This one was inspired by upcoming episode 'Cuffed'. Next one will probably involve Alexis and Martha. I've been neglecting them. D:

Bound

"You really think this guy did it? He seems pretty harmless to me."

"I've been doing this job a lot longer than you, Castle, and believe me, sometimes the last person you expect is the bastard that actually did it."

Castle shifted in the passenger seat of Beckett's Crown Vic, ignoring the spring poking into his ass. "I guess, but they other guy looked really good for it. And he looked like a killer. Scars on his face, tattoos everywhere and the evil eyes. I swear to God, he was looking into my soul."

Beckett turned the car into a small space at the side of the road near the suspect's apartment, simultaneously rolling her eyes at Castle's comment.

"You are so dramatic. You are definitely your mother's son."

They got out of the car and walked into the nearest appartment building, a nervous Castle stalling behind.

"Are you sure we don't need back up? This guy has tied up three women and killed them. If we antagonize him, he might tie us up." He stopped suddenly and looked at Beckett with a grin on his face. "On second thought, having you tied to me wouldn't be such a bad thing. I might insult him, just in case."

"Seriously, Castle, if you don't stop with that line of thought, I'll cuff you to the car myself and leave you alone. Better hope that I don't accidentally lose the key."

They were both silent on the elevator ride up to the apartment. When they got there, Beckett knocked on the door and it swung open on it's hinge. She withdrew her gun and motioned for Castle to stay behind her. She entered the room carefully, spinning around to check the corners. When she was satisfied that the place was empty, she reholstered her gun and started to look around the bedroom.

"Looks like he's gone. Most likely knew we were on to him an-"

She stopped talking when she heard a click echo throughout the room, easily recognisable as the safety on a gun. Her hand automatically went back to her weapon but a voice stopped her before she could turn and point it at the suspect.

"Don't even think about it, Sweetheart, or I'll shoot pretty boy over here." The voice was calm but hoarse. "You forgot to check under the bed when you did your search."

She span on her feet slowly so as not to alarm the gunman. He was stood behind Castle, his face barely visable over the writer's broad shoulders. Her partner had an uncomfortable wince on his face, which led Beckett to think that he had a gun pressed to his lower back, and forcefully at that.

"Lucky for you guys, I have to get out of here so I don't miss my flight. Won't tell you where, wouldn't like to ruin the surprise. So I'll leave quietly and you'll be fine. Yes?"

Beckett looked Castle in the eyes and nodded.

"Okay then. I need you both to empty your pockets, rid your person of your cells or anything else that could be used to contact anyone. Put them in the corner of the room over there. Gun included." They did as they were told. "Okay, Detective, I want you both to sit on the bed, thread your cuffs through the headboard and put them on a wrist each. And make sure they're tight. Wouldn't want you slipping away and coming after me now, would we?"

The detective eyed the decorative headboard which was made of strong metal, which meant they'd have to get out using a key. No chance of breaking free by force.

"If you could also give me the key, that would be greatly appreciated."

Beckett sat on the bed with Castle to her left and put the cuff on her wrist, tight enough that their suspect would be satisfied, but loose enough that it wouldn't dig into her skin. She then cuffed Castle's hand, her touch lingering for a second to reassure him that they would be okay.

"So err... I'll be off, I think. Nice to meet you, and I hope not to see you again." He gave a little wave before picking up a large duffel bag under the bed and leaving the apartment.

When she heard the door slam shut, she turned to face Castle.

"Don't. Say. A word."

He refrained from speaking and gave a happy sigh instead. He received a death glare in return. "What? It's not my fault I got held at gunpoint."

"No, but you had to jinx it by saying we'd get tied up, didn't you and now we have no way of contacting Ryan and Espo to come and pick us up and arrest the suspect. You don't happen to have a spare key, do you?"

"'Fraid not this time."

They were silent for a few minutes before Castle dared to speak.

"How long before they realise that we're not coming back any time soon?"

Beckett held her head with her remaining hand. "I don't know. They'll think that we're having sex somewhere."

"Well, if I move a little this way, we could probably-"

"Don't finish that sentence."

He squoze his lips together in an attempt to silence himself, but it hadn't worked in the past and it wasn't about to work now.

"You want to talk about something?"

"There's nothing to talk about."

"Actually, there's everything to talk about, but if you wanna play that again, feel free."

Beckett glared at him. "And what it exactly is that supposed to mean?"

"Think about it, Kate. We're cuffed to a bed alone, and we won't get help for a while, so we may as well talk about stuff. Don't ask what, because I know that you know."

She exhaled heavily and turned on her side to get more comfortable. "Fine, what do you want to start with?"

He wasted no time in suggesting a topic. "The kiss."

"Geez, you don't beat around the bush, do you? What about it?"

"Well, I don't know about you, but that kiss was pretty damn amazing and meant more to me than an undercover kiss on a dark street. If I'm gonna be honest, I'm hoping you feel the same." He started to feel nervous about her reaction. Had he said to much? Would she cower away from him and ru-

"It was pretty good," she said in a quiet voice.

"I'm sorry, it was what now? Just good? You're meant to say amazing, mindblowing, breathtaking, earth shattering..."

"Okay, okay. It was... amazing."

"Ever thought about doing it again?"

"Pushing your luck, Castle"

"I'll take that as a yes."

She gave a small smile and blushed slightly, her cheeks tinted pink as she turned towards him even more, if that was possible. Her head was leaning on her cuffed hand which was being held up by her elbow on the pillow. Castle was lied down, his cuffed hand outstretched to place distance between them. He didn't want her to feel uncomfortable and run away, not with the progress he'd just made. His fingers were occasionally brushing her wrist where he could feel her steady pulse.

"Anything else to talk about?"

"Depends. Do you have anything to confess?" She took a deep breathe in, desperately trying to find something in her mind to replace the thought of the 'forgotten' confession of love a few months back.

"I wanted to go to the Hampton's with you. I was going to tell you when Gina arrived."

Castle's jaw almost hit the floor. "Why didn't you tell me? I would have told Gina that there'd been a change of plan. You were the one that I wanted there with me, not her."

"Yet you took her anyway."

"You were with Demming. It was hard to watch you together and I didn't want to spend summer alone when you'd be spending it with Schlemming."

She raised her eyebrows. "I broke up with Tom the day you left."

"Could have told me that in the interrogation room when I came back."

"Yeah, well. I was mad at you. So was everyone else."

"So that was why... ahhh. I get it now." He closed his eyes in annoyance with himself and his head fell face first into the pillow, letting out a muffled groan. "I am so sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you, or upset you, you have to know that."

"I know, Castle. Don't worry about it. It's done and I'm kinda glad it turned out that way. If I'd gone with you, it wouldn't have worked out as well as it could do now."

Now it was his turn to raise his eyebrows. "Now?"

She blushed. "I kept something else from you as well."

"Before you start, you should know that I've kept something from you too and I think I should tell you before you continue, because you might just hate me after this."

Her face showed her confusement at the statement. "Go on.."

"You have to know that I did it because I don't want anything to happen to you. You're gonna be mad at me but I did it with the best of intentions and with your best interests at heart. A few days after you returned back to active duty, I got a phone call from a man who had received files from Montgomery before he was shot. They tried to kill you, but it's changed. They're willing to let you live as long as you stay out of it and leave the case alone." He paused before continuing, noting her blank expression. "I know how important it is to you that we find the guy who did this, and I remember what you said on the swings, and... I want that for you. I want closure so you can be who you need to be, so I've been looking into the case instead. The case is important to you, but you're important to me. You can live without the case, but I can't live without you."

His voice tapered off at the end, getting quieter until he stopped when the last word was spoken.

"Kate, say something, please."

A silent tear fell down her face. She turned to look away from him, avoiding eye contact as best as she could while she was cuffed to a bed.

What had he done?

At some point in the next two hours, Castle drifted to sleep. Beckett, however, couldn't even begin to fall into a slumber. She was outraged at his confession. It had stung the first time he admitted to looking into Johanna Beckett's case, but the second time? It had burned deep. What she didn't expect was the healing ability of Castle's fingers resting against hers while he lay next to her. He was right in a way. This case meant a lot her, but he meant so much more. The case brought her pain, and he brought her so much joy it made her want to burst. She got Coonan and it was enough for now. They'd get the guy together, but she decided that that was exactly how she wanted it. With them together.

She turned to look at him as he slept. His hair was drooping over her eyes and looked adorable, but she couldn't overlook the pained expression on his face. Before she could give herself a chance to talk herself out of it, she leant over and brushed the strands of dark hair away from his forehead, running her fingers through his soft hair. He mumbled something incoherent before opening his eyes slightly, and then wider when he saw her so close.

"You kept something like that from me Castle and it hurt me, but I've kept something from you and I know it's gonna hurt you. To be honest, I think you already know what I'm about to say. I could see the doubt in your eyes when I said that I had no recollection of the funeral, but I do. I never forgot in the first place. I was so scared, Rick. I'd lost Montgomery, I'd been shot, things were ending with Josh and then you drop a bombshell like that as I'm dying in your arms and it terrified me. I didn't say anything because I had so much to deal with, but I told myself that it wouldn't always be a secret. I'd tell you eventually and everything would work out. And that's exactly what I want, Castle. I want you."

"What about your mother's case?" he said, not quite believing what he was hearing.

"We'll get him. I've waited for almost thriteen years to find the man who took my mother away from me, and I can wait a little longer. But I don't want you to have to wait for me forever, because I know that I can't resist you for that long."

He sat up and intertwined their fingers in their cuffs. He looked at her hesistantly. "What are you saying?"

She raised her uncuffed hand to his cheek and looking into his eyes for a few seconds. "That the feeling is very, very mutual."

He barely registered her words before their lips met in a sweet kiss. They broke away and rested their foreheads together. "I love you, Kate."

"And I suppose I love you too." She pressed their mouths back together with a smile before he could utter another word. His tongue swept across her lip, encouraging her to let him inside. She did willingly, and moaned when their tongues met and danced together in a fight of dominance. They were so engrossed in their kiss that they didn't register the opening of the door, and the sound of footsteps coming towards the bedroom.

"Dude, I told you they were in bed together."

They turned to find Ryan and Esposito looking very pleased with themselves.

"Wait 'til Lanie hears about this."

"Yes. From me. So you two stay away from the morgue and no sneaky text messages," Kate warned. "Now for the love of God, uncuff us."