A/N: Okay so after a lovely 3 day stay in a semi private hospital room, I am finally back. Sorry!

A/N 2: After completing this chapter I have finally given in to the conclusion that this story will be nothing but a huge, sugar soaked, candy coated loveball. Love, smut, sweetness and short lived angst is all I got here.

And I am strangely okay with that! Sometimes you just want something happy, ya know?

Castle and Beckett dragged themselves through the door of the loft well after 2 AM; making it as far as the couch before collapsing, Kate leaning heavily into his side.

There was a slip of paper on the coffee table. Rick picked it up, reading out loud. "There is only so long one can wait for pasta. I am going in search of sustenance. Perhaps a loaf of bread... don't wait up." He rolled his eyes. "Les Miserables? Really, Mother?"

Kate laughed. "Wow. Even her notes are dramatic. You have to love her for that, Castle."

"Oh, I love her for many reasons. Her talent for drama is not one of them." He watched as she leaned her head back and closed her eyes, tracing the long line of her neck for a moment before shaking his head. "Right. Food. We need food."

"Oh, Castle," It was as close to a whine as she had ever come. "I'm so tired. Let's just go to bed and you can make me a big breakfast, okay?"

Rick wrapped his left hand around the back of her neck, his thumb stroking her cheek. "You need food. It's my job to take care of you."

Beckett smiled, her cheeks turning pink. "Sometimes I forget how sweet you can be."

He waggled his eyebrows at her, his voice turning lecherous. "Besides we need to keep your strength up."

"And then I remember why."

Castle smiled. "Stay here. I'll bring you something."

She leaned her head back again, closing her eyes and listening to the comforting sounds of him in the kitchen. After what seemed like only a few moments, he was back and he was holding something that smelled heavenly. Her appetite came rushing back in a flood, making her sit up and blink.

Castle set the plates on the coffee table before running back to the kitchen to grab two glasses of wine.

Kate leaned forward and breathed in deeply, feeling her mouth start to water as he sat back down. He had made stir-fry with chicken and peppers.

One of her favorites.

She picked up her fork and took a bite, groaning as the flavor exploded in her mouth. Before she had even taken her first drink of wine, the plate was empty.

"Good thing you weren't hungry."

Kate looked at him sheepishly as she took a sip from her glass. "I guess I'm just used to ignoring what I need."

"Well now you have someone that won't let you."

Beckett 's smile was one he would remember for the rest of his life.

Her face softened, went completely smooth; her lower lip trembling slightly as the corners of her mouth curled up. She ran a finger from his temple to his chin, using it to turn his head as she leaned up to kiss him, the happiness in her eyes a palpable thing.

This was who she was supposed to be, before someone stole it from her.

Before someone took everything she should have had.

The kiss was slow and tender and in some ways far more torturous than many of their more heated moments.

When Kate began to deepen it, climbing into his lap, Rick broke away with a heartfelt sigh. "No."

She blinked. "Are you seriously turning me down?"

"No, no, oh god no. It's just... you just... need sleep." He gripped her hips tightly, trying to hold her still when she started moving in small circles; driving him crazy and making him forget exactly what he was going to say.

AND why the hell he would want to say it.

He pulled her down, kissing her hard before wrapping her up in his arms and standing.

"Castle!"

Rick couldn't tell if it was surprise or outrage.

Oh well... better to ask for forgiveness than for permission. It was one of his favorite quotes.

Hell it had been the mantra of his life.

"Castle, put me down! I am perfectly capable of walking."

"And I am perfectly capable of carrying you. So now that we have that sorted out.."

Kate pulled her lower lip between her teeth, making him stumble as he carried her through the study. "I'm not that kind of girl, Castle."

He came to an abrupt halt right outside his bedroom, setting her carefully on her feet. He smiled down at her with an unreadable expression on his face. "You are every kind of girl, Beckett. And an extraordinary woman."

She swallowed and glanced through the door, looking for something to ease a little of the moment. "So you only go as far as the door, huh? No bed turn-down service?"

Castle was so still she thought she had said something wrong but when she looked back at him he was smiling. "Another time."

Kate's eyebrows furrowed in confusion but before she could ask, Rick took her hand and pulled her into the bedroom. "Do you want to take a shower?"

She smiled. "Not such a saint after all."

Rick frowned at her. "I meant alone."

Beckett shook her head, going to the drawer he had emptied for her to pull out a pair of shorts and a tank. Standing in front of the mirror, she wiggled out of her jeans, tossing them into the corner. Her shirt followed quickly. When she unhooked her bra and peeled it from her body, a low growl of pleasure escaped her lips.

She had always adored that feeling.

Kate's thumbs slid into her black lace panties. She had just begun to pull them down when she felt Castle's hands engulf her own; holding them still. He was already naked and she could feel the heat of him against her back, the hard length of him barely touching her; so close his breath stirred the hairs on the back of her neck. "Was there something you wanted?" She whispered breathlessly, giving him a wicked look over her shoulder.

"Just to help." Rick moved her hands away one by one, pulling them down to hang at her sides. Then he slid his fingertips under the edge of the lace, using every self-control trick he knew to keep himself from ripping them off her body.

Slowly, he slipped his hands down her thighs, palms wide open, the entire front of his body sliding down; brushing over every inch of her back.

Kate shook violently and felt him smile against her ass. "Shut up."

Laughing softly, he reversed his path and did the same thing all the way back up. When he was standing behind her again Kate looked at their reflection closely; smiling in delight when she realized that they looked like the cover of a Marvel comic. Like X-Men's Wolverine standing behind his little asian bride.

An X-Rated version anyway.

Kate flushed.

And Rick didn't miss it for a second. "Now that looked like a good thought right there."

"It was." She laughed. "Just not the way you mean. Although..." She considered for a moment. "It might be fun." Kate grinned to herself when she felt his knees shake behind her. "Let's just say that if you knew that thought? I would never live it down."

"Well, now I have to know."

"Good luck with that."

She reached for the lotion, jumping when Castle grabbed her hand and pulled it back to her side.

"I said I wanted to help."

The deepness of his voice sent a bolt of desire through Beckett; starting at the top of her head and flashing through her entire body before exiting out her toes.

But damn...

It left a lasting echo.

Panting softly, Kate nodded.

Castle shifted around her, purposely brushing his entire length against the back of her arm as he put a small amount of her rich lotion in his palm. He had just placed his hands on her shoulders when he stilled again, making her whimper.

Then his breath was in her ear. "Feel free to wiggle."

"Jesus, Castle!" Beckett couldn't contain the wild shudder his words sent thundering through her.

Chuckling, Rick started at her neck, working the lotion into her skin with deep strokes of his fingers.

"Oh..." Kate's head tilted back, landing on his shoulder; her eyes closing when Castle's thick, strong fingers found every sore spot and knotted muscle.

His fingers...

"Castle..." The warning was weak and she knew it. She had no defense against his touch. She never did.

She was just glad it took him this long to figure it out.

"Shhhhh." Rick smoothed his hands down her sides, purposely avoiding all of the places that were ticklish as he dug his fingers into her hips; feeling her buck against him.

And then he was on his knees, his hands worshipping her thighs and calves as she reached back to tangle her fingers in his hair.

"Rick..." She tugged... hard. "Rick... please..."

Castle froze. The want and need in her voice rendering him immobile.

But only for a moment.

"I'm not done yet." He whispered, smoothing his hands from the tips of her toes and up the front of her calves. When he reached her thighs he slowed, turning the massage into more of a caress. Closing his eyes, Rick lost himself in the feel of her. Giving up all pretense of the game he pressed into her from behind.

The feel of her firm backside against his hardness was more than he could handle. Castle wrapped his arms around her, pulling her roughly against his front as he growled in her ear, "Not such a saint... after all."

He bit down firmly on her neck, tonguing over the sore spot to soothe it as he cupped her breasts; kneading them gently.

Becket was going crazy. How could this be happening to her? She had been content for the last ten years with nothing more than friendly one night stands that never led anywhere.

Especially not back to bed...

She flushed. She couldn't even remember how many times she had ended up screaming in his arms the last few days.

It was him. It had to be him.

Kate felt his right hand slide downwards as his left continued to drive her crazy with his manipulation of her nipples.

But all that faded away as Rick's hand slid into the wetness between her legs, parting her folds and gathering the slick fluid onto his fingertips. Pressing more tightly against her, he circled the tight bundle off nerves at the tope of her cleft slowly.

Too slowly.

Becket whimpered and began to grind against him but Castle put his free hand around her stomach, holding her still.

"What... What are you doing?" Kate's voice was ragged, deep to the point that it sent a shock of desire down Rick's spine; sorely testing his resolve.

"Loving you."

But when Kate grabbed his hand and slid two of his fingers inside herself, that was all he could handle. He pulled out of her quickly, watching her face in the dresser mirror as he licked his hand clean before picking her up and carrying her to the bed. He laid her down gently before covering her with his own body.

Kate let out a happy sigh. He was big, heavy... the hard length of him rubbing against her stomach.

She had never felt anything more perfect.

She smiled at him lovingly as she reached for the light.

"No." Castle grabbed her hand gently. "I want to see you."

Becket swallowed but nodded, spreading her legs, allowing him to fit perfectly between them.

Staring directly into her eyes, he slowly entered her.

Kate leaned her head back and groaned at the feeling. A groan that quickly turned to a whimper when Castle stopped moving. She felt his hands on her face, puling her head up.

"You need to keep your eyes open Kate." He shifted his hips slightly, making her gasp. "If you close your eyes... I stop moving. Okay?"

"Why?" She panted, half turned on and half pissed off.

"Because I know what my eyes look like...when I think about you..." He swallowed. "I just want to see that in your eyes too."

Unable to speak, Kate just nodded.

Never losing eye contact, Rick slid all the way home. Her eyes rolled back for just a moment before they met his again.

Slowly, Castle began to move.

It wasn't wild or crazy. It wasn't naughty or playful.

His strokes were slow and sweet, his touch gentle and yet still left a trail of fire in it's wake as his hands wandered across her body with slow, shameless abandon.

All while keeping up the same gentle pace that, coupled with the darkened blue of his eyes, somehow seemed to push into her more deeply than she had ever felt.

Kate tried to hold on for as long a she could, but the heat deep in her belly was spreading exponentially, to the point where she thought she might actually immolate on the spot.

"Rick... Rick..." Her hips begin to grind in lazy circles and for the first time Castle groaned. He continued to thrust slowly but she could feel the force behind each surge against her. She wrapped her legs around his ass; not trying to hurry him, just wanting more of him.

And she got it. Two more long, strong thrusts that sent a shockwave of pleasure up her spine, causing her whole body to shudder as her tightening inner walls did the same to him. They came together, never looking away.

And for the first time Katherine Beckett really understood.

She didn't just love Richard Castle.

She was IN love with him.

And he was in love with her.

Smiling through her tears she wrapped her arms around him and held on tight.

"Really?" Castle grinned like a 9 year old, turning in circles as he flexed his muscles over and over. It would have been funny except that he was naked.

Which gave her a 360 degree view of...well...everything.

With an excited bounce he leapt back into bed, wrapping himself around her tightly.

"Yes, Castle! For the 20th time, Wolverine." She shifted in his arms, pressing herself more fully against him until she was almost completely on top of him. He had his arms wrapped tightly around her, their legs twined gently together. His fingers were playing in her hair, her's against his chest.

God she loved how he felt. All of him... any of him she could get. It was slightly terrifying.

"Then that would make you..." He raised an eyebrow.

"Jean Grey."

" Ahhh... Phoenix. Hot." He snickered.

"Mature, Castle."

"Hey you bought your ticket, you takes your ride. You knew what you were getting into."

Kate looked like she wanted to say something, but didn't know how.

''Just say it." Castle smiled at her.

"It's just..." She shifted, sliding backwards until she was tucked into his side and could look up into his eyes. "I don't think I've ever done pillow talk before."

Rick grinned. "I can do any kind of talk."

"Yes, I know." Beckett rolled her eyes and pushed him onto his back again, wrapping herself around him. "Now go to sleep."

Silence.

"Beckett?"

Kate groaned. "What, Castle?"

"Do you like pillow talk?"

Silence.

"Kate?"

He felt her arms tighten around him.

"Yeah... Yeah, I think I do."

Rick smiled and kissed her forehead.

"If you tell the boys I will kill you and they will never find the body."

A/N OF EMBARRASSMENT: It would appear that I left out a line break between the love and the silliness. I plead that it was 6 AM and I had consumed 3 redbulls.

Or I could just be a bonehead. :D

Thank you dear Reviewers for pointing it out so nicely. You guys rock!