Second installment in the Round Robin twitter project, some of you must have seen already, this time composed by 21 fanfiction writer (Again, the full, updated list as well as the link to the original twitter thread can be found in the profile). Thanks to everyone for joining in, both writers and readers. See you next time! XO

"I lied before." she breathed out after a long pause. "I remember everything."

And then she hung up and turned off her phone.

What a coward you are, Kate Beckett.

Kate is pacing around her kitchen, phone clutched in her hand while she tries to breathe. Maybe he won't even listen to the voice mail. Maybe he will see her name in the caller list and delete it. She takes a deep breath to calm her nerves and turns her phone back on.

She sees his message and hears him say "You have the audacity to tell me this now?" She's never heard him sound like this. "Did you not know I was on the other side of the glass this afternoon?" Kate's knees begin to buckle.

Suddenly she pulls herself together. She's not having this festering sore between them - isn't the one between her breasts enough pain for both of them? She dials. "No," she bites furiously to his voicemail. "No. And if he hadn't been brought in, I was going to tell you then."

It's not everything, barely scratches the surface of what needs to be said, but maybe it's enough to end this stalemate, this game of telephone tag they're playing. "I'm going for a walk; will you meet me in the park by your place so we can actually talk?"

He's still seething, residual fury roaring in his blood that almost combats the yearning in his chest. She wants to talk, but what more is there to say? Is it really necessary to have her explain why she doesn't feel the same?

Castle sighs. May as well find out.

He delays leaving for as long as he can, practically dragging his feet as he walks towards the park. His mind's a mess, flooded with everything he's wanted to say for so long.

But all words vanish from his tongue when he finds her sitting at their swings.

"Castle-"

"No," he bites out. "No." He shoves his hands into his pockets and stubs a toe into the ground. He knows he looks like a child but he needs to think.

He needs the right words.

She remembers. And yet has kept silent.

"You don't have to love me back," he says.

He sits in the swing next to her, staring resolutely at the ground. He can't look at her, can't bear it, not when his heart already feels like it's being crushed by the weight of her lie.

But then her fingers tip his chin up and her voice cracks. "But I already do."

His eyes search hers for any sign of dishonesty, that she's saying this just to appease him.

It wouldn't be the first time she lied in the face of his feelings, after all.

He sees no deception, but he doesn't get why she lied, why she played with his heart that way.

"Do you?"

The question stings and she swears the words make her scar hurt a little more. However, with the way things have been between them lately, what else should she have expected?

"Of course I do," she murmurs, her gaze never wavering from his, her eyes begging him to believe her.

Then why did you lie to me? Why didn't you just tell me?"

She flinches. "Because I didn't want to break this, ruin it. I'm...terrible at relationships. And this one matters to me. So I tried to wait until I was better. I wanted to do this right. And I know I didn't but I just -

"You just what?" he demands when she falters, leaves the sentence unfinished. "Damn it, Beckett, you called me here, you have to-"

"I just love you too much to risk losing you!" she bursts out, tears shining in her eyes, threatening to break free.

She doesn't even have time to feel ashamed of how desperate she sounds before his lips are crashing over hers, her mind going pleasantly blank. Her arms move up to wrap around his neck, as she sighs, her hands tangling in his hair, but he slows their kiss and takes a step back.

Her body follows him slightly as he pulls away, not wanting to be any further from him, but her feet remain where they are and her eyes meet his. "I've waited, and hoped, for you to say that for so long... but I need to know where we stand, Kate."

She hangs onto the chains of his own swing, keeping him close. She will not let him get away - again. This is her chance to make things right, fix them. "Together, hopefully?" she offers as the thrill of anticipation of what's to come swarms inside her chest like a buzzing hive.

"And then we'll try to figure out the rest as we go? Together? "She runs her hand through his hair, over his ear, down to his neck, her fingers tentative and gentle in their caress. "Together." He finally responds as his hand catches hers, his lips kissing her palm. "I'd love that."

She feels the knot in her chest loosen up a little bit and smiles. The real thing. Not just with her lips and eyes and face, but with her heart too. "We'll make it, right?" She asks still a bit uncertain after all. "I just... we've been through so much just to fail now..."

"Of course we'll make it, ours is a great love story" he whispers in her mouth as his lips descend into heaven.

She sinks into his kiss, lets go of the regrets and fears, of everything she'd allowed to hold her back. It's slow this time, deep, his kiss benediction and promise both. Her body melts against him, and she slides her fingers between his, squeezing.

"Take me home."

He groans, his mouth brushing her cheek. Their clasped hands come up to rest against his sternum, and she can feel the frantic metronome of his heart pulsing between them.

"Are you sure this is what you want, Kate?" Castle murmurs at her temple.

"Yes," Kate says, the turmoil within her suddenly quiet, everything perfect and still like a photograph.

"Take me home," she repeats, even though she knows that right now, in this moment with him, she's already there.

Fin.