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Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or the characters.
Castle returned to her desk with her coffee not long later but he couldn't stop thinking about what he'd said, and how idiotic it was. He'd basically just told her he loved her and he knows she understands the reference. They watched The Princess Bride together a few weeks ago and ever since then he'd been thinking about using those word but he never thought he'd have the courage to actually say them.
He handed her the coffee he'd made her and then took his seat again, wondering if she'd bring it up or just pretend it didn't happen. His money was on pretend it didn't happen. Or maybe she'd just pass it off as him making a joke but if that was the case she wouldn't bring it up either so now he was stuck and didn't know what to do.
And it didn't take long for him to start fidgeting again.
"Really, Castle?"
"What?"
"Just go home, you have no reason to be here," Beckett said and instantly she regretted her words, she didn't mean it to sound like that, especially after what he'd just said to her.
"But what if I want to be?" Castle asked, deciding to be bold again, there was no way she couldn't know how he felt now.
"I…" Beckett didn't know how to respond to that and now Castle didn't know what to say either.
"Sorry, I shouldn't have said anything," Castle said, all his confidence gone. One day he'd tell her how he really felt, using the proper words, but today just wasn't that day.
Beckett felt her insides twist at the hurt expression on Castle's face, knowing that she was doing that to him. But she'd decided before that that was over. No more hiding, no more avoiding the truth and she knew what that truth was now, she was in love with Richard Castle and it was time he knew that too.
"Do you want to come over for dinner tonight?"
"What?" Castle asked, his brows furrowed as he tried to work out exactly what was going on.
"Dinner, tonight, with me," Beckett clarified, her heart beating loudly in her chest as she waited for his answer. Had she just made a terrible mistake?
"Sure, I'd love to," he quickly said once he'd recovered, not believing what she'd just said. He'd seen the look on her face when he'd pushed her, gave her a tiny glimpse into his feelings for her, she'd looked terrified. But here she was now, looking hopeful as he accepted her invitation for dinner.
"Great, I'll see you tonight then?" Beckett asked, fighting to keep her voice level as she suddenly became very nervous about what she was going to do tonight.
"This isn't just your way of getting rid of me, is it?" Castle asked, only half joking, "you're not going to call later and cancel?"
"Of course not," Beckett smiled, wanting to show him how serious she really was, "I'll see you at seven?"
"Just to clarify, you've invited me over and you're going to cook dinner for me?" Was it a date?
"Yes," Beckett laughed again, "now go."
"I'll see you tonight, Detective," Castle smiled, still trying to figure out what Beckett meant by inviting him over to dinner but hoping it was a good sign.
Beckett couldn't help but watch him leave, wondering exactly what she'd gotten herself into for this evening.
XXX
Beckett was in a panic. She'd gotten home not long ago and was in the middle of cooking dinner when she'd started to freak out. Had she really invited Castle over for dinner to tell him how she felt? She calmed down a bit when she realised tonight could mean nothing, just dinner between friends and at the end of the night they could part as they always do and she'd see him again at work tomorrow.
But she found herself disappointed by that thought. She'd been hiding her feelings for him for so long and he'd been hiding his as well but the time for that was over, she wanted him to know she had feelings for him and tonight was the time to tell him that.
She'd panicked again at that thought, because how do you tell your best friend that you're in love with them? She didn't necessarily have to tell him that tonight but she did want to tell him she had feelings for him, that wanted to see if this thing between them could be as good as she dreamed it would be.
A knock at her door startled her and she was surprised to find it was already seven. Luckily she'd been on auto pilot while she'd been thinking so dinner only had a few minutes left until it would be done.
She opened the door to find Castle smiling tentatively at her, a bottle of wine in his hand.
"Hi," he said shyly, and this side of Castle was just so incredibly adorable that she had to stop herself from throwing herself through the open doorway at him. And wow, apparently the fact that she's decided to tell him how she feels has knocked the barrier out of the way that was stopping these sort of thoughts from getting through before.
"Hi," she replied just as shyly, taking the bottle of wine he offered to her.
"Smells delicious," Castle commented, at a loss of what else to say. What he really wanted to say was "you look beautiful" but he was waiting to take the lead from her to see what tonight was really about and how he should act.
She just smiled at him as she dished up their dinner so Castle made easy work of opening the bottle of wine and pouring them both a drink.
Once they were seated and eating, things got less awkward. It was more like they were used to, just two friends having dinner together.
Once they were finished eating, Castle insisted on helping with the dishes so when Beckett finally gave in, they both did the dishes together. After they were done, they just stood awkwardly in the kitchen, neither sure what to do now.
"It's getting late…" Castle trailed off, not wanting to leave but running out of reasons to stay. It seemed like this evening had just been a meal between friends and even if he was disappointed, Castle was still glad that they could hang out like this and maybe one day it would be as more than just friends.
"Yeah," Beckett breathed, realising she was running out of time but she still didn't know how to say what she wanted to.
"Thanks again for dinner, we should do it again some time," Castle smiled as they both walked towards her door.
Beckett was struggling, really unsure what to do. Well, no, that's wrong, she knew what she wanted to do she just wasn't sure how to do it.
And now Castle had his jacket on and he was opening the door, "goodnight, detective."
Beckett grabbed his arm as he turned to leave, "Castle, wait."
"Beckett?" He looked down at the hand she had on his arm then looked back up at her in confusion.
"I…just wait," Beckett said, frustrated that she just couldn't get the words out that she wanted to.
"Is everything okay?" Castle asked, his expression changing to one of concern as Beckett stepped back and closed her eyes, squeezing them tightly shut. He took a step towards her and reached out, placing a hand on her upper arm. Beckett's eyes flew open and they widened when she realised just how close they were now standing.
"Sorry," Castle said, removing his hand after mistaking her look of shock for one of fear.
"No, Castle, I'm sorry," Beckett replied, looking down as she spoke.
"You're sorry?" She looked back up at him.
"Yes, for being so bad at this," she answered, searching his eyes to try and see what he was thinking.
"This?" Castle asked, not entirely sure what was going on now.
"This," Beckett repeated, moving her hand back and forth between them to indicate them both.
"I don't understand," Castle said, his eyes roaming her face to try and decipher what she was talking about.
Castle's eyes widened as she took a step closer and reached out and took one of his hands in hers, "this."
"Beckett?"
"Today you said something to me, did you mean it?" Beckett asked suddenly, her fingers gliding over the hand that she held in hers.
He knew immediately what she was talking about, he hadn't said the words but she'd obviously understood exactly what he was trying to say, that he loved her.
His eyes moved from their joined hands to look her in the eyes before he breathed, "Yes."
A smile like nothing Castle had ever seen broke out across Beckett's face and it was beautiful. Because he'd just done it again, admitted he was in love with her, and Beckett was so incredibly happy in this moment, in this moment with him.
Castle moved the hand that Beckett wasn't holding up to hover over her cheek, only now realising how bad he was shaking, how nervous he really was. He paused there for a second, waiting to see if she'd reject him but it was Beckett who tilted her head to the side so her cheek rested in his palm.
"Kate," he whispered as she stepped even closer so he could feel the warmth emanating off her. He leant down, resting his forehead against hers as she closed her eyes, wanting to feel all in this moment that she could.
"Will you kiss me?" he asked, his heart beating wildly as he watched and waited for her to crush his heart or make all of his dreams come true.
"As you wish." And then she kissed him.
What did you think?
