Title: Rock Foundation

Disclaimer: I do not own the Castle characters or their story lines. I just borrow them for fun.

Summary: A Sequel of sorts for my one-shot Rock Solid. Kate and Rick deal with the aftermath of Knockdown and move forward with their lives, learning to balance their partnership with their budding relationship.

Author's note: I'm uploading a bit earlier today because there's no episode...and I don't know about you, but I could certainly use something to fill the gap.

Be warned, the RATING HAS OFFICIALLY BEEN UPPED (if you do not want to read Mature content, skip to the break). Now, this is my first attempt at something M rated, and, well, let's just say that it gave me more trouble than usual. Let me know what you think.

Chapter XIV

"By all means. Please, ravish me," Kate breathed against his mouth.

Rick groaned and their lips came together for a searing kiss. He ran his hands along her back and sides, letting one trail up to her neck, while the other cupped her ass. He kneaded her flesh, grinning against her lips as she let out a breathy moan.

In a swift motion, Kate was on her back with Rick devouring her neck. His lips found her sweet spot below her jaw, and she squirmed. She ran her hands through his hair and over his back, pulling his undershirt from his pants. "You're wearing too many clothes," she said, her hands moving under his shirt to caress his chest.

He helped her slip it off of him and flung it across the room. "So are you," he growled as he reached down and helped her pull off her camisole, leaving her in a lacy red bra and her work slacks.

"You're trying to kill me," he murmured as their lips met again and he let a hand trail down her neck.

Kate gasped as his fingers slipped beneath the lace and met her flesh. She arched her back in pleasure. "Rick," she moaned, reaching to pull his mouth back to hers.

He shivered as her fingers trailed up and down his chest and across his neck, their lips continuing to do a furious battle. He slid a hand under her back and undid the clasp of the alluring, yet all together far too 'on' scrap of lace, and made short work of removing it. He broke their kiss and pulled back to look down at her. Kate blushed as his eyes devoured her.

He raised his gaze to meet her stare and he smiled. "You're gorgeous, Kate," he told her.

She blushed even deeper and looked down. He caught her chin in his hand and brought her gaze back to meet his. "Really. I have never seen anyone as beautiful."

They stared at each other for a pause, heaps of emotion passing between them, before Kate leaned up and gave him a sweet kiss. "You're the handsomest man I've ever seen too, Rick."

He grinned and leaned down to capture her mouth. They rolled over and Kate arched above him as he leaned up to take one of her nipples into his mouth while she ran her fingers over his chest and back. "God, Rick," she panted as he switched to her other breast, his other hand busy working the buttons of her pants.

"Too much clothing," he murmured against her flesh.

Before she even realized it, she was pants-less, and he was following suit, and crawling back up the bed to hover above her. They kissed with dizzying intensity as their bodies moved together, newly exposed skin tingling with sensation.

Rick pulled back after a minute and Kate looked up at him, a dazzling smile on her face.

"You're sure?" he asked, cupping her cheek.

Kate covered his hand with her own. "Positive."

"Do I need to find…"

"I'm on the pill," she assured him. "Now make love to me, Mr. Castle."

"Your wish is my command," he said before their lips met again.

His hand snaked its way down to the hem of her red-lace panties and he skimmed his fingers over the fabric. Kate groaned into his mouth and he smiled as her hips bucked toward his hand. He slipped his hand inside and touched her, nearly coming undone at the moan she let out at his touch, and the feel of her against his fingers. She was the sexiest woman he'd ever met.

Kate writhed beneath him as he kissed her senseless and used his hands in the most skillful way. She was about to come undone from just his touch. She managed to keep enough presence of mind to enjoy the feel of his chest beneath her trailing fingers and the way his breath hitched when she dipped a finger into his navel.

Her breathing shifted as his talented fingers found Just. That. Spot. And she moaned into his mouth as she felt her first orgasm hit her like a freight train. She arched into him, whimpering as she trembled.

He kissed her and stroked her down from her high before he removed his hand and cradled her to him, slipping his hands under her back. He peppered kisses all over her face as she struggled to open her eyes. When she did, she found him looking back at her with the most awestruck expression.

"Wh…what?" she panted, feeling helpless under his gaze, which melted her insides into a puddle of mush.

"You're absolutely amazing, Kate. Do you have any idea," he punctuated each word with a kiss, "how. Incredibly. Sexy. You. Are?"

She giggled into his mouth and ran her hands down his chest to rest on the hem of his boxers. "No, but I know how amazing you are," she said as she slipped a hand beneath the fabric to feel him.

He groaned, his head falling to rest against her shoulder as her fingers did everything right. He kissed her neck and felt her gasp as he found her pulse point again. His hips bucked of their own volition as her finger slid to that. "Shit," he breathed. "Kate," he reached down and stilled her hands. "If you want me to make love to you, you gotta stop," he told her.

She nodded reluctantly and let him bring her hands back up to his neck. He leaned down and captured her mouth, running a hand over her chest before he circled her nipple and stroked. "Rick," she gasped. "N…now. Please," she panted.

He pulled back and together they slipped off his boxers, followed shortly by her panties. He stretched out above her and positioned himself at her entrance, resting his hands by her head. She reached one hand up to cup his neck, and the other pulled one of his hands above her head to twine their fingers together.

Their eyes met and he eased himself into her. He struggled to hold her gaze at the incredible feeling of being inside of her and he watched her eyes flutter as she gasped. "Oh, God, Rick," she said breathily.

"Kate I…" he couldn't find words to express what he was feeling, so he leaned down and kissed her. She kissed him back with equal intensity, trying the same to tell him what she couldn't say.

They broke apart and he rested his forehead against hers as he began to move. She wrapped her legs around his hips and met him at each thrust. They moved together in sync, giving and taking the same way they threw words between them. Instead of their verbal repartee, there were only moans and gasps, exclamations of pleasure and soft kisses. It was hardly the most frantic sex either had ever shared, but it was the most incredible. They moved seamlessly and though it wasn't wild, it was wonderful.

Kate felt the coil tightening in her belly and arched into him. "Rick, I…" she gasped before he watched her eyes roll back and felt her clenching around him.

He followed swiftly after her, and buried his face in her neck as he gave a few final pushes before he collapsed. She ran her hands over his back and kissed his shoulder while she came down.

"God, Kate," he mumbled into her neck, before pressing a kiss below her ear. He pulled back to look at her on unsteady arms. "You said I had no idea, but…"

"Yeah," She whispered, leaning up to kiss him. "I had no idea either."

They stared at each other, each thinking the words that they felt they couldn't possibly say now.

"I…"

"Rick…"

They started at the same time and then laughed. Rick leaned down and nuzzled her nose with his before he slid out of her, reveling in the breathy pant she gave at the feeling. He rolled to her side and pulled her against him, smiling as she threw a leg over his hip and carded a hand through the hair on his chest.

"Never. I've never had something like that," she told him.

"Me either," he admitted. "And that's only the beginning." He looked down after a beat. "It is, right?"

"Oh Rick," Kate smiled and leaned over to give him a chaste kiss. "That's only the very beginning."

He responded by wrapping his arms around her and pressing a kiss to her temple. "You're, God, Kate. Amazing. Just amazing."

They lay in a sated haze for an hour, kissing and idly chatting about little nothings, before each took a turn in the bathroom and came back to bed, snuggling close. Rick leaned down and gathered her in a kiss, smiling as she pulled closer and nipped at his bottom lip as they drew apart.

"Sweet dreams," he whispered, his heart melting at the stunning smile he received.

"You too," she replied. She then laid back on his chest, letting the sound of his heartbeat lull her into sleep.

Rick watched her fall asleep, awed by the fact that she was laying on his chest. He could feel her steady breath against his shoulder, feel the rise and fall of her body as she slept. He'd never felt a deeper connection to someone in his life, and she was sleeping. And when they'd been connected…God, he couldn't even comprehend it. She was extraordinary, in every way. He dropped a kiss on her temple and closed his eyes, letting the most restful of sleep take him under.

Kate woke the next morning to the shrill ring of her cell phone. She glanced at Rick's bedside clock and groaned, realizing that it was only 5:00am. She looked around for her phone and remembered it was in her pants, which had managed to land on the opposite side of the room. She carefully extricated herself from the wonderfully warm bed and welcoming arms of Richard Castle, and shuffled across the room, shivering as the cold air met her uncovered skin.

"Beckett?" she answered when she'd fished the phone out of her pocket. She glanced around for a robe but didn't see one. Instead, she bounced from foot to foot as she listened for the address. "Alright, thanks Stegner." She typed the address into the phone and looked up to find Rick grinning groggily at her from the bed.

"What?" she asked, trying to sound unruffled, but failing as she blushed and fought the urge to cover herself.

"Nothing. I could get used to watching you do the naked dance every morning though," he replied. Kate rolled her eyes and started collecting her fallen clothing. "We got a body?" he asked.

"Yeah," she sighed. "And I need to get back to my place and shower, and change. I'd been hoping we wouldn't get a drop before noon."

Rick nodded understandingly. "We'll spend the morning in bed another day. Maybe sometime we'll even manage a whole day!"

Kate simply stared at him. "What makes you think there'll be another morning?" she asked, suppressing the laugh as he looked highly affronted.

"My dearest Detective, if there isn't going to be another morning, you're going to have to shoot me."

She gave a dramatic sigh and began putting on her bra, ignoring his pout. "Fine. I guess I'll have to keep sleeping with you, if only to avoid the paperwork."

"That's better," he said happily as he climbed out of bed and found his boxers. Kate fumbled with her shirt and blushed as he noticed her looking and grinned. He walked over as she was slipping into her pants and put his arms around her. "Are you sure we can't just go back to bed?" he asked, nuzzling his face into her neck.

She brought a hand up to caress his cheek. "Sorry. Another day, maybe."

"Tomorrow?" he asked instantly and Kate felt part of her heart melt.

She turned around and kissed him, delighting in the way he molded his body around hers. "There's a distinct possibility," she replied when they broke apart.

"What do I have to do to make it a certainty?" he asked as he spun them around and looked down at her with, God, that look – the look that made her feel like the only woman he'd ever seen.

"Bring me a bearclaw and coffee?"

"Done. You sure you don't want a pony? I'm good with those."

She laughed and gave him one last kiss before she broke away and picked up her blazer. "Just the food for now, I think. We can talk ponies some other time."

He nodded and grabbed a tee shirt. Together, they walked down to the door and he helped her into her coat. "I'll see you in about 45?" he asked as she put her hat on.

"Sounds good," she said, her eyes sparkling as he buttoned her last button and smoothed the coat over her shoulder with a tenderness she couldn't remember having ever felt.

He pulled her in for a last kiss and smiled when she had to put a hand on his chest to physically push them apart. "Be good at the crime scene."

"Aren't I always?" he asked charmingly.

She snorted. "Never. But try today? See you soon, Rick."

With that, she was gone. He stared after her, fully aware of the fact that he looked like a lovesick teenager. He probably was.

…

Kate arrived at the scene 30 minutes later and met Ryan at the edge of the tape. Their body was in Central Park, and the sun was barely even up, so it was deserted and slightly misty. Rick couldn't have written a more eerie setting, she thought grimly as Ryan led her over to the vic.

A young lady, probably three or so years older than Alexis, was lying prone on the ground, her neck at an odd angle from the rest of her body. One of her arms stuck out disturbingly and there was a small pool of blood by her leg.

"What have you got for me, Lanie?"

Lanie looked up from where she was crouched over the corpse and grinned at her. "I've got a dead body. What have you got for me? You look awfully awake this morning. Where's your shadow?"

"I woke up feeling good," Kate shrugged and narrowed her eyes at Lanie. "And Castle's on his way."

"Uh-huh," Lanie grinned, before she caught Kate's eye and switched into ME mode. "Victim's neck was snapped, which I'm calling COD. She also has a broken arm and a stab wound in her upper thigh—didn't knick the artery. There are contusions on her arms and neck, so I'd say she struggled. Time of Death, dealing with the temperature out here and the blood, I'd say was about 2:00am."

Kate nodded and looked down at the girl. Her braided blonde hair was lying messily beside her and her lifeless blue eyes were wide open. Her arms, despite the break, were neatly arranged over her chest. She was wearing a white blazer and skirt, like she'd come from a business meeting.

"Any ID?" she asked as Esposito approached them.

"Not yet. And there's no blood trail or footprints, due to the cold."

"Alright, let's get her back to the lab and run missing persons, facial and prints. Maybe something will pop. Does it look like our killer left anything behind?" she asked Lanie.

"I can't tell, but I might have a partial print on the neck."

"What have we got this morning?" a cheerful voice asked from behind them.

Kate turned and found a bearclaw in her palm and a coffee being extended to her from a radiant looking Rick Castle.

"Gee Castle, you sure look happy this morning," Esposito grinned.

Rick looked at him. "You look happy too," he countered.

Ryan and Kate snickered and Esposito narrowed his eyes. "No man, I mean you look really happy. In fact, it looks like you got…well…"

"Got good coffee on the way to work and slept better than I have in a while? Well, Esposito, they don't call you a Detective for nothing, do they?"

Esposito scowled at them and helped Lanie begin to move the body. She turned as they walked away and gave Kate a pointed look. Ryan noticed and smirked at Kate. "5 bucks says she calls you down to the morgue the minute we get back."

Kate shrugged. "I have no idea what you're talking about, but I'm not taking that bet."

It was Ryan's turn to look sour. He followed his partner off while Kate and Rick exchanged a laugh. Kate was the first to sober, and she whacked him with the hand holding her bearclaw.

"What was that for?" he yelped.

"Don't look so damn happy!" she muttered as they followed the group out.

"I will if you will," he muttered back, bumping her with his hip.

Kate scowled, but felt the corners of her mouth twitching up. Every time he moved his mouth she had flashbacks to the previous night and felt tingles shoot through her body. And, judging by the way he kept staring at her and then grinning, he wasn't fairing much better.

"We're going to need acting training," she sighed as they got into her car.

Author's note II: Thanks to everyone who has been reading and reviewing this story! Your input and comments have meant so much to me. I haven't been able to do a lot of review responses, because I've been so busy, but know that I do read them, and they mean the world to me. They truly do.

I did start a new story, called What Pales in Comparison, which is a post-Countdown fic, and will be getting a third chapter sometime this week. However! I will not abandon Rock Foundation. This story will always have an update on Mondays, and other days if I'm lucky enough to get that much time. What Pales in Comparison will probably get Tuesday or Wednesday updates, and other days, contingent on inspiration.

Thanks you for reading. I hope you have a wonderful week!

XO

Emma