"Caastle," Kate whispers as she taps his chest, hasn't been able to sleep since one terrifying thought crossed her mind a couple hours ago. "Rick?"

He hums as he turns towards her in his sleep, apparently automatically putting an arm around her in order to snuggle her closer and putting his nose into her hair. It tickles when he starts sniffing and kissing the top of her head. She can't help but giggle when he brushes his nose around the scalp.

"Hey, Rick," she whispers again, pulling away slightly to be able to lie face to face with him.

He hums and she can see he fights his sleep in order to see what's troubling her. She loves him for that, waking up for her. Well, she's woken a lot of times to his questions, but it means a lot he cares for her just as much as she does for him.

"'S 'rong?" he mutters under his breath and she giggles at his sleepiness.

"Nothing," she quickly whispers but then backtracks. "I mean, not really… or… at least not now, not yet," she groans and puts her forehead against his chest. Her hand landing right beside her head.

"Now 'm intrigued," his head lifts a little in order to look at her and she meets his gaze after a minute of silence. "What do you mean?" his voice is still sleepy but his eyes are filled with a curiosity she knew would keep him awake if she didn't tell him.

She takes a deep breath before opening her mouth, eyes locked on her fingers on his chest, fiddling. "When-uh when we have kids… what if I won't do a good job? And what about my job? What if it gets dangerous? What if they get kidnapped? What if… Rick, should I really even have kids? Is it ethical for us to keep trying?" she continues to rabble her thoughts before he's shutting her up by claiming her lips with his.

She knows the kiss was only meant to stop her rambling but there's no way she's going to pass on the sweetness of his taste so quickly and so she swipes her tongue on his lower lip. He lets her inside immediately and deepens the kiss to let her feel the love and trust he has for her. It still shocks her how deep his love for her falls, so does her love for him. They slow down the kiss and when they slip apart he's keeping his forehead on hers, their breaths mixing in between them.

"Kate," he says low and when she opens her eyes he's looking right into hers with that same love he always does. "You're going to do great, we're going to do great. And about your job, sure there are risks but we'll make sure nothing happens to them. Besides you're a badass detective and no one's going to even dare kidnap our kids because you don't look remember? You hunt," he says with that glimpse in his eyes that makes her chuckle because it reminds her of all times they've survived against all odds. "We can do this." He's so assuring and so she leans in to kiss his lips again.

"You're amazing, you know that?" she asks and he grins.

"Yesterday you told me I was annoying," he reminds her and she rolls her eyes with the grin pulling up her lips.

"Yeah well, you're that too," she winks at him and they chuckle together.

He leans in to kiss her again, sipping as much love from her lips as he's giving her. This time when they pull away she's lowering her head to his chest, snuggling in and his arms goes around her to cuddle her just as cozy.

"I love you," she sighs right before sleep is taking over her.

Right as she's falling she hears him whisper back his love for her. They will definitely make it. Once it finally happens.

THE END