Okay, well got a few more responses than expected so here is another chapter. And I will continue for now. Just keep letting me know what you think.

I own nothing.

LJ

Kate Beckett would never admit it. Not even to herself. But her walk home with her handsome stranger took twice as long as it usually would. She purposely took little side streets leading them in a loop before ending up in her building. She didn't know if Rick had noticed but she really didn't care. She knew the moment they said goodbye a man as handsome as him would never see her again. So yes, she was being greedy. But she just wanted to keep him even if just for a few minutes.

Then the inevitable moment came when they arrived at her door. She removed the hide away key from under the boiler next to her door. Once she pushed open the bolted door, she turned to face him. However she did not realise how close he'd come while she had her back turned. Their noses almost touched and yet again coherent thought went out the window.

Rick stared at his goddesses lips. How badly did he just want to reach forward and claim them as his own. He wanted to lift her into his arms and never ever let her leave. And yet again their spell was broken by an intruding force. Mrs Garret, Kate's nosy neighbour had decided to venture out into the hall way. Kate, not wanting to suddenly explain the very handsome man inches from her mouth. Pulled him inside by his shirt and shut the door forcefully behind her.

Rick's eyes widened in amusement at the change of events and but very clearly understood that she pulled him inside as a means of escaping her neighbour, not actually wanting him in. It was when Kate realised the flash of hurt in his eyes that she spoke.

"I'm sorry, It's just Mrs Garret is the nosiest woman this side of the US. I didn't want her to keep you talking for hours when I want you to myself." The words had left Kate's mouth before she had time to register what she was even saying. And as a look of horror covered Kate's face. The broadest most endearing smile covered Rick's.

"I want to spend more time with you too…."Kate's face switched from horror to pure bliss in a matter of seconds. "However I think we should take a look at your hands first, that has to be painful. Where is your first aid kit?" He started, immediately wanting to erase any hurt from his goddesses body.

A look of confusion covered Kate's face as she answered his question, "Um, it's in the cupboard under the sink….but what do you mean my han-" Kate cut herself off as she realised Rick had ventured into her kitchen and to the sink. She then gazed down at her hands. There she found too things resembling what her hands use to look like. Covered in dried blood, scratched and cut worse than if Mrs Garret's cats had attacked her. How could he bare to hold her hand for the past half an hour with them looking like this? And why didn't she feel any pain in them until now?

However her inner debate was cut short when Rick returned with her first aid kit and a dampened paper towel. He smiled gently at her before guiding her to the couch. He sat down first, and even though this was her apartment and he was kind of walking around as if he had been living here for years, nothing felt awkward or out of place. Just as it should be. Before Kate had a chance to sit down herself. Rick placed his arms gently on her hips and stopped her in her tracks.

"If I may be so bold it would be better if your hands were facing me the right way up." And with a gentle nod from Kate, who didn't really get what was going on. Rick pulled her down and onto his lap. Shuffling them back into the couch, placing one hand softly around her midriff and the other started to slowly tend to her hands wounds.

With the softness he was tending to her with Kate realised something. The whole way home he had not touched his palm to hers with any force at all. He let them graze softly but never moulded their hands together like she would have wanted. She now understood. He didn't want to hurt her.

This was the moment Kate came to the biggest realisation of her life.

She was in love.

The air had suddenly become so think it was almost hard to breath. His breath made her shudder as it hit the back of her neck repeatedly. His fingers had started to form a circular calming motion over her stomach and just as she was about to turn her head to do something about this bundling tension, he spoke.

"Alright, I think you're good. I wouldn't take the bandage off till tomorrow at the earliest though. Just to be sure it doesn't get infected."

"Okay, thank you. It's very kind of you to do this. You seem to be very good at it too, are you some kind of doctor?" Kate asked while inspecting the expertly cleaned hands.

Rick chuckled slightly to himself, "No, no I'm not a doctor. Just have a lot of experience with clearing up messy wounds. My daughter is always getting in to some sort of scrape."

This stopped Kate cold. Daughter? He had a daughter? Was he married? If he was why the hell was he here giving her false hope? All of a sudden Kate's heart felt itself cracking in two.

Rick, realising what he had just revealed about himself and the new stiffness to her body, quickly went to correct whatever was going through her head. "Yes, I have a daughter; I didn't mean to just blurt that out. But I have never been married. Kate, Alexis was born three years ago, her mother was a woman I was dating at the time. She then disappeared after we spent the night together and then nine months later turned up with this little girl. Telling me she wanted nothing to do with her and signed over all parental rights to me. So yes for the past three years I have been a daddy. …Please don't run." It was almost as if he could read her mind. He had answered and reassured her all at once.

Kate turned in his lap to face him.

"Rick, I'm not running. I promise. It's just this is so odd. I feel like this just became reality and I was so enjoying the fantasy. But I'm not running. I just want to know one thing. .. Do you feel it?"

The question hung there for a good five seconds before Rick's lips suddenly met Kate's. Kate once over her initial shock. Returned the passion filled kiss, raising her arms up over his shoulders, pulling them closer together. After a good five minutes of pure making out. Rick pulled his lips away slightly and Kate whimpered at the loss of contact.

"Kate Beckett, I believe I have fallen in love with you." He whispered against her lips while staring lovingly into her eyes.

"I have fallen in love with you also, Rick Castle." She responded while sporting the biggest smile yet. "Just promise me one thing…" she whispered as an afterthought, her yes suddenly becoming worried.

"Anything." He replied, willing to do anything to erase the sadness from her eyes.

"Never leave me."

"I will stay with you Kate. Always."

And with that their lips reconnected and this time neither held back in the first time they would kiss as lovers.

So there you have it, second chapter and another on the way.

Please let me know what you think and REVIEW!

LJ