So this one is a bit lighter, not all doom and gloom and depressing, also not the final chapter, so its not over yet. I am sorry for any medical jargon i get wrong or make up, i have tried my best to keep it believable but have no medical training whatsoever. Also this is just my interpretation of how the characters would react, it is entirely what i think they would do/say and i apologise if you think i am wrong or if they are too out of character.

"Always"

The word was still on her mind when Kate opened her eyes. She was acutely aware of, the sun streaming in through the blinds to her back, telling her that it was well past sunrise. She knew she should move, Alexis would probably be wanting to sit with her father now, but two sets of heavy breathing coming from the direction of the couch told her that Martha and her granddaughter were still sound asleep.

Judging by the amount of light in the room she guessed that it was a little after ten in the morning. She had been asleep for just over five hours, which was not nearly enough rest, she could still feel the sleep clouding her mind, which begged the question, why was she awake?

She had been so focused on her surroundings; she had literally overlooked the thing that was right in front of her… him! When she had finally fallen asleep, his head had been straight on the pillow, face to the ceiling, now she was looking at him straight on, their faces just centimetres apart, their noses practically touching.

She tried to lift her head, to get a better view of the situation when she became aware of a pressure on her neck. It was not threatening in any way, in fact it was quite comforting, it had a familiar feel to it, the pressure made her feel at ease for some reason.

She froze.

She tore her eyes away from his face and glanced down his body, she locked her eyes on his shoulder, the one furthest away from her and traced his arm to the middle of his chest, where his elbow bent, his forearm angled towards her, she gasped as the realised the pressure on her neck, was his hand.

There was no way she was imagining this, she could feel the warmth his hand provided her with, she could feel her pulse racing under his palm, a reaction she had never been able to control when he was around, she looked back up to his face and there was no way in hell she was making that up, two piercing blue orbs were looking back at her, his eyes showing a multitude of emotions that she knew were being reflected in her now tear filled emerald ones.

"Beckett?" He feigned confusion at seeing tears in her eyes.

She pulled her head back slightly, wanting to get a better look at him, her one hand still locked in his, her other making its way up to brush a bit of hair out of his eyes, lingering on his cheek.

"Rick I… uh…"

She was struggling to get any words out, it had been much easier to bear her soul to him when there was a chance he wouldn't hear, or if he did, there was no way he could reject her, but now, she had his undivided attention, he was all ears and despite his repeated one word promise, she still feared rejection.

She knew she had to tell him now, he deserved to know, she would have to confess her feelings for the third time in twenty four hours, or would she?

"Do you uh remember anything about being shot?"

She looked at him hopefully, maybe he had heard her and she wouldn't have to say it again, not that she had changed her mind, she just didn't want to lose him again so soon after she had gotten him back.

"No," he lied "I remember feeling the cold enter my chest and then… nothing."

He knew he should feel bad for lying to her and he did, especially since she looked so upset, but he had to know if she had meant it, if she really did love him or if she just said what she thought he needed to hear to keep fighting.

She was quiet for a moment. Was he playing her? Or was he giving her an out? That was so like him, he always thought of her, even now when he was the one lying in the hospital bed, he was still worried about her, cautious of taking things too fast, not wanting to scare her away, giving her the opportunity to take it all back and pretend it never happened.

But she was done being scared, they had had too many near death experiences, this latest one nearly killing them both in their own way, she had to take a leap of faith and tell him once and for all, consequences be damned.

"I love you"

She said it fast but with feeling, not wanting to give herself time to back out of it, but not wanting it to sound half hearted. She put as much emotion in those three words as she could, locking her eyes with his to convey everything speech couldn't.

A slight smirk crossed his face, his eyes lighting up at her words. She eyed him suspiciously for a moment before saying

"You heard me before didn't you."

It was not a question it was a statement.

His expression changed, to one she had definitely seen before, one she would never forget. The first time they had met four years ago, in the interrogation room, she was reading out the list of his past run ins with the law, his face had taken on the same mischievous look it had now as he had said "… I would be happy to let you spank me…"

She rolled her eyes and could have almost laughed, same old Castle, his brush with death had not changed him in that sense.

They both grew serious. She was looking at their joined hands, finding something on the back of hers suddenly very interesting.

"Hey"

He said it quietly, wanting her to meet his gaze. She looked up at him, tears in her eyes once again. She was prepared for the rejection, but it would still hurt.

"I love you too." He told her, staring deep into her eyes trying to get her to see his sincerity.

She smiled as she brought her free hand up to cover his, which still cupped the side of her face, wiping away her tears gently with the pad of his thumb. She guided his hand to her lips where she softly kissed the back of it before bringing it down to cover her heart as she had done before.

She regretted it almost immediately as she remembered too late that there was still blood on her shirt from when she had previously done this. She looked him, her concern evident on her face. His eyes were locked on their hands, and the red stain that perfectly matched the size and shape of their entwined fingers.

Their other hands were already interlocked, and he brought them up to cover his own heart, wincing slightly as he pressed her hand down on his bandaged wound. She tried to pull her hand away not wanting to cause him pain, but he refused to let go.

"We match," he said motioning with his eyes to their hands, all four of which rested over a bullet wound, old and new, "we fit together perfectly, we were made for each other."

His eyes were boring into hers, which were tearing up again.

"That it took both of us being shot to get here doesn't matter, what matters is that we are here now and we are together, and nothing is going to take you away from me again, and I promise to you, I am not going anywhere"

Her tears rolled down her cheeks even as her mouth split into that dazzling smile he adored. Letting go of both his hands, she leaned forward, using her own to cradle his face, and she kissed him.

It was slow and gentle, their lips moulding perfectly to fit the others. Tongues exploring each others mouths for the first time without having to worry about their friends being in danger, or the consequences that would arise afterwards. His hand made its way into her hair, needing to feel her closer to him, his thumb wiping her tears away as he had done before and as he would continue to any time she ever cried in the future.

He could have kissed her all day and night for the rest of eternity. But the universe had a different idea.

"Dad!"

Alexis had woken up to see the Kate leaning over her dad, she wouldn't have said anything but she saw his hand in the detectives hair, meaning he was awake.

Kate heard Alexis, and tried to pull away from him, not wanting to make this awkward for all of them. Well no more awkward than it already was. Rick surely heard his daughter as well, but he was not finished, using his hand in her hair as an anchor, he held her still, keeping her face, and lips, exactly where they were.

Alexis' exclamation had woken Martha, and now both redheads were watching the male Castle and the gorgeous detective with amused smiles.

Kate felt him smile against her lips and she could tell he knew what was going on. So they remained like that, lips locked hands holding each other's faces for as long as they could. The need for air was what finally broke them apart.

But he still held her close, their foreheads touching, noses brushing together and eyes still closed. They just savoured the feeling of finally being close to each other, no more walls, no more waiting.

He smiled at the blush that was creeping up her neck, they were still being watched, and by his teenage daughter and his mother of all people!

She bit down on her bottom lip, she couldn't turn around and face the only other women in her man's life, she was far too embarrassed, but she couldn't just stay where she was, he had just woken up, coming back from brink of death where he had been only hours before, the women would want to be with him.

She didn't have to think about it for long as a voice in the doorway made all four of them jump.

"Wa-oh! Looks like someone's feeling better!"

"Yeah! Bro you owe me fifty bucks I believe?

At hearing first Esposito and then Ryan's voices, Kate jumped backwards, maybe a little too enthusiastically, tripping over the chair she had spent the night on she ended up sprawled out on the floor the wind having been shoved out of her lungs, leaving her gasping for air.

Rick leaned over the bed, concern in both his eyes and his voice as he said

"Kate?"

He had to admit she looked beautiful down there, her hair was fanned out around her head, the sun bouncing off it, making it look extra shiny, her lips were slightly swollen from their little performance and her neck and now the rest of her face tinged pink as embarrassment washed over her.

Esposito and Ryan, now with Lanie in tow walked to the foot of Castle's bed, looking down on the female detective who had all of a sudden forgotten how to sit up. Martha and Alexis were also on their feet, all eyes on Kate.

Hoping to lighten the mood Castle said,

"You know, I have pictured you like this so many times... of course there were less clothes involved and we were both on the floor!"

She glared up at him even as he smirked back at her. But the mood had been lightened. Ryan and Esposito were doing the boys' own private handshake, knocking fists then bringing their respective fists up to their hearts. Alexis and Martha were giving each other a knowing look and Lanie just shook her head before reaching over to help her friend up off the floor, telling her in a not-so-subtle whisper

"Its about damn time!"

Then all the attention was turned back to Castle as his daughter rushed over to hug him, tears in her eyes at finally being reunited with her dad. Martha was next and then Lanie and the boys.

The doctor came to check on Castle, declaring that he was indeed on the mend and after insisting that Castle just keep taking it easy, said he was confident there would be no complications. He left the friends and family to continue catching up, despite having four too many people in the room.

It was hours before Ryan left to go tell Jenny Castle was doing fine and Esposito left to drop Lanie back at work before returning to the precinct. Then it was just the four of them, two Castles, Martha and Kate.

Rick insisted that Martha took Alexis home, she had school the next day and she needed a proper nights sleep, Martha also looked like she needed a large glass of wine and a bubble bath. After promising for the hundredth time that he would not die during the night, they finally left.

"Kate you should go home, you need some sleep and at least a cup of coffee" he tried reasoning with her.

"Rick I am not leaving you, I'm staying right here, there is a coffee machine down the hall and a perfectly comfortable couch right here. I'm staying."

He knew he shouldn't argue with her, but he hated to see her looking so exhausted and drained, and he hated that it was because of him. He also knew from all the nights he had spent on a similar hospital couch waiting for her to come around after her shooting, that they were extremely uncomfortable and gave you a backache.

"Kate please, for me, just take care of yourself, I will be fine and I will be right here when you get back tomorrow. Please Kate, for me?"

He gave her his best puppy dog eyes; she gave him her best eye roll.

"Fine, I will go home. But I will be back here tomorrow first thing," She looked at her dads watch, it was nine thirty, "Ten hours Castle, then I will be back here ok?"

"Ok." He agreed, that would be just enough time for her to get a decent night sleep and he knew better than to push for more.

She gave him a quick kiss, just brushing her lips lightly over his and turned to leave, pausing as she heard him start to speak.

"You will definitely come back right?" He asked a devilish grin on his face.

She paused as if giving his question some thought,

"Well I suppose..." she sighed, laughing as his face fell as if he was deeply offended.

"Of course I'll come back, I always have, I always will!" she smiled that smile he loved so much.

"Always?" He questioned, raising one eyebrow and grinning widely.

She nodded her head, her face turning serious, looking him straight in the eye she promised again

"Always."

SO please let me know what you think, reviews can only make me better, just tell me if you think the characters are very unlike themselves, coz i wont know unless you do! PLEASE REVIEWW! thanks :)