This story was written last week but it's suppose to be kind of after the episode 18 from the second season called "Boom!". I wasn't sure when I was going to publish this. Especially since when I was younger I wrote some fanfics and they weren't as good. I feel like I've improved and I hope you enjoy the story. This story kind of works for before tonight's episode "Den of Thieves" but at the same time wouldn't make sense either with the comments in the episode. I won't say anything yet, just in case there's a few fans that have yet to see it. Though I was thinking of making another chapter and now that I've seen tonight's episode, I really want to. Let me know what you think or at least favorite it if you don't have time to leave a review. I've seen some great Castle and Smallville fanfics on this site but sometimes don't know what to say to the writer. So I usually favorite their stuff. It's okay by me. By the way, if you see any errors, please let me know and I can fix them.

Disclaimer: All publicly recognizable characters, settings, etc. are the property of their respective owners. The original characters and plot are the property of the author. The author is in no way associated with the owners, creators, or producers of any media franchise. No copyright infringement is intended. I don't own Castle. Or Richard Castle, even though I wish I did. haha... I do own a copy of "Heat Wave" and reading it right now. I also wrote this story before I starting reading the novel.

I hope you enjoy the story. Thanks! - Christina

Also, clcummins12 is now Beta Reading my story. She will help me with the errors and improving it.

Notice: This chapter has been edited from it's original post.

"Midnight Snacks"

In the middle of the night, Richard Castle walked quietly from the sofa to the kitchen. He was having trouble sleeping because he was sleeping on the sofa. Normally he wouldn't be doing this but Kate Beckett recently had lost her apartment and he decided to have her stay at his place with his daughter. His mother had moved out a day or so ago, but her stuff was still in her room. It would always be her room, Rick thought to himself, just in case she ended up coming back, which she normally did.

He might also have been having trouble sleeping just with the thought of Beckett being in his apartment. They had already solved a few cases but she hadn't found a place to stay, which he didn't mind. In just the past few mornings being at his place, she has been making breakfast, and to Castle it seem like she was just at home. Her being there has kind of caused him to feel something but he wasn't sure what it was yet. He certainly wasn't going to talk to Ryan and Esposito about it. They were sure to blab about it at the Precinct. Lanie might be useful to talk to but she likely might talk to Beckett. Then there was his daughter. He always liked to talk to her about some things going on in his life.

Just as that thought went through his head, he opened the fridge to get some milk and cookies. Castle liked to keep his cookies cold. By the side of the fridge, he opened a cabinet and took out a glass very quietly. Again to try to not make a sound and with the fridge still open, he took the milk and poured it into the glass on the counter and placed it back into the fridge. Then he grabbed his cookies. He placed them on the counter with the glass of milk and closed the fridge slowly. Castle then took his glass and cookies to the middle counter so he could sit there on a bar stool. Just as he sat on the bar stool, he started to dip his oatmeal raisin cookies into his milk. Suddenly he started to hear something moving. Had he woken up Beckett? Castle knew she wouldn't appreciate that in the morning since she was an early riser.

"Hey Dad! What are you doing up?" said Alexis Castle. She was wearing her pajamas and slippers and looking very sleepy while she was walking towards him from the stairs.

"I should ask you the same thing, pumpkin," said Castle starting to eat one of his cookies.

"It's actually not good to eat late at night, it makes it harder to go to sleep," said Alexis. She went to the counter and sat down beside her father on a barstool.

"Nah, that's why I'm drinking milk, that should help me," said Castle. Alexis was about to speak and he started to continue, "I'm actually having trouble sleeping so it wouldn't really matter. I would likely have trouble sleeping even if I didn't have a snack and then I would be hungry too."

Alexis' face grew in concern about her father. What could be worrying him that he was unable to go to sleep? Usually he's able to sleep with no problem. At least that what she thought anyways. Then she looked to the sofa in the living room, and remembered that he was sleeping there the past few nights since he let Beckett sleep in his bed. She began to think about how it was really nice of her father to let Beckett stay at their apartment for a while till she looked for a new place. Detective Beckett was someone she looked up to, and not to mention someone that her father seemed to really liked compared to the models he would hook up with. Beckett was his muse, his inspiration to write his new novels and he always followed her around to help her solve murder cases. Actually Alexis realized that he always talked about her too. No wonder Grams thinks that it won't be long until they are together. Alexis wouldn't mind if they were together as long as her father, as much as she cares for him, doesn't hurt Beckett. Her thought was stopped abruptly when she saw a hand wave in front of her face.

"Oh, sorry. I got lost in thought," said Alexis. She began to rub her eyes with her hands and her mouth yawned.

"You should go back to sleep. You've got school tomorrow," he said with more of a fatherly tone, "I'm sorry I woke you up." He was about to say more but Alexis cut him off.

"It's okay, Dad. Just don't stay up too long. You've got to go to sleep. I don't want you to be complaining that you feel tired tomorrow," said Alexis getting up from the bar stool and putting back to place.

"Hey, I'm the parent here," he says jokingly, "Don't worry. I'll try to sleep in a few minutes. " He showed her the cookies. "These have to be eaten sometime." He gave her a smile. She patted him on his shoulder. Before she went up the stairs, she turned around to look at him one more time. "If you ever need to talk to me about Detective Beckett, just let me know. I'm glad she's here but I don't want you to lose sleep over it." She smiled to him.

"Why would you think that it's about Beckett?" Castle said.

"Why wouldn't it be about her? Whenever you talk it's about her. I think it's kind of sweet," she said.

"Really?" he said as he started to smile. "What would you say if I started to have feelings for her but I'm not sure about it?" Alexis got excited and her face brightened up. "Don't get too excited. Remember I'm not too sure about what I'm feeling right now. It could be because she recently had that near death experience and I thought I would lose her or because she lost her place and she's moved in temporarily. Maybe it's nothing at all." His smile began to fade.

Alexis looked at her father seriously. "Dad, I think this is something you should think about before you tell her. As much as I would love that you told her right away, it's best to figure out what you are feeling before you tell her and make sure you are ready to change what you have with her. I don't want you to hurt her."

"I don't want to hurt her, Alexis. That's the last thing I want to do. You're right what if I tell her about my feelings and she doesn't feel the same way. I don't want things to change," he said.

"Things have to change, Dad. You can't live the rest of your life just going out with women that you don't really care about and not give a chance with someone that you do care for. Don't give up so easily, just think about it for a few days at least but don't lose sleep over it," she said. He tried to smile. She turned back around to go up the stairs. "You're right about one thing though."

"What's that?" Castle asked.

"I do need to go to sleep," Alexis said as she walked up the stairs.

He lightly shook his head and smiled. Then began to ponder again. Maybe his daughter is right, he thinks. He should go to bed and later he could think about it more.

He took his glass to the sink and rinsed it. Then he took a few cookies he had left and placed them back into the fridge. As he finished putting everything away, he walked to the sofa to lay down. Castle closed his eyes and tried to go to sleep and after 30 minutes fell asleep. As he was going into second stage of sleep, someone began to walk down the stairs. This time it was Kate Beckett. She got to the last step and she saw Castle sleeping on the sofa. He looked peaceful to her and especially less annoying than his waking self. Quietly she walked through the living room to the kitchen to not awake Castle. She noticed a washed glass by the sink and wonders if it was there before because she doesn't remember seeing it before she went to bed.

She was having trouble sleeping which she decided it could only be her because she has seen Alexis and Castle sleep. Then she grabbed a half glass of milk. When she placed back the milk in the fridge, she began to notice a package of cookies opened. Only Castle would leave his cookies in the fridge, she ponders. She was the kind of person that liked to have her cookies in the pantry where she thought they should be.

Kate thought about it for a second and realized that the cookies were Oatmeal Raisin. As long as she could remember, she has always loved these cookies. Many times during her childhood her mother would make cookies for her and her father because he loved these kinds of cookies. The memories were causing her to smile. She grabbed a few cookies from the package and closed the fridge. She found a few napkins and placed one underneath her cookies. When Kate snapped out of her memories, she decided to place glass of milk and cookies on the middle counter. She pulled out one of the barstools to sit on that was the opposite side of where Castle and Alexis were sitting earlier. While she was eating her cookies and drinking her milk, Kate could see all the way to the living room where Castle was sleeping on the sofa. Looking at Castle, she began to ponder about her apartment that she lost in the fire and how nice it has been to stay at Castle's even though he did not have to invite her to stay until she found a place. She's already tried to look through the Classifies in the newspaper for places she could live but with no luck.

Maybe she didn't want to get another place, no she couldn't think that way. Castle can't stay sleeping on that sofa for much longer, she continued to think and she doesn't want to intrude. Kate is sure that Alexis doesn't mind but after awhile Alexis might get use to her being here, and she doesn't want her to hurt Alexis when she ends up leaving. So the quickest way to find a place the better. Could there be another reason why she wants to stay? She can barely withstand Castle at work, why would she want to be around him more? She shook her head, it hopes the thoughts would go away. It will just ruin what ever they had. Kate didn't need that.

She threw her napkin away in the trash-can under the sink. She rinsed out the glass and placed it right next to the other clean glass by the sink. She looked out and saw Castle again with no covers on. Kate went into the living room, and grabbed the blanket that was laying on one of the chairs by the sofa to place it over Castle's sleeping body. She looked at him for a second and then slowly, quietly walked away from him towards the stairs to go back to sleep.

Thanks for reading. If you do have any comments on improving the story, if you want a second chapter, or anything else you want to add. You can comment, but it's okay if you don't.

Extra Author's comment: I've noticed a few people have commented wanting another chapter. I'm working on one right now but it's not completed yet. I've been really busy with college studies (papers, presentations, and soon finals) so if I do add another chapter it might take a bit longer. Some of the next episodes might change the chapters or give me new ideas as well. I'm glad people have enjoyed the story and liked the characterizations. Thank you to all who have reviewed (or comment, I use these words interchangeably because I use facebook too much).