93. Chapter 93

After Knockdown, Once More

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Once more unto the knockdown dear friends, I own no Castle. Rating: M Time: See above.

Author's note: This is the third story I've written about what happened after the episode Knockdown. The others are Chapters 5 and 26.

"Always." Kate Beckett repeated Castle's word to herself as she lay alone in her bed. "Always." That was a kiss I've wanted for…How long now? Over a year? Since I met him? Since I first read his books? I've been pushing Castle away for two years now because I know he's not for me. He's a rich playboy with two ex-wives and I'm some cop. But he says I'm remarkable. I know. I have it in writing. Kate laughed to herself. In writing. If everything was just as simple as they are in Castle's books. Nikki and Rook meet, he annoys her, he helps her with a case, they go to bed. From the hints Castle has dropped, Nikki and Rook are a couple. They will be a couple. Always.

A thought caught Kate by surprise. Is he trying to tell me that he feels that way about me? That he wants us to be "always"? Just like Nikki and Rook? She felt a sudden spurt of anger. Then why the hell doesn't he just tell me? She laughed in spite of herself. Why indeed. Am I that stupid? Of course he won't come right out and tell me how he feels. I've spent two years making damned sure that he knew I don't care how he feels about me. And the worst part of that is that I care more for him now than I ever have.

It's like Castle is the trigger on a booby trap, or the snake in the Garden of Eden. Just take a little bite of Castle, Kate. It'll be better than anything you've ever had before. And it was. Castle called it amazing. He said it was how I took that thug down, but he was talking about the kiss because that kiss was amazing.

Josh! I'm with Josh. I cannot think of Castle that way! I'm with Josh because he's what I'm looking for. Someone who'll be with me. We'll be together. Some part of her mind said to her, sarcastically, But he's in Africa, not here with you. But Josh is stable, dependable, someone I can count on for the long run. Castle is…Castle.

No! The kiss was just physical. Sure, Castle is handsome, rich, funny, intelligent, sexy, thinks outside the box, sees connections that no one else does, risks his life for me…

"No!" Kate said. "I can't do this." She checked her watch. "I have to go to bed. I can't sit up all night over one little kiss." She thought for a second. "Two little kisses to be exact. I need to get some sleep. I'm tired and stressed. I'll have a better handle on this tomorrow morning. Everything will make sense then."

Kate quickly readied herself for bed and slid between the sheets. In no time at all she was asleep. But her sleep was filled with dreams.

"He's not buying it, Castle." She said with a slight drunken slur. She reached for her pistol to take him down. Castle grabbed her gun hand, then put his arms around her and kissed her. She was shocked at first, but realized when she saw the thug smile that it was working. Castle broke the kiss and looked into her eyes. She knew what she had to do. She put her arms around his neck and kissed him back. She kissed him as hard and as passionately as she could, opening her mouth and probing his tongue with hers. She moved her boobs against his chest, wanting to touch him and have him touch her, everywhere.

She snuck a look at the thug. He smiled and started to walk away, then began to fade until he was gone. Kate knew that was wrong somehow, but was too busy kissing Castle to want to worry about how the thug had just disappeared. Ryan and Esposito. She thought.

As if on cue, Ryan and Esposito walked out of the building, not the least the worse for wear. They saw her and Castle, smiled and nodded, then walked down the street and disappeared.

Kate found herself in Castle's bed without any knowledge of how she had come to be there. Not that she cared. Castle pulled her to him and gently stroked the side of her face. "We love each other, Kate, you know that, don't you?"

She nodded. "I've been fighting it since the day we met, but I do love you, Rick. Will you stay with me, always?"

He smiled at her. "Always, Kate, Always. You know that. You've known that for a long time now."

She smiled back at him. "I have, but I've been afraid. So afraid."

"You don't have to be afraid anymore, Kate. I'll have your back, always."

"I know. I know. Now, please make love to me. I've waited so long for this. I've waited my whole life for this."

As she got on her back and spread her legs, he whispered to her, "I'll tell you a secret, Kate. I've been waiting my whole life for you, too."

He ran his hands over her boobs, gently stroking them and teasing her nipples until they were stiff and proud. With one hand around her, holding her close, he moved his hand down her flat stomach and slid it to the top of her thigh. "You are so incredibly beautiful." He whispered in her ear. "But you know this is more than just physical?"

"I do." She said moving his hand to the tangle of her pubic hair. "Please?" She moaned.

He slid first one, then two and finally three fingers inside her and gently pushed them in and out of her. While he did this, he stroked her engorged clit with his thumb. She arched her back to get him further inside of her. She reached out to grasp his erection, pulling him to her. "Now. Now!"

"Now." He agreed.

Kate came as soon as Castle entered her, something she had never done before. She threw her arms around him and then her legs, locking them behind him, pulling him as deep into her as she could manage. "Castle! Castle!" She moaned as she climaxed again and again.

Her eyes flew open and she sat up in her bed, momentarily confused as to where she was. She reached her hand down under the shorts she'd worn to bed. My God! I'm wet! I've never been this wet in my life.

She got out of bed and went to the bathroom to clean herself up. "It was just a dream." She muttered. "Just a dream. It doesn't mean a thing."