Hi there!

So I've had this saved on my computer for the longest time and thought it was finally time to share. Prompt: Beckett and Castle rebuild after the death of her father. Lighter at the end, I promise.

I have one more fan prompt to do before I start on a new story that I think you're really going to love! A clue as to what it will be about can be found in chapter 10 of this story feed! ;) That being said, you can still send in one shot prompts because I can't work on one story without waning to do another lol!

Again, thank you for all of your reviews and for being so kind!

Enjoy!

It's so hard for him to watch her like this. It's so hard for him to sit by her and not be able to make the pain and hurt and loss go away. He's tried over and over, but he doesn't have that kind of authority over her emotions. All he can do is be by her side and return to her when her walls finally come back down. He doesn't know how long it will be, how many minutes, hours, days, or months it will take, but he would never in a million years give up on her, no matter what.

He was the one solid proof of family that she had left. That one inexplicable presence that only a father can provide; protection, safety, her first car, a walk down the aisle, love. It wasn't fair that he had been taken so suddenly from her. She deserved to have him around for many more years to come. To see her get married, to see her have children, to see her thrive and be so much more than what her mother's murder had turned her into. She was finally, really, permanently changing and becoming, what he believed, to be Katherine Beckett, for real.

But here he was, lying in bed, stiff as a board. He laid facing her, but every night her back was to him; shutting him out, building up a wall. And every night, as he watched her shoulders shake, silent tears coming from the depths of her being, he knew that he couldn't do anything but wait. That first night, they had returned from the hospital, she had gone straight to the bedroom, closing the door. He had waited just long enough until there was no more sounds of movement coming from beyond the door. When he had finally gone in, she was already tucked away, her back facing him. He had moved in slowly, and when he went to pull her close, she had completely lost it. The pain and heartbreak of losing another parent, the old memories of her mother and the fresh memories of her father had sent her into a fit of rage.

"I'm sorry, Castle. Just please don't right now, please." She begged him through sobs, her hair in her face. She stood beside the bed, a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. She looked so helpless, so small. All he wanted to do was wrap her up and let her know that he was here for her, but he couldn't. He had to respect her wishes.

"I'm sorry." His words caught in his throat as he settled back into his spot. He tried to close his eyes and count backwards, but his heart hurt so badly for her and his mind raced so rapidly that he couldn't relax. Even when she had finally settled back in bed, he felt so badly for her that he was unable to sleep at all that first night.

And day after day, night after night, since then, they had made somewhat of a routine. She was on leave for the time being, so they would sit in the loft, the silence too great to even think properly. He would try and write, try and do something, to keep himself busy. Besides business meetings twice a week, he was forced to sit and watch the love of his life stare blankly at the wall. He would make them food, put a plate in front of her, and sit next to her where ever she was. Luckily, human instinct cut in and she ate. But then it was back to the stone cold Kate, sitting there as if it would bring him back.

One day last week, he had had a meeting for Nikki Heat. It went long, so he was later than usual. When he opened the front door, she was standing in the kitchen looking at a picture hung on the refrigerator. It was one of her and her dad that she had absentmindedly hung up before any of this had ever happened. They looked so unbelievably happy in it; like they hadn't lost a mother and a wife. Now, she had lost a mother and a father, un-expectantly. He had walked over to her, her back to his like it was normal now.

"They're together now." Was all she said. She wiped at her eyes, and turned the picture over so it was no more a memory, just a square, white card.

It was the first time she let him touch her. He wrapped his arms around her from behind and placed his head on her shoulder. She stood there, as stiff as a board, letting him be there for her. But as soon as he thought they were making progress, she shrugged out of his embrace, and went directly for the bedroom.

Later that night, he finally made his way into their room. He had sat at his desk, half listening for sounds and half staring at his computer. It had been dark since she retreated there two hours ago, so he climbed in bed as quietly as he could, hoping she had actually fallen asleep easily. He laid there, flat on his back, hand behind his head, and eyes closed for a long while. This was somewhat of a routine by now; lay in bed and think about it. Think about anything and everything. Think about her. Think about them. Think of some other way to get her out of this. All he wanted was to be able to hold his wife. But he couldn't do that until she let him in.

It came as a shock when he felt her grab his hand. It seemed so foreign, a taboo of sorts, but like nothing had changed. Something new yet something old. Something different, something comfortable, something finally changing. He held his breath and relaxed his muscles. This was her letting him in. This was her healing. This was what he had been waiting for.

The only light in the room was the full moon shining through the windows, creating only silhouettes and black and white. Kate turned towards him, a quiver in her voice. "Thank you." She pulled his hand to her lips and kissed it, letting her lips linger on his skin. "For everything." Her words were choked out, her emotions getting the best of her.

Castle turned his body towards her so they were facing each other. "You don't have to thank me for anything. I'm just doing what I'm supposed to. I would wait for you and stand by you as long as I had to." He tested the water, laying his hand on her hip.

"But I want you to know how much I appreciate you and what you do for me."

"I promised you always and I meant it." He leaned in, peppering her forehead with a kiss.

"It just hurts." Her voice broke again as she wiped at her eyes.

"I know, hun." Castle moved an inch closer, longing to hold his wife in his arms. He craved to feel her heartbeat next to his and have her breath curl around his neck. All he wanted was for this to be the night that she finally let him back in.

Kate exhaled. "I love you."

Castle finally wrapped his arms around her as Kate settled into his side, a natural fluidity to their movements. She laid her head on his chest, one arm by his ear and a leg wrapped around his, finally finding the courage and strength in her to be okay. Castle held her tighter, rubbing her back. He would have waited a million years for her to accept what had happened, but this was okay also. He breathed out, his muscles relaxing as he placed one last kiss on her temple. "Love you too."

Please review!

xoxo