A/N: I kept thinking about what happens after Kate's 'too soon' and this is what my mind has come up with. Haven't been reading much in the way of Castle fanfic lately, so if this is anything like anyone else's post ep fics, I'm truly sorry, not stealing your ideas, promise.

So fluff ahead, just a warning. A little angst but not overly so.

Let me know what you think.

Kate knows he's not going to leave. She doesn't want him to leave. She also knows he isn't going to sleep on the couch. She wants the feel of him sleeping beside her, even though images of pink bikini clad boobs in his face run across her mind. Kate wants to sleep beside him, but he's just not getting lucky tonight.

She's not really mad with him - she is, but she isn't. Kate had researched this woman after Castle had agreed to the dinner and his mention of page six. She knows that - reporter - wouldn't have taken no for an answer, and they would have been outed. Tabloids would have gone crazy that the playboy writer had a secret relationship, and when they found out it was her, all hell would break loose. It doesn't stop this ache in her chest though.

She wants to be on page six with him. She hates that they have to hide this, because what they have is wonderful, apart from when shit happens like it did today.

Kate's snuggled up under her covers when she hears Castle turn off the lights and enters her bedroom. She watches him covertly, half covered by her doona as he opens a draw she cleared out for him, pulling out sweats and a shirt. He doesn't bother leaving the room - they've seen everything now, so what's the point - and changes before slipping in beside her keeping an appropriate distance.

Her heart pounds as the bed dips. It was obvious that Castle didn't want that woman all over him, Kate knows firsthand that if he had wanted her, his hands would have roaming all over the woman's skin, and he would have been crowding her, not falling off the couch.

It doesn't mean she's not going to punish him for it. It hurt. A knife straight to the heart, but he's here in her bed, and Kate can feel him buzzing because she knows he wants to hold her close right now.

He chose her; chooses her everyday and that sets a spark in her chest. She will forgive him; sometime during the night, she'll snuggle up to him, drawn like a moth to the flame and she'll wake up against his body in the morning with a smile on her face. And maybe she'll let him make it up to her before work.

'I know you're awake,' he says softly. She can hear the triumphant smile in his voice. 'I'm the master of stare; I know when you're watching me.'

'I wasn't hiding it,' she replies defiantly. He just snorts at her disbelievingly. Not even she would believe that, half her face is covered by blankets after all.

'I'm sorry, Kate,' He whispers across the sheets.

'I know, Rick,' she says, her hand decides on its own accord to palm his cheek. His eyes close enjoying the feel of her skin and he angles his head to kiss her palm. It's too soon to kiss him, but it's definitely not too soon for these little loving touches. They make her forgive him a little quicker.

'I hate this,' Kate sighs at him.

Castle's eyes snap open and he stills. He misunderstood and she feels his body start to move away.
She moves closer to him, crossing the invisible line he's set up, grabbing his old soft shirt. 'No, Castle,' Kate says quickly, holding fast to the material like a lifeline, because it is. 'Not you, not us. Just,' she heaves a breath. 'The situation.'

Castle moves back towards her, shifting his legs slightly, touching hers, waiting patiently because he knows she's going to continue. Kate loves that he knows her like this, loves his patience, loves him; not that she's told him yet and he's still said it twice. She's pretty sure he's holding back still, like she's going to run if he tells her again. In an odd way, she wants him to tell her every day, but she can't say it back yet, even though she does love him, more than anyone else it seems.

And she can't believe she is about to tell him this, but it's close to saying it.

'I - I just want to be us, Castle. I don't want to hide this from everyone,' she cuddles even closer now, their breaths mingling together as they share 'his' pillow. 'I want to be seen on page six with you.'
He smiles that little toothy grin she hardly ever sees, the one he gave her when she said that their amazing sex wasn't a one night thing; that she wanted him.

Castle's hand grazes over her arm, asking permission to touch her. She doesn't shake him off, so he moves to his normal resting place at her hip.

'Do you know how hard this is? How much I want to scream on roof tops that Katherine Beckett has chosen me?'

A blush rises on her cheeks and she hides her face in the pillow. She's not that great, but for some crazy reason, he thinks she's extraordinary.

'I don't want to have to hide this, either,' he tells her quietly. 'I want to be able to hold your hand in public, take you out to dinner, have pictures taken with you... I want to bring you home to eat with Alexis and my mother.'

Kate's breath catches. She always seems to forget this man has a family; she gets so distracted by him and too greedy that she forgets she has to share.

'We'll tell them when they get back.' Kate tells him. She's resolute, and there's no room for wiggle. Once she's made a choice, it's very rare she changes her mind; and this is not one of those times. And she's chosen him; the one and done kind of choice, and she's not going back on it.

'Kate, are you sure?' he asks, blinking rapidly. He wasn't expecting that.

'Yeah, I don't want to hide us from the most important people in your life Rick, it's not fair on them or on you.'

'You realise you're on that list, too.'

Kate hums in reply, a smile on her lips, but then it fades. They will have to tell Gates eventually; and she doesn't want to have to choose between her job and Castle, doesn't want him to have to choose either.

'What's wrong?' he asks, rubbing his fingers into her hip gently, bringing her out of thoughts. Kate can feel the frown that has gathered on her forehead.

'Gates. We'll have to tell her eventually,' she huffs.

Castle scoffs at her easily. 'Don't worry about it.'

Kate just stares at him. How can he be so relaxed about this?!

'How can you say that?' her voice cracks a little while she pries herself away from him. He keeps hold of her hip, unwilling to let her go fully as she puts space between them again. Kate misses his warmth immediately.

'It's not like you can call the mayor and get him to fix it! This is an official policy, Castle.'

'I know, Kate,' he smiles at her. Why isn't he worried?

'I don't think you do.'

'Kate, if Gates has a problem, I'll stop coming in.' He's so confident and determined that it scares her.

She stills. 'That's your plan!' she exclaims, so very shocked he could say something like that.

'Mmhmm.' The smile is still plastered on his face as she stares at him disbelievingly.

Words won't form in her mouth at this point she's too shocked.

'Between you and the Twelfth: I choose you. I'm not going to ask you to choose between me and your job.'

'But you love working there,' Kate protests. He's told her on more than one occasion he loves that he has the opportunity to help bring justice to the world. She thinks he would have made a great detective if he wasn't such a great writer.

'Yes, but I love you more.'

She's still completely shocked he'd give it all up for her.

'You chose between justice for your mother and a life with me. I plan on keeping you, anyway I can, and if that means giving up a job that I love doing, I'm ok with that.'

She can't help but kiss him now. She's pushed him into his back as their lips meld. He kisses back after his momentary shock, obviously not expecting it after her 'too soon' comment. She honestly didn't expect to kiss him tonight, but after his heartfelt words, how can she not close the gap between their lips.

His words made her ache and she's sure he can feel the warmth on his cheeks from her tears.
He's too kind, too good for her, and she's the luckiest girl in the world that he would choose her. But he has, and she'll be eternally grateful.

She pulls back and he pushes her hair back behind her ear. Gentle, she forgot too gentle. He worships her, and now is a good a time as any.

He wipes a year running down her cheek as he looks up at her with those twinkling blue eyes, and she can't help but feel mesmerised.

'I love you, Rick,' she finally admits.

Castle blinks, like he just imagined what she said, but a grin forms, bigger and toothier that she's ever seen. Kate can feel the happiness spill out of him.

'I love that you love me.' he says, pulling her back down to his lips. 'I love you, Kate. I love you so much.'

Her smile matches his as they break apart to breath every so often, whispering 'I love you's, and Kate feels drunker every time she says it.

Castle rolls her over and pins her to the bed as he continues kissing her. Eventually he pulls away, panting and heaving, but so, incredibly happy.

'So we will tell everyone?'

'Yes, but not now, not just yet. I want to keep working with you for as long as I can,' Kate breaths, running her fingers through his hair.

'And if they split us up at work, it won't ruin us,' he recaps.

'No, it won't.' she agrees.

He leans back down to kiss her, but she grabs his hair, keeping him from closing the distance.
'It still doesn't mean you're getting lucky tonight.'

Castle laughs at her, and rolls to the side. Kate immediately snuggles into his side though, a hand spanning across his heart, and her nose in his neck.

'But I might be persuaded in the morning,' She adds, listening to the chuckle rumbling in his chest.

Yeah. They're gunna be fine.

A/N: Reviews give me a happy!