A/N Here it is the last chapter, and I want to thank everyone for sticking with me on this. Thanks as always goes to my amazing Beta DMarx for all her help on this fic.

Disclaimer: I Do Not Own Castle

They barely make it to the door before he can no longer resist the urge, and soon clothes are shed and he is pushing up her against the door (seriously, what is it with them and doors?), the wooden door cool against her bare back. He looks into her eyes for a moment, the normally bright hazel iris now hazy and dark with desire, and then his mouth is on hers in an instant, and his tongue quickly claims her mouth, bringing forth a deep moan from the back of his throat as her nails dig into his back.

She wraps one leg around him as he thrusts into her hard and fast, a week's worth of hurt, anger, and betrayal spilling out. She clenches around him and her hands move up to fist in his hair as she rests her head in the crook of his neck. Oh fuck, it's been too long since they have done this. His name spills out of her mouth in breathy pants. Her other leg goes weak, but his hand slides down to grip her ass, hoisting her back up. Her breath hitches as she gets closer to the edge, her world fogging around the edges as her hips rock in rhythm with his. With a deep gravelly moan, he releases into her, his body going limp, his forehead coming to rest against her shoulder his ragged breaths hot against her already flushed skin.

They manage to finally make to the bed, collapsing in a heap of tangled limbs on top of the sheets, her body draped over his chest. He bands an arm across her lower back, his fingers tracing over the slope of her spine. The tension that has lingered between them for the past week is gone, replaced by relief and a sense of new found hope. He knows this relationship won't be easy, but then again, nothing has ever been easy between them. They will just have to take things day by day and find their way.

"Why?" she murmurs as she pushes off of him and sits up.

He props himself up on his elbows. "Why what?" he asks, brows knit in confusion.

He observes her for a moment, can see her struggling with whatever it is she is trying to tell him.

"Why do you want to marry me? After everything I've done. I mean, I continuously lie to you and shut you out." She casts her eyes down, her voice quiet.

He pushes up so that he's sitting. "Nobody's perfect Kate. We all have our flaws. And when you love someone, truly love someone, that means accepting them for who they are flaws and all." He seeks out her eyes, waits for her to look at him. "And sometimes those flaws might drive me a little mad, but despite that, you are extraordinary, and not to mention hot," he says the corners of his mouth quirking upward.

She rolls her eyes at him, lips curving into a small smile.

He continues, this time his voice taking on a more sincere tone. "On a serious note though. You are the love of my life, Kate, and I can't imagine spending my life with anyone except you."

Her heart swells and she can feel tears welling up in her eyes as she looks into his, so blue, so deep and loving, and it makes her heart flutter. She has never had anyone love her the way he does. And to think she almost threw this all away.

"I love you," she says, as she leans over and cups his jaw and presses her lips to his. She pulls back rests her forehead against his. "I love you," she whispers.

Later she drags him outside; they stroll leisurely down a trail that runs along the edge of the lake. The mid afternoon sun is glaring, the sky is clear, revealing a wide expanse of pale blue. The leaves rustle faintly as a gentle breeze blows through. She reaches out, takes his hand in hers, entwining their fingers together. He stops, she glances up at him, and her lips widen in a broad smile. She sees the happiness and joy on his face and it warms her heart. They start walking again.

This weekend is going better than she ever thought it could. She knows they still have a long ways to go, and it won't always be easy, but at least they're on the same page now.

As they continue to stroll along, she can't help but think of their future, a wedding, her father walking her down the aisle. A ring on her left hand. It seems almost surreal to her at times.

"Do you want kids?" she asks suddenly, the words rolling off her tongue before she realizes it. He stops and turns back toward her. "I mean, I know you said you wanted to keep your options open but-"

"I only want them if you do. Do you want kids?"

She opens her mouth to answer but nothing comes out, so she closes it. She lets go of his hand and walks over to the edge of the lake, her back to him. Kids. It is something she has never really thought about. Would she even be a good mother?

She turns back toward him. "I don't know, Castle," she answers quietly, shaking her head. "I've never really given it much thought." She grows quiet then, lowers her head, but after a moment she looks up at him again. "And what happens if we have kids and something happens to me. I don't our kids to have to go through what I went through."

He steps toward her, closing the gap between them. He takes her hand in his, she looks up at him. "Hey, nothing is going to happen to you." His voice is calm, reassuring.

She shakes her head. "You don't know that."

He nods. "You're right, I don't. But as long as I'm your partner, I am going to do my damndest to keep you safe," he says with smile, and he watches as a small smile forms on her lips. "Look we don't have to decide right now."

She nods, "Okay. Wait till after the wedding to decide?"

His lips widen in a broad smile. Wedding. They aren't engaged. Yet. But to know she is already thinking about a wedding makes his heart swell with happiness. He leans in and captures her lips with his in a brief but deep kiss. "Okay," he murmurs against her lips.

They end the day end curled up on the swing on the front porch, just as the sun begins to set, his arm draped over her back and her head resting on his shoulder.

"You know it's really beautiful up here. We should come up here more often."

"Well we just might," she says with a smile.

Silence falls between them then as they both revel in the quietness.

"So where do we go from here?" he asks after a moment, tentatively.

She doesn't answer at first, "We continue what we started here. Working on communicating better since that's how this whole mess got started," she finally says.

She wants to promise him no more secrets, no more lies, but she can't. She knows that she'll probably slip up again. It's who she is, what she's always done, and old habits are hard to break.

"But as for now, how 'bout we continue what we started this morning?" she says, a flirtatious smile on her face as she pulls his face to hers, brushing her lips against his.

"I would like that," he replies back as he pulls her in closer, kissing her deeply.

"You would?" she asks coyly as she kisses him back.

"Mhmm," he hums against her lips.

She leans over and whispers into his ear, "I'll get the ice and you meet me in the bedroom."

And with that she's gone, leaving him there slack- jawed on the swing. It takes him a moment to come to his senses and then he's darting for the door. Best makeup sex ever.

Thoughts?