This story picks up immediately after the famous 1.46 minutes of footage we had all been waiting so long to see. The story was just meant to be a short one off, but its turned out to be a novel. It probably starts off a bit and focused on fluff but then it picks up into an adventure. I wrote it during the hiatus and was up to about chapter 29 by the time the premiere came on. The usual, don't own it etc.

Kate led him away from the door towards the couch, stopping by the coffee table her eyes finding his. He stopped before her, letting her reach up to his mouth she lightly kissed, him taking hold of her upper arms in his hands. He noticed for the first time how wet her jacket was and felt her body tremble with cold. He pulled back breaking their kiss, meeting her hazel eyes.

"You're wet and you're cold." He murmured, noticing her lips had paled. He stroked the side of her head pushing back her damp hair.

"I'm ok." She whispered her eyes staying on his.

"Have you eaten today?"

Kate thought about it a moment or two then shook her head, no. Without a further word spoken, Castle instantly took hold of her hand and walked her over the living room to his study, around his desk and into his bedroom, feeling Kate slow down the moment she realized where he was taking her. Choosing to ignore the hesitation in her stride, he continued walking passed his bed to another doorway, switching on the light. Kate stopped, seeing he had brought her to a bathroom, tiled mostly in white and quite large. Two vanities with marble bench tops, an enormous marble bath and double shower. Castle dropped her hand and stepped over to a cupboard he opened. From it, he took two clean, folded white towels, a face cloth and found a dressing gown folded on another shelf. He piled them onto the closest vanity and finally turned to Kate who had taken off her jacket holding it by a finger at the collar. It was soaked through and he saw her blouse was also wet. She was huddled directly under the heat lamp. Her eyes found his, and he stood there several seconds unable to move, unable to believe she had finally come to him. His mind was reeling with thoughts, images, urges and desires but he had to keep a lid on all his emotions. Kate had found her way to his house clear in her mind what she wanted, but he could see it in her eyes she had also been traumatized by the day's events which could be clouding her decisions and actions. She was wet, cold and obviously hungry. He had waited long enough for her and even now, unless she was mentally with him, that it was clear in her head she wanted him, he wasn't going further.

"Castle?" She queried bringing him out of his thoughts as she dropped her jacket over the edge of the bath tub. He cleared his throat, his eyes shifting back to her as she unzipped her boots. She sat on the edge of the bath and lifted her leg up. "Would you please? I'm really sore." Kate asked. Castle took the heel of her boot and pulled it off, then did the same with her right boot.

"Take a hot shower. You look cold."

"I am." Kate said, placing her boots beside the bath and saw Castle step backwards nearer the door.

"Throw your clothes out the door and I will put them in the wash. I'll find you some clothes that will hopefully fit you or come close to it…." He took a nervous breath as she stood up looking to him once again. He glanced to the shower then back to Kate's eyes. "There's shampoo and conditioner. Make yourself at home. I'll prepare you something to eat." He saw her step closer to his body, right back into his space and her arms went to his chest. He took a shaky breath but wrapped his arms around her body and held her to him, his face moving into her damp hair, close to her ear. Her scent and perfume filled his lungs awakening nerves deep inside his being, he'd never had felt before. "Oh Kate." He whispered, his voice emotionally loaded, his palm holding the back of her head. "You found me."

"Castle. I'm here." She whispered calmly.

"Stay with me." He whispered as he breathed out stroking her head.

"I don't want to be anywhere else than with you." Kate replied barely audible to his ears, but he heard every word. His lips pressed against the side of her head, nearby her temple and felt her cool skin, reminding him she needed a hot shower. He breathed her scent in again, his fingers playing with her hair. "Have a shower. Get warm." He said louder. Kate pulled back and looked to his eyes with a soft smile for a long moment then stood away from him. She waited silently for him to leave the room, pulling the door close behind him. Kate took a deep shaky breath, unable to believe she had finally pushed aside her fears.

Feeling cold, she quickly pulled off her soaked socks, took off her clothes and bundled them up so he wouldn't be able to see her underwear. She heard him return to the doorway as she was about to lay them outside the door.

"Kate, I have some clothes here, can I pass them to you?"

"Yeah." She went to the door and hiding her body behind it, she opened it up and peered out to him a smile breaking over her face she couldn't stop and didn't try to. He looked so nervous all of a sudden. She passed him the wet clothes and took the dry ones he'd found for her.

"There's a couple of things there that will fit you, but the rest are my clothes so choose what you want." He explained, trying to avoid telling her that a couple of items of clothing were pieces he had on the shelf for times when he had company that didn't have clothes to change into. He usually never saw the clothes again unless he kept dating the girl who had them. He had tired of losing his own clothes so decided many years ago that standard female attire needed to be in his home for occasions such as tonight.

"Thanks." She smiled timidly. "I won't be long." She disappeared, closing the door.

Castle stood there for nearly an entire minute silently staring at Kate's wet clothes in his hands, trying to clear his mind of the thoughts racing through it. He shifted himself and made his way to the laundry over the other side of the living room. He threw Kate's clothing into the machine noting all of it was black, or dark in colour so he was safe with the whites and colours regime. His mind dwelled on the fact she was naked, showering in his bathroom at this moment.

Over the past 24 hours, his mind had settled on the fact he wasn't going to have any sort of relationship with her and now she was in his loft, having declared he was all she wanted. His heart pounded in excitement and fear. He feared he would wake up any moment and it would just be a dream but right now, he could feel the texture of her black jeans between his fingers, still tasted her and was able smell her perfume and scent that lingered on his hands. He felt excitement that he was finally going to be able to touch her, to cross over the line and embrace her as more than just a friend.

The washing machine started its cycle and Castle exited the laundry to the kitchen. Luckily for him he'd prepared chicken penne the night before, most of which hadn't be eaten because of interruptions involving the case they had been working on. He took a container out of the fridge, a bowl from the cupboard and dished out a healthy serving of the pasta, the same amount Alexis would usually eat. The container was returned to the fridge and he placed the bowl in the microwave, deciding not to heat it until he saw Kate come from the bathroom.

Taking a moment to collect his thoughts, he leaned his backside against the kitchen bench, crossing his arms over his chest, his chin dropping as his eyes stared blankly at the tiled floor. He was extremely aware his groin ached to be near Kate, his stomach buzzed with anticipation, whilst his head tried to maintain control and reason with his desires. He was struggling not to go to her in the shower.

To distract his desires for awhile, Castle retrieved a cold beer from the bar fridge and cracked it open, downing half of it in several mouthfuls. He actually felt he needed a scotch but he feared he might not stop with one. He decided to stick with the beer for now. Letting the bottle dangle between his fingers he paced the length of the kitchen several times wondering what was going to happen next. That was simple. Get some food into her, so her sugar levels were good. He knew she was cranky without food, so feed her first. The coffee machine was switched on and brewing, just in case she wanted a coffee. All good.

"Relax Rick." He whispered to himself, grabbed a second beer from the fridge and made his way to the couch he sat upon. He flicked on the flat screen and stared at the picture, completely unaware of what he was watching. He tried to sit so he appeared relaxed, but no matter what position he placed himself in, he could feel his pulses pumping, his heart racing and his groin struggling to take command. His body was primed to take Kate and his mind was struggling to hold it under control.

The second Castle saw Kate appear in the doorway of his study, he stopped breathing. He switched off the TV. She was in his robe, her dark hair hanging in damp curls down over her shoulders. She stilled in the doorway, searching for him, her large eyes almost black in the ambient lighting of the loft. As soon as he moved to stand up, her eyes found him and a smile spread over her face, as it did his in response.

"Hey." She greeted and continued into the room, her bare feet not making a sound on the floorboards.

"Hey." He responded and met her half way across the living room. They stopped, leaving a generous half metre of space between their bodies. She looked so small out of her heels and work clothes, but very comfy in the oversized robe. She had rolled the sleeves up and the length of the robe extended to her calves. "Did you find something to fit you?" He asked.

"Yeah. They still had labels on them." She remarked. "But they're my size." She had found a singlet top, a pair of cotton shorts amongst the items he had delivered to her.

"Just in case clothes we keep here, for situations like this, but usually friends of Alexis." He replied unable to take his eyes from her.

"Oh. Thanks." She swallowed, playing with her fingers in nervousness. "Have you got a drink?"

"Oh yeah. I'm sorry." Castle broke his inability to move and made his way to the kitchen. "What do you want? Water, juice, wine, beer, milk, vodka, scotch?"

"Water and beer please? I need a beer. I could do with a vodka, but a beer is fine" She confessed, blowing air between her lips in nervousness he assumed. She leaned against the bench facing him, with her arms crossed over her chest, her right hand going to her mouth.

Castle turned away from her and switched on the microwave then went to the fridge to collect two beers and a bottle of water. Kate watched on thinking about the fact that just over 4 hours ago she was hanging off the side of a high rise building fighting to survive and it was finally sinking in to her consciousness how close she had been to death again. Had it not been for Ryan being there as the last second, her body would be lying on Lanie's bench, pretty much smashed up from falling so far. It had only been a couple of months since Lanie had gone through the talk with Kate about the bodies passing through Lanie's ward who, when living, had plans and lives. Today she had nearly joined them. Not any more. Kate realized, whilst hanging from the side of the building, that she had once again nearly lost her chance to have a good, a happy and safe life, and that she needed to make plans for the remainder of her days. Castle passed her the bottle of water she unscrewed and drank thirstily from. Little did he know, her plans included him to hopefully be a large part of her future of her life.

Whilst she drank he popped the lids off the beers and handed her one over when she placed the water on the bench top. He held out his bottle. "To beginnings." He offered.

"Beginnings." She echoed with a smile and both turned to the microwave as it beeped. Castle went to it and took the heated meal of pasta from it. He gave it a stir, assessed it to be hot enough for her and brought it back to the kitchen bench, placing it by a stool where Kate could eat. He found her fork and some parmeson cheese he placed beside the bowl.

"Its my famous chicken penne." He told her, beginning to feel more comfortable around her. "Leftovers. We ate out after Alexis' graduation ceremony."

"How was it?"

"Very good. After a lot of pain and agony over writing her speech, she came up trumps, like her father."

"Writer junior?" Kate inquired, spilling the parmeson generously over the pasta. She sat on the stool, stabbed a piece of chicken with her fork and took a bite. Her face told Castle she liked it. He smiled, starting to relax a bit around her now. He had been angry with her when she had arrived at the door but it was wearing off. He could never stay mad at her for very long. She was, he only admitted to himself, his biggest weakness.

"She's a writer, but she won't do it I don't think." He replied, watching her eat enthusiastically. She was very hungry.

"Never know." Kate replied. "This is really good Castle." She complimented.

"Thank you Beckett. You haven't eaten today huh?" He inquired already knowing the answer by the rate at which she ate, and saw her graciously smile. "There's heaps of it." He added. "Will you excuse me for a minute?" He said and disappeared from the kitchen towards the study. He needed a few moments alone. It was doing his head in that she was sitting in his kitchen, in his robe, willingly wanting to be with him. He stood in front of the vanity, leaning both palms on the marble staring at his own reflection in the mirror. The image he saw was a handsome man. He looked tired but he had been thinking all day long he was going to get a call from the precinct to advise him Kate had been murdered. He could see that weariness imprinted over his face. He stood up straighter, starting to contemplate which bed he would take Kate to. Would he use his room off the study or take her up to his official bedroom. He liked the bedroom downstairs, which was set up as a guest room but he had made his room years ago. The upstairs one had the better facilities and was a little bigger but this room gave him the privacy away from his mother and daughter. It also had great windows. He stopped worrying about it and took a leak. Once he was finished he brushed his teeth, nervous about what would happen this evening, although his anatomy didn't seem to have a problem with what was likely to occur. He left the bedroom and walked over the loft to the laundry to throw Kate's clothes to the dryer, noticing she was still eating her meal and reading something whilst she swung her foot up and down to some internal rhythm as she often did. She was starting to relax.

Kate ate every bit of food in the bowl, surprised by how hungry she was and how tasty Castle's cooking was. He had disappeared a few minutes before, she guessed to throw her clothes in the tumble dryer because she heard the noise of the metal on her clothing hitting the metal of the dryer as it was thrown around. Once she was finished eating every bit of her meal, she found the dishwasher she placed her bowl in, checking first to see there were dirty dishes in it. She then grabbed her beer and took a mouthful of it leaning against the kitchen bench waiting for Caste's return. Moments later she heard him close a door and saw him reappear in the living area looking more relaxed than he had earlier. She knew her arrival at the loft had taken him by surprise. She had seen by his expression at the door, that he had made up his mind to move on with his life without her being in it Now, as he came closer step by step, she felt the butterflies fluttering like crazy against her chest. The same feeling had been growing stronger of late whenever he was near her and the closer he came the more it occurred and she couldn't help but smile to him. But tonight it was almost catching her breathless. Her breathing shallowed as she saw he continued directly and quite intentionally towards her, his eyes never leaving hers. His smile shifted to an expression of want that she had never seen on his face before. His chest was out his shoulders straight and as he came closer she recognized the look of sheer lust and want in his bright blue eyes. She gasped. She stood up straighter and placed the beer on the bench behind her somewhere. She felt her heart pick up its beat until it was pounding in her ears and pulses. He came straight to her never breaking his pace until he was in her space. He stopped right there, right before her, his arms wrapping about her body pulling her to his body.

"I've got to have you Katie." He said seductively and his mouth urgently found her lips, hungrily kissing her open mouth. His tongue was pushing its way into her mouth, playing with her tongue. She pushed herself toward him kissing him hard, her arms moving around his shoulders, her feet going up on her toes to be taller for him. It was hot, passionate. Needing oxygen, they broke, breathing rapidly, their foreheads meeting and eyes looking into each other.

She whispered, "Rick." Her hands caressed the back of his head before she pulled him back to her mouth, nibbling at his bottom lip, feeling his lips with her tongue. She kissed him over his chin down his throat, tasting his aftershave, feeling the prickles of his whiskers. She sucked on his neck, heard him moan, then licked him where she had been. Then he was at her neck, his teeth gently scraping her skin over her tendons, his mouth following the lines of her neck, feeling her tremble in excitement, hearing her moan. His hand moved down her back until he had her ass in his palms feeling the shape and hardness of her toned buttocks that he had spent years admiring. He suddenly leaned down and lifted her off the floor, her legs immediately lifting and wrapping around his hips. Blindly, he carried her to the kitchen bench and sat her on it so she was now level with his height, her legs pulling him closer to him and holding him there. He looked down to the waist band of the robe and clumsily untied it, his hands trembling with excitement. He returned to her mouth, a grin over his face, the fear disappearing as his eyes met hers for a second before they kissed, her hands taking his head and holding him close. He pulled the waistband feeling the knot give out. His hands blindly found the robe he split open and pushed apart. She dropped her arms down so the robe came off exposing her body in the white singlet and shorts. As soon as her hands were free she grabbed his shirt, unbuttoning it. Again they broke apart, breathing rapidly. Rick looked to her body, her erect nipples showing underneath the cotton material. His thumb stroked over her left breast, his eyes moving from her chest to her excited lustful eyes.

"Oh my God, I want you." He excitedly exclaimed going to her neck he sucked on, nibbled and licked his hands at her waist holding her still. She was pulling at his shirt so he released his grip on her and let her drop his shirt exposing his strong bare chest. The shirt fell on the floor somewhere. She ran her hands over his chest, moving to his nipple she sucked on.

"Naughty!" She whispered looking to his swollen groin, a wicked smile on her face. Her hands fell around his body drawing him close her head falling backward exposing her neck to his mouth. She felt his palms on her pushing her backward to the bench and he was blindly swiping anything out of her way off the bench. She heard something bounce on the floor but ignored it as his hands felt over her chest, her breasts down to her groin. She closed her eyes, lying back, her hips still arched toward him. He pushed the singlet upward exposing her flat stomach to the rise of her breasts his mouth following the path his hands had taken seconds earlier. The feel off his mouth on her made her tremble in excitement. Both his hands slapped on the bench as he leaned right over her pelvis, so his lips could reach her left nipple, his mouth hungrily sucking on it. His left hand shifted to her right breast his palm molding around the shape of her breast he softly squeezed. He put his left arm under her shoulder blades and lifted her body to him returning to her mouth, pulling her body back up to a sit, feeling her arms take hold of his body. Her legs wrapped around his hips tightly and he took his hands to her butt. He simply picked her up and started making his way blindly to the study, kicking off his shoes on the way.

He stopped half way and lifted her onto the grand piano pushing her back so she was lying upon it. Still between her legs he found the waist of her shorts and started pulling them down. He lifted her hips, stepped back and pulled the shorts off, throwing them somewhere. He was back at her, his palm running up the inside of her left thigh his eyes moving to her groin to her being. He glanced back to Kate's eyes silently seeking her permission to continue. The want was there in her eyes and her legs lifted for him. His fingers lightly brushed over her groin, feeling her tremble in response. He leaned his mouth close to her pussy, breathing in her sexual scent, his eyes appreciating how wet she was for him.

"You are so beautiful." He breathlessly whispered. "So beautiful." He let his fingers stroke between her legs, seeing and feeling her nerves jolt her hips in response and felt how wet she was for him. He moved between her again and lifted her body back up to him so he could kiss her mouth. He wanted to tease her a little, to hold off going to her pussy too fast. She was already making sounds of want he'd never heard a woman make before in his life as she did. She cried in his mouth, grabbed his head urgently, her kisses strong, her body shaking. She found his hand and was urging him between her legs, her breathing frantic. He couldn't resist. His finger blindly found its way to her lips, and slid between them, to her wet vulva. He found her clitoris. She broke the kiss, crying out his name.

"Rick, Ricky." Her hips pushed against his hand as she returned to her his mouth, his neck, his jaw. She felt him push inside her hearing his primordial groan. She paused taking his head in her hands, looked to him, half closing her eyes as he pushed his finger deeper into her. "Castle.." She whispered. "Take me Castle. I'm yours. Take me." She felt his mouth smother hers, his finger leaving her. She took a shallow breath. "I'm all dizzy Castle." She breathed out, feeling him lift her off the piano. "Just have me. I want you" He was carrying her again over the living area to the study and she hung on to him, closing her eyes from the brightness and the stars. She was limp in his arms, just wanted him. She felt him hoist her up, then she was laid on her back on the bed and he was pulling her singlet off. She blindly undid his jeans, his mouth over hers again and he was over her body palm on the side of her head. She was pushing down his jeans, his boxers. He was off her a moment, and then back now completely naked, his weight returning but not of all off it. He lifted her up the bed and was eating her down her body. He sucked hard at the side of her breast, he hand back in her pussy his finger circling her clitoris. Her hips bucked. He head was between her legs and he sucked on her right at the top of her inner thigh and she cried out. It was on the edge of wanting him to stop but begging him for more. And then his tongue was between her lips and he was tasting her, groaning with want. He hands reached to her breasts, his eyes glanced to her hers.

"I gotta have you now Kate." He groaned and made his way back up to her face, kissing her. She could taste herself in his mouth and it turned her on. She felt him find her, the width of his pelvis pushing her legs further apart, felt him outside of her hard and ready.

"There." She urged and immediately felt him penetrate her body, her hips thrusting against him. She cried out, felt him pause. He grabbed her hair and pulled away from her mouth looking to her eyes, a big smile over his face. He was panting heavily, sweat over his forehead.

"You ok?" He asked, waiting for her body to accommodate his size, feeling her body trembling beneath him.

"Yes." She whispered moving her hips to take him better and taking hold of his body.

"You're my girl?" He asked in a murmur, not moving feeling her long legs wrap around his body.

"Yes. I'm yours. I've always been yours." She whispered, saw his grin grow and felt him push inside her further. She closed her eyes, a smile spreading over her face as she felt him fucking her. She moved with him taking his weight, adjusting to his rhythm he was finding. He arm moved towards the bed head to push against him as she was moving up the bed. She felt herself coming and arched her body to get as much friction from him as possible. She gripped the bed head lifted her legs and she came screaming his name along with "Oh my God" until he muffled her cries with his mouth. Shortly after felt him coming inside her, felt the heat of him inside her body, his groans and finally his weight increased on her, his head lying to the right side of hers. She felt his heart pounding rapidly against hers for several moments until he rolled off her… lying to his back.

"I couldn't wait any longer." He breathlessly said looking to her eyes. "I had to be in you." He took her hand.

"Me too. Four years." She replied.

"Long four years." He added and they both giggled.

Kate rolled over to her stomach and moved up to her hands and knees. She crawled until she was over his head, her hair hanging in a curtain about her face. She hooked a bit of it behind her right ear and leaned into him for a kiss, a very tender kiss, their breathing still heavy. He took hold of her by her upper arms holding her there a moment longer before he let her go. She laid down along side him facing him her hand over his chest. He took hold of it with his.

He looked to her eyes, to her hands. "You're trembling." He commented.

"I also feel light headed." She quietly responded, smiling to herself recalling how much she had wanted him inside her when he'd sat her on the piano.

"Those bedroom eyes…" He whispered looking away from her eyes, her reflective smile he understood. He pressed his lips against her knuckles and heard her coyly laugh in response to his comment. "Bedroom voice." He continued smiling. "Your constant teasing… How the fuck did I last this long?" He sighed looking to her face. "Your gorgeous face…" He whispered squeezing her hand.

"Castle. You're full of feromones my writer boy." She laughed but crawled up to kiss his lips again. "You're drunk with my scent." She whispered stroking his head, the side of his face.

"I'm just intoxicated by you." He corrected, "By my obsession." He remained still, enjoying her affection that he had craved to receive for so long, giving his heart time to slow.

"I told you it would be good." She reminded him.

"Four years ago, you said that and we've only got started." He laughed, stroking her bare back. "I nearly didn't make it to the bedroom." He confessed. "At the piano I thought I was gonna go early. I had to hold back."

Kate bit her lip. "I thought I was gonna pass out on you. I felt the blood go from my brain to my groin and then I was giddy and light headed."

"I know." He laughed. "I noticed you were a bit unstable during the journey from the piano to the bed. I don't think you would have walked it. You're eyes were all buzzed out."

"I would have fainted." She teased. "You were all too much for me Ricky." She seductively stated.

"Oh yeah Beckett. You're stronger than you look." He drew her close. "I was planning on watching my double horror feature tonight." He reminded her. "I did invite you."

"Yes. But I guessed that invite had been retracted."

Castle chuckled. "Yep. But your idea of what to do tonight was far more fun than mine." He replied and rolled over so he was above her. He stroked the side of her face and followed it up with a kiss. "I'll go get our beers and some water."

"Ok." He touched his face and watched him stand off the bed and leave the room, bare assed. He has such a sexy ass. She lay there the minute or so he was gone biting her knuckles, trying to keep the naughty smile off her face. When he returned the smile turned into a grin when she saw all of him. He stopped dead holding four bottles and looked questioningly to her face.

"What?" He asked looking from her eyes down to himself, his naked body still perspiring.

"Nothing." She shyly replied, her eyes lifting from his groin to his face, his hair still messed up, his cheeks blushed.

"Arr… you like what you see." He commented reading her expression.

"What's my give?" She asked.

"The secretive expression, like you've been caught out." He replied and continued to the bed. He passed Kate her beer and a bottle of water. His bottles were placed on the bedside table and he crawled over the bed towards Kate pressing his lips playfully against hers.

"Oh. That obvious." She replied putting her beer on the bedside table and laid down as Castle urged her back down onto the bed. His kissing became very serious. Kate stopped. "Ready already?"

Castle laughed. "I've been more than ready for 4 years Beckett. You're gonna be so sore by the end of this week…"

Kate giggled. "Yeah yeah writer boy. Let's go." She squealed in surprise as he grabbed hold of her and covered her mouth with his. It was all go.

Twenty or so minutes later Castle rolled off Kate, his heart racing his breathing rapid, a huge grin over his face. He looked to Kate whose cheeks were glowing pink and she was perspiring. She reached to his fingers playing with them. They stared silently at each other both thinking the same thing, how much time they had wasted. She closed her eyes, ready to fall asleep. Castle threw the doona over them then rolled on to his side. For the first time, he watched Kate Beckett fall asleep peaceful, properly laid.

Hope you enjoyed it. Will put up the next chapter soon. Please remember that I write these and don't spend a lot of time to review them as I generally write to let myself roam in another world for awhile.