Disclaimer: In Marlowe We Trust, so no, I don't own Castle

A lot had happened in the three months. She had recovered from the shooting but was now suffering from emotional distress. Her therapist had cleared her for duty, but with her break up with Josh and no contact from Castle she felt alone. She was alone.

She was ripped from her thoughts by the sound of the photocopier. She was at the precinct in the middle of a case. She was disappointed in herself for letting her mind wander into distraction but she couldn't stop thinking about him. Kate found herself glancing over towards his chair. When she realized what she was doing she placed her head in her hands and sighed. Kate recognized that it wasn't a tired sigh but a sigh of regret. She thought of how he had stayed with her when the life was slowly leaving her frail body. Oh god! He watched me die. She thought back to when he had been there when she had woken up a day later, when he told her that he never even left. But the last thing she thought of, the thing that made her take a deep breath, was his declaration of his love. For her, for them. She took her head out of her hands and stood to get her jacket, she figured that she would have to get her own coffee today.

Kate almost passed by the delivery guy on her way out, but when she heard her name she spun around.

"I'm Kate Beckett." She replied.

"Here we go." He replied, handing her over a cup of coffee. The delivery guy saw the stunned look on her face and added "Mr Castle asked me to deliver this to you."

Kate took the cup, still a little stunned, and found a note attached to it. She took one look at it and smiled.

You know I'm not the guy to give up on traditions. –R

That was it. She had to go and see him.

"Who should I write this to?" He asked, unaware of exactly who was in front of him.

"Kate."

Richard Castle, best-selling author, looked up and for once in his entire career, he was lost for words. His cheerful look suddenly replaced with one of anger and hurt. This was a side of Castle that Kate didn't recognise, but was something she, and only she, had created.

"Rick." She said. He saw the apology coming, it was written all over her face.

"No, Beckett. Go" The last word was said in only a whisper, but she got his message loud and clear. As she made her way through the screaming fans and recalled on what he had just said. He had called her Beckett, something that was only ever heard in the precinct; he used to rise to every opportunity to call her Kate, no matter the circumstances. She stopped, leant against the wall and closed her eyes. The last time he had called her Kate was at Montgomery's funeral, when he had used her first name along with the three words that made her heart skip a beat every time she thought of them. I love you. She doesn't want to run again, not now, not ever.

The crowds soon disappeared and she re-entered the book store, coffee in one hand, his book in the other.

"The dedication is nice."

"It's the truth. You're not the only one who looked up to him." He said.

As she handed him the cup he added "Why you are here Beckett?"

Kate never thought that hearing her surname would hurt. But it did. Because it was him. She felt her eyes welling up but she refused to let him see her cry. She came here to apologise and she has to stay strong.

"Me and Josh we –"

"Beckett I don't want to hear about your stupid boyfriend -"

"Ex- Boyfriend."

"What?"

"We broke up." She confessed.

"Goodbye Beckett."

"Ca – Rick wait!"

"I have waited for 3 years Kate! I told you I loved you and you lied to my face and told me you didn't remember! I was hoping that you would come in here and tell me you lied, tell me you remembered but you didn't! So no, I will not wait. I am done waiting."

His sudden anger shocked her to say the least, but she didn't want to give up on them.

"Please Rick."

Her voice sounded so small, so vulnerable and it was tearing his heart to pieces but he had to do this.

"Goodbye, Kate."

"Richard Edgar Alexander Rogers Castle, don't you dare walk away from me."

That comment made him stop dead in his tracks. He spun around and the shock was evident on his face.

"What did you say?"

"Don't walk away Rick. I'm sorry. It was wrong to run from you, from us. But I am here now. And I know what I want."

"And what is that?" The anger started to slip from his face and she saw the vulnerable Rick who still loves her. She also sees hope in his eyes as she thinks 'Please God, don't let me screw this up'.

"I want you, I want us. I want you to be my one and done. I LOVE YOU Rick. Always have, Always will. It just took me a while to realise it."

"Ok… but NO TAKESIES BACKSIES!" That was her Rick, mid-forties and still acting like a five year old. Wait a minute, my Rick?

"No takesies backsies."

"I love you"

"I love you too"

"I love you more"

"I love you most"

"I love you ALWAYS"

"Always and Forever"

"Isn't it Forever and Always"

"Not for us, Kate. We are special."

"Don't lie. It is so you can have the last say, isn't it?"

"Pffftttt, no."

"Rick"

"Maybe"

"Rick"

"Fine. Yes it is"