AN: In honour of the most amazing sneak peeks for the season finale I just had to finish this. Please be warned there are adult themes ahead. This chapter is R rated *wink wink*.

Please R&R, enjoy and finish all the love I've had from this story with a bang.

The Loft

Kate woke up the next morning feeling more refreshed than she had in a long time. She broke into a grin from ear to ear when she remembered that her and Castle were actually going to attempt something real. Still lying in bed she reached for her cell phone to text him only to find a one from him ready and waiting for her.

Good mrning Detective, was thnkng bout u all nite. Cnt wait to c u xoxo

She rolled flat on her back, still smiling widely, she felt like a teenager. Why had she waited so long to take this chance with him? Beckett showered and dressed in record time so she would have more time to do her hair and makeup.

When she got to his room in the ward Kate was still smiling.

"Kate." He greeted her, it seemed Rick couldn't stop smiling too.

"Hey. Sleep well?"

"Very well." He answered. "You're looking radiant this morning."

She blushed, much to her embarrassment. "Thanks, so...I've been thinking that we should set some ground rules."

"I couldn't agree more."

"Well, first, at the Precinct, we need to act like utmost professionals. If Gates gets wind of this...she already suspects something."

"She's a very switched on lady, I'm not surprised."

"What does that mean?"

"Well with the way you flirt with me I mean."

"Pfft...Castle since when do I flirt with you?"

"All the time."

"Look, I'm serious, professional; Castle, I hope you know what that means."

"I wouldn't expect you to be anything less. Look, Alexis came in this morning and I had a word to her."

"The last thing I want to be is the wicked step-mother Castle, I actually like Alexis, I always have."

"I know, she likes you too...her attitude has always been about my safety. Besides my mother, I'm all the family she has, her and Meredith are worlds apart. She wants me to be happy, and I've told her that you make me happy. Alexis will be going to college soon and she'll have other things to focus on. Give it some time and I'm sure it will work itself out."

"So have you thought any more about where we might go once you get out of here?" Kate inadvertently changed the subject.

"How about a few days in the Hamptons? Just the two of us?"

"That sounds really good."

"Gates going to let you off work?" He teased.

"Believe it or not Castle she's not completely heartless." She rubbed his arm. "Speaking of work, I'm going to head over, just to finish some paperwork so that I've got no loose ends when we go away. Maybe do some packing too."

"I'll see you later?"

"You bet." Kate leaned over and kissed Rick softly on the cheek. He smiled. It was the first real kiss she had given him, gentle and soft, he could read her just like one of his books. She was still scared as hell.

Beckett finished up all of her paperwork fairly quickly while all the while receiving odd glances from Ryan and Esposito. "Can I help you?" She asked smartly when they looked over at her for the umpteenth time.

The two detectives glanced at each other before responding, "no" in unison.

"Don't the two of you have a homicide to solve?" She shot them an annoyed look as she walked past their desk once she had finished. How did they know? She made her way down to the morgue and poked her head round the door at Lanie. "You have a minute?"

Lanie glanced back at her. "Girl, get in here." She sat Beckett down on her empty morgue table. "Now spill."

"I'm not sure what you mean." For a cop she was a terrible liar.

"Oh come on, you're finally on with Castle?"

"You told Ryan and Esposito?"

"No. I didn't. They happened to be in here when my intern burst in saying she had to tell me something. Now she got it straight from the writer's mouth this morning. I kicked Daphne and Velma out but I can't control what they hear through the door."

Kate smirked at Lanie's use of Scooby-Doo nicknames, especially since she referred to them as the girls of the group. "Ok, we're going away for a few days, just the two of us, once he's out of the hospital."

"Oh Beckett, I'm so proud of you..."

"I need your help Lanie. How do you go from being professional colleagues to…..you know?"

"You want to know how you start sleeping with someone without it getting weird?"

"How did you and Espo handle it?."

"Girl, you and Castle have been in a relationship in every way, minus the sex for four years now, if the two of you can't work out how to get into bed together by now, I am not helping you figure it out."

"You've been so much help." She told Lanie sarcastically.

"Look, I get what you're saying, but me and Javi didn't really have that problem, we don't spend every minute of our day together. Not that it really matters anymore anyway."

"I still think you two should try and work it out."

Lanie raised her eyebrow and stared Beckett down. "You...are trying to tell me…who I should be with?" That was the pot calling the kettle black. "Ok you want my advice? Just grab him, and kiss him. Don't think about it just do it. The rest will just come naturally."

Castle's ears must have been burning because at that exact moment Beckett's phone began to ring, and his face popped up on the caller ID.

"Hey Castle….Rick," she corrected herself. Man this was going to take some getting used to.

"Hey, they're gonna let me outta here, I thought you might like to come get me, we could swing by the loft so I can pack and then we might as well head straight out to the beach house."

She was grinning ear to ear. "That sounds perfect; I'll see you in a few."

Lanie was smirking at her friend. "Remember, grab and kiss."

Lanie's words were all Kate could think about on the drive over to Castle's loft. She was so quiet during the drive he was beginning to worry that she had changed her mind. When they got inside she decided to just go for it.

"Rick?" She wanted to get his attention

"Yeah?" He turned around to face her and she made her move. Throwing herself straight into it her hand intertwined with the hair on the back of his head and her face inched closer towards his. Before he could fathom what was happening her lips were on his, hungry, and eager. He kissed her back with a hunger that was just as deep. His hands moved to her hips and held her close. It was just as hot and heavy as the kiss they shared while undercover. When Kate pulled away for air he had to ask her.

"Exactly how slow are we taking things?"

"I think four years is slow enough…"

That was all he needed to hear and he was back kissing her. Castle thought they might have at least waited till they were alone and uninterrupted in the Hamptons but in a way it was fitting that their first time would be in his loft.

Rick moved from her lips down to the crook of her neck, latching on to that sensitive spot that made her start moaning. His hands were already moving downward to her jeans, and finding what he was looking for. His fingers settled over the curve that was radiating the most heat and began to rub sharply causing friction between the denim and her skin.

She gasped. "Bedroom. Now." He paused to make sure they were home alone. "Alexis…Mother, are you home?" Neither of them dared to make a sound, but when all they could hear in return was pure silence he lifted her up and she locked her legs around him. He carried them to his room, knocking over a table lamp as he did so. He lay her on his bed softly and took a moment to absorb everything that was happening. Kate's hair was dishevelled, her lips parted, a look of anticipation crossed her eyes. God she was gorgeous. He lay down on top of her and began to remove her blouse. She slid out of it and reached down to unbutton her jeans when he stopped her hand.

"Let me." He removed them slowly, revealing her legs that could go on forever. Once Kate was left in nothing but her black lace underwear Castle removed his shirt before leaning back down on top of her, He kissed her hard and fast, but their tongues were enjoying a slow dance, especially when Rick's fingers crept underneath the lace and slid inside of her. She raised her hips up, allowing him full access, gasping as she did so. He smiled against her lips, eliciting moans from her with every movement of his two fingers. God she was tight, and that was just with his fingers. He would have to prepare her well for the main event. He moved lower down her body so he could settle between her legs. She knew what was coming next and couldn't believe how lucky she was. No man had ever paid her this much attention in the bedroom before. She bit her lip to keep from crying out as his tongue ran across her, his lips sucking on the most sensitive part of her. When he slid a finger back inside her at the same time she just about lost it.

"Rick!" She cried out in pure ecstasy.

She was soaking wet and tasted amazing. He knew she was close and was determined to get her to orgasm before he had taken off his pants. It didn't take much longer and she was gasping his name and bucking her hips into his mouth. He continued to kiss her as she came down from her orgasm, breathing deeply and flashing the most stunning smile when he looked up at her. He finally came up from her thighs and lay down next to her for a moment giving her time to recover.

"There are no words to describe what you just did to me."

"I'll take that as a compliment." He couldn't stop smiling at her. She reached for him, trying to get him out of his pants and when she felt him through the fabric she realised why he had gotten her to orgasm first. He was larger than average, and she wondered for a moment how easy or hard things might be from here. She slipped her hand inside his briefs and wrapped her hand around him, causing a cheeky grin to form on her lips as she did so. Now it was Castle's turn to moan. He very quickly had his pants off and was lying back down next to her. They began to kiss as her hand stroked him, the taste of her on his lips turning her on even more. It didn't take long and he was reaching into his nightstand drawer for what Kate assumed was a condom.

"No." She whispered to him. "You don't need it."

"Are you sure."

"I trust you, and I'm on protection."

Castle said a silent thank you to the powers that be before rolling back on top of this stunning woman. He kissed her again and again as he slowly slid inside of her. She fit like a glove.

"Oh…my….god" she whispered as she adjusted to his size. He was filling every inch of her. He stayed perfectly still for a few moments before starting to slowly move in and out of her. It wasn't long until Beckett began to move with him and they quickly found their rhythm.

"You feel incredible." He moaned against her lips. Rick never wanted this moment to end. He lifted one of her legs up so he could thrust deeper which made her gasp at every movement. He began to move faster inside of her again and again and it wasn't long before she was crying out his name for a second time. "Rick….I'm so close…."

"Kate…..oh god, Kate….." He kept thrusting into her until he felt her muscles clench around him in orgasm and he let go, shooting deep inside of her. The two of them stayed intertwined long after they had reached their climaxes. She leant up and kissed him softly and he kissed her back over and over.

"Why did we wait so long to do this?" Rick asked her as he rolled back onto his side of the bed. She moved up to lie on his chest and he wrapped his arms around her.

"No regrets Rick, from here I only want to move forward."

The two of them stayed in bed for the next couple of hours until Rick's phone began to ring. Gina's face came up on the caller ID.

Rick moaned. "I'd better get this." He put the phone to his ear. "Gina, to what do I owe this pleasure." He answered sarcastically. "Yes I am out of hospital. No I will not be attending the book launch next week, I need you to push it back another month. Because I will be in the Hamptons while I continue to recover from my brush with death. I don't care how you do it, so long as you do it. I so treasure these conversations Gina but I'll talk to you when I get back."

"Did you just hang up on your ex-wife Castle?" Beckett was smirking.

"No, I hung up on my publisher. I'll start packing and we can get on the road huh?"

It was then that the doorbell rang. Castle opened the door to find a courier with a very interesting package. He signed for it and thanked him before closing the door.

"Whatcha got?" Beckett asked from the kitchen, clad only in one of Castle's shirts.

"I'm not sure, are you going to get dressed?" He began tearing into the package and let out an excited shout when he found out what was inside.

"The first printed copy of Frozen Heat!"

Beckett crept up behind him and plucked it out of his hands. "Perfect reading material for the drive."

"Hang on, you can't read it before the release."

"Excuse me? You're going to make Nikki Heat herself wait for another month. I don't think so."

"And what am I going to get out of letting you read it early?"

Grinning, Beckett beckoned for him to come towards her with her index finger. "Get back in here and you might find out."

He chuckled. "We're not going to the beach-house today are we?" He moved towards her and she ran back into the bedroom encouraging him to chase her. She let him catch her of course giggling as he tackled her back onto the bed.

A month later Castle and Beckett were back from their Hampton's holiday and sitting in the back of a limousine that was driving them to the biggest book launch of the year. He was dressed in a tuxedo and she was wearing a racy red dress complete with plunging neckline and slit that travelled up to her hip. They looked fit for the red carpet.

"I can't tell you enough how happy I am that you're coming to this launch."

"Well we're in this together now. Just promise me you'll save me if I begin to make a fool of myself."

"Always." He grinned. "Shall we?" He offered her his arm, which she accepted graciously. He helped her out of the vehicle once they had arrived and he couldn't help but kiss her long and hard on the lips before they began their walk inside. The paparazzi didn't miss anything and their cameras were flashing immediately. Beckett didn't let it put her off and she could honestly say she didn't care that they would be all over the gossip columns the next day. She kissed him back with a smile. "I love you Rick."

"Not as much as I love you Kate."

"I'm still nervous about the reporters."

"They are all going to accept you into my world just as easily as you accepted me into yours." He assured her.

She scoffed as they began to walk towards the building. "Easily? What was that, I thought you said easily?"

He laughed before kissing her on the head as they walked inside for a night of glitz and glamour that marked the end of another chapter in Nikki Heat's life, and the beginning of a new chapter in Richard Castle's life, one that he now shared utterly and completely with Kate Beckett.