20 Questions:

They sat comfortably on the couch, wrapped up in each other's arms. Their legs stretched out, her head leaning against his chest, his hand playing with her curly locks. It was one of those rare weekends where they were alone, and free, without an impending murder out there waiting for their attention. Martha had gone, well, somewhere, on a new conquest, and Alexis had decided to stay in campus to spend time with her boyfriend, and finish studying for her finals. She was reading Heat Wave and he was watching TV. So very domestic.

It was peaceful and intimate, and Kate felt like she could stay like that for eternity. Safe, secure and warm in his arms, for the rest of her life. Metaphorically, at least, if not literally (they'd need bathroom breaks and food, right?). Nothing could ruin the moment.

"Hey Kate? I'm sort of bored. Can we play a game?"

Nothing but her man child of a boyfriend. She sat up and turned around, now facing him, and sighed. "What do you have in mind, Castle?"

"Strip Poker."

"Ha, no way. Remember how that ended last time?"

"Last time? How'd it end.. Oh. Yeah. Last time. That was fun. We should do that again some time." his eyes lighting up with realisation.

"We didn't even play ONE round, Rick." she said, rolling her eyes.

"But we did, my dear Kate. 3 rounds in fact." He waggled his eyebrows, smirking at her.

"You're disgusting. And unbelievable." She rolled her eyes, again.

"But yet you love me."

Sigh. "Any ideas, Rick, or can I go back to my book?"

"Enjoying a certain steamy scene of a certain Page 105 are we?"

"Shut up." She looked down and turned bright red under his scrutinizing gaze.

"Oh my God! You are, aren't you?" He said, his smug grin lighting up his face.

"No..."

"Liar."

"Shut it. And wipe that grin off your face" He just grinned even more. Cheeky man. She looked back at her book, attempting to read, but his shit eating grin was just growing and growing, fingers teasing her sides.

"I said wipe it off, not make it bigger. God, do you know how hard you are? I can't even read my book. Stop it, Castle."

Suddenly, he started shaking. Seeing him going red trying not to burst out laughing, she thought back to what she had said. "Shit, no, that's not what I meant. I meant, GAHH." She smacked her forehead, sliding it down her face, trying to figure out how she could have said something so stupid.

At this point, he was nearly falling off the sofa. Tears streamed down his face and he clutched his stomach as he doubled over in laughter. Soon enough, he recovered,

"Oh my God. Oh my God. That was hilarious."

"I really don't think it was that funny, Castle."

"But, but Kate. It was hilarious."

"Yes, you mentioned."

"But, Kaate."

"Okay, it was pretty funny. There, happy? A distraction, she desperately needed a distraction.

Hey, didn't you want to play a game of some sorts?"

"Oh yeaaah."

"Any ideas, yet?"

"Uh, how about….20 Questions?"

"How do you play that?"

"Well we ask each other 20 questions, and we each answer them honestly. No lying, and no leaving out details. And if it's a yes/no question, you can't say maybe. You up for it?"

"Hmmm. Okay, fine. As long as you stop whining." She shut her book, without looking at the page number. That page number was ingrained in her memory forever. "Start."

"This is going to be so much fun." Castle grinned, rubbing his hands together, while Kate sighed, wondering what she had just gotten herself into.