"I'll steal your sorrow with my lips."
October 2014
"Sit down." She instructs, turning away from him before he even has the chance to meet her eyes. She won't look at him. Refuses.
"Kate?"
She ignores him, moves off as though he hasn't even called her name, "Does it hurt?"
"A bit."
"Honestly, Castle?" She exits the bathroom, lingers watching him as he sits down at the end of the bed, his eyes closing heavily.
His knuckles burn, his back aches, there is a bladed shaft of pain through his knee that will probably only get worse. "Yes, it hurts."
"Dammit!" She slams the door behind her and comes at him with a cold cloth, the wrapped ice pack already in her grasp. "Look up," she demands and even though she's standing between his legs, his face inches below her own, she won't look at him.
Kate presses her fingers to his cheek, tests the bruise, puffs a loud, angry breath when he winces at her touch. He can't stand the silence.
"You know -"
"Don't."
"Don't what?" He knows what, but he needs to push her, needs her to say it outloud so they can talk about it, get beyond it.
"Don't justify it, Castle." She snaps, pressing the ice to his face, trying to reduce the rapid swelling.
"He ruined -"
"I don't care."
"I do!" He bites out, not yelling nor aggressive but with enough force that her fingers stutter against his face. He covers her hand where it lays against his cheek and reaches for her before she can escape. The moment their eyes meet she completely deflates.
"I just got you back." She husks the barest whisper, her near-silent voiced confession catching hard in his gut. Castle wraps her up in his arms and kisses wherever he can reach, his lips landing on her chin before he burrows his face into her chest.
He breathes hard against her, "I'm sorry," and his fingers clench in the shirt at her back.
"I know." Her voice is nothing but hot breath over the top of his head, no fight left in her. She sags into him, clings, fingers just shy of bruising.
"I'd do it again," he states, holding on when she shakes within his arms, truth hard to hear, hard to bear, but necessary, "I'd do it again for you, for us. For me." She shakes more, her entire body a violent shiver. "But I'm sorry."
"I know." she squeezes him hard, she's tender in her grip and the stroke of her palms down his back are more soothing than he probably deserves, he knows he scared her, again. She covers his lips when he tries to apologize again, pushing him back so she can climb into his lap, resting her head against his own, sighing deeply. Breathing him in.
She understands, it doesn't make it better, but, somehow, it helps.