AN: This is the last chapter where I knew where this story was going. The ones after this just kind of happened (so needless to say this is the last chapter I'm confident in haha). I hope you enjoy and appreciate your patience.

CH7

It was 5:35 when Castle had gotten to her apartment complex. He was...well nervous. This was a new feeling for him. He wasn't sure if he should have gotten her flowers. He wanted this to be a date, but he also didn't want to scare her off. He still had time to get flowers. Maybe just a flower would do the trick?

He went down the street, to the bodega that he had seen selling flowers the last time he was at Kate's apartment. He debated with himself. Should he get a single rose? That was tacky and a cliche, something that he wasn't. Would a single tulip look weird? Probably. He was overthinking this, again something he was not used to. He went with a bouquet of lilies. Something that he thought said, this wasn't a date if you didn't want it to be a date….but if you want it to be it could be a date.

He paid for the flowers and headed back to Kate's apartment complex. It was 5:59, just in time. He knocked on the door and he didn't wait long before Kate opened the door. He couldn't help but look at her from head to toe. She was wearing a grey tank top, somewhat covered with her leather jacket, with a pair of jeans that definitely showed off her curves. He brought himself out of his trance when he heard her say that he was right on time.

"I try my best to not be late to things, especially important things." He extended his hand with the flowers. "I wasn't sure if you were a lillies kind of girl, but roses are…"

"Too much been there done that? Thank you, Castle. They're perfect. Let me just put these in a vase before we go. I'm assuming that I'm dressed ok since you said we weren't going anywhere fancy."

"You're perfect." She gave him a soft smile before she made her way into the kitchen. She left the door open, in case he wanted to come inside (which he did). She placed the flowers into the vase and then grabbed her bag.

"Are you going to tell me where we're going? You did mention something about food trucks."

"It might have just been to throw you off. After all, you are a former detective."

"Getting my hopes up for food trucks and now you're just taking it away huh?"

He smirked. "Don't worry, I'll satisfy your needs." He saw a small blush appear on her cheeks. "We're going to one of my favorite halal trucks, which is right across the street from a sushi restaurant and a hotdog truck. So just in case halal isn't your thing, we have some options….or if you want all three, I'm certainly not going to stop you. I have some ideas for dessert, but first, dinner." He extended his arm to her, hoping that she would take it.

She took his arm fairly quickly than what he was expecting. "Halal is fine with me….but I also can't say no to a New York street hotdog."

They were having a great time so far. They got a halal platter to share and two hotdogs for dinner. The trucks were right next to a park, where they picked out a bench to sit down at. This was probably the most informal date he had ever had, and he was okay with that. More than okay with that. He was with her and that was all he wanted. They were laughing, talking, and there was no pressure. He didn't have to put up some front for her and he was glad that he didn't have to. There was a question that he had wanted to ask her but he wasn't sure if it was the right time. He was going to risk it.

"Do you ever think about going back to being a detective?"

She placed her water bottle down. "All the time. I couldn't though."

"I could have someone look into…"

She cut him off. "No, no Castle. I've been down that rabbit hole far too many times and it's too dangerous."

"But if.."

She placed her hand on his. "Please, Rick. Don't. I can't lose anyone else due to these people."

It didn't go unnoticed that she had used his first name (something she hadn't done before). He took her hand in his and gave it a gentle squeeze. "Ok. I won't. I promise you though, you aren't going to lose me."

She looked at him, making sure that he was serious about both. "How much do you know about...well everything. What have Ryan and Esposito told you?"

"Not too much. Just about the day that you were shot and of course what you told me."

She told him about the night the police came to her home to tell her her mother was murdered, she told him all about her dad, she told him about the watch and the necklace she wears, she told him about Montgomery and the other cops, about Lockwood, about Coonan, about how she was shot, her recovery, her PTSD, how she put up these walls, everything. She wasn't expecting to tell him all of this today, out on a public park bench no less, but here she was.

When she finished talking, he pulled her into him. He embraced her in his arms. He didn't say anything, he just held her for a few moments. He wanted to let her know that she was alive and that he was glad that she was. He pulled back a bit to look at her. "Kate, the things you did and the things you do now are extraordinary. You're one of the strongest..no, you are the strongest person I know, and all of what you just told me on top of what I already knew just adds to how strong you are. I've never met anyone like you and you don't have to be a detective to make anyone proud of you or for you to feel like you're making a difference. You're doing amazing and you are making a difference. You're making a difference for the community in a different way now, but you still are. You helped me write this amazing new character due to your extraordinariness, not because you're a cop. Because you are amazing, Kate."

With those words, she leaned in and kissed him. She kissed him passionately, letting him know in her kiss that she thought he was pretty extraordinary too. When she pulled away, she went to open her mouth to say something, but he cut her off with another kiss. He didn't want her to even think about saying that she was sorry or that she shouldn't have done that.

When he pulled away, a soft "wow" escaped her lips. They both smiled at each other as their foreheads rested against one another. They were silent for a few seconds before he spoke again. "Um, do you want dessert? Not that I don't mind this….definitely don't mind this, but I did promise you dinner and dessert."

She took his hand after standing up. "Let's go. I know a bakery that has the best cream puffs."

"Oh well I know you do, but you're not baking or cooking tonight. This is a date." He was finally going to put it out there that this was indeed a date date and not just a friendship date. "Let me take you to this ice cream shop I know."

After getting milkshakes, they headed back to Kate's apartment. She didn't want the night to end, so she invited him inside for a drink.

"I don't have much, but I have wine and vodka. What would you prefer?"

"Wine is great. Do you need any help?"

She handed him the wine bottle and the opener while she went to get two wine glasses. When he opened the bottle, he poured some into two glasses. He handed her one glass before he took the other. They clinked their glasses together before they took a sip. Kate made her way over to the sofa and Castle followed her.

Kate took another sip of her wine before she placed it onto the coaster on her coffee table. "Thank you for the great night, Castle. It's been a while since I've had this much fun and it felt good."

He placed his glass down next to hers. "It was my pleasure. I'm still thrilled that you agreed to go out with me tonight."

She let a small smile grace her face. "Still thrilled? So if I said that we should do this again sometime in the very near future….?"

"I will cancel anything I have that day. Even if it's to get the key to the city."

She laughed. "What do you think is going to happen during the time you're shadowing Ryan?"

"Well, I was thinking that I would catch someone that was trying to steal the Declaration of Independence in this big heroic chase." She rolled her eyes and shook her head. "And of course in my speech, I'd make sure that it was all possible due to the coffee I had that morning from this beautiful woman at Johanna's bakery." She still shook her head, but this time she laughed. "Or maybe your dad will be working there that day. Then I'd have to thank him."

She glared at him. "Oh, so all I'm good for is coffee?"

He wrapped his arm around her. "Definitely good for more than just coffee." With that, he leaned in and gave her a soft, slow, kiss. When they pulled away, they didn't go far. He rested his forehead against hers. "Kate...I.."

She put her finger to his lips before using her other hand to take one of his hands. She moved her finger from his lips to get up. She gave his hand a slight tug, an indication that she wanted him to follow her. He got up and followed her into her bedroom. He shut the door behind them, out of the habit of closing his bedroom door at night. They didn't say anything or do anything for a few moments. They just looked at each other, knowing that once they crossed this line that there was no going back. They didn't have to say anything while doing this. Their eyes and their hands did the talking. Their eyes locked as his hands stopped at the hem of her shirt.

Both of their eyes asked the question are you sure, while at the same time answering the other with "yes". It was like they both saw that yes at the same time because they leaned in as if a magnet pulled them together for a passionate kiss. Their kiss said things that words couldn't at the moment. Like how they cared for each other, how this wasn't a one-time thing, how they were happy to be with one another, and a promise of more to come. Something that neither of them had felt the first time being intimate with a partner. It was refreshing, liberating, and wonderful.