This is my first foray into fan fiction. I love the Castle characters that were created by Andrew Marlowe, his wife and the whole team. The chemistry between the actors is phenomenal as they interact and breathe life to the words. The Castle characters are not mine and their use, or the use of any other characters, living or dead, real or imaginary and the words and opinions they may speak are my creations just for the story and should not be attributed to them.

This work is my idea of Castle's follow up to his idea to honor Beckett's mother from season 3, Lucky Stiff. Please let me know your thoughts, good, bad or indifferent.

Castle was concerned about his mother. For days now, Martha had been pondering what to do with the money she got from Chet. Normally she would have taken the money, gone a shopping spree (oh wait, she did do that) but then gave all the purchases back. Was she sick?

Martha was fretting, obsessing, stressing, driving the whole loft crazy, over the money. He hated to see his mother this way, Castle would rather endure her subtle and not so subtle barbs a thousand times over, then see his mother this way. For a guy that made his living with words, they were failing him now.

"Mother?!" Castle exclaimed as he walked into the loft. At his side was Beckett in a short coat with fur collar and leather gloves. Her hair was wavy with curls. It was not wild, but very controlled, made up in a way that she could easily run her hand through it, or shake her head to the music as it played. Every part of her face was accentuated by the hair.

Martha, ignored her son and looked at Kate, more like beamed. "Oh, my look at you, oh you look gorgeous." The stunning blue silk dress was wearing was just the right length to be tasteful, yet show off Beckett's long, lean, toned, sexy legs, Maybe both of them stopped dancing around each other and came together- a mother could hope. "You two going out on a date"

Kate felt good in the dress and her high heels. The outfit hugged her but did not squeeze her. She smiled at this and bit the side of her lip. She could read Martha's thoughts and with a little twirl of her hair, around her ear though, Maybe, hopefully some day soon. Then back to reality, "Oh no, were just doing a little under cover work. So how are you doing?"

"Oooh, I have been better," Martha answered.

Beckett could sense the double meaning in that answer and felt bad. She knew about Martha's dilemma about the money. She also sensed a disappointment that this was not a date. "Castle told me you decided to give the money back?"

"Yeah, well I tried," Martha wanted to give the money back, but Chet's children would hear nothing of it. They loved their father, their father loved Martha and they loved Martha, "so I am trying to figure out what to do with it. Everything I come up seems so selfish and petty."

Right then, Castle walked in. Neither of the women saw him. He was about to say something then her Beckett say, "It doesn't have to be that way, Someone once told me that money doesn't change you, it just magnifies who you are. Maybe you could do something that could honor his memory somehow."

"That is a lovely thought, thank you, really thank you." Castle saw his mother's face light up as she thanked Beckett. He hadn't seen her this excited for a long time. It was Kate's timing and tone of voice, using his words, which brought his mother some peace and purpose.

Castle knew Beckett would want to drive the Ferrari. However he was going to insist on driving his Ferrari, his toy, his pride and joy and besides, Beckett always drove the detective mobile. He quickly changed his mind though upon hearing the exchange between Beckett and his mother. Still, he would not give up the keys without a little fight. "All right, got the keys."

"Oh great, I'm driving." Beckett said as she got up to get the keys. She faces Castle and holds out her hand.

Castle snickers, as he holds the keys out, "Beckett, this is a Ferrari," at this, Beckett turned to Martha and gave her the look even as Castle continues, "it is designed to respond instantaneously to your every whim, every movement, every" and before Castle could finish, Beckett snatches the keys from him. Outwardly he feigns a look of shock, but inwardly smiles.

Beckett changed into her work clothes after she and Castle booked and interrogated the drug dealer. While he was not their murderer, both felt some vindication for the victim and his family for getting this criminal off the street for a long while. It was early in the morning when they were finished and Castle offered Beckett a ride home in the Ferrari. This time he drove. Beckett sat back with the wind in her hair and the feel of the finely tuned power beneath her.

She turned to Castle and he turned to her. Both smiled as each thought, Maybe, someday soon.

Two days later the case was solved when the adopted son admitted to the murder. As Castle was walking out, Beckett called after him, "No more questions about my innermost jackpot dreams?"

"You said you didn't have any."

Beckett smiled, "Good night Castle.".

At home, Castle saw his two redheads pouring over real estate material. As it turned out, Martha was looking over properties to house the 'Martha Rodgers School of Acting.' While impressed by his mother's ambition and excitement, Castle thought, how does this honor Chet? As if reading his mind, Martha said, "Oh I am however going to commission a portrait of Chet so his legacy will last forever,"

Legacy, Castle thought, "Legacy," he exclaimed, "now I know what Beckett would do." He ran out of the loft like a nine-year old on a sugar rush.

Beckett heard a knock at the door. It was late and she was very content sipping her wine and strumming the guitar. Irritated by this intrusion on her private time, she got up to open the door and saw, "Castle." As he was walking into her apartment, Beckett turned and muttered, "By all means, please come in."

"You would use the money to honor your mother's legacy, you would start a scholarship to honor your mother's legacy... and with your permission, I would like to hold a fundraiser to get the scholarship started." It was all Castle to could do to get it all out. But then he saw the look on Beckett's face and held his breath.

"You cannot stay out of my personal life," she said with a hint of annoyance. Then her features soften and Castle let out a silent sigh of relief, "thank you that is really sweet."

His energy and enthusiasm restored, Castle went straight to the dining room table. "We definitely have to have the mayor, a bunch of judges that you meet every day and that I play golf with including Judge Markaway, our team from the 12th, and your father."

Beckett followed with her glass, another glass for Castle and the bottle of wine. She smiled at the thought of her father finally meeting Castle. She wasn't quite sure why, but she was excited and nervous at the same time, like bringing a 'boyfriend' home for the first time to meet your father. Boyfriend? Did she just think Boyfriend, not just a friend who is a boy? Castle's voice brought her back to the dining room table,

"Kate, thanks for the glass, Who do you want to invite? and what about your father and mother's friends and colleagues?

"Oh, sorry, well, I would like to have Maddie there. Maybe she could even help with the food. People from my mother's law school, including some current students, faculty and administration. I will ask my father for a list of his and my mother's friends."

Both Beckett and Castle were quiet for a moment, each thinking the same thing at the same time. Like they do at the precinct when solving case. Normally it was cute how they finished each other's sentences or said the same thing at the same time, but this time was a little sad.

Beckett: I really do not have that many friends or family outside work.

Castle: She does not really have that many friends or family outside work.

"Can I see that list again?" Kate put her arm around his shoulder and leaned into him. After all day, she still smelled like cherries. Rick felt very calm, content, even warm inside and it wasn't the wine.

Kate felt tired. The emotions of the evening really wore her down. She looked at the empty wine bottle and thought that also contributed to her weariness. She got up, and took the wine glasses to the kitchen. Rick interpreted this as the closing bell but before he was ready to go, Kate was back with a pillow and blanket.

"It's late. We both have had a long day and too much to drink. Text your mother and Alexis and tell them you will spend the night here."

Castle winked, "But what happens if I get cold out here and this blanket is not enough?"

Beckett rolled her eyes, "You do remember I sleep with a gun."

"Nite Detective Beckett."

"Nite Castle."

That night, Beckett slept easy. Yesterday was a long, long day. Beckett woke up at 6:45AM, an hour later then normal. This morning she felt something slightly different, something more then the usual after a case was closed. After she helped take a murderer off the streets and give a grieving family some closure, she felt satisfaction in a job well done and pride in her team. This morning though, she also felt comfort and contentment. Why?

As she walked into the living room, she saw Castle was still sleeping, in her apartment. Was that it? Was that the cause for these extra feeling? Whatever it was, she decided to take a morning off. Beckett went for a run and picked up some food items at the corner Korean stand.

Just as Beckett was getting out of the shower, she heard Castle. "I just woke and literally smelled the coffee and the bacon." Kate had put up the coffee and started breakfast. "I can see that you are using the new coffee filter I got you. That is good, but where did all this food come from. Last time I stayed here overnight, it was all I could do to scrounge up ingredients for pancakes and some rather weak coffee?"

"Yeah, well, I thought I should try and stay in more and cook. So I stocked up on some things. Got the rest after my run this morning. Cooking at home saves money, money I am using to fix my '94 Harley Soft Tail. Besides, I told you that my mom was an amazing cook. Cooking, especially for some else besides me, reminds me of her and Sunday brunch."

"Don't you have to be at the precinct by now?"

"Nope, called in and told them I would be in late. Now get your butt off my couch, silverware and napkins in the draw to the right. Plates and coffee mugs in the cabinet above me. Go and set the table for us."

Castle pouted, "What no wait service? No breakfast in bed?"

Beckett rolled her eyes and stared at him, "You come to my home at all hours of the day and night, make yourself comfortable without so much as a 'by your leave' and expect to be treated as a guest?" She threw a small piece of pepper at him as she smiled. "Get the table set and do not forget the glasses for orange juice."

After breakfast, Castle cleared the table and they cleaned the dishes together. As he was leaving, Castle said, "See you later?"

Beckett was about to answer but the phone rang. She held up a finger, gesturing 'Wait a moment' and picked up the phone. "Josh? Oh hey,... I am ok, just had a late night with a case and decided to sleep in this morning. You're at the precinct? Sorry I missed you, can you hold on a second?" She turned around to tell Castle she would see him later but he was gone.