Hours 15 and 16

"Scoot over please!"

"Why? You have a whole chair for you over there, why do I have to share mine with you?"

"Because what's yours is mine."

"Does that mean you're moving in?"

"It means you can ask, if after what I have to say you still want me to live with you and the two other women in your life."

"Kate, there is nothing you can say to-"

"Save it. I know, you know. Let's get this over with. After you left, I went to my mother's grave. I needed to be close to her and that had always worked in the past. But this time it didn't. I was hurt, and mad and upset. I felt alone, much like I did when I lost her. I dismissed it. I blindly thought it was her way of asking me to keep going, you know? And that blindness gave me the strength I needed. I said goodbye to her, went to the precinct and when the guys asked about you I told him you where off the team. They didn't challenge me. I guess they just didn't dare. I was too focused, too sure, you know? We finally got the plate and sight of the car, so Espo and I went to this hotel where this SOB was supposed to be. We got to his room but it was empty. And we let our guard down. All the files were there. But it wasn't the files they were after. It was a picture. You see, when they stole the captain's documents, they also took his photo album. We opened it and there was a picture missing. God Castle! I was so blinded by what we had found that I just stopped paying attention. And that's when he found us. He knocked Esposito down and I went after him. When we were on the roof, he came to me from behind. I thought he was ahead of me, I saw him turn around a corner, but suddenly he was over me. We fought. Well, he hit me, almost choked me and threw me to the floor more than once, but whatever I did, it just wasn't enough. And it hit me then. I told you yesterday that I was ready. But I so wasn't Castle. I'll never be. He was just too strong, too focused, it was worthless."

"But how did it went from you fighting on a roof to you hanging from it?"

"I tried to push him, but he just turned and I fell. He came over to where I was and he was so sure I was going to fall that he just smiled, said something about knowing who he was fighting against, smiled to the sky and left. And as I was there, hanging from that stupid roof, all I could think about was you Castle. About how I'd never get a chance to say just how much you mean to me. Just how much you've changed my life."

God, is this really happening? Is she really opening up to me? And why do I keep doubting it. She did it, she dived in and took me along with her.

"And then what happened? How did you get from there to here? If he left you there to die, why is it that I'm so lucky to have you here, in my arms, sharing a chair?"

"Ryan. He came in at the last minute and saved the day. He screamed my name and I was so sure it was you. I kept screaming for you to come and at the very last second, when I just couldn't hold on anymore, he took my hand and with the help of some other officer he pulled me up."

After saying this, she takes a deep breath and I can't resist kissing her. She looks so vulnerable, so ashamed of what comes next, that I feel tempted to make her stop. I can't stand to see her hurt, and I know just how much telling me this is hurting her. But she needs to get it out. Or so I keep telling myself, because I need to know all there is to know so we can decide where we go from here.

"Please, Kate, go on. I need to hear it and I think you need to say it…"

"I know. So, long story short, Iron Gates was there, and she wasn't happy. I mean, dragon-spiting-fire-not happy. She took us back to the precinct were she proceeded to lecture us about going there alone, and risking each other's lives and so on and so forth. She suspended Javi and me for two weeks. And, uhm, please don't be mad… as I was giving her my badge, I told her to keep it. I resigned. I'm no longer a homicide detective. I'm unemployed actually. I don't think Gates would have me back, and the thing is, I don't even know if I'd want to. Is it wrong that I just want you? Was it a mistake to hand in my badge?"

"Kate, even if I'm not sure I agree with what you did just there, why would it make me mad?" We really need to diffuse some tension right about now…

"I know it's no longer about the books Rick, but you know…if I'm off the force, we can no longer access an interrogation room to question each other and have amazing, way out of line make up sex there, on the same table I once questioned you four years ago…" And once again, she plays with my last thought.

"Beckett, are you reading my mind? I was just thinking the exact same thing…"

"What, diffusing the tension?"

"No, ravishing each other!" And I kiss her with all I've got until I'm all out of breath. And at that point, I just can't get enough of her. So I pull her even closer to me and just kiss every bit of her I have access to.

"Castle? Uhm, Rick, hold on a minute"

"No Kate, please, no more waiting. No more talking. I mean, I love the whole sharing and openness thing, but I really need to, well, you know… make up after these past weeks" And I go back to my task. God the skin of her neck is so soft!

"Castle! Please, I can't think when you do that! Oh God, Rick, I mean it- just hold on for a second!"

She's going to be the death of me, especially if she makes those sounds every time I kiss the skin behind her right ear. I've got to hear it again! Ah! Bingo!

"Give me one good reason to stop."

"Alexis" Crap. That's a good one.

"And your mother."

"You sure know how to ruin the mood!"

"It's almost noon. I bet they're going to be back for lunch. How about this: we order some Chinese and we keep necking until it gets here. Or until your daughter and mother get back here, whatever happens first."

"I order the food and I can get back to eliciting those sounds from you?"

"Which sounds would-" I kiss her behind her right ear again and "ahh"

"That sound" I'm on the phone talking with the Chinese food guy –what was his name? Ming? Yeah, something like that-. "We've got forty five minutes."

"Or less if Alexis and Martha get" I swallow her words.

"I know we need to keep it down a bit, I mean, our fist time should take at least a whole afternoon, and a part of the night. And definitely a whole lot of the next morning, but could you please stop talking about my mother?"

With that said, we proceed to make a good use of what should have been the 16th hour of our 72 hours clothes optional festival. Not what I had in mind, but close enough. And that means I won´t need to spend the first 24 just kissing her lips. I could make it 23 and go straight to the main course!

So? Any thoughts? Once again, thanks for sticking with me, and I´ll try to update as soon as possible!