Title: The One With The Morning After

Author: Nancy Erin

Rated: M

Summary: Post 4x23 Always – The morning after (for obvious reasons) lol – could be a sequel to my 'Yours always'

Kate woke up in the wee hours of the morning as the soft warm sunrays tickled at her nose. She let out an uncontrolled groan due to the lack of sleep she and Castle had had the previous night. It was still way too early to get out of bed. She took a glimpse with one eye at the alarm clock: 6.A.M. Yes, definitely too early to sneak out of the warm white sheets and away from the person she was lying next to. Her eye drifted shut with a long sigh before they slowly fluttered open again to rest on the man she was in love with.

Her stare remained on Castle, unable to take her eyes off him anymore. She watched as he slept. He was lying on his back and was looking very peaceful with every breath he took. His chest rose and fell with a regular pace. The entire atmosphere felt serene around them. Kate knew Alexis and Martha were out of the house for the weekend, so they had two days to themselves. What could they possibly do? It wasn't like she could show up at work, even on a Saturday, since she had returned her badge and gun. She was jobless so to speak and she had yet to break in the news to him. What was he going to think of her now? Her future was uncertain… she didn't have a plan. Maybe she hadn't fully thought this through all the way. However, for some kind of reason, she didn't seem to care all that much. At least not for now. For now all that mattered was him…

A smile steadily grew on her face as images of their previous night flashed through her mind. The first-time Castle had made sure to take it slow. Their first-time had been perfect, just like she had expect it to be. He was an amazing and gentle lover. He knew his way around a woman for sure. The second round wasn't that unhurried, and she was pretty sure that the third time both had been very loud. It had been fast, very hasty and rough… It hadn't taken long for either of them to reach climax. All she remembered was Castle crashing over her, and now, two hours later she was fully wake, albeit very tired…. good tired.

Her eyes felt very heavy. She wanted and needed to sleep. She scooped closer up against his body, resting her head on his chest. Even in his sleep, he managed to pull her closer to him as his left arm wrapped around her bare back. Beneath her ear she heard his heart pounding repeatedly, keeping him alive. She sighed contently as she let herself lulled to sleep by his beating heart. Some time later, Castle stirred lightly in his sleep, which unfortunately woke Kate too, as both of them snuggled cozily into each other.

"Morning beautiful"

His voice was hoarse and so sexy, but most of all, Kate loved the slightly messed up hair standing which every way from his head. This, and his piercing blue eyes did it for her. They were so full of love. She had to kiss him.

The moment her lips brushed up against his, Castle's hands kept her head in place, as he gradually deepened the kiss. Kate didn't hesitate the split of a second as their tongues and mouths explored one another all over again. She heaved herself up and threw one leg to the other side of his waist, straddling him while his hands grazed across her back. They only parted when they needed to get some air.

"Hmm… Kate…" Castle groaned and playfully rubbed his nose against hers.

He could feel the soft swell of her breast push up against his torso. The fact that she had pushed herself unconsciously up against his groin, made him loose all his senses. Their eyes locked as a sly smile crossed her face.

"Well… good morning to you too, Castle."

He combed some of her long wavy curls out of her face to have a better view at her angelic face as he felt Kate, this time purposefully, circling her lower body against his growing erection.

"You're such a bad girl, you know that?"

Her response was a low moan into his mouth as she gradually kept rubbing herself against him until he was fully erect. The friction had lasted long enough to make her wet too, completely ready to cross the last line. They were both naked and there was no need to waste any further time as she slid herself onto his entire length.

"Kate!" he squirmed beneath her in sweet pleasure. "Oh God!"

Kate felt his stiff member deep within her, so hard and so long, it was painful. This was pure torture, but she loved it just the same every single time they became one. Their union was powerful and enthralling. She dipped hard into his mouth, delving her tongue as far as it could go mirroring his hard shaft inside of her. He groaned again before pulling on her hair, breaking off their heated lip connection.

"Protection, Kate." he managed to croak out.

"I'm on the pill, Castle." she groaned and grinded her hips against his. She couldn't get him deep enough to fully satisfy her. Castle was well endowed as it was, and yet, it didn't seem enough. She always longed for him to go deeper and harder. "Besides, we used up the rest of the package last night, so… Or you don't want to?" she questioned albeit reluctantly, because she needed him… now.

He tugged on her hair again. She revealed her sparkling green eyes to him as her body came to a halt above him, still united. It took a few seconds for his answer to come out as his facial expression softened on her.

"I love you, Kate." He breathed out lovingly with a hint of lustful gleam in his blue eyes.

She smiled knowingly. Castle wasn't going to deny her inner desire to love him. She couldn't quite say the words yet, so she needed another way to let him know how she felt about it. She rested her hands against his stomach for leverage as she slowly worked her way up and down his length with their eyes still locked. After several strokes they both started to moan and groan at the sensations cursing through their bodies as she worked on their mutual relief.

Not too soon, his hips met hers halfway guiding his length into her. His grip tightened on her hips at the constant pressure growing within his body which made him want to pound hard and fast into her.

"Kate"

"Castle"

Always in sync they were, even when it came to sex. He pulled her head down harshly, her lips clashing hard against his mouth as he feasted hungrily against them, sucking long and hard on her tongue and lips. Kate groaned and moaned hard into his throat as she felt Castle's body holding firmly against hers, clinging onto it for dear life. The tension in his body was growing just as rapidly as it was in hers, and with a quick shove, he flipped them around. A flip that was worthy of martial art. Her breath hitched sharply as he pushed his hard erection forcefully into her right away, uniting them again.

"Sorry…" Castle whispered tenderly against her ear, always mindful of her well-being. He gave her body a couple of seconds to readjust to his size.

"I'm good" She whispered in return with the need to let him know he hadn't hurt her in any way. It was the mere deep thrust that was quite overwhelming her. It always did. She loved when he had made love to her the first time, but she also loved to watch him fuck her hard and come undone for her. Never before had she loved to see a man fall over the edge as much as Castle. She longed to feel him fill her over and over again, to spill his seed inside of her. It was the first time she was willing to let herself completely fall for a man in that way.

His strong hands trailed the softest of caresses along her ribcage before they grabbed a handful of her delicate small breasts. Her skin was so soft and smooth as he sucked sweetly on the tiny erect nipple. His hands were almost too big for her slender frame as they roamed over her body. He managed to catch her arms and brought them up above her head as he started pounding at slow pace first, steadily moving onto harder, longer and deeper thrusts.

"Oh, fuck, Kate!" he breathed heavily as he felt her inner muscle tighten around his penetrating manhood.

He knew she was close. Oh so very close… He barely managed to finish off that trail of thought as he had her plummeting over the edge as her entire body convulsed forcefully beneath and around him. Her breathing was hard and shallow as it hit again his lips. He drunk in her long cries and moans. Her orgasm was his undoing as he pushed once more hard and deep into her sending his seed spilling into her depth. He couldn't control the loud groan on the first spurt. His throbbing member felt so good inside of her as Kate fought the urge not to bite his lips.

Their fierce lip connection softened as they came down from their recent high, making room for the love they felt for each other.

"Wow…" Castle smiled down at her when he found her face completely flushed and her lips swollen red from their intense kissing session.

"Remind me why we didn't do this any sooner?"

Castle chuckled, "Because you are the most remarkable, maddening, challenging, frustrating, person I've ever met in my life. If it were on me, we would have done this four years ago, remember?"

Kate felt a pain in her chest. He was right, though maybe not four years ago, but at least two years ago.

"I'm so sorry…"

"Hey" Castle nuzzled against her cute nose, "We both made mistakes. Let's not go there right now, okay? I just want to…"

Castle's words were cut as he felt himself slip out of her, and that's when it hit him again. They had just had sex without protection. Well, she was on the pill, but what if…? When his eyes met her emerald green eyes, Kate was smiling broadly up at him. He took a couple of seconds to read her. Her fingers were affectionately running through his hair. He wasn't quite sure whether she was just playing or straightening them. He couldn't care less because he loved it.

"Kate?"

She understood his words, "It's okay..."

"But…"

"If it happens…"

"A baby? Really?"

His high pitched voice shrieked out loud. She giggled and rolled her eyes at his crazy antics. She though loved it when he did that, even if she feigned annoyance. She shrugged. Truthfully she hadn't really thought about it either. But why not? She wasn't getting any younger. She didn't have a job. But she was in love, truly, madly, deeply. No matter how much she hated him every now and then, it still didn't change the fact that she was in love with the very same man.

"Would you mind?" she dared asking timidly.

"I… wow, Kate!" Castle bolt up straight.

Clearly this wasn't the reaction Kate had expected from him. But what had she really expected anyway? She didn't know. Everything was a mess right in her head.

"Rick…" She caught his face in both of his hands, "It doesn't mean that we have to… not right away. I'm just saying that if it happens, I'm not against it… "

She sat and observed him carefully as he analyzed her words and let them sink in. It took a while for him to register the information.

"You're a cop, Kate. What about your job?"

"I resigned!"

"You, what?"

"Shhh…" she pulled his head closer against hers so their foreheads rested against each other, "It's okay… I'll tell you everything later… Please don't tell me you don't want a baby with me, please, Rick, please…" she pleaded and Rick didn't know whether she was talking to herself or to him. That was a lot to take in. He though would be a fool to deny that he had been dreaming numerous times about a very pregnant Beckett with his baby growing inside of her.

"Kate, of course I'd love to have a baby with you. I… But now?"

Castle opened his eyes to see Kate's pleading greens shining up into his. How could he ever deny her such a thing. Twelve hours from now she ended up on his door step soaking wet, telling him that all she wanted was him… And now, she not only wanted him, but also his baby. This was like a dream come true.

"Well, not now, I mean, maybe not now… but, if it happened, would you… I mean… I…"

Castle was literally in awe of the person sitting mere inches away from him. He was in love with her. He had been for the past four years; ever since he had laid eyes on her she owed his heart.

"Kate, I have no words, I… Of course I'd love to have a baby with you. It's just unexpected. I… that would be huge."

"I am aware it would be huge, Castle. I'm just saying, because I love you, and I'm not getting any younger. What we shared the past hours was just… amazing, I…."

"What did you say?" Castle heard her words just fine, but that didn't mean his heart felt indifferent to the love declaration she just did.

Kate stopped in her words as realization kicked in, "I love you" her voice was a bare whisper.

Her words warmed his heart as it pounded fast in his chest, "Kate…" he called out softly to catch her eyes, but they shied away. With two fingers he tilted her chin back up and swept her into a mind-blowing kiss that left them panting for air.

"I know it's soon, and I'm not even sure where it comes from, I just…" Kate rambled nervously, completely confused at her own acknowledgement. "Again, it doesn't mean that we have to… right away, because I'd like to… have you for myself for a while. God, that sounds selfish…"

Castle laughed softly at her words. A stuttering Kate Beckett was much cuter than he thought. Then again, he really never thought of Beckett being a stuttering type, but apparently he found himself face to face to a whole new Beckett to get to know. And he loved it.

Kate's ramble went on for a while until she stopped abruptly gazing into his eyes bewildered.

"I love you, Kate. And yes, I'd love to have a baby with you. Now, later… Whenever you're ready… I'll be ready too." Castle wrapped his arms around her and kissed on top of her cherry scented hair.

"Thank you."

"Always."

They let their bodies fall back onto the mattress, relishing into their hug as they laid side by side. Enjoying the closeness and remembering their heated passion exchanged over the past hours, and mostly, just now, both thinking

What if… ?

The End

A/N: Not sure what I should think of this short one-shot, but not my favorite. This is all I could come up with at this godly hour! Thanks for reading and please review – it would make my Castle-free Monday sooo much better! =)