Chapter 1.

Beckett was surprised at how easily those words had come to her. All that time of being afraid, of fighting what had been in front of her that whole time. Would it have been easier had she given into him when they were in LA? Would it have been easier if she'd gone with him to the Hamptons back when he'd offered? She wasn't sure. What she was sure of was how she felt about him, how she'd felt since the moment they meant as much as she tried to deny it.

"I'm damaged goods, Castle," Beckett said to him.

"Yeah you are but that doesn't bother me."

"It should."

"Kate, I don't just want to be the knight in shining armor that comes to rescue you. I want to be who I've always been: your partner."

"This isn't fair you know."

"What isn't?"

"Meeting a guy like you," Beckett said with a smile.

Castle smiled back and began tracing circles on her hand. The two looked into each other's eyes with a sense of relief that felt completely new.

Castle leaned forward from his chair and Beckett leaned forward as well, the two of them meeting. Their lips touched as lightly as feathers, gliding smoothly. Their open mouths found each other and they were locked inside, their tongues caressing and tasting each other.

Beckett was the first to pull back, not because she needed air, on the contrary she felt ready to devour him but the pain of her wounds had other plans and it was starting to take over the rest of her thoughts.

"I'm sorry," Beckett said feeling shame in releasing him.

"I'm not, that was-,"said Castle as he struggled to define how amazing that kiss was. "I'm the one whose sorry for even attempting to kiss you."

"It's not all on you. I did kiss you back."

"How bad is the pain, can I get you anything?"

"My pain killers are in the bathroom cabinet, first shelf going up."

Castle placed a kiss on Beckett's forehead, "I'll be right back," he said to her.

And he was right, he was back. In no time had he found her medication and brought it to her, along with a cup of water.

Beckett popped the single pill of Acetaminophen. Normally she hated painkillers. She had seen too many times what the abuse of them could do to people. It was one of the reasons why she kept them in the restroom and not directly in her room where they were easily accessible. As it was she'd only taken two of the ten 500mg elliptical pills that had been prescribed to her within the week. Her doctor had told her take one every four to six hours or two pills every six to eight hours, not to exceed fourteen days. Today had marked only her third day of taking the medication and she hoped that was enough.

"Better," Castle asked.

"It will be. You don't have to do this you know."

"What take care of you?" Castle shrugged. "What are boyfriends for?"

Beckett gave Castle a smirk. "Oh so you're my boyfriend now?"

"Well if we're gonna label this then boyfriend and girlfriend seems right."

Beckett smiled at the new label.

"Though," said Castle, "I think we should probably give ourselves a name, something cool with our names attached. Maybe later, right now you should probably get some sleep."

Castle tucked Beckett into her covers, careful to not accidentally rub against her injuries.

"You're not going back to the city tonight are you?" Beckett asked him, "You've been up as long as I have."

"Why Detective Beckett, are you asking me to stay?"

"Yes Mr. Castle, I am."

"Okay then," he said taking the blanket from the seat and positioning himself.

"Castle, what are you doing?"

"I um, I- did you want me out of the room or I can take the floor, that's not so bad."

"There's plenty of room on my bed," she said as she patted the empty right side.

"You're sure?"

Beckett simply nodded. She needed him with her, needed to feel the warmth of his body, needed to hear as his heart pumped life into him, to feel the warmth of his breath.

Without another word, Castle took the right side of the bed, inching as close to Beckett as he dared. Even though she was on painkillers he wasn't sure what movements might cause her pain or make her uncomfortable.

Beckett positioned herself so that her head was resting on his chest. Within moments they had fallen asleep, their bodies drifting off into a much deep and needed REM cycle.