Remember: I wrote this before the pictures of episode 5x01, the promo, the sneaks and the spoilers came out.

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They needed that moment, that coupling, to dissipate the tension in the air, to ensure each other of the physical presence of the other and that, finally, everything was going to be okay.

Kate dropped her weight on his lap, making him grunt and lead one hand to her back, pushing her against him even more. They kept on kissing vigorously, their hearts beating harder and harder, and among them emerging another kind of tension.

She broke the kiss and her mouth found his neck. While one of her hands tangled in his hair, pulling his head to the side to make room for her to work freely, the other was seeking space to enter under his shirt to feel his skin.

Rick put his hands on her legs, ascending and descending by their length, catching her by surprise when he ascended to the end and clasped her ass. She raised her head and looked at him, who gave her a pleased smile, defying her. Kate rolled her hips, rubbing against him in retaliation, making him pant and his eyes darken.

She repeated the action and his reaction was fierce. In instants, his hands were on each side of her face and his lips were devouring hers. Kate let him have the control of the kiss, her mind spinning and her body arching with its intensity.

When he moved his hands to under her shit and squeezed her waist, she whined in his mouth and he remembered her bruises, realizing that her position was soon going to be uncomfortable for her legs and back. He was going to suggest that they moved to a place more... adequate, when he felt a vibration, and not one of the kind that their activities would cause. She bit his lip and his mind went blank for a second, but then he felt the vibration again and understood what it was.

Still kissing her, he tried to reach his back pocket. Kate felt his body leaning to the side and backed away.

-What is it? -she asked, puffed.

He had taken her cell phone from her pants when he put her clothes to dry, to give it back to her later. Rick finally managed to grip it and looked at the phone display.

-It's from the precinct.

Kate just took the phone from his hand, pressed the button to ignore the call, and put the thing on the seat beside them.

-Are you not going to answer?

-I'm busy here. -was just what she said before trying to kiss him.

He sensed by her tone that something was going on, and turned his face. She pretended not to care and headed to his neck again.

-Beckett...

She sighed, giving up, and turned to face him. She paused a moment to think about how to tell, opting for the simpler option: being direct.

-I resigned.

The expression of disbelief on his face was great, if the subject wasn't so serious, she would have laughed.

-Gates was there with Ryan on the roof. She sent Javier and me to be checked by the paramedics and we met her at her office later. We were suspended. She said that we dishonored the force. Well... I gave her my gun and my badge and told her to keep it.

-Kate...

-No, Castle. It's done. -she started playing with the collar of his T-shirt- I just wanted to get the hell out of there. I was already so tired and she made me angry with her, with me, with everything that happened. I just wanted to get out and take off the pressure that seemed to be on my chest. -she took a deep breath- So I... I quit.

She didn't seem remorseful about the decision, but didn't seem too happy with it either, Rick thought. It's something that she would need to analyze further. A change like that is not easy for anyone, especially for someone whose job is so important, and he knew how much she liked hers. He also knew that the act was to show that she didn't want to make the same mistakes again, that she wanted to move on. Maybe he would talk to her later and show her that she could do it and still be a detective. Whatever her final decision would be, he'd support her.

The phone vibrated again and both looked at the object.

-It can be something important, Kate.

She huffed and came out of his lap. The writer took the phone and handed it over. She rolled her eyes but answered the call:

-Beckett. -pause- But... No... Yes, sir.

Kate hung up and looked at the mobile screen. 25 seconds. Wow. Castle was staring at her, waiting for her to say what it was that about.

-Gates. She wants me to go to the station.

-Why?

Kate shook her head and headed to his bedroom, her phone being crushed in her hand, serving as an escape for the bitter feeling in her throat. Of course that reality had to interfere and blast their bubble.

-She didn't say any detail really, just "ordered" -making the quotation marks with her fingers in contempt- that I met her there as soon as possible. She must want me to sign my resignation paperwork or whatever...

Rick reached out and grabbed her arm, making her stop.

-Do you want me to come with you?

The last thing she wanted was to separate from him right now, fearing that she would realize that everything was just a fantasy and that, in fact, she would be in the limbo where she had sunk. Kate knew that she would have to go soon anyway because Alexis would come home and things could get uncomfortable for everyone, but she didn't expect to have to go just to face her most recent errors. She turned to him.

-It's not a good idea.

He just nodded and let go of her arm, putting back his impassive mask as to not show her the effect she had on him by, again, wanting distance.

Seeing his reaction nevertheless, Kate put her hands on his shoulders and tried to mend what she had said:

-You are not the person that Gates will want to see around her precinct right now. And... -she squeezed his shoulders- Alexis will be home soon, and she might be a little emotional with everything. She will want to spend a quality time with her awesome dad.

He grinned to the last argument, accepting it.

-Could you then... give me a call when you leave? Just to... keep me informed?

In times like these, seeing him choosing his words so carefully, that she really noticed how fragile it all was, which still scared her, but now also gave her purpose. Make her stand, show that, from her wall, there was only fallen bricks and that she would need his help to clear the ground and have a really open passage for him. For them.

-Wanna have dinner with me?

Her proposition caught him off guard and his eyes widened.

-I mean, you could go to my place tonight, bring a bottle of wine, I would make something for us to eat... It doesn't need to be so early. You can enjoy your day with Alexis and came by... 9... 10 PM? If you want...

The smile that opened on his face was infectious.

-Sure, sure. I mean, I do. Yes, please.

Kate laughed at his excitement, always the 9 years old on a sugar, and hugged him. The contact between them was new, but God, so damn good, so strong... Why had she denied this for so long again?

-Do I need to take something else? -he asked, not noticing her daydream.

-Hm?

-Tonight. Do you want me to take something else? Dessert maybe?

She smiled against his neck, led her mouth to his ear and whispered:

-We will have... another... kind of dessert, Rick...

She stepped back just enough to look at him and saw his eyes closed. She smiled, gave a quick peck on his lips and then moved away.

-Now, be a good boy and go grab my clothes. -he opened his eyes and cleared his throat.

-Eh... They will not have dried completely, especially your coat...

She waved her hand in a sign of "whatever" and went to the foot of the bed to get her shoes.

-I will go home really quickly to change, but I need it to leave your place. Or... -she straightened up, fixing her posture and signaling with her hands to herself- do you want me to grab a taxi dressed like this? -she bit her lip- Do you think the taxi driver would mind?

Rick looked at her from head to toe. Her long legs, his white shirt going until the middle of her thighs, a few of its buttons undone. No, the taxi driver would not mind at all, she would probably get a free ride.

-I will go grab your clothes.

Seeing him left the room in a hurry, Kate shook her head, smiled again, and noticed that she had done it more times in the last few hours than in the last weeks. Yeah, maybe they really had a chance.

Rick reappeared in the room minutes later, holding her clothes in one arm. When he was about to say something, they heard the doorbell. They looked at each other and he he put the pieces on the bed.

-I will be back soon.

She nodded and went to get dressed. She put the pants over his boxer and when she reached for her bra, she didn't see it among the clothes he brought and began looking for it around the room, not having the slightest idea where Rick had threw it the night before.

Kate heard footsteps approaching and turned toward the door, ready to ask if he had seen the lingerie piece, when Rick came into her line of vision, his whole posture different and a dark expression on his face.

-Castle...

He approached and gave her a paper:

-I think I know why Gates called you in.

Kate frowned, puzzled by his words and his attitude, and looked at the object on her hand:

It was a picture. She recognized it as taken in Montgomery's wedding. There was an unknown face on it marked with a red "X".

-Castle, I don't...

-Smith.

She looked back at the picture, the gear in her head running.

-Turn it around. -he said, with the voice low and grave.

She did it and he saw the exact moment when she understood. In the back of the photo she read:

"Only one piece left now."

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Fin.

Well, guys, I guess this is it.

I thought this was a good point to end the story.

My goal, really, was to write about their night and the morning after to help us get through this (so damn long) hiatus. (just one more week now *-*)

Thanks for the followers, the reviews, favorites... You made this worth it.

Thanks (and you are welcomed) kindtwin, for being the Beta reader. lol

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So, final thoughts? =]

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Gabs.