As always, my thanks to my amazing beta, .stanathan for her fixing. And to the rest of you, who choose to keep coming back. It's really great to know you're still there. I'm in some real need for ideas for some of the next few hours, so, your input would be more than welcomed.

Hour 35

I wish I wasn't such a deep sleeper. If I wasn't, I'd have woken up in the middle of the night and I would probably have worried for Beckett's wellbeing and it would have made me realize Kate should have taken another pill before bed. Hearing her groan when she stretched cat-like, I can't help wishing I had done something to prevent this. And not only because I won't be getting any until she feels perfectly fine, but because seeing her hurt is something I'd like to avoid for the rest of our lives.

"Stop thinking about it. I woke up more than once last night and every single time I did, I decided to stay in bed and keep you right next to me. I could've asked you to fetch me a pill. I could have gotten one myself. But at three in the morning, holding you seemed like a better idea. So, yeah, I'm a little sore today, but it's nothing a good bath, something for the pain and a lot of physical contact from you can't fix." She says, somehow knowing exactly what I'm thinking about.

Is it normal that we're this in sync? Huh, yeah right. Screw normal. We've never been good at 'normal'.

"Oh yeah? A bath? Can I join you in it?"

"You're expected to do so. After you find me some coffee."

"I'll tell you what. Stay in bed a bit longer while I take care of breakfast and I draw our bath. Ok?" I lean in to kiss her, mainly to swallow her complaints. She might not be ready for a Castle in full take-care-of-the-love-of-his-life-mode.

"Sounds good, Cabana Boy."

"Cabana Boy? Yeah, ok, I can be a Cabana Boy as long as you allow me to take care of you the best way I know how."

"I won't always allow you to do so fully Castle, but today, I'm yours to be taken care of."

"Sound good to me. When the time comes I'll see how to change your mind, but I'll take what I can get."

"Good choice. Now, get moving! I want my coffee, I'm getting hungry and that obscenely big bath tub of yours won't get filled by itself."

"Yes, my Capitan." And taking a small bow, I happily, and proudly, leave the room to grab us something to nibble on with our coffee. I plan to make us something amazing for lunch, so I don't want for her to get too full.

Fifteen minutes later, I go back to where Beckett is waiting for me, carrying a tray with two coffee cups, some buttered toast and orange juice. I leave it on the bed so she can start munching and go to the bathroom to get the bath ready. I open some bubbles I've had under the sink for the longest of times. I think about pouring some salts but refrain from it. It might sting a little bit, I saw a few cuts among those bruises. Better to stay on the safe side.

"Almost ready Beckett."

"Good."

I turn around and she's right there, at the door frame. Wearing my boxers and holding two coffee mugs. What, Cabana Boy doesn't get a toast?

"If you're good I'll bring you one." She holds one of the mugs up, "But I wanna go out for lunch. Maybe to our swing set. Eat hot dogs at the park?"

"Sounds even better than what I had planned."

"And what had you planned?"

"Nothing we can't do tonight, so why spoil the surprise?" With that, she hands me my coffee, allows me to lean in to give her a peck on the lips and then she retreats to get me a piece of toast. When the bath is full, I turn the faucet off and just stand there, waiting for her to get back.

Handing me the toast, she says: "Finish it before joining me. I don't want any crumbs in my bath." And she gets rid of the boxers and gets in.

"Hey! Not fair!"

"What?"

"I wanted to look at you!"

"You can complain for what you didn't get to do or you can come in and join me."

I tear the toast in two, pile the pieces up and get them in my mouth to munch while I get my boxers off. No need to be asked twice. Watching is over rated when you have a wet, naked body in your bath. "Jets on or off?"

"Uhm… on?"

"Whatever my lady chooses." I turn them on and get in behind her. She leans into me and I relinquish the feeling of her back. Waking up with her holding me from behind felt good. But getting to hold her to me feels even better. I offer to tie her hair up but she declines and before I know what's happening, she goes down and gets her whole hair wet.

"This way, you have no choice but to wash it again. I enjoyed the feeling of your hands in my hair yesterday. I'd love to feel them again."

"No need to ask twice." Pushing her a bit to get some moving space, I grab the shampoo and proceed to wash her hair tenderly. When she talked about taking a bath together, I thought I'd have trouble keeping my arousal in check. But seeing her so relaxed, pleased, comfortable and trusting, makes me a puddle of tenderness. It'd even feel wrong to get aroused with this level of trust she's displaying. I use the removable shower head to get it clean to help myself and just repeat the process. Luckily, I brought conditioner in this morning: it gives me a chance to do it once again.

How did I get so lucky? Loving her and being loved by her is just too good. And to think that a month ago I was trying my best to forget about her with a blond bimbo.

"Oh, Castle. That feels so good."

"Yeah, it does. To have you here, with me, allowing me to wash your hair while we're both naked in my bathtub on this lazy morning, knowing that we're not holding back, not keeping secrets from each other, that we're meeting our friends for dinner tomorrow, as a couple, and that we're joining my mother and daughter at the Hamptons the day after that to maybe spend the whole summer there feels really good. Knowing that you know that I'll do my damn best to prove to you I'm your one and done feels amazing."

"Too many words writer boy. But I agree to all you said. There's only one thing that doesn't feel good though. And that's the water. It's barely lukewarm right now and I'm getting cold!"

"What? Kate! It's not fair to use my own shower head as a weapon against me! Are you trying to drown me?"

"No, I was covertly asking you to turn around so I can return the favor."

"Oh yes, please do so!"

We turn around and I lean down a bit so I'm not so high. I know her arms are sore, but I'm not going to throw this amazing opportunity by reminding her of her soreness.

Yes. This really feels good.

After a really big effort on my part to keep my arousal on check during the whole getting each other dry experience, we get ready to leave. By now her clothes are clean, but she chooses to wear her jeans and my white button up. "I know today will have some rough moments and I'm planning on using all the advantages at my disposal."

"And your hotness is one of them?"

"You said it, not me." She winks at me. "C'mon, let's get going. I miss the sun."

"I miss seeing you under it"

"Corniness isn't flattering Castle! And it won't get you anywhere. At least, not with me."

"No more corniness. Duly noted. You're the only one I want to get somewhere with…"

For the first time in 48 hours we leave the loft. I can't help smiling when she grabs my hand. No matter how long it takes us to smooth things out at the swings, I can't wait to start our life together.