DISCLAIMERS: No, I don't own 'Castle.' I'm just the owner of my vivid imagination.

SUMMARY: Post 5x21 'Still.'

A/N #1: I just recently celebrated my third anniversary of writing fan fiction for 'Castle.' The very first fan fiction story I wrote was called 'Decompressing' and it's also a post-Still story. So, I find it fitting to come full circle and end this story where I started my whole 'Castle' fan fiction adventure. And that is with 'Still.'

GETTING TO KNOW YOU

CHAPTER 10: The 'L' Word

Castle held his breath as he typed in the letter 'Y' on the remote detonator. He then stared at Kate, who had been standing motionless on a small circle of metal all afternoon, thanks to a dying psychopath who had planted a bomb in his own apartment. Kate took a tentative step forward and when the world didn't blow up around her, she launched herself into Castle's chest, feeling his arms band around her tightly as he talked into his cell phone. "She's off!" He announced. "She's off." They could hear the whole bullpen erupt into cheers.

Castle could feel Kate's legs start to buckle beneath her, so he held her even tighter. "Can we please get out of here?" She whispered against his chest.

"As soon as you get your sea legs, I'll walk you out."

"Just walk with me. I'll be okay."

Castle slipped his arm around her waist and slowly walked her out of the apartment and out onto the street. Once there, she turned into him and grabbed his lapels. "Thank you for staying with me."

"Always," he grinned.

Just as they were about to kiss, they heard a bleating siren behind them. They quickly broke apart just as Ryan, Esposito and Capt. Gates emerged from the boys' car. Ryan embraced Castle while Kate hugged Esposito. "Did she see?" Kate asked as Espo shook his head.

"It's good to see you again, Det. Beckett. You too, Mr. Castle. I don't know too many men who would do what you did," Gates complimented Castle.

"Me either, sir," Kate glanced at her partner.

"Oh, for heaven's sake, Detective! Kiss the man!" Gates ordered as Kate, Castle, and the boys stared at her in stunned disbelief.

"Sir? You know?"

"What? Do you think I'm stupid? I had to maintain plausible deniability. Which I can continue to do if the two of you can act in a professional manner while you're on the job."

"Sir, I know that I can, but she has a record of coming onto me at work," Castle started to say before Kate interrupted him.

"I don't think it'll be a problem, sir," Kate rolled her eyes at Castle.

"Good. Because, between you and me, I think that he deserves it," Gates leaned in toward Kate conspiratorially.

"I do, too."

As the two of them kissed a moment later, they were both thankful that Kate had survived her ordeal. "I'm going to see about taking you home," Castle could see that the day was finally starting to catch up with Kate when he once again felt her legs starting to buckle.

"Okay."

"Why don't you sit in the back of Ryan and Esposito's car?" He led her over and opened the back door for her. "I'll be right back."

Kate sat with her legs hanging out of the back door while she watched Castle walk over to talk to Gates and the boys. Her legs ached horribly now that she was off of the bomb. She took some deep breathing exercises to try to keep her emotions under control. She didn't want to fall apart. Not here. She smiled when she saw Castle striding toward her. "Are we free to go?"

"Gates ordered me to take you home and keep you there for a couple of days. She called it decompressing. So, your place or mine?"

"Mine, but I want you to see your mother and Alexis."

"I'll go home later. Right now, I want to take you home and get you settled."

"Okay," she let him take her hand and lead him over to her car where he took the keys from her and helped her into the passenger's seat.

Once they were back at her apartment, Kate pulled the ponytail holder from her hair and shook it out before grabbing a bottle of water from her refrigerator and downing more than half of it in just a few gulps. "Are you hungry?" Castle asked.

"No, just really thirsty," she began walking toward him, but her legs had other ideas.

"Whoa!" Castle caught her just as she fell into his arms. He lifted her up and carried her toward her bedroom, ignoring her protests before he placed her on the bed. "I'm going to get you out of these clothes."

"Sex fiend," she teased. "Is that all you ever think about?"

"I'm going to run you a hot bath to relax your muscles and then I'm going to bring you back in here and massage your legs. And yes, that is usually all that I think about, but this time, I want to make you feel better."

"Well, sex wouldn't exactly be a problem in that department," she said as he grinned at her.

"Soon. I promise."

He removed her boots and socks before going to work on her slacks. Lastly, he helped her to sit up while he removed her shirt, leaving her in just her bra and panties. He then kissed her before leaving her to go run a bath.

Kate wasn't even aware that she'd dozed off until she felt Castle slowly removing her underwear. She groggily reached for him, tugging him down toward her, her mouth searching for his. "Hey," he whispered in her ear. "Take a bath with me?"

"Always," she gave him a sleepy smile before allowing him to take her hand and lead her into the bathroom where she found that not only had he run a bath for two, he'd lit several vanilla scented candles. He helped her into the warm tub before turning off the lights, leaving them in the soft candle light. He then joined her in the tub, climbing in behind her and pulling her to his chest once he was settled. "This is nice, Castle."

"I agree," his lips found her neck.

"I meant what I said, you know?"

"About what?"

"When I told you that I love you. When he made you leave . . . I was so scared, Rick," she turned so that she was now facing him, tears bright in her eyes. "I was so scared that I was going to die without ever seeing you again. I was so scared that I was going to die without telling you how I feel about you. I love you so much," she moved forward so that her lips could graze his.

"I love you, too," his mouth opened for her, her tongue sliding against his. "And I was scared, too. I've never felt so helpless in my life. You were standing on that bomb and there was nothing that I could do except to drive you crazy."

"Castle, driving me crazy was what kept my mind off of what was really going on. I don't know what I would've done if you hadn't been there with me."

"For right now, turn back around and relax," he gently turned her so that she was once again nestled against his chest. "How does a nap sound after we get out of here?"

"I thought you were going to massage my legs," she reminded him.

"Okay. How about a nap after I massage your legs?"

"Is this a sexy nap?"

"It could be. Would you like it to be?" He whispered against her neck.

"Hmmm," she hummed contentedly. "I like taking sexy naps with you. We don't get to do it often enough."

Kate settled more comfortably against Castle's chest, resting her head on his bicep. "How are you feeling? Please give me an honest answer."

"I hurt all over."

"Sit up for a second," he helped her to a sitting position before sliding out from behind her. "Move back against the tub." Waiting while she complied, Castle moved to the other end of the tub before he picked up her right leg, his hands gently massaging her tight calf muscles. He then picked up her other leg and repeated the same process. "Better?"

"Can you massage the bottom of my feet? Especially around my toes?" Kate relaxed her head against the back of the tub, humming contentedly when Castle worked on her feet. "Ummm, that's nice. I'm so relaxed, Castle."

"I think you're falling asleep on me, Beckett."

"I think I am, too," she opened her eyes and gave him a sleepy, and yet still dazzling, smile.

"Then, I think we should get you out of here," he stood up and climbed over the edge of the tub before helping her out. He loved drowsy Beckett. He loved the way that she sagged against him while he carefully dried her before leading her to her bed. "Are you still awake?"

"Hmmm," she hummed. "Rick?" She reached out for him.

"Yeah?" He crawled up on the bed beside her, propping himself up on one elbow.

"Thank you for being there today," a tear trickled from one eye, crawling down her face as she felt him carefully wipe it away. "I really thought that I was going to die."

"Shh, Beckett. Shh," he attempted to console her when she rolled toward him and began sobbing against his chest.

"I didn't want to die again! I was so scared!"

"I know," he softly stroked her hair with one hand while he rubbed her back. "I didn't want to watch you die again either, Kate. That's why I couldn't leave you."

"I love you, Richard Castle," she lifted her head up so that she could look at him. "I love you so damn much."

"Can you say it one more time?" His lips found hers as he rolled them so Kate was on her back.

"I'll say it as many times as you want me to," she grinned against the onslaught of his mouth. "I love you, I love you, I love you."

Castle laughed joyously before he crushed Kate to him, his lips hungry on hers before she returned his laugh and rolled them back over. Her timing in telling him that she loved him might not have been the greatest, but there was no denying how she felt about him. He had her heart and soul. Nothing would ever change that.

A/N #2: So there you have it. I want to thank everybody who reviewed and added me to their list of favorite stories and writers. I am working on a new story, but I'm not sure exactly when it's going to be posted.

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