She was in a field of flowers. Yellow daisies, red roses, purple wildflowers, dandelions, and others she couldn't name. Part of her mind told her these flowers don't grow together, but she soon dismissed the thought. It didn't matter anyway, they were too pretty to tell them they were wrong. His arms encircled her from behind and she leaned back into his embrace.
"They're beautiful," she whispered. He murmured his agreement and kissed her temple.
"They aren't the only thing." She elbowed him in the ribs. "What?" He asked. "Have you seen the clouds? They're making funny pictures." She elbowed him again but looked up. He was right. She could make out mysterious shapes. A heart? Was that a face?
"I don't think I would call those beautiful, Rick," she said.
"I wasn't. I said you were beautiful. The clouds are just funny. I don't think the man in the clouds is happy." She had to agree with him there. He was glaring at something. Kate turned her attention back to the flowers. They were nicer to look at.
Rick tightened his embrace around her. "It's time to get up," he whispered.
"I want to stay here with you," she responded, turning to face him.
"You'll still have me when you wake up."
"Promise?"
"Always." His embrace tightened on her again, constricting her breathing. She pushed against him, but he only tightened his grip on her more.
"Rick, I can't breathe. Rick!"
Kate's eyes popped open. Rick's hold on her was still getting tighter. She tilted her head up from its position on his chest. His very naked chest. But all thoughts of their adventures last night left her mind as she took in his distressed expression. Kate sat up, pulling herself out of his grasp, and started shaking his shoulder.
"Rick, wake up," she called. No response. She patted his chest, his face. "Rick, wake up! Castle!"
"No, come back," he murmured, reaching for her again. "Don't leave me. You can't leave me."
"Rick, I'm here. Wake up. I'm right here." She shook his shoulders again. "Castle! Wake up!"
His eyes popped open and he took the sight of her in. "Kate?"
"Hey."
"You're alright?" He sat up next to her, cupped her face in his hands. She covered his with her own.
"I'm fine. What happened?"
He considered her for a moment, then sighed. He rubbed his face then ran his fingers through his hair. "I couldn't save you. We were back in the basement and I didn't jump fast enough. And then we were at the scene from this morning and it was you on the ground, and then Alexis. And then you again. I couldn't save you."
Kate pulled him into her arms. "But you did save me, Rick. And you'd save Alexis." He held onto her, a part of him still in the nightmare. Then something clicked in her. "This has happened before, hasn't it?" She asked softly. "Those days you come in early, they're after nights when you've had nightmares."
He sat back and gave her a sheepish grin. "It's sad, isn't it? I write this for a living." He shrugged and reached out, tracing his fingers down her jawline. "But seeing you each morning makes everything better. Though I have to admit, I like this system we've got going on much better." He pulled her into him. "It makes going back to sleep much easier."
"It's not sad, Rick," she murmured. "After my mom died, it seemed like the only dreams I had were nightmares." She trailed off, thinking about the therapy and medication she had to go on to get them to go away. "It's not sad," she repeated, "But I am sorry I brought this on you."
