Castle woke first the next morning with Kate's warm body still safely nestled against him. He leaned over and gently kissed her shoulder. "Morning." She said as she rolled over to face him.
"Good morning." He replied brushing the hair out of her eyes. "Feel better now?" He asked.
"Much" She replied.
"Kate, I really think you should consider taking some more time of work just until you're fully ready to return."
"Castle I am ready."
"And yesterday, what happened yesterday?" He questioned her.
"It was just a hang up I froze."
"And what if the boys hadn't been there or me? What would do you think would have happened to you then? Kate I am not doubting you please don't think for a second that I am. I just don't want to see you get hurt." He explained.
"I already did." She said sadly.
"Even more reason you should be careful Kate. This is your life we are talking about. Do you know what it was like to watch you die in that ambulance? To have the blood of the one you love covering your hands? I do, it's not something I ever want to go through again. Kate if I lost you..."
"Shh… I am not going anywhere." She said as she brought their lips together. Castle moved his hands to her hips pulling her body to his. Kate using her police training quickly flung one of her legs of her his hip and pulled herself on top of him.
"Kate…"
"I am not going anywhere Rick I am all yours." Kate said.
Castle sat up in the bed so the two of them were eye to eye. He reached out and gently cradled her face in his hands, "I love you." He said.
"I love you too." Kate admitted. Castle leaned in kissing her softly on the lips. Kate tightened her arms around his neck and deepened the kiss. Kate trailed her tongue over his bottom lip silently asking for accesses his mouth further. Never one for denying Beckett anything she wants Castle granted her what she was asking for her.
Castle grabbed the hem of her shirt and only breaking contact with her lips long enough to discard her shirt. Castle took in the sight of her before him for the first time. The first thing his were drawn to was the scar that nearly cost her, her life. Kate watched him and knew exactly where his thoughts had gone. She ran her fingers through his hair; she reached out taking his left hand and placing it over the bullet wound. "I am not going anywhere I am here with you." She explained.
Castle moved his hand that was still resting on her hip up gently until it was resting just at her ribs where the surgical incision tore through her flawless skin and saved her life. There eyes locked and there was nothing else in the world that mattered right now but the two of them. For ones single moment time stopped, nothing but them existed. Kate finally knew what it felt like, what everyone had always talked about. She finally understood love.
A/N: Thank you for everyone who is reading and following this story.