Castle was not having a good day. It should have been a great day, but it was not. He should be happy that he wrote a very promising book, he should be happy that his mother was acting and he should be extremely happy that he was considered for heading a relaunch of Jam-, a certain secret british agent.

That was supposed to give him a good day. That was supposed to make him happy, that he overcame his writer's block, that his mother was acting again and that his childhood dream had a very good chance of coming true.

There was one reason he wasn't having a good day. Kate.

The problem had come up three times. First, his mother stating that she would be relieved that he stopped following her, second when his ideas were thought up and executed before he could share them, and third, that Kate were upset when she thought he would write another book and continue shadowing her, then saying she herself that she was relieved that he would probably stop following her around because of the new book deal.

He felt useless and unwanted. Giving minimum help to the case, while not in lack of trying, and getting shot down at every attempt to contribute, while not just Kate, but Esposito and Ryan acted as if he wouldn't be a help at all, not sharing details as they came in.

But, he wasn't supposed to mope around, not when it was time to go to the book-launch party.

Kate was annoyed. She was annoyed at her Captain, expecting her to just accept that Castle could follow her around for more books. She was annoyed at Castle that he could basically do what he wanted, annoy her at her work or venture to new heights with James Bond. She, however, was most annoyed by herself, because, for some reason, some part of her wanted Castle to stay. She hated that Castle always brought up such a mess of feelings in her. She was annoyed with his usual bearings, physically attracted to his body, drawn to the fatherly side of him, and intrigued by his rare displays of honesty.

But the first point outweighed the others. She couldn't deny that he was attracted to her, but she would not be a cheap conquest, as he probably couldn't handle the sincere and serious parts of relationships, as he was always fooling around. So her conclusion, he was a playboy who cared about his family, not much else.

That was of course the reason she was so frustrated by herself. Why would some part of her not want him to go away?

She forced herself to focus on work, filing everything to be ready for tomorrow, as she had a book-launch party to attend, she didn't really want to go, but was obliged. Besides, nobody said she had to be good company.

"That's her?" Paula asked him, intercepting his path to Beckett.

"That's her." Castle's eyes still mainly focused on Beckett

"Huh, That's one hell of a love letter you wrote her." Paula said, her tone pretty annoyed. "She got one book, and what did I get? One chapter in Storm Fall?"

"A very hot chapter." he argued, hoping that it would calm her down a little.

"And she gets a whole book?" she points out. "She must be a very special girl."

"Let me ask you something." she says after a pause. "When she calls you, do you call her back?"

"Yea."

"Of course you do, because she is important to you, and it is polite." She shot at him, clearly building up for something.

"I call you back." he defended.

"Three book deal. And I can't even get you on the phone to let you now you got the official offer?"

"There's an...?" he is simply stunned.

"Yea"

"I... um..." he gives up talking.

"So can I close the deal?" her words giving him his childhood dream, his stomach, however, was tying itself up in knots.

"Paula, I'm sorry, this is a big step." He hoped he succeeded in delaying to come with a decision. "I don't know if I'm ready to walk away from Nikki Heat." right reason, wrong name.

She called him out, "The one on the page or the one standing over there in pretty dress?"

"The one..." he stumbled, not knowing what to do. "The... I don't know."

"Oh, Rick, you sleeping with her?"

"No." he answered, finally able to give a straight, 100% true answer.

"Then what the hell are you waiting for? Go get her out of your system, then come down to the office and sign the damn contract. Okay?" she said before walking away.

He looked over at her, taking in her beauty. Deciding that his decision should be made final by what answer she would give him for his question.

"It's Nikki Heat!" was yelled from the swarm of the press, and suddenly everyone with a camera near her start taking pictures. She grimaced.

When she entered the room, her eyes find Castle talking with a man at the tables at the side, deciding not to go talk to him. She wanted to talk to him and Montgomery, so that she can leave as fast as possible.

She found Montgomery in a corner talking, but he spotted her and meet her half way.

"You clean up nice detective, " he greeted

"Thank you sir."

"Castle will be happy to see you." He started, "Have you read the dedication?"

She frowned, "No, What does it say?"

He gave her a look, "See for yourself. Excuse me" and walked away.

She wonder what the dedication was, was it special? Was it not typical Rick?

She walked over, and picked up a book, taking her time before looking at the dedication.

To the extraordinary KB and
all my friends at the 12th

She was touched... a hope began to spread in her stomach that maybe he was a more sincere person than his usual antics hinted to.

"Hey," Castle's voice, coming from behind her, the hope in her stomach turning into butterflies.

You see her reading the dedication, but not her reaction, as you are approaching from behind.

"Hey," Castle was gladdened to see the look on her face, as the fact that she looked happy to see him outweighed the hurt from earlier today, when she said she would be relieved if he would leave.

"Hey," she starts, "I... I was just... ehm.. the dedication, whoa, thank you." never holding her gaze at the same place.

He got the feeling that she was a little uncomfortable under the praise, but she looked less guarded, more open to him, and that really helped his nerves. "I meant it, you are extraordinary."

A little smile grew on her, and he got the feeling that this might actually end well. "Listen... I was thinking..." he pauses, gathering up more courage.

Her smile grows a little more...

...Giving him the morale boost he needed. "I hope that with all we have done up to now, I..." he falters, maybe his courage wasn't up for the task after all...

She felt the butterflies begin to take wings. He looked as sincere as the time he really apologized, one of the glimpses she was given into a caring man, a man that was real, not some over the top playboy.

And he is nervous. She understands that this is not the playboy at all. This is so much better, and her smile grows a little, butterflies bouncing around. If he was asking what she was thinking he was going to...

"I..." he starts again, then he blinked, stood a little straighter and finished with his question; "I was hoping you would go on a date with me."

She blushed, and before she could stop herself, found she answered.

"Yes."

A/N: I decided to make a fic out of this episode as this is the first time I feel Beckett is open for a "real" relationship with Castle. I am wondering however, on how or if I should take this further. I can have it as a one-shot, I can make a series of one-shots about them getting together, or I could try to continue this story. Please pinch in your opinions, and I will be happy to try to accommodate your wishes.