A Comforting Hand
She ran her hand through her hair yet again as she twirled the dry-erase marker in her hand. She reaches for the photo that is sitting on her desk, but feels fingers close around her own. Startled she looks up. "Castle?" she asks.
"Hey, I know; no touching at work. I just… it just looked like you needed some comfort." She smiles at her and she's not sure what to say because if she was being honest with herself she really did need his comfort.
She smiles and tugs on his hand. He is now standing in front of her he offers a small smile and the one that comes to her face is full of happiness and love and a bit of mischief. "I think we can break the rules for a minute." Not even a second later she was held tightly to Rick's chest. She sighs and leans into his hold. His hands rub her back in small comforting circles. "Thank you, I needed that." She admits.
"Always, Kate." He kisses her head before they disentangle from each other. "Okay so Alexis wants you to come over for dinner and a movie, says you can't miss her cooking and she wants to talk to you about something." He sees her open her mouth to talk, but he stops her. "I don't know what about and I really want you to come too. Please, you can even stay at the loft, it has been a bad case and I need you tonight." He whispers so only Kate could here.
She nods. "Okay, but no eavesdropping on me and Alexis or I'm not staying." She says pocking him with every word.
"Ow." He says rubbing his shoulder. "Okay I promise, no eavesdropping." He smiles and looks up at the board that holds the picture of the victim that looks a bit like Kate.
"Good." She notices the sad look in his eyes and turns to see what he is looking at. The picture, the one picture that haunted her dreams last night. "I'm okay Rick. I'm right here, alive and well." She tells him taking his hand and putting them on her hips allowing him to hold her again as he buried his face into her neck and inhaled her sent so familiar and comforting.
She can feel the open mouth kiss he placed on her neck before he brought his lips to her ear and whispered, "I love you, Kate" His voice rough with emotion.
She pulls back a bit to look into his eyes. The blue eyes that stole her heart years ago and the same ones that now hold so much love in them. She quietly whispers, "I love you too, Rick." With just as much emotion in her voice and eyes as his held.
