Authors Note: aaaaaaand we're back! So sorry it's taken us forever and a day…but with the holiday's and work, and school, and other things…we just couldn't find time to write. We hope we lived up to your expectations.

Don't forget…

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-K. Squared.

Rick pulls his face away from her, to watch as she crumbles beneath him. He gives her a minute to come back down, and when her eyes open, he smiles. "Did you just-?"

"Shut up," Kate says, and pulls him up to her by his face, kissing him. She can taste herself on his lips, and smiles into the kiss. "Shut up, and get inside me. Now."

He smiles down at her and lines himself up with her opening. He takes a moment to commit the way she looks in this moment to memory. Her chest is heaving from the aftershocks of her orgasm moments before, her hair is fanned out on the pillow, her eyes are half-lidded, and her lower lip is captured by her teeth in sheer anticipation of the invasion her body is about to receive.

He brushes an unruly curl from her face and whispers, "Kate, this is your chance. Once I'm inside you, I'll never be able to let you go. I've waited for you for four years. No going back, no regrets."

She opens her eyes to be met with his. "Rick, there is no way in hell I can ever regret this. You're forgetting that I've waited four years for this too. In case you haven't figured it out. You're it for me. You're my one and done. I was just too stubborn to realize it until I almost lost you. I love you. Always."

At that moment, Rick leans down and kisses her; he slips inside her, swallowing her long moan of approval. Their kiss breaks and she rests her forehead on his, gasping at the effect of the kiss, and the size of him inside her.

He's still. Not moving, giving her body time to adjust to him. "I love you," he whispers. "I love you so much, Kate."

She kisses his neck, "Rick, I need you to move."

He starts moving, sliding almost all the way out of her just to slam back into her again. He watches her with every thrust, and he's never seen anything more beautiful than her beneath him. She's got her arms around his back, her nails scratching him, her endless legs are inching higher on his waist, making his penetration deeper, causing both of them to groan in pleasure.

He's found a spot, deep inside her that makes her eyes pop open in shock. "Oh, god," she whispers. When he hits it again, her eyes close, "Yes," she hisses, "right there, Rick. Oh god."

And for the second time that night, she's crumbling. Her body shakes, and her walls contract around him; bring him tumbling over the edge with her. His thrusts have become sloppy and fast, but neither cares as their orgasms rip through their bodies.

They lie there, exhausted. Kate rolls over to face Rick. "Hey," she says with a smile.

"Hey."

"That was…"

"I know," he continues with a devilish grin. "I know I already said this, but really, I had no idea."

Kate blushes at his words. "So, you liked it? Even the - "

"Especially that part," Rick interrupts. He pulls her into him and takes in the cherry scent of her hair.

Kate wraps her arm around Rick's chest, and snuggles into him. "Good."

Rick turns his head to the side so he can see her face. "So, about what I said earlier…"

Kate furrows her brow. "What did you say earlier? My brain's a little fuzzy still."

"I said I would buy you ten of everything I broke," he reminds her with a chuckle.

"Oh. You don't need to do that. I've got plenty more."

"What if I have plans for those things?" he wiggles his eyebrows suggestively and Kate swats him playfully.

"Really, Rick. I don't need anything."

He juts out his lower lip in a pout and gives her his best puppy dog eyes and Kate rolls her eyes.

"I'm not going to win this one, am I?" His face lights up and she can't help but smile. "Alright, alright. Just for you."

He wiggles his eyebrows. "Just for me, huh?"

She groans dramatically and rolls her eyes. "You're going to make me regret this aren't you?"

"You know, I could make it up to you, ya know, in advance," he grins, and she can't help but smile.

"What did you have in mind?"

Before she knows what's happening he's on top of her. He places a delicate kiss on her pulse point and follows the trail down her neck, along her clavicle before he stops between her heaving breasts. When he stops to grin at her she groans and he chuckles.

"I take it you want me to continue?"

"Thought you were going to make it up to me?"

He smirks at her and dips his head down so his tongue can circle around her breast. She arches up to meet him and he releases her with a small pop before he turns his attention to her other side.

He trails his tongue back up and finds Kate's mouth. It opens for him instantly, welcoming him in. Their tongues battle for dominance and he nips at her bottom lip. She can't control the low moan that escapes from her lips as she pulls his lip between her own teeth. When they finally find the need for air too strong, they pull apart, gasping, hearts pounding, smiles on both of their faces.

Kate runs her hand down Rick's strong back, smiling as his muscles contract at her touch. "I love you so much."

"I love you too," he whispers back. Kissing her neck, at a particularly sensitive spot, he grins. "You ready for round two?"

Kate's eyes darken with arousal, and she knows that she'll never be able to get enough of him. She grins devilishly up at him, settling her hands on his hips. She hooks her leg around his, and expertly flips him so he's on his back.

"Oh, ninja skills in bed," he jokes. "I can get used to this."

She gives him no warning when she sinks down on him, burying him completely inside her heat. She throws her head back, grabs his hands, and places one on her hip, the other over her breast. "You better," she sighs.

Rick is the first to wake in the morning and as the memory of the previous day and night flood his memory, he smiles. There's a heavy weight on his chest, and he realizes that Kate is sleeping almost fully on top of him; her long hair fanned across her shoulders, some even in her face. He softly brushes the hair from her face, letting his hand linger on her cheek.

Round two last night quickly turned into round three and four. He knew they'd be great, but never could he have ever imagined that they'd be mind blowing. He found out last night, that his lover is adventurous, creative and a dominatrix when she wants something. Their give and take, back and forth rhythm they've perfected after four years of partnership has followed them to their bedroom activities.

He tries to slip out from under her, and her grip on him tightens, "Mm, Rick?"

"Yeah," he whispers, kissing her head softly.

"Early," she mumbles, kissing his chest, tightening her leg around his.

"It is," he agrees, caressing her back. "I'm sorry I woke you."

"S'okay," she mumbles, burying her head in his neck. Her stomach rumbles, and she can feel him chuckle. "Sorry."

He kisses her again. "Don't be sorry. We burned off dinner pretty quickly last night."

Last night comes back to her and she smiles; she's fully awake now. She turns her head up to look at him, and leans in, finally kissing his lips. "We did, and I'm not even sorry. Last night was…magical."

His eyebrows shoot up. "I thought Katherine Beckett didn't believe in magic?"

"I didn't believe in forever, or love either," she reminds him. "Until you. You've brought the magic back into my life. Because you never stopped pushing, and trying to get me to open up…you saved me, Rick."

He looks at her, completely caught off guard by this admission, this vulnerability he so rarely saw in her.

He leans forward to kiss her, to use the kiss to tell her how much this means to him to hear. As he pulls away though, he realizes it's not enough. He has to tell her. He's a writer after all; he should be able to find the words. But it's never easy with her. He's a best-selling author, and around this woman, there are no words to describe what she does to him.

"You save me each and every day Kate."

His words surprise her and she arches a disbelieving eyebrow.

"You do. Before I met you, my life was bland. Alexis and I, well, we had fun, we had a nice life. But when I met you I realized how empty my existence was before you. Even as a partner, before this, you were my proof that even on the worst day there's a possibility for joy."

She's quiet for a moment, processing. When her eyes finally meet his, they are brimming with tears. "I guess we saved each other."

"We really did."

Kate curls into his side and Rick wraps his arm around her. Neither was eager to leave their bed, so they settled into a contented silence.

Rick's stomach growls after awhile and he tries to ignore it because he is so comfortable with Kate in his arms. When it rumbles a second time, Kate laughs and places a hand to his stomach.

"I think we need to feed you."

Rick shrugs. "But then we have to move," he says, his voice dangerously close to a whine.

Kate rolls her eyes. "I don't have to go into work today, so we can have a nice lazy day here at home after we eat."

Rick smiles.

"What?" Kate asks.

"I just like hearing you call this home, that's all."

Kate grins. "Well I like saying it. Now, come on, let's go make some breakfast."

"Smorelettes?" Rick asks hopefully.

"No way. How about some pancakes?"

"Chocolate chip?"

"You really are a child, aren't you?"

"Guilty," he grins as he picks her up and spins her around.

Her laughter fills the loft as he carries her over his shoulder into the kitchen.