Once again thank you for your reviews, I love them and hope you continue to enjoy this. Fortunately for your information I have not left it with another cliff hanger, I thought you could do with a holiday from them after my extreme love of drama!

"Hey" Castle announced as he allowed his three friends into the apartment, watching as they all smiled and noticed Kate who was sat on the floor, her back resting against the back of the sofa with a book in her hand. "Don't ask, she just seems to do that" he declared causing them all to nod as Lanie walked over and sat next to her friend.

"Hey stranger" Lanie announced causing Kate to put the book down and smile at her. "How are you feeling?" Lanie asked quickly, desperately wanting to get the awkward questions out of the way as early into the dinner as she could. .

"Okay I guess, Rick's exhausted but I couldn't do this without him" she admitted as Lanie stared at the three men who were stood getting drinks from Kate's fridge. "He stayed up all night just to read a book to me to try and help me sleep" she mumbled causing Lanie to smile. "I just feel bad because he hasn't slept properly because of me".

"Kate, Richard Castle would stay awake forever just to make sure you were okay" Lanie announced as Kate smiled and nodded. "And it looks like you've become a big fan of his shirts" Lanie commented as Kate stared down at the black jeans she was wearing along with Rick's shirt.

"There just not so tight" she mumbled causing Lanie to nod as Kate sighed, remembering everything that she wanted to forget for just one night so she could enjoy her night with her friends.

"Ladies, dinner is served" Rick announced as he pointed towards the table causing both women to nod and climb off the floor and walk towards him.

XOXOXOX

Sitting there as everyone around her continued to eat the Chinese that her three friends brought with them, she stared down at her empty plate, not going unnoticed by Rick. Slipping his hand into hers under the table, she looked up noticing his eyes on her but also the eyes of everyone else also staring at her. Standing, she slowly walked off towards her bedroom causing them all to watch her as she slammed the door, the sound of something smashing causing Rick to stand and excuse himself before running off. Entering the room, he stared at the smashed light on the floor and the woman standing over it.

"What's wrong?" he asked causing her to look at him before he sat down on the bed and patted it. "Talk to me Kate, don't go hiding things again" he whispered, watching as she sat herself down beside him and rested her head on his lap, his fingers running through her hair as she shut her eyes.

"They were staring at me, they wouldn't stop staring" she whispered as he sighed. "It's like they all just want to look at the disgusting thing I am now Rick" she declared causing him to close his eyes. "I just wanted them to stop staring at me".

"Kate you weren't eating anything, that's why they were looking" he whispered as she lay there in silence. "They're worried about you, you haven't touched anything, they weren't looking at you like you were disgusting, they were looking at you because there your friends and there worrying about you" he declared causing her to sob.

"There my friends Rick and I can't even sit at a table with them without wanting to scream at them" she whispered, her hands grabbing hold of the blankets as her fingers curled into a fist around the red sheets. "Why can't I just sit with my friends like normal?" she asked as he leant down and pressed a kiss against her cheek.

"Because it's hard Kate, you're questioning everything around you right now" he whispered as she nodded. "It'll get easier" he promised, his hand touching her fist causing her to relax them slowly. "Come and eat something" he mumbled.

"I should clean the lamp up" she whispered as she got up and stared at the smashed pieces of glass that were scattered across her floor.

"You don't need to do that now, we'll do it later" he mumbled as she nodded and took hold of his hand as he led her off the bed and towards the door. "I know you can do this Kate" he whispered before pressing a kiss against her forehead and hugging her as she nodded. She could do it. She knew she could. Leaving the room, she noticed how the room was silent and how her three friends and colleagues were sat at the table staring at her.

"Are you okay Kate?" Lanie asked, breaking the silence as she nodded and sat herself down in her earlier seat. "If you want us to go we will" she mumbled before Kate shook her head.

"No it's fine, I just had the urge to smash things" Kate whispered as Rick sat himself down next to her and took hold of her hand under the table, their joined hands resting on his thigh as she stared at the food in front of her. "And now I have the urge to eat something" she added causing everyone to smile in relief as she leant forward and stared at the selection. "Esposito did you buy everything on the menu?" she asked, desperately trying to lift the mood she'd set earlier.

"Almost, but Lanie stopped me when she realised this would be coming out of our holiday fund" he declared causing Rick to raise his eyebrows.

"Holiday fund hey?" Rick asked as Lanie looked down at her plate, desperately wanting the conversation to end. "Must be getting serious now if you're saving up for a holiday together".

"Well with our pay cheques we thought we'd start early seeing that it's going to take us at least two years to save up for something good" Esposito laughed as Kate smiled, enjoying the discussion of her friends relationship. "Also it means we have spare money if one of us decides we want to run away from the other because honestly, this woman is scary first thing in the morning" he declared, gaining a laugh from everyone but Lanie who hit him gently on the arm.

"I'm going to smack you one day" she announced causing Kate to shake her head as she watched them.

"Oh you know I love it when you say that" he laughed causing everyone to smile as they began to eat once again, Rick's hand still clasping Kate's under the table.

XOXOXOXO

"Tell her we say see you soon" Lanie whispered as she put her coat while staring at Castle and the sleeping Kate who was lying across him with her head in his lap.

"Of course" he mumbled as Lanie nodded and turned to Esposito who waved and slowly snuck out of the apartment with Lanie and Ryan, desperately trying to stay quiet as Kate slept. After they'd left Rick smiled as he took in how deep Kate was sleeping which he hadn't seen in a long time. She wasn't shaking and her breathing hadn't become quick and terrifying. She was just sleeping peacefully and that caused him to relax and shut his eyes.