I'll Still be Loving You

by Castlefan6

Authors Note: Thisis my AU version SEQUEL to Dinner Date, Please read that before starting this. This story picks up without any time lapse and continues with Kate and Rick as they forge ahead as a Couple and concludes the story arc started when Rick left suddenly.

I don't own Castle; I use the characters for amusement purposes only

Chapter 1

Previously (From Dinner Date)

"What is it Alexis, what do you need Sweetie?"

"Can we call Remy's for a takeout order and have the limo pick it up, I'm dying for a decent Cheeseburger"

Kate and Rick both burst into laughter so hard tears were coming down their cheeks,

"Of course, we can, I missed them as well" Rick replied

The first night home with his love is starting out so much better than either Kate or Rick could have hoped for, the loft was empty and their opportunity to finally hold each other and catch up for lost time. Kate pulled out her little elephant and pressed his trunk, "Now show me Rick, I've thought of this moment for so long" Show her he did, it was even better than he could have dreamed, and she was right, he had no idea.

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Castle's Loft

Same Evening

3:00 AM After Hunger Set In

Rick had arranged for another batch of cheeseburgers be delivered, (he knew a guy), as he prepared new milkshakes. Kate was changing so he had made a makeshift fort, fashioned out of the couch pillows and a sheet, and illuminated with two battery powered candles. Kate smiled as she stood watching the creation, then Rick retrieve the special delivery of cheeseburgers, before she asked,

"Rick, do you want to tell me what possessed you to create a fort complete with our dinner by candlelight?"

"Do you remember a certain Chinese dinner date, complete with candles about a year ago?"

Kate flushes red with embarrassment, and reliving the hurt she had caused her love,

"Kate, it's OK, don't go back there, I just figured that dinner date eventually ended up so well we could start our lives together in the loft with our own dinner date, and what better way than by Candlelight my Love."

She smiles, "Oh my love, my sweet, sweet man, only you would turn a nightmare into a dream, Thank You Babe. I want you to know this is the last dinner date either of us have like this, OK?" as she laughed and gently kissed him.

"OK, I'll just build the fort next time, we'll eat at the table" as he pulls her into him and the kiss they share leaves no doubt, this is the love both had searched for all their lives.

They eat cheeseburgers, drink the shakes Rick had made, with a bit of whipped cream fight rubbing it on each other's noses and felt a comfort that neither had ever felt before. The fort collapsed with their extracurricular activities so they moved to the couch, still touching, hugging and kissing, almost like neither could get enough of the other. It was truly a Kate Beckett, Rick had never seen before, but he wasn't going to complain.

Kate turned the TV on low, as they just sat looking into each other's eyes, saying so much without a word being said. She laid her head on his chest, and turned the volume up, content just to be in his arms after waiting so long to feel his love, his touch, and to hear his heart beat, as he told her, just for her. He was so romantic, but the words came so natural to him, nothing seemed forced.

TMZ was airing a piece, as Rick heard, "We have an exclusive coming from our London bureau tonight, it seems the next 007 book will be released early, as announced by Lord Barrow, Chief Brand Officer and Editor of Fox Run Publishing.

The sequel to the best selling "No Time to Mourn, which is still on New York Times Best Selling List will be released next Thursday in London, and Friday in New York. It's titled "Double Edge Justice" and has a uniqueness about it seldom seen.

The Author as well as Lord Barrow are donating a considerable percentage of the proceeds of the sale to further financial assistance to those who have been impacted by Human Trafficking. Early pre-release reviews rave about the sensitivity as well as authenticity of the subject matter and how it was so professionally handled.

We have a clip from the Press Conference held by Lord Barrow," the cameras cut to a short stocky man, speaking with a deep cockney accent form behind a beautiful desk, well over 100 years old.

"Good Afternoon, I am Lord Barrow, Chief Brand Officer, and Managing Editor of Fox Run Publishing. We are proud to announce the early release of the second in the series, of our most famous British Agent, 007, titled "Double Edge Justice", which deals with a very sensitive subject, Human Trafficking. Our Author approached us with the plan to donate a percentage of the proceeds to further financial assistance to victims, we are proud to match those contributions and estimate well over 2 million US Dollars, will be distributed throughout 7 agencies vetted for work in his field.

"We are extremely proud of this work, not only from it's literary sense, but also we feel that this is a topic Sir Ian would totally be in agreement for support with if he was still with us. Please be patient, as with the first book, pre-sales have far exceeded forecasts, we are working around the clock to meet orders. We thank you in advance for your wonderful support and ask for patience as we attempt to react to such high demand as quickly as we can. Thank You and Good Day"

"Well there you have it, Lord Barrow, replied off camera that the idea of supporting these groups came directly from the writer, and he was extremely happy to match the donations. He also is extremely pleased at the courage of this writer to take on such a relevant topic for todays times. Once again pre-orders should be out late next week for those in the US, and a few day earlier for her in the UK., Back to you in the studio"

Kate is entranced with the topic, as Rick just watches her, till he see's a tear trickle out of one eye

"Hey Babe, care to share, remember no secrets, Right?"

"I'm sorry Rick, you're right, it's just this is so close to the work I got involved in when I los, eh I mean when you and I weren't communicating. Doctor Burke suggested it, and it did wonders for me, and my feeling of self-worth."

"Kate, I'm so sorry, I never meant for you to go through that, I honestly thought that it was the right thing to do, it's a bad memory for us all, so let's just say that we'll never let things get that far out of hand again, agree?"

She pulls him in for a deep sensuous kiss, "Agree, with a stipulation."

"What's the stipulation?" he asked looking a bit worried,

"It's that we agree I'm the last woman and you're the last man we will be in love with, well in my case you are the only man I have ever been in love with, AND, you take me to bed NOW!"

"Agreed" Rick picked her up bridal style and spent the remainder of the morning/late evening hours convincing her.

A few hours later, Rick lay looking at the ceiling, his arm wrapped around his love, as she breathed gently, her head on his chest, looking so beautiful. He couldn't help but stare, till never opening her eyes, "Rick, just because we're a couple, doesn't make staring not creepy," a few minutes later she rolled over and on top of him, locking on his eyes, "I lied, it never was creepy Rick, I loved it then and I love it now." She smiled and kissed him sweetly, laying her head back on his chest.

"You looked deep in thought Babe, care to tell me what's on your mind, I mean if it's not too personal or anything, I don't want to be that nosy, cross examining girlfriend, I am your girlfriend Right? Looking so insecure like a little girl.

"Of course, you're my girlfriend, you're my soulmate, and I don't want to scare you off by going any farther than that, for now." He smiles as he kisses her sweetly.

"To answer your question, I was thinking we should spend some time alone, just the two of us, and I thought the Hamptons would be nice this time of year."

Kate almost gags, but keeps her composure as she says sweetly, "I'm not so sure the location is right, I agree we do need some time just the two of us, we still have a great deal to talk about, but Babe, I mean I eh,"

"Oh, you mean you don't want to go to the house I had with other woman, I understand Kate, so that's why I bought one three houses down, for you and I to start our lives together.

It was owned by Vinny the Scar, rest his soul, so I am sure it will need a woman's touch. Your first memories of the Hamptons will be you and I, no skeletons, no ghosts, and Babe, it's wide open how you want to decorate or remodel it."

Kate's eyes fill with tears, her man, her love is so considerate he bought a freakin beach house so she and he could start without any memories of other relationships. He always put her feeling first, another Rick move to make her happy.

"I hope that was OK, I mean Kate we can pick another spot if it's too close, I understand an*"

His words are stopped with her lips crashing on his. "Shhh you talk too much sometimes, Rick, it's perfect, but I mean I know there have been others, I just have to deal with that."

"Yes you do, just as I do with you, but Sweetie, I would never take you into that house and pretend I didn't know that with every move you made you would be guessing, did his ex-wife perform the task the identical way, was the painting on this wall, am I just a copy, so NO you won't go through that. Three houses down is about a city block in distance, so I hope it's far enough away, but if you want Kate, pick a spot, any spot and we'll buy there."

Tears that have pooled in her eyes now fall, as she snuggles into his chest just holding on to this sweet man. As always, he has put her, her feelings, and her insecurities first and made plans to correct them.

"Babe, isn't that a huge expense just to ensure my insecurities don't enter into our relationship?"

"Kate, there is no expense I wouldn't spare, No price too high, ever to save us both one shred of insecurity, I'm in this, and I was told by someone I was the one, as in her one and done. Don't panic Babe, we'll get there but I'm not asking tonight, but I will sometime, so please be thinking about it, OK?"

She answered simply by turning her head and kissing him sweetly, putting every bit of love she was feeling in her heart into her kiss.

"If I didn't know my answer I never would have said to someone that he was the ONE, as in my ONE and done, so Babe, when the time is right, ask, but know what my answer will be. Just like you say, I'm all in, nothing is going to shake me away this time, I promise."

"So, are you up for a trip to the Hamptons now?" he smiled,

"Will we be sleeping i*"

"We're not even going into the old house, unless you want to see it, I planned on giving it to Alexis, sort of a bribe to keep her on the East Coast or at least in the states for college, but we'll see."

"Then I'm ready, I just need to stop at Barnes and Noble to pick up the latest 007 Book, I'm on the pre-production list and got a text my copy is ready for pick up. Don't be angry Rick, if you were writing you know it would be only your books I would be reading, right?" as she smiled and kissed him.

Rick kissed her, but something was up, he was uncomfortable,

"Babe, are you OK, I mean if it bothers you, I won't pick it up, I'm sorry Sweetie,"

"No, No, it's fine, it's silly, I guess, jealous of some ghost writer no one even knows who it is, stupid, I know"

"Not stupid Babe, Human like you tell me, besides the press seem to have been convinced that Patterson is the writer. I don't know, it's not his style and seriously, I have never seen him give a pair of old shoes to Goodwill, much less donate any proceeds, so the jury is still out for me."

Rick laughed at Kate's description of his poker buddy, but she wasn't wrong, frugal could be his middle name. In his mind he planned how he could tell Kate what was going on and ask her to go back to London in the 11 weeks he had left. He also had to let her know about Cricket, the relationship and how big a part of his success she played. To say they had a lot to talk about was putting it mildly.

TBC