Kate watched as Castle's back disappeared through the door to his hotel room.

Fuck. She thought, closing her eyes at her own stupidity and exhaling sharply. Her head hit the front of the door with a thud and she pulled her arms around her.

Gathering herself, she sat down on the couch in the spot she had vacated only moments before and pulled her legs up to her chest. She rested her head against the back cushion and closed her eyes, Royce's letter still clutched firmly into her palm.

"Kate?"

Her eyes flew open.

"You okay?"

Castle had reappeared and was gathering his phone and charger from the bar area, having forgotten it when he returned to his room.

"I - yeah. I'm fine, Castle." She answered on a sigh.

He tilted his head slightly but nodded and turned to return to his room. If she didn't want to talk, he wasn't going to make her.

"Wait...Castle?" She stuttered, wringing her hands slightly and biting her bottom lip.

Why was this so hard? Castle waited patiently, studying her from across the room as she struggled to find the right words.

"Can we talk?" She asked quietly.

"Yeah, I'd like that." He answered, trying to sound calm but she didn't miss the edge of uncertainty in his voice.

Castle sat down and pulled his leg up onto the couch, turning towards her in the process.

Kate was afraid to breathe. Silence stretched out in front of them like a chasm. Castle sat patiently, waiting for her to being before breaking the delicate quiet.

"You seem tired, Kate." He offered, kindly.

She opened her eyes and looked at him cautiously, wondering where he was going with this.

"You've been running non-stop since the dirty bomb case and now Royce...this can't be easy for you."

Kate nodded slowly and opened her mouth to speak but he continued before she could begin.

"I know that you wanted to do this alone but I hope you understand that I just want to help you close this thing, get justice for him…" He trailed off, lost in thought.

Kate let her legs drop down to the floor and she scooted across the couch, gently resting a hand on his leg.

"You're right, I am tired Castle."

He nodded in understanding and placed his hand over hers briefly before offering her a closed mouth smile.

"But this case, this job, isn't why I'm tired." She said, holding his gaze with strong and serious eyes.

Kate's body was sizzling with electric nerves and unspoken emotion.

"I'm not sure I understand." He said, bringing his hand back to hers to encourage her to continue.

"I'm tired because everyday I have to convince myself that I don't feel completely overwhelmed by you."

Castle furrowed his brow in concern and opened his mouth to speak but Kate silenced him with a raised hand.

"I'm overwhelmed by the way you look at me like I'm water in a desert. I'm overwhelmed by pull in my heart when we connect on a theory. I'm overwhelmed by how much I've come to rely on you just being there everyday. It's wearing me out."

"Kate, I'm sorry….I had no idea. I'll go, catch the next flight out…"

Kate smiled then and let a chuckle rise through her causing Castle to stop mid-sentence and look at her with those plaintive, doting eyes.

"Stop, Castle. Just breathe, okay? That's not what I meant."

"Kate, I've gotta tell you, I'm completely lost here."

Kate took a deep breath and steeled herself.

"I don't want to regret my life, Castle. I don't want to have to look back and wonder what would have happened if only I had kissed you every time I wanted to. I don't want to regret not being honest with you about what you mean to me."

Kate pulled her knees underneath her and knelt on the couch beside him.

"I don't know where you stand, Castle, but I don't want to waste another moment without you understanding that I want you, every part of you all to myself for as long as you'll have me."

Kate brought a shaking hand up and traced his cheekbone with her thumb. She brought her forehead to his and placed a gentle kiss at the corner of his mouth before pulling away slightly and searching his eyes.

"What do you want, Castle?" She rasped, voice hoarse with uncertainty and emotion.

He brought his hands up to gently frame her face.

"You. Every single extraordinary part of you." He breathed, suddenly canting his body up to hers and capturing her lips in a fierce and passionate kiss.

Kate fell against his chest willingly and moved one leg across his lap so that she had better balance on the couch cushions, careful to avoid brushing against him too intimately. Castle tangled his hands in her hair and pushed her closer to him. She moaned into the kiss, spurring him to break away from her lips and move to her neck so that he could hear every single sound she made.

He nipped and soothed the column of her neck as she arched her back into his ministrations. Her hands mapped his chest, burning through his button down shirt and trailing heat through his abdomen.

Castle moved one hand to the back of her head to steady her while he made his way back to her lips and slipped his other hand underneath her shirt.

"Castle…" She groaned, breaking their kiss and pressing her forehead to his. "Castle, we should slow down." She breathed as he slid his hands up her sides and skimmed the edge of her bra.

"You're right, you're right." He panted, trailing his fingers back down and resting them on her hips.

She sat back slightly and brought her hand to his cheek.

"Thank you." She whispered. "For being here, for being you and following me, for not giving up on me."

"Always." He whispered, pulling her down for a soft, chaste kiss. "Always, Kate."

She buried her head in his neck and sighed as he ran his hands soothingly up her back on the outside of her shirt.

"When was the last time you got a good night's sleep?" He asked, kissing the side of her head.

"It's been awhile, Castle." She muttered, smiling against his neck and sending goosebumps shooting down his spine.

"C'mon." He said, nudging her slightly so that she scooted off his lap.

He held his hand out to her and pulled her off the couch and into his side.

"Let's get some rest." He offered, guiding her towards his room.

Kate hesitated.

"Just sleep, Kate. No funny business...unless you decide otherwise." Castle wagged his eyebrows at her and she laughed.

"Let me hold you tonight?"

Kate smiled an open, full-bodied smile at him before ducking her head and nodding.

"That sounds nice, Castle." She affirmed, leaning into his side and resting her head against his chest as they walked to his room.

He pulled back the covers for her and then excused himself to the bathroom to change. When he returned she was propped up against the headboard, waiting for him.

Castle slid into bed and Kate, without hesitation, moved down and rested her head against his chest. He kissed her forehead and brought his arms up around her. Castle held her tightly, rubbing circles on her arms until her breathing began to slow and her muscles sank against his.

"G'night, Castle." She whispered against his skin.

"Night, Kate." He answered brushing the hair back from her face and tilting her chin up to kiss her once more.

Castle stayed awake until he was sure that she was fast asleep. He closed his eyes then and let his mind drift into dreams of always.