Prompt: Set 3x22 To love and die in L.A. on the plane. Just to clarify, in my version Josh doesn't exist.

If only. Kate thinks about it. Maybe he's right. Maybe Royce has a point about her trying too hard to protect her heart. Folding the piece of letter back to its folded form she lets her eyes wander again. Somehow they find their way to her partner being asleep next to her. He had been nothing but sweet to her during this whole trip, hadn't fought her once about going after Royce's killer. She didn't even ask for his help. Still, he'd done everything in his power to make all of this easier for her. He tried to lift her spirits in his way without being a jackass, always making sure he didn't cross a line. He made her laugh when she least thought it was possible. No one has ever been able to do that, not even her mom or dad. She's halfway wondering if he would've been able to bring up her spirits had they met and known each other before her mom was murdered. Something tells her he would have. Gently she puts down the letter in her handbag, making sure it doesn't gets torn apart, and then she turns towards the writer. She's not sure she's done thinking about it but she just can't ignore her heart anymore. Risking our hearts is why we're alive. She takes a deep breath before gently touching his arm, stroking it slightly. Almost not touching at all.

"Castle?" she whispers, leaning closer to make sure he's hearing her through his sleep. "Rick? Could you wake up, please?"

"Hmm?" he mumbles something incoherent and turns his head towards her, his eyes squinting to see her through closed lids.

Suddenly she's not sure what to say, not sure how she's supposed to tell him she wants to risk her heart by giving it to him. How does anyone risk their heart?

"'S it?" he slurs his words and she panics. If she doesn't do anything soon he's going to be fully awake and get worried. He shouldn't worry about her.

Instead of saying anything else to try and explain anything, she's not the writer, he is, she's leaning forward and pressing her lips to his. His lips are very formable and she can feel he's just kissing her back as on autopilot, just like she feels the moment his brain is catching up to what is happening. When he realizes he's first kissing her back in a feverish way she isn't prepared for, making a quiet moan rise in her throat, and then he's suddenly pulling away with eyes wide looking at her. The way he pulled away she feels her lips pout before she manages to school her features, quickly preparing herself for having her heart wrecked. She shouldn't have risked it.

"Wha… are you…" he stutters, probably not being able to collect his thoughts because she practically kissed him awake.

"I'm sorry," she splutters. "I didn't… Royce's letter… and you've been so… I'm sorry, forget it."

She's physically trying to pull away from him, trying to sit as far away from him as possible in the seat right there beside him. She made a mistake, he's not feeling the same way and she's made a mistake. Why did she listen to a man who had fooled her last time they spoke? She's stupid. God, she wishes she could just rewind the time and not wake him up.

"No, I can't just forget it, you kissed me!" he hisses with shock still written all over his face. "You actually kissed me!" He's quiet for about two seconds before adding in a complete different kind of surprised tone. "I always thought it would be me kissing you. And then you shooting me for kissing you," he adds low, as if he's thinking out loud.

Wait a second. He thought it would be him kissing her? Does that mean…?

"You've thought about kissing me?" she asks, apparently the filter between her brain and mouth having gone MIA for the time being.

"Of course I have!" he exclaims and those blue eyes of his bore into hers in a way she's not prepared for.

She gulps, suddenly afraid that risking her heart will actually lead to something more. Yes, it is what she wants but it still scares the hell out of her. Royce had seemed to indicate she should ask herself what scares her the most, thinking Castle would break her heart or thinking he would actually risk his own too.

"Why didn't you?" is the next thing coming out her mouth and she curses herself in her mind.

"Wha-I… thought you'd shoot me," he says with widened eyes and she can't stop the 'oh' from slipping out her lips. "Wait." She sees how realization dawns on him. "You wanted me to kiss you?" Shit.

She opens her mouth to answer in the negative, but the second she's about to say something she can't get it out. Why? Because it's not true. Instead she closes it again and bites her lower lip. She also looks down, tries to hide the embarrassment in her eyes, but the blush on her cheeks are most definitely giving her away. It takes about a minute, then he's the one leaning forward claiming her lips with his. This time she moans immediately at the sudden feel of his lips taking hers, especially since he's sucking her lower lip in between his to suck and nibble just to send shockwaves down her veins. She's letting out a gasp and he's taking advantage immediately by pushing his tongue into her mouth, leaving her high on his taste once he pulls away again.

"Wow," she pants.

"Yeah," he agrees before kissing her lips again, not as rough but more sweet. "Mm, how long until we're back on the ground?" he mumbles against her lips and she wishes it is sooner rather than later.

Before he can kiss her again and make her even more dizzy she pulls away slightly, but grabs his hand in hers, hugging it tight to show she still wants to be close.

"When we land, will you walk me home?" she questions with a small tease on her tongue.

The way his lips are pulling up in a wide smirk she knows his answer. And she can't wait.

THE END