She softly traced the line of his face with the pad of her finger, her lower lip firmly trapped between her teeth as she stretched her feet in front of the chimney, the comforting creak of the fire consuming wood never failing to appease her. Propped on the side of the couch, legs spread before her, she lifted her eyes from the book jacket to look outside of the window as imposing, and threatening dark clouds drew near and she knew that in a matter of minutes, rain would fall hard and thunder would flare to make the walls shake all night. She surprisingly loved those nights when heat was replaced by a faint chill – just enough to make her want to curl up with a blanket in front of a warm fire, the silence shattered by sudden blasts, and the darkness cleared up by bright flashes of lights. She always tried her best to enjoy it while it lasted, because she knew the heat would be back in the morning, stifling.

She hadn't been able to enjoy it in the month she had been there, as clouds never came and heat persisted, and she had missed it. She remembered the times she came here with her father, contemplating the wildness of the scenery only enhanced by the storm.

She returned her attention to the book laid on her lap, and let her lips spread into a closed lipped smile, two fingers coming against it as if trying to contain it, but she felt it in her chest, some kind of energy bubbling, and she let her head fall against the back of the couch, hiding her smile. She was being ridiculous but she couldn't help it. She replayed the last time they had talked in her head and she couldn't help letting out a breathless laugh as she remembered his dumbstruck face when she had given him her name before retreating. She never had pictured him that way, and it was somehow refreshing, to the point where she almost felt relieved. She knew you couldn't fully trust the media, as they twisted everything their way, but she still had been troubled seeing him differently than how they pictured him. And yet, he seemed an entirely different person. That didn't mean she could let him in – oh, that was out of the question.

She should stop thinking about him, because there was no way he would come b-

Her internal rambling stopped dead when she thought she heard movements outside and, sure enough, a loud knock made her jump and sit up, the sudden flash of pain in her chest making her hiss.

Arms tensed, she gripped the fabric of the couch as she eyed the door intently."Who is it?" She asked just loud enough to avoid any more pulling around her still aching scar.

"Kate?" She heard the only voice she thought she wasn't going to hear again, and she screwed her eyes shut, angling her face to the ground. "Look, Kate. I know you don't want me here, I get it, but if you could just- I'm already drenched and I'm pretty sure some serious storm is heading over here and fast. I don't want to make you feel like you have to but seriously, it would be gr-"

"Fine. Get in." Kate said once she had opened the door to a dripping wet Richard Castle.

The door closed behind them with a thud and she found herself standing there dumbly, both her hands coming to rub her sides and fumble with the fabric of her sweat.

"Than-"

"I will-"

Their words collided and her eyes snapped to him in surprise as a faint smirk eased its way on his lips, making her head duck.

He shouldn't be here. He definitely shouldn't be here, smirking at her.

Raising her head without meeting his gaze, she awkwardly pointed behind her. "I'll go find you a towel, just- Stay here and don't touch anything."

He nodded his head at her absently, too busy inspecting the room.

Meanwhile, Beckett turned her back to him, not without a last look, making sure he wasn't indeed putting his nose where he shouldn't.

Too late.

Her place was nice. It looked neat, well organized and he couldn't help himself and just had to walk around, no further than the kitchen, though. There was not much to see, the little cabin wasn't fairly personalized, and you couldn't exactly tell it was hers; it could have been anyone's. That alone made him wonder. She seemed to know the place pretty well, meaning she was used to being here and yet there was nothing personal.

He spun on his feet toward where she had gone, his hands hidden in his pockets when something caught his eyes on the couch. He walked toward it, and he picked up the book - one of his books - so she knew him, uh? Interesting. His curiosity got the best of him, as usual, and he turned the pages until the one he usually signed on, and what he saw made his eyebrows furrow.

To Kate,

Don't forget, after a storm comes the calm.

Such beautiful eyes shouldn't hold so much sadness.

So he had met her bef-

"So here's a towel, I'm sorry that's the last one an-" she halted herself abruptly when she saw him with her book – his book – in his hands, eyes widening, her throat closing up.

Please, no.

He looked at her with some kind of longing she didn't understand as he eyed her, and then the book, one after the other. "You- I- We met, before?" he asked incredulously, the intense look he gave her making her squirm.

She cleared her throat as a hand came to rub her forehead. That was so not happening. "I, uh. Yeah," she let out with what she aimed to be a smile, but must have got out more like a wince. "It was a long time ago, though."

Castle opened and closed his mouth, dumbfounded. "How- I don't remember," he says, seeming disappointed in himself.

"It was a long time ago," she repeated, a tilt of her head emphasizing each words.

"Still, I would remember you I- I don't think I would forget your face -your eyes-," he insisted, still, with a determination she didn't understand either. Geez, what was it with that man?

"Yeah, well, clearly you don't. I was much younger back then and- I wasn't what I am…now," she explained, her eyes suddenly finding something interesting on her feet, "I don't blame you, if that's what you're worried about."

Castle took a few steps toward her, making her startle, and sensing her surprise, he stopped to look at her carefully, Are you ok ?

She offered him a faint smile, holding out the towel and the largest hoodie she could find to him and making sure he didn't get too close.

He got rid of his drenched shirt in a moment, shooting a look at Kate and wasn't disappointed as he quickly noticed the blush that was creeping up her neck to her cheeks, and her eyes dancing around him but landing on his chest from time to time of their own accord. Adorable

He wrapped himself in the soft towel and looked around him once more, both of them awkwardly standing without a word.

"So,"

"Soo,"

Again, their voices collided and they both startled, and laughed at one another, and boy did he love the sound of her laugh, he had to make sure to hear it again.

"I'm sorry, I don't have any TV, I usually spend my time here either reading or outside ," she told him with a shrug as she made her way to the small kitchen area, "I can manage to make us some lunch, though. If you're hungry?" She asked opening the fridge to see what she had left, which honestly wasn't much. She would have to run to the closest store, tomorrow.

"Uh-Yeah, of course," he stammered as he finally decided to sit on the couch, as he could still see her from there, "Need some help?" He asked as he slipped into the NYPD hoodie she had given him, which was way too big for a slim woman like her, and he preferred not to think about its owner.

NYPD, uh?

Kate shook her head as she took some vegetables out of the fridge and moved to get pasta out of the cupboard above her head, "No, I've got it, you just...sit right where you are," she muttered putting a pot of water to boil. The last thing she needed was him playing house with her; she was already surprised she hadn't kicked him out yet.

He hadn't expected the sharp light that flashed through the whole room and the loud crash above their head as the clouds exploded and rain poured with an impressive strength, but what he certainly hadn't expected, was the scream of agony the woman in the kitchen let out and he jumped to his feet.

"Castle, get down!" He heard her yell as she crouched to the ground and crawled backward until her back hit the wall, wild curls of hair framing her face.