Once again thank you to everyone who took the trouble to review my last effort. It was greatly appreciated. Your kind words were a comfort to me.

There were some of you who wanted a multi chapter story. At first I was a little reluctant as I didn't have any story ideas but my muse thought otherwise.

The question: "Is your passport up to date?" popped into my head and before I knew it, away I went.

I hope you like it.

The Invitation

Chapter 1

Detective Kate Beckett strolled into the bullpen. It was a day after the short Holiday break but the squad room was still decorated with Christmas tinsel and pictures of Santa Claus and other Yule Tide decorations. In a corner a small Christmas tree was festooned with candy canes, glittering baubles, angels and twinkling coloured lights.

Beckett could not help but smile to herself at seeing the decorations. They had been a present from Castle to the Precinct. He had seen the tired worn out decorations that had come out of storage that they were going to put up. The look on his face had been one of utter shock. He had told her to leave it to him. Sure enough within an hour all these bright new decorations arrived. He had roped just about everyone to help put up the decorations.

Castle had wanted to bring in a ten foot tall Christmas tree to stand in the office but she managed to convince him that there was no place to put it. He had to settle for the smaller version now sitting in the corner.

Despite herself Beckett had to admit the decorations did brighten up the usual drabness of the squad room.

It was still early and there were only a few people at their desks at this time of the morning. Ryan and Esposito were all ready there and she nodded a greeting to them as she walked past their desks.

Reaching her desk she put down the half a dozen files she had taken home just before the holidays. They were some cold cases. She had wanted to go through them to see if any thing new might leap out at her. Nothing did though. In fact she had barely touched the files.

She unbuttoned her coat and hooked it on the clothes stand beside the murder board and then sat down at her desk. She pulled towards her the paperwork from the last case they had wrapped up. She glanced across to the empty chair next to her desk. She wasn't expecting to see him unless a case came up. She turned her attention back to the open file in front of her.

"Is your passport up to date?"

Detective Kate Beckett furrowed her brow at the question. Slowly she looked up to see a smiling Castle standing beside her desk holding in his hand her morning coffee. He set her coffee on the desk and dropped into what had now become his chair.

"Why would you want to know if my passport is up to date?"

"Is it?" Castle asked eagerly.

Beckett reached for the coffee. It had become such a ritual between them that she missed it when he was away from the precinct. It gave a moment to come up with a reply to his question. The frown on her face slowly melted away under his child-like eager smile.

"It might be." She conceded.

"Great!" Castle said, clapping his hands.

Beckett took a sip of her coffee and savoured the caffeine hit. She set the coffee down and leaned back in her chair, regarding Castle. He was up to something she concluded swiftly.

"Why do you want to know if my passport is up to date?" She repeated.

"How does Australia sound?"

The frown returned to Beckett's face and her eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"What's in Australia?"

"Let's see, lot's of cute fury creatures with pouches, lots of beautiful beaches and lots and lots of sunshine, and..."

"And?"

Castle leaned closer to her desk setting his elbows on it. Then he rested his chin in his hands.

"Widdle ole me."

Beckett stared wide eye at the smiling Castle.

"Are you inviting me to come to Australia with you?" She asked carefully.

Castle's smile deepened as he nodded his head rapidly.

"When?"

"Tomorrow."

"Tomorrow!"

"Yes."

Beckett opened her mouth to say something but the words died on her tongue. She was stunned. She stared wide-eyed at Castle and opened mouthed. Her mind was all a whirl and her stomach had become a big twisted knot.

"W...w...why are you going to Australia, Castle?" Beckett managed to stammer out.

"The latest Niki Heat novel is coming out over there and Paula thought it would be a good idea if I did a quick publicity tour." Castle explained. He leaned closer to the desk. "And I couldn't think of anyone I would rather have accompanying me."

Beckett shook her head more to clear her head and process what he had said.

"Oh come on Beckett it will be fun." Castle urged. "Think of it as a naughty weekend but only longer."

Beckett shook her head again and then started to shuffle the papers in front of her. Suddenly she remembered something Castle had mentioned at the Very Castle Christmas which she had attended.

"I thought you were getting ready for the Great Castle New Year's Eve Gathering?" She said.

The parties that Castle threw were legendary and quite fun. He couldn't help himself he always went overboard. Beckett still fondly remembered the first Halloween fancy dress party she had attended at his place.

And the Very Castle Christmas the other day that she had been invited to. She had mentioned to him in an off hand manner that she was spending Christmas at home alone. Castle immediately invited her to spend Christmas with him but she had declined. She should have realised that he would not give up. He had brought out the heavy artillery. Alexis and Martha. In the end they wore her down and she agreed to come. It never ceased to amaze her how quickly Castle's mother and daughter had quickly accepted her as part of the family.

When Beckett didn't receive a reply to her question she lifted her head from the paperwork and looked at Castle. He was sitting up straight in his chair. The smile on his face had gone and was replaced by disappointment.

"Yeah, well there won't be one this year I'm afraid." He said, sighing. "Alexis has made plans with some of her girlfriends, mother will be partying disgracefully with her theatre friends, Ryan and Esposito said they can't make it and neither can Captain Montgomery and his family. It's not the same without having my closest friends and family around."

"And I was looking forward to it." Beckett said. She was too.

Castle's face lit up with a smile. "So come with me to Australia?"

"I...I...I can't simply drop everything and go to Australia with you."

"Yes you can."

"In case you've forgotten I'm a cop and I'm working..."

"We've wrapped up the last case and all you have to do is to finish up the paperwork." Castle pointed out. "Paperwork which can wait a week."

"No." Beckett said firmly.

"The choice is spending your time working in cold freezing New York or basking in the hot sun in Australia."

Beckett shot Castle one of her death stares but that only made him smile at her even more.

"It's all expenses paid. And it's only for a week." Castle added.

It was tempting, Beckett thought to herself. Very tempting. This holiday season had been unusually cold. There had even been some snowfall on Christmas Day. This season brought with it the usual collection of domestic murders and suicides. Cases that weren't hard to solve but generated far too much paperwork. The thought of spending some time in a warm climate was almost too good to refuse.

"And all you have to do is to pack your swimsuit." Castle said in a loud voice. "I've all ready got the sun tan lotion." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

Beckett rolled her eyes. "You're determined to see me in a swimsuit."

"A man has to have something to live for." Castle replied, his smile deepening.

Despite herself a small smile threatened at the corners of her mouth. In her peripheral vision Beckett saw that a few people in the bull pen were looking over at them. Ryan and Esposito were especially interested.

"It's sudden, Castle." She managed to say. "I need time to think this over."

She was expecting some smart remark, some quick witted comeback. All she got was silence. She looked over to him. Castle nodded his head in understanding. He rose to his feet. He glanced at his watch.

"I have some things to take care of but I'll be back a little later to hear your answer."

Beckett nodded her head and looked down at the file she had been going through before Castle had made his appearance. Suddenly she felt a shiver run down her spine as his warm breath caressed her cheek.

"I'd really, really love it if you came, Kate." He whispered.

For a moment she thought he would kiss her but he didn't. She rebelled at the thought of having Castle kiss her in front of everyone. But there was another part of her that was urging him on. In the blink of an eye his warm breath was gone. Damn him she thought to herself. Looking up to she saw Castle walking for the lift. Was that a skip in his step she detected?

Reviews are very welcome. I'm still working on chapter 2 so be patient with me. I don't know exactly where this road ends which I have taken.