Winter Colds
Prompt from Anon: Beckett catches a cold and Castle convinces her to go home and takes care of her.
Disclaimer: I am so not Andrew Marlowe, and you can't even begin to comprehend how sad that makes me.
Chapter Two:
After securely locking the door of her apartment, Kate immediately made a beeline for her couch, ignoring the man trailing behind her.
On the cab ride home – Castle insisting she was far too tired to drive, and Kate unwilling to hand over the keys – she had realized Rick was right. She was sick; the runny nose had led to a stomachache. Periodically, she shivered with a chill, though her forehead felt hot to the touch, and it was difficult for her to keep her eyes open, immune system on overdrive.
Snuggling into the two throw blankets she kept on the couch, relishing their warmth, Kate turned to the man beside her. Biting her lip, she thought about what to do with him. To be honest, she didn't really want him around. Since she never got sick frequently, it seemed she'd never learned to deal with it in a grown up manner, instead moping around until a few days later it resolved itself. A lot of the time was spent missing her mother, who had been the perfect companion on sick days, who knew exactly what foods to serve her, what movies to play, the blankets that warmed her up without overheating her. When sick, all she wanted was her mom.
"Hey, Castle. Thanks for, you know, getting me home. But seriously, I'll be okay. Head home. I'm sure Alexis and Martha will be wondering where you are." She smiled at him, urging him out.
Castle wasn't giving up so easily. Sitting on her couch, pulling her feet into his lap, he warmed them with his hands. "I'm not going anywhere." She started to protest, but he continued to speak before she had a chance. "Hey. I meant what I said. I've got you home. Now I have to make sure you get some much needed sleep and some of my chicken noodle soup."
Kate squirmed her feet away from his hands, suddenly ticklish, and pulled the covers over her head. "Castle, I'm sick. This is not what being partners is about. You're supposed to follow me at work, not when I'm sick with a fever."
Castle laughed, before leaning over her body to pull the blanket down slightly, enough so he could see her eyes. "Au contraire, my muse. I'm finding this all very educational for Nikki. Who knew she'd turn into such a child when sick, hiding her head away from the world?" He moved his head to move her hair back, his hand lingering for a moment. God, she was beautiful, even pale with sickness.
He was startled by a knock at the door, before pushing Kate down. "Stay, stay, it's a delivery for me." He had texted Alexis on the way to the apartment, asking her to bring over some of his frozen soup. Grabbing the bags from Alexis at the door, one filled with a large Tupperware of soup, the other with a few cans of ginger ale, he smiled at her, kissing her forehead lightly. "Thanks, sweetheart. I'll be home tomorrow, okay? I'm going to make sure Beckett gets better, because goodness knows she's incapable of taking the time to recover." Alexis smiled, before exiting with a "I love you!"
Rick looked over to the woman on the couch. Her head covered by the blankets, he watched her chest rise slowly up and down, not yet asleep, but resting peacefully. He put the soup on to warm, before cracking open a can of ginger ale, pouring it into a cup, and grabbing a straw.
Entering the living room, he kneeled next to Kate's head. "Hey, you."
She moaned a little, annoyed at the disturbance. She hadn't been asleep, but she was close. "What?"
"I've got some ginger ale for you, thought your stomach might be feeling the sickness."
She rolled over, pulled the blanket off her head, before sipping from the offered glass. Taking it into her hands, glad for its chill, she frowned. She hadn't told Rick she had a stomachache, did she? "Umm… Rick?"
The childlike confusion on her face was just adorable, and Castle couldn't help but stroke her cheek, trying to erase some of the lines. Knowing the question on her mind, he answered, "I guessed. You know, fever, runny nose? It was a logical conclusion." Getting up, ladling out a cup of soup, he brought it to her.
Kate eyed the dish warily. It wasn't that she didn't trust his cooking – she did, now, after years of being surprised by the quality of his cooking, she'd grown used to his abilities – but was worried about her stomach tolerating it. Rick nodded, encouraging her, so she took a first slurp. It was excellent, light enough to not upset her stomach, but flavorful enough to make her enjoy eating it. Rick hadn't been lying about his abilities. A small hum of approval escaped her lips as she took her second spoonful. "God, you weren't lying. This is just what I needed." She smiled at him, the joy at his face making her heart leap a little.
Before long, the bowl was done, and Kate was having difficulties keeping her eyes open. Rick was sitting next to her on the couch, and her head kept falling against his chest as she drifted off. Rick shifted them, his body cocooning hers, arms around her torso, his chest her pillow. "Mmm, you're a good pillow, Rick," she muttered, snuggling in more closely, all inhibitions gone by the need for comfort in the face of illness. Rick welcomed her with open arms, nuzzling his nose into her hair, staying silent to allow her to fall asleep more quickly. It didn't take long, but in some muddled half-dream state, he heard a few muttered words escape her lips, "Thanks… I love…" He smiled, able to make the connections, heart quickening as he pressed a kiss to her head.
Whispering, he confessed his feelings once more to the detective. "I love you too, Kate."
One day, he knew, one day they'd both say it aloud, awake, no sniper, no illness forcing the words out. One day, he knew, they'd be saying it on an altar, friends and family cheering them on. One day, he knew, they'd be saying it as they watched their children graduate from college, get married, have children of their own.
But for now, Richard Castle could be content to hold his Kate Beckett and nurse her back to health.