First of all, I want to thank ALL of you for your wonderful reviews and above all, for your PATIENCE! My goodness - it's been ages since I updated - and yes, I'm a terrible person for it!

Thanks to all of your wonderful reviews, I've decided to finish this story as it is - it'll be wrapping up in the next chapter I believe, since I was struck by a particularly brilliant stroke of inspiration courtesy of one reviewer in particular (who I won't name now, since I don't want to spoil the chapter for her - but I'm sure she'll know who she is by the end :) )

I'll blather more at the end - right now you guys just want me to get on with the story, am I right? Of course I am! Let's get to it!

Chapter 6

If anyone had told her a week ago that being unable to tell a lie would be the best thing to ever happen to her, she would've told them that they were mad. In fairness, she wasn't entirely sure that she herself wasn't mad.

Crazy or not, however, Kate Beckett was happier than she'd ever been in her life. Up until that point, her whole life had been about self-protection: she'd built up impenetrable walls to keep people out while protecting what was inside – her heart. Even before her mother's death she'd kept people at arm's length, letting them get close but not too close. Since the night her and her father had crossed that yellow tape she'd been shoring up those walls, adding defenses meant to shoot down any and every one who dared to break through.

And yet, here she was, curled up in the arms of Richard Castle, bound to speak the truth and only the truth, and for the first time in her life, she felt completely free. She still didn't know how or why, but she knew with absolute, complete and utter conviction that this man loved her, mind, body and soul - and god willing, he would never leave her.

What had started out as the hardest, and in many respects, most humiliating weeks of her life, had culminated in what had to have been the most mind-blowing, life-altering sex of her life….not that she would ever tell him that – 'as if he doesn't already know. But we wouldn't want him to think he doesn't have to try.'

After finally being shooed out of Alexis' room, they'd run into Martha, who, it seemed, had retreated only as far as the kitchen and now sat perched delicately at the breakfast bar swirling a glass of what was very likely to be an extremely expensive wine.

Seeing the two shuffle into the kitchen looking a little ashamed of their show a few minutes prior, but holding hands nonetheless with matching small smiles gracing their faces, she had graced them with a look that was approving, amused and questioning all at the same time.

"Hi Martha," Kate had been the first to break the silence with a quiet voice. "I'm sorry you had—"

"Nonsense," the ageing diva had cut off her explanation with the wave of her hand, "it's much too late in the evening, and I'm much too old for the details," she'd added not unkindly.

Smiling through the faint blush that rose to her cheeks, she had met the elder woman's gaze with gratitude before turning to shuffle off towards the bedroom.

Stopping to kiss his mother goodnight on the way to following Kate, their hands still intertwined, they were stopped suddenly as Martha tugged on his hand.

"You know, I'm happy for you two," she had spoken quietly, looking them both in the eyes, "I know it's been hard for the two of you to come together, and even harder given the circumstances. But I want you both to know that I will support you, no matter what happens in the future."

Kate felt her eyes get moist at the earnestness of her words, and she saw that Castle was not untouched either. Smiling, he hugged his mother briefly, whispering a quiet thank you before continuing on towards the bedroom.

"Oh, in passing, Mother," he had paused at the door to throw back with a smirk, "I hope that you don't forget to support me after Kate runs off will all of my savings." His comment had earned him a smack in the shoulder from the woman next to him and a look from the other that would surely have involved a stuck out tongue if she hadn't prized her dignity so highly.

As soon as the door had closed behind him, he'd found himself pushed up against the door and her hot lips on his own before he could fully process what had happened – not that it stopped him from responding immediately to the toe-curling onslaught.

"I thought I was the one with the impulse control problem," he'd smirked when they'd pulled apart for air.

"Well Castle," she'd smirked back quirking an eyebrow in that oh-so-sexy way that never failed to make his blood rush to parts unspoken, "sometimes a girl just can't help herself."

"Well," he'd shuddered as she resumed her delicious torture on the sensitive skin around his ears, "I am irresistible."

Pulling back from him suddenly to back away towards the bed, she'd dared him to follow her with a look that would have destroyed a lesser man. "Why don't you come over here and show me just how irresistible you can be."

Though she'd cringed internally at how corny it had sounded out loud, the effect was achieved nonetheless - he was on her in less than an instant, their clothes a distant memory only a few seconds later.

She had no idea how many times he'd brought her to the edge before pulling back – she was ready to scream when she finally felt him enter her. She did scream as they both came crashing together on a wave of ecstasy like she'd never experienced before.

She was sure she'd been incoherent for several minutes afterwards, revelling in the weight of his body collapsed on top of her own.

"I love you."

Those three words, barely discernible as they were mumbled into the side of her neck where he'd buried his face, taking in the scent of her, had sent shivers through her body and filled her chest with a warmth she barely recognized as complete and utter peace.

"I love you too," she'd whispered softly, lifting her still gelatinous arms to run her fingers through his hair with a tenderness that she hadn't known she'd had.

There had been many repeat performances in the following hours of the night until at least he'd declared that she'd worn him out before wrapping himself around her and falling quickly into a peaceful doze, snoring softly.

She'd been lying there since, sure that she should be utterly exhausted, but unable to sleep, not wanting to leave the moment they had created together.

The sun had just started to peak up over the horizon when at last she'd felt her eyelids sliding shut.

As she slowly crawled her way back to consciousness, Kate was surprised to find that, instead of flowing through a pleasant post-AMAZING-sex fog, her head felt like it was going to explode. Forcing her eyes open, struggling in confusion against her leaded eyelids, she found herself staring into Castle's very worried blue eyes.

"Kate! Thank god you're finally awake! We've been so worried about you."

Through her confusion, she notices the many days old scruff on his chin, the red rimming his normally crystal blue eyes.

"Castle?"

She's surprised to hear her voice so hoarse, as if she hadn't used it in a long time. "What are you talking about? We just fell asleep together a few hours ago."

To call the look on his face 'shocked' would have been an understatement, but she saw him gain control of his features quickly, looking at her with concern instead.

"Do you remember the car accident?" he asks her softly, seemingly unable to stop himself from touching her – be it her hands, her face or her hair – looking like a drowning man desperate for a something solid to hold on to.

"Of course I remember it, Castle," she answers smiling at the memory of where that accident had ultimately led them, though she can't quite get her brain to figure out why he would be asking her that. "That was almost a week ago. That's why I'm here at your…" she trails off noticing her surroundings for the first time. Though she's sure they were curled up together when she at last drifted off to sleep, the plain white walls and flowers covering every horizontal surface of the small room she now finds herself leave her coming up empty for answers.

"Castle, what's going on? Why aren't we at your loft?" her voice quavers a little as she feels the growing pit of fear burgeoning in her belly.

"Kate," he answers softly, though his faces mirrors her own confusion now, "you've been in a coma since the accident," his voice catches suddenly, forcing him to pause, "we weren't sure you were going to wake up."

Do you ever feel like there's an angry mob forming, complete with flaming torches and pitchforks, and that they're coming just for you? I'm sure this prickly feeling I keep getting is fairly similar to the one Marlowe was feeling the night 'Knockout' aired.

::ducks and runs for cover::

I'm sorry! It was the best place to end the chapter, I swear!

Would it make any of you feel better to know that the next chapter is half written and will be posted before next Sunday (more importantly, would any of you believe me if I told you that?)

karamarieross: please don't be mad that I used your (unintended!) suggestion as my main plot line! It was just too genious to pass up!

Please, let me know what you all thought - even if it's only to yell at me for leaving you guys on this plot twist/cliffhanger!