Hey guys! So I have been inspired to continue this story! I have been out of practice for a few years, so I hope this is ok! Enjoy!
Castle stood there, shell-shocked by the admission he just heard come from his partner's mouth. She loves me? After all these years, after all the pain I put her through in the last few months? Everyone in the room had turned to stare at the couple, but he hadn't noticed. All he could see was her. Her face. Her beautiful brown hair resting on her shoulders. The look in her eyes that was so soft, so sweet. She loves me. He couldn't think about anything but that beautiful smile on her face as the words he longed to say slowly rolled off his tongue, "I love you Kate. I think I always have".
Just as he was about to embrace her, Gates' voice broke the silence as everyone quickly went back to work, as if nothing had happened. Castle took a step back, but let his eyes stray from Kate's. "Come on Castle, let's go home" she said, gesturing to the elevator. As they walked away, Ryan and Esposito remained in shock for a moment, before high-fiving. "Finally!" Esposito said, as he and his partner returned to work.
Castle and Beckett walked home in a comfortable silence, both of them pondering what had just happened. Their hands slowly got closer to one another as they walked, until Castle felt one of her delicate fingers intertwine with one of his. He looked up and gave her a small smile, showing her what the action meant to him.
When they arrived at Castle's loft, both of them slipped into more comfortable clothes as they snuggled under Castle's bedroom comforter. Kate looked into his eyes as she told him, "You know Rick, I really can't pinpoint when I fell in love with you. It's like one day I noticed the feeling was just there. The feeling that made me look forward to seeing your face every day. The one that made the pit in my stomach drop each you went home, knowing I wouldn't see you until the following day. The smile that came upon my face every time you did something sweet for me. And the inevitable sadness that followed when I saw you with anyone else..." her voice got softer as she finished the sentence, unsure if it was too early to bring up what she had seen at the precinct. But since they were on a path to being honest with one another, it only seemed right.
He studied her face, as he reached his hand out to hold hers. "Kate, I will never regret our past, because it's what led us to this moment. Every missed experience, every broken heart, every wrong man or woman we've ever been with..." he trailed off, "it's all a part of our story. No matter what went wrong with our relationships, at the end of the day, we were always there for each other. We developed an unconventional, but beautiful friendship over the years. All of that is a part of our story, and as a writer, I know the story is the most important part of a person's future". Kate smiled as she whispered into his ear, " I love you Rick" and snuggled into his warm embrace. She felt him kiss her forehead before she peacefully drifted off to sleep.
Please let me know what you guys think! I am incorporating a crossover into the next chapter with Gilmore Girls! I think the relationships have a lot of similarities, so I hope you guys enjoy it! Feedback PLEASE!