A/N: Yes, I know it's taken a lot longer than many of you would like for me to get this chapter posted and my slightly naughty cliffhanger resolved. My apologies for that but despite having a fairly clear image in my head of what I wanted to happen it has proven very frustrating and difficult to get something down in writing which I was vaguely happy about. As it stands I still don't think what follows is my best but hopefully it is just about good enough to keep you all reading!

"Rick!" Kate screamed as her partner collapsed to the ground in front of her eyes. She ran over to his side, dropping her gun with a loud clatter as she got down on her knees and reached out with shaking hands towards him.

"Goddammit!" Rick cursed suddenly, causing her to jump in surprise.

"Rick," she repeated, relief flooding through her body as he opened his eyes to look up at her. She brushed her fingers against his face as he winced in pain. "Where does it hurt?" She asked him, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Ribs," Rick said from between clenched teeth.

Kate nodded and moved her hands down to gently probe around his chest and rib area. Rick winced once more when she suddenly felt something hard and sharp sticking out of his side. Gently, and ever so carefully, she lifted his jacket away from his body to reveal his shirt and, underneath that, the crushed remains of a bullet sticking out of his custom made vest. Kate let out a slow, shaky breath; she'd known he'd be wearing his vest of course - he'd complained enough times to her that day about how uncomfortable the damn thing was - but in her moment of panic she'd feared he'd somehow removed it at some point without her knowing or, by sheer blind luck, Daniels had managed to miss the vest and hit Rick in an unprotected area.

"Can you believe he got me in the ribs again?" Rick muttered with a groan as she continued to probe around with her fingers to satisfy herself that the bullet had not penetrated his vest. Fortunately it seemed Rick's vest had done its job and completely stopped Daniels' bullet from reaching his body. The shock of the impact would have winded him and been more than enough to cause his collapse, even with the protection of his vest. If Daniels had been much closer, or his gun any more powerful, then even with its protection Rick would right now be bleeding out on the floor, his life in serious danger.

"It hasn't got through your vest," she said to him, managing a weak smile of encouragement.

"Glad to hear it," he replied with a weak smile of his own as he gingerly sat up. "Still hurts like hell though! First he shoves me into a cabinet and now this...I'm guessing he isn't a fan!"

Rick's indignation caused a bubble of relived laughter to burst from her lips as the realisation suddenly hit her he really was safe and well. She leant forward and pulled him into her arms, holding him tight as a few tears dropped down her cheeks.

"I'm fine Kate," Rick whispered to her as he returned her embrace. "A little sore perhaps but other than that I'm ok. Really, I am."

"I know," she whispered back, her voice breaking. "It's just when I saw you go down like that I thought...I thought he'd..." Kate couldn't even finish that sentence, so terrifying was the thought of what might have been. She gripped even tighter on to him to prevent herself from shaking and to reassure herself he was still very much there and ok.

"I'm ok, I promise," he said. "It was just the shock that's all. Although...much as I'm enjoying it, if you hold me any tighter I might need to call for some oxygen."

Kate laughed again, and felt her tension start to drain away. If he was already making bad jokes then he really was going to be ok. She lessened her stranglehold on him a little bit and whispered, "Sorry."

"That's quite all right Detective," Rick replied and Kate could almost hear the grin in his voice. "You know you can hug me any time you like." He paused and though her embrace she felt him take a tentative breath. "It's not so bad," he muttered. "No worse than the last time he got me."

"You're sure?" She asked. "This is not the time to be brave Rick."

"I'm sure Kate," he said, taking another slow, deep breath. "Scout's honour."

"Detective Beckett," Gates said suddenly. "Is Mr Castle ok?"

They both stiffened. Kate had completely forgotten where they were and who was there with them when she'd seen Rick go down. Nothing had mattered to her in that moment other than getting to his side as quickly as possible but the fact of the matter was they were both still in Jacobs' shop and Gates was standing behind her right now. She gently disentangled herself from Rick whilst surreptitiously trying to wipe away any remaining evidence of the tears which had fallen down her cheeks. She blindly reached out and groped around for her discarded gun, which she finally managed to grab, and stood up stiffly with her back to the Captain. With one last deep breath she turned to face her with as much dignity as she could muster.

"Yes sir," Kate said, hoping to hide her still raw emotions behind formality. "Castle was wearing his vest as instructed and Daniels' bullet did not penetrate it."

"So, no permanent damage then?" Gates demanded.

"No sir, I don't believe so. Just caught by surprise and a little winded."

"Good. The paperwork would have been a nightmare! And God knows how I would have explained to the Mayor how we let his favourite author get shot!"

"Yes sir," Kate said again. Now Gates had satisfied herself Rick wasn't seriously hurt - and she therefore wouldn't have to explain herself to the Mayor - Kate braced herself for the next, inevitable, question about her reaction to his shooting; which had no doubt made it clear there was more between her and Rick than a simple working partnership. However, Gates didn't say anything more and simply continued to stare at her, her eyes searching and thoughtful. Kate met her Captain's gaze and stared back defiantly; she was painfully aware that the older woman could probably see the evidence of her earlier tears but she knew she couldn't do a damn thing about it and right now she didn't really much care. The staring match seemed to last an eternity but eventually Gates' pulled her eyes away from her without saying a word and turned towards Rick.

"Mr Castle, it seems Daniels wanted to go down with one last kill," she said. "I'm glad he didn't succeed in that objective." She turned away without giving Rick any opportunity to reply and addressed Ryan and Esposito. "Ryan, Esposito, call in the uniforms and do the necessary to get a witness statement from Henry Jacobs. I want everything recorded and logged by the book - there must be no mistakes on this one. Detective Beckett, call in EMS and get Mr Castle checked over, I don't want to find out later on he has any injuries other than a few bruises taken in the line of duty."

None of them said anything as Gates moved away and opened to door of Jacobs' shop, letting in some bright light from the street outside. "I expect to have full incident reports from all of you before you leave at the end of the day," she said before taking one last look around. She nodded once and then stepped outside, letting the door close behind her with a loud 'thunk'.

"Ummm," Rick said after several seconds into the stunned silence left behind after the departure of the Captain. "Can a wounded man have a hand getting to his feet?"

Kate closed her mouth with an audible click. She'd been certain the Captain had been about to chew her out over her reaction to Rick's shooting before telling them he was no longer welcome in her precinct. But instead she'd said nothing about it...nothing! What the hell did that mean? She could not have missed how she'd reacted and God knows everyone knew the Captain had been looking for a way to get Rick out of her precinct since the day she'd joined. Even a hint of a relationship between her and Rick would give Gates all the ammo she needed to do just but she'd not even mentioned it!

"Wounded?" Esposito said as he stepped passed her to help Rick to his feet. "Man that barely even counts as a scratch!"

"A scratch!" Rick protested. "But I just got shot!"

"With this pea shooter?" Ryan replied, lifting Daniels gun using a pen. "It barely counts as a gun Castle. Besides, he only got you in the vest."

"Beckett," Rick whined. "Tell them! Look, I've got the evidence to prove it and everything..." he added, pointing to the mess of a bullet which still stuck out of the front of his vest.

Kate mentally shook herself, trying to clear her mind of Gates' sudden exit and bring herself back to the here and now. Whatever the Captain may or may not think about her relationship with Rick she would have to worry about it another time. "Sorry Castle," she said, with what she hoped was a negligent looking shrug - even with Gates gone the guys were still there and she didn't want to give them any more to speculate about over their relationship. "The guys are right, that barely counts as being shot."

"Hah...but it does count? Right?"

"Yes Castle," she said with a weary sigh. "It does count...barely," she added when he started to grin. "Now strip!"

"W...what...?" Rick stuttered in surprise, with a panicked look at a grinning Esposito on whom he was still leaning.

"Get that vest off," Kate explained, pointing at his custom made vest. "As you've already noted, it's now evidence in an active case and it needs to be bagged and tagged." Kate stepped up to him and added, loud enough for the both of the guys to hear. "Or, I could take it off for you, if you like...?"

"Ahhh, no Beckett," Rick replied, looking around wildly as Ryan and Esposito both burst out laughing. "I think I can manage."

"Shame," she replied, happy to use their familiar bantering to disguise her true feelings. Inside she was still reeling from the shock of seeing Rick crumple like a deck of cards and she desperately wanted to put her arms back around him again; to listen to his heartbeat and to feel comforted by his embrace.

"Here," Rick said a few moments later, reluctantly handing her the vest whilst trying to shield his now bare chest with his jacket. "When will I get it back?"

"Get it back?" She replied in puzzlement. "Castle, you know better than that - it's evidence now. It's going to go into the locker and won't be released for weeks, if not months. Besides, it's useless now. It's not as if these things are reusable you know."

"Oh...I hadn't thought of that," Rick replied glumly. "Err...does that mean I have to get another one made up before I can come out in the field with you guys again?"

"I'm sure the department will lend you one...until you replace yours," she replied with a smile. "After all, you were shot in the line of duty, Gates said so herself."

The glum look disappeared off Rick's face and he smiled broadly at her words. "She did, didn't she," he said.

"Why did you have to go and remind him of that Beckett?" Ryan asked her with a groan. "He's going to be insufferable now!"

"More insufferable you mean," Esposito added.

"That's not possible," Rick interjected. "By definition I cannot be any more insufferable than I already...ah...am...Err, that didn't come out quite right."

"But you said it man," Esposito replied, clapping him on the shoulder. "And you're the famous writer dude who's made millions from his words so it must be true!"

Rick winced in pain, although whether it was at the guys' laughter after tying himself in knots with his own words or because Espo had clapped him too close to where he'd been hit Kate couldn't tell, but it reminded her she needed to get him checked out.

"Have you guys got everything covered here? I guess I should get our wounded soldier checked out," she said, pointing at Rick.

"Yeah, sure Beckett, we've got this," Ryan replied.

"C'mon Castle," Kate said, taking over supporting him from Esposito. "Let's go get you looked at, make sure everything's still intact." She helped him over towards the door but he pulled her up before she could open it. She turned to look at him in surprise and saw he was staring down at Daniels dead body. "He's definitely dead Rick," she said quietly.

"I know," he replied. "It's just...is it wrong of me to be a little bit happy about that?"

Kate glanced down at Daniels dead body and thought of Sarah Chambers, from whom he had stolen her young life without compunction. And of James Hicks, who wasn't perhaps quiet as innocent as Sarah but who had equally not deserved to have his life ripped away so suddenly. And she thought of the people they'd left behind: Sarah's fiancé, who but for a quirk of fate and a bachelor's party would most likely have been just another of Daniels victims; and Hicks' wife, whom no doubt Gates would be visiting shortly to tell her old friend that her husband's killer was dead. And finally she thought of Rick as he'd collapsed from the bullet Daniels had tried to use to take one last life as his final act on this earth.

"No," Kate she said firmly. "Daniels chose his fate. He was a cold blooded murderer who killed without conscience and who knew he was trapped. He had his chance to give himself up and he chose to die like the coward he was."

"Still...," Rick repeated doubtfully.

"Enough Rick," Kate said firmly, dragging him back outside and in to the seemingly bright afternoon light. "Daniels made his choices and now he's paid for them. Believe me, no-one will mourn his passing and there won't be a judge in the state who will question what happened here today."

Being outside in the light and away from Jacobs' dim and depressing shop seemed to lift Rick's spirits slightly so by the time they were surrounded by uniforms and Jacobs' shop had been outlined in crime scene tape he was seemed to recover from his slightly black mood. The EMS van took a little longer to arrive as there were no life-threatening injuries but when it finally did get there the techs gave Rick the once over and confirmed he'd suffered nothing more than superficial bruising, his vest having done an excellent job in stopping Daniels' bullet. Rick was just getting gingerly down from the back of the EMS vehicle after being strapped up when another familiar van pulled up beside them.

"Lanie," Kate called, waving her friend over as soon as she stepped down onto the street.

"Kate, Castle!" Lanie said, hurrying over. "Are you ok? I heard a cop got shot?"

"We're fine Lanie," Kate reassured her friend. "And so are the guys. As for a cop getting shot...Castle here tripped over his own feet in shock when the guns went off but nothing worse than that."

"Hey!" Rick protested. "I did not 'trip over my own feet'! He shot me AND I have the evidence to prove it!"

"He's being melodramatic," Kate whispered loudly to Lanie. "The guys have already told him being shot in the vest doesn't really count..."

"Huh!" Rick huffed. "The Captain said I was shot in the line of duty and she outranks all of you."

"Oh, poor baby," Lanie replied with a smile. "Do you want to strip down so I can take a look at you again...I'm sure Kate here would enjoy that and even if she doesn't I certainly will!"

"Lanie!" Kate protested, ignoring the irrational surge of jealousy at her friends' words. "Do you want me to tell Espo you're lusting after Castle here?" She threatened.

"Pfth," Lanie snorted in derision. "Javier's a big boy; he'll have to deal with it." She paused for a moment then added, her tone much more serious. "Seriously Castle, did you want me to have a look?"

"Much as Kate might indeed enjoy ogling my manly chest again Lanie," Rick replied with a grin. "The EMT boys have already given me the all-clear and strapped me up good and proper."

"Are you sure Castle?" Lanie replied. "Kate would never forgive me if I let anything happen to you."

"Lanie..." Kate protested wearily, aware that a faint flush was starting to creep up her neck. "Rick's fine. Now haven't you got a dead body to go look at?"

"Yes, Detective," Lanie replied formally, grinning openly at her discomfort. "I'll leave you alone with writer boy here so you can have a good feel around to make sure he's ok," she added as she turned on her heel and walked off laughing.

"I think I'm going to kill her..." Kate grounded out as she watched her friend walk away.

"Oh come now Kate," Rick replied, gently putting one hand on the small of her back. "You know she only does it because she cares. Besides, I will be more than happy to let you have a good feel around when we get home...just to be sure I'm ok you understand."

"You are as bad as Lanie," Kate replied with a small smile.

"Oh no," Rick said as he surreptitiously stroked the small of her back with his hand. "I think you'll find I'm a whole lot worse than the good doctor."

Kate groaned and covered her eyes.

In the end it was gone seven by the time Kate and Rick finally got back to his loft. As instructed by Gates, she and the boys had headed back to the precinct after they'd finished at the scene to complete the necessary paperwork on the Daniels case including filling out the requisite forms for discharging their firearms and logging Rick's vest into evidence. Much to Kate's annoyance, Gates had then insisted on checking everything they'd done before she'd finally let them go for the night.

"Can you believe she did that?" Kate exclaimed in irritation as she opened the door to Rick's loft and let them both in. "It was humiliating! I haven't had anyone check my work like that since...well since I was fresh out of the academy!" She spluttered.

"But she didn't find any mistakes," Rick pointed out. "She made Ryan change a couple of things but she let yours pass unaltered."

"That's not the point and you know it," Kate huffed.

"She just wants everything to be right on this one Kate, you know that," Rick said, soothingly stroking her arm. "You know this case meant more than most to her."

"Since when did you join 'Team Gates'?" Kate demanded angrily, stopping and turning to confront him. "You're only defending her because she said you took that shot in the line of duty."

"Sshh," Rick said urgently, looking over and around her whist waving his hands frantically. "We agreed not to mention that where Alexis could hear!"

"Sorry," she replied, her anger fading a little. Before they'd called it a night at the precinct Rick had made all of them promise not to mention his shooting to Alexis as he didn't want his daughter to worry. They'd all understood and agreed. Hell, they'd kept stuff like this from her before and they'd all been through things on the job which they never shared with anyone outside of the precinct. She herself had lost count of the amount of things she'd hidden or glossed over with her Dad and she certainly couldn't blame him for not wanting to worry his daughter.

Rick continued to look around anxiously but after a few moments it became clear Alexis wasn't going to put in an appearance so he relaxed and let out an audible sigh of relief. "Kate," he said seriously, resting his hand on her shoulder. "You know better than anyone that I have not joined 'Team Gates' as you put it. I'm a one detective writer, remember?"

Kate looked at him and after a few moments she lowered her head feeling a little ashamed of herself. She was angry at Gates for treating her like a rookie and it was unfair of her to take that anger out on Rick. She knew he would never back Gates over her.

"All I'm saying is that this case meant a lot to her and she wanted to make sure everything was perfect. You'd have done the same...in fact, you did do the same! We would have been out of there an hour earlier if you hadn't insisted on checking and re-checking every word you'd written before Gates even got a look in!"

"I know, I know," Kate replied, giving in. "It's just..."

"It's just that you don't like your work being called into question," Rick finished for her. "Well, guess what? You passed with flying colours! I can guarantee you it will be a long time before Gates questions your paperwork again. Now Ryan on the other hand..."

Rick left his words hanging and despite herself Kate laughed. The look on Ryan's face when he'd been the only one Gates had pulled up had been priceless. Of course, the mistakes he'd made had been trivial and utterly unimportant but still...it would be a long time before he would live that one down at the precinct.

"You're right," Kate said quietly, leaning closer to kiss Rick gently on the lips.

"I usually am," Rick replied with a smile.

"Tell that to your divorce lawyer," Kate replied with a grin.

"Ouch! That was a low blow Beckett!"

"Ahhhh, did I hurt your pride there Rick?" She said, smiling at his pout. "What can I do to make it up to you?"

"Nothing," Rick said sulkily, although Kate could easily tell he was faking.

"Oh, I'm sure I can think of something," Kate replied with a smirk before leaning in to kiss him again. Rick didn't respond for a moment or two but she finally felt his lips curl into a smile beneath her own and she relaxed into the feeling. Indeed, as his arms came round her to pull her closer to him she felt that now familiar sense of desire rise within her and she deepened the kiss. After his close call earlier today she suddenly wanted nothing more than to feel his touch; to feel him safe and whole as he surrounded her with his warmth and love. She let herself get lost in his embrace, losing all sense of time and awareness or of anything other than the sensations which ran up and down her body whenever he touched her.

"Well, I see Alexis wasn't exaggerating."

Kate jumped in surprise at the sudden interruption and looked around in confusion, her hand dropping automatically to her hip where her gun rested. Her eyes widened and her hand sprung away from her side as she took in the familiar form of Rick's mother, standing behind them with a broad smile on her face and an almost ubiquitous wine glass in hand.

"Mother!" Rick said, his voice echoing her own surprise. "When did you get back into town? The last I heard you expected to be gone for several more weeks."

"It's good to see you as well darling," Martha drawled in response to her son's question. "Although I can see you might have had...other things on your mind."

Kate felt the now depressingly familiar flush creep back up her neck. She tried to step back from Rick, to put some respectable distance between the two of them although it was far too late to pass off what they'd been doing as anything other than a passionate embrace. But Rick held her firmly in place within his arms and refused to let her back away.

"I don't know what you mean Mother," he said, his voice calm and steady. "I am simply surprised to see you, that's all."

"So I can see," Martha replied, with a knowing wink. "And how are you Kate darling?" She asked, turning her attention to Kate.

"F...fine Martha," Kate managed to stammer. She cringed at how uncertain her reply sounded but she hadn't felt this embarrassed since her Dad had caught her kissing her boyfriend when she was 15 years old! She'd always hated the idea of too much public display of affection, firmly believing such things were for behind closed doors. A peck on the cheek or even a brief kiss were one thing; but she was acutely aware that Rick's hand still rested where it had frozen on hearing his mother's voice - firmly pressed against the clasp of her bra and leaving no illusions about where it, and indeed they, had been heading when Martha had interrupted!

"I understand from my granddaughter," Martha continued, ignoring her obvious discomfort; "that you've had some terrible trouble with renovations at your apartment block?"

Kate nodded silently, unsure how much Alexis had told her grandmother of the circumstances which had led to her staying here.

"And you've been staying with us for a few days...?" Martha asked her.

"Ummm, yes?" Kate mumbled, suddenly feeling an urge to run and hide from Martha's almost predatory stare.

"And at the same time Meredith tried to invite herself to stay," Martha continued. "Such a happy coincidence!"

Well that answered the question about how much Alexis had told her grandmother! Kate knew she was now blushing even more furiously than before and she wished the ground would just open up and swallow her so she could escape from Martha's knowing look.

"Enough Mother," Rick said with a put-upon sigh. "We both know Alexis keeps you updated on everything that happens round here so you already know exactly what's going on - probably better than the rest of us."

"But Richard," Martha replied with an evil looking grin. "Where's the fun in admitting you already know everything when I can have so much fun making my only son squirm?"

"You see what I have to put up with?" Rick complained to Kate. "It's a miracle they've not locked me up and thrown away the key!"

Martha laughed uproariously at his comment. "Oh come here Richard and give your mother a hug," she said when her laughter had subsided.

"Do I have too?" Rick whined in a child like voice.

"Yes, you do," she replied firmly. She drained the last of her wine and set the glass down to one side to hold out her arms. "Now come here."

Rick finally released Kate and stepped forward to 'reluctantly' hug his mother, although it was obvious from the give and take between the two of them the charade of reluctance was a long standing way to disguise their true affection for each other. However, Kate used their embrace as cover to try to surreptitiously rearrange her shirt and reclaim some of her lost dignity.

"I've missed you kiddo," Martha said quietly as she broke away from Rick only to step forward and suddenly enfold Kate in an equally affectionate hug. "And I'm also very glad that you're here as well," she said quietly into Kate's ear. "I know just how much my son cares for you and I'm delighted you're finally starting to let him show you that."

"Thank you Martha," Kate whispered in reply, genuinely touched by her words.

"Just one thing dear," Martha continued, keeping her voice low enough so only Kate could hear. "I don't think Richard could survive another summer like the last one, especially now that things have...changed between you. God knows I understand it must have been a terrible period for you but I do hope you're in this thing for the long term and you won't disappear on him again?"

Kate stiffened at Martha's question. Despite the change in their relationship she and Rick had not properly discussed last summer - she'd actually told Alexis more about how bad those times had been for her than she'd told Rick. Kate didn't know if she was ready yet to discuss that time with him in that much detail - there were still too many painful memories on both sides. But she did remember her resolve after talking to Alexis and she knew how...right...things had felt since she'd finally opened up and let Rick in. And if that wasn't already more than enough, the events from earlier today were made crystal clear to her something which she'd known in her heart for a long, long time.

"I won't," she said quietly but firmly. "I love him, Martha."

There was a long pause as Martha digested her words. But then the older woman pulled back from her embrace and looked at her. "Well in that case dear," she said. "Welcome to the family."

"Soooo..." Rick said, breaking the silence after a few awkward moments. Despite his best efforts he'd not heard anything other than the occasional word from the whispered conversation between Kate and his mother. But whatever they had talked about it seemed to have had a profound impact on his partner and he could tell she was struggling to hold it together. He hoped to God his mother hadn't said anything which would cause Kate to retreat back into her shell. It had taken them years to reach their current position and he knew their new-found closeness was a delicate and precious thing which he desperately needed to protect. Now that Kate had finally let him past her emotional defences the last thing he needed was for his mother to say something which would frighten her into clamming up; or worse, running away and hiding from him again.

"Not that I'm unhappy to see you Mother," he said, trying to distract her from saying anything more to upset his partner. "But you still haven't answered my question. Why are you back in New York? I thought your play had several more weeks to run?"

"Oh it does," she replied, gently patting Kate on the back before releasing her and retrieving her empty wine glass. "But you know one gets tired of performing the same play day after day and occasionally one needs a break...to re-charge one's battery and reclaim one's passion for the role." She added with typically dramatic flair.

Rick sensed an opportunity in her reply to get his mother to back off a bit so that he could try and talk to Kate; to try and undo whatever damage she might have done. "They didn't sack you did they?" He asked her, knowing it would provoke a reaction.

"Sack Me!" She exclaimed, her tone full of indignation. "Of course they didn't! Sack Martha Rodgers? They wouldn't dare!"

"I'm sorry Mother," he said.

"Sack me indeed," she repeated with a shudder. "I can't believe you would even think that Richard, let alone say it! I need another drink!" She moved past him with a disappointed shake of her head and disappeared further into the loft.

Rick felt a little guilty for deliberately upsetting his mother like that but he knew she would survive it and forgive him. Right now he was more concerned about Kate and trying to repair whatever damage his mother may have done to the delicate balance of their relationship. He moved over to her and took her hands in his. "Are you ok?" he asked quietly, looking deeply into her eyes. His heart sank as he could see they were misty with unshed tears - damn his mother, what had she said to upset Kate like this?

"I'm fine Rick," Kate replied, giving him the stock answer she used whenever she wanted to hide her true feelings from him.

"Please Kate," he pleaded, desperate to not let her shut him out again. "Don't let whatever my mother said upset you. She means well but sometimes she doesn't understand how what she's saying..." He started to say but he didn't get to finish his plea as Kate cut him off by leaning forward and kissing him.

"I'm not upset Rick," she said with a mysterious looking smile when she pulled back. "And your mother is a very wise women who loves you very much."

"Ummm, we're talking about Martha Rodgers here right?" He asked, for wont of anything better to say, so completely taken aback by Kate's sudden kiss as he was.

"Yes!" Kate replied with a warm laugh and a gentle slap against his shoulder. It spoke volumes as to the extent of his distraction that he didn't even feel any pain when she whacked his freshly bruised side.

"So, you're really ok then?" He asked, still shocked at her reaction but desperate to make sure they were still good.

"Yes," she replied firmly, and to prove it kissed him again.

Rick had no idea what was going on here but whatever his mother had said it seemed to have struck some kind of chord with Kate. The way she was looking at him as she broke away from the kiss...he hesitated to even think the words in case he jinxed it but if he was forced to characterise what he thought he could see in her eyes it would be...happiness. And maybe, just maybe, a hint of love, although that might just be him reading more into her look than was really there.