There is nothing like the feeling of an impending storm. Hearing the thunder crackling faintly in the distance, the sky darkening ever so slightly; but the most fascinating part is the stillness that settles in just before the rain comes. It feels as though nature itself pauses, if only for a moment, anticipating the coming storm. In spite of the ever present sounds of nature, it still somehow feels silent. Then... you feel that first, single drop of rain hit your skin.
Kate tilted her head back as she felt the first drops land delicately on her face, slowly gliding down her cheek. It was still early morning; and, although the sun had risen, it was barely visible through the dark, looming clouds threatening the approaching storm. She stood barefoot on the cool stone steps that opened up into the expanse of Richard Castle's backyard in the Hamptons. The ocean waves drumming against the sand of the beach echoed in the early morning silence as the light drizzle began to come down in sheets. Kate shuffled quickly back inside, quietly clicking the door shut behind her. Feeling a slight chill, she tugged down at the hem of Rick's navy blue shirt she had slipped into on her way to enjoy the early morning weather, and quickly fastened a few more buttons. She lingered for a moment, watching the heavy rain make patterns on the surface of the waters as they tossed onto the sand. Her moment of serenity was interrupted by the familiar 'ding' coming from the kitchen. Ah, coffee, she thought to herself as she made her way around the curve of the stairs, the balm of the coffee beans almost intoxicating.
As she stalked down the long hallway, a smile crept across her face. Standing at the counter in only his boxers, Rick had turned on the stove and the half empty carton of eggs lay open on the counter beside it. He had bent over to retrieve a spatula from one of the drawers when she slid up behind him and gave him a nice pinch on his left cheek.
"Hey now!" he exclaimed. He wondered how she could possibly manage to sneak up on her, even when he knew she was already awake; she would always get up before him. He casually laid the spatula onto the counter, and immediately turned to slip his arm around her waist and pull her into him; fitting together like two pieces of a puzzle.
"Morning," she said in a muffled whisper as their lips met gently. Rick gently grasped her hips, pulling her ever closer to him. Her hands found their way to his head, gently running her fingers through the mess of hair on his head. Her lips curled into a smile as his lips pressed against hers, lingering there as he slipped his hand under the shirt and lightly stroked his fingers across her bare back. Seemingly against her will he slowly pulled his lips from hers, gently placing another kiss on the tip of her nose.
"Coffee?" he said excitedly — as excited as one can be after just waking up — as he made one of his regular facial expressions, tilting his head down and lifting his eyebrows. This was always the face he made when he had some outlandish theory or crazy idea about a case.
Kate pulled away from him and looked to him suspiciously. "Castle," she began, "You're up to something. What's going on?" She assumed he had something outlandish planned for their anniversary, but you could never guess what he would come up with. The notorious boyish grin that always followed the eyebrow quirk crept across his face. "You'll just have to wait and see." He twiddled his fingers mischievously on his chin and let out a chuckle. She narrowed her eyes at him then reared back, preparing herself to pounce.
Noticing her intent to tackle him, Rick turned and darted down the hardwood floor, a fleeting thought wishing that he had worn socks so he could imitate Tom Cruise in the midst of the chase. He quickly pulled the back door open and slipped outside, immediately feeling the cold raindrops pelting against his face. He shuffled down the steps and turned back to see how close she was, just time to see her pounce from the second step, knocking him down to the ground.
He turned over onto his back, Kate straddled on top of him. She wrapped her long fingers gently around his wrists and pressed them against the wet grass. "Gotcha," she whispered, her lips gently brushing against his, a soft chuckle escaping from her mouth. She pressed her lips against his again, harder this time, and lingered there for a moment, surrounded by the downpour. She loosed her grip on his wrists and brought her hands to cradle his face, the kiss deepening. Rick, now free, slid one hand around her lower back and found the other tangled in her rain-soaked hair.
Suddenly, a booming crack of thunder caused them both to jump, ending their embrace. Laughing slightly, Kate laid her hands on his bare chest and looked down into his eyes. "We'd better get inside before we get struck by lightning." She stood up and pulled him up after her. Slipping her arm under his, she laid her head against his shoulder. Once inside, they padded up the stairs to dry off and change clothes. "I'm going to take a quick shower, babe. I'll be out in a few."
As she pulled her t-shirt over her head she walked out of the bathroom, swiping her towel from the vanity. She entered back into the master suite and there he was; casually laying on the bed with his legs crossed, steaming coffee cup in one hand and the morning paper in the other. "Rick," she started as she patted the towel against her dripping hair.
Swallowing a gulp of coffee, he looked to her. "What is it, Kate?"
She pulled herself onto the bed and snuggled in next to him, laying her hand gently above his heart, feeling it beat against her hand. "I love you."
Gently pressing his lips against her forehead, he replied, "I love you too, Kate."