-Chapter 7-

The next morning Richard went to see Kate again. He walked trough the hall of the hospital and headed to Kate's room. He opened the door but the room was empty. The bed was clean and someone put new bedclothes on it. Castle panicked.

'Where is she? Do they have to operate on her again? Oh no, what if the wound started bleeding again?' Rick thought.

He got nervous and ran towards the helpdesk.

"I'm sorry but where is Katherine Beckett? Her room was number B-196. She had been here yesterday. Did they have to operate again?" Castle asked a nurse.

"Mr.….-"

"Castle. Richard Castle.", he helped her out.

"Oh- my- god! You-are-THE-Richard-Castle? The novelist?" the nurse hyperventilated.

"Ehm. Yea. I am Richard Castle the novelist. I will give you an autograph later but my question was:' where is Katherine Beckett from room B-196?' I have to know that right now!", Rick said nearly impolite.

The nurse looked shocked and still fuzzy because of seeing Rick.

"Wait Mr. Castle. I have to look. Katherine Beckett… Kate. Isn't she Nikki Heat? What happened to her? Is it bad? Oh my goodness!" the nurse said looking trough patient files.

"Could you pleeease hurry up?" Rick pushed.

"Yes. Okay, Mrs.…" she cleared her throat:" Detective Katherine Beckett left the hospital half an hour ago."

"What? Why didn't she call me? Okay doesn't matter I will visit her at home but now not that I forget… your autograph." He said and signed Kate's patient file.

Then Castle left trough the east wing exit of the Presbyterian.

'What was she thinking? Someone could still be after her. How did she even get home? Did she write me a message?'

He looked at his cell and BAM said the lady there were 25 text messages and 10 calls. His phone was on silent mode because of the interview with the New York Times he had been on before he went to see her. 'Oh I am so stupid. I really have to learn to check my cell from time to time…' he thought.

Castle stepped into the sunlight and there she was with a big packed bag lying in front of her. Kate looked pissed but beautiful how she was standing there waiting in the sunlight of a regular NYC morning.

"Kate. I am sooo very sorry. I had been at an interview before and my cell was on silent mode and I haven't seen your calls." Castle apologized.

"And text messages…25 messages. Could you please learn to check your phone from time to time?" she said, still mad.

"You know I have thought the exact same thing a few seconds before. Wow it is magic." He said.

"You know how I think about magic and unicorns and aliens and Santa Clause." She doubted.

"Each of them is a coincidence yes I know. But if you don't believe in those kinds of things then think that there is a special telepathic power between people that are close to each other." Castle mumbled and looked at her innocently.

"You know… you always find the right words to calm me down and now bring me home for gods sakes!" she said smiling at him.

"Alright detective! I will. May I?" he took her bag and with the other hand he took her hand but she pulled her hand back.

"No Rick. We first have to talk about if we are a real couple or not before someone sees us in public." She explained.

"Okay… alright but we will catch up later. Wanna go straight home or come to my place?"

"Ehm… is Alexis or your mother at home?" she asked shyly.

"Alexis is in school for another 4 hours and my mother is working. She has a part in a new Broadway drama."

"Oh that's great for her. Okay then lets go to your place but I demand a big, huge Richard Castle breakfast with pancakes and omelet's! The meals in there were not that good after all and I want to eat something good again! Finally!" She said touching her belly.

They went to his Ferrari and Kate remembered how it felt driving this car.

"Can I drive? Please? I love your car and like every time… I am the predestinated driver in our relationship!" Kate meant grinning at him and Castle handed her the keys.

It was a really exciting drive back to Castle's place. Kate was lost in thoughts while she was racing through New York. At his place he got out of the car, ran to her side and opened the door for her.

"Oh, Richard you gentleman! I didn't know that side of you"

"Well there are many sides of me that you don't know yet. But I hope that you will get to know these sides in the next few weeks. Maybe in the Hamptons. But I don't want to push you to a quick decision. You have plenty of time." He said as her opened the front door.

Then they stepped into the elevator and stood there quietly until the doors closed. When the door was closed Rick dropped the bag and hugged her dearly. Rick smelled the familiar smelt of her hair.

'Like every time. Nothing has changed' Rick thought for a brief moment.

"I am so happy to have you here with me in my arms, Kate. I was really really scared that something might happen to you, that I might loose you. What Alexis told you yesterday on the phone was true. I yelled at my mother because I had been so stressed. It was like being in a small room and the walls keep coming nearer to you. I felt trapped inside fear and anger and desperation. Really, Kate I am so very happy to have you here and that we talked about our feelings and that we are trying to figure these feelings out together. I love you!" he whispered in her ear.

Kate was speechless. At this moment she was so indescribably happy that there were no words that would have fit into this special situation. So she did what her body told her to do and kissed him gently.

Playfully she bit his earlap and whispered: "I love you, too Richard Castle. And I think I loved you since the first day I saw your face at your book party three years ago. Although you are a bit cocky from time to time…" -he cleared his throat- "...But those little thing make me love you even more and now… Let's get breakfast, fast!" she said and kissed him a last time before heading towards his loft.

Rick couldn't move. He could only look at her and be the happiest man on the whole earth. She turned around and wondered why he wasn't next to her unlocking the door.

They smiled at each other and then finally he got out of the elevator and unlocked the door to his loft.

"Welcome home Detective Beckett!"