So now we're on to another chapter. This is another one I stewed over for weeks. It was originally going to be just a chapter, but then it took over and began to write itself, which is why this one is a cliff hanger. I'll try to get the other half up soon, cuz I don't like waiting either :) So don't hate me! :)

Disclaimer: Do I own Castle? No, no I do not.

Chapter 26

Throughout the rest of the day and the days that followed, those three words that had been so hard to say, bounced back and forth between Castle and Beckett with natural ease. But so far, they were careful to keep it between themselves, not saying it in front of others, especially at work. That wasn't too hard considering all the experience they'd gained in restraining themselves already.

But while on the job that Thursday, both of them did have a hard time from saying how they felt out loud. As they stood by her car putting on their vests, Rick wanted to grab her, kiss her, and tell her that he loved her and to be careful. When they were standing outside the suspect's door, preparing to enter, Kate looked over her team taking a quick mental inventory like always, but when she looked at Rick, she had the need to tell him of her love, just in case it was the last time. Instead, she settled for a covert wink and nod, which he returned with the slighted pucker of his lips. They knew, but no one around them did.

After a successful bust and apprehension, Beckett and Castle drove back to the station, recounting the experience. Everything had gone to plan and not only did they get the dirt bag responsible for the murder they were working, but they were also able to collect more evidence, enough to keep him behind bars for a long, long time.

"You know, I think we need to come up with a code word," Castle stated.

"A code word? For what?"

"Well, we can't be telling each other 'I love you' when we're at work, especially right before a bust or around any of the criminals, but this morning before going in, I needed to tell you."

"I needed to tell you, too. This job has a distinct way of reminding a person about mortality. I would hate it if something bad happened, and I hadn't told you lately."

"I know, me too."

"Well what are you thinking?"

"I don't know, maybe 'Olive juice'? It looks like I love you when you mouth it."

"I think that would be too much like the real phrase. People would hear it or see it and know. How about apples?"

"Ha ha ha. No. Plus, it should be something that wouldn't sound out of place while working. Like, 'I gotcha back', or 'cover me'."

"Yeah, but I say those things to Ryan and Esposito too. So that could be awkward."

"How about just the word 'partner'? We might use it in regular conversation, but I think we're both good enough at reading subtext, that when we mean it as more, we'd know what it meant, without drawing attention."

"That could work. I like it! Thanks partner!"

"Anytime partner!"

And so the mundane word took on a newer, better meaning in their lives. Sometimes it was accompanied by a heated look, or or flirty wink. Other times it was said with dead seriousness or even a little fear. But always knowing that their partner was with them added strength to them as both individuals and a team.

XXXXXXXXXXX

When Memorial Day weekend rolled around, Rick and Kate found themselves alone for the first time in several weeks. Martha was spending time in the Hamptons, and Alexis who had been home for a week had left to visit her mom in California for three weeks. They had hoped to go the Hamptons as well, but since it was Beckett and her team's turn to cover a holiday, they had to change their plans. So on Friday night they hung out with their friends at The Old Haunt and then Saturday after work were all invited to Captain Montgomery's place for a BBQ. It was a fun way to spend a working holiday.

Sunday was spent in the precinct catching up on paperwork and Monday was so quiet, they even opened up a couple cold cases for re-examination. Only a few minutes after the next team came in, did the phone ring with a case, sending people scattering. Castle, Beckett and the boys just breathed a sigh of relief and began to pack up, since none of them would be back in until Thursday.

After telling the guys good night and heading out, Rick and Kate found a cute open air bistro for dinner and then went back to her place so she could pack an overnight bag to take to his place. She already had a bunch of clothes and toiletries there, but always ended up bring more, and inevitably usually leaving them there.

Rick sat on the edge of the bed and watched Kate who was only wearing her underwear, bend over an open drawer, where she rummaged through tank tops and shorts, looking for something to wear. Seeing her like this was just too much for him and so he acted.

Castle quietly walked up behind his beautiful girlfriend who naively trusted him to behave, and made his move. He quickly yanked her panties down to the floor and then ran, but not fast enough. She was on him like white on rice and soon had him tackled onto the floor.

"So that's how you want to play, huh?" She asked him. They were both breathing heavy and were flushed even though they'd hardly exuded any energy at all. Perhaps it was the intimate position they found themselves in instead.

"Honey, it's the only way I play."

Soon, getting dressed, finishing packing and heading to the loft were far from either of their minds as they enjoyed playfully making love to each other.

XXXXXXXXXXX

A loud but muffled sound startled both Kate and Rick awake, several hours later. The apartment was dark and again quiet, but both got up to check things out. Kate grabbed her weapon and walked from window to window looking for anything out of place and Rick checked every room in the unit and then out in the hall. When both were satisfied that nothing was amiss they headed back to bed.

"Maybe a car back fired or something." Rick suggested.

"Who knows. It's New York, it could have been anything. Let's just go back to sleep."

Just as they settled in, they heard another sound. This one was definitely an explosion and even shook the building. They both immediately jumped from bed and began throwing clothes on. Kate grabbed her necklaces put them on, shoved her dad's watch in her pocket and then reached for her badge and gun.

"Rick, call this in. I'm going to go investigate." She left the room and he heard the font door open as he dialed for help.

The phone call only lasted a few minutes, but by the time he hung up, he could hear fire alarms going off somewhere in the building. At first he dashed into the hall to see where Kate had gone, but seeing that she was safe and knocking on her neighbors doors, he went back in and grabbed her half packed duffel bag and ran around grabbing a few more of her things before heading out to help.

When everyone on the top floor where Kate lived had been woken up and told to leave, they headed down to the fourth floor to get more people out. Smoke started seeping into the hall and had a strange chemical scent to it.

Frightened people began filing out. Some were quite calm, others were near hysterical. One older man wept about terrorist attacks as a younger man helped him down the stairs.

When they got to the third floor, the sprinkler system came on, but Kate again left the stairwell to knock on doors. Rick was right on her heels. Apparently most of these people were already evacuating, which was a relief. One more door to go and they could keep heading down to safety.

Kate pounded on the door. "NYPD! This is an emergency! The building is on fire! Is anyone in there?"she screamed above the incessant screaming of the alarm.

A lady from across the hall, trying to carry two cats, came out of her place and headed toward the exit. "You may need to go in there. Maria just had twins a couple weeks ago and her husband works nights."

Rick thanked the woman and Kate began pounding on the door again. She couldn't be sure, but she definitely thought she heard the sound of a child crying.

"Come on Castle, we gotta get this door down. On the count of three... one... two... three."

Together they slammed their weight into the door, sending it flying open. A little boy about three years old stood in the middle of the room wearing superman pajamas, and clutching a Toy Story blanket and a stuffed lion, crying.

Kate and Rick didn't even need to talk, they just went into action. Rick went to the little boy and Kate moved toward the bedrooms looking for the rest of his family.

"It's OK buddy, my friend Kate is a police woman and we're going to take care of you and your family. Is your mommy here?"

The little boy nodded and began to cry harder. Rick scooped him into his arms.

In the next instant Kate returned with the frantic mom and two blanket wrapped bundles.

"Oh my gosh! I can't believe I was still sleeping through all this. My babies! My babies!" Maria cried.

It's OK., Ma'am, we 're going to get you guys out." Each woman carried an infant and Rick continued to hold the little boy.

When they were back in the stairwell, things appeared to be going from bad to worse. The smoke was now thick and black, forcing everyone to crouch down as they walked, and it continued to get hotter the farther they descended. Rick tossed the boy's blanket over his head to hopefully hide him from the sights, sounds, and dangerous smoke.

When they got to the second floor, the lowest one with residents, since the ground floor was all shops and businesses, Kate handed Rick the baby she was holding and told him to keep going. She needed to check this floor.

Rick started to argue, but there wasn't time for that. She cut him off and pushed him toward the next flight of stairs. "Get these kids out of here Rick! I'll be out in a minute." He knew he couldn't sway her, and looked down at the two tiny people he held and nodded. She turned to the door but then looked back on last time.

"Hey partner!" she shouted. He looked at her, almost white with fear, despite the sooty gray smudges around his mouth and nose. "I love you!."

"Tell me that when you get out, partner!" He said while blinking back tears.

Kate crawled down the hall on hands and knees. Every door she checked was unlocked or open. Everyone seemed to be gone. The heat was becoming unbearable as she went, and the fresh air was almost gone. The wall at the end of the hall was a crumbled pile of debris and an orange glow was becoming brighter through the blinding blackness.

Just two more doors and she could get the hell out of here.

The first of the two was locked. She knocked but there was no answer. So she went to the one across the hall. She knocked on the door and tried to scream but choked instead. The door was hot. Very hot. She tried to open the door knob, which she knew was stupid, but she had to know everyone was out. The nob turned but when she opened it just a crack she could see nothing but flames and slammed the door back shut.

Kate was about to get out when the locked door she already tried, opened.

"Hello?" A woman called out.

Kate pushed away the panic of knowing there were still people in the building. She crawled below the smoke and found an elderly woman just standing in her doorway. The entire wall behind her was engulfed in hungry flames.

She reached for her hand and pulled her down to the slightly cleaner air near the floor.

"Come on, we have to get out of here!"

"What's your hurry dear. It looks like Harold, just built a lovely fire in the hearth. Wouldn't you like to stay for tea?"

"No! The whole building is on fire. We need to get out now!"

Kate started crawling back toward the stairwell. Thankfully the woman crawled with her, although very slowly.

"Why are we crawling? Did Terri bring the baby over again? That little Sam is quite the dickens." The older lady burst into a fit of raspy coughing.

"No, ma'am," Kate choked out again. "There's a fire. We're safer down here."

"Oh my! Well that is a shame isn't it?"

XXXXXXXXXXX

Castle followed Maria outside. Rick had never been so thankful for the questionably fresh air of the New York city night.

Firetrucks and ambulances were starting to arrive. Someone in uniform raced up and took the kids from him to check out the children for injuries. Maria and all three of her children were crying, but Rick was completely focused on the doorway he'd just exited. Black smoke poured from it and almost every other door and window on that side of the building. Several of the store fronts in front of him were completely ablaze.

A few more people left the exit after they had, but so far not Kate. The fire department was busy unrolling hoses and tackling the flames dancing up the side of Kate's building and the building attached to it.

Two firefighters went into the building, presumably to find more people. Even though it seemed like hours, they reappeared in a few seconds, both helping people out. Still no Kate.

That's it, he couldn't stand there waiting anymore. He had to go get her. And so he did. Despite the sound of people yelling at him not to go, Rick dashed in and up the stairs to the last place he saw her. So far he hadn't seen anyone, so he tugged his shirt up over his face and opened the door to the second floor hallway.

As soon as the door opened, the flames from the back wall raced across the ceiling of the hallway, toward him. Rick hit the floor fast and came face to face with Kate, although at first he didn't recognize her through all the smoke. She was pulling something or someone slowly across the floor.

"Go Kate! Get out." He screamed over the roar of the fire. Hot embers and flaming pieces of ceiling rained down on them.

Just then another pair of firefighters appeared. The first one scooped up the lady Kate was helping and the second one reached for Kate. She shook him off and dove into Rick's arms. The fireman, helped both of them out into the stairwell and down the stairs.

Just before emerging into the night, Kate collapsed, but Rick scooped her up and carried her out. They were immediately taken to a waiting ambulance.

All the chaos surrounding them faded away as Rick finally saw Kate in the light. Her face was completely blackened with soot and streaked from sweat and sprinkler water. Her hair was singed, and her arms and hands were red and raw with burns.

The worst part was that she was so still. He couldn't hear or feel her breathing and that stole his remaining breaths, causing him to become lightheaded and then slump over onto the bench where the paramedic was sitting.

A/N part 2: So here is the Public Service Announcement part of my A/N... I'm sure I don't have to say this, but it it's the Mommy in me, so I will anyway... While what Castle and Beckett did in this story may be considered in some ways heroic... it was also stupid. Please know that if you're ever in a fire, get out as safely and quickly as possible. NEVER open a hot door, and NEVER go back into a burning building. Let those who are professionally trained and equipped handle these type of rescues. You don't want to be added to the list of those who need rescued or even worse become a victim. And also while I'm giving PSAs, stay in school , say no to drugs, and be aware of stranger danger! Have a nice day.