"Esposito, cover me," Kate whispered harshly, jaw set and eyes glittering with intensity. Their three suspects were spread all over the darkened room. They went to arrest one suspect – a known drug dealer – at his apartment and found his two cronies with him. A chase had ensued and now they were stuck in a warehouse with three most probably high scumbags ready to shoot a cop or cops.
Her heart was pounding fiercely against her chest, reverberating throughout her body and pumping adrenaline through her veins. She could see suspect number one and two from her position, hiding behind a set of metal containers. One was looking straight ahead and did not notice her advance. The other one was bent around one side of the container, his attention focused on the other side of the room.
She crept up slowly, her lips pursed in concentration, the sweat trickling slowly trickling down her neck, her vest feeling too tight with every breath she took. Kate made a quick and quiet advance on the targets, Esposito providing cover while Ryan closed in on from the opposite side. They were cornered. Her only concern was that she couldn't see suspect number three. He must be lurking with the-
Esposito shouting "Beckett!" and gunfire was the last thing she heard, suddenly lying on the ground, her head feeling thick and a dull ache quickly turning into a painful throbbing. Her eyes slipped shut and everything turned black, pulling her under into darkness.
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Warm. She felt warm. She tried to move away from the heat clinging to her back, burning over her legs. But she couldn't move away, something was holding her. Kate's eyes fluttered open, the early-morning sunlight painting the room – a strange room, her muddled mind supplied – in pale light. Her eyes slipped shut again, her mind slow to react. Her eyes snapped open when she felt his breath whoosh over her cheek in a sleepy sigh. Then she remembered – a large smile cracking open over her face, joy lighting up her face. She turned her head slightly to look at the man that she surprised late last night. The man she flew around the world for, the man to whom she professed her love a few hours ago, the man who carried her heart in his.
He was adorable with his face relaxed in sleep, his mouth slightly open and hair sticking up in every direction. Her smile widened at the sight of him. Her lover. Lover.
Wow.
Well, he was very definitely her lover now. Twice already.
Kate carefully turned in his arms to look at him. She tracked her eyes over his face, darting from the scar on his forehead down to his closed eyes, his nose and his delicious, wonderful mouth. She lifted a hand and gently brushed back the bangs falling over his forehead, dancing her fingers over his temple, over his cheek and down to his jaw, lightly scratching the stubble there. Before she could help herself, she leaned in and peppered his jaw and chin with soft, butterfly kisses; her heart flowing out into the gesture.
"I'm dreaming, aren't I?"
Kate jerked back and let out a surprised laugh. Rick's eyes were still closed, his mouth quirking. She smiled and leaned in again, her mouth hovering over his, a hand against his chest, feeling his steady heartbeat.
"Open your eyes," she whispered, her tone soft, eyes affectionate. He immediately opened his eyes, blinking a few times against the invading light before locking onto hers. They stared at each other for a moment.
"Hi," he said gruffly, his voice a combination of sleep and disbelieving joy.
Kate's mouth opened up into a large smile. "Hi," she murmured.
"You're here," he said. "You're really here." Apparently he didn't have a filter after just waking up.
She let out a soft chuckle. "I am." She bit her lip, shifting closer, her nose brushing against his cheek. "And I love you, Rick," she murmured before pressing her lips to his. They kissed slowly, languidly for a few moments.
"Definitely dreaming," he said, dropping his forehead against hers. One of his hands brushed piece of hair behind her ear, his thumb caressing the soft skin of her cheek.
Her mouth twisted into a teasing smirk, her hand on his chest slowly, purposefully moving downward and disappearing beneath the stark white sheets.
"Oh, yeah?"
He groaned and dropped his head onto her collarbone, half of his body already draped over her. Rick pressed his lips to her jaw, lightly sucking at the skin before moving to her mouth.
He pushed himself up and positioned his body over her smaller one, flames of arousal setting his body on fire.
"I love you," he said roughly before descending on her mouth in a hot, passionate kiss. She parted her lips and moaned into his mouth, her body arching into his and legs falling open. He pulled back for a moment just to watch her face, to see the naked emotion on her face. The love that was mapped out all over her body.
Her love for him.
What he saw left him breathless, his chest feeling tight. He dipped his head again, his mouth at her ear, hands moving down to her thigh, lifting her leg over his waist.
"God, I love you so much."
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When she regained consciousness, she could hear his voice. His frantic, angry voice. Kate sighed, her eyes still closed. Her head was pounding. Kate opened her eyes and started to sit up, suddenly feeling dizzy. Finally, she got into a seating position and realized she was in an ambulance and that her husband was outside somewhere having a very animated conversation with someone. She lifted a hand to her head and felt the bandage and touched the back of her head where the injury was, wincing.
It was time to get up.
"Why didn't you call back-up?" Rick was seething, his face hard, hands on his hips. He was seriously getting sick of receiving a phone call from one of the boys telling him that his wife got injured somehow. It never got easier.
He was busy writing – Lizzy sleeping in her little bed next to his desk – when he got the call. He nearly dropped his laptop when he sprang up in panic. Luckily, this time he listened to everything Ryan was saying before bolting out the door to ask Mrs. Thomson from downstairs to look after Lizzy while he went to get Kate.
Ryan sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. "We did, Castle. But what we're we suppose to do? Just let them get away."
Rick sighed, his anger deflating a little. "No. No, of course not. I- I'm sorry, Kevin. I just…" He pursed his lips, his eyes stinging. "I don't really enjoy getting these calls, you know?" He said with a lopsided smile.
The detective returned a tired smile. "Yeah and believe me, we don't like making them either."
The ambulance door suddenly swung open with Kate stumbling out unsteadily.
"Kate," Rick said rushing over to her.
She looked up, her eyes glassy and a little unfocused. "Oh, hey handsome," she tried to joke feebly. She could see the worry etched onto his features.
"You should be lying down, super cop," he said softly, steadying her.
"I'm-"
"-If you're going to say fine, I'm seriously going to lose it, Kate," he snapped, his voice turning hard.
Her eyes cut to his in surprise and she could see it in his eyes. He was scared and angry.
Oh, Rick.
She sighed and lifted a hand to his chest, fiddling with his collar. "I'm sorry."
He drew her closer and pressed a lingering kiss against her forehead.
"Let's just get you home."
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"I dreamed about us," she said, sinking further into their bed while her husband removed her shoes.
He glanced at her, a smile curling at his mouth. "Oh, yeah?"
"Mm-hmm." She felt sluggish, unable to keep up with her thoughts.
"What did you dream about, Kate?"
She sighed and smiled widely. "Our first morning together."
"Good memories," he murmured, urging her to sit up.
"Very good memories," she agreed. He removed her shirt. "Are you trying to feel me up, Mr. Castle?" She teased once he finally removed the item of clothing.
Usually he would retort with some witty or dirty innuendo, but not this time. He stayed silent, his jaw clenched and his eyes looking down. Kate frowned as she regarded her husband.
"Rick." She touched his face.
He lifted his eyes to hers, watching her for a moment. Battered and bruised. He brushed a hand over her cheek gently.
"This is getting old fast, Kate," he said softly on an exhale. She opened her mouth to say something, but was stopped by two of his fingers against her lips. "I thought when I heard Ryan tonight… I thought that he was calling to tell me that this was it. This was how our story ended." He swallowed past the lump; her eyes starting to well up. "Me alone and broken. And…" He hesitated, his eyes locked onto her face. "-my daughters motherless."
She sucked in a breath, the words cutting to straight to her heart.
"Rick," she breathed, wrapping her arms around him. "Oh, God. Don't. Please don't say that," she said, her voice cracking with emotion.
He pulled her tightly against him, pressing a kiss in her hair. He could've lost her tonight. The thought left him desperate and aching.
"Don't ever leave me, Kate. Please don't leave me," he choked out, crushing her against his chest.
After a moment, Kate pulled away and cradled his face in between her hands, stroking his jaw.
"I'm right here. Right here, love." Tears were trailing over her cheeks, his despair breaking her heart. "I'm not going anywhere anytime soon."
He nodded and covered her hands with his larger ones. "I know, I know."
He kissed her, hard and demanding.
They broke apart, panting. Rick pressed his forehead against hers. "You better not go anywhere, Mrs. Castle."
She touched his cheek with her lips. "You're not getting rid of me anytime soon, Mr. Castle."
"Good." He wrapped his arms around her.
"I want my daughter," Kate said softly after a while.
He pulled back and smiled, brushed a fingers over her cheek. He gave her another quick kiss.
"I'll go get her."
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"You're pregnant," he said quietly for about the fiftieth time that afternoon.
Kate laughed. "Yes, I think we established that, Castle."
He glanced up at her from his position currently at her stomach, one of his hands tenderly rubbing over her still-flat abdomen. They were lying in bed after thoroughly celebrating the good news. Luckily, no one was home – Alexis wisely choosing to spend the rest of the afternoon with her friends.
"It's just so awesome. A little person – our little person – is growing in here." He pressed a kiss against her stomach. Her heart fluttered at the gesture.
Sweet, adorable man. She adored him. Just completely loved this goofball of a man.
"You make me sound like some incubator," she grumbled without any real bite.
He lifted his eyes to hers and grinned. "Well, technically you are," he retorted with a shrug.
Kate rolled eyes.
"But a really, really sexy one," he continued, moving up towards her again.
"Oh, trying to charm me again, aren't you, Mr. Castle?"
His grin widened as he hovered over her. "Is it working, Mrs. Castle?"
She lifted her leg and wrapped it around his calf, rubbing her foot against his leg.
"What do you think?"
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Lizzy was fast asleep against her father's chest, a little hand fisted in the fabric of his shirt; her mouth slightly open. Kate sat up when Rick dropped a knee onto their bed to carefully place their daughter next to her mother.
"Hey baby girl," Kate murmured once Lizzy was beside her. She brushed a hand over the little girl's soft, dark curls and lied down next to her daughter. Kate kissed her softly on the cheek and forehead, Lizzy letting out a sleepy sigh and curling closer to her mother.
Kate also moved closer, her body enclosing protectively around the little girl.
Rick got in behind her, wrapping an arm around his wife's waist. She immediately searched for his hand, pulling it up to her mouth for a delicate brush of her lips.
She let out a shaky sigh, her fingers squeezing her husband's and her eyes on her daughter.
"I love you."
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If I could, then I would
I'll go wherever you will go
Way up high or down low
I'll go wherever you will go
Title and lyrics are from the beautiful The Calling song "Wherever you will go".
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