Strikes of lightning illuminated the room, the rain-specked windows sending lines of twisting shadows snaking upon the floor. The language of their lips spoke above the soundtrack of whipping rain and rolling thunder as sirens screamed through the streets outside his dim-lit bedroom. Their heartbeats pounded around the room as they helped each other out of their layers, laughing quietly between kisses while the garments clung stubbornly to her skin.

He backed her up against the foot of his bed, body pressed flush against hers as they swayed in their underwear. His fingers cradled her head while his lips sought out her scar once again; still trying to reassure him that this was happening. That she was here, soaked and alive in his arms. He knew without asking that she felt the same way.

His palms circled her face; slid from her cheek to her jaw, caressed her forehead and grazed her shoulders. His touch burned her cold skin, and the trailing of his fingers left goose pimples blossoming along her spine. They both toppled onto the bed as her knees gave way, but he caught himself before he could crush her, bracing his arms on either side of her head. Everything seemed to slow down as he met her gaze.

Autumn eyes bright in the dim lighting, her face split into a genuine grin, seemingly more dazzling with every endless second. Bubbles bloomed in his stomach at the sight and the urge to kiss her grew too hard to resist. And as he broke the infinite moment, bending his neck to peck her nose, she reached up to wrap both of her arms around his neck.

Bringing his ear to her lips, she captured the soft lobe between her teeth, breath huffing into his lobe. Something between a growl and a groan escaped his throat and she wrapped a long leg around one of his, flipping him onto his back and trapping him between her thighs. Her body tingled; hot and alive, burning so intensely she could only just bear it. She was drunk with want, warm and fuzzy with adrenalin and desire. All she wanted was to be closer to him- to get as close to him as she could.

Castle's palms snuck behind her back then, his fingers walking along the tender muscles to the edge of her bra. He struggled to unclasp the hooks, and her face split into smile upon hearing his exasperated huff. He helped her shimmy the straps from her shoulders, tossing her bra to the foot of the bed before diving into her body, burying his face in her still-damp hair, his breath crawling through the dampened locks.

Skin sticky with sweat, she pressed herself flat to his chest, sucking along his collarbone, and biting softly at the flesh. Her tongue caught the beat of his heart, pulsing hard and fast, and she sucked against it, pulling his skin taut. He growled throatily in response, rolling her onto her back. Lightning outlined his features, catching his icicle eyes as he dipped his head to take one of her nipples between the seam of his lips. His panting breaths coasted along her skin as, sucking excruciatingly, he drew his teeth over her with the faintest pressure, making her whole body pulse with electricity. He bit down, pulling it gently, and a sweet cry broke from her lips as one of his hands came up to cup her other breast, hot and greedy.

She wrapped her legs around his hips, locking her ankles together and tugging his body closer to hers. She revelled in the feeling of him pressed up against her skin, grinding upwards as he broke away from her breasts to capture her lips with his. Her palm snaked behind his head, deepening their kisses, while she slipped her other hand between their furious bodies, teasing the elastic of his waistband before yanking them off his hips.

He huffed into her mouth and she tasted the desire on his breath as she pushed them from the bed, her muscles straining with the memory of her fight on the rooftop. Thunder rumbled, growling in the clouds as they sat up. She broke from the tangle of limbs, and he helped her free him from his boxers before reaching over and opening the nightstand's drawer.

After producing a square package from the depths of the drawer, he holds it up to her and wriggles his brows, eyes widening jokingly as he mouths "safe sex". She rolls her own eyes, amused, and snatches it from his hand- though she does have to admit that it's a relief to see the 9-year-old in him again.

Once everything was sorted out, he pushed her back into the nest of sheets, planting flaming kisses upon her torso as he climbed over her. She was breathless, lost in feeling as he lowered himself onto her. Her breasts flattened against his chest as he touched his nose to the base of her neck, breath skittering across her clavicle. Her hands grasped his hips as he aligned himself with her, pausing for a brief moment before sliding smoothly between her folds.

A strangled gasp left her lips as he filled her, and she clutched him even closer, forcing him deeper before allowing him to pull back out.

There was nothing then but simplicity.

So simple.

The fire was nonexistent; all that was left was the effortless connection they had always shared. Only this time it was magnified, intensified, a thousand times over.

She felt his heart beat through his chest. Felt the inflation of his lungs and the breath that blew in gusts against her burning skin. She felt him, absolutely, as he slid in and out of her, as his muscles worked around her, flexing and pulling. His body fit hers like lock and key; it was as if they were made for each other. He seemed to know the exact way to move; what spots to hit and how fast or how slow to go. Each pulse and pull matched up perfectly to hers; she felt more alive than ever before as their bodies connected again and again, consumed by the passion that had been locked away for so long.

Finally, finally, after four years, they had crossed the line.

When it was all over, she lay in his arms, exhausted as she smiled absently to herself. His ribcage rose and fell against her cheek, the movement lulling her to sleep with every intake. Her hair lay splayed across his chest, fanned out against his skin as her eyes fluttered gently. The storm outside still raged, though farther away by then; the flashes of lightning were weaker and the thunder rolled distantly, no longer threatening. She listened, content and warm and finally on stable ground.

It was only seconds before she dropped from consciousness, nestled securely in the embrace of his arms.