A/N: First of all, thank you SO much for your overwhelming response to this story. I really appreciate it. Second, I apologize for how short this chapter is compared to the first, but I felt this scene should stand on its own. Hope you still enjoy it.

Disclaimer: For the millionth time, Castle is not mine.

One and Only

Chapter 2

The faint light shining through the blinds woke her up. She opened her eyes, but closed them quickly, her hand automatically reaching up to block out the light. Halfway through the action, however, a sharp pain in her chest flared up and she squeezed her eyes shut and gritted her teeth, waiting for it to pass.

That was when everything came back to her and she realized she was still in the hospital. It hadn't been a dream. She opened her eyes again and blinked until she could get used to the sunlight shining through the window. After a minute, she looked around, taking in her surroundings. It was an ordinary hospital room. There was something resembling a couch to her left that looked entirely uncomfortable, a TV in front of her bed and a monitor that showed her vital signs to her right.

A sudden movement to her left caught her attention and she turned her head slowly to see what it was. The scene she found made her smile. Castle was sitting on an uncomfortable looking chair, his head resting on the bed next to her. He was still holding her hand.

She gently extricated her hand from his and brushed a strand of hair from his forehead. He was going to have one hell of a kink in his neck when he woke up from sleeping in that position, she thought to herself. She was glad he was there, though. He had spent the whole night with her, holding her hand, giving her comfort and making her feel safe.

After he had told the doctor she was awake, a nurse came in to check her vitals and gave her something for the pain. Whatever it had been, it had knocked her out because the last thing she could remember was Castle telling her to go to sleep as soon as he had come back into the room.

He moved again under her hand and she looked down at him. He was frowning for a moment, but soon his expression changed. A low moan escaped his lips and it looked like he was in pain. Kate debated with herself if she should wake him up, but when she heard him say her name with a gasp and moan the word no over and over again, she decided to take action.

"Castle." She tried to say his name, but her voice was barely a whisper and he didn't even flinch. "Castle. Rick, wake up. It's just a dream." She tried again, this time running her finger gently to soothe the line on his brow.

His eyelids fluttered and she touched his cheek when his eyes met hers.

"Kate." The sheer relief and emotion in his voice was almost too much for her to bear. He reached out to touch her hand, holding it close to his cheek and closed his eyes. She felt the tears burning behind her eyes and made an effort to smile at him comfortingly when he looked up at her.

"Hey. You okay?" she asked softly and he nodded, sitting up straighter on the chair.

"Yeah, did I wake you?" he closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose.

She noticed the dark circles under his eyes and felt guilty for making him worry about her like this.

"No, the sun woke me up. Don't worry about it." She offered him a small smiled and squeezed his hand comfortingly.

"How are you feeling?" he asked after a beat.

"Sore. But it's bearable now. Whatever it was they gave me last night was really good. It's my new best friend." She told him with a grin and he chuckled.

"Hey, I thought I was your best friend." He said in a teasing tone and entwined his fingers with hers, leaning against the bed again.

"I don't know what gave you that idea, Castle." She smirked and he brought their joint hands to his chest.

"Oh, that hurts, Kate. Not cool." He pouted and she started to chuckle, but stopped abruptly when her chest hurt again.

"You okay?" he was suddenly on his feet, hovering over her, concerned.

"Yeah. Don't make me laugh, though. It hurts to do that." She told him, feeling frustrated.

"Sorry." He said sheepishly. "Do you want me to go get a nurse?" he started to move away, but her hold tightened on his hand.

"No, I'm fine. Just… stay here?" she asked, almost shyly. He seemed touched by her request and smiled at her, sitting on the edge of her bed.

"Of course. I'm not going anywhere until you want me to." He reassured her and she nodded gratefully. "Is this okay?" he gestured to him being on her bed.

"Sure. It's probably more comfortable than that chair." She quipped and he nodded, assessing how sore his neck was. "How's the neck?"

"Eh, I'll live. It was worth it. Just knowing that you're okay…" he trailed off as he looked away. "I'd do it again in a heartbeat." He said after a moment.

"Thank you." She whispered, swallowing hard to dissolve the knot that had suddenly appeared in her throat.

"Always, Kate. You know that." He brought her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on her skin.

"Right back at you. Always." She promised him and this time his smile reached his eyes. She sighed as he ran his fingers up and down her arm. "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure."

"What you said to me after I was shot…" she bit her lip and debated with herself the wisdom of talking about this particular topic at that moment. With a sigh, she decided to continue. "Did that really happen or did I just imagine the whole thing because I was too out of it?"

She bit her lip again, apprehensively, waiting for his answer.

"You mean when I told you I love you?" he asked and she was surprised that he was being so blunt.

"Yeah." She whispered and he smiled at her reassuringly.

"It really happened." He told her and she wasn't sure how she should feel about this. Of course she was happy that he loved her – especially because she loved him right back – but their timing, as usual, sucked.

"Oh."

"You said you love me back last night." He commented and she looked up at him at the uncertain tone of his voice.

"I remember that. And I do." She admitted and couldn't help but smile when he beamed at her.

"Yeah?" he inquired softly and she chuckled, grimacing when her chest hurt again.

"Yes, but don't make me laugh." She swatted at his arm weakly and he caught her hand, bringing it to his lips. "Should we talk about this?" she asked after a moment.

"We should, but it doesn't have to be now. You need to rest so you can heal faster so I can take you out on a proper date." He responded excitedly.

"Is that so?" she teased him and he nodded with a giddy smile. She moved over a little to her right as slowly as possible so not to make her pain any worse. When there was enough space, she patted the bed. "Come here. Why don't you tell all about this supposed date you think you're going to take me on?" she suggested with a teasing smile.

"Won't that hurt you?" The concern was back in his eyes and she sighed. He had a point.

"Just do it slowly. I'll tell you if it hurts." She said and he did exactly as she told him, after putting the bed in a half sitting position. When he was comfortably sitting next to her, he kicked his shoes off and stretched his legs on the bed. "You're just making yourself right at home, aren't you?" she smirked and he rolled his eyes.

"Hey, you invited me, Detective. Quit complaining." He told her and put an arm around her shoulders. "That okay?" he asked after a minute, worried that he might hurt her.

She leaned against his side as much as her pain would allow her and relaxed, her head resting on his shoulder. In this position her chest barely hurt at all. He ran his fingers slowly up and down her arm and she sighed.

"It's perfect." She told him and he kissed the top of her head. She closed her eyes and yawned.

"Do you want to go back to sleep?"

"I thought you were going to tell me about our date." She looked up at him, but her eyes felt heavy. She felt so tired all of a sudden.

"I can do that later, Kate. We have plenty of time." He kissed her cheek and she turned her head to touch his lips with hers in an innocent kiss.

"What was that for?" he asked when they broke apart.

"Just thank you. For being here. For being you." She told him, resting her head on his shoulder again.

"Thank you for letting me." He kissed the top of her head again. "Now go to sleep."

"Mhmm. You should get some sleep too." She mumbled and he smiled.

"I will." He reassured her and pressed his lips to her hair again.

"Okay. Night."

She closed her eyes and was asleep in a matter of seconds.

Thoughts?