Hello everyone! Here it is, at long last - the sequel to 'Colder'. Note that you don't actually have to have read 'Colder' to understand this story - I guess it's more of a sequel of sorts. It's set in the universe that follows those events, and references them (quite liberally, I might add!), but it is a stand alone story.

Just a quick heads up - the rating is partially for sexual situations (I will not be writing anything explicit, but it will be clear enough :) ), but more than anything else, it is because this will be a pretty heavy and pretty dark fic. I'm trying my hand at a case-fic - and I'm trying my hand at pushing the characters to their limits. This will be one hell of an emotional roller coaster folks, so buckle up!

For those of you who enjoyed the hilarity of 'Colder' - I'm sorry to say, there won't be much of that here - but I will try to include some light-hearted scenes - and there WILL be GADS of fluff! tons of it!

As a side note - new chapters will probably be slower to go up than usual - you can expect at least one a week. Of course, the more reviews I get, the more inspired I am to post ahead of my own internal schedule (what can I say? I'm a sucker for your amazing feedback and will do anything to get more!)

On with the fic!

disclaimer: Yes. Yes they are mine, as a matter of fact. Also, I have a lovely bridge for sale if you're interested.

Be Ok

Katherine Beckett was not a woman who accepted comfort easily. Even before the death of her mother, she had always been fiercely independent, choosing only to allow people into her life that she could control. Her mother's death, her father's downward spiral – they only served to reinforce her need for complete and total self-sufficiency. If you couldn't count on your own family not to leave you, who could you count on?

Katherine Beckett.

It was who she was, who she had become and the only person on whom she could count. That was what she had always told herself. It was her mantra. It was her safety net.

Until now.

Lying in this man's arms, her eyes still puffy and red, her cheeks encrusted with the salty remains of the torrential downpour of tears from only hours before, she realises for the first time in her life that she might not have to carry the weight of the world on her own.

She thinks back on her past relationships, some of which were ended by her, others by them.

The grunge rocker boy who smelled like wet flannel – she had ended that one once the appeal of pissing off her dad had worn off.

Royce. "I was in love with you." The very fact that had only just recently admitted to him how much he had meant to her said a lot – especially since even as she spoke those words she hid behind the guise of tracing his location.

Then there was Will – in the six months they had been together, she had let him in more than any other man in her life up until then; when he walked away from her, it only served to reinforce her conviction that letting them in could leave you so much more than shattered.

Then there was Josh; the poor guy never even knew until it was over that the Kate that he was so in love with had only been the smallest tip of the iceberg. She hadn't even begun to let him – likely never would have.

And now – here she was – not just physically naked in the arms of Richard Castle, but stripped of all of her defenses, her soul laid bare for him to either embrace or to crush. As much as she relished in the peace that she currently found in his arms, she found herself on edge, waiting for the inevitable shoe to drop.

She sighed, closing her eyes and burrowing deeper into his arms. He hadn't left her the whole time she had been sick. He hadn't blamed her, ever, for his own three days of flu-induced misery. And now – even after bearing witness to the carnage of the case they were currently working, even after falling apart that first night and letting her put the pieces back together again – now, he was the one stopping her from being sucked into that darkness.

She feels the tears in her eyes again, thinking about the scene.

Four days. They had been working the case now for four days and they were nowhere nearer to bringing justice to the families of the victims. The guilt plucked away at her, it pulled at her outward stoicism, it wore her down, body, mind and soul until she was left raw and exposed for anyone to see.

"Kate."

She felt his arms tighten around her, his voice low and hoarse from sleep and exhaustion and muffled by her own hair as he buried his face in the crook of her neck. She felt her own breath hitch in her throat as she fought back the tears that threatened again.

"Stop, please Kate. You can't blame yourself for this."

The sadness and guilt in his own voice was nearly her undoing. "They were only children," she chokes out on a sob, her teeth clenched, her shoulders tense.

"We'll get him, Kate," he says with complete conviction and she is amazed by the faith that this man has in her.

"You don't know that, Castle-"

"Yes, I do," he interrupts her, rolling her over in his arms and forcing her to look him in the eyes. She is shocked by the depth of emotion held within that sea of blue, the tears that threaten to fall from his own eyes, and above all, by the quiet trust and certainty that what he says is not only the truth, but the only truth possible.

And then his lips are on hers and she is falling. The horror of their world is fading and, at least for that one moment, is replaced with love and comfort like she's never felt in her life – like she's never allowed herself to feel. She feels his hands on her body, feels him move in her and feels his tears on her face as she joins him in a mutual and shattering climax.

She doesn't know what she'll do if this man ever leaves her – for tonight, however, their need for each other outweighs every other concern.

Neither sleeps that night – they spend it holding each other together until the darkness fades to light. With a lingering kiss and reciprocal words of support and comfort, they shower, dress and return to the precinct to face the laughing faces of those children, now taped to the murder board.

Four days earlier…

"Beckett."

"You better get down here. Playground on 8th Ave."

Sighing as she dragged her still sleepy body out of bed, she looks at the clock on the bedside table.

7:35

She's about to hang up with a "be there in 10," when Esposito's voice stops her.

"Don't call Castle."

"Why not?" she's perplexed and concerned at the tone of the other detective's voice.

"He's already here. He was here when it happened."

Oh yes, my darling readers - I have jumped on board the oh so cruel cliffhanger train!

I hope that nobody is going to be too confused by the timeline of this story - I'm trying my hand at non-linear story telling - so there will be a certain amount of bouncing around in time as my muse sees fit. Please let me know if you really truly hate this story format - I could be convinced to follow a more traditional format if it really bothers you guys!

Remember, your wishes are my command! So please, read and review - and for good or for bad, let me know what you think - I can't improve if nobody tells me where I've gone wrong!

Cheers!