A/N: Hey guys, I've been traveling, which is why I haven't been able to update this story. But I'm back home now, so I'll get to writing. This chapter is more Caskett focused and M-rated.

Disclaimer: Don't own the show, because if I did, I probably wouldn't be writing fanfiction, haha.

Kate gasped as Rick plunged into her warmth, still not used to the fact at how perfectly they fit.

"God," she gasped, kissing his sweaty shoulder, "We're so perfect."

"Like we were made for each other, love," Rick panted, slowly withdrawing to the tip before plunging into Kate's wetness again.

It was only a matter of time before Kate came, Rick's own thrusts become frantic and shallow as he lost it himself.

Pushing himself off of her, Rick pulled himself out of her, Kate whimpering at missing the contact.

They lay together, forgetting the events of the day, and allowed the waves of sleep to crash over them.

Rick awoke a short time later. Instead of seeing Kate, he saw the empty side of her bed. Looking past this to the clock on her bedside table, he saw the time and groaned. 'Where could she be at 2:47 a.m.?' he thought.

Castle slowly sat up and rubbed his eyes, trying to get rid of the tiredness. He got up and looked to the floor, noticing that all of Kate's clothes were still there and that his shirt was missing, leaving his red boxers and black suit pants looking lonely on the plush of the carpeted floor. He grabbed his boxers and put them on before venturing out into Kate's apartment.

He found her almost immediately, sitting on the raised nook by the giant window where she normally read while he typed up his next bestseller or whatever review Gina wants him to write for this book or that. But instead of reading, she looked outside at the bustling city of Manhattan below, for even at 2:47 a.m the city bloomed life.

"Hey," Rick said, softly, shyly.

Kate turned to look at him and gave him a slight smile, "Hey."

"Mind if I join you?" He asked, once again shyly.

"Sure."

Rick paused on his walk over to the nook. 'Uh oh,' he thought, 'One word responses. Something is on her mind.'

Shaking himself from his thoughts, he continued his walk to the nook and climbed the few steps up until he was next to Kate. Pushing a stack of books out of the way, mainly Patterson, he noted, he sat next to her. Unsure if she wanted comfort or not, Rick hesitated before putting an arm around her form, before relaxing when Kate eased at the contact. He pulled her closer to him and held her tightly, this time using both arms as a sort of protected embrace around Kate's somewhat small form. 5'9" or not, Kate oozed off a little girl aurora at the moment.

"You okay?" Castle asked after a minute of silence.

"Just thinking is all."

"About what?"

"The case. And Grace," Beckett responded.

"Hey that rhymed! Case. Grace. They're rhyming words!" Castle said with glee.

"And there's my nine-year old on a sugar rush," Kate said, rolling her eyes.

"I'm sorry it's the writer in me," Castle started to explain.

"I know, no need to explain. It just amazes me that even at nearly 3 in the morning, you still can be a nine-year old."

"I can be serious if you want me to," Castle said, remembering that Beckett was saying that she was thinking about the case. And Grace. He almost smiled at that again.

"I know you can. Trust me, I've learned that in our four years of working together. But I think that comic relief is what I needed." Kate said, turning in his arms to look at him, the first time since he joined her up there.

"Really?" Castle asked, not sure if he was completely forgiven.

"Really. Don't worry about me. I was just thinking. I'm fine. Or at least, I will be."

"You sure?" Castle asked.

"Yes I am. Thanks for your concern though, Castle. It means a lot to me," Beckett said.

"Always," Rick simply responded.

Always. That word has so much meaning for the two. It's their way of saying of 'I love you' to each other. Rick has said those three words, but Kate still had to. They had been together for about a month and she still hadn't said them. Kate automatically felt bad. Of course she loves him. 'He's my one and done,' she thought, 'but I think it's time if I return those three words. His actions tonight have reminded me of why I love him so much.'

"I love you," Kate voiced aloud.

"Yeah I know. I've known for a while now." Rick replied.

"You have?" Kate asked, shocked, "It's been that obvious?"

"Um, well no not really obvious," Rick answered, "But I figured it out two years ago when you lost that bet on purpose and let me shadow you again."

"You figured out that I did that on purpose, huh," Kate responded.

"Yeah. There's no way one of New York's finest could have gotten motive wrong and a ride along civilian get it right. It didn't add up to me after the case. Until I concluded that you did it because you were in love with me," Rick reasoned.

"I was in love with you then, and even before that I think." Kate said in wonder, realizing just how fast four years have gone by.

"Well, since you're admitting your love for me, I must say it again. I love you Kate, so so much. I've loved you for years too, and I'm glad we've finally figured it out. It only took us four years." Rick said.

They both sat in silence for a bit, thinking of their future together and wondering how many years they will have as a couple.

'The future sits bright, but the present still remains dark.' The thought is at the back of both of their minds.

But at that moment, the present finally threw it's first match, showing light and hope for a dark time.