This story is completely AU. So everything you already know about these characters and this show is wrong. I'm basically borrowing these characters for my own version of their love story.

Is a disclaimer necessary? If I were Milmar you all would get every Caskett wish you ever wanted! :)

Chapter 8

As the sun began to rise and sneak through the crevices of the blinds, Kate turned her head over to shield the light and met Ricks gaze.

"Don't watch me sleep." Her words were mumbled and barely understandable but they drew out a laugh from Castle.

"I wasn't really watching you sleep, just listening to you snore."

"I don't snore Rick."

"Oh, you definitely snore, it's cute, and subtle. I wouldn't lie about such a thing."

His hand came up to sweep her hair from her cheek and he tucked it safely behind her ear. He used the opportunity and closeness to rub his hand over her shoulder and down her arm, grabbing her waist and pulling her closer to him to steal a kiss. It was quick, and Kate wasn't expecting it at all, she broke away fast and pulled her hand up over her mouth.

"Castle, I have morning breath."

"Oh and you think I don't. I don't care what your breath smells like, I cant help but kiss those lips when they're right in front of me, begging for my attention."

"Oh really? Begging for your attention.. Well, if they're so desperate for your attention, who am I to stop you, right?" she said playfully. Before she knew it his hand was on the back of her neck pulling her in for a more passionate kiss, that she allowed him to deepen by opening her mouth to allow him access. Things quickly started to get out of hand, which was Kate's fault completely. Rick began to tense up as Kate's hands began to wonder under the sheets. She was having a hard time keeping things cool between them, but she couldn't calm her attraction to him. She craved his touch all over her body, and when she felt him begin to tense up she retreated immediately. She pulled back, and stopped kissing him, sitting up in the bed and anxiously fixing her shirt.

"I'm sorry, I didn't meant to make you uncomfortable." She said, as she awkwardly shifted and dropped her legs to the ground. She stood from the bed as fast as she could, taking her clothes from the chair and bolting into the bathroom.

Rick stood and ran after her to the bathroom door, getting it slammed in his face. He laid his head against the door, and took a deep breath.

"Kate, I'm sorry…" He said, and it was met by silence. He knew she could hear him, because he could hear her moving around behind the closed door.

"Kate…." He repeated, searching for a response.

She flung the door open, dressed in the clothes she had worn over the night before, her hair still tussled and uncombed. She walked straight past him and out of the room, not making eye contact at any point. He followed after her and when she went to pull on her jacket, he grabbed her arm, stilling her movement and finally receiving a response. Her eyes shot up to his, and they were red rimmed and he could tell she had either shed a tear or two, or was about to.

"I'm sorry, but I think I should go." She said with a shaken voice and he could feel her trembling.

"First, I want you to tell me what's wrong, and I think you should do it over a cup of coffee with me."

"Rick…"

He took her hand in his and began pulling her towards the kitchen. He pulled out a stool and forced her into it, placing a kiss on her forehead before he rounded the bar to start a pot of coffee.

"So, are you going to tell me why you just freaked all the way out on me in there?" he asked, motioning back towards the bedroom.

Still, he got no response.

"Kate, I can't fix this problem on my own, whatever it is, you have to tell me…." He was pushing but he was being as sweet as possible about it.

"Look, Castle, I didn't mean to freak you out, or come on to strong, I just thought that you were in to me, and I guess I had gotten the wrong impression. I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable, or was to much to soon."

He walked back over to the opposite side of the bar, spun her chair towards him and grabbed her chin, forcing her to look at him.

"I'm suppose to be the one apologizing for pushing to much, too soon, right?" he let out a chuckle and her face broke a little, he could tell that her anxiety was settling.

"It's not that I don't want to go there with you, because I do. I can't wait until I can go there with you, but I think that we both need time to prepare ourselves for that. You just got out of a serious relationship, and I just promised myself I'd be single for a year. I think what both of us need is some time to adjust to everything that's going on between us. We clearly weren't looking for this, but I think we can both agree that we have something here…" he paused, searching her face for something, anything, but still he got nothing.

"If I'm wrong and you want to walk out that door right now, I promise I wont stop you. I just wanted you to know that what happened in there was not rejection. I know that if things had gotten any more out of control in there then I wouldn't have been able to stop."

He released her chin from his hand and her eyes fell to the floor. She didn't know what to say. She had clearly misinterpreted what had happened in his bed just minutes before.

"im sorry.." she mumbled

"I don't know what happened in there Rick. One-second things were getting heated and the next you were resisting and I just felt like I had overstepped. I freaked out because I thought you didn't want me, didn't want to do that with me. I know that I'm not really experienced, I've only been with one person, and I thought that maybe you could tell."

"Kate, babe, I don't care about how much 'experience' you have or don't have. That's not important to me, but I tell you what is important to me. I want you to be completely comfortable and ready whenever we do take that step, if I'm so lucky to get to take that step with you." He pulled her body close, embracing her in a hug and rubbing his hands over her back to try and calm her.

"I am ready Rick. If you couldn't tell back there I was completely ready and comfortable. You were the one that was uncomfortable with what was happening."

"Well, can you blame me? Last night you were basically telling me that sex was off the table, which I agree with, and then you're jumping my bones this morning. I just don't want something to happen that you'll regret."

"Regret? I would never regret sleeping with you."

"Maybe not, but I'm not willing to take the risk. I want us both to be ready and all in when it happens. I don't think I could risk losing you over something as silly as sex. So lets agree that no more heated make out sessions until we are both ready to take it to the next level."

"So basically you're saying that before we have sex we are going to have to have a sex talk?" She let out a giggle and he was happy to see that the situation was becoming lighter for her.

"Well, I'm assuming you know how it works after seeing you in action in there a few minutes ago." He joked.

"I do." She barked back.

"Well then, when the time comes we will discuss it and if we are both ready then we will… ya know." He trailed off, looking around the room, like he was nervous that someone might overhear.

She noticed him getting uncomfortable now so she decided to tease him a little.

"What Rick? Have sex? Fuck? Is that it…. you want to fuck me. Oh, or make love. That's what you want to do, right? You want to make love to me.." she was teasing, but the look of shock she drew from him was completely worth it.

"So, what if I do want to make love to you?" he said as he wrapped his hand around the side of her neck, drawing her in for a slow, passionate kiss. When their lips parted he peppered a few kiss over her cheek and around her jaw, and when he was close enough to just whisper to her.. "does that scare you? That I want to make love to you?"

She leaned into his touch and his face as she felt herself melt into him. She took both of her hands and threw them over his shoulders pulling him close to her as he stood between her thighs. Giving him a complete answer by her actions, he could tell that she wanted nothing more. He began to pull back a little bit, placing his forehead against hers and staring at her closed eyes. He gave her a small peck before standing up straight.

"Good." He said as he walked back over to the coffee pot, pulling down two cups and filling them for the both of them.

Kate stood up in search of her purse. She had almost forgotten it behind in her rush out the door. How awkward would that have been if she had forgotten it and had to turn around and come back to get it after storming out like a child. She brushed it off with a little light laughter, and when she found her phone she pulled it out of her purse to see that Josh had texted her quite a few times. She opened the text to see that they were mostly drunken, stating how much he missed her and wanted her. Some of them were even a little vulgar, talking about things he wanted to do to her sexually. She ignored them, pushing her phone into her purse. She wasn't shocked that he was still thinking about her and that he was drunk texting her. She figured she would probably be doing the same thing if she hadn't been cuddled up in bed with Rick last night.

She sat back down at the bar and shared a few cups of coffee with him, exchanging soft caresses, and even allowing Rick to steal a few sweet kisses. She knew that Rick had to leave today so she wanted all the time she could get with him. It was still early, barely past 8 we they said their goodbyes. He had to catch a plane in a few hours and he wasn't even packed yet. They shared a million goodbye kisses with her arms wrapped around his neck, after each goodbye coming back for more.

"You're going to make me late.." he said as he peppered her face with kisses.

"Okay, I'm going, I'm going." She said, unwrapping her arms from his neck.

"I'll call you tonight when I get settled into my hotel room, okay, I promise."

"Rick, you don't have to call me if you're busy. I know it's a work trip and you're going to be really busy."

"Hey.." he said, taking her hand in his and pulling it up to place a kiss on her wrist.

"I'll call, I promise."

"Ok." She threw a smile at him before turning and walking out the door, letting him close it behind her.

Sorry for the delay in posting. Major computer issues in the last 24 hours, but it's all fixed now.

Also, I am well again, which is amazing after the many hours spent hugging the porcelain throne. Thanks to the reviewers leaving nice comments. Reviews make it easy to write more and more because you know that people are reading and enjoying. I'm willing to write as long as people are engaged in the story.