Update!

Summer Goodbye

The summer passed more quickly than anybody would have liked, but it was filled to the brink with sunset watching, swimming in lakes and pools, sports games and barbeques. And Castle spent every last second possible with his girl, holding her hand or just holding her, kissing her lips and whispering promises as they watched the sun set amidst a sea of vibrant colors.

In August, when they returned to the city, Kate made it a point to spend all her free time with Castle before he left for school. They walked through Central Park, holding hands and watching the street performers. He used the little money he had to buy them a caricature of him kissing her cheek. He cherished the twenty minutes he got to press his lips against her cheek as they were drawn by the street artist.

Afterwards, they bickered over who would get to keep it.

"You should have it," Kate said, "to remind you and any other girl who comes into your dorm room that you're taken."

Castle snorted. "It's an all-boys school, Kate," he reminded her, "no other girls are going to be anywhere near my dorm room, trust me. But you should keep it for any boys who might think they have the right to court you."

Kate snorted. "Court me?" she laughed. "With these tin teeth? No chance of that happening."

Castle tilted his head, giving her a sad smile as he cupped her cheek. "You're gorgeous," he said, honestly. "So gorgeous. Any guy would be lucky to have you, trust me. I'm lucky to have you."

Kate blushed, ducking her head, but he brought it back so that their eyes met once again. "I'm serious," he said. "You are beautiful; don't ever doubt yourself for a second. Okay?" Kate nodded.

"I love you," she whispered, smiling lovingly up at him.

He smiled in return. "I love you, too," he replied, kissing her lips softly. "So, you're keeping it."

Kate rolled her eyes. "No," she said, "I'm not. You are!"

"You don't want a reminder of my beautiful face while I'm away?" he asked, batting his eyelashes at her.

"No," Kate said, "I don't want a reminder of my tin teeth when I'm just about to get them taken off. No, you take it and look at it every time you get homesick and remember me."

Castle nodded. "Deal," he said, kissing her once more, before tucking the caricature under his arm and pulling her down the path, enjoying the warmth of the late summer day once again.

X_X_X_X

The day came when Castle had to leave for school and all his friends showed up to bid him farewell. Kate was practically attached to his side, her head lying on his shoulder, leaning up to lay sweet kisses on his lips every so often. She'd never been this clingy with anyone before, but something about the knowledge that it'll be months before she could see Castle again…it just made their separation that much more real. It took all of her strength to hold back her tears, but still she had a vice like grip on his hand.

"We'll miss you, baby," Lanie said, giving Castle a hug and a kiss on the cheek. "You be good up there," she said, with a motherly tone.

Castle nodded. "Of course," he said, nonchalantly. "It's me." Lanie rolled her eyes and twisted his ear. "Ow, ow! Okay, okay! I'll be good."

"Mmhmm," Lanie said, "you better be."

The boys stepped up next. "Listen, Castle," Javi said, "Kate is our girl; she's like our big sister, and if you hurt her or if you so much as think of another girl in a way that is not completely platonic, we will know and we will kick your ass. Get it?"

Castle was familiar with this threat—he'd gotten a similar one after he and Kate had first started dating nearly two months ago now—and despite his towering height over the two boys, he knew that they could very easily kick his ass (he was a lover; not a fighter) and he wouldn't blame them, either. He nodded.

"Got it," he affirmed.

"Good," Kevin said, before putting out his hand. "Now, feed the birds." Castle grinned, completing their silly little handshake with both boys, never letting go of Kate's hand. Then he surprised both boys as he wrapped his arm around Javi's shoulder, bringing him forward for a hug, clapping his hand on his back, before doing the same to Kevin.

"I'll miss you guys," he said, smiling down at his two best guy friends. He could swear he saw tears in Kevin's eyes, but he ignored them, for the benefit of his friend. "I'll see you soon, though, okay?" The boys nodded, each giving him a fist bump before backing away.

"Five minutes until departure!" the driver called and Castle looked down at Kate, cupping one soft cheek in his hand, feeling a slight wetness.

"You think you'll be okay without me?" he asked, feigning cockiness. It worked; Kate snorted, rolling her eyes.

"I think I'll be fine," she said. "You'll call me every day, right? And we'll Skype?"

Castle nodded. "Of course," he promised. "And I'll write to you—emails, snail mail, postcards, whatever. I'll even send a carrier pigeon—or an owl! That'd be cool, wouldn't it?"

Kate giggled, nodding. "That'd be very cool," she agreed, cupping his jaw with both hands and running her thumbs across his cheeks. "I'll look forward to getting them."

He snorted. "You'll be sick of them," he said. "Sick of me."

"That could never happen," Kate said, smiling against his lips as she leaned in for another kiss. "I love you, Rick."

Castle inhaled sharply. She never used his real name, but hearing it coming from her lips sounded so…right. He smiled, nuzzling her nose. "I love you, too, Kate."

"Two minutes! Please start boarding now!" the driver called and Kate sighed, reaching into her pocket and pulling out an envelope.

"Here," she said, handing it to him.

"What's this?" Castle asked.

"It's your bus pass," Kate informed him, "from here to Massachusetts and back. My parents got it for you so you could come back for all your breaks. You can use it for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Spring Break, Easter…or if you just want to come back and spend a little time…" she broke off as she finally let the tears fall. Castle pulled her against his chest, holding her tightly and pressing his lips firmly to his hairline. She shuddered under his touch, her face buried in his chest.

When the driver called sixty seconds, Castle pulled back, lifting her chin so she would look him in the eyes. "Come on," he said, "I need to see that beautiful smile just one more time before I leave." Kate laughed, sniffling, and smiled sadly up at him. "That's the one," he said, smiling at her in return. "We'll see each other again, soon, okay?" Kate nodded, and he gave her one more kiss before letting go of her and boarding the bus, the envelope tucked safely into his carry-on.

He chose a window seat towards the back and was able to wave at his friends as the bus departed, his heart breaking as he watched Kate be embraced by her friends, her bright, tear-filled green eyes locking with his blue ones as he was driven away.

Once she was completely out of view, Castle sat back in his seat, finally allowing his own tears to fall as he opened his cell phone and gazed at his wallpaper, where he and Kate lay together on the hammock, the sunset illuminating their smiling faces as Kate took a selfie of the two of them, her braces reflecting the tiniest flash of light. He'd told her to delete the picture for that fact alone, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. She was too adorable.

And now, as he gazed at that picture, he found himself counting the minutes until he could see it again, in person.

Ninety days and counting…

REVIEWS! Sorry it's so sad but I was watching Always as I wrote this…