Shades of Always

"I never thought I would see you again." Rick said trying to hold back his emotions as Beckett laid her head on his shoulder. "I'm sorry; I just didn't realize how long it would take for me to heal." She looked down at their joined hands for a moment. He gave her hand a small squeeze as they headed towards his bedroom. "What happened?"

"I don't really want to talk about it, can we just…" Kate lifted her head up to stare into his blue eyes wanting so much to be swallowed up in there waves.

Unable to contain himself anymore, Rick backed Kate right up against the door frame to his bedroom. His lips descended on hers hungry for their sweet taste. Caught off guard, Kate swayed into him as she melted only to find his strong arms enveloping her. Even from the moment he had kissed her as a distraction she had never been able to remove the feeling from her mind.

"I love you," Rick murmured into her ear before beginning another trail of kisses down her neck. He had longed to touch her for so long and now he was finding it hard to contain his deep desiring love for Kate. A mystery he was never going to solve, although he was certainly enjoying his exploration of her beautiful body.

Kate barely had a chance to reply as she was swooped up into Rick's arms and seconds later laid gently down on his bed, her wet shirt laying open revealing her scar. "I love you too." Tears welled up in his eyes, from almost losing her to a snipers bullet to her lying he never thought he would hear those three words fall from her lips. Those words only made him want her more now.

"I want you," Kate whispered into the air as she looked up at him with all the love in the world shinning in her eyes. Taking a moment, Rick removed his own shirt before lowering himself on the bed and reaching out to place a hand over her heart. He could feel her warmth and the quick beats of the fire stirred within.

Kate watched as he gently removed her wet shirt and bra with fingers that felt like feathers causing the heat to rise again inside her body. She closed her eyes as his kisses moved downward and nearly gasped with pleasure when his mouth closed over her naked breast. "Oh Rick," she cried out the moment his tongue flicked her hardened nipple.

Smiling to himself, he moved to the other breast. Perfect and round begging to be given the same attention. Kate cried out again, this time digging her fingers to Rick's hair as a wave of pleasure rocked through her. "You are making it quite hard to concentrate here." Kate smiled sweetly at him, "That's the point."

Kate could feel the heat building inside her, even with just his strong gaze. His kisses were silken and already rendered her senseless. Next thing she knew her clothes were gone and his mouth enveloped her most sensitive spot. "Oh my…." She moaned as his fingers expertly caressed the sensitive nub of flesh while his tongue darted in and out. Before long the waves of pleasure increased in strength until she felt as if she was going to burst.

Rick enjoyed watching her writhe beneath him and as he moved up closer to her, he couldn't resist moving his hand along her body and then through her tangled mess of hair. "You are beautiful Kate and I've wanted you for so long."

"I've wanted you too and couldn't bear the thought of losing you." Reaching her hand out, she let her fingers light caress his face before he pulled her close as the heat began again. Before long they were joined as one moving in perfect rhythm.

In the morning there was a tangled mess of sheets and bodies, as only lovers could do. There was no way of knowing where one thing began and another ended. Kate hadn't slept this well in so long, not since her mother was murdered. For so many nights she had relived the nightmare over and over again. Now she felt at peace wrapped in the arms of the one she loved with all her heart.

Rick had been attracted to Kate from day one thinking she was like all the others. He had been proved wrong on so many levels. She was special in her own way, driving him up and down walls throughout their relationship. Research had been the key to spending time with her, until the day he fell in love. Only it seemed to take years in his mind before she finally opened her eyes.

Giving her one last squeeze, Rick untangled himself and reluctantly got out of bed. He didn't want to leave but his stomach had other ideas. Before leaving the room with a robe in hand, he turned and looked at Kate, his peaceful naked angel.

"Rick," Kate called out softly as she reached her hand out towards the pillow next to her. "Last night was…," She stopped in her turns toward him when she realized he wasn't there anymore. Taking a moment, Kate looked around for something to put on. Spotting the open closet, she got up and grabbed a large shirt to conceal her body.

"Good morning," Kate called out as she made her way towards the kitchen. She could smell the bacon the minute she left the bedroom and it was making her hungry. "Morning, just making us some…." Rick froze the moment he saw her standing there in one of his shirts, her long shapely legs on full view, hair a mess and a smile upon her face. "Smells great."

"Thanks, I was hoping to bring it to you in bed but looks like you found your way out." She winked at him, "I can always go back." All he got in return was a smile before she sauntered back to the bedroom giving him another great view. "Wow…" he breathed the moment she was out of ear shot. "That shirt never looked so good."

By the time Rick made it to the bedroom again, tray in hand, Kate had already nestled herself in bed with the covers tucked around her legs. She was still wearing his shirt, thank goodness otherwise breakfast would have ended up on the floor. "Hope you like eggs and cherries with your bacon. It's all I could come up with at such short notice." With a playful punch to his arm, Kate dove in helping herself to all that he had cooked up. "Owe, thanks for that." Setting the tray down, Rick joined her on the bed moving close hoping to get a taste of the food he had prepared. "This is really good."

"Thanks, you should try cooking sometime." Kate gave him a look, "Right, that wouldn't be a good idea, might burn down the kitchen." He raised his brows in her direction out of disbelief, "That bad?" She nodded in reply. Putting some food on her plate Kate then settled herself back against the pillows on his bed. "My mom was the cook in the house and I just never had the desire to learn how, well except for eggs and bacon." Rick smiled remembering the time he woke up to her making breakfast the night after her place blew up. He had been so excited to see food, and now he found himself more interested in the women next to him.

She was everything he never thought he would want in a woman, mysterious, challenging, her own person. And yet she stirred things inside of him he hadn't ever felt before. Feelings that scared him when he thought of his checkered past and those that made him want to be a better man for her. Deep down he would continue to fight for her and always be there no matter what the cost.

Kate looked over at Rick, studying the pattern on his sheets wondering how it had all happened. For so long he had been a nine year old on a sugar rush, but lately it was as if he had grown up. No more little boy but a grown man who over the years had captured her heart. There was no one now that she would rather be with than Rick Castle.

Reaching over, Kate squeezed his hand as her way of saying "I'm here." Rick turned to her with love in eyes before pulling her close for a deep passionate kiss. At that moment nothing else mattered as they ignited the fire of their love all over again.