A/N: Okay this is the moment you've all been waiting for. :) Please note the change in rating! The M section is marked between a line break and ..M.., if you would like to skip it you won't be missing any of the main storyline. I'm still deciding if there will be some more M rated scenes before the end of the story, you can help me make that decision by letting me know what you think in your reviews. Thank you so much for everyone who has supported this story and for all of the reviews, favorites and follows! My cheerleaders on twitter are amazing and I am so thankful for their friendship! This is a journey I definitely plan to continue. All mistakes are my own as the deadline is getting closer and I'd really like to have the story finished by then! Happy reading! :)

Disclaimer: If one day I create characters even half as lovely as these, I'll be ecstatic. I don't own these, I just love them!

Chapter 24: My Heart Beats For You

His first night at home without her goes better then he thought it would. Only a few nightmares woke him and he was able to calm himself down before a panic attack took hold. It doesn't change the fact that he still wants to wake up beside her every morning, or that he wants her there when the attacks do happen, but he feels better knowing that he can still function on his own. It could also be credited to the fact that if he gets the okay from his heart doctor today, he gets to spend the night with her. Although he just spent three months waking up beside her, none of them will compare to the first night they make love.

He's awake before his alarm goes off, anxious to get the day started and his appointment over with. He feels better than he's felt in months and he has no doubts that his doctor will release him. He can't even remember the last time he took his pain medication and the small burn he feels every now and then around his scar just reminds him that he is still alive. He sends her a "Good morning" text with a promise to call her as soon as he is done with his appointment. He doesn't mention the call from the hospital; he'll save that news for when he sees her.

He fills his mother and daughter in on his plans, well most of them anyway, and they both agree that while they missed him terribly, he deserves this. He spent three months alone with Kate, but they were about healing and working through things. After today it gets to be about loving and showing each other just how much. He promises to spend time with them as soon as he gets back and hugs them both before leaving. His weekend bag is already packed and it's safe to say that he's planning on wasting no time in getting to her after this appointment.

He makes it to his appointment with time to spare but to his surprise they take him right in. He's having trouble sitting still and he tries to calm his racing heart as his doctor enters the room. After assessing his physical condition, the doctor orders a few tests and leaves the room so that the nurse can prep him. By the time the tests come back he's on the edge of his seat.

"Mr. Castle, I am pleased to tell you that everything looks great. Your heart has healed remarkably and your health seems to be as good if not better then before you were shot. You are free to resume all normal activities."

His face breaks into a smile as the word activities registers in his mind. "Thank you so much, I can't tell you how pleased I am to hear that I am fully healed."

"My pleasure Mr. Castle, if you need anything please give me a call. I would like to see you for a check-up in six months, you can schedule with the receptionist on your way out, and otherwise you are free to go."

He shakes the doctor's hand and practically skips back to his car after making his next appointment. He decides not to call Kate, opting to surprise her instead. He stops to pick up some flowers for her before driving to her apartment.

With his bag in one hand and his flowers for her in the other, he steps off the elevator and walks towards her door. He sets his bag on the floor and reaches up to knock seconds before the door flies open.

The last person she expected to be at her door this morning was Josh. She'd just gotten out of the shower and dressed when the knock sounded. When she opened the door to find Josh standing there, she wasn't going to let him in, but he pushed his way passed her before she could shut the door in his face. Their conversation was anything but pleasant.

She steps back after shutting her door, rolling her eyes and putting distance between them.

"Josh, what do you want?"

He smirks at her and it takes all of her willpower not to slap that smirk right off his face.

"I just wanted to see you, Kate. I told you that when I was texting you before remember?"

"Yes and I told you that it wasn't going to happen, but you seem to have emitted that from your memory." She puts more distance between them, moving to stand on the other side of her kitchen counter.

"Well I wasn't so sure you meant it. You seem to be here alone, so that means you and Writer- boy haven't shacked up for good yet, I take that as me still having a chance."

She rolls her eyes again and grips the counter in front of her. "It's none of your business what Castle and I are doing, Josh. Let me be perfectly clear though, Castle and I are very much together and this is not going to change, so no you do not still have a chance."

He smirks again and moves closer to her, the width of the counter the only thing separating them. "Have I ever told you how much I like it when you get feisty? Anyway I came here to tell you that I got fired from my job last night. Seems an anonymous source alerted the hospital to my fight with Writer-boy."

She fights the smile that threatens to spread across her face, thinking better of it. "Well it serves you right. You had no right doing that to your patient, regardless of who it was."

He steps closer to her and she moves further around the counter, starting to feel extremely uncomfortable with this situation. "So you have no idea who might have turned me in then? I'm thinking it was most likely your precious Writer-boy, too immature to let it go."

How dare him come in to her home and talk to her like this, who does he think he is?

"Although Castle had every right to turn you in for what you did, that's not something that he would do. He just wanted to forget it and move on."

He snorts and steps closer to her before throwing back his snotty remark. "He's just the perfect man isn't he, Kate? Well he was before the sniper got the better of him anyway. I intend to find out who turned me in and then…"

She cuts him off before he has a chance to finish. "Watch what you say next, Josh. You seem to forget that I am a cop."

He laughs at her this time, stepping in until he's right in front of her. "You didn't do anything before, so I highly doubt you'll do anything now. I think deep down you still have feelings for me; you just don't want to admit them. What is it, are you too worried of what people will think if you dump the pathetic Writer-boy and come back to me?"

She can't stop herself this time, the sound rings out through her apartment as her hand connects with the side of his face. He looks stunned and she takes the opportunity to back him towards the door. "Get the hell out of here and do not come back, do you hear me? You are an asshole and I never want to see you again."

She wrenches the door open to push him out, only to find a startled looking Castle on the other side. She watches as Castle takes in the scene before him, focusing on Josh who is now holding a hand over the place where she slapped him. He moves to the side as she pushes Josh out the door and before the man can turn around and say anything, she pulls Castle and his bag into her apartment and slams the door shut, locking it behind her."

She turns and leans back against her door, focusing on the still shocked man in front of her. "Castle, I didn't expect you to be out there, I thought you were going to call me when you got out?"

"I got good news and I wanted to surprise you, Kate what the hell was that?"

She pushes off the door and takes the flowers from his hand, putting them in a vase of water before turning back to him. "These are beautiful, thank you." She leans up and kisses him on the cheek then takes his hand and leads him to the couch. She softly pushes him down and then settles beside him, keeping his hand pressed firmly in hers.

"Kate, I saw him holding his cheek when he left, did he touch you? If he did anything to hurt you I…"

She cuts him off by pressing her finger to his lips. "Castle shh, he didn't hurt me or touch me, it's okay. He came here to tell me that he got fired last night and because he has some crazy idea that I want him, but I'm too afraid to admit it. That's the reason he was holding his face, he's crossed one too many lines."

She smirks at him hoping to lighten the mood a little, but he only tenses, looking at her like what she just said is true. "Hey, you know that isn't true, there is only one man I want, and he is sitting right beside me."

He relaxes again at her words and she squeezes his hand lightly. "Castle, why aren't you more surprised that he lost his job?"

"Oh I um, I got a voicemail last night from the hospital director. I was going to tell you when I got here."

"Well he deserved it Rick, he should have never done that to you. No one deserves treatment like that, least of all you."

He smiles at her this time and she mirrors his expression with one of her own.

"I just can't help but wonder who turned him in after all this time."

When she doesn't answer him right away he shifts beside her so that his body is turned towards hers. "Kate, did you turn him in?"

She bites her lip, hoping that this doesn't turn into a fight. "After those text messages he sent me while we were still in the Hamptons I just had enough. I called the hospital and told them to pull the video footage from that day."

He doesn't look mad or pull away from her, he just shakes his head. "Kate, why would you do that after all this time?"

"Because he deserved it, Castle. I'm sorry, but I know you would have never done anything like that so I did it. He's not the man I thought he was and he's still trying to get me back and I've just had enough."

"Hey." He sits back on the couch and pulls her into his side, wrapping his arm around her to keep her close. "It's okay, I'm not mad, I'm sorry that you're still having to deal with him. I just wish he would go away and leave us both alone."

"Me too, so much. Let's forget about for now though okay? I just want this day to be about us."

She leans back far enough so that she can see his face, happy with what she sees there. "Okay, you're right, it's about us. I got the all clear from the doctor so I brought my bag with me if that's okay with you?"

She acts like she has to think about it for a minute, laughing when his face contorts into an adorable frown. "Of course it's okay, come on bring your bag and follow me."

He follows eagerly behind her and places his bag in a chair in the corner of her room. She stands by her bed, nervous and excited all at the same time for what's coming next. They stare at each other for a few minutes before she can't stand it anymore. "So are you going to stand way over there staring at me all night or are you going to take advantage of being alone with me in my bedroom?"

He smirks at her, winking at her sassiness and advances on her until he has her backed up against her bed, bodies pressed together. "I intend to take full advantage of being alone with you, Kate. Three months of having you sleep next to me and being able to do nothing was torture."

She wraps her arms around his neck, holding him to her and grinning like an idiot in love, because that's exactly what she is. "Well you can do something about it now, so how about less talking and more action?"

He lets out a low, throaty growl and the effect it has on her makes her blush. His lips are on hers before she can do anything else and she melts into his arms. It's bruising and passionate and all of the things they are feeling poured into this one kiss.

His hands find their way to the hem of her shirt and his lips detach from hers momentarily to drag it up and over her head. She's breathless and needy and she wants his hands everywhere on her body. He hums in approval as he takes her in and she reaches behind her and unclasps her bra, wiggling her arms until it falls to the floor.

He kisses her again, just as needy as she is and she moves her hands to the buttons on his shirt. She works them open as quickly as she can, desperate to feel his bare skin against hers. When she gets to the last button and starts to push the shirt off his shoulders he pulls away from her lips and stills her hands. "Castle, what's wrong?"

He looks shy all of a sudden and it's so not a word she would ever use to describe him. "Kate, the scar on my chest is ugly; I just wanted to warn you before you see it."

She reaches a hand up to his face, caresses the soft skin below his right eye. "The scar is a part of you now and there is nothing ugly about it. It's a part of us; you saved my life, Castle. That scar will always be important to me." She watches him carefully as she pushes the shirt off his shoulders and it falls to the floor. His eyes are downcast and he doesn't lift them so she leans forward and places her lips softly over the scar. She whispers words of love into his chest as she maps the puckered area with her lips, taking her time until she feels the tension ease and she whispers a silent thank you that he is still here with her. When she looks back up at him, the shyness is gone. She presses her lips to his again briefly before pulling back and reaching down to unbutton his pants. "Castle, I love you. We've been waiting a long time for this, make love to me. Please?"

He nods at her and allows her to push his pants and boxers the floor. He holds on to her shoulder while he steps out of them and then he reaches for her pants. When they are both rid of their clothes, she lets herself fall backwards on the bed, pulling him with her. His naked body presses up against hers and they both moan at the contact. She draws him down to her, kissing him so deeply that it causes his hips to buck into hers.

...M...

He leaves her lips to trail a path of kisses down her neck. She whimpers when he finds a sweet spot that sends sparks straight to her already dripping core. He grins into her neck as he continues his path down until he reaches the curve of her breast. She holds her breath when he takes her already hardened nipple into his talented mouth.

She arches into him, her body humming with pleasure after waiting so long for this moment. He lets go of her nipple with a wet pop and turns his attention to the other one, as she writhes beneath him. She's moaning incoherently when he finally lets go of her other nipple and kisses his way back up to her lips.

"You're so beautiful, Kate. Thank you for letting me love you."

She smiles lazily up at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and her legs part to allow him to settle between them. "No need to thank me, Castle. Just show me." She winks at him as she grinds her hips into his suggestively. She can feel his impressive length pressing against her stomach and she shivers in the anticipation of having him inside of her.

He trails a hand down her trembling body and runs a finger through her dripping folds. "Mmm Kate, you are so wet." His lips are attached to her neck and each time he sucks on one spot in particular a new wave of arousal sweeps over her. She whimpers when his finger brushes over her clit and her hips buck into his hand seeking more. "That's what sleeping next to you for three months does to me, Castle, please I need you."

He pulls back to look at her, savoring this moment. "I just need to get a condom out of my bag."

She stills him before he can move off of her. "I'm on the pill, and I'm clean, I know it's not one hundred percent but I need you Castle, and I want to feel you, all of you inside me."

A grin spreads across his face and he nods at her, "I'm clean too."

He settles back over her, his erection pressing against her entrance and she moans, surging into to him so that she can kiss him. He swallows her whimpers as he positions himself and slides into her, stilling when he's fully sheathed inside her to allow her to adjust. He waits until he feels the insistent press of her hips and then he starts moving. He keeps his lips on hers, kissing her with all that he has until the need for air has them pulling apart. She's panting and writhing beneath him and he thinks to himself that it's the most beautiful thing he's ever seen.

Her legs wraps around him, keeping him from pulling out very far before he thrusts back into her and the feeling of her tight walls clenching around him has him fighting to hold back. He wants to prolong this moment as long as he can.

She cries out when he hits a sensitive spot deep inside her, "Oh yes, fuck yes Castle, don't stop." He pulls out as far as she will allow him only to slam back into her over and over, hitting the same spot and sending her into a whirlwind of spiraling pleasure.

He holds back as long as he can, wanting to give her as much pleasure as possible before it's over. He shifts forward, changing the angle and she cries out again, reaching around to grip his backside as he pounds into her. "I'm so close, so close, oh god so good." He reaches between them and finds her clit, slick with her arousal and begins rubbing it in time with his thrusts. She screams out his same seconds before she falls over the edge, tightening around him so much that he has to stop moving.

He continues rubbing her clit, prolonging her pleasure and she moans. Her head is thrown back on the pillow, hair wild and spread out around her and he takes a moment to capture this moment, memorizing every detail of her body. She's always been beautiful, but when she's like this, open and weightless and loving him, there's nothing that compares to it. When he feels the tightness easing he leans down and kisses her, sliding his tongue into her mouth as she responds with a wiggle of her hips. It's all the permission he needs and to start moving again and he resumes his punishing rhythm and chases after his own release.

She's still sensitive, her intense orgasm after not having sex for so long leaving her tingling all over and she never wants him to stop making her feel this way. He's only been moving inside her again for a few seconds when she feels the sensation coming again. "Oh god Castle, I'm going to come again." He speeds up his thrusts, determined to go with her this time and she tosses her head back and forth on the pillow. "Yes, yes, yes oh fuck yes, oh my god" And the second time she screams out his name, tightening around him, she takes him over the edge with her. She moans as she feels him spilling inside her, the feeling sending little aftershocks through her over sensitized body.

...M...

He only has enough coherent thought left to try and roll off of her but she tightens her hold on him and pulls him down on top of her. They lay there like that for several moments, both breathing heavily. When his breathing finally returns to normal he places a few kisses on her neck and she hums reaching out to run her hand softly over the back of his neck.

He pulls back to look at her smiling and completely in awe at the sight of her naked and in bed with him. "That was amazing; it was so worth the wait."

She grins back at him, "It certainly was." She releases her hold on him and allows him to roll off of her, laughing when he tugs her with him so that she is draped across his chest. She places a soft kiss against the scar on his chest and then lays her head against it, listening to his heartbeat. "Well we definitely put your heart to the test; it seems it really is healed after all."

He's about to answer her with a witty, sarcastic comment when he feels something wet hit his chest and he feels the soft trembling of her body. "Kate, what's wrong, why are you crying?"

He places his hand under her chin and lifts it so he can see her face. "I just can't help but think about how close I came to losing you that day. It was so close, Castle. A few millimeters closer and he would have taken you from me and we never would have had a chance to do this."

He rubs his thumb over her cheek, catching her tears as they fall. "Hey, you didn't lose me, I'm right here and I'm very much alive, I think we just proved that."

When she doesn't give him quite the reaction he was hoping for her lets go of her chin. "Kate, lay your head back on my chest." He waits until she does so and then he continues. "Do you feel that?" When she nods he knows she's on the same page as him. "I'm still here babe, my heart is still beating, it beats for you and it always will."

She gasps as his words send her heart racing and she lifts her head to look at him again. "I love you so much, Castle. So much more than you will ever know. Please don't ever leave me."

He tugs on her until she rises up over him, her legs settling on either side of his hips so that she is straddling him. "I love you too, Kate. I will never leave you and speaking of never leaving…" He knows this could be pushing it because they've already had this conversation, but he wouldn't be Castle if he didn't try again. "We can solve that problem all together if you move in with me."

She doesn't get a chance to answer him before he continues. "I know what you're going to say, but Kate listen please. Being with you right now, making love to you is everything I have ever wanted. It's everything I imagined it would be and even more. I'm completely addicted to you and I never want to stop feeling this way. I know it's soon, but can you honestly tell me that you aren't feeling the same way I am? We belong together, Kate."

She listens to him as he speaks, falling in love with him even more as he tries to convince her to move in with him. She fights cutting him off because truthfully her decision has already been made, but she wants to hear him out anyway. The way he is looking at her right now, begging her to say yes, it melts her from the inside out.

"I'm sorry, Castle."

His face falls at her words and she feels bad for making him think she was going to say no before she continues.

"Hey," She pats his softly on the chest to get his attention again. "Let me finish, I'm sorry that I said no before. You're right, this, right now, being here with you, it's everything that I want and more. I can't imagine not waking up by your side every morning. So what I am saying is yes, yes I will move in with you."

He practically rolls them off the bed as he pulls a move so fast that she's still registering what happened when her back hits the bed and he's looming above her. "Someone definitely has their strength back." She grins wickedly at him and she rotates her hips just enough that their lower halves align and in spite of the fact that they just made love, she can feel that he's ready to go again, and honestly she's right there with him. She wraps her legs around him, keeping him in that spot, laughing when he groans.

"You've made me the happiest man in the world Katherine Beckett. Have I mentioned how much I love you?"

She hums, delaying her response while he grins down at her. "You may have told me a few times, but I kind of like it when you tell me and show me at the same time."

"Round two it is," he growls out before swallowing her response with the needy, bruising press of his mouth.