Dedication: Thanks to Thre3 and Kick Caskett for their brilliant idea xx

A/N: This little one-shot is set the night before the morning after, or after "Always." So if you haven't seen it, that doesn't matter…Please read! This was co-written with Dinosaur and our friends Jim-Jam and Castle obsessed maniac's help. Enjoy and make sure you read right to the end :D

The Night Before The Morning After

As the sun shone through the small crack in the window, Katherine Beckett stirred from her sleep. She began to outstretch her arms and legs like she did every morning as she continued to try and fully open her eyes. She then came to the realisation that she was not in her apartment, but in one Richard Castle's. But this did not surprise her. She liked the idea that she was here, in his protective arms. It was the one place in the world she felt safe. She rolled over on the mattress and noticed that one, Richard Castle, was also starting to stir. He began to open his eyes to see a smiling Kate Beckett. He let out a small chuckle at the sight of her; she just looked so damn beautiful

"Last night was fun" laughed Beckett as she rolled over to face Castle.

Castle stared longingly into her eyes. "Kate I have never had that much fun with anyone before" stated Castle sincerely and seriously but also that cheekiness that only he could possess. She had a goofy smile on her face recalling the memories of last night, the night where it all changed.

Last Night…

Castle held her hand tightly, not wanting to let it go and led her into his well-lit loft.

"Wanna play a game?" cheekily asked Castle as he continued to led her though his home.

"I thought you would never ask." He smirked at the comment and continued to lead her through the study, towards his bedroom.

He instantly closed the door behind them. After all he didn't know whether his daughter would be home anytime soon, or his mother for that matter. He climbed onto the bed and retrieved the special little box from the top draw. Beckett quickly discarded her jacket on the wooden floor. She flicked her heels off and tossed out of the way. Beckett also joined him on the bed and watched him carefully layout all the equipment.

"I'm not so sure about this. I mean, you have a lot more experience at this than me." Beckett lowered her head and was looking at her hands, intertwining them. There was a hint of nervousness in her voice, something that Castle noticed.

"It's ok" reassured Castle. "I'll guide you through it." Beckett nodded her head as Castle continued to set everything up.

"Do you want to start?" asked Beckett

"Don't you?" questioned Castle.

"Will your big ego be alright?" teased Beckett, she knew him all too well.

"Fair enough" answered Castle, as he began to make the first move. Beckett was trying to figure out what to do. Castle however seemed to know exactly what to do, so she just let him.

Castle tried to take a sneak peak at her rack. But she quickly covered it up. She didn't know exactly what she was doing but she knew enough to know how to play.

"Not yet, writer boy" smiled Beckett to which Castle pouted. She loved the control she had over him. Silence passed over them for a few minutes.

"Can you go any faster" complained Beckett; after all it had been several minutes since Castle had done or said anything.

"I haven't even started yet"

"I bet you say you're more experienced than you really are. Alexis would agree with me."

"I don't think she would" spoke up Castle as he made his first move. "Sorry it's so long" apologetically said Castle

"That's ok. I like them long." Castle's eyes widened. He always learnt something new about Beckett every day. Beckett quickly made her move and turned back to Castle.

"You're so slow, hurry up and give it to me" Beckett

"Give me a moment it will come to me in a minute." Beckett rolled her eyes. He knew he was lying.

Beckett then noticed the sudden change in Castle behaviour. It was as if he was jumping up and down on the mattress. "What's wrong with you?"

"I tend to get really excited in the middle of things. I like to start jumping up and down."

"Be careful. The bed's really bouncy"

"Come and join me" asked Castle. That little boy on a sugar rush seemed to come out a lot.

"But I don't want to get hurt?" Beckett wasn't stupid after all.

"You'll be fine" reassured Castle. Beckett trusted the man before her and decided nothing bad could come from it. She jumped up and began bouncing on the bed.

"This is surprisingly fun" laughed Beckett as she fell back down onto the bed. Castle soon joined her, also laughing as he fell.

"Let's get back to what we were doing"

"If we are going to continue, I'm going to need something to drink." Castle nodded and left the room.

He returned a few moments later with two glasses of wine in his hand. He saw Beckett was focused heavily on the phone in her hand. He just couldn't help himself.

"You can't Google how to do it." The words surprised her, causing her to slightly jump off the bed.

"Why not?" she retaliated. Beckett after all was one strong, independent and determined woman.
"It's cheating"

"How is that cheating?"

"How is it not?"

"Well I wasn't cheating anyway." Beckett admitted defeat and threw her phone back on the floor.

"Here you go" said Castle as he handed Beckett the glass. She sculled most of the wine in one go.

"Thanks" she replied as she became fixated on what was before her. Beckett then went silent for a few moments. Castle began to wonder what she was doing. After all she was just sitting there looking blankly at what was before her.

"Beckett. Do you know what you are doing?"

"I think so" answered Beckett wearily.

"How long has it been?"

"Probably since I was about 14 or 15"

Castle's eyes widened. "Really. That long"

"Yeah. I used to cheat so much back then" laughed Kate. After all she was only a little girl.

"You wouldn't cheat now. Would you?" questioned Castle.

"I'm sure Ryan would help me cheat."

"You keep thinking that"

"Hey, Do you think Ryan and Espo would want to join us next time" asked Castle.

"Maybe. But I think they already do this with their girls. Lanie was telling me how one night her and Espo spent all night doing it"

"Kate, have you seen the time? We have been doing this nearly all night now"

Kate turning to see the clock, collapsed in exhaustion. It had been a big day and now an ever bigger night. She was now sprawled all over the mattress.

"Another round Beckett" asked Castle

"Nahhhmmm" mumbled Beckett. She was lying face down on the bed, trying to shield her eyes from the bright lights shining in his bedroom.

"Kate" whined Castle. "I love doing this with you. Gina never really had the time to do it. But I occasionally persuaded her to go a couple of rounds"

"Castle, I am really tired from all this vigorous activity. I just want to sleep"…

Present…

"I really liked playing with you" smiled Castle as he began to make his way out of the bed

"Playing Scrabble can be really exhausting" smiled Beckett.

"Another game of Scrabble tonight" asked Castle, already knowing the answer.

"You know it" smiled Beckett as she managed to get out of the bed.

"Pancakes?" asked Castle.

"Always"

A/N: They were playing SCRABBLE! That was all! And I bet you thought they were doing a certain activity. You dirty minded freak! :D Thanks for reading and don't forget…Please leave a review