Chapter 4

They relished in each others warmth. She had her arms around his tender neck and he had mustered up the strength to hold her chin. Their lips interlocking.

They both felt an overwhelming sensation washing over them.

One that Kate thought she would never feel again.

They kissed for what must have been minutes, and they only stopped when Castles newly fragile body couldn't take it anymore.

"That" Castle said, "is what I'm talking about!"

Kate said nothing, just gazed at him hazily. He survived. He was her partner. He was her boyfriend. He was going to marry her.

Despite the unfortunate turn of events, Beckett knew that things would turn around. It had too.

"Rick. I never thought I'd feel these emotions for anyone, let alone them being so strong. I want you to know this. We tease each other about our past relationships, but I'm telling you now, this is the only one that is real. And I'm so incredibly happy about it."

Castle knew Beckett never opened up about personal things like this very often, and there were only very few people to whom she actually would, but this statement made him well up.

He didn't know whether it was the after effects of the operation or the situation but tears silently rolled down his cheek.

"No one has ever cared for me this much. And when I'm with you, I just feel safe, and I feel like me."

Castles tears came more constant, and he realised, in reality, no one had cared about him this much either. Yes Martha and Alexis cared. A lot. But undeniably not in this way.

"Kate. This. This is what I want for our future-"

More tears fell, and she took his hand, without speaking, and gestured for him to continue.

"We're talking. Opening up about the situation. About our feelings. When I proposed, I meant what I said. We don't talk about these things. We just hit them on the path, and dismiss them. But after this, it can't happen. In the past half an hour alone we have opened up almost more than we ever have before to each other. And it's been good. We needed it. And we're stronger now. "

Kate did nothing but squeeze his hand a little tighter, gazed into his eyes a little more lovingly, and loved him a little bit more.

"This is what we should be. It's the only way things will work. And it's what I want. And I hope that you do too."

Kate reached in and kissed his lips softly nibbling his tongue. She yearned for his love. His response.

She withdrew.

"Does that answer your question?"

"I think it does. I don't know the answer for definite though, could you maybe repeat it?"

She grinned. That was the Castle she had fallen in love with, and everything else that came with it.

She leant in again, this time kissing him a little harder, but withdrew quickly, leaving him wanting more.

"Yep. I think that was a satisfying answer."

She laughed, her perfect laugh, that couldn't help a smile descending across his face.

"Yes Castle. It's what I want too. And I guess I've just been afraid of the outcome because I haven't been in this kind of relationship before. But it's the best one I've ever had and I'm so glad with how it's turned out."

She paused.

"Despite this of course".

He laughed. They were together and had made it.

It was time for visiting hours to be over, Kate hasn't realised she had been in the hospital all the way through the night, and it was now 11 in the morning.

She left his bedside and strode over to the other side of the room to call Alexis and Martha and update them.

They were thrilled. They said they would come down right away.

She smiled. He had people who cared. And that was all that mattered.

"Kate."

She heard his voice from the other side of the room and turned to face him.

" I can't help but remember all the cases we've been on, but sitting here now, I can remember something significant."

"Yes?" She said, not quite sure where this was going.

"Well you remember the case about the messed up relationships about the man and his affair?"

"Castle. I'm a homicide detective. That kind of case happens all the time. "

"No. I mean the one where I asked you a question. About marriage. "

She was still at a blank. They had always teased each other, it was the building block of their relationships, and they both liked each other, neither would commit to admitting it.

"Umm..."

"And I asked you whether you had married, and your thoughts. When we were looking out onto the playground. One of our first cases."

It took her time to think, but at last it clicked.

"And I said I'm more of a one and done type."

"We'll I can't help but feel like this was meant to be. You told it to me. And it's happening. It will be forever. "

Forever, Kate thought. For ages she had been afraid of the word, what it meant for her, and her future.

But right now, it was the only word that mattered to her. She would be with him. Forever.