A/N: hello world, i'm back, and officially a college student! i've been working on this story for AGES -- packing, moving in, and getting settled really ate up my writing time, lol. but i finally managed to churn out the last chapter and a half, and we're ready to begin posting it. it's sort of in the One Step Closer universe (but NOT Keep the Faith), in that a) Castle and Beckett are on speaking terms, and b) they both know there's something there ... if ya know what i mean, lol. without further ado, enjoy! :D

disclaimer: nothing is mine. seriously, not even the plot ... for that, you can blame Nathan fan. ;]

Chapter 1 – Coffee

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Coffee (n) – the reason you can't fall asleep.

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"Merry Christmas Eve day!"

Kate Beckett looked up from the file she'd been poring over to see Rick Castle striding towards her desk, wearing a grin and walking with the unmistakable the-holidays-are-finally-here spring in his step. Brushing the light dusting of snow from his hair, he plunked down in the chair next to her desk. He looked at her expectantly. "Isn't there something you want to say to me?"

Kate raised an eyebrow. "I don't consider Christmas Eve day a holiday." She went back to her file.

"Well, will you at least wish me merry Christmas later?" he wheedled.

"It depends," she said without looking up.

"On what?"

"On whether or not you behave yourself."

"Hmm." He paused. "Well, it looks like I'll be going home without your holiday wishes, then."

"And why is that?" she asked absentmindedly, still not giving him her full attention.

"Because I haven't been well behaved a day in my life."

Kate chuckled and flipped to a new page in the folder. "So I'm not the only person you drive up a wall?"

"Oh, absolutely not. I don't discriminate."

She grinned, and Rick felt the familiar pleasant twist in his stomach that he'd come to associate with her smile. "So, any plans tonight?" he asked.

"Nah, not really," Kate answered, frowning slightly in concentration at the form she was currently looking at. "My dad bailed on me to spend Christmas with his new girlfriend. Might visit my mom for a little while, depending on the snow. You?"

Rick bit back a sympathetic comment; he hated hearing her talk about her mother so casually, because he knew there was absolutely nothing casual about what she was really feeling. He limited himself to a small sigh. "Well, my mother said she'd cook for a change, so that should be a nice little adventure. And Alexis is begging me to take her ice skating at Rockefeller Center, but I'm not completely sold on that one yet."

Kate finally tore her eyes from her work, looking at Rick incredulously. "You don't want to go?"

"Not especially. Why?"

"Because it's awesome! Ice skating under the world's biggest Christmas tree on Christmas Eve? It doesn't get much better than that," she said, turning her gaze back to the file again.

"Yeah, but I'm not much of a skater," he said slowly.

She shrugged. "Still," she said, searching through the file, "Alexis would love it. You should go." She found the paper she was looking for, pulled it out, and began skimming through the information it contained.

Rick made a noncommittal noise in response. The two sat in silence for a few moments as he mulled over his options and she became engrossed in her work. Kate doesn't get excited about too many things, he reasoned, so ice skating at Rockefeller Center on Christmas Eve probably would be worth the effort. But did he really want to strap on overpriced rental skates and spend at least half the night sitting on the ice instead of skating on it? Not really. What he needed was…

"I'll go if you'll go."

Kate looked up at him. "Come again?"

He smiled deviously. "I'll go ice skating if you'll go ice skating."

Her eyes widened slightly. "Oh, no, I couldn't."

He wasn't about to give up so easily. "And why is that?"

"I wouldn't want to intrude."

"You wouldn't be intruding, Alexis loves you!"

Kate looked around helplessly, not knowing what to say. She really didn't want to intrude, though the thought of spending Christmas Eve with Rick was undoubtedly appealing, barring the exasperation that comes with spending time with him. But with the infectious holiday spirit in the air, would she be able to keep her true feelings for him to herself? Her eyes fell on her empty coffee mug; she had an out! "One second," she said hastily, grabbing her mug and hurrying to the break room. She pressed a button on the espresso machine and held her mug under the drip of warm liquid.

"What's up, boss?"

She looked over her shoulder; Esposito had entered the room. "Nothing," she answered, removing her mug and stepping aside. Esposito went to fill his mug as well. "Castle just invited me to go ice skating with him and his daughter tonight."

Esposito looked up. "You gonna go?"

Kate paused with her mug at her mouth. "I'm not sure." She took a sip.

He removed his mug from the machine and glanced over at Rick. "It'd be a chance to see Castle fall on his ass."

Kate grinned and clinked her mug to his before heading back to her desk. She hadn't sat down before Rick spoke again.

"So? Are you going to force me to disappoint my daughter?"

She sighed, placing her mug on her desk and resuming her seat. "No, I guess I couldn't let you do that."

He grinned. "Great. We'll meet you there at eight."

"Seven."

"Hmm?"

"The line's going to be really long. We should go at seven."

"Are you voluntarily offering to spend an extra hour in my company?"

Kate held back a smile and glanced at him out of the corner of her eye as she returned to her work. "Consider it your Christmas gift."

Rick gasped in mock surprise. "How'd you know that's exactly what I wanted?!"

She chuckled. "I don't know whether I should be flattered or tell you to shut up unless you want this coffee all over your pants."

"As a precaution, I'll shut up now."

"Smart move."

A/N: peace. love. reviews.