WARNING: Fluff and heavy movie referencing will ensue

W

Warning

Rick looked at the woman in his arms. She was so small there, and he would never say so out loud, he had grown too fond of his limbs for that, but he loved the way she seemed to shrink when he held her. Like he could protect her from anything. He knew, of course, that in reality, things were quite the opposite. He couldn't save money on his electric bill, let alone another human being, let alone her. But he could protect her from heartbreak. He could protect her from that, at least.

They were at the loft- Alexis upstairs no doubt sound asleep given the late hour and Martha most likely ending the third act at the Red. The only light in the living room emanated from the television, where James Stewart silently chased Kim Novak up the Mission San Juan Bautista's bell tower, 'mute' in green glowing letters at the bottom of the screen. The two laid on the couch, Rick with his back against the couch and Kate with her back against his chest, his arm draped over her waist and fingers entwined with hers, hiding just under the hem of her shirt. The only sounds now where of her soft snoring, only every minute or so, and his light breathing.

He watched her in awe, feeling her stomach rising and falling underneath their fingertips.

He loved her.

He hadn't told her that yet- but he knew right then he wouldn't be able to hold it back anymore. He had repressed it deep inside himself, using every ounce of self-control to contain the three words inside of him, but no longer could he remain silent. They had been friends for years and lovers for months- it was bound to happen. It's practically expected by now. He should be able to tell her.

"Are you staring at me?" she mumbled, pulling the hand laced with hers and the arm attached tighter around her body. "I'm cold." She said, thankfully changing subjects. "Get covers." Even in her sleep she was bossing him around, but the sleep she was still slipping in and out of slurred her words, making it hard to take her seriously.

"I'm not warm enough?" he asked her, right into her ear The feeling of his breath on her skin, where her nerves were so sensitive, made her shiver, and he knew it wasn't the cold.

"Castle, get some covers," she commanded again, only it came out more like 'Cas'le get some co'rsss."

"How about we get to bed?" he asked her, seriously this time.

"Too comfy," she mumbled back, pressing farther in to his chest and burring her face in the couch pillow.

"You're going to regret it in the morning," he warned her.

"Maybe you should wear lipstick if you're going to act like my mother," she mumbled, determined to go back to sleep. His only response was a light chuckle and the slightest caress on her bare midsection. She hummed her approval of the touch, and after a long moment of silence, when he was almost sure she was asleep, she spoke again. "You'll be here when I wake up?" she asked him, her words still slurring a little.

"Of course," he promised, dipping his head to plant a kiss right below her ear, earning another involuntary hum.

"Then I won't regret it." He smiled at her answer, and he didn't know what devilish force compelled him to speak again, let alone say what he said, but he did.

"Kate," he mumbled in her ear, relying heavily on the fact that she was still half-asleep.

"Yeah babe?" she asked him breathily, finally rolling around to face him, her eyes coming to his chest instead. Either she didn't care or she had intended for it, because she just snaked her arms around his waist, burying her head in the soft cotton of his t-shirt. It was cruel of him to talk to her and expect coherent answers.

"I love you."

"What?" If she was sleepy before she was apparently wide awake now. Her head shot up, eyes open wide and mouth slightly a gap. Again he found her abrupt surprise- and was that anger in her eyes?- hard to take seriously, her hair unruly and her shirt disheveled, half-unbuttoned.

"What?" he asked, immediately defensive.

"You can't just say that Castle. You can't just drop that bomb on me without some kind of warning!" Yep, anger.

Kate was attacked with emotions. She wasn't even ready to be awake yet, let alone process that. Those words, the words she had waited months to hear, the words she was too afraid to say out loud. The conditions were perfect- yes. Lights out, her favorite Hitchcock movie on the TV, wrapped in her best friends arms in the privacy of their own home.

His home, she meant.

"Well here is your warning. I'm warning you, I'm about to tell you I love you."

"Castle!" she hit him on the chest, exasperated. "You can't just pop in with a warning like that. I need a warning!"

"You want me to warn you that I'm about to warn you that I'm going to tell you I love you?"

She seemed to consider this. "Yes."

"I'll remember that next time," he informed her, matter-of-fact-ly.

"Good."

"Fine."

"Fine."

"Go back to sleep."

"Right," she said, her body relaxing as she sank back into the leather couch and him. It was only when silence had settled and she had gotten comfortable on his chest did he run a finger through her hair, tucking a stray wavy strand behind her ear, deliberately.

"Kate," he whispered, unsure if she was awake or not. She looked up at him, her head unmoving but her eyes locked on to his, and he knew she was wide awake now. "I'm warning you that I'm about to warn you that I'm going to tell you I love you."

The slightest nod of her head made him smile, and she craned her neck to kiss him, missing and landing on his chin but too sleepy to care.

"I love you too, Castle," and with those words, finally out there for each other to hear and know and feel- silence lapsed again. Just when he was sure he heard a snore, she spoke one last time. "Where are the damn covers?"

Oh, that was soon, huh?
I felt bad for skipping all those days.

I really don't know where this came from.
I hope it was all in-character.

Please review either way.
Really.
Please.