Well, here it is, the last chapter. There will be an epilogue, though, so there will be one more posting for this story. Once again I'm posting late and my mind is too tired to think of what to write in this, but I wanted to get this to you guys as soon as possible. You have all been amazing and your reviews and support for this story have made a huge impact on the twists and turns this story has taken.

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle. One reviewer pointed out that Andrew Marlowe's using ideas from fan fics would bring up plagiarism issues (although would the same rules apply to fan fiction? Since we don't own the characters anyway?) I can see her point, but it wouldn't be a problem for me. I would be ecstatic if he chose something I had written to add into an episode. It would be more than enough for me to see one of my ideas in an episode. But I guess the creators of the show don't read the fan fics. Oh, well. At least we get to dream as we wait for when Caskett will really get together.

"He's not a cop."

"Well, who the hell is he, then?"

"He's someone I trust."

Knockdown

Rick didn't even wait for Kate to knock on the door before opening it. She looked like she was still lost in thought and hadn't noticed that he was standing right in front of her.

I wish I was the type of woman that could just throw myself into his arms. I could really use one of Castle's hugs right now.

Rick was tempted to take her into his arms right then and there. But Kate had been gradually opening up to him over the last couple days, and he wanted her to know that she could be completely honest with him about what she was thinking and feeling. He wanted her to know that she didn't have to hide with him.

"You can say it, Kate," Rick told her gently.

Kate's startled eyes locked with his. She opened her mouth to speak but nothing came out.

He heard? Well, of course he heard. So why won't he just...

"Say the words," Rick said. "You need to say the words."

I need to ask? But why?

Rick shook his head. "It's not that you need to ask, Kate," he said. "But we don't know how long the mind reading will last, so we can't grow too dependant on it."

I know you're right, Castle. I'm just not used to saying what's on my mind. I didn't expect it to be this hard.

"It will help to start small," Rick tenderly prodded.

This isn't small. I'm not used to needing anything. Not like this.

Rick knew that admitting even that much wasn't easy for Kate. He knew she was used to hiding her emotions, even from those closest to her.

Kate closed her eyes for a brief moment and took a deep breath. "I could really use a hug right now," she finally whispered.

Rick didn't even wait for her to finish. As soon as the word 'hug' passed her lips, he gathered her into his arms, his chin resting lightly on top of her head. As soon as his arms were around her, he felt the tension drain from Kate's body as she rested her head on his shoulder and snuggled into his embrace.

A couple minutes passed without either of them moving, neither of them saying a word. Now that Kate had come to him, now that she was in his arms, Rick was content to wait for when Kate was ready to talk.

I could really get used to this. Castle's hugs are addicting.

Rick couldn't hold back his smile. "Any time you need a fix, Detective, you just let me know," he told her.

A giggle escaped from Kate before she could stop it.

Rick's grin grew wider. He loved hearing that carefree, happy sound.

"Castle?" Kate's tone was slightly hesitant as she eased out of the hug and looked up at him, her green gaze meeting his blue one.

"Yeah?"

"I know we need to talk," Kate said, "that I need to talk. That there are things that I need to tell you. But I just don't know where to start."

"The beginning usually works best," Rick said, thinking like the writer he was.

Which beginning, though? When we first met? When you first started reading my mind? When I found out about you knowing what I was thinking?

"It depends," Rick told her seriously, "on what you want to talk about." Not that he didn't know, or at least have the general idea. But he was determined not to push her into saying something before she was ready. Encourage, yes. Push, no.

When I found out, then.

"At first, I was mortified," Kate started. "I tried so hard to hide so much, only to find out that you discovered in two days what I've been trying to hide for months. I was mad at you at first, for not telling me. But after I was able to calm down, I understood why you handled things the way that you did. I told myself that we could just wait until the mind reading stopped and then have you come back to the precinct. It wasn't long before I told myself I was being ridiculous, that I could control my thoughts around you; there was no need for you to have to stay away. The truth was I was missing you too much, and I couldn't stand not knowing when I would see you again. It felt too much like-"

Abruptly Kate's flow of words stopped.

Rick had a feeling that he knew. "Like last summer?"

Kate lowered her gaze and nodded.

"Kate, look at me," Rick said softly.

I don't know if I can. Not right now. Not with so many emotions so close to the surface...

"Kate," was all he said, in that same soft tone.

Taking a deep breath, Kate lifted her gaze back to his. Rick's heart clenched at the tears shinning in her eyes.

"That will never happen again," he promised.

Kate shook her head. "It could," she argued, her voice raspy as she fought to keep her emotions under control. "You even said that if I had stayed with Josh long enough, you would probably leave again. And this time, you wouldn't be coming back."

"That's not what I said, Kate."

"Yes, you-"

"I said that if I thought that you were happy with Josh, there might have been a possibility that I would leave, because I wouldn't want to be in the way," Rick corrected her. "Even then, I'm not sure I would have had the strength to do it. Not until you had his ring on your finger, most likely. Any chance of me ever leaving was gone, though, when I first started hearing your thoughts. Even if you still had been with Josh, I would have waited. Because there's no way that you could have been thinking the things you were if you were happy with him. When I found out that you had broken up with Josh, I knew there was no way I was leaving your side unless you ordered me to. Probably not even then."

Kate's relief radiated from her eyes. "I couldn't have taken it," she confessed. "I didn't handle the first time very well. Having to deal with it again..." she shuddered.

"That's something you never have to worry about," Rick assured her.

I don't want to waste any more time. I don't want to risk another situation like-

Abruptly, another memory came to Kate's mind. Rick winced when he recognized what she was remembering: them, trapped in the freezer. They had gone into what they had thought was an ordinary room to get away from the men shooting at them. They hadn't realized until too late the danger they were in...

Rick and Kate had been trapped in the freezer for over an hour and were now huddled together, trying to keep as warm as possible. The cold was catching up with them, though, and they were both starting to fade.

Castle hasn't said anything in a long time. Is he still okay?

"Hey, there?" was all she could get out.

"I'm right-I'm right here," Rick assured her.

"Can't feel anything," she admitted.

Can't feel Castle's arms around me. I can't feel him. I wish I could feel him.

"I always thought, being a cop, I'd take a bullet," she rasped. "I never thought I'd freeze to death."

"Hey, w-w-we're not dead yet," Rick pointed out, his constant shivering making it difficult to get the words out.

How would Castle get Nikki and Rook out of this kind of situation?

"Just wish this was one of your books and you could rewrite the ending," Kate's voice was faint but wistful.

"I-I'm sorry," Rick said, his voice faint and cracking.

Why would he say that? What would he possibly have to be sorry for?

"For what?" Kate wondered aloud.

"For being me, going rogue," Rick explained. "Getting int-into this. If we hadn't gone r-"

No, how could he think that? He can't feel bad. Not now. Not when we might-

"Oh, shh," Kate tried to give him the reassurance she could. "Shh. Castle no, 'kay. Shh. You were right. We found the bomb. We were just too late, okay?"

He's here. He makes it so I don't have to go through this alone. He can't feel bad for that.

She slowly turned so that she was closer, so that he could hear her better, "Thank you," she whispered, shocked at how much effort she had to put into the action as she raised her hand to touch his chin. "For being there." Her hand fell limply down to rest on his chest.

"Always." Rick promised.

Always. Wish we had always. Fading. Don't know how much longer...Need to tell him...love...always...

"I just want you to know how much I l-" Kate was able to get out before everything went black.

Rick could tell that the memory had shaken Kate as much as it had him. He had wondered, after they had been rescued from the freezer, what Kate had meant to tell him. But when she saw that Josh was there and hadn't gone to Haiti like he had originally planned, she had told Rick that she and Josh had a chance. After hearing that, Rick figured that thinking that she was trying to tell him she loved him was nothing more than his writer's imagination prompted by wishful thinking. Now, though...

You can do this, Kate. Just tell him.

"I was wrong," Kate said after a couple seconds of silence. "I kept thinking of the conversation we had once, where I told you I could see the wisdom of staying with the guy that was safe, rather than risking the heart on the guy that was just eventually going to let you down. For so long I thought that if I gave you my heart, it would just end up getting shattered. But now-"

"Now what, Kate?" Rick asked when she didn't finish.

I can do this. I never thought it would be easy to talk to him like this, but now...it just seems right, somehow.

"You are like the guy that's a risk," she continued. "You did upset my apple cart, my carefully constructed life. You make me feel alive in ways I don't remember feeling, ever."

Kate startled him by taking his hands in hers before she went on, "What I didn't figure out until I was talking to Lanie is that you're also like the guy who is safe. Making a commitment isn't an issue with you. You would do anything for those you care about."

"Always," Rick said in a voice roughened with emotion.

"Always," she agreed. "My heart is safe with you. And I just want you to know how much I love you." Rick was shocked when Kate tugged on his hands and pulled him towards her. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly to her. "So much, Rick. I love you so much. That's why I was so scared. The feelings are so strong, so intense. You've seen it, those memories, those fantasies. Taking down suspects, interrogating serial killers, no problem. But letting you know how much you mean to me has terrified me."

"I know," Rick tightened his arms around her. "I could see how scared you were, when I saw your memories. I love you Kate. I will always love you. And I know how huge this is, that you've stopped hiding your heart. I will never take your love for granted. I made a promise to myself that I would protect your heart with everything I have, and now I'm making you that promise. You don't ever have to be scared to show your love to me, Kate. Ever."

Rick had wondered how long his control would hold out until he couldn't do it anymore and he kissed her like he'd been wanting to for so long. When she pulled back from his embrace and looked into his eyes, the adoration in her gaze made resisting no longer possible. He smiled when he realized she was thinking the same thing.

I can't wait anymore. I need to kiss him. Now.

They closed the little distance that was between them and their lips softly met.

Amazing.

It was a new experience for Rick, hearing the thoughts of the woman he was kissing. He liked it.

More.

Rick smiled against her lips before he deepened the kiss and gave his pent up passion free reign, a passion matched by hers. He drew her even closer as she melted against him, clinging to him.

Yum.

If Rick hadn't been so caught up in finally kissing Kate, he would have laughed. She was so adorable.

I could do this forever.

Rick felt exactly the same way. It was so much more than just passion that he felt as their lips danced. There was plenty of that, but equally strong were the feelings of protectiveness, thankfulness and love that flooded him.

When the kiss finally ended, neither could wipe the elated smiles off their faces or hide the adoration shinning in both of their gazes.

If your hugs are addicting, there are no words for your kisses.

Rick beamed at that. He loved knowing how much his kisses meant to her. He received further proof when Kate went to take a step and her legs buckled. Chuckling, he caught her and swept her into his arms.

"Rick!" she protested laughingly.

"No arguing, Kate," Rick said. "When you can't walk, I get to carry you. Those are the rules."

"The rules, huh?" Kate asked, her eyes dancing with mirth. "If that happens every time we kiss, we're in trouble."

"I think I can handle it," Rick told her with a playful smirk.

I know he can.

Rick couldn't hold back his delighted laugh at her thought. A blush tinged her cheeks, but she was still smiling.

He loved this. He was getting to see the playful side of her that had only ever been hinted at. She was truly letting him in, freely revealing her heart to him. He was sure there would be things they'd have to figure out, especially at the precinct. For now, though, while it was just the two of them, she was holding nothing back.

Finally, after all of this time, Rick Castle finally knew everything.