Authors Note: Warning this chapter is going to be super fluffy and mushy. I will get back to real case work in chapter 5. Also note that words in italics are Castle's thought's while he's in the coma.

Disclaimer: I own nothing and man does it suck

After Elena Stallings left the hospital room Kate Beckett was left alone, alone with her fears, her heart, and alone with Rick, the unreachable man laying next to her on life support. And yes, she knew now that she had to admit it, the man she loved. He had told her. She ignored him. Now he was dying. Kate had never believed in karma or cosmic justice, but she sure felt the pain now, she saw him lying there as punishment, her punishment.

She picked up his hand and kissed it, "Oh Rick, I'm sorry, so sorry. But dammit Rick why did you do it? I let it go for now, why didn't you?" She looked at his still face and she knew, "You told me to let it go to keep me safe, and I told you there could only be a future for us when those walls came down."

The water that Castle felt pressing down on him was strong and black. He fought it and he was trying so hard to reach the surface, he could hear her, he could hear Kate. She was calling him bringing him back. If only he could reach the top. Suddenly her voice is gone. No Kate! Stay! He wants to scream but she can't hear him and he can't hear her. Slowly he sinks back down.

If at all possible Kate feels him slipping farther away. "Castle, wait I love you." She did it, she said it there's no taking it back now. "Look Castle, Rick I don't know if you can hear me but I love you. Forget what I said about the walls they will be there but I want you to help me tear them down. You. I want you to help me work on my mom's case but don't get yourself killed doing it. Rick listen you are going to come back to me you hear, because if you keep slipping away you are not just dying," She took a deep breath, "You're killing me too. I love you."

The water was feeling a little lighter and Rick could hear Kate again. I was calm and soft almost like a lullaby sending him to sleep under the safe black waves. But now it's strained and he can hear the tears in her voice. He's hurting her and no matter what those waves do to him he can't allow Kate to hurt and he is the one causing it. Then he hears it, true coherent words coming from Kate Beckett's mouth, "I love you." He knows she is talking to him and in that moment the once drowning man finds the strength to reach the surface, "Kate, Kate" he calls.

"Kate!" The sound is breathtaking and is suddenly interrupted by the beeping of thousands of monitors, doctors, nurses, and Detective Stallings all seem to rush through the door at once but Kate doesn't notice. Her eyes are fixed solely on the man who has just uttered her name, the one who's voice she feared she would never hear again. She held his hand and looked into his thoroughly confused eyes, all the while tears are streaming out from her own. "I love you," she says.

"I know." Rick answers back. Alexis and Martha rush in overjoyed to see Richard come back to the world of the living. Kate told herself to allow the family a happy reunion on their own, but she also avoids awkwardness as she hasn't seen or spoken to Alexis since that first day at the hospital.

He really is alive, seems to be the only thought passing through her head as she waits in the corner of the room with Detective Stallings.

"I bet you're very happy right now," Elena tells Kate.

Kate nods and allows a smile and a laugh to escape through her mouth. She can afford to be happy now and though she probably won't ever admit it, it means the world to her. "I'm so glad to have him back," she concedes.

"I hope you don't mind Kate, but I have to stick around. To ask questions. I know you two want your alone time but…" Kate nods to signify she understands and she does.

"I don't know what to do now," Kate tells herself more than Elena, "There has been this back and forth for years between us and it's all out there now. What if he doesn't love me the way he did after I got him shot?" Elena contemplated for a minute how to answer and then decided not to. Whatever this was I was something they had to figure out on their own, and though she believed she already knew Rick's answer Kate had to hear it from him.

Alexis, Martha, and the doctors left after about two hours, leaving Kate, Elena, and Rick alone. Kate sat on the edge of Rick's bed while pregnant Elena slowly eased herself into the chair on the side. After she sat down however the world could have exploded and Kate wouldn't have noticed, her green eyes found Rick's blue and after seeing them closed for so long, she was almost drunk at the sight.

Rick for his own part couldn't bear to take his eyes off her and tried very hard to read the emotions in her eyes, the anger he had expected wasn't there, only sadness and another emotion that he was sure he had seen before but couldn't put his finger on. Before he had time to contemplate it however they were interrupted, "Umm Mr. Castle, I don't know if you remember me but…"

"Detective Stallings," Rick said gracing her with one of his amazing smiles, "How are you doing?" he asked with a glance at her growing belly.

"I'm fine, but I have a few questions for you. IA business, I'm sorry."

Rick's face fell, "Alright detective, but I'm going to need to speak with Kate first."

Sorry this was such a fluffy chapter but there is more drama coming I promise stick with me and you will be shocked by the end. As always please review constructive criticism is helpful! Also I'm looking to start on another fan fiction, prompt based this time so if you have a prompt you would like me to write for please include it in your review (prompts can be Castle based or on another subject). Thanks, until next time. ~Cate