A/N: I'm not sure what this is exactly. I've never really liked their morning after chat in "After The Storm," so I guess it's a re-worked, extended version of that. Anyway, you can make your own mind up.

And then all that has divided us will merge.
And then compassion will be wedded to power
And then softness will come to a world that is harsh and unkind.
And then both men and women will be gentle.

- The Merger Poem by Judy Chicago

Castle sat bolt upright in bed, momentarily blinded when lightening flashed outside, painting the walls and floor an icy blue. Rain streaked down the windowpanes, blurring the outside world from view. He looked around the room, fruitlessly checking the dishevelled bed, disappointed to find himself alone, until the door creaked open and Beckett entered, appearing as if summoned, barefoot, wearing only his shirt, and Castle smiled.

"Made you coffee," she said, her voice soft and cautious as her steps towards him. She moved ever closer, soundless as an apparition, carrying a simple white mug in each hand.

"Middle of the night?" he mumbled in surprise, regretting these words the instant Kate Beckett's tentative smile disappeared from her beautiful, make-up free face.

She stuttered to a halt by the bed. "You…you don't want—" Kate set the cups down on his nightstand and shook her head, frowning to herself. "Of course, I'm being…it's stupid."

"Hey, no. Hand me a cup. Please?" he gestured. "Beckett, please? I can drink coffee. Middle of the night or not. Specially if it's made by you."

He offered up a brave, encouraging smile that drew a gratifying puff of laughter from her lips.

"Castle, that was cheesy. Even for you." But she was still pleased, he could tell by the glow on her cheeks and the light in her eyes.

Beckett handed Castle a coffee cup and then she sat down on the edge of the bed, perched really, shy and uncertain. The silence in the near-dark bedroom was salted over - a new crust of awkwardness both understood but neither knew how to break through. At least at first.

Eventually, Castle went ahead, bravely cracking it open. "So…it wasn't a dream."

"No. You definitely…" Kate giggled, hugging her mug, "weren't dreaming."

She took a sip and set her cup aside to slide beneath the covers next to him, figuring it was better to be shoulder-to-shoulder with her partner than staring him in the eye, for this next part at least. Simple and beautiful as tonight had been, messy they were yet, if truth be told.

"Hey…you're on-board with this, right? It's not some "Oh, I—I quit my job, I almost died, I'm in crisis" thing?"

Kate looked a little shaken, as if the thought had never entered her head. "No. Not for me."

"Okay. Me neither," Castle agreed with a relief that settled them both.

"Okay. Good."

"Can—"

Her heart lurched once more. "What?"

"Can we just talk about something?"

"Sure." Kate sipped her coffee, letting her heartbeat fall back in step with the tick of the clock, preparing to open herself up to all and any line of questioning her partner might have. After everything they'd been through in the last twenty-four hours, she surely owed him that.

"Just now, when I asked if you were on board with this, I meant—"

She laid her hand on his sheet-covered thigh and squeezed gently, the muscle impressively hard beneath her fingers even as he sat like this, still and relaxed. "Castle, I know you have questions. Maybe let me help you out for once?"

Castle looked a little doubtful. "Okay, but…I do want to talk about this stuff."

"We will…we are."

Castle still looked sceptical, his features dark and strained with concern it pained her to see. So Kate took a match to his scepticism and bravely raised it to the ground.

"You were right," she declared determinedly, flint sparking in her eyes, her honesty catching, suddenly ablaze. Her partner frowned, questioning. "The other day at my apartment, you were right."

"About?"

"Everything. You summed me up so perfectly," she laughed a watery laugh. "My mother would have high-fived you or hugged you or something for that alone."

Castle chuckled quietly and straightened the comforter, pleased, oh so pleased to hear her say a thing like that: such an honest, generous thing to say.

"Still, I wish I hadn't abandoned you like that." His shame unfurled inside, a close relative of cowardice; a trait he'd fought his adult life to quash.

"You loved me too much to stand around and watch me get killed. I understand that now. I've been like an addict with this case. Her case. You can't help an addict if they don't want to help themselves."

"So I hear."

Kate nodded solemnly. "I've been through it with my dad. Believe me, it's true."

He squeezed her arm. "I'm sorry, Kate..." But she waved his apology away.

"When my mom was murdered we both allowed ourselves to become consumed by different addictions. Both found different ways to numb the pain. But we're the same, he and I."

"No. There are a thousand different ways to deal with the terrible loss you suffered, Kate. Not all of them right for everyone. You did your best. You found a productive way of coping and you helped hundreds of others along the way." He argued for her.

She felt for his hand on top of the covers, gripped it hard. "But I nearly lost you in the process."

Castle turned to look at her, his naked shoulders whispering across the pillow. "I was angry, and, yes, I walked away. But that was fear talking. I was protecting myself because I felt like I could no longer protect you. I'd like to hope we'd have come back to one another after cooling off for a day or two."

"I hope so too." She looked so small, he wanted just to hold her and never let her go.

He tucked and unruly curl of hair behind her ear, revelling in his right to this simple, tender gesture. "Hey, I might be an idiot a lot of the time, but I'm not too big of an idiot to realize what I believe I've found in you. Tonight just confirmed it," he said, allowing himself a wolfish grin for the first time. "We were…spectacular!" he boasted loudly, revealing their secrets to the luxury of his own four walls.

Kate bit her lip to stifle a smile and plucked at the hem of Castle's shirt. "We've been dancing around one another for a long time, haven't we?" She glanced at him shyly.

"We're good dancers."

She raised her eyebrows. "We've had a lot of practice over the years."

He nudged his shoulder against hers, playful and forgiving. "You make an excellent partner."

She smiled with him. "You too. But…"

"What? What is it?"

"I don't want to pretend anymore. I've never felt this safe with anyone before. It's never felt so...right…so…destined." She looked him in the eye. "Don't dare laugh right now."

Castle shook his head solemnly. "More than my life's worth." He relaxed enough to let a softness work its way onto his face, the beginnings of another smile. He couldn't mask his joy for long.

"Good. Because no matter how hard it is to find the words, I feel like I have to say these things. You've kept the faith, Castle. You kept us afloat when I seemed intent on sinking us both. With Demming, with Josh, my shooting and work. Always work and my mom's case. I don't know how you saw this through."

"Hey," he said, tilting her chin up so that he could properly see her face. "You were the one who got us over the line. Don't forget that. Teamwork, okay? The Beckett I began following four years ago would rather have shot herself in the foot with her own service weapon than admit that she was wrong, or that she needed anything from me. You've come a long way in four years, Kate."

"We both have."

He relaxed back against the dark leather headboard, let silence claim the upper hand once more. The clock ticked time away and the need to talk overcame him again, left him wanting a vision of the future he felt only Kate could offer.

"So. Maybe tell me a little bit about the next four years?" he asked, still needing reassurance, confirmation, whatever you wanted to call it, after such a shaky, perilous start.

Kate took a deep breath, allowing her own well of joy to bubble up. "Well, I don't have a crystal ball. But how about the next four days?"

Castle grinned, leaned over and pressed a kiss to her temple while the storm continued to rage outside. "I'll take that."

He set his cup aside and slipped his arm around her shoulders, cradling her against him so they could slide deeper beneath the sheets together to snuggle and stay warm while they talked.

Kate rested her head on his shoulder. "Okay, so I told you I quit my job. How about we place the biggest online order with Whole Foods? Get them to send over like…a week's worth of groceries. All the stuff we both like, and then…"

Kate broke off to lean in close, her turn to smile suggestively, all the desire she felt for him plainly on display in the mirror of her eyes.

"And then?" Castle prompted, pressing tiny kisses to her forehead and cheek.

"And then we put this bed and your enormous…" She paused for effect, eyes shining as she laughed a dirty laugh at the expectant look on his face. "…DVD collection and your cable subscription and Netflix and whatever else you've got beamed, wired and hooked up around here to good use. While we get to know one another a whole lot better. No phone, no case, no Gates, no guys to interrupt. How does that sound?"

"Can we get mac 'n' cheese?"

Kate laughed, tears in her eyes at this familiar silliness that would forever exist between them, as she wound her arms even tighter around her partner. "Sure. We can do that," she promised, resting her head on his chest.

"Then it sounds like the best plan ever," he agreed, carrying her down, down with him deep beneath silky sheets, naked limbs entwined, until the storm was no more than background noise above their heads, and his lips met hers and her tongue drew a moan from them both that would rival any rumble of thunder outside.

The world was them and only them for now. And then...

Thank you for reading.