Another chapter just because I am in a Caskett mood, and the premiere is one day away! I am so excited for it and I know you guys must be too! This next chapter was a tough one to write, and you'll see why. Thank you so much for the feedback! ~A and my twitter is /#!/Ashley_Kas if you ever want to tweet about Castle!

It was a cold spring night. You could hear the wind blowing against the windows in Richard Castle's apartment. The dim lighting in the room made it so easy to feel relaxed and at ease. With all the bad that had happened to Kate Beckett, Richard Castle was the only good thing she had found out of all this. He had helped her through some tough cases, including her mother's, throughout the past three years. He had been there for the day she shot her mother's killer. He was there the everyday for her. He was there, always.

"I wish we could stay like this forever." Beckett said, softly as she stroked his left arm that was draped over her stomach. He was lying on his side with her backside against the front of his warm body. He was breathing in the sweet smell of her hair, and he tucked some hair away from her neck to kiss it softly. She could the hairs on her neck and arms stand up as he did so. She smiled.

"Me too." He whispered. She turned around to face him. Her body pressing up against his, he smiled at her. She ran her fingers down his chest and could feel the dampness of his shirt from her tears.

"You forgot your shirt at my place yesterday." She smiled, staring at his chest.

"You seem to keep ending up with my shirts and yet I have nothing of yours." He joked. She gave him a sexy grin, and wrapped her right leg around his. Castle tried to control himself when she did this. This woman knew exactly how to get him right where she wanted him.

"Do you think I should talk to someone?" Beckett asked, getting serious. Castle thought for a moment.

"Yes. You need to, Kate. You've been through so much this year."

"I know. It's just that the last time I spoke with a psychiatrist was years ago when I was right where I am right now," she looked up at him, "lost in my mother's case." Castle felt a sudden sadness to hear her say those words. He remembered yelling at her for getting buried in her mother's case:

"I'm your partner. I'm your friend." Castle spoke.

"Is that what we are?" Beckett asked, irritated.

"Alright, I don't know what we are. We kiss and then never talk about it. We nearly die, frozen, in each other's arms and then we never talk about it. So I have got no clue what we are. I know I don't wanna see you throw your life away."

"Yeah, well, last time I checked it was my life not your personal jungle gym. And for the past three years, I have been running around with the schools funniest kid, and it's not enough!" Beckett yelled, walking away towards the front door of her apartment.

"You know what? This isn't about your mother's case anymore. This is about you needing a place to hide. Because you've been chasing this thing around so long, you're afraid to find out who you are without it." Castle admitted.

Castle hadn't forgotten about that night. He gently moved a piece of her brown hair off her cheek. She closed her eyes as he did this.

"But this time it's different. This time you have me by your side. You don't have to do this alone." Castle looked at her green eyes, as they began to get teary again. She didn't know what to say or how to say it.

"Rick I- I think I might have to." Beckett said, sitting up now. He was confused, and he sat up too.

"Have to what?" he asked.

"Do this alone." Beckett replied, afraid to see his face.

"What? Kate…"

"You've been there for me. You've seen me at my best and at my worst. You are always the one person I can count on. And I think I need to get through this on my own, in my own way. And I just need some time to figure this out, and get help." Beckett said, looking at the shock in his face. She knew he wasn't going to like this, she didn't either. But she knew this is what she needed to do.

"You don't have to do this alone. I'm here. You need to stop trying to be strong on your own, Kate, look what happened to you because of it. I want to keep you safe, and be…"

"Castle…"

"I love you Kate." Castle confessed, again. Her heart felt so light and warm when he said it. Out of all the words he's ever written or said, and there was a lot, those three stuck out and meant the most to her.

"I know you do. And that's why I need to do this alone. For me to be able to move on and be with you is gonna take all of me. I can't just give you half of me, when a part of me is somewhere else Rick. If you love me, and I know you do, you'll let me do this. I know it's hard, it's hard for me too. But it'll just be a few weeks."

"Can I see you?" Castle finally asked. She sighed, and shook her head no. It pained her to do this, but she knew what she needed to do to move on. Castle took her hand and kissed it.

"Alright, but I still want you to call me. If this is what you want…what you need then okay. I'll stand with you on this, even if I'm not technically standing with you." He smiled. She smiled, and kissed him.

"Thank you, Castle." She smiled, and kissed his cheek. She could feel the rough five o'clock shadow brush her lips. She liked it.

"Always." Castle smiled, holding back a tear. He held her hand, not wanting to let go. He knew she needed to have time for herself. He knew she needed to figure her life out. He loved her and in a way it made it easier, because he knew for sure that they were going to be together once she moved past this. And maybe this would be better for him and Alexis. He wouldn't have to go back to the precinct for a while and maybe she would cool down, and feel better about it after some time.

Beckett gently pushed Castle back down onto the couch, so he was on his back. She laid her body on top of his and began kissing him. Castle could feel a wet tear drop fall from her face as she did this. He knew she loved him, otherwise she wouldn't be doing this- taking time a part. He stopped her from kissing him and he turned them onto their sides, his right arm around her neck. Her back was against his couch cushions, and he wiped away the tear off her cheek. She smiled at him feeling so lucky to have him, and so lucky to know he was willing to let her go for a short time to be able to have her forever. He held her lean body, tightly, against his. She loved the safe feeling he gave her. He would be there for her and she would be there for him-

Always.

Okay, so some people might not like how I ended this chapter lol But I wanted it to seem real and also be able to jump ahead in the next chapter. Beckett has always been the type to do things on her own and I felt like this really was something she needed to do. Just stick with me here, and it will all be worth it…I promise! Thank you for reading! I will try to post tomorrow. I am trying to get a lot of this story done before Monday too! ~A