FYI: This chapter will finish up the rest of the night. Chapter 39 will be the morning and release from the hospital. Chapter 40… HOME! :) (A lot of you have mentioned his homecoming so I thought I'd fill you in on my timeline.)

"Kitten? Really, Kate?" Castle finally forced himself to say. He really couldn't come up with a better retort. His brain had gone all fuzzy from the images she invoked.

Kate laughed. "Sorry… I couldn't help myself. It was too perfect."

Castle just stared at her. He was mesmerized by the smile on her face, the light heartedness that had filled the room. 20 minutes ago he was ready to explode, frustrated and embarrassed with himself. One talk with Kate had not only changed his mood, but brought them just a little closer to resolving their issues. In this moment, he felt like they could really be together for the rest of their lives.

"Castle? You with me?" Kate was starting to feel a little nervous that she had pushed too far. She thought it was fine, but his reaction and the silence that followed has her thinking twice.

"Huh? Oh, yes. Sorry." He mumbled.

"What were you thinking about?"

"That I am hopeful. I think this might just work out after all."

Kate softly smiled. "I think you might be right."

"Hmm." Castle said in response. He reached his hand out to her, wanting her closer to him.

Kate stood and approached the side of his bed. She felt butterflies in her stomach, annoyed at the sudden nervousness she feels around him.

"Kate." Castle grabbed her hand as he said her name.

"Rick."

"I never said thank you."

"For what?" Kate was confused at the sudden shift in conversation.

"For coming back. For staying. For not leaving me. I didn't tell you before, but I am really glad you are here."

"I should've never left you."

Castle squeezed her hand to get her attention. "Listen, we both made mistakes four months ago. I can't say that it didn't hurt to have you leave, but in a way I think it worked out for the best. Let's just… focus on this, right now, and not worry about the past."

"We can't just forget what has happened, Castle."

"We aren't forgetting anything, Kate. We've talked it through, we've explained our reasons and our emotions. If we have more to talk about then fine, let's talk. I just don't want to keep bringing it up. DC happened. Let's put it in the past and move on. "

"Focus on the future?" Kate said almost shyly.

"Our future." Castle agreed.

"Cheesy." Kate tried not to let how happy his cheesiness made her. The broad smile on her face revealed just how relieved she was to hear him say that.

Castle used the grip on her hand to pull her in close to him. He pulled her so close that their faces were mere inches apart. Kate had to put her hand on the other side of his head for support. She could feel his breath against her flushed cheeks.

"You love it. Admit it, Kate."

"I don't know what you are talking about, Castle."

He released her hand and reached up to touch the back of her neck. His hand tangled into her curly hair as he brought her even closer.

He whispered, "You love how cheesy I am, Kate. You love it more than I do."

Her senses were on overload. Hearing him say her name in his deep, sultry voice, feeling his breath on her face, smelling him all around had her so flabbergasted that she couldn't respond. She barely registered that he was slowly bringing her closer and closer to his lips.

"Ricky! How are you… Oh! Sorry about that, Ricky."

Kate pulled back quickly when she heard another voice in the room. She spun around to see who the hell interrupted her moment with Castle.

Jessica.

Of course that bitch just ruined her incredibly sexy moment with Castle. She hopes that Jess can feel the daggers she is sending from her eyes. If looks could kill…

"Oh, hey Jess. Back on shift?" Kate wondered how Castle was able to talk so casually right now.

"Yep, thought I'd come check on my favorite patient. How are the stitches this evening?"

"Doc said they were fine, that I didn't need to be re-stitched. You were right."

"Good! Well, I'm here for the entire night. Call if you need anything. I'll check in on you again later. Bye Ricky!"

"Bye Jess." Castle said with fake enthusiasm.

"I hate her." Kate spit out as soon as the door was shut.

Castle laughed. "I couldn't tell. I don't think I've ever seen you look so pissed off before."

She turned her glare to him. "Do not make fun of me, Castle! I don't know why you aren't upset."

"Because you look so cute when you are mad."

"Cute? No. It is not cute when your stupid ex-girlfriend interrupts our freaking kiss."

"Are you upset about Jessica or are you upset that you missed out on a Richard Castle kiss?" He joked.

"Don't flatter yourself, Castle. You are not that good of a kisser." Lies. All lies. He is the best kisser.

"You wound me, Kate. I happen to know that I am an excellent kisser."

"You really want to keep talking about your past relationships with other women right now?"

"Oh I don't need to use any other woman as proof. Kate, I know you love my kisses." Castle said smugly.

"Oh really? How do you know that, Castle?"

"I can tell by the way you respond to my kisses. It's pretty obvious how much love them. I mean, you were about to kill Jess for interrupting us just now."

"Can you please stop calling her Jess?"

"You are so cute when you are jealous." He chuckled.

Kate grabbed his ear and lightly twisted. "I am NOT jealous, Castle." Lies. All lies. I am so jealous.

"Let's agree to disagree on this one, Kate." He was struggling to keep the grin off his face.

"Whatever…" Kate said as she began to pull her hand away. She wasn't really upset, but it was fun to tease him… make him think she is really upset with him.

"Wait. Don't go… I'm sorry. Come back and lay down with me."

"Weak pick up line there buddy. I'm not that easy." Kate said as she sat back in her chair.

He barked out a laugh. "Believe me, I know.

A few hours later, Kate woke up to Castle tossing in his bed once again. She could tell by the emergency light right above his bed that his faced was skewed in pain and he was sweating. He was having another nightmare.

She quickly rose from her chair and approached the side of his bed. She grabbed his hand and began to rub up and down his arm.

"Come on, Castle, it's a just a dream. Wake up for me, Castle." Kate began murmuring over and over again.

It took about 30 seconds to wake him up, but it felt like forever for Kate. She was worried he was going to rip more stitches out, or hurt his back which would prevent him from going home in a few hours.

"Castle! Wake up. You need to wake up, Castle." She began saying more forcefully.

He finally woke up with a start. Breathing heavily and gripping her hand hard. His eyes frantically searched the room, obviously looking for something. She could tell by the look in his eyes that he was terrified. She needed to make him talk.

"Hey, Rick. You were having another nightmare."

When he heard her voice he shifted his gaze to her. It was difficult to pull his thoughts from the dream to reality. He could see Kate standing over his bed, looking nervous. He registered the death grip he had on her hand and loosened his hand. He didn't want to break the connection though.

"Rick. Scoot over." Kate commanded softly.

He scooted over to the bed, and Kate crawled in to his bed just like she had done earlier. She rested her head on his shoulder and threw one arm over his chest. She held him like that until his breathing evened out.

"Rick, I know you don't want to talk about it, but I really think you should. It might help…"

"I don't want to." Castle finally spoke.

"Why?" She was going to push him.

Castle remained quiet. She wasn't sure if he was ignoring her or thinking about what he should say. Sometimes he had to fully formulate his stories or responses before he would respond. After 5 minutes of silence, she decided that he was just ignoring.

"Why, Castle. I want you to tell me why you won't talk to me." Kate said in her best stern voice.

"I don't want to talk about it. Period. Why are you pushing this?"

"I can tell how upset these nightmares make you. Keeping it to yourself will only make it worse. You want to continue to wake up after a few hours of sleep to that nightmare?" She paused to see him shake his head. "You need to talk about it. If you don't want to talk to me, then at least promise me that you will talk to someone. Tomorrow."

"I am not talking to a shrink." Castle said forcefully.

Kate was getting frustrating. He was being stubborn and she wasn't sure what else to really say. Castle rarely was unreasonable with her, so she wasn't used to dealing with him like this.

Just when she thought he had drifted off to sleep she hears him speak.

"I'm alone in the park. You shoot me."

So that is why he wouldn't talk to her. It wasn't that he was unwilling to talk about the dream, but rather he didn't want to her about her.

"What happens in your dream? Describe it to me."

"I am walking through the park. I can tell it is dark, and that I am all alone. I can feel the cold running through my body. I can't ever tell where I am walking, only that I have to reach this place before something bad happens. My vision… it's like I am in a tunnel and can only see what is right in front of me. Then, just when I think I am about to… reach this significant spot… I see you. You are smiling at me. Instinctively I walk towards you, knowing that you are there to help me. When I get about 5 feet from you, you raise your arm up and point a gun straight at my heart."

"It's ok, Rick. Keep going." She can tell how upset he is getting.

"You laugh at me. Tell me that I am stupid for trusting you and that I am worthless. You never loved me, and you couldn't wait to get rid of me. That's why you left for DC."

Kate whispers, "Is that how it ends?"

"Sometimes. When you don't wake me up then you usually pull the trigger. I don't ever die in the dream. I just lay there. Staring up into the darkness."

Kate tugs him closer to her body. She isn't sure what to say to comfort him right now. It's pretty obvious that he has some deeper issues with her leaving. A tear slips down her check as she, once again, realizes how selfish she was.

"I am sorry, Rick."

"No, Kate. You made me tell you, but you don't get to feel bad about this. This isn't real. This isn't really you. You wouldn't…" Oh. He gets it. This isn't real. It isn't real!

Kate looks up at him when he stops talking. She thinks he is upset, and that he was about to get upset with her. What she sees instead is a smiling Castle.

"Castle?"

He leans down and kisses her. Not one of those brush your lips together sort of kisses. No, Rick Castle shows Kate just how good of a kisser he really is.