Arriving at the beach house she stared at it with wide eyes, her mouth in the shape of a small 'o'. She had been hesitant at first, going with him, but after she'd told him her fears he'd immediately insisted she'd go with him. He told her she shouldn't be afraid that the shooter would come for her there, because even if they were partners he doubted they'd think she'd take hiding with him. Eventually he'd gotten her to agree, one late night at the hospital when she was once again dosing off in his bed. She knew she shouldn't have been there, especially not in his bed, but she couldn't help it! It felt so safe to be near him, to have her body touching his gently, and he made her feel home. He made her feel as though everything was going to be alright. So she'd agreed. She would join him to his beach house in the Hamptons. Breaking the news to his mother and daughter, Alexis hadn't seemed too excited about it. The teen hadn't exactly told them that, but it was something Kate could see in her blue eyes. Martha had just been delighted and had been excited to hear the news. The two redheads had gone to the house one day before them to be able to stock it up with food and remake the beds, especially making sure the guest room would be ready for Kate to use. Kate had tried to tell them not to go through the trouble, she could do it herself once she got there but of course her partner's mother wouldn't let that happen. 'You're the guest, darling', she'd said determined.

"You think you'll like it here?" his voice breaking through her thoughts as she continued to eye the big mansion.

"Do I think... Castle, this is huge," she exclaimed, glancing at him sitting in the passenger seat.

She'd insisted on driving, knowing he couldn't and refusing to let a cab driver know they would both be at the same location she'd seen no other choice.

"Well, did I ever tell you I'm a famous mystery writer?" he said in a nonchalant but teasing voice.

She chuckled, deciding to play along, "No, I think you missed that part." Their eyes met and she bit her tongue as she smiled small.

"Come on, I wanna show you the inside," he said with a glimpse of excitement in his blues.

Shaking her head at the childishness she knew his body was filled with, she opened her door and quickly went around the car in order to help him out. He didn't exactly tell her he was hurting but she could tell and she felt responsible for his pain. She should've been the one in pain, not him. When he took a step out of the car he grunted at the small pain, but she didn't point it out. If she'd been the one in pain she hadn't wanted him to, so why should she? Alexis met with them in the door, opening it up for them and gave her dad a careful hug before she told him about everything they'd gotten and how she and Martha would be the ones making the dinner that night. Rick tried to argue, saying he was fine but Alexis won that argument pretty easily by simply stating he wouldn't be able to stirr anything without moving his arm which would therefore make his stitches sting. Kate couldn't agree more, she didn't say anything though, didn't dare interfere. There was no way she would give the teen any more reason to despite her being there, even if this argument had been in the teen's favor.

"Let me show you the guest room," he suggested as soon as his daughter walked away with a knowing smile.

"Okay," she whispered and followed him into the big house.

They went slow, each step having his face wrinkle with what she assumed was pain, and once they came into the room she couldn't keep quiet anymore.

"Castle, just, sit down a little," she gestured to the bed. "Please."

"I'm fine," he brushed it off with a wave of his hand but she gave him a look and he conceded.

He slumped down on the bed and she let her bag fall down beside him, quietly started unpacking her things, putting her clothes into the empty bureau. Once she was done they continued the tour of the house and she couldn't stop being amazed about the whole thing. She was glad she'd decided to go with him, even if it meant she had to leave the case behind. The boys had, of course, been all too eager to take it from her, both knowing exactly how deep she could go in the hole unless someone stopped her. They hadn't found anything more and it frustrated the hell out of her. Not to mention they'd met their new captain the day before she went on a leave. Captain Victoria 'iron' Gates. She was nothing like Montgomery. Kate had been on her way to get cut off the case, and they had only met her for one day! She already disliked the captain. Though, Gates had proved her being away for the summer, of course she had said something about it being good for her mental health which Kate did absolutely not like at all. Anyway, she wouldn't let her new captain destroy her... vacation? Getaway?

"Mm, this is absolutely delicious," Kate was interrupted in her thoughts about work once the taste filled her mouth.

Martha chuckled, "All thanks to Alexis, I couldn't cook for the life of me."

"Thank god, no deaths tonight then," Rick said in fake relief and Martha gave him a look while Alexis and Kate tried to keep themselves from laughing.

Kate looked at the teen and when their eyes met she was surprised to see there was no disliking glimpse or whatsoever in those blues. She halfway wondered if the girl had accepted she was there, but decided not to let anything be done yet, the girl could just as easily be trying to hide it in order for her dad or gram not to notice it. It didn't take long before they had all eaten up and while Rick suggested they'd watch a movie Kate retreated to the guest room, saying she was tired and wanted to go to bed and read a little before heading to sleep. It had been a long day, and she'd been the one driving, so she felt like she needed to take a break. She was hesitant to leave his side after having been at his side the whole day but she also wanted to give the family time to be together without her presence. Of course Rick tried to whine and convince her to stay watch the movie with them but she managed to stop his whining with a reassuring but tired smile. He let her go but not without a goodnight hug, and she was more than willing to give it to him. She felt safe in his arms, so how could she even consider deny having them around her? Especially after the shooting. Once she got to her room she left her door slightly open, couldn't help but feeling the need to be able to hear the others in case something were to happen, to know they were okay even if she wasn't with them. Changing out off her every-day clothes she put on grey sweatpants and a NYPD shirt before brushing her teeth and getting ready for bed. With a small smirk she took out the Nikki Heat book she had packed and snuggled down in the bed in order to read.

Couple hours later she woke herself up with a small cry, a painful worry filling her body. She was covered in sweat and the remains of the nightmare still fresh in her mind had her getting out of the bed. The book that had been in her lap had fallen to the floor, apparently from her moving around when her nightmare started becoming too real. This time he'd died. He'd died in her arms. He'd been shot in the heart and bled out. She'd had to watch as his life went out of his body, how his soul left his eyes.

"He's okay, he's okay," she started chanting in a whisper, so low she was sure no one would be able to hear her. "He's okay, he's just in his room, he's okay,"

She paced back and forth in the room, her anxiety only increasing she went into the adjoining bathroom and started wiping her face with water, trying to cool herself down. Looking in the mirror she was her eyes filled with fear and her heart pumped faster as she recalled the dream over and over again.

"Fuck it," she gasped and dried her face with a towel before she, as silently as possible, set pace for her partner's room.

She tiptoed past the rooms of the two redheads before she reached his room the closest to the stairs. He'd told her he'd chosen that room because he'd always felt a need to be the first one down in case they had an intruder, he didn't want the intruder in his daughter's room before he could protect her. Her hand stopped right before it touched his door handle, rethinking her actions, but her nightmare was too fresh, the wound of almost losing him. So she gripped the handle and pushed it down gently, opening up the door silently. Carefully she snuck inside, her eyes immediately going to the bed, his form moving slightly up and down in time with his breathing. She pushed the door slightly close, not wanting to go out just yet. Her eyes were stuck on him, keeping track on his breathing. Leaning against the wall next to the door she let a few tears of both relief and fear slide down her cheeks. He's okay.

"You know, scaring is creepy," his rough rumbling had her jumping with shock.

H-he was... "You're awake?" she whispered with a small shame hearable in her voice.

His body was suddenly not laying down anymore but sat up straight, with a yawn he wiped his face. "You okay?" his rough morning voice asked, obviously proving he was awake by his actions instead of answering with words.

She wiped away the tears that had escaped her eyes and pushed herself away from the wall. "I should head back, sorry I woke you up," she mumbled but in the darkness she could see his head shaking.

"C'me here," he said with a gentle voice and she bit her lip, not sure if she should.

She ignored her walls, her old fears, right now the only fear she could focus on was the one of losing him. And she couldn't take that anymore, so she complied. She went forward and carefully sunk into his bed, sitting in front of him.

"What woke you up?"

Biting her lip again she could feel the small taste of iron in her mouth. "I... you died, this time. I just needed to... make sure... it really was just a nightmare," she whispered and he nodded, his hand reaching for hers. When their hands met she felt a spark of life going through her veins. She let got of a breath she had no idea she'd been holding in, he's alive. "I was so... I can't lose you, Rick." Their fingers slowly tangled together and she felt all her worry leave her body.

"I know, I heard you, and I'm not leaving you," he said in a confident voice.

She looked up at him, tried to look into the blue eyes through the darkness. Even if she couldn't see them clearly she could still see the adoration they were holding, the love he had for her, and she was more and more sure of him feeling the same about her that she felt for him. He wasn't the playboy he'd been when they first met. He didn't have girls hanging around him anymore, not like that first time. He wasn't looking at every big chested woman like he did in the beginning. He'd changed. And so had she. She wasn't that uptight, all-work-no-fun type of woman anymore. He had showed her what it was like to have fun, to enjoy the small moments no matter how bad something felt. Even on the worst days there's a possibility for joy. He had proven that. So many times. He'd picked her up when she felt heartbroken. He'd hurt her by opening up her mother's case, but then he'd proven he had only done it with the best intentions, and he'd said he was sorry. Her mother's case. The one case she couldn't solve. The case that had almost...

"I'm done," she muttered and she saw his head tilt to the side with question.

When she didn't answer his unspoken question he voiced it, "Done with what?", and she hesitated a few minutes before she answered. He waited her out, like the caring partner he was, knowing she would either ignore his question or answer it in her own time.

"I'm done with the case, I can't risk losing you," she clarified with a bite to her lip.

"I won't let you just give up Kate, I'm not gonna watch you throw away the case that made you the best detective in the city. But I agree you should take some time off, let me get back to my feet, and then we'll figure it out together, in secret," he said and she felt her tears come back.

"What if they come back? You can't risk your life for me again Rick," she drew in a quick breath at the thought.

"And you can't live with the constant target on your back, I won't lose you either," he argued. She felt small droplets leave her eyes, go down her cheek, and before she could wipe them away with frustrated hands he had already moved his free hand to her face. He cupped her cheek and let his fingers smoothly glide up and down her cheek, wiping away the tears as it soothed her. She was surprised how much she'd let him in these past few weeks, he was literally sitting in front of her while she was silently crying. She was being vulnerable in front of him and for the first time since her mom died she didn't feel weak showing someone her pain. She actually felt strong for finally being able to be herself with him, to finally let him in like she should've long before she got together with the doctor. Even before detective Demming came along.

"Can I sleep here? I mean, only if you're okay with..."

"Of course! Perhaps that can keep both our nightmares away," he cut her off and she felt her eyes widen.

"You had a nightmare?" she questioned and he nodded. "What about?"

Through the darkness she could see a small smile set on his lips and he pulled on her hand to make her lie down in the bed. It didn't take long before they were lying close together under the covers, like they had during some of the nights in the hospital.

"I dreamt it was you, and not me. I dreamt I was too late. I dreamt how you pulled away for the whole summer, said you needed time to heal, a few days, but never called me. Three months and you showed up at my book signing scheduled this fall," he told her and she felt her heart sting.

"I'm sorry," she whispered but her shook his head.

"It didn't happen, it wasn't you. You're here, in my arms, and I know you have walls, but I can't help hoping you'll stay here until they're down," he only whispered his hopes, as if he was afraid to say it louder. As if saying it louder would make her go away.

But she was done with that too. Done with pulling away.

"Rick?" she pulled herself up on her elbow to be able to look down at him. She was finally close enough to see the emotions in his blues, and she saw he was scared she would push him away now, that his words was too much for her. Quite the opposite. "I-I love you," she confessed with a stumble of words, and she saw his eyes get wide with shock. "I think I've loved you for a while, and I'm sorry you almost had to die to find out. I love you," she said more clear and a wide grin broke out on his lips.

"I love you too Kate," he said, not quite a whisper but not much louder. It was loud enough for her whole body to feel so much lighter than she thought was possible.

Leaning down Kate felt his arms tighten around her waist, pulling her closer, as she let their lips touch in a small kiss. She pulled away only to see his reaction, a smile so gentle she felt all giggly inside. His right hand moved up her arm until it landed with his fingers gently placed by her neck, pulling her down to kiss her again. This time they deepened the kiss, a static flowing through her veins, butterflies moving around in her belly, and she felt his other hand, the one still on her waist, pull her body halfway on top of his. She couldn't stop the moan he pulled out from her throat with the way he moved his tongue with hers, rubbing it in a way that had her insides flip out, her mind going blank. The hand on her neck tangled with her hair, messing it up and she couldn't help but totally ignore how her hair would be impossible to untangle in the morning because she didn't care. All she cared about was him. The love she felt radiating from his whole soul and being, and she hoped he could feel hers. The sudden grunt had her immediately slowing down, her lips pulled up into a smile as she drew away, her teeth biting the lower lip.

"We should wait, let your wound heal first," she breathed out, smile so beautiful his heart skipped a beat.

"I don't wanna wait," he half-whined, but she could see the smile mirroring hers.

"I know, but it'll be worth it," she said, her words both a tease and a promise.

She wasn't going anywhere. And they had a whole summer to figure everything out. Together.


The End.


A/N: I know, I know, too short. But in my defense this was supposed to only be a simple one shot so... Anyway, thank you all for reading, reviewing and favoriting! Hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I did writing it. Now, for next I will take a small break, I have one more short story which I'm working on but since it's not finished yet I have decided not to start publishing it... yet. I'll update on my twitter on the progress/when I start publish it, thanks again and see you later! xxx