steal away the pain

Warm me

Like sunlight

And soothe me

Like rain.

Burn me

With passion

And steal away

The pain

-Tyler Knott Gregson

For Sandy

She's lying almost on top of him, his arms around her back, keeping her tucked against him in a secure hug. His fingertips trail up and down along her spine, the lazy strokes soothing on her battered skin.

She feels his hands reaching out for the blanket draped across her waist and he pulls it upwards until they are both wrapped into the protective shield of the soft fabric.

She shoves her feet between his, seeking the source of warmth and feels his hold on her tightening ever so slightly, his arms pulling her impossibly closer into his broad chest and she feels tendrils of warmth starting to spread out through her body, strands of sunlight creeping into her heart replacing the aching cold the day has left behind.

She hears his steady heartbeat where her head is rested on his chest, the constant beats almost hypnotic, and she can feel the tightness around her throat unfurling bit by bit, feels the way the constricted talons start loosening their grip and is finally able to breathe again.

She feels his soft lips peppering kisses to the crown of her head again and can't prevent the small smile from tucking at the corners of her mouth.

She can still taste the salty remnants of tears on her chapped lips, feels the way the tears dry on her cheeks, leaving a feeling of numbness behind ; and she can still hear her guttered sobs echoing through the bedroom, ghostly sounds that slowly start to dissipate into the silent shadows of the room.

She lets her eyes slip closed for a second, just relishes in the feeling of his strong arms around her, holding her up and the way his smell seems to take her in, cover her up with a blanket of safety and home and she can feel the tremors that are still running through her body, the tingling sensations that are still vibrating underneath her skin start to dissolve into nothing but a sense of warmth and a peaceful quiet.

When her breathing starts to even out he's almost sure that she is asleep and it's only then that he lets himself relax; lets go of the tension that has never quite left him from the second his fiancée was abducted and lets his eyes fall shut as well.

He doesn't quite catch the muttered plea mumbled into his chest, her whispered words slurred and almost incomprehensible.

"Marry me"

He frowns ever so slightly, opens his eyes again to find her staring up at him, wide green eyes regarding him with an intent expression.

"What?"

She sits up a bit so that she is facing him directly as she speaks. "Marry me tomorrow… please" her voice is still a bit raspy and he can't help but cringe a little at the way it breaks around the edges.

"Kate…"

"Castle I just…" she sighs "with everything that's happened, with Bracken out there" her voice trails off into nothingness and he can see the tears sparkling in her eyes again, small crystals glittering in the dim light of the lamp still burning on his nightstand.

"You're not going to die Kate" he reaches out his palm and places it on her cheek, cups the soft flesh where her skin isn't bruised and battered and starts to draw slow circles on the velvety softness of her skin.

"I know Castle, I just…" she gulps heavily, stares up at the bedroom ceiling for a second before she goes on "I don't wanna waste any more time I…" a lone tear spill out of the corner of her eye and leaves a small track where it cascades down her cheek until he catches it with the pad of his thumb.

He sees the way she is trying to catch her breath again, sees the way she is fighting an internal battle with herself and gives her a small, quick nod.

"Okay" she looks up at him, her green eyes meeting his blue ones and he sees the relief shimmering in them as she smiles up at him, a smile that erases the lines of worry and fear and replaces them with an expression of happiness and content that lights up her face in the most beautiful of ways.

"I'll marry you tomorrow." And with that he leans down in order to capture her lips in a passionate, slow kiss that dispels the last remains of the cold the day has left behind.

She feels the way the exhaustion starts to weigh her down, the fatigue heavy in her bones and sinks further into Castle, conveying all her weight on him as she cuddles deeper into his embrace.

"Sleep now. I've got you, you're safe" her mind is almost unable to process his words, already on the verge of sleep and only dimly aware of her surroundings.

"I'm scared"

He knows exactly what she's scared of, hell he is scared of the pictures that might come back to haunt him, the images conjured by his imagination that won't let him get any rest.

"I know Kate" his fingers comb through the soft curls tumbling down her back in soothing, long strokes.

"But I'm here, and I won't let anything happen to you okay?" he feels the almost imperceptible nod against his chest.

"Okay… I love you" she sighs into his chest before she finally gives into the pulls of her exhaustion trusting his steady presence to wash away the images of the day that are lurking at the corners of her mind.

He is with her. She's safe. She can sleep.

Always.

AN: I just had to write something about this, I know this isn't the best thing ever but I hope you liked it a little? Also I am not sure whether I want to write the wedding or not…

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Twitter: AlyssaLucyAnne