So, I'm new to the Castle fandom…well, new to writing Castle fics. I've been reading them forever. Here's a little something I thought up a little while ago and couldn't get out of my head. I probably won't update a lot, I don't have a good track record with that sort of thing, but I will always get back to it. Oh, and let's just pretend that the finale didn't happen and Josh went out of the picture a while ago.

Disclaimer: I don't even own the seasons on DVD, what makes you think I own them? Oh, how I wish I was Andrew Marlow…

"So, basically we're back to square one." Kate Beckett sighed and sat back against her desk. Their best and most likely suspect had just alibied out, causing them to have to go back over everything to find someone else. And she had been so sure it was him…

"I'm telling you, our dead guy? CIA."

Kate rolled her eyes at her partner. "Are you ever going to give up on that?"

Richard Castle shook his head. "Not until I'm right, something that is bound to happen eventually."

"Right about what?" Kevin Ryan asked coming to stand near them.

"Castle thinks our dead guy is CIA."

"Oh come dude, are you ever gonna let that go?" Javier Esposito asked next to Ryan.

"Why must everyone ask me that? And besides, I was almost right one time, remember the guy with the fantasy about being a spy?"

Silence spread throughout the group at this and unwanted memories about what happened after they solved that case flooded Kate's mind. She mentally shook herself. No use dwelling on it again. There was work to be done.

"Go over his financials again, see if we missed anything." Kate ordered and the two detectives headed back to their desks.

Moving to sit in her chair, she opened a file with all the interviews in them and began to reread. She heard Castle sit down as well but didn't acknowledge him. After a few seconds of sitting still, he started drumming his fingers on her desk. At first it was barely loud enough for her to hear, but as he went on it got louder and the soon his other hand was involved beating some crazy tune Kate couldn't recognize.

"Castle?"

"Hmm?" he hummed in response.

"Why don't you go home and write something? Since that is kind of your job."

"But," Castle protested. "What if you catch the killer while I'm gone?"

"I promise not to find the killer while you're gone, okay?" Kate smiled.

"Throw in lunch and it's a deal."

She was about to decline when her stomach growled.

"I guess I got my answer," Castle sang triumphantly.

"Ok, writer boy, let's get this over with so I can finish looking over these interviews." Kate stood up and made her way to the door, her tagalong follow close behind. "Where are we going?"

"Remy's okay with you?"

Kate grinned. "You read my mind."

The diner wasn't too crowed and their food was out quickly. The conversation soon drifted away from the case and on to stories of Alexis as a little girl. Kate wondered not for the first time how much longer she was going to be able to keep her biggest secret from him and figured it wouldn't be much longer. As it turned out she was right.

Her phone rang halfway through lunch. Catching the caller ID, Kate frowned slightly.

"Beckett."

"Yes, Ms. Beckett. This is Amy Preston from Hardwood Elementary. I'm calling to inform you there was an incident with your daughter today."

"What kind of incident?"

"It seems she was involved in a small fight. She alright, just a bloody nose. The nurse is treating her now."

"Will you tell her I'm on my way? I shouldn't be more than fifteen minutes."

"Of course, all of her things will be ready by the time you arrive."

"Thank you so much." Kate hung up the phone and looked up to meet Castle's eyes. She'd forgotten he was there. She'd also forgotten they'd come here together, in her car.

"Something with the case?"

Kate shook her head, searching for words.

"If you need to go, I can catch a cab back." Castle gave her a small smile. Kate smiled back. She figured he'd earned the right by now to find out her biggest secret. And it would be nice to brag about her adorable five year old with someone other than Lanie.

"Actually, why don't you come a long? It shouldn't take too long."

His face lit up. "Really? Are you sure I won't be in the way of anything…um…private?"

"When has that ever stopped you from prying?" She teased.

"I just want to be prepared."

"Well then, technically yes, but since I'm inviting you it's okay. And I could use your skills at making people laugh."

Castle got a mock expression of shock on his face as they paid and headed towards her car. "Did Detective Beckett actually admit I was good at something?"

"Don't get too used to it. I need your ego to be able to fit in my car."

They arrived at the school almost exactly fifteen minutes later. The teasing started before they were even out of the car.

"A school, huh? Does your new boyfriend teach here or something? Oh, wait you said "she" on the phone, so that would mean it's your girlfriend who teaches here. Wow, it's just like my dreams." Castle got an elbow to the ribs after that last statement and he shut up as they opened the front doors. It didn't take them long to find the main office.

A short blonde woman sat at the front desk and she smiled as they walked in. "You must be Ms. Beckett. I'm Amy, we spoke on the phone."

"Hello. Is she ready yet?"

"She's just grabbing the last of her things. In fact she should be here in about—"

"Mommy!"

Kate turned to see her daughter running towards her, her backpack bouncing on her back. Kate bent down and scooped her up into her arms.

"Hey, sweetheart. Oh, look at your nose." Kate brushed another trickle of blood away from it.

"It hurted really bad, but the nice lady made it feel better."

"Did you tell her thank you?"

"Uh huh. She even gaved me a Popsicle but I finished it before you got here."

"She's all set," Amy told Kate. "I hope your nose feels better Kaylee."

"Tank you Ms. Peston," Kaylee said back.

Castle hadn't said a word since Kaylee made her appearance and when he didn't make any move to follow Kate out the door, she turned around. "You coming?" She called. This seemed to wake him up and he hurried after her.

Kaylee tugged on her mother's hair lightly to get her attention and leaned to whisper in her ear. "Mommy, who's he?"

"That's a good friend of mommy's. You wanna say hi?"

"Is he nice?" Kaylee looked nervous.

"Yes, Sweetheart. He's super nice."

"What's his name?"

"Why don't you ask him?"

Kaylee considered this for a moment before leaning over Kate to tap Castle on the shoulder. "'Scuse me, mister? What's your name? Mine's Kaylee Johanna Beckett."

Castle, who'd been watching the exchange between mother and daughter with a grin on his face, smiled wider at being addressed. "That's such a pretty name. My name is Richard Castle."

Kaylee blushed at the compliment before gasping. "That's the name on the books mommy reads."

It was Kate's turn to blush as Castle's eyes twinkled. "Does your mommy read those books a lot?"

"All the time. She even—"

Kate covered her daughter's mouth, making sure not to hit her nose. "Okay, enough on that topic."

"Mommy," Kaylee's voice was muffled under her hand. "Are you going to spend the day with me?"

It took Kate half a second to decide that those interviews could wait till tomorrow, and if Ryan and Esposito found something, they were perfectly capable of handling it themselves. "Yes, baby. We can do whatever you want."

"Can Mr. Castle come too?" She asked hopefully.

"Absolutely, Princess." Castle immediately replied. Kate sent Castle a grateful smile.

"But first we go home and take a better look at that nose of yours," Kate said.

"Aww, mommy—"

"Don't 'aww mommy' me. It's got to stop bleeding before we go anywhere."

"Mommy do we have too? It's just blood."

"Yeah, mommy," Castle wined. "It's just blood."

"Now, I've got two five year olds?" She mock glared at her partner. "After we get you cleaned up, we'll go wherever you want." Kate's tone left no room for argument and Kaylee backed down. Kate retrieved the car seat from her trunk before snapping the girl in. As she made her way to the driver seat Castle grabbed her arm. "We'll talk about this later," he said in her ear. She nodded slightly and got in the car and soon they were off to Kate's apartment.

Well, that was longer than I thought it was going to be. It just kept going and going and going, haha. Please review :) they make me happy :)