Authors Note: So I'm re-watching season 5...and I got to Probable Cause...that episode blows my mind every time. I had to write a post ep for it. I'm sure it's been done, but I just needed to get this outta my head. Thanks to alwayscastle2 for reading this!

Reviews are love, leave some.

-Krystle

After another half hour at the bridge, they make their way back to the precinct to start the pile of paperwork that is waiting for Beckett after this terrifying case. Castle brings Kate a coffee, and she smiles softly at him in thanks. She takes a sip and watches as he sits down in his chair next to her desk. He's staring blankly at the wall.

The last couple of days have been hell. And not just for him. Kate began to think of what would happen if she couldn't prove that Rick was innocent. She just got him, after years of denying her feelings, she finally has him. She'd be just as much of an empty shell as he is right now. She looks over at him sadly, she wants to just take him in her arms and make all of his pain go away.

But she can't. Not here. The sight of him breaks her heart. She knows he's feeling guilty for Tessa's murder. But he shouldn't feel guilty about Tyson. The man is a cold blooded killer who framed him for a young girl's death. And he would have gotten away with it if he hadn't have mysteriously shown up in holding to pay Castle a visit.

Kate looks up at the sound of Gates telling her to call it a night, and to make sure 'Mr. Castle makes it home safely.'

Oh, he will. He's not leaving her sight for a while.

He's still sitting in the chair. A quiet shell of the man she's so helplessly in love with. And it scares her. She quickly cleans up her desk, and puts her jacket on. She places a careful hand on his shoulder so she doesn't scare him. "Castle?"

He blinks, turning his head to her; his blue eyes filled with fear, guilt, and shame. She smiles softly at him, "Come on. Let's go home."

CB

The drive to the loft is silent. The ride up the elevator is silent. When they make it to the door, he freezes, grasping her hand, and she looks up at him worried. "What is it?"

He's staring at the door, "He's been in there, Kate."

Tyson.

He's going to haunt Rick and there's nothing she can do but try to take his mind off of it. Try to bring him back to her. She's scared too, but she knows that right now she has to take care of him; after all, he's always taking care of her.

Kate stands in front of him, bringing her free hand to his cheek, "Hey, look at me." He finally looks down at her. "We're going to go in there together, okay. We can't let him win, Rick. I'm not going to let him take you from me. Ever."

"He almost did."

"But he didn't. You're still here, and he's not," she whispers, the unshed tears burning her eyes. "I'm not leaving you. I'm going to be here for as long as you need me. Okay?"

"I always need you, Kate," he whispers. "Always."

She smiles softly up at him, and reaches into her pocket for her keys. "You ready?" at his nod, she unlocks the loft door, and squeezes his hand tight. She looks up at him, still frozen in terror. "We'll walk in together. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Whenever you're ready, Rick. Just say so."

After five minutes, he nods at her, and together they walk into the loft. Everything looks the same, but just knowing that Tyson was in his personal space, knowing that he'd been watching Alexis, and watching him and Kate make love…he doesn't know if he'll ever feel safe in his home again.

Kate leads him to the bedroom, sitting him on the bed. She kisses his temple softly and whispers, "I'll be right back."

His only response is to blink, and stare at the wall. Her heart breaks a little more. She just wants him back. She needs him to come back to her. She walks into the kitchen, finally letting her tears fall. The last two days have been messed up.

She was lead to believe that the love of her life was some secret killer. Of course she always believed him, but as a cop she had to follow where the evidence lead her. When she was presented with the file of faked emails, it felt like another bullet to the chest.

After her talk with Lanie, she knew she had to prove him innocent. He's waited for her to be ready to be with him for years, she knows he'd do anything to make sure that he doesn't screw up what he's got with her.

Wiping the tears from her eyes, she reaches into the cabinet to pull out a wine glass for her, and the glass that he uses for scotch. Pouring her wine and his scotch, she makes her way back to the bedroom, Rick still sitting on the bed. It's only now that she can see that his face is damp with tears.

Rushing over to him, she sets the drinks on the table and kneels in front of him, her hands resting on his legs. "Rick? Castle, what's going on? Talk to me. Please?"

"It's not over, Kate," he whispers, "He's not dead."

"Castle, you shot him," Kate reminds him, "You saved me from him, you shot him and he fell into the river."

"But he's not gone," he repeats firmly. "This was all a part of his plan to disappear again. To start killing again. He's going to come for me, eventually."

"Cast-"

"Kate, I don't want to see you hurt because of me," he brings a hand up to brush the hair from her face. "I can't handle seeing you hurt, or worse, watching him hurt you or kill you. You'll be safer if we-"

"NO!" she nearly yells. "Don't you dare think of finishing that sentence Richard Castle."

"But, Kate…"

"No," now she really does yell. "Damn it, Rick! No! I'm not leaving you. Ever. You can't let him get in your head. You can't let him win. I need you; I can't live a life without you in it. Can't you see?" She grabs his face in her hands, and brings his lips to hers. "I love you, Rick," she mumbles. "I love you so much, and you're just going to have to deal with that. Because I'm not going anywhere."

Before he can respond, her lips are on his. She hasn't been able to kiss him in three days; and that's three days too long. Who is he kidding? He needs her as much as she needs him. He pulls her up to him, wrapping his arms around her waist, holding her to him. "Don't leave me, Rick. Don't ever leave me."

Castle runs a hand through her hair, "I'm sorry, Kate. I'm so sorry." He kisses her again. "I'm just so scared. I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you. You mean too much to me."

"Castle-"

"I love you, Kate," he says, gazing into her eyes. "I can't lose you."

She smiles at him lovingly. "We'll face him together."

CB

She leans in to kiss him softly, but it quickly becomes a hungry kiss. She just needs him. She needs to feel him to know that this is real, that he's still here with her. She quickly moves her hands to the buttons on his shirt unbuttoning half of them before he tears his lips from hers and stops her hands.

"Kate, no."

"No?" she repeats, grinding her hips into his. "I know you want this too, Rick."

"I do," he agrees. "But I-I can't."

"Why?" she asks, moving her lips to his neck. Smiling softly at the moan that escapes his mouth.

"He's watched us, Kate," he tells her. "He's watched us make love."

She pulls away from him and arches an eyebrow. "I need you, Rick. These last few days without you have been hell; I need to feel you."

"It doesn't bother you?"

"Of course it bothers me," Kate replies, kissing him softly. "But I'm not going to let that stop me from living life with you. If he's watching, let's give him a show. I just want you."

She continues to unbutton his shirt after his hands fall. She's missed him, and she knows he's missed her, even if he is too scared to say it right now. This was a close call, and they both need each other. She pushes his shirt down his shoulders, her hands sliding slowly down his arms. She never expected the muscles she was met with when they first got together. She even teased him about hiding under all his jackets. She loves his arms.

Castle makes quick work of the buttons on her blouse, unbuttoning enough of the buttons to be able to pull it over her head. As soon as she's free of the garment, he latches on to her neck, sliding his hands up to unfasten her bra and tossing it somewhere in the room. She uses her body weight to push him back on the bed, their groins rubbing against each other, causing groans from both of them.

"Let me take care of you, Rick," she whispers against his lips. She wants tonight to be about him.

She slides down his body, kissing her way over his neck to his chest. She tugs on one of his nipples with her teeth, and moves her hands between their bodies reaching for the snap on his jeans. He's ready. But she wants to have her way with him before they continue.

He raises his hips to aid in her quest to 'take care of him'. The moment her lips wrap around his shaft, he grips the sheets. She smiles on him, knowing that he enjoys the feel of her lips on him. He moans out her name as she relaxes her muscles, drawing him as deep into her mouth as she can. She gulps him, gaining another groan as a reward.

Slowly dragging her mouth over the length of him, she releases him with a pop, only to bring him back to her mouth, licking around his tip, and placing a kiss on top of it before he pulls her up and flips her beneath him. "You drive me crazy, Kate."

"You've been driving me crazy for years, Castle," she throws at him.

All words are then forgotten as Castle wraps his lips around a nipple, and his other hand caresses the other. He nips and sucks on her nipple, once satisfied; he releases her blowing his hot breath on her suckled flesh, grinning in satisfaction as her nipple peaks.

Kate's hand finds its way to his hair, as he slides farther down. He takes the button of her pants between his fingers and hooks his fingers in them, sliding the slacks down her hips, over her endless legs dropping them haphazardly to the floor. He kisses her belly button, dipping his tongue inside, around the belly ring she has dangling; the belly ring he's still surprised she has.

He teases the flesh above her panties, and after she writhes beneath him for awhile, he finally hooks the garment in between his fingers and rips them off of her, neither caring that she's lost yet another pair of panties during their quest for pleasure.

He's overwhelmed by her scent. His tongue darts out and teases her clit, knowing exactly what she wants and needs. He feels her hand fly to his head, fisting his hair as he tastes her. She grinds into him, desperate for the release he's about to deliver her.

One of his arms comes up to hold her down on the bed, while the fingers of his other hand begin to work at her folds. He slips a long finger inside of her, nibbling on her clit as she moans. He can tell she needs more, and two more fingers slip inside her.

"Jesus…Castle…" she sighs.

He hums on her, his fingers picking up speed. He can tell that she's close, he waits for the perfect moment, when her gasps are coming more frequently; her eyes close, her bottom lip between her teeth, and then he does it. He presses that place inside her and she's gone. Shattering around his fingers, a mixture of curse words and his name falling from her lips.

He kisses his way back up her body; still shaking with the aftershocks of his assault on her body. He makes it up to her lips, and kisses her softly, brushing a curl from her face. Her eyes are closed, cheeks rosy from the fire burning inside her.

"I love you, Kate," he whispers, and smiles down at her when she opens her eyes.

Running a hand down his cheek, her thumb brushes over his lips, "I love you too, Rick." She lifts her head the short distance and captures his lips as he pushes his way inside her, her walls gripping him.

She's tight and slick from her previous orgasm, and he has to take a moment to calm himself before this is over far too soon. She's got her arms locked around his shoulders, and her endless legs are resting high on his hips, pulling him deeper.

They gasp at the new angle, and he begins to move slowly. Pulling almost all the way out, to slip slowly back down; he's driving her crazy and he loves it. He loves that he's the one who gets to be with her like this. Nothing else compares to being inside of Kate Beckett.

Before he knows it, she's used her ninja skills on him and he's beneath her. His hands fly to her hips, and she leans down, kissing him, before slowly sliding her way back up, her hands caressing his chest until she's in position.

She smiles down at him, grabbing his hands in hers, leaving one on her hip, and bringing the other up with hers to squeeze on her breast. She clamps her inner walls around his shaft, and shudders at the groan he lets out.

She starts to circle her hips, slowly at first, but gradually picking up speed. Her head falls back and her hair tickles his thighs. The hand that rests on her hip moves to where they're joined, his thumb brushing her over sensitive clit.

She can't take it anymore. She needs release. "Rick…mm, I'm close."

"Let go, Kate," he whispers, rubbing her clit with a little more force, knowing that she can't hold out much longer.

Her whole body shakes, craving for release, but damn, she wants to fall with him. "I want you with me."

"I'm with you, Kate," he whispers.

Her hand flies to his, pressing his fingers harder into her clit. "Promise?"

Her circles have become sloppy, she's so desperately close to release, and so is he. He utters the one word that will become her undoing. "Always."

She screams as her orgasm shakes her, and it's a good thing he has soundproof walls, or his neighbors would think something was wrong. But everything is perfect. Kate's body shakes, her muscles are contracting around him, and he's a goner. She milks him for everything he's worth and falls to his chest.

She whimpers when he goes soft and slips from her. Lips resting on his neck, she kisses him softly. As his arms wrap around her, she lifts her head, heavy on her shoulders, and kisses his chin.

"You're amazing," she whispers.

"You're not so bad yourself," he returns with a kiss. She tries to move, to lie beside him, but he holds her to him. He's not ready to be apart from her just yet. "Stay."

"I'm not too heavy?"

"Never," he answers, smiling down at her. She smiles and rests her head back on his chest, listening to the beating of his heart. His hand slides up and down her back, sending shivers up her spine. "Hey," he whispers.

"Hmm?"

"You know that I would never cheat on you, right?"

"What?" she asks, bringing her head up to look at him again. "What are you talking about?"

"Everything that happened these last few days," he says. "I just want to make sure that you know I'll never do anything to hurt you. I'd never cheat on you, Kate. You're the only one I want to be with."

She kisses him then. Of course she knew he'd never do anything like that. He's proved himself to her time and time again. "I know, Rick," she whispers. "There was one flaw in his plan you know."

"And what's that?"

She smiles, a hand resting on his cheek. "He didn't count on us being in love, on me trusting you every step of the way, of me knowing and remembering everything we've been through to get to this point. He was banking on planting doubt in my head, but all he did was make me dig deeper, and fall even more in love with you. We didn't let him win, Castle."

"I love you."

"I love you, too."