Kate wasn't used to feeling admonished, especially by Castle, but she figured if she ever deserved it, now was certainly the time. So she took it, nodding quietly as he spoke and biting her tongue at her instinctual defensiveness.

There was a lot between them, and she knew what they had was fragile and volatile. It could turn into a love story or it could implode and fill them both with bitterness, and Kate didn't want the second option. Castle had been through enough and she didn't want to be the one to break him.

"We're not gonna never fight, I know that much." She stepped forward again, reaching up to brush her fingers over his cheek gently. "But this was never a fling to me. I knew what was happening when I got into this and it's what I want. I want you."