Rick looked out the window at the gently falling snow. He loved the holidays; they usually entailed his mother going somewhere tropical and far away while his daughter was out of school for two weeks. Could things get any better?

His cell phone chirped a tune and, without seeing the caller id, he knew the caller. As 'All I Want for Christmas is You' jingled to its end, he flipped open his cellular phone.

"Hey, Beckett," he said with a wide grin as she fumbled for words. She had already prepared her speech and this unexpected reply had flushed her preparations from her mind.

"Castle… um… I was… I just… do you… are you free? Right now?"

"I am. Is something wrong? Do you need help?" he asked, worried for a moment.

"I kind of do, yeah. Can you meet me at the mall by the precinct? That's where I'm heading."

"Sure; where?"

"I don't know. Somewhere easy to find."

"How about Santa's chair?" Rick suggested and listened as Kate fell silent, considering this location for almost a minute. Then, she let out a little chuckle before agreeing and hanging up.

He leaned back in his chair for several seconds before closing his laptop and standing, stretching the kinks from his tired muscles. As he pulled on his boots, he called out to his daughter, who came bouncing down the stairs. She looked up at him and stopped suddenly.

"Are you going out?" she asked in alarm. "It's Christmas Eve afternoon. The city's a mess," she said calmly.

"Beckett called; she –" Alexis held up her hands and shook her head.

"Enough said." Rick fixed her with a smirking glare before laughing.

"I'm meeting her at the mall near the precinct."

"Wow! I didn't think it was possible to be a more last-minute shopper than you." He gave her one more pointed stare before leaning in to kiss her forehead and stepping out.

***

Kate was standing by the entrance to Santa's thrown as she scanned the crowd, all the while wondering if inviting Rick was a good idea. She paced back and forth a couple of minutes, wringing her hands and considering her options when she walked into the man she had been waiting for. That thought and the jar of slamming into the writer cost Kate her footing. She felt her foot slip out from beneath her, but his arm wrapped around her waist and he pulled her against him to support her.

"Thanks," she said, a little too breathlessly for her own liking. Almost immediately, he stepped away from her and she bit back a whimper of displeasure, the softness of his wool city coat still making the skin of her stomach where her shirt had ridden up tingle with delight.

"No problem," he rasped, but he sounded far away. When she looked up, he was about three feet further than he had been seconds ago. She placed herself as best she could and smoothed out her coat before turning to the novelist. In his open black jacket and hunter green scarf, his iridescent burgundy shirt and his tight blue jeans, he looked casual and festive and she felt her throat go dry. "So, detective… what's up?" he asked and she shook the thoughts from her head.

"I need some help… I haven't got a clue what to get everyone."

Rick's eyes grew wide with surprise as she slowly turned red beneath his pinning gaze. He grinned a moment longer, waiting to see if she would darken another shade or two. Within seconds, he was rewarded with a shade of red he had never witnessed on a human being before.

"Detective Beckett, I would be happy to help… on one condition." She felt her chest tighten and her heart sink as she waited to hear his next words. "Call me 'Rick'."

"What?" she gasped out, unaware that she had been holding her breath. He chuckled softly.

"It's Christmas. Do me a favor and call me 'Rick', please."

Kate's breathing slowly returned to normal after she took a few deep breaths of the oxygenated air in the mall although her heart continued to pound madly in her throat. She really did not give Rick enough credit for being a good guy; he could be sweet when he wanted to. So why was she so upset he had not asked something more of her? She nodded in reply to his request and forced the thoughts from her head.

"You got it, Rick," she murmured, making sure the blush did not return to her face yet again. "And it's Kate," she said, knowing he understood her meaning. "So… do we get started? It's already one in the afternoon," she pointed out with a glance behind Rick to the big clock in the middle of the mall.

"Sounds like a plan… Actually, it sounds more like a statement of what needs to be done. There isn't really a plan, is there?"

"Honestly, no… not really. I haven't a clue what to get everyone."

"Right… I've got a plan now," he said decisively and hooked Kate's arm in his, leading her towards the store map and taking off seconds later. When he stopped tugging, they were in front of a dollar store. She was about to give him a dirty look for assuming this was all she was prepared to do for everyone, but he turned to her and told her to wait where she was while he flew in for a second. She nodded and bit back her harsh words and presumptions as Rick dashed into the store and returned about two minutes later with a little pad of paper and a pen.

Then, linking arms again, he led her to a small café inside the mall, telling her to take a seat while he got them something to drink. She tried to protest and offer him some money, but he ignored her outstretched hand and went to the counter, placing a quick order and returning to her side shortly after with a steaming cup.

"One Irish café latté, double foam," he said softly as he set the mug down in front of her. She looked from the cup up to him and gave him a look that clearly said 'A what?'. He smiled. "It's a café latté made with Irish cream instead of regular milk or cream. It's delicious, trust me. I took the same thing. If you don't like it, I'll get you something else."

Rather than bother trying to protest his purchasing of something else should she not like it, she decided to shut up and taste the mixture. As she raised the cup to her nose, the smell of the Irish liquor wafted up her nostrils and she smiled. Then, she took a sip and nearly slid off her chair. It was quite possibly the best mixture she had ever tasted as far as specialty coffees went and she began to doubt she would ever be able to drink anything else and enjoy it quite as much. The creamy flavor and velvety texture made her insides warm and the sight of Rick knowing he was right made something else burn, some part of her that suddenly realized he knew her very well.

"Rick, this is amazing," she said softly as she took another sip and set down her cup. "I have to find a recipe for this."

"Well, if you come over sometime, I'll show you how to make one. I make them at home when I have a guest over or something."

"Hmm…" she hummed, taking one more sip. "So… what's this brilliant plan of yours?"

"Well," he said very proudly, "while we were at the information desk, I managed to grab a copy of the mall's layout. This," he said, unfolding a square of paper about as big as a credit card, "is pretty much a list of every store in this place. My idea is that looking at all the different types of stores will trigger some ideas for the people you're buying for. This," he announced, holding up the small pad of paper and pen he bought, "is to keep track of who you're buying for, what you're looking for and if you got it already or not." He set the pad in the middle of the table and placed the pen on it and spread his hands. "Good idea, right?" he asked, terribly proud of himself for coming up with it. She could not help laughing softly.

"Yes, Rick… very good idea," she said, not taking the little pad of paper and pen out of her pocket that she had brought with her.

"Alright! Now… Make your list of people," he said, pushing the notepad towards her. She took it and scribbled down several names, including Javier Esposito, Kevin Ryan, Roy Montgomery, and Lanie Parish. He nodded and pulled the map between them, pointing to the stores. "Start with Esposito," he said. "Can you think of something to get him?" Rick asked. She shook her head.

"If I could, I wouldn't have needed you," she pointed out and he fell silent for a moment before a smile spread over his face. He looked up at her.

"In that case... I'm glad you have no idea."

His intent stare made her uneasy and turned her mind to mush most of the time. Add to that the flattery of his last statement, which was just starting to sink in, and the romance of the festivities around them and her brain had more or less liquefied. Then, as she began processing thoughts once more, the meaning sank in and her cheeks turned a lovely shade of crimson.

"Wow... you look festive all of a sudden," he laughed, needing to get that out before moving on to business. "Seriously though... no ideas?" She shook her head. "A book? A tie? Maybe a gag gift!" he suggested, but the pointed look she gave him silently vetoed that idea. His eyes went back to the map and he scanned the stores for a minute before they lit up.

"What?"

"I think I've found you your gifts for Ryan and Esposito. Ryan believes in sci-fi stuff, right?" he asked and Kate nodded. "Well, this mall has an Amasia and a Round Table." Her eyes blinked and she shook her head in confusion. "Amasia is Asian and Round Table is medieval. They've got these gorgeous decorative daggers."

"Rick, I'm not buying my co-workers weapons!"

"Why not? Didn't you hear them admiring my fencing swords display? They'll love it!" He watched the little crease appear between her brows and he had to fight the urge to run a fingertip along her forehead. "Just come see them; they're... they're beautiful," he said, nearly choking on his words. He hoped she wouldn't notice, but she looked up instantly, the crease disappearing to be replaced by concern. He decided to mask it with a cough. "The hot coffee..." he gasped and she smiled.

"Fine. We'll check out Round Table and Amasia. What about the captain and Lanie?" she asked and Rick grinned. Her heart fluttered.

"Maybe get him a set of Christmas mugs and diamonds are a girl's best friend," he said with a chuckle, smiling up at her as a vein in her neck trembled wildly. She cleared her throat.

"So, Clair de Lune, right?" she asked, standing and taking the last sip of her coffee. Rick took his own final swig before rising and, close enough to wrap their arms around each other but never touching, they walked through the mall with the map between them.

***

Her eyes move from blade to blade, admiring the gorgeous crafting of each of them. The long gothic dresses behind her were stunning and the men's section looked almost regal. Her eyes simply couldn't light on one thing.

"How could I not know about this place?" she breathed, wonder and awe obvious in her voice. A rich, warm chuckle bubbled in Rick's throat and made Kate's stomach flip-flop. She turned slowly towards him. "It's so beautiful. Look at these gowns! They're stunning."

"I know; I love this place," he said happily before his face lit up. "Hey, can I ask you something?" he rattled off quickly.

"You just did... but go ahead."

"Are you busy on New Year's Eve?" he continued. She regarded him wearily for a moment, but decided to play along.

"Why?"

"I was invited to a costume ball... one of those 'King & Queen' things... Anyway, I don't have a queen, and, if I don't have a queen, I'm not going. What do you say?"

"That's blackmail! If you don't go, I'll feel guilty."

"Well, I don't know... Maybe I could find someone else..."

Her gut twisted uncomfortably. Rick, attending a party with someone else. A New Year's Eve party. Being with someone else come midnight. She almost screamed out her acceptance.

"I guess I owe you," she said softly, a little smile on her lips, "since I got you to come help out on Christmas Eve."

He looked pensive for a moment. "Yeah, I guess so." She laughed.

"So, what encouraged this realization, by the way?"

"The clothes!" he said happily. "It's a 'King & Queen' ball. Pick something," he said and gestured around the room.

"Rick, no..." she said softly, but he help up a hand.

"I consider it a tradition of sorts. I'm asking for the favour; it's not fair you should have to pay for a dress."

"But, Rick..."

"No 'buts'," he insisted. She sighed.

"Fine," she muttered as begrudgingly as possible, even as her eyes turned towards the gowns, but she stilled for a moment. She looked back towards him. "You picked my first one and it was... stunning!" she gasped as she thought back to the gorgeous scarlet gown. "Got any suggestions?" she asked softly and watched him smile and approach a rack, thumbing through the gowns until one in particular caught his eyes and made his face light up.

"Here."

He had done it again. The dress looked like a medieval coat with a crinoline beneath of a different shade. The main body was a dark shade of blue, nearly navy, and laced in the front like a medieval vest with silver cords and a sky blue satin skirt. She smiled and accepted it.

"What about me?" he asked and she began to browse. She picked a pair of black slacks from the wall, selected a simple collared cotton shirt in burgundy with black suede cords and a tailed black jacket with large silver buttons. She looked over at him, almost apologetically, but he smiled and shook his head.

"It's a perfect ensemble. Very good eyes, detective," he said, noting the twitch in her expression at the phrasing he had chosen.

"Let's try them on, but we won't show each other," she said quickly. He frowned. "It might sound silly, but I'd really like you to see it on me for the first time the night of the party."

"Jeez!" he said with a grumble. "You sound like a bride, not wanting me to see your dress before the wedding!" he said with a smile and she fought with every fibre of her being to remain upright and dry-eyed.

With a grumble, he agreed and they both ducked into changing rooms. As they changed, they continued to chatter back and forth, laughing together at the outfits.

"You've done it again, Rick," she announced a few minutes later, her surprise obvious in her voice.

"Done what?"

"It fits perfectly. How do you do it?" she asked and he laughed.

"Well, you're not so bad yourself. Everything in here is the right size. However, I think I need a vest."

"Let me do it!" she told him instantly. "Let's see if I can keep my good track record. On one condition," she added quickly. "Promise not to peek! I really do want you to see it for the first time on the night of the party."

Another grumble of displeased acquiescence came from the adjoining room and, with a chuckle, Rick heard the door to Kate's changing room open. The clerk showed her the vests and he heard the hangers squeak as she thumbed through them. After a few seconds, they squeaking topped and he heard her approaching the door. Rather than knock, she passed it over the door.

"This is the one I had in mind," he said in surprise and slipped off his coat to try it. The vest fit perfectly, the black cotton garment made with adjustable cords to lace up the front which matched those on his shirt. He tied them and turned in the mirror a couple of times before removing it all and changing back into his street clothes. He was about to open his door when the hinge of hers whined as it opened.

"Kate? I'm done; I'm coming out," he warned and stepped out to find her with the dress over her arm, admiring the jewel case, oblivious to him. "Beautiful, aren't they?" he whispered behind her, making her start, but not quite jump. She smiled.

"Yeah, very nice." She stood up straighter and moved towards the cashier, but he curled his hand beneath her elbow and tugged her back to the case. "What is it?"

"Every queen needs her crown jewels," he said softly and her mouth shot open so fast he thought it would snap. He lifted his hand. "You've got two options: you can refuse and I'll simply buy them later this week. The other option is that you realize I'll get them either way and, this way, you get some say in their choosing," he said and, as official as he was trying to sound, the warmth of his tone and the smile twinkling in his eyes made her smile softly.

"Alright," she said with a smile. "However, you better not try giving me something else for Christmas. This is... far too much!"

"Trust me... this is nothing," he said softly and pointed to a pewter chain with a sapphire accent on each leaf-detailed inverted Celtic knot. Matching upside-down triangles with the lovely blue stones were just beside it.

"What about those?" he said, pointing to the set. "You obviously like them."

"Well, they're beautiful," she said quickly, feeling a need to justify herself, but he just smiled.

"No need to be defensive," he told her gently. "If I would have been shopping for them alone, these are what I would have picked."

Kate's eyes lifted in surprise. "Really?" she asked softly. Rick smiled.

"The look on your face is proof enough; they're yours." With one last smile, he sought out the aid of one of the clerks and purchased all the clothes and accessories. Price tag hidden from view, he stepped aside and let her purchase the dagger for Ryan. They walked out with several bags tucked under his arms and one bag in her hand, the dagger.

"Let me help," she asked, but he placed them and walked on.

"It's not a problem. We'll leave it all at coat check and call a cab later," he said and, less than a minute later, they were standing at a coat check near the center of the mall. "Keep these safe, please," he whispered and the gentleman took the bags, slipped them into a locker and gave Rick a piece of paper with the locker number. Then, he mumbled something, the clerk scribbled on a piece of paper and they were off once more.

"What was that last part you told him?"

"A password. Proof for when we reclaim our things," he stated simply. She gave him a look. "I'm not telling," he said without a glance in her direction. "A password is something personal." She continued to stare at him. "Someday."

"Fine," she grumbled, making him smile. "Glad I amuse you."

"How about we hurry up?" he suggested and she fell silent instantly, speeding up her pace so that he almost lost her in the crowd. "Whoa, wait up!" he said and they moved quickly though the crowd to get to Amasia.

***

Kate's eyes sparkled once more with the beauty of the merchandise, but did a better job of concealing it this time as she looked at the gorgeous miniature swords, trying to pick the right one.

"They're mini katanas. Very sharp blade."

"I know, Castle," she said abruptly and he recoiled. She saw it, but ignored him until he took several steps back.

"There's, um... very pretty crystal sculptures over there. I'll just..." and he turned and left the store.

Kate took a deep breath and tried to stem the tears that desperately wanted to escape. She picked up a dagger of equal value to the one she bought for Ryan, no longer caring. If he had better things to do than hang out with her, that was fine. Just say so. Part of her mind managed to register how gorgeous the etched rose trapped in glass on a colourfully-lit base was, but the rejection was foremost.

Taking the items to the cash, she paid and moved to the door of the little shop and nearly stopped dead in her tracks. Rick was still there, sitting on a bench. When he saw her, he stood up and moved closer.

"So, the captain," he said briskly and she blinked.

"I thought you wanted to get out of here," she said in confusion.

"What? No! Of course not..." he denied vehemently. His face contorted in confusion as he stared at her.

"You said we should hurry up," she accused.

"Because the stores close in an hour!"

Kate fell silent, letting a little 'oh' of understanding before trying to walk on, but Rick caught her elbow and she turned back towards him.

"Did you think I wanted to go? That I was tired of you?" She tried to deny the question, but her silence was a better answer than any words. "You're a very insecure woman, Katherine Beckett. Now stop worrying... and think of something for your boss. We only have... forty-five minutes!"

She scanned her surroundings and darted towards a stationary shop where she found a nice set with a matching pen, pencil and Swiss army knife. Paying quickly, she exited to a still-waiting Rick.

"All done?" he asked and she nodded with a smile. Stepping closer to her and offer her his arm, he wondered for a second if he wasn't pushing too far, but her ear-to-ear grin told him it was alright and she hooked her arm though his. Chatting amicably, they made their way to the lockers.

Kate looked up at the new clerk, a young woman who proceeded to make goo-goo eyes in Rick's direction and she felt her stomach lurch. This woman had no idea if they were together or not and, in addition, she had not looked at Kate once.

That's when she noticed the clerk's disappointed frown and realized that, while the clerk was looking at Rick and she had been observing the clerk, Rick's attention had remained on her the entire time. Her cheeks heated as she looked up into his smiling face.

"Sorry," she mumbled, "didn't catch that."

"Possessive's a good look on you," he teased and she felt her cheeks heat an extra ten degrees. "I asked if you've got everything you need," he repeated. She nodded her head 'yes' and he scribbled something on a scrap of paper, passing it to the clerk. The woman grumbled and went away for a couple of minutes before returning with their bags and jackets and dumping them unceremoniously on the counter. Kate gave her a look and she rolled her eyes.

"Today was fun," Rick said gently as he held her coat for her to slide into. She accepted the help and put it on. Then, he slid on his own and grabbed up all the bags and turned to leave.

That's when the clerk cleared her throat. Rick and Kate both turned back and watched the woman nod towards the tips canister in front of her with the name 'Cindy' written on it, a match to her name tag.

"Yes?" Rick asked, playing the fool. She bypassed nodding towards it and simply tapped the slot with her finger. Rick smiled, but Kate knew it wouldn't be pretty. "I tip service. What I got was non-existent professionalism, disrespect towards my companion and attitude. Consider yourself lucky I'm offering you a Merry Christmas."

She was wrong; it was beautiful! He hooked his arm through hers and resumed his trajectory towards an exit.

She pressed her lips together to smother her laughter when he gave her a smile that beamed with pride. The chuckle bubbled out and she returned his grin as they passed Santa's thrown.

"Ho! Ho! Ho!" came the familiar bellow, but with it came their yelps of surprise. No longer on his thrown, Kate and Rick nearly walked into him. "Merry Christmas!" he announced, but he didn't budge. Rick shrugged and Santa lifted his gaze skyward. Rick and Kate followed suit and spotted the sprig of mistletoe hanging above. When they lowered their gaze once more, Santa was gone. They turned to each other.

"Silly tradition," she said both quickly and breathlessly, but without moving. Rick nodded. "This is silly, right?"

"Right," he said and, with quick glances to each other's legs, they both stepped out from under the white flowers at the same time and walked over to a cab. All the while, they continued to justify themselves.

"It's dangerous nowadays," Kate said, opening a door and tossing in her bags while Rick passed the cabbie a hundred dollar bill.

"Exactly," she mumbled and straightened up. "Today was great, Rick" she said and turned to wish him a Merry Christmas, but never got the chance.

As her body began to turn towards him, his warm hands captured her face and finished her turn more quickly by pulling her lips to his in a sudden fiery kiss. She heard the gasp being pulled from her throat as his mouth worked over hers, his thumbs brushing tenderly over the apples of her cheeks. It was another several seconds before she thought of a response and it was to sneak her hands around the back of his neck. They pressed against each other for several moments until they finally parted, panting softly.

Their foreheads were pressed together and the little puffs of their breath mingled between them for nearly ten seconds. She fought the impulse to tighten every muscle in her body in anticipation of the standard 'Your place or mine' propositions. Instead, he smiled and pressed one last kiss to the tip on her nose, sighing in contentment.

"Merry Christmas, Kate," he whispered and her heart warmed.

"Merry Christmas, Rick," she said with a smile and extracted herself from him every so reluctantly. Grinning like a fool, she turned and stepped into the car as he held the door.

"Until New Year's Eve," he reminded her softly. "I'll be by around six to pick you up. Okay?"

Unable to answer verbally, she nodded her head several times and he closed the door of the taxi. With a thump, thump to the driver, he watched the car drive away and began his short trek home with thoughts of this evening's events and dreams for the new year dancing in his head, a thousand times sweeter than any sugarplum.