A/N: I told you I'd update within the week! But I don't think you will love me after this chapter...and I haven't started the next one yet so...Happy Reading!

Rick was back in the cemetery, although there was no calming voice or sensual, hazel eyes to relax him. No, in their place a symphony of gunshots sounded. He ran through the tombstones, looking for one big enough to duck behind. He settled on one, just glancing at the name Roy Montgomery etched in stone, but before he could dive down something caught his eye. A young Alexis was running towards him smiling, and giggling. She looked happy as she waved to him, completely unaware. He tried to call out for her to stop but she kept running. He began sprinting to her but not before something flew from the corner of his eye towards her. She slowed her pace and gave him a confused look before collapsing into a heap on the ground. There was an eerie silence. His legs gave out from under him, sending him flying into the dirt. Quickly he pushed himself up and started sprinting again. Tears burned in his eyes and cascaded down his face as he screamed but Rick never stopped running.

Kate stood in the doorway of Rick's bedroom for a while, staring at Castle and debating about whether to cross the threshold. She felt a little creepy about it all but figured Castle had done it to her all the time. Rick's face was contorted with anguish and Kate felt her heart break. It was when he started thrashing she decided to act. It was when he started yelling she was at his bedside, clutching his hand and gently tangling her fingers through his hair. It was damp but she didn't care. She noticed the beads of sweat forming on his forehead and the single tear that fell from his closed eye. Kate was tired of watching him suffer.

When he frantically reached his little girl, she was nowhere in sight. The patch of grass she'd landed on was completely empty, except for the ring he and Meredith had given her. His wild eyes studied the cemetery but finding no Alexis. Again, his name was called across the cemetery. At first, Rick was frightened to look but when she called a second time his eyes turned to its direction. Kate was coming towards him at a moderate pace, clad in her police uniform. Her expression was stern but Rick felt an overwhelming sense of joy at the sight of her. He began running towards her again, ignoring the burning in his legs, and she picked up her pace. He stumbled over the freshly overturned dirt as he darted through the tombstones.

They were only a few feet away when the gunshot sounded. The loud crack left a ringing in Rick's ears but all he could focus on was Kate's figure dropping. Rick flew to her side and cradled her head in his left hand while running his right up and down her arm. She looked at him through cloudy eyes but only a single tear escaped her gorgeous, hazel eyes. His vision began to grow darker and darker.

At the last second, just before the world faded away he whispered, "Don't die on me Kate, okay?" His voice cracked with emotion. "I love you, Kate. I love you."

Katherine Beckett's eyes widened as Castle, in a sleepy haze, whispered words she expected to never hear again. She couldn't help the giddy feeling bubbling inside her or the worry that pressed it all down. Slowly, she rose from her kneeling position next to his bed and untangled her fingers from his hair. She'd been trying to wake him as gently as possible so he didn't wake up more afraid than he was asleep. When she regained her composure she threw a final glance at him and proceeded to turn away. The room was dark and Kate had never set foot in there before, so it was no surprise that she caught her hip on his bed side table, resulting in a gasp of pain and a booking falling to the ground with a loud thud. Rick woke with a start, eyes foggy.

"Alexis?" he asked groggily.

"No, it's Kate," she replied quietly. "Go back to sleep."

"Why are you here?"

"I heard you, Castle. Sounded like a nightmare."

"Come 'ere," he slurred, reaching out into the darkness. Kate hesitated but put her hand in his. Rick interlaced their fingers and pulled her so her thighs were against his bed. Kate noticed that when he took her hand they stopped shaking. "It was a nightmare. You were there."

"I've been having them too, but now you need to back to sleep." Kate was willing to disclose her nightmares, figuring Castle wouldn't remember any of their exchange in the morning.

"Stay." His voice was quiet and laced with sleep but firm. That voice that made her heart leap into her throat. That word made her stomach drop.

"You don't want that," she muttered. "Go back to sleep."

"Please, Kate. Stay." It was that voice that made Kate let go of his hand and walk around the bed and climb into the other side. She'd only heard him sound so desperate a few times before and the situations were usually horrific.

Kate settled into the unbelievably comfortable mattress and the ridiculously high thread count sheets. She inhaled deeply and was filled with his scent; a smell she adored. Rick was about an arm's length away when she turned on her side to look at him.

"Wake me up if I have a bad dream and I'll do the same for you," Rick muttered, his head squished against his pillow.

"Thanks," Kate whispered.

"Always," Rick said decidedly, and without hesitation. His face remained unchanged but one arm snaked around Kate's waist and pulled her closer. Kate's eyes went wide and she tried to scoot away but Rick's grip tightened, pulling her until her back was pressed against his chest. His face buried in her hair and she heard him inhale. Kate waited until she heard his breathing even out before she whispered.

"I love you too, Rick."

Quickly she fell asleep again and for the first time since Montgomery's funereal, she didn't have a nightmare.

Kate woke up with a heavy arm draped across her waist and a warm body to her left. Light was peeking through the windows and she followed one ray of light that was shining on her partners face. After having forgotten where she'd gone to bed the previous night, Kate held back her gasp. She'd been enjoying the warmth but decided it was necessary that she get out of bed. Before that, however, she took great note in how relaxed his face looked and the way his hair fell lightly over his forehead and into his eyes in a way she loved. When she began to turn away the arm on her waist tightened.

"Don't get up yet, stay in bed," Castle murmured.

Kate opened her mouth to respond but before she could a pair of lips found her neck and began working their way to her jaw. It was then Kate began to worry. Sure, his hand on her waist was comfortable and she hadn't felt that safe since the shooting but she couldn't turn her brain off.

"Ca-Castle," she whispered breathlessly when his mouth found her pulse point. Electricity pulsed through her and butterflied pounded in the pit of her stomach. She couldn't hold back the moan that escaped her lips at how amazing his lips felt. "Castle," she moaned. He didn't stop and, to her dismay, Kate didn't mind. Until…

"Gina," he breathed against her jaw. Kate's stomach dropped. She immediately felt tears prick in her eyes and her throat clench. Castle brought his free hand up to caress her face but she pushed him back.

"Rick," she said, forcefully pushing him away. He looked at her with eyes glazed over from sleep. Confusion covered his face. Kate felt her heart break. She figured the whole situation was a result of the amnesia and he was used to having a body next to him. "Go back to sleep." He sighed, buried his face back into the pillow, and closed his eyes, completely unaware of the huge mistake he'd just made and how badly it hurt Kate. His breaths became even quickly and Kate waited until she was out of the room to burst into tears. She stood alone in the middle of the loft, tears streaming down her cheeks. She glanced at the clock and saw it was nearing 8:30. Her blurry gazed landed on her overnight bag by the couch. In the middle of the living room, she hurriedly changed clothes. Throwing on her tennis shoes, Kate ran out of the loft.