free herself from her dreams and get back her orientation in the real world.
This was one of his favorite versions of Kate Beckett, the adorable, sleepy and slightly drowsy version of her that was greeting him with a smile every morning.
He gave her a soft smile and leaned down to kiss her lips softly.
His palm was caressing her cheek tenderly and the kiss was slow and languid as neither of them intended to break the contact or disturb the peace they found in the calm and quiet of this morning.
She pulled at his shoulder only slightly, willing him to lie down next to her, to which he was more than willing to comply.
Once he was situated next to her, she moved into him closely, allowing him to wrap his arms around her as she rested her cheek on his chest, right where she was able to feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat.
She closed her eyes once again, reveling in the feeling of his arms encircling her frame tightly, his fingers running up and down her spine in long, caressing strokes and his strong arms keeping her tucked into his body without any effort from her.
His scent was covering her up and she sought it in with every breath she took.
It was one of her most cherished things in the world, the way he smelled in the morning.
The delicate scent of coffee mixed with that special note that was just him and everything she tied to the feeling of home, of a place where she could let go of everything and just be herself, trusting and knowing that he would be there to have her back.
That no matter what she did, he would always love her, every single piece of her.
It was that one thing about Castle that filled her with wonder every day. The way he looked at her as if she was perfect, as if she was more than anybody, including herself, could see.
Everybody had always expected her to be more, be better, be fixed.
And she had tried so desperately to be just that, to be whole.
She had tried so hard, that for a while she had lost herself completely in the progress, lost herself to the point of no recognition.
Until the day Castle had come along.
He had been the one person, to never ask her to be anything more than who she was.
He knew her before she even did herself, and he didn't try to puzzle her back together, fix all her broken pieces into an image he liked best.
Castle was the first person in her life, that looked at her, saw her and decided that who she was, was perfectly enough.
He had been the first person to look at all her demons and troubles, at all those things that made her feel ugly and not worthy and decided that she was beautiful.
It was the most wonderful feeling in the world and in this moment, tucked into his arms, surrounded by his scent and the feeling of care and love, she thanked whatever power in the world for giving her this man, who loved her for everything she was and would be.
For the man that had become her home.
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