Author's Note: I apologize for not getting this out sooner! A combination of factors, including no internet until late last night and some serious trouble writing the last part, sort of put a damper on things. So, anyway, here is the conclusion to this story. I may yet write more in this universe, so keep an eye out. Lastly, I want to send out a big THANK YOU to all of you for reading. I've gotten so much feedback for this story and I'm really proud of it for that reason. You guys are the best. Without further ado...

Although she knew she must have taken him by surprise, Castle recovered quickly. His arms went around her waist, pulling her tightly to him. His lips moved hot against hers, deepening the kiss. She felt his heart, strong as ever, beating against her body, and her own did the same.

Moments later, a need for air necessitated they pull apart. She looked into his eyes. The confusion was still there, but there was something else, too—something far more primal. She combed a hand through his hair, tousling it. The resulting look made her smile. He returned the smile, his own hand coming up to caress her face, and she leaned into the touch. He dropped his hand down her neck and to the buttons of her coat. This time, he initiated the kiss, and she moaned against him at the sense of urgency. He peeled off her jacked and walked her to the couch. When her legs encountered the object, her eyes flew open and she broke the kiss, suddenly realizing what they were about to do. Almost immediately, he moved to her neck and began working on unbuttoning her blouse.

"Alexis?" she asked breathlessly.

"Friend's house," he mumbled, his breath tickling the sensitive skin behind her ear.

"Martha?"

"Mmm… Coming back tomorrow."

"Rick," she addressed him firmly.

He leaned his head back to look at her, his eyes full of arousal. His voice betrayed the same when he said her name. "Kate."

The spark of attraction she felt when he spoke encouraged her to plant a quick but passionate kiss on his lips. "Not here," she asserted, taking his hand and leading him up the stairs to his bedroom.

At the foot of his bed, she turned to him, her hands going to his chest. Her fingers traveled over the material of his t-shirt until she reached the hem and pulled it over his head in one fluid movement. She stepped out of her heels and shrugged off her blouse once he'd unbuttoned it. Then he kissed her—not with the urgency of before but with a languid softness. Before long, they were lying beside one another on the bed, and there were no barriers between them. Basking in warmth and the feel of skin on skin, they played with fire—and was it ever a glorious heat.

Daylight was filtering through the window, bringing Kate Beckett to the waking world. Still feeling the lethargy of sleep, she stretched slightly and sighed. An arm tightened around her waist. She turned into his shoulder and breathed in the scent of him all around her. She couldn't help but smile at the memory of the night before. She opened her eyes. Rick Castle slept beside her, his breathing deep and even.

He did not stir as she propped herself up on her elbow to watch him sleep. Bringing her hand up to rest on his chest, it didn't take long to find the scar from the bullet that had nearly taken his life. She studied it for a moment, remembering how it had changed everything even when she'd denied it had.

"Good morning," she greeted softly when he moaned and his eyes fluttered open.

"Good morning," he replied with a satisfied smile, pulling her down for a kiss. "No work today?"

She shook her head. "I got the paperwork done last night before I came here." Snuggling against his body, she asked, "What about your plans?"

He closed his eyes and sighed contentedly. "Mmm… I'm yours all day." When she was silent, he looked down at her. "Are you…okay about last night?"

She lifted her head to meet his gaze. Instead of answering verbally, she moved to straddle him, kissing first the scar on his chest and then his lips. She wanted him and made her intentions known. He blindly reached for a condom in the bedside table as she nibbled his ear, and they made love for the third time since the previous night.

Monday morning came too soon, and with it, so did another murder. Beckett ended her conversation with Lanie about their vic and hung up the phone as Castle walked into the room with the usual two cups of coffee—one for her and one for him. Without thinking, she took it from him and their fingers brushed. The resulting spark had her breath catching in her throat. Their eyes met and memories of their shared weekend flooded her mind. He took a seat in his chair, leaned in with a wicked smile, and whispered, "If you keep giving me that look, the whole precinct is going to know."

"What look?" she asked, looking away quickly.

He opted to change the subject, albeit only slightly. "We're going to have to tell them sooner or later, you know."

Beckett shuffled the papers on her desk, replying quietly, "No, we don't." She knew it was a lie, but she really did want to keep them a secret for as long as possible. It only complicated things—as if they weren't already.

"You know, it's only a matter of time before someone realizes that I'm bringing the same woman out to events and dates… The second time, for example."

She rolled her eyes. "I can't imagine why," she commented sarcastically, "and that is exactly why I won't be going to any of them."

"Why, Detective Beckett, I'm touched you think I meant you. I'm taking Alexis, of course!"

She glared at him briefly. "I'm serious."

"I am, too." She raised an eyebrow. He elaborated, "I mean about someone realizing you and I are…" He made a few gestures with his hands.

She smiled slightly at his antics, but still didn't look at him. "More than just friends?"

"Well…yeah."

"Relax, Castle. It's no big deal." She told him offhandedly before moving on to the topic of their latest case, consulting her notes. "Tox results showed high levels of alcohol in her system at time of death. She probably didn't know what hit her."

"It is a big deal, Kate. I don't mind the whole world knowing that I'm with you. Why do you?"

"Can we not talk about this now?" She rose and went to the murder board in the next room to write down the new information. He followed her, closing the door. "Castle," she voiced her irritation by simply using his name.

He said nothing, but she felt him come up behind her so her body was between him and the board. Usually, the invasion of personal space wouldn't bother her, but the proximity made her body want to reach for his. His scent surrounded her, fuzzing her mind so she couldn't think clearly. She wanted him. Badly. And he knew it. She stepped away from him and toward the door. Turning, she looked at the information they had compiled, but refused to meet the gaze she knew was trying to capture hers. They stayed as such for several minutes before she finally spoke, "I'm sorry, Castle. I just don't know if I'm ready to have my name all over page six. It's bad enough that I have people chasing me down because I'm 'Nikki Heat,' but this… My personal life is supposed to be just that—personal—not celebrity gossip."

"You've got the lab running the tire marks found at the scene, right?"

His complete topic change took her a moment to follow. "Um…yes. No results yet… Why?"

He pointed at one of the crime scene photos. "Because if I'm right, the car is what killed her."

Sure enough, the facial wounds on the victim made more sense if she'd been run over by a car. Paint flecks had been found at the scene and on the victim. Now that they knew it was probably from a car, Beckett called the lab to have them run the paint flecks, as well. Cross-referencing them with the tire treads would give them the make and model and at least give them a starting point. By the end of the day, however, it didn't matter. The victim's stepfather, overcome with guilt, turned himself in.

"You know, I know sometimes you get these, but I would have written it differently," Castle mused as an officer led the man away.

"Of course you would, Castle. You've got to keep it interesting so your fans keep coming back for more," Beckett shot back.

"Well, it kept you coming back, didn't it?" His low voice made her heart give a little jolt. "I probably wouldn't have met you otherwise."

"I beg to differ," she said with a smirk. "I would have found you just as annoying, though."

He shook his head at her teasing, then asked as nonchalantly as possible, "So…what are your plans for the evening?"

She resisted the urge to roll her eyes and decided to play along. "I was thinking of asking this guy I just started dating if he wanted to grab a bite to eat. What about you?"

"No plans whatsoever. I'll walk you to your car," he said with a smile. "Where were you thinking of going?" he asked as they headed for the elevator.

"Nice try, Castle. I'm not letting you crash my date," she teased with a smile.

He pressed the down button and the doors swept closed. "Really, where?"

Kate's smile widened. "Takeout at my place sound okay?"

"Not in the mood for going out?"

"Nope."

"Good, me neither."

They somehow managed to make it all the way to her apartment before they couldn't keep their hands off of each other any longer, and when her door slammed shut, she pinned him against the wall. Their lips met in searing passion and the floodgates that had been holding back every want—every fantasy—that entire day opened in a rush. She bit his lip lightly as his coat fell to the floor in a heap and she began working on buttons. Rick swung them around, this time pressing her against the wall, his own hands going to work on her clothing. By the time they made it to the bedroom, they were both on fire. He covered her body with his, and she thought she might explode with the need and anticipation. "In the nightstand," she whispered urgently.

They made love twice that night, and the takeout was all but forgotten. Hours later, as Rick lay sleeping beside her, Kate thought about how this had all come about. She turned toward him, ran her fingers across his cheek, and smiled. Nearly losing him had been one of the worst experiences of her life. With it had come the knowledge that if he never woke up she'd never get to tell him how she felt. It was amazing how much a near-death situation like that could spur people into action, even months later. She snuggled against his warm body, taking a moment to enjoy what they now had. "I love you, Rick," she mumbled against his shoulder as she drifted off to sleep.

A year later…

They heard the heartbeat first. It was fast and undeniable. Kate smiled nervously at her husband, who kissed her lightly as he held her hand. A few moments later, an ultrasound image of the child growing inside her came up on the monitor. Her heart melted.

"Beautiful," Rick said in amazement, "just like his mother."

Kate found herself speechless. At that moment, she didn't care if she was cursed with a miniature Rick Castle. She was in love all over again. "Six more months," she mused.

Rick squeezed her hand. "Six more months. I love you," he added with another kiss.

"I love you, too."

They both settled into silence then and simply watched. They could see its heart beating on the screen to match the sound. Kate's hand came up to his chest, fingers resting gently above his scar and he clasped her hand in his own. Their eyes never once left the wondrous image before them. It all started with a bullet, she thought, and it ended with a baby's heart beating.

Tell me what you think. I'd love to hear from you. Once again, I hope you've enjoyed!