So here is Chapter 18, I hope you like this and that is perhaps answers some questions, Thanks you Ayeshajen for correcting my mistakes, I bet there were many.

Enjoy!

When Rick woke he found Kate in his arms and was torn between staying there and memorizing the precious moment or getting up to go to the bathroom. The decision was made for him however when Kate woke, her big eyes staring up at him as she tried to remember the night before.

Rick saw the moment she remembered and she rested her head back down upon his chest absentmindedly drawing circles upon his stomach. She eventually spoke her voice soft and floaty like the soft light that sifts through the curtains.

"I was scared Rick. For so long I loved you but I was too scared to make a move. You're my best friend and I didn't want to lose you but then I realised that you can be my best friend and my boyfriend. I realised that you're worth the risk and that you'll always be there."

As he set a kiss upon her head Rick smiled at his partner lying there bathed in the morning light and still half asleep. He needs no words to reply but still he says the one word that holds the most meaning. "Always."

Stretching up Kate kisses him before she moves to get up. He tries to hold her tighter and pull her back but she resists and with a playful slap on the arm she is free. Entering the en-suite she laughs at him while she changes clothes. He stays in bed, hoping to still manage to entice her back again.

Kate cannot help but laugh as she returns to the bedroom to find Rick sitting up and doing his best impression of a cheeky little boy, pout and all. Almost immune to his adorableness Kate shakes her head and leaves the room declaring that she is going to find some food. Within moments Rick is scrambling around trying to get ready so as to join her.

When Kate walks into the kitchen she finds her dad and Alexis in deep conversation with Esposito. They don't look sad or worried and as they notice her they spring apart trying to hide their grins. Each greets her in their own way as Alexis passes her a coffee and Jim digs about in his pocket.

Kate is about to question her father when a strong arms grasps her and twirls her around. Rick laughs as she almost falls into him, surprised by his actions. A song comes on the radio and Rick begins to dance pulling her along with him as he works to banish any bad thoughts from his girlfriend. Everyone laughs as he twirls her around the room. This moment is needed after the night before and only Esposito knows that it isn't over yet. Once the dancing has stopped and everyone has eaten breakfast Javier asks to talk to Kate alone.

As she agrees and walks toward Rick's office a look passes between Rick and Javier. Rick nods to the detective as an understanding is reached. Kate misses this silent communication as does Alexis, but Jim doesn't. He smiles to himself at how protective the men in Kate's life are. It warms his heart to know this of the men who walk into danger with her.

Once they are at the office Kate looks up into Javier's face. He finds it an odd experience as he's never really seen Kate without her heels. It is appropriate though as he hesitantly begins a necessary conversation. The new height difference puts the new relationship into focus and she can see it in his eyes. He is not here to see the cop but the woman. He's not just here as a brother but as a cop himself. "We've got to talk about last night, you surprised me."

"How? You know me as well as anyone."

"A man attacked you, shot at you, insulted your mother and claimed to know about her death and you never attacked him or even acknowledged him after the captain arrested him. You were laughing."

"It was laughing or crying. Rick knew I would attack him so he didn't let me go until the anger had gone. He then made me laugh instead of cry because he knows I hate people seeing me cry," Kate explained.

"You freaked us out; it was totally out of character. Even the Cap was worried."

"You heard what I said, those awful things. I nearly went back there Javi, I was so close. I felt just like I had when they told me she was gone. I wasn't me at that time."

"Castle brought you back. He caught you in time and somehow stopped the pain from being too much?"

"He knew exactly what to do, he always does. He treated me as a woman, not a cop and so I forgot about having to put on a brave face, about the suspect and the near death experience. He healed the fragile me, the one that flashed back to her teens. Now I'm ready to be a cop again."

"Not yet, I don't know how to tell you this but, the information he said he had about your mom turned out to be nonsense. No solid facts and those we can check are wrong, your dad helped me with the last ones. We'll let you watch the tape when you come back to work but not this week."

"A week, why not?" Kate's eyes are wide now; she cannot understand why she's being made to wait so long.

"Kate, you have to stay here till we say it's safe. We're putting word out that you got hurt in the attack and that Castle is looking after you."

"Why? What's that going to accomplish?"

"The person who let him out was a cop from our precinct. He was angry about how close you where to Castle but if we make out that this brought you two closer then maybe we can flush him out."

"Do you really think that will work? I'm going to go crazy stuck here for that long. Who will know the truth?"

"We think it will work and may already be doing so but I'll give you more details when we tell the others. Ryan and I have got you on this. Look at it this way; you'll have plenty of time to practise your dancing because from the looks of it you need it."

Kate playfully swipes his arm as the tears she had been holding back begin to recede. Truth was that when she was faced with Kennedy and the possibility of delving back into her mom's case, Kate just wanted to run and hide. She was so scared that she would get lost again. Looking back now, she realised that her family would never let it happen. Be that her boyfriend, her dad, her brother or even her little cousin, they would never let her fall.

As he moves to leave the room Javier feels a hand upon his arm. Turning back to his friend he finds himself being hugged. His mind takes some time to process the information as she isn't exactly known for open displays of affection but he is soon wrapping his strong muscled arms around her.

Pulling back she smiles and walks away, her last words almost missed as they reach him. "Thank you"

So if anyone has anything to say or ask about this, even anything bad, just leave a review and I'll get back to you, or just leave a review anyway.

Big question now, What song do I get them to dance to? I was considering some Wet Wet Wet songs or even Blackened Blue Eyes but I realised I have no idea what songs people dance the Argentine Tango to.

If anyone knows this or has suggestions for the perfect song, PLEASE TELL ME!