Author's note: This one is a little short. Sorry! But I hope you read it anyway.

OOOOOOOOO

Something wasn't quite right. Beckett was a cop, and because of that she tended to be at least somewhat aware of her surroundings even when she wasn't at one hundred percent – or even asleep. She was aware of the man she was sleeping beside. Aware of the warmth of his body and the arms that were wrapped around her, his body against hers, skin against skin. Something was a little off, though, and that was enough to wake her up. Immediately, she knew he wasn't asleep. No body was as tense as his was and still completely at rest, and she was close enough to him to feel the tension in his muscles. Something was definitely not okay.

"Castle?"

"Ow…"

His voice was a whisper, followed by a soft moan that made her sit up immediately and reach over him to turn on the light. His face was pinched in pain, pale and even sheened with sweat. And so distracted by that pain that he didn't even comment on the bare skin that was pressed against him when she'd leaned over him.

"What's wrong?"

She could tell he was in pain, she just wanted to make sure it wasn't something new. Her instinct and common sense told her that his pain medication had almost certainly worn off. Her head was pounding, after all, and she wasn't as battered as he was.

"I hurt," was the succinct reply. He looked up at her, forlorn, hoping she'd take care of it.

"Why didn't you wake me?" she asked, reaching for her robe and getting out of her bed.

"You were sleeping."

He was still on his side, and his arms had been holding her in what was a normally comfortable position but not just then, and now he was paying the price – especially the shoulder he'd been sleeping on.

"You should have woke me."

"You looked comfortable."

And he'd wanted to hold her. And he'd been more than a little certain that once she was awake and aware she was going to start thinking about what they'd done and probably either be embarrassed or uncertain, making this the only time he'd have a chance to hold her like he had been. It was no contest; he'd hold her and hurt for as long as he could.

Beckett helped him get rolled onto his back and back into the somewhat inclined position he'd started in. He was panting by the time they were done, and Beckett made sure he was covered to avoid a chill. Then she left him in bed and went into the kitchen to get him something for the pain. She opened up a protein shake, figuring it would be faster than making something to eat and poured it into a glass. She stopped long enough to get herself a couple of aspirin, and then she went back to her bedroom and pressed his pill against his lips, figuring he'd rather have it fed to him than try to move those sore arms just then.

"Here."

He accepted it gratefully, and then downed half the shake before she decided it was probably enough to count as 'take with food'. Then Castle closed his eyes, and willed the medication to make his head, face and arms stop hurting.

"Thank you," he told her, reaching blindly for her hand, hoping she wouldn't leave him alone with his misery.

"You're welcome." Beckett sat down beside him, holding his hand but otherwise not touching him. "Next time wake me up."

"I will." She doubted that. Castle opened his eyes, looking up at her and noticing that she looked a little like he felt. "How are you feeling?"

"Like someone is pounding on the inside of my head trying to get out," she admitted. "I took a couple aspirin, it should stop soon."

"Lay down for a while," he suggested. "It'll help."

Beckett smiled.

"With you?"

"It's more fun that way," he pointed out.

"And the reason you're in so much pain."

"No. Getting beat up while hanging from a rope is why I am in so much pain."

She shook her head and to Castle's delight pulled off her robe and slipped under the blankets with him without hesitation. She didn't, however, do more than simply sidle up beside him and share a little of the mountain of pillows. The last thing she wanted was to get him wound up – which she knew would be easy enough if she made contact with him. If he didn't initiate something physical, chances were that she would.

He had other ideas, though, and even without moving from the position he was in, he ran his hand along her side, enjoying her being so close – and so naked. Beckett caught his hand.

"Go to sleep, Rick," she told him, holding his hand against her ribs. "You'll feel better."

He already was. The medication was as powerful as they could prescribe him and with so little in his stomach, it was already starting to work on his aches and pains. Not enough that he was really considering anything too physical. He just wanted to hold and be held. And so did she.

But he had to know where they stood. He wouldn't be able to relax fully until he did. The medication was already making him groggy and he tried to think how to ask what he wanted to know. He finally moved his thumb, brushing it against the curve of her breast where his hand was caught by hers.

"Again?"

"No."

He felt disappointed and hurt by the automatic rejection, but before he could do more than feel those emotions and realize them for what they were, the part of his mind that was still somewhat lucid suggested that maybe she wasn't actually rejecting the entire idea of them being together.

"Later?" he asked, turning his head and looking at her.

"Yes." She shifted enough that she could kiss the corner of his mouth, and his hand tightened on hers for just a moment.

Beckett smiled at the way his now tired (which was better than pained) expression lit up at the promise of things to come, and she lay her head back down on the pillow beside his, and he relaxed against her like she'd hoped he would. Relaxed like that, there was no way he was going to be able to fight the medication, and sure enough he was asleep in only minutes. She gave him a few more minutes, just to be sure, and then slid out from beside him. While he was sleeping she had a few things she needed to take care of, and now that her head wasn't pounding, and she was awake – and it was so close to her normal time to get up – she could get the done.

And then maybe have a chance to join him back in bed for a while later.