341. Chapter 341

AU After Setup

Episode 3.16

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I am simply not set up for owning Castle. Rating: K Time: See above

Kate could feel the heat leaching from her body. She knew there wasn't much time left. Castle was holding her, keeping her just a bit warmer with the heat of his body. She knew she had to speak before it was too late.

"Castle…thank you…for being there."

Castle held her a little closer, giving her more precious warmth. "Always."

She could feel her strength fading. Damn it. "I just want you to know how much I really care for you. More than Josh. I think I'm falling in love with you."

"I know I'm in love with you." He whispered.

"I'm glad I told you before we died." She managed to get out. She could feel herself slipping away. No! Not now. Not…

"Kate…Stay with me. Kate? Stay with me."

The first thing he was conscious of was warmth. Blessed warmth. How can I be warm if I'm freezing? He tried to sit up, but could barely lift his head.

"Hey! Good to see you're back with us, sport."

Castle opened his eyes to see a slender black woman looking down at him. "What…? How…? Where's Beckett?"

"You've pretty near became a copsicle, detective." She said, attempting some humor. "You've had moderate hypothermia, but you should be okay. You need warmth. Hot coffee wouldn't be a bad idea, either. If you find some, let me know. I could use some myself."

"Where's Beckett?" He repeated.

"Your partner? Over there with some doctor."

With the help of the EMT, Castle managed to sit up. His heart sank. Beckett was talking to Josh. He had one arm around her and was gently stroking her hair with the other hand. Did I dream all that? One last fantasy because I thought I was dying? Crap! That would be the perfect end to a craptastic day.

Then he saw Josh take a step back. Suddenly neither Beckett nor Josh looked happy. They were speaking seriously, he could tell, but they were too far away for him to hear. Finally, Josh turned and walked away. Beckett took a step towards him and said something, but he kept walking.

Beckett then glanced over at the ambulance Castle was in. She smiled at him and walked towards him.

"Hi. I brought you some coffee." She said, sitting next to him and handing him a cardboard coffee cup. Castle smiled at the heat he felt. He was smiling more at Beckett.

"How is he?" She asked the EMT.

"Worse than you. When they found you, he was sitting on the floor with you on his lap. He was losing heat faster than you were."

Kate reached over and took his hand. "Castle has always been very protective of me."

"He's in pretty good shape." The EMT continued. "You'll both be pretty sluggish for a while. I'd recommend you go home, turn the heat up, wrap yourselves in blankets and drink lots of coffee."

"Sounds like a plan." Kate said.

"Hey!" Castle said suddenly. "Who found us? How?"

"We did." Espo said, standing at the back of the ambulance with Ryan. "You two owe us big time."

"And you two can collect later." That was Captain Montgomery. "I've talked to Agent Fallon, and based on the information Beckett provided, you two are back on the case. That is, you're back on the case tomorrow. It's late and you've had a rough time. Go home."

Castle walked back to Kate's patrol car and got in the passenger's side. "This is one time I'm happy to let you drive." She hasn't said anything. Does she remember? Did I imagine it? What the hell am I going to do? He decided to try something more or less safe. "Josh was here."

"He didn't go to Haiti after all."

Castle tried to sound positive. "That's good."

Kate looked at him, frowning. "I broke up with him. You were right. With one foot out the door, I didn't know where I stood. And that's not what I wanted."

He decided to take a chance. "What do you want?"

She pulled the car over and looked at him, frowning. Can it be that he doesn't remember? Or did he just say he loved me because he thought we were dying? Or does he think I only told him that because I thought we were dying? Why the hell can't we ever just talk? That made Kate think. For once I am going to talk. "Castle, I don't always say what I should say and I say things, especially to you, that I shouldn't say."

Oh, crap. She didn't mean it. His heart sank.

"But I meant every word I said to you there in the freezer. I think I'm falling in love with you. Did you mean what you said? Do you love me?"

Castle let out a breath he hadn't realized he was holding. "More than I imagined I could love. I love you, Kate."

Kate leaned over and kissed him. "Thank you. For everything."

He laughed. "Always. But what's next?"

"I want to get warm! This car heater isn't doing it for me. Your loft? It's the closest."

Castle nodded and Beckett pulled out into traffic again.

Once at his loft Castle ran to turn the heat up, got blankets out of a closet and put on a pot of coffee. In minutes, they were standing there, wrapped in blankets, sipping hot coffee. Kate opened her arms and enfolded Castle in her blanket, pulling him close. "One thing. When anyone asks us how we got together, let's lie, okay. Just thinking about that freezer is creepy."

Castle laughed and hugged her. "We became a couple on a hot day at the beach. We were both sweating and downing ice cold lemonades. I'll write a whole story about how we got together."

"Thank you." She kissed his cheek.

"One thing. I told you that I do love you. You said you think you love me. You're not sure?"

Kate rested her head on his chest. "Castle, when my mom died, I started building a wall around myself to keep from ever being hurt like that again. As long as I didn't love anyone, I'd never get hurt like that again. I lived that way for years. Too many years. I can't live like that any more. I just can't. But that wall is still there and I'm still afraid of loving anyone. But I want to love you. I hate the idea of not loving you. Of losing you. I feel like you're my only chance at happiness."

Kate lifted her head and looked into his eyes. "You've been better to me than I deserve, and I'm so afraid I might fail you again. I really don't know how to do this anymore, and I may screw up and hurt you. Please, please give me a chance if I do. I know I'm asking a lot, but I'm so afraid of screwing up and losing you."

"Don't worry. I'll be there for you."

"Do more than be there for me. Tell me when I screw up. Let me know that I'm not acting like the woman who loves you, okay?"

"Oh, I'll be happy to oblige." Castle said with a smile.

"Do you know what I want right now?"

"What?"

"A very hot shower and good night's sleep."

"You can stay here. You can sleep in the guest room."

She took his hand and led him towards his bedroom. "Castle, that's not how the woman who loves you acts. Get with the program, writer boy."

Much, much, much later.

"Richard, you two most certainly did not become a couple on the hottest day of the year on the beach. It was nowhere near summer. Why did you tell those people that story?"

Rick took Kate's hand. "That's our story and we're sticking to it."

Kate nodded. "That's how I remember it."

Martha shook her head. "If that's what you want." What are those two hiding?