Author's Note: I hated how the second season of CASTLE, just as Kate was about to admit her feelings for Richard, he goes and brings his ex to the office. *sigh* I predict much dancing around the issue for this couple, hence this little own resolution to the whole fiasco...

DISCLAIMER: I do not own the characters. I'm merely borrowing them.

This is crazy, Kate thought to herself as she drove out to the Hampton's. Absolutely crazy…and yet she was doing it anyways. It had been a mere couple weeks since Castle had walked away from her with his ex-wife in tow and while it seemed to be under the pretence of being a strictly professional matter, Kate wasn't so sure. In the weeks that had passed since Castle's summer holidays had begun, Kate had berated herself time and again for a) not taking him up on his offer in the first place and b) not taking him aside and telling her how she really felt.

And how do I feel? She asked herself as she pulled up the long driveway to Castle's Hampton home. She knew that she felt SOMETHING for the writer who had been following her around and she was ALMOST positive that it was the beginnings of something huge, but Kate Beckett was afraid—and Kate Beckett was rarely afraid. She could feel her heartbeat nearly double in speed as she walked up the stone steps to the imposing door. She could feel her breath hitch in her throat as she knocked on the heavy wooden door, followed by ringing the doorbell and she could feel her entire self jump when she heard him call. "Come around, I'm in the back/"

Taking a deep breath, meant to calm her but doing nothing at all—Kate followed the voice and walked around, through the open gate to the magnificent backyard. There on the massive patio was the lone Castle, his eyes seemingly glued to the laptop that was in front of him. He didn't seem to notice her at first and so he just ignored her. Finally she cleared her throat and when he looked up at her, she was so happy to see his face. "What?" he asked in surprise as he suddenly got to his feet. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, well it's the fourth of July weekend and…" Kate paused unsure if she should continue but Castle was looking at her with such an expectant look that she couldn't refuse. "…and well I heard that you put on quite the firework show and so I figured that I'd crash your little party. If that's alright with you,"

She paused and showed him the basket of fireworks that she had brought. Kate smiled in amusement when he saw his face light up, the initial shock of her arrival seemingly dissipating in a moment. "Oh this is fantastic!" he exclaimed gleefully as he took the basket from her, set it down before hugging her. "And here I was thinking that I'd have to work through the fireworks all alone and yet here you are."

"Alone?" Kate asked as Richard Castle stepped away.

"Yeah," he began sheepishly. "She didn't last too long."

"Oh?" Kate asked again, raising an eyebrow and trying to seem disinterested.

"Oh indeed," Castle stated with a small laugh. "There is a reason that she's my ex after all."

"Yeah," Kate agreed as Castle led her to a place where she could sit down. "I guess I can see your point."

"Would you like something to drink? Can I get you anything?"

Kate shook her head. "Oh no, I just want to relax. Driving here was not fun."

"No," Castle agreed as he sat down beside her. "I hate the drive, especially at this time of year. Actually," he paused and gave her a sideways glance. "Why did you drive up here? You seemed so un-eager to come."

"Yeah well," Kate began trying to stay as calm as possible. "Can't a girl change her mind?"

"Oh yeah," Castle stated with a smile, knowing that in the next little while a LOT of things were about to change and all of it for the better.