Thank you to the reviewers and to you guys who put me on story alerts and such. So I'm going to just explains Gates' actions in the last chapter for a few people, I'd like to think that over the last season she's softened up a bit. Obviously Espo and Becks had to be punished but would she really be willing to lose Beckett? Also another major point, it's fan fiction so what I say goes in this story ;)

I plan on updating daily for however long this goes on so expect another chapter within 24 hours. With that said I hope you carry on reading this.

Disclaimer: Since starting this and you reading this I haven't miraculously owned it.

It was a quiet ride back to Castle's loft, every so often Castle could get a glance over at Kate who had her head against the window. She was watching as the buildings went past them both, her right hand was in Castle's and every so often she would feel him squeeze his hand in which she would squeeze it back. They arrived outside the entrance to his loft and he took out some money to pay for the cab fare instructing the driver to keep the change.

They reached the door which was then opened by one the men on duty, they sent him a quick thanks and a greeting before getting into the elevator. The ride to his floor seemed to have been the longest he had ever experienced since moving in to the loft. He didn't know whether to say something to her or to stay silent, he decided to stay quiet so she could make sense of what she was going to tell him. Once it reached his floor he took out his keys and opened the door, it seemed as quiet as when he had left so he assumed that Alexis wasn't home yet.

"Alexis?" He shouted out not expecting a reply but still wanting to check. "She must still be out." He said to Kate but not expecting a reply from her either. She acknowledged she had heard him with the nod of her head before moving past him to sit on the couch. "Would you like a drink?" He asked as he put his keys in the bowl near the table and shut the door.

"No thanks." She replied quietly as she tucked her knees under her as she sat down.

He went into the kitchen and grabbed two glasses from the cupboard before filling them both with water. He went into the living room and placed them on the coasters on the table and took the seat next to her. They both sat in silence neither one wanting to start the conversation.

"I couldn't do it." Kate said in a whisper a few minutes later. "I went in there so hell bent on signing that paper but I couldn't do it."

"Nobody is expecting you to do that Kate." He angled his body closer to hers. "Tell me what's going on in that head of yours?" He asked.

She said there for a few minutes trying to figure out how she wanted to word what she wanted to say. "I don't know how to be just Kate anymore." She answered. "Ever since my mom died all I wanted was to find her killer and now? I don't want that, I know she wouldn't want that for me."

"What went off with Gates' then?" He pulled her closer and rested his chin on top of her head.

"She told me I had a week to make up my mind." She rested against him and breathed in his scent. She let out a sigh, all this progress she had made since her shooting and she felt like she had taken ten steps back. She wrapped her arms around him and closed her eyes wanting to forget the world. "As much as I don't want to go back I know I will. I've dedicated part of my life to this and I can't go down without a fight."

"Well you wouldn't be you if you did." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head.

"That's kind of my point though Castle, who am I if I'm not a Detective?"

"You'll figure it out and I'll be with you the whole time."

They stayed silent enjoying just being with each other until the sound of a key broke the silence, the door to the loft opened slowly. Alexis walked through the door and dropped her bag along with her coat before shutting it completely. She hadn't looked around for her father yet so she had still to recognize Kate. She let out a small yawn before she looked up.

"Oh hey dad." She said blinking, letting out another small yawn. "Oh, and Detective Beckett. Hi." Her eyes moved from her dad to Kate slowly, she didn't have much space to move between since they were still in the same position. Her eyebrows lowered a little bit and she stared at her dad a little longer than was necessary.

She wasn't going to just come out and ask what was going on between them, if anything she had found them in situations like this a few times. For the past few weeks though her dad had been acting differently and had made out that he was done shadowing Detective Beckett once and for all. Even though he had said this over the past few years she had actually believed him this time. She had slept a little easier for those first few days because it meant that her dad was going to be safe again. Not that he hadn't always been safe but since the reopening of Beckett's mothers murder there had been more gunfire it seemed.

A couple of weeks ago when he had told her he was shadowing another Detective she watched him and noticed the little changes in him throughout the few days he had spent with the new Detective. He had been quieter and wouldn't tell her about his day, he had become more withdrawn and she hope the shadowing would be temporary. Thankfully he was back to shadowing Beckett the following week.

She cleared her throat before moving towards the stairs. "I'm just going to go upstairs and sleep for a little while, crazy night last night and all." She had just set her foot on the first step when she heard her dad calling her.

"Alexis? Can you just come here a minute?" He moved slightly so he could see her clearer. "We just have something to tell you."

"Can't it wait dad?" Alexis asked as she turned slightly. "I've hardly had any sleep since last night."

Castle let out a sigh and he looked at her. "Sure."

"Night dad. Talk to you in a few hours. Bye Detective Beckett."

They watched as she walked upstairs before Kate sat up, she reached and took one of the glasses of water and took a drink.

"I should go." She said quietly. "I still have to go and talk to Lanie, maybe find Esposito. I might go see my dad too." She was mostly talking to herself with this part but he stopped her.

"You don't need to make up excuses you know." Castle said leaning forward. "I know you won't run from this." He smiled gently. "Will I see you for dinner tonight?"

He knew it was a long shot but he still had to try. She glanced upstairs to where she knew Alexis would be getting ready for bed, to Castle standing in front of her. She bit her lip slightly before answering.

"I'll text you later and let you know."

He nodded his head accepting this answer before closing the distance between them and resting his hands on her waist.

"Do I however get a goodbye kiss?" He asked moving his head slightly closer to hers.

"It appears I don't have a choice." She smirked before the lips came in contact.

Before they got carried away with anything she backed away from him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

"I'll talk to you later." She whispered before moving towards the door.

"Hey Kate?" He called out as she opened the door. He watched as she turned around and looked at him with the question in her eyes. "I love you." He stated simply.

She smiled back at him. "I love you too Rick."

A/N: As always I'd really like if you gave me a review or a PM...I learnt today it's not a blue link anymore it's a button so please go and click that blue button. Unless of course you are on your phone or something in which case click the link! Please ^^ I can't improve if I don't know how.