This chapter is based off of the tumblr prompt: "Castle is going on an 8 week book tour and just left for his flight. Ryan happened to slip out to Beckett that Castle is in love with her. Finally deciding she can't keep back her feelings, she races against time to get to the airport to tell him how she feels before he leaves."

"I'm gonna love you like I'm gonna lose you
And I'm gonna hold you like I'm saying goodbye..."

After they nearly died twice - once by the freezer, next by the bomb - Rick became distant. After that case, he came by the precinct less and less, kept telling her he had meetings at Black Pawn. And Kate believed him, didn't really think anything of it.

Not until now. He's leaving for eight weeks. He'll be an ocean away from her for eight weeks. She should be surprised by the ache in her chest, surprised that she wasn't this sad when Josh was supposed to be going to Haiti. But she's not. Not really. Her feelings for Rick have only grown stronger since he returned from the Hamptons, regardless of her current relationship with Josh.

Rick left the precinct twenty minutes ago, had just stopped by to tell them the news and say goodbye. She asked if he was coming back, and he said yes, but the look in his eyes- he won't. It feels too much like last May when he went to the Hamptons and she knows he won't come back.

Ryan sits beside her at a table in the break room, staying silent with her for a moment. She can't seem to gather up the energy to get back to work and pretend like her heart doesn't hurt. She glances up at her friend, gives him a sad smile. He returns it and then he's speaking, giving her words that she really should have known all along.

"Listen, Beckett. I don't know if my advice is wanted, but I think it's needed. Castle- he loves you. He does. And he's leaving because of that. You're with someone else and he isn't going to stick around and watch. He didn't with Demming. He doesn't deserve it. He's good for you. Hell, you're good for each other. And I don't want to see you throw that away."

She meets his eyes and sees nothing by kindness and honesty. Her heart warms, even as it throbs, because they want what's best for her, he and Espo, and that's Rick. But-

"It's too late," she tells him, looking back down at her hands. "He's leaving today, Ryan. He's not going to come back."

"His flight doesn't leave for another two hours. Traffic's bad right now, but-"

She's already standing, dumping her coffee in the sink, because she has to get to the airport and tell Rick that she's an idiot and she's sorry and he's the one who she wants to dive into a relationship with, a real one with no foot out the door, no holding back.

"Thank you," she tells Ryan, giving him a hug.

"Don't thank me yet," he says, nudging her towards the door. "Go."

Traffic sucks. Traffic sucks and she's nearly panicking because if she misses him before his flight departs- it'll hurt. He'll be in Europe moving on and she'll be here alone for eight weeks and she can't do that. This is her last chance and she can't lose it.

It takes her forty minutes but she's finally there. Taking the first parking spot she can find, she nearly jogs into the airport. She dials his cell, because there's no way she'll be able to find him in this place, but it goes to voicemail.

Shit.

She calls him again, walking around, eyes searching the crowds, scanning the faces for his. It goes to voicemail again, but she isn't giving up on him. Not yet.

Third time's the charm. He picks up with a monotoned, "Castle."

"Hey," she breathes, keeps walking, keeps looking for him, "Where are you?"

"The airport," he tells her, but it sounds more like a question than anything else.

"I know, but where in the airport?"

"Starbucks," he replies, and she knows he's confused but it's okay, he'll understand soon. Her eyes find a sign with the Starbucks logo and an arrow pointing straight ahead and she hurries that way. "Beckett?"

She ignores him, hangs up the call because there he is, staring down at his phone in disappointment.

"Rick," she calls, and his head snaps up, eyes meeting hers, brow furrowing. He steps out of the line and comes towards her and she can't help herself. Her body crashes into his, squeezing him tightly.

He hesitates, but then he's returning the gesture. His whole posture is stiff, though, and she hates it.

"Beckett-"

"I'm sorry," she blurts, eyes finding his, fingers gripping his jacket tightly, making sure he won't try to leave her again, "I'm so sorry for everything. I just- I can't lose you."

"I'm just going on a book tour," he tells her, but his voice is full of something sad and broken and it feels an awful like surrender.

"But why? Why now? Why for two months? After everything that we just went through with the bomb and the freezer-"

"You have Josh," he growls, dropping his arms, trying to step away but she won't let him.

"I don't want Josh," she snaps, feels tears prickling her eyes but she doesn't care, just needs him to see what she's trying to say. "I want you, Rick. I just want you."

Her bottom lip trembles because she's so not the type of girl to chase after a guy like this, but Ryan was right. Rick loves her and they need to have a shot.

"Kate, if you're just saying that to get me to stay-"

"No," she stops him right there, because she's serious about this and he needs to trust her. "I love you," she surprises herself with the words, but she pushes through because his eyes soften and his whole body relaxes. "I do. You can't leave without knowing that. I am in love-"

His mouth is on hers instantly, cutting her off, and she sinks into the kiss, into him, arms winding their way around his neck. Finally.

Their first kiss in that alley was hot and delicious, but this one is so much more. It's tender and sweet and she feels it all the way down to her toes.

He pulls away slightly, a smile trying to find its way onto his face. "You chased me to the airport," he says softly, almost in awe.

She lets out a light laugh, looking away to try to hide the blush that creeps its way up her neck, but she can't stop smiling. "Yeah. Yeah, I guess I did."

"Kate." When her eyes meet his, he confirms what she thought she knew all along. "I love you, too."

"Wherever we're standing
I won't take you for granted
'Cause we never know when we'll run out of time."
Meghan Trainor & John Legend / Like I'm Gonna Lose You

Okay, so I have a few things to say.

First off, I made a second tumblr account and it is solely for Castle and fics. My friends from school follow my main blog (beatingthe-odds) so I don't reblog stories or anything fanfic related on there. So I made a side blog for all of that. I have filled a couple prompts on that blog, and I plan on occasionally posting them on here like this chapter (sorry if you have read this on tumblr already). Basically, if you want to see more of my writing, follow me on tumblr. My url is veritas-always. And also send me prompts on there because I love filling them!

Secondly, I was in Mexico on vacation for the last nine days, so I apologize for the delay on this story and my other WIP. I'll try to be better in the future!

Lastly, thank you for reading and sticking with me. I hope you liked this chapter, because I certainly do!