Hi guys, thanks for reading/reviewing. And thanks to my Beta, CharlieSwagron again :D . I have a new story called 'Alexander's first Christmas' for who wants to read. HOPE YOU LIKE THIS CHAPTER AND PLEASE, HOW IS READING, LEAVE REVIEWS :D

Chapter 7

"Oh my God, I kissed Richard Rodgers, the human I'm protecting." Was all Kate could think the next morning.

She sat on the edge of the fountain surrounded by towers made of clouds, that seemed like a city, like the ones from Earth, waiting for any advice. She had spent the night lying on her favorite cloud, remembering the magical moment in her head and peering down at Richard, who had a restless sleep. Kate brushed her hair away from her face and then touched her lips.

She was madly in love with Richard Alexander Rodgers Castle. His boyish smile and his sometimes seductive, sometimes romantic and gentle words made butterflies flit about in her stomach. Though currently she was feeling like the biggest coward for not knowing how to behave around him now.

"Katherine, is everything alright?"

The young angel looked up and saw Gates staring at her with her wise and experienced eyes. Gates was a dark-skinned angel with black hair. She radiated power, understanding, and wisdom. Her wings were long and white and she wore a red dress, vastly different from the most angels who wore white, because there were 5 colours for each patent. Yellow for childs, white for new guardian angels, blue forbthe veterans and golden for the specials, being any kind of clothes.

"Sure, why?"

"Because you only come to this fountain when something is bothering you. Did something happen to Mr. Rodgers?" She asked.

Kate sighed inwardly, knowing full well that Gates was right. The young angel only came to the fountain when she needed to sort through her thoughts or search for answers. After Johanna's death, she'd visited this place several times until she'd been able to overcome her loss.

"Why Mr. Rodgers?" She asked quietly, staring at Gates. "Don't get me wrong, sir, I really like him and his family and I know I have to protect him from a danger in the future, but why did you choose me to be with him?"

And she liked them a lot, she liked little Alexis, always talking with her, even not being able to see the angel, showing her favorite Disney movies, she liked Martha and her eccentric way and of course, there was Richard, the man that had stolen her heart.

"Because you're the best angel I've ever trained, Kate." Her captain replied calmly. She could see that the younger woman still had many questions in her head so she decided to remind her of something. "Do you remember why us, angels show ourselves to the humans we're protecting?"

"Yes…" Kate replied, frowning. "Because even though angels are described as being solitary creatures, also need companionship. So when angels become friends with humans, they create a bond that increases their protective powers."

"You know, Katherine, sometimes even angels should let their barriers fall a bit and allow others to come in. Whether he is human or angel, I know Mr. Rodgers is a good man." And with that, Gates left her alone to her thinking once more.

The whole day, Kate had been invisible to Richard. He couldn't see her, but he knew she was there, the scent of cherries followed him around. He was frustrated and hurt because she didn't want to show herself to him. It was impossible for him to ignore the kiss they'd shared last night.

"Kate, talk to me." He pleaded for the thousandth time, his voice low and hopeless.

He was sitting in his office chair while Kate sat on the other side of his desk, her eyes moistening as a lump appeared in her throat. It was so hard to ignore his pleas and to see him so sad.

Richard sighed and got up, going to his bedroom and closing the door behind him to get ready for the party that night with absolutely zero enthusiasm.

Exhaling deeply, Kate flew away to see Alexis in her bedroom in order to distract herself from the pain she was feeling.

Before leaving for the party, Richard tried to call her one last time, knowing that Kate was there right beside him. He wore an expensive tux, his hair combed back with gel and while he didn't have on his usual smile, she couldn't help but admire how handsome he looked.

"Kate?"

The doorbell rang and he gave up on trying to get his angel to talk to him. Opening the door, he saw a blonde woman, wearing a low-cut red dress and smiling seductively at him.

"Good evening, Mr. Castle." She greeted. "I'm Amy, Gina's friend."

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Amy." He replied, forcing a smile and kissing her hand.

Kate watched the whole interaction with a mixture of jealously and sadness. Before closing the door, Richard gave a last look around the apartment. Managing to find her voice yet, she said, still invisible:

"Have fun."

The door shut with a whoosh of air, causing Richard's heart to tighten in his chest. Turning away from it, he guided Amy to the elevator and towards the party. Because who had chosen to ignore him was her.

The party was lively and Gina, it seemed, had accepted that his next book would be about angels. The only reason, of course, that she still wasn't pitching a fit was because the many other writers and fans present at the party were very curious about and excited to read the new story.

Amy had dragged Richard to the dance floor, but after a while, the author excused himself and went to a corner at the bar, away from Gina and Paula. It was there that he called his mother to know how Alexis was doing.

"Richard, dear, how's the party?"

"The same as usual. How's Alexis? Is she already asleep?"

"We ate pizza and I insisted that she watch some movies with me, but she said it was her bedtime." Martha replied.

"It's good that we have someone so responsible in the house."

Martha couldn't help but noticed the traces of sadness in her son's voice and said, soft:

"I know there's something wrong with you, Richard, and don't deny it because I can read people. Who is she?"

His mother might always be busy with her plays and acting clumsy, but she always knew when her son was in trouble and Richard knew he could always count on her. Taking a deep breath, he said:

"She's complicated."

"More than Meredith?" He scoffed.

"You know that things between Meredith and I weren't all that serious, it was just a quick passion. Sure, we got married, but we all knew that it never would've lasted." He glanced at the dance floor and spotted Amy scanning the crowd for him. Quickly, he turned his back and lowered his head.

"Things between me and this…" He couldn't say angel. "Between me and this woman go far beyond anything Meredith and I had. I met her recently, but I love her so much. Every time she smiles, I want to smile with her and when I see her upset, I just want to hold her in my arms and comfort her until she smiles again."

"And have you told this to her?"

"No." He admitted. "Like I said: it's complicated."

She's an angel, mother.

He ran a hand down his face in frustrations, drinking the whiskey the bartender had put in front of him.

"She kissed me and then disappeared and I don't know if she's just playing with me."

"Oh, Richard." His mother sighed. "I don't think she's just screwing around. The way you described her makes me think she's someone serious, not the type to just play with a man's feelings."

"You're right." He conceded, ashamed for thinking so little of Kate, his angel.

"But you'll only be sure if you talk to her, and if I were you, I would just go after her." Martha paused before adding. "Now, it's my turn to go to sleep, I have a rehearsal tomorrow morning. Good night, darling, and I hope you can work things out between you and this woman of yours."

He smiled into the phone.

"Good night, mother. And thank you."

Richard had turned away from the bar and had his coat in hand when Gina stopped him.

"Just where do you think you're going, Richard?"

"Sorry, Gina." He told her. "But there's someone waiting for me at home and I really need to see her. Have fun." Then he left the party, ignoring the blonde calling after him.

Richard called a taxi which promptly took him to his loft. Once inside, he went straight to his office and instantly picked up on the scent of cherries floating through the air. The place was dark except for the light from the fireplace and a lamp in the corner. Stopping near a shelf, he called out:

"Kate?"

Kate was invisible beside him, listening to him carefully. She was surprised to see him home so soon, her jealous side reminding her of Amy and how he'd kissed her hand.

"Kate, I know you're here, and I want you to listen to me. I know I shouldn't have gone out with Amy, even if it was only for publicity, and I know for a fact that you're still thinking of our kiss, because I know I still am." He paused, wetting his very dry lips and looking around, desperate for her to make herself known. "Please, Kate. I wanna talk to you."

"Rick." She called softly, right behind him.

Startled, he spun around.

Hearing the desperation in his voice, Kate couldn't resist and materialized so that he could see her, wanting to apologize for the way she'd been acting all day.

"Kate." He breathed, relieved. He stepped towards her until they were so close that their noses touched.

Ashamed of herself, Kate said:

"I'm sorry, Rick, I should be protecting you, not ignoring you." He opened his mouth to speak, but she silenced him with a finger. When she spoke again, Richard's gaze lowered to her red lips, before returning to meet her eyes. "I know that dating her was part of your contract and I never wanted to ruin your career."

"Kate, can I talk now?" hHe asked, waiting for her to nod. "Agreeing to the dating part of my contract was one of the stupidest things I've ever done. I was young and didn't think things through, but I've changed."

Kate gave him a small smile and her eyes fell to the watch on his wrist, reading the time and seeing that it was still early.

"You left early." She stated.

"With you here at home, there is no other place else I'd rather be."

"Rick..." She began, knowing that he was pushing her to talk about the kiss.

He ignored her, turning on his iPod and playing soft music. Helpless to resist as he pulled her to him, Kate allowed Rick to rock their bodies back and forth as if they were dancing.

Suddenly, she realized that that was his intended goal and she relaxed into his embrace, resting her chin on his shoulder, lost in his scent and warmth as they moved.

"I'm not afraid." She lied, closing her eyes tightly as he raised her face to him. Lightly touching their foreheads together, he didn't let go as she tried to fight against it.

"You're lying, Kate. I want to understand you because I know you feel something for me. But you stopped talking to me and ignored me and for a moment, I started to believe that maybe you were playing with my feelings." He admitted, glancing down in shame.

Rubbing her nose against his, she immediately regained his attention.

"I'd never play with you, Rick." She promised, her eyes moist. "I'm afraid to give in to you and then not be able to protect you and Alexis. Not to mention the consequences for breaking the angels' rules."

Rick had never seen her so upset before; the urge to wrap her up in his arms and put a smile on her face had never been stronger.

"I have faith that you will be able to protect me and Alexis from anything." He assured her. "But, Kate, what exactly are the consequences for breaking the rules?"

Kate took a deep breath and removed herself from his arms. He nearly protested, but stopped when she sat on the edge of the desk, facing him as the lap illuminated her image.

"Johanna." Was what she started with. He didn't understand and raised an eyebrow in confusion. "She was angel, older than I and almost like a mother to me. One day, she was sent to be the guardian angel of a man on Earth. They fell in love."

Rick remained silent, leaning against the bookshelf while he listened to Kate's story, in order to understand her better.

"Johanna gave her whole being to him, but he got tired of being with someone that other people weren't able to see. He couldn't take her out to dinner without looking like an idiot for sitting alone at a table for two and he couldn't introduce her to his friends or family without being called insane. So he broke her heart, and Johanna was so weak and vulnerable that she began to lose her powers. She took on human form and eventually died."

"Kate." Rick said sympathetically.

"Do you understand now, Rick?" Kate asked quietly, getting up from her perch and turning her back to him.

All he did, though, was shake his head and approach her, winding his arms around her and hugging her tightly from behind. He smiled internally when she rested back against his chest without a fight.

"Kate, I would never do that to you. I could never have you so completely and wholly only to destroy your heart, your purity." He whispered in her ear. Kate closed her eyes at the shiver that ran through her body just then. "You know why?" He asked.

"Why?" Turning her face to the side, her eyes opened and she looked at him.

His Adam's apple bobbed in his throat as he swallowed hard.

"Because I love you, Katherine, and what I want most is to make you happy. Always."

Any and all tightness she'd been feeling those last few weeks vanished and now her heart was beating at a rapid pace. His words were so sincere and his expression was so serious. She wanted to be able to say the same thing to him, but she just didn't feel like she was ready yet with all the doubts that were still running around in her head.

When he noticed the sad smile that graced her lips, he said;

"I know you're not ready to say out loud what you feel for me, but why not give us a try?"

"What about Gates?"

"I can't imagine anyone wanting to punish us for something so pure as what we have between us."

Kate shook her head.

"You don't know Gates. She's made of iron." She said, making it look like a joke, though there was no trace of humor in her voice. Rick turned to her, interlacing his fingers with hers.

"When the time comes, we'll go talk to her together. For now, we take it slow and if we find out that none of this will work, then none of us will get hurt."

"But won't it get boring for you after a while? Dating an angel that no one else can see?" She asked.

He vehemently denied it.

"Publicity doesn't matter to me anymore, Kate. I wanna be able to go out with you and I don't care if others think I'm alone at a table. I'll only care about seeing you with that gorgeous smile of yours."

Rick was looking at her so hopefully that she couldn't have refused him even if she'd tried. They both knew that there were still so many things to discuss and work out, but they were willing to try. Despite her walls, she was willing to try.

"But slowly, okay? Only kisses." She clarified.

"Only kisses." He agreed. Fidgeting slightly in nervousness, she asked:

"Do you think if we kiss, it will make me less of an angel?"

"Of course not, Kate. You said that angels date other angels and I don't think the fact that we're different and breaking rules will make you seem less worthy of your work. At least, not for me."

She then grinned at him, her pearly white teeth showing clearly.

"Kiss me, Rick."

Gladly obeying her command, he released her hand and brought it up to her face, stroking her cheek gently. Carefully, he ran his fingers lightly over her eyelids, cheeks, nose, and mouth, memorizing every little detail of her perfectly sculpted face. She kept her eyes open, wanting to see him. His hand fell to her waist, wrapping around her as he leaned in until his lips, strong, but soft, touched hers in a real kiss.

Kate wound her arms around his neck as he moved her lips to the rhythm of his. The kiss was extremely different from when Sorenson kissed her. There was so much love here and she felt that if she hadn't been holding onto him, she would end up falling.

The hand on her waist gently caressed her in circles and when Kate felt his tongue brush her lips, begging for entrance, she gave it whole-heartedly, allowing him to explore the depths of her mouth until she desired to return the favor, her dominate side coming out to play for a moment.

When oxygen was needed, they broke apart and leaned their foreheads against one another, both panting. Rick stroked her face, brushing away a strand of hair that fell onto her cheek. Smiling, she snuggled against his chest as he wrapped her in his embrace, stroking her wings with affection and feeling them move in approval of his touch.

For a while, neither said anything, both content with just holding each other in front of the bookcase. Rick never ceased his caresses of her wings and Kate closed her eyes, her nose and lips resting at the juncture between his neck and shoulder.

"Hey, Kate?" Rick broke the peaceful silence.

"Huh?"

"Will you stay the night here?"

Kate sighed, a large part of her dying to say yes to his offer, but knowing that she shouldn't. She needed a little time to herself in order to sort through everything that had happened that night.

Shaking her head, she said:

"I'll see you tomorrow, Rick."

He was a little disappointed, but understood why she wouldn't stay.

"Will I be able to kiss you again?" He asked, not trying to look insecure, and she confirmed. "See you tomorrow, Kate, my angel."

Her heart was warmed by his words and before she disappeared, she gave him a peck on the lips, smiling as she departed.

You are in the shadow of the look

I thought about keeping you

But it was better this way

Reviews. And the next chapter will be a gift for Christmas for you all.