Wrote this before I saw the actual episode... Only thing I knew was that Esposito and Ryan would be would have a talk with Kate about why CAstle wants her to go to the Hamptons with him, and that he's taking Gina in the end (but I did not know how this talk would go exactly)... last paragraph though was added after watching the episode... just thought it would fit... :)

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"So you're going to the Hamptons with Castle?" Ryan asked.

"No… Why would I?" Beckett answered a little unsure to why he would bring that up now. Ryan and Esposito shared a knowing smile that didn't remain unnoticed by Kate.

"Come on guys, stop it. There's nothing between me and Castle."

"Not yet" Ryan shot back and received a dead glare from Kate.

"Come on, Beckett. Why do you think he's still following you around?" Esposito asked. When Kate just continued glaring at them he went on "Because he can't think of not seeing you everyday. Because he cares for you!"

Kate laughed in disbelieve. "You seriously are telling me that Castle's in love with me?" Even showing her disbelieve on the outside she kind of hoped Esposito could be right. Not that she would admit it to them but still.

"Believe it or not but it's a fact. And we all here know that you love him, too." She hadn't expected that. They ever hinted in them having a relationship but they never so bluntly stated the obvious.

"I think I'll be leaving now!" Kate said grabbing her coat and heading for the elevator.

"Say hi to Alexis from us." They called after her in unison

###

Richard Castle was still wide awake even though it was in the middle of the night. He was sitting on the couch with his laptop trying to put his latest thoughts into words. But he was disturbed by a knock on the door though he'd been distracted by something else the entire time. When he opened the door he felt more surprised to see who was there than he felt about the fact that there was someone knocking at this time of the night.

"Beckett?" he asked but stepped aside to let her in. After he closed the door behind them they faced each other, an uncomfortable silence spreading around them. "What are you doing here?" he finally asked.

"Well, I was thinking about something." Kate said, too afraid to just tell him what she had been thinking about.

"Something that important that you drive here in the middle of the night? Has it something to do with our case?" He still was not sure what really was going on.

"No, even more important!" Kate bit her lips and tangled her fingers of the left hand with them of her right hand over and over again. At his quizzical look she went on. "I was talking with Ryan and Esposito and … well … I am not really sure how to say this so I'll just ask you one question… Are you in love with me?" She could hear her own fear of the answer in her voice and she was pretty sure that he could hear it, too.

He did not know how to answer. He could be honest with her and maybe risk their friendship or he could lie and also risk everything they had. But there also was a fifty-fifty chance for one of his answers to change their relationship to something better.

But he was too afraid to just say it out loud.

"What would you do if I'd say no?" he asked carefully hoping she did not get it wrong. She didn't. She knew exactly how he felt about giving the wrong answer – she was feeling the same after all.

"I'd be leaving now, driving home, and looking forward to seeing you for work tomorrow." And burying my head in my pillow so nobody could see my tears. She looked up to him suspiciously, praying that this would not be his answer but by the look on his face she knew he was about to say something more.

"What would you do if I'd say yes?"

"I'd be slowly walking over to you now." She made the two steps to stay directly in front of him. "Putting my hands around your neck." Lifting her arms she placed them around his neck. "And I would hope for you to put your hands around my waist." He did so even before she was finished speaking. For a long second they just stared into each others eyes. They did not say anything but this time it wasn't uncomfortable – they did just not need any words right now.

Then he leaned forward to lock his lips with hers' but she pulled her head back slightly. Smiling she put one finger on his lips, loving the feel of electricity that rushed through her at the touch.

"I still have a relationship to end." She said leaning back and relaxing into his embrace.

"Right. And I still have to uninvite my producer from the Hamptons." He said giving her a smile.

"See you then?" she asked.

"See you then!" he answered.

She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek before he let her out off his grip around her waist. She stepped away from him and headed out the apartment, every few steps pausing and sharing a quick glance over her shoulder.

After she'd closed the door he went back to the couch just like he was earlier. Only this time he did not even try to write on his latest book – he knew it wasn't possible right now. Not when he was that close to get what he longed for so long. Almost an hour later he heard the faint knock on the door and went to answer it.

The way she was standing there, in front of his door in the middle of the night, made her look even more beautiful. She wore the brightest smile he'd ever seen on her as she was stepping over the threshold and let the door fall in lock behind her.

"I'm officially single." She simply said stepping even closer.

"Then I think we need to change that." He smiled before closing the gap between them fully and finally kissed her for the first time.

###

It was getting late the next day and Kate grabbed her coat off her chair. It was Castle's little "good-bye" party and everyone was sitting around talking. Everyone except Beckett, Ryan and Castle himself. Ryan and Kate were just standing near the door where the others were, when a smile crept to his face.

"So you're going to the Hamptons with Castle?" he asked knowing exactly that it was the same way he opened their talk yesterday.

"In fact I am!" Kate answered kind of shocking Ryan with this answer. It had been his intention to finally get them together when he started this topic yesterday but he hadn't expected it.

Upon seeing Ryans' face Esposito and Lanie turned their attention to them trying to find out what he'd been talking about with Beckett. Castle took that exact moment to return. He immediately realized what was going on and smiled. He walked up to Kate and put his arm around his girlfriend. Seconds later they turned and walked to the elevator, leaving the others to stare after them.

"See you in fall?" Ryan directed his question to Castle.

"See you in fall!" Beckett answered for both of them over her shoulder.