Disclaimer: No. Only in my dreams.
Author's Note: This is it, guys! The end of the road! Thank you so much for reading, reviewing, and yelling at me to hurry up with the antidote. You guys are the best, and I hope you will continue to read my other stories. Enjoy the final chapter of Glass Walls and No Regrets, and remember that I love you! Xx-Cassie
Kate awoke with a start forty-five minutes later. She blinked at her watch in confusion before suddenly realizing that she had left him alone for nearly an hour. Abandoning her coffee, she sprinted back to the glass room.
When she arrived, she stopped short, panic filling her. The room was empty. Kate whirled around, searching for someone who could tell her what was going on. She found Carson and grabbed her again.
"Carson," she said. "What happened, where's Rick?"
"Oh," Carson said. "He was moved to a regular room."
"So he isn't contagious any more?"
"No, Agent Beckett, he isn't."
"Does that mean he woke up?" Kate asked. Carson nodded.
"He did," she confirmed.
"So I can see him?" Kate clarified. Carson smiled.
"Of course." She pointed off to her right, down the hallway. "Room 47." Kate nodded and hurried toward said room. When she found it, she hesitated for just a second before turning the knob and easing the door open. Her heart stumbled in her chest when she saw him. He was sitting up, only slightly leaning back on the pillows. He was still far too pale, but he turned his head when she entered and smiled at her. It wasn't his usual bright smile but it was a genuine one and it swept her off her feat merely because she hadn't been sure she hadn't been sure she would ever see it again. She managed to smile back at him a little as she approached him.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey," she managed to reply. He held his arms out to her as she neared and she bent down to hug him gently. He huffed a laugh and she felt his warm breath on her cheek.
"You can hug me tighter than that, Kate, I promise." She could do nothing but oblige, hugging him tighter. She pulled away and sat down in the chair next to his bed. He reached for her hand and squeezed it lightly. She tenderly reached over and brushed a piece of his hair off of his forehead, studying him with watchful eyes.
"How are you doing?" she asked quietly.
"Kind of achy and tired, but otherwise okay," he replied. Kate nodded and ducked her head. she didn't want to cry, not here, not in front of him. She blinked the tears away and looked back up at him, her eyes still just a little too bright. His eyes met hers, concern written all over his face. He reached up to cradle her cheek in his palm.
"Hey," he whispered. "What's wrong, Kate?" She didn't answer and he squeezed her hand. "Come on, Kate, talk to me," he said. "What's wrong?" She blinked and a tear trailed down her cheek. He lightly brushed it away with her thumb. "Why are you crying?" he asked.
"I just...I thought I was going to lose you," she whispered. She sounded so scared and so emotional. It broke his heart to see her like this.
"Come here," he said, holding out his arm to her.
"Are you sure?" she asked hesitantly. "I don't want to hurt you."
"no, you won't," he said. "It's fine, I promise." So she stood up and sat on the mattress next to him, facing him. He held out his arms to her and she curled into him, her arms wrapping around him, clutching the scratchy fabric of his hospital gown. She buried her head in his shoulder, a perfect fit as always. Rick wrapped her up in his arms, hugging her tight to his broad chest. The hand sporting an IV came up to bury in her chestnut hair, soothing her with his familiar touch. But it also made her tears fall harder and faster.
"Shhh," he murmured quietly. "Kate, baby, don't cry. Don't cry. It's okay. It's okay, I promise." He pulled her close, running his hand soothingly up and down her back.
"I was so scared, Rick," she whispered. "I really thought I was going to lose you."
"No, no," he mumbled. "Shhh. I'm fine, Kate. I'm fine. I'm okay, and I'm right here, okay? Right here." Kate took a deep breath, breathing in the scent of Castle. Even after 24 hours in the hospital, he still had the lingering remains of that warm, comforting scent. She wanted to be strong, wanted to pull away and brush the incident of her ears off. She wanted to be the fiancée he needed her to be, to be there for him at a time when he needed her. But she was so tired and so relieved, and she had been strong for the past 24 hours. And now he was here, not only alive, but also awake. He was smiling and his eyes were sparkly and he no longer looked like a scared little boy. He had those warm familiar arms around her and he was pressing soft, gentle kisses to her head. He was running his fingers through her hair and whispering to her, little words of comfort. He was assuring her that he was alright. And she just couldn't hold herself together anymore. So she drew her legs up onto the bed, curling into his welcoming arms, burying her face into his chest. And she let go. She allowed the tears to fall, allowing herself to break down, to fall apart. She had been the one to hold it together. But now, she seemed to have lost that ability. So she stopped trying. she clung to him, allowed the tears to fall, and counted her blessings.
Rick hated to see her so distraught. He wrapped hos arms tightly around her, cradling her close to him.
"Shhh," he said. "It's okay, Kate, I'm here. Everything's okay now, baby, I promise. I'm fine, Kate."
She wasn't sure how long they stayed there like that. After a while, she pulled back, swiping at the tears on her face. He cradled her cheek in his palm, wiping a stray tear away with the pad of his thumb, giving her a sweet, tender smile.
"You okay?" he asked softly. Kate nodded slightly.
"Yeah. I'm sorry," she apologized.
"For what?"
"For falling apart like that," she replied. "You've been through a lot. I shouldn't have put all that on you."
"No," he said with sudden fierceness. "No. Kate, listen," he implored with an edge of urgency. She met his gaze to find that his blue eyes were blazing. "Listen," he repeated. "Don't apologize, Kate. Don't. I owe you everything. I owe my life to you."
"Rick, I am not the one who saved your life last night," she objected.
"You helped," he said stubbornly. she started to object again, and he held up his hand to quiet her. "I completely agree that I owe a lot to Agent McCord as well, but Kate, I don't mean just last night. although I don't know what I would do without you through all of that. But I don't mean just that. I owe you everything a thousand times over."
"Rick, I don't think you're being entirely fair to yourself here," she said. "I'm not the one who made it through the night. You are. Not everyone could have been half as strong as you were."
"And if not for you, I wouldn't have been, either," he countered. When she opened her mouth to argue, he held his hand up to stop her. "That's not the point, Kate," he said softly. "The point is, you and I are good for each other. We always have been. And I can't imagine my life without you. I also can't imagine not giving my life for yours if it came down to that. I would, in a second." She smiled slightly at him.
"I know," she said softly. She brushed a soft kiss to his forehead.
"That's what partners are for."
