A/N: Here comes the last chapter! It's short but I rewrote it like three times before I liked it. I hope you do, too. Thanks for all the support and I will keep on writing. I have this one story idea in my head which is going to come, soon.
Chapter 4
"Do I smell coffee?" she asked with a smile upon her face the moment he entered the bedroom. Her eyes were still closed, her body stripped off the covers. Her shorts exposed her legs and her shirt was ruffled around her hips, the skin of her stomach visible. Her bruises were a purple-greenish color now, slowly getting lighter.
"I made you breakfast," depositing the tray of food on the nightstand he grabbed one of the large pillows. Blinking an eye open at him she slowly sat up giving him the possibility to put the soft material behind her back for support.
"You didn't have to," she said grabbing for the coffee taking a big gulp. He loved coffee but the way she devoured her coffee every morning – or other time throughout the day – amazed him. Scared him even because if it came down to it and she had to decide between him or coffee, she'd chose the black liquid. He was sure of that.
Climbing onto his side of the bed he sipped his coffee in silence while she read the paper.
"You have any plans today?" he asked after a while and she just ached her eyebrows at him. She was five days post car accident. There was no way she was doing anything but staying in bed or on the couch. He knew that. The three days since he picked her up from the hospital have all been the same. Getting up, breakfast, sleeping, eating, sleeping some more, him teasing her, she being cranky and trying to convince him to get some files to work on from the precinct.
"Same old," she started, taking a bite of the pancakes he made her, "I'm just having a doctors appointment later." He knew she saw the worried look on his face because her expression softened as she ran a finger over his cheek, smiling at him. "Just a check up to see if everything is healing alright," she explained and he nodded.
She was already doing better and so was he. The first few days he was in some kind of a haze, constantly being worried about her, afraid to let her out of his view. The reality of her job hit him hard and even thought their lives had been on the line countless times since he met her the fact that he wasn't with her this time and the knowledge that everything could change in the blink of an eye made it hard for him to deal with her injury. It didn't matter how many times she promised him that she was fine.
But the fear he had at first was slowly starting to subdue and he could see it more clearly. Because in the end it was just an accident and even if she wasn't a cop there was always the chance of a car coming out of nowhere. They were living dangerous lives but that's who they were.
He wished that it was less dangerous but what was their story without the obstacles they had to overcome in the first place?
"Castle?" she asked. "Where are you right now?" tapping her fingertips against his temple she chuckled and he couldn't help but laugh with her. The way she sat next to him in his, their, bed. Kate don't-get-too-close-to-me Beckett. Stripped off all layers she hid beneath all that time.
"Nowhere," he pressed a short kiss to her lips, she tasted like coffee, vanilla and maple syrup, "when is your appointment? I'll drive you."
/
She smiled. He promised her to drive her last night but he was writing. She should have known better than to talk to him when he was writing.
"3.30," she stated simply and went back to her breakfast. She was still amazed how easy it was with him. All those years of fighting their feelings. Or more like her fighting him away. All those years she thought they couldn't work out. But now here she was. Letting him make her breakfast in bed, taking care of her when she was sick. And it felt natural. It belonged that way. They belonged that way.
She was happy that all those months ago she came here and most of all, that he let her in. Because in the end she would have understood if he didn't. But he did. For some reason he still believed in her; didn't give up on her. On them.
She didn't know where they were going or what would happen to them eventually. But in that very moment, being next to him, reading the paper, his fingers drawing soft circles on her leg as he read a book was enough. More than enough.
"Hey Rick," she said. All those places her mind was wandering somehow needed to be expressed. The past few days taught her, taught them, that life is short. That maybe next time there is no next time. She knew that before. Of course she did. But some days she was able to see more clearly, understand what life was throwing at her. He turned his attention from his book looking at her expecting.
His blue eyes piercing into her giving her the courage to say what she was about to say. But also making the lump in her throat grow bigger, her heart beat faster. Why was she so nervous? She knew that he knew. They both knew.
"Yeah?" he asked, a small smile tugging at his lips.
She took a deep breath, her eyes falling to his lips for the split of a second before finding his orbs again. She was sure. A smile broke out on her face. "I love you, you know," she said and the small smile on his face grew into a big grin immediately.
He let the book fall into his lap as he reached out to grab her face gently between his hands, still cautious of her injuries. Capturing her lips he kissed her. Hard. His tongue finding a way into her mouth and she felt him shifting slightly to get more access. She felt his answer in his kiss but after a moment he leaned his forehead against hers. His rapid breaths touching her skin, his fingers burning on her face.
"I love you, too, you know," he mumbled.
"Good," she smiled.
"Good," his voice not more than a breath.
Leaning back against the headboard it took them both a few moments to stop their beating hearts from exploding out of their chests, their breathing to slow down.
Taking the paper that fell from her hands as he grabbed her she continued reading. He did the same with his book.
And just like that, like nothing happened they continued their morning.
THE END
A/N: Please leave a review. Thank you very much.