You guys are amazing! Thank you so much for every review AND every story alert! They were coming in like crazy. I hope I can live up to your expectations. So here's the second chapter. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks again!

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She woke, feeling sort of trapped. Opening her eyes she tried to figure out why. Her head was pinned under his chin and resting on his chest, while his left arm held her close and hers was loosely sprawled out over his torso. She needed a second to realize that this was not a dream but reality. Slowly she pulled back, careful not to wake him but not being able to resist she let her hand tenderly caress his chest. She pushed herself up on her arms, his arm slipping to her hip while she moved. She stopped and studied him. His hair all messy, his lips slightly puffed and the cutest expression on his face, he looked adorable. So that was how it felt to wake up in the arms of Richard Castle and she couldn't stop the smile that played around her lips. And then all on its own, her finger traced the lines on his face. He stirred, making a funny face. She quickly pulled away, feeling somehow caught. She pulled her blankets up and was about to get out of bed, when he opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Good morning," he smiled.

"Morning," she mumbled and continued her retreat.

"Are you trying to sneak out before breakfast?" he cocked one eyebrow and then started to frown, when he saw the deer in the headlights expression on her face.

"I gotta go change," she stuttered and reached for her clothes that were still dangling on the line.

"Not on my account," he grinned and earned himself a gigantic eye roll from her.

"You better get change as well. We need to get going," she tried to gain back control, threw his shirt down on him and disappeared into the bed room. When she stepped out again 10 minutes later, Castle was dressed and had already started to clean up the cabin.

"Have you looked out?" he asked when he saw her standing in the doorway.

She shook her head, moving to the nearest window, she saw what Castle meant. Overnight the rain had emerged into a storm and the trees were swinging ghastly in the wind, while the rain poured down steadily. They wouldn't go anywhere in this weather.

"What now?" he asked, sitting down on the kitchen table.

She sat down opposite to him and shrugged, "We can't go anywhere in this weather."

"So we stay put," it was more of a statement than an actual question.

She nodded, sighing she stared out off the window. He looked at her, was she angry? Was he the reason?

"Beckett, are we okay?" he asked, gesturing between the two of them.

She looked at him confused, "Yes, why shouldn't it be?" She replied irritated.

"I don't know. It's just that …," He didn't know how to phrase it.

"What, Castle?" she snapped and stared at him.

He shot her a look, surprised by her reaction, "Did I do something? Did I say something wrong? Because if I did, I would sure like to know!"

She knew she was being unfair as so often when she didn't know how to deal with the feelings he stirred up in her. She wasn't able to control these emotions and that was what made her snap. She used to be in control, but when it came to Castle it was difficult and part of her blamed him for it, just because it was easier than to look at herself. Last night she had let her guard down, had admitted more than she thought she was ready to and the thought of being trapped with him in this cabin for another day and night scared her. She wasn't used to deal with him on this personal basis in such close quarters. When they worked together there was always the job she could escape to when he got to close. There was always someone to interrupt them. When they spent personal time together she could always decide when it was time to leave. All of that wasn't an option now and after last night that was more dangerous than ever.

She didn't answer, but stared at her hands.

"I don't understand you," Castle finally spoke, "Last night …."

She cut him off, "Well Castle, last night was last night!" She saw the hurt in his eyes and knew that she was pushing him away, again. She just hoped that it was not the final push that would drive him away ultimately. Instead she hoped that he would leave it like that and for a moment she thought her tactic were successful. He looked out off the window ignoring her, but then something changed in his attitude. He made his decision. He had to know.

"Is it always going to be like this?" he asked and looked straight at her.

She was taken aback by his approach, "What?"

"With us? Is it always going to be like this?"

"I don't know what you mean?" she said, confusion evident in her voice.

"Being partners, friends?"

"I don't know. I hope so," she said, her irritation growing.

"But never more," he stated.

She didn't know what to do. She had dreaded this moment. The moment he was done waiting for her to be ready to let him in. And now it was here.

"What do you expect me to say?" she asked, feeling small and lost.

"The truth," he simply said.

"I don't like being pushed," her defence mode was kicking in. But he waited that one out, using a technique he had learnt from her; Silence. And sure enough she added, "I told you I'm not ready."

"I don't expect you to be ready," he said, his voice softening.

For the first time she looked at him and what she saw in his eyes made her armor crumble, she looked away, searching for something in the distance, "I'm not okay." She admitted. It was not more than a whisper, but he heard her.

"I know," he replied and reached for her hand, placing it in his. They sat there for a while in silence, both surprised that they were both still sitting on this table. "Listen Kate, I know you have things you need to deal with. And as I said I don't expect you to be ready. And I certainly don't want you to jump into anything that you're not ready for. What I want you to know is that I'll wait. As long as I'll wait for you, I'll wait. All I'm asking for is a chance. A chance that we'll give this!" he gestured between them, "Us, a try. Whenever you're ready. But I need to know that there's hope. You have to give me that."

She looked at him, taking him in and decided that he deserved at least her honesty.

"What if it doesn't work out?" she looked at him.

He remembered her outburst at her apartment after she had returned form this very cabin: Thateveryonewasgone. And he understood what she meant, understood her fear. "If you ask me for a guarantee; I can't give you that. Not because I don't want to, but because I know it doesn't exist. There's no guarantee. We don't know where life will take us. And I know that there are a lot of what ifs. But for me there's only one that counts; What if it does work out?" He squeezed her hand, causing her to look at him. "What I do know is that I have never felt something like this for any other women. What I do know is that we could have something great, something special."

Looking at him, her hand still in his, she was processing what he had said and made a decision.