Disclaimer: Not mine, never will be. I'm just doing this for fun, and for my own sanity.

A/N: I know there are other projects I should be updating, but most of you have no idea what kind of week I've had. They'll be finished in the coming days, but this demanded to be written. Tonight. So, fwiw, I hope you find a little enjoyment here... ;)

Summary: What if the bullet at the end of Season 3 missed?

For Li, who has been there for me through this entire week of insanity. Merry Christmas!

"KATE - NO!"

Beckett stopped speaking and wondered what had Castle so worked up just as the loud crack of a gun tore through the quiet ceremony.

The next thing she knew, she was on the ground with Castle on top of her, and Montgomery's funeral had turned into a mass chaos of screams and uniforms trying to protect the innocent.

"Kate, are you okay?" Castle asked, breathless.

He was still on top of her, his eyes showing the fear she felt. Kate couldn't find her voice to answer. She was more distracted than she'd care to admit with the warmth of Castle's body over hers.

"Say something, anything. Please!" he pleaded.

She finally found her voice. "Castle, I'm fine. Get off of me." The words came out harsher than she intended, but he moved off quickly.

"Right, yeah. Sorry." He made to try to dust the bits of grass and dirt off of her uniform, but seemed to not know what to do with his hands and left her alone.

"We got him!" Esposito's voice carried over the crowd as he pulled the cuffed shooter toward Beckett.

She looked over the man, then said to Espo, "Good. Take him in. I'll be there when this is over."

He nodded and pushed the would-be assassin to one of the patrol cars.

The chaos continued around them for awhile, and eventually calmed as it was before. They quickly finished the ceremony and the people slowly moved along to leave the cemetery.

There wasn't many people left when Kate turned to Castle. She'd seen the look before that he was giving her now, and it warmed her all over. But, she needed to push that away, and speak to him about what he did earlier. "Castle..."

"You don't have to say anything," he interrupted,"I was only taking care of my partner."

Kate shook her head. It was like he knew what she was going to say. "I'm going to thank you anyway. You just risked your life to save mine."

Castle moved forward, stopping just outside her personal space. "I love you, Kate," he said softly, "I would have done that, even if it meant my life ended."

Everything in that moment stopped. She couldn't... he couldn't... why did he say that?

"You can't do that, Castle. Don't put your life at risk for me. You have a daughter who needs you-"

"Just like I need you," he finished, and he looked a little hurt. "Kate, there was no way in hell I was going to let that bullet hit you. I'll say it again, I love you. You are everything to me."

Beckett thought for a time, totally taken back by how blunt his words were. And the more she thought, the more she knew she felt the same.

"Listen, you don't have to say anything right now," he said, "Just let me know when you're ready. Because... I'll be waiting."

Castle took her hand and kissed the back of it, then went to Alexis and his mother. Kate watched as they walked to his car. Her mind raced as he opened the back door for his daughter and was about to do the same for Martha. She could think of every reason in the world to let him go on without her saying another word.

And every reason to stop him before it was too late.

Kate ran after him and called, "Castle!"

He stopped just as he was about to get into the driver's seat. When he saw her, he shut the door and jogged to her.

"Everything all right?" he asked.

"I'm... I'm fine. Just..." She looked into his eyes and tried to find the words that wouldn't come. Then, it hit her. "Meet me around six at The Old Haunt?" she asked, thinking that would be the best place for them to share a few drinks and talk.

When Castle smiled, she felt every single butterfly in her stomach take flight. "I'll be there," he said, then turned and went back to his car.

Kate didn't hold in the smile that spread across her face as she ran to her squad car. Yeah, there was a report to finish at the precinct before she could meet with Castle, but that would be the easy part. Tonight, meeting with her partner, would definitely be harder, but it would be worth it.

Things were about to change between them, and she couldn't wait.