A/N: Again, thank you for your reviews I was told by a fellow reader that I had copied two of the same paragraphs last chapter so that is all fixed now :)! Anyway here is the next chapter I hope you enjoy it.. Ooh and if you would like to know when more updates will be up follow me on twitter taaliia :) Enjoy and please review I love reading your thoughts :)

Disclaimer: Don't own Castle... Boo!

Chapter Three

"Knock, Knock" Lanie was standing at the door watching the way Castle was with Kate she couldn't hide the grin and she could only pray to god that Kate would realise that this was her second chance she has been given is to finally be with Castle.

"Hey Lanie" he still hadn't moved his hand from her cheek he must have stayed like this for at least an hour, as he went back to staring at Kate mesmerized by her beauty, "Hey writer man, how's our girl?"

"She's doing good kicking butt! Actually her doctors said that hopefully in the next few days they'll be able to take her breathing tube out her lung is repairing really well and quick I always told her she had super ninja skills" he choked out the last few words as he felt the tears prickle his eyes. Lanie saw and quickly made her way over to him pulling him in for a hug.

"Hey, hey Castle come on now our girl is doing so well now and she will be back to fighting the bad guys with you in no time, okay?" she stated as he continued to cry silently he just couldn't stop he had been holding back for so long and he was just tired now a complete mess. He finally calmed down enough to breath evenly. "God Lanie she looks so fragile, I can't lose her I love her so much I wish I could tell her I mean I don't even know if she remembers what if she thinks I just said that because I thought she was dying, but god Lanie I've loved her for two years she drives me crazy, her beauty, brains god she's just perfect I just hope one day she sees me the way I see her."

Lanie had tears in her eyes now she moved him over to the sofa chair in the corner of the private room that was Kates, "god boy if she doesn't realise how much you love her I'll slap her for you because you've made me cry now too" she chuckled softly as she pulled the blanket over him and within two minutes he was out cold.

Lanie made her way back over to Kate she realised that one of Kates eyes was peeping open failing to pretend to be asleep Lanie sat down and scooted up closer to her bed "Kate? Girl you are not fake sleeping on me are you?" as she opened her eyes the ME noticed the redness like she had been crying too. "Oh Kate sweetie you okay? Are you in pain again?" Kate mumbled a faint no then Lanie realised why Kates eye was half open.

She let out a soft gasped "did you…. Did you uh hear" Kate just nodded another tear falling.

"He, he, he loves me Lanie" she said in almost a whisper, Lanie couldn't hide her smile and raised one of her eyebrows "of course he does sweetie, look I don't want to put too much through that head of yours right now because you did just have surgery not even a day ago but he does girl, he really does."

Kate didn't know what to say she took her time to wrap her head around her thoughts working everything out before continuing Lanie waited patiently "I broke up with Josh, just before".

"You seem okay?... though, was it mutual?"

"Sort of since I have woken up from my surgery I mean a lot is still blurry but I keep remembering just lying there in Ricks arms he kept begging for me to stay with him and then, then he… he told me he loved me more than once. And the thing is it doesn't scare me anymore. Nearly dying has made me realise that life's too and we've wasted too much time fighting a losing cause."

Lanie just squeezed her hand "you need to tell him that Kate he deserves to know"

"I know believe me, I will be just want this tube out first, it still hurts to talk and…"

"And hopefully there'll be more than talking?" Lanie insinuated raising her eyebrows and giving her a wink Kate ducked her head her cheeks heating.

"Yeah… maybe" she mumbled they continued to talk for a while every now and the Castle would stir and mumble something unintelligible that would make Kates stomach flutter he was so adorable and she swore never to tell him that it would just increase his ego.

*C*C*C*C*C*C*C*C*C*

A week had passed since Kate remembered Castles confession and since she overheard him tell Lanie how he felt., her night doctor Renae Murphy came in to check up on her Castle still hadn't left her room for no longer than a quick bathroom break or to grab something to eat, Kate could finally sit up on her bed without hurting her ribs.

"Good morning Ms Beckett" the cheery doctor greeted her.

Kate gave her a small smile and Castle just squeezed her hand to let her silently know that it will be okay, today was the big day she was praying she could finally get this stupid breathing tube out of her throat, so she could talk to Castle properly. Before she lost all confidence she wanted this a them.

"So today's the big day huh?"

"Yes! Please tell me you can take the tube out today I'm so over talking and it hurting" Kate almost sounded like she was pleading; Dr. Murphy smiled as she checked all her vitals and machines. "How's the pain today? Any better?"

"Uh still painful but it's bearable right now the pain meds are helping a lot" she smiled patiently waiting for the all clear.

"Well good news, we get to finally take the tube out today" Kate couldn't hold back the smile Castle looked towards her mirroring her face he lightly squeezed her hand and gave her a quick wink.

A little while later Dr. Murphy returned with two nurses to help remove the tube, "okay, Ms. Beckett I'm going to need you to cough as I pull the tube slowly out it will hurt but the pain will subside okay" Kate slowly nodded her eyes tearing up she was nervous.

"Hey Kate just keep holding my hand, okay? I'm right here just squeeze my hand when it gets painful aright, I'm right here" that was it his words just broke the damn as two tears fell she nodded squeezing his hand to silently thank him.

Before she knew it the tube had been taken out it took a little bit for her breathing to ease back to normalcy once she could breathe comfortably she couldn't stop smiling she was semi free finally! Once the doctors had cleared and checked all her vitals and that they had resumed their daily checkups promising to come back within the next two to three hours to give her another dose of pain medicine. Kate knew there was no better moment then now before she got too nervous. She looked down at Castle who was looking at their intertwined hands lightly running his hand along her knuckles he looked so content and at peace she always wondered what went on in that brilliant mind of his.

"Hey… Rick" she nearly whispered but he heard her and looked up giving her a smile reserved for only her "yeah? Are you okay? Should I get the nurse?" he rambled on making Kate laugh as she shook her head.

"I'm fine, Rick… actually I guess you could say I'm great" she paused for a moment Castle lightly squeezed her hand for her to continue. "Because not only can I now actually talk without it hurting but I have my partner, my best friend here with me I don't know what I did to deserve you but I am so happy you are here because…. Look Cas… Rick in the last week I've… I've been getting my memory back from the shooting I know I should have said something earlier but I knew I wouldn't have been able to get across what I really needed to say. If I still had that stupid tube in my throat"

He took a deep breath he was a mix of emotion she seemed calm what if she didn't remember him telling her he loved her, what if she did remember and she feels the same breathe Castle! Just breathe he kept repeating to himself, he just brushed his thumb along her knuckles to give her enough strength to continue talking. She took a deep breath biting down on the bottom of her lip.

"Look this isn't easy for me to say I mean you know what I'm like with expressing my thoughts but I need you to know because I refuse to waste my life anymore because life is too short; I refuse to waste anymore of it." she took a deep breath and lightly squeezed his hand he gave her a small smile, "Rick I remember everything, everything that happened when I was shot."

She looked right in his eyes, eyes full of hope, with a mix of shyness, fright love she took another breath he knew not to interrupt just yet and to just continue to let her talk because this is too important this would determine their future.

"I need you to know that I, I wasn't trying to forget it I just wanted this conversation to go properly without a stupid cord down my throat, and also I guess I just wasn't sure if my brain was playing tricks on me I mean I was still drugged up. But then last week Rick… god you were talking to Lanie and I was waking up when I heard you again you… you love me"

He took a deep breath he nodded softly "I do Kate, I honest to god do love you not because you nearly died but because you are remarkable Kate oh god you have no idea how much you have helped change me how much you have shown me that love is worth fighting for." He leaned over to wipe a tear from her cheek cupping the side of her cheek "and god how beautiful you are the way your eyes crinkle when you smile how your entire face lights up when something good happens every day I fall more and more in love with you I don't know how you do it but you do."

Her vision was becoming blurry his words have always had a place in her heart her stomach fluttering from his words the sincerity in his voice, she looked him right in the eyes both eyes full of love, hope, friendship, devotion. "Rick I love you too". That's all he needed to hear he leaned closer inches from her lips he paused hesitating not wanting to hurt her but when she softly whispered "it's okay Rick" that was all he needed to know he leaned down and softly claimed her lips in a sweet loving touch.

The kiss felt as if it lasted a life time it wasn't like their first kiss in the alley way it was soft, tender, and slow. He lightly moved his nose over hers when their lips parted his forehead resting against hers, "wow" his voice was a hoarse whisper she couldn't hide the smile she nibbled on the bottom of her lip "yeah… that was…"

"Better than our first kiss…" he finished her sentence their foreheads still resting against each others, she leaned forward claiming his lips again this time it was only a small kiss.

"So glad you waited for that tube to come out" he chuckled lightly moving his thumb over her bottom lip "you're so beautiful you know that?"

She tilted her head down to hide her blush; he tilted her head so he was looking her in the eyes "hey I mean it every single word, your beauty there's just no words" he softly claimed her lips again as much as they desired to move more intimately within the kiss but they would wait they could wait.

"I love you" she whispered as she lightly scratched at the nape of his neck.

"I love you too, and I'll never ever get tired of hearing that" he whispered

"Me either".

A/N: So there we go they confessed! Happy dance please review :)