Eight.

She took a deep breath as the elevator doors dinged open. Now or never, Kate. With only one small hesitation, she rapped nervously on his door. She hoped he'd still be awake. She knew he'd still be awake. She was surprised by how long it took for the door to open though.

"Beckett." He greeted her with a stoic face and low voice.

"Rick, I.." she trailed off. It wasn't the warm reception she'd been hoping for but something in his eyes hinted that this cool, unaffected man in front of her wasn't entirely playing it truthful.

"Come in," he murmured, opening the door wide and helping to relieve her of her jacket. She toed off her shoes, scrunching her toes as the cool hardwood floor met with her bare feet.

Rick closed the door. The soft snick of the lock reverberating in her mind. The time had come. It was 'now'. In no time or place could it have been 'never'.

No. Not with these two.

The air was crackling with nervous energy, they were both on edge. The pair's minds replaying the previous events of the evening. The usual uncomplicated and easy silence was nowhere to be found. She followed him towards the large picture window. Stood next to him as he gazed out over the city. Bright, multicolored Christmas lights twinkled from neighboring windows and the familiar orange glow of the city had an extra air of magic about it. Somewhere along the way he had re-instilled her belief. She breathed in his familiar scent, allowed it's comforting spice to sooth her. A balm to her tortured senses. Their arms lingered dangerously close, a hair's breadth from touching. She allowed her pinky finger to tentatively splay towards his own.

He jumped about a foot at the connection and let out a somewhat pained sounding yelp.

"God, Kate..I.." he let his words trail off and paced over to the grand piano's bench. He patted the cushion and gestured for her to come sit beside him. "We need to talk."

"We do." she agreed softly.

"It's just..." "I never..." they both exclaimed together. They shared a small smile and at that moment an idea came to Kate.

She placed a finger softly at his lips, indicating for him to be quiet. She let her hands run over the keys of the beautiful old grand. Traced the familiar patterns of black and ivory. She hadn't played in years. Her dad has taught her well though. Calmly enduring the months, years, of halting scales until finally a firm grasp of musicality had been instilled in her. She angled her body more towards the piano, stretched her fingers out and prepared to tell Rick with music what her words were having a hard time expressing.

"Kate, wait!" he almost screamed.

"What the hell, Castle?" she cried, confusion on her face and nerves jangling anxiously in her belly.

"Sorry, sorry," he muttered, placing a soothing hand on her shoulder. He rose, walked over and raised the hood. He lifted a small box from inside, quietly placed the hood back down and gently laid the box on top.

"I'll explain later." He winked. Leaning towards her, he rested his face in his right hand and chuckled quietly.

"You were going to.." He made a 'go ahead' motion with his left hand.

"Ah, right." Kate lowered her head and timidly raised her eyes to his one last time before taking the plunge. He smiled warmly, the familiar twinkle returning to his sapphire eyes. She took a deep, steadying breath and began to play. She played through the first verse and quietly began to sing at the first refrain.

Merry Christmas darling, we're apart that's true.

But I can dream and in my dreams, I'm Christmasing with you..

Her dad had always played this song to her mom. He'd tried to get her to join in and every year her mom would slap him playfully on the chest, punch him in the arm and refuse. Kate's musical talent came squarely from her Dad's side of the family. It was her dad who had taught her piano, her uncle a rudimentary knowledge of guitar. Her mom's musical talent ended at a halting, one-handed rendition of "Mary had a Little Lamb".

...Logs on the fire, fill me with desire

To see you and to say,

That I wish you Merry Christmas, Happy New Year, too.

I've just one wish, on this Christmas Eve.

I wish I were with you,

I wish I were with you...

She let the melody trail off and looked to the man leaning on the piano, his gaze was riveted to hers. His eyes looked suspiciously watery.

"Kate, that was beautiful." He slowly walked towards her, offered a hand to raise her up. She accepted and gratefully collapsed into his embrace. They stood there, in his brightly decorated living room, swaying to a silent melody for a few beats.

"It was my mom's favorite."

"I'm sorry," he whispered into her hair, "I should never have run away...before."

"You're right," she chuckled, "that's my M.O."

Kate pulled back, allowed herself to gaze up at his face. Into his kind, soulful eyes. "But you know, it's what I needed. I went to visit Mom, to clear my head. You know, work some stuff out?" She flattened her hand on his chest and stroked a lazy circle. "And that's the thing about you Rick. You always seem to know what I need. And I'm so sorry. For pulling you along, for pushing you away. For this past week especially. Remind me to tell you about the ornaments sometime."

She smiled somewhat guiltily and continued. "But even when I'm floundering, with no clue of what I need, there you are."

She stroked his jaw with her palm. "Always."

"Always." he agreed solemnly.

She rested her head back against his chest and they again swayed to the silence.

"I love you, too." she softly admitted.

Rick smirked, "It's about time."

He cupped her face and gently took her mouth with his. The kiss was slow and gentle, lazy. Not at all like their previous two. Their tongues swiped and probed, tasted. Their hands stroked and caressed, assuring themselves that this was no dream. There was no danger, no anger. It was gloriously guilt free. It spoke of acceptance and forgiveness. Absolution. It spoke of forever.

As they broke apart, Kate finally took in the sight of the loft. Rick had gone overboard with the decorating. She expected nothing less. His child-like glee with the holidays had charmed her for a few brief moments before the weight of her mom's absence had reared it's ugly head.

"Really Rick? An alien's head tree-topper? Really?" she laughed out loud and lovingly smacked his broad chest. "Only you."

"Surely my childish ways are no secret? I think it's what you love about me most." he replied with a sly smile. He relished being able to mention the 'L' word.

"I'll show you mine, if you show me yours." she intoned, her voice becoming serious.

Rick's mind had already begun mentally undressing the beautiful brunette before the more cognitive part of his brain detected the somber ring to her voice.

"Hm?" he asked, genuinely confused.

"Your secret," she replied with a knowing nod of her head towards his study, "I may not have taken down my own yet either".

"Ah," he uttered out, the answer to her cryptic question coming to his mind abruptly. The murder board. How did she know? Of course she knew. Just as he had known about her little secret, she was sure to have known about his. They never were very good at hiding anything from each other. They had wasted an awful amount of time trying though. Panic began to bubble up in his chest.

"Kate, it's not..I mean..when you..and they..and..oh, God." He ran his hand roughly through his hair and bit his lips. Where were his words when he most needed them? He needed not to screw this up.

"Shh." She placed a soft hand to his cheek and stroked his hairline. "It's okay. I always knew you wouldn't be able to stay away. But I want us to solve it together. When I'm ready. When we are ready. I don't want to go through it alone anymore, I don't even know if I could."

"I love you," he sighed, thankful for this change that had come over the woman he loved.

"I know."

She grinned, led him through the threshold and into the study. He made a move towards the remote, placed haphazardly atop a pile of papers.

"Not now." she murmured, dragging him towards her and in the direction of his bedroom. "Later."

"Why, detective. I never thought you'd ask." Surprise and arousal springing up instantaneously. Surprise that she had let go enough to not need to see the board. Arousal because, well really, how many times had he imagined her pulling him to the bedroom?

"To sleep, Rick. To sleep."

He cleared his throat. "Of course."

He kissed her softly on the temple and laid her down on the bed. Eased himself beside her and wrapped his arms protectively around her waist. The soft satin of her work shirt slid up, revealing even softer skin. He splayed his hand across her belly and laid a chaste kiss to the back of her neck. He closed his eyes and drank in the scent of Kate, mingling with his own on his pillows. Made a mental note to ask her what she wore. It smelled like home.

"Goodnight, my heart."

"Until tomorrow, Rick."

Atop the stairs, Alexis grinned and padded quietly downstairs to the piano.

Kate's knock had roused her suspicions and brought her tacitly to the stairs. She had sat perched on the top step, riveted by the scene unfolding below. Her heart had swelled, stopped for a beat, watching these two make their inevitable collision. She had almost giggled out loud when she had seen her father's hiding place. She'd clamped a hand roughly over her mouth and held tight. Kate's beautiful singing voice had soothed a hurt she didn't know she still carried and a pang of guilt had momentarily made her consider retreating back to her bedroom. She wasn't sure she should have been a witness to this encounter. The soft smile of her father as he watched Kate sing had kept her rooted in place, unable and unwilling to move. She had quietly swiped silent tears from her cheeks as they shared their first kiss.

She picked up the box and studied it. Ran her fingers over the shiny, metallic paper and gave it a light shake. She would never have thought of the piano. She was definitely losing her touch.

"I'll let you have this one, old man," she whispered and put the box back carefully where he had left it.

She smiled towards his study, shuddered at what might be going on beyond the door to his bedroom and stealthily made her way back upstairs. Some things she would never be grown up enough to imagine. The love she had witnessed earlier though, the devotion, the friendship; she only hoped she too would someday find that.

Phew! And that's all she wrote. My two (Or is it three now?) day marathon of writing is over. I hope the conclusion satisfied.

A huge debt of gratitude to all the people who have added me to their alerts, favorites and especially those who took the time to write reviews. I'm getting to the replies. Promise. If I happen to miss anyone, I apologize in advance. They really do mean the world to me. Keep them coming! It's like my crack!

Aloha!