A/N: Thank you. Just... thankyou. If you are like me, and you agree with Stupendousboo's review of the previous chapter, than you might not mind checking out the most recent chapters of "Too Many Ways", which contains two slightly more detailed/descriptive versions of two of the scenarios.
Special thanks to katherine temperance for the answer to my question (Sex Drive).

Both scenarios are set the morning of After The Storm, at two different points, in different realities. Please note the spoiler warning in the story summary.

Upload Date: September 16, 2012

Chapter Rating: M(adult situations,adult themes )

Chapter Summary: Um... sort of unnecasary.

#18 Castle's Bed

#19 Beckett's appartment

#18

"Castle," Beckett breathed as she moved above him. "Oh, Castle, Castle, Castle," she was repeating his name, over and over, in that sexy voice of hers, him guiding her hips with his hands; and her eyes – Oh, God, she really had wanted this as much as him. "Castle, oh, mmm, Castle!"

Richard Castle jolted awake with a start, gasping for breath.

Whoa.

What an intense dream.

It wasn't raining, it was morning and Beckett- he checked next to him to be sure - wasn't there.

He inhaled and exhaled slowly. Clearly moving on was going to be more difficult than he'd thought. He could walk away from the woman, but not from his feelings. He was stuck with them for God knew how long. Possibly the rest of his life.

He was about to get up when he heard a noise.

He turned, startled, to see Beckett walking out of his closet wearing nothing but one of his white shirts.

Castle lent back on his elbows, taking in the view, before an irrepressible smirk lit up his features.

"So, it wasn't a dream," he said, almost smugly - because how many times had she made it clear that this would never happen and how many times had he assured her it would?

He'd won.

Although, Beckett didn't seem to mind losing too much.

"If that was a dream," she grinned as she climbed onto the bed, "than you have an even kinkier mind than I thought."

His nose wrinkled.
"Katherine Beckett, you had better have a good explanation for why you're not completely naked."

She smiled coyly.
"Just acting out a little fantasy," she admitted.

"Oh, god, that's hot," Castle said in a low voice.

"The fact that I fantasised about wearing your shirt, or watching me walk out of your closet wearing it?"

His lip curled. "Both," he said, eyes sparkling. "But I was referring to the fact that you've fantasised about anything related to me - although, just so you know, you're free to peruse my closet any time you want so long as you only pick one thing and then model it for me every time so I can watch." It was partly a test, and so far, she seemed to be passing, because his words didn't appear to be freaking her out.

"So, you liked it?"

"Hell yes."

"Perve," she smirked.

"Well, I'm pretty sure New York law states that after you allow a man to ravish you - three?"

She simpered, inclining her head, but didn't correct him.

" - times," he continued,"he is entitled to be as pervy as he wants."

"Ok, and what about the last four years?'

"Well, we should have done that four years ago; doesn't that allow me a little leeway?"

"I'll take it under consideration," said Beckett, tucking her hair behind her ear.

Castle's face fell then, for as she did so, he spotted bruises in the shape of fingerprints on her neck. He sat upright, thumbing the marks gently with concern.

"Kate, what happened?"

Beckett sighed.
"Maddox" she told him, "my sniper. I...confronted him.'

"Without backup?"
'I had Espo, but.. he got knocked out pretty quickly."

Castle's eyes darkened slightly. "You took on the guy who shot you, a guy who took out Esposito, all by yourself."

"I hit rock-bottom, Castle. I was so... determined to get the answers I wanted, I lost sight of everything else. If it hadn't been for that deal Montgomery's friend made, I'd be dead."

"You said last night you almost died."

She nodded. "He pushed me off the edge of the roof. I was hanging form a ledge."

"FROM A LEDGE?!"

"Castle, I'm fine. Ryan pulled me up."

"Ryan?"

"He told Gates what was going on, they arrived with a SWAT team; they helped him pull me to safety."

"Wow, Gates must have been... pissed."

"Pretty pissed. She put me and Espo on 'administrative leave'."

"Oh, Kate, I'm sorry."

"No, it's ok."

He stared at her for a while.

"What?"

"Last night was pretty intense for you."

"Yeah."

'Are you sure you - I mean... us - that wasn't just your way of coping with it, was it?"

"No," she said simply.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes. Castle... I quit last night."

He stared. "What?"

"I only became a cop because of my Mom's case. Yeah, I loved it - parts of it - but... I let it - no, I made it - define who I was. But then, you came into my life and reminded me of who I was before she was murdered. I like that person. I want her back.
"I meant what I said last night. I want you. I want us."

"'Us'?"

"Yeah. do you - want a relationship with me?"

"Yeah," he asserted, slightly stunned she was actually asking.

"Me, too. I mean, with you." She took a deep breath. "Castle, I love you."

"Really?" he asked quietly, eyes full of hope and none of their usual arrogance.

Oh, how adorable, she thought.

"Really," she assured him, stroking his face with her hand.

They stared at each other, grinning for a few moments.

"Do I get to kiss you now?"

"Yeah," she laughed, leaning in to him, as the both revelled it the awesomeness of the moment. Their moment.

#19

Beckett smiled when she opened the door to find Castle on the other side, looking incredibly hot in a leather jacket and navy shirt.

"Hey," she said sheepishly.

"Hey," he smiled awkwardly back.

She stepped aside to allow him entrance, shutting the door behind him and walking over to where he was, facing him.

"So..." he started.

"Yeah," said Beckett.

"I'm - really sorry about this morning - "

"Oh, hey, no, it's not your fault. I'm the one who just showed up - "

"Well, I'm definitely not complaining about that. To be fair, you did call. And we did have plans."

She nodded slowly. "Yeah, that's right, we did."

They continued to stare at each other.

"So, first day of unemployment. What do you think you'll do?"

"I don't know. I guess I'll just play it by ear."

"Hmm, maybe that's a good idea for us, you know, just see where this goes."

"Oh, no," said Beckett.

"What?"

"If we're gonna do this... I need to know it's just me."

He raised his eyebrow. "Well, of course. Who else would there be?"

"I don't know. Maybe... blonde flight attendants?"

"That was never serious. And it's over."

"So, we're agreed? We're exclusive."

He smiled. "Yeah. Exclusive."

"Good", she said, wrapping her arms around him. "I want you all to myself."

"Possessive, Miss Beckett?"

"Miss? Hmm, I could get used to that," she said, kissing him.

He broke off after a few moments. "You've got me," he said.

She stilled. "What?"

"You want me all to yourself? You've got me. I'm yours." He said it so earnestly, such certainty, that any doubts she may have about his ability to be faithful were - at least temporarily - cast aside.

She smiled. "I love you Castle."

His face lit up.
"That is so cool."

Can't promise any updates for the next week. Not saying that definitely won't happen but... don't count your Owls.