A/N So it's been a while! But I'm back with not one, but TWO Castle ficlets. This one was written for a castleland challenge at LiveJournal - pick a quote, be inspired, write a fic. So I did. Below is the quote I picked - I hope you enjoy this! :]

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or anything related to Andrew Marlowe.

But the things that matter. We've pretended for some time now that you're a part of this family, haven't we? You've come to mean so much to us all that now, it doesn't matter if it's true. And even if it isn't true, even if that can never be... I need to go on pretending... until the end... with you.

Sylvia, Finding Neverland

Her lips twitch. It's become more of a regular occurence, her smiling. Neither of them will admit why.

"You're staring again," she says. This time, he doesn't have to deny it, because there's no Josh and there's no Gina and there's just a them, so he grins.

"I am."

"It's creepy."

"I can't help it."

She rolls her eyes, and wrangles her attention back to the murder board.

"Will you come to my mothers birthday meal?" he asks suddenly. The question takes her by suprise, and her pen lands unceremoniously on the ground with a thud. Kate takes a deep breath. She hopes he can't see the pulse racing in her throat.

"Isn't it a special one?"

"Aren't they all?" he replies, and the look she sends him tells him that's not what she meant, so he nods, "Her 65th. But I know she'd like it if you could come."

Part of her hates that he's using his mother against her, so she shakes her head. "I can't. I wouldn't want to intrude."

"Can't?" The implication is clear - she can, and she wants to, but she won't, because that's just too close to him. Castle pushes himself off the desk, ready to chase her if - when - she runs. He steps closer. She has to tilt her head to maintain the eye contact. Kate hears her breath catch. She can count the flecks of green in his eyes, and she swallows hard.

"Birthdays should be about the things that matter," he says, his voice soft and earnest, "We've pretended for some time now that you are a part of our family. But the truth is, Kate, you've come to mean so much to all of us that it doesn't matter if it's true. And even if it isn't true, even if..." His voice trails off, but Kate couldn't interrupt even if she wanted to, because a lump has risen in her throat and her throat is dry and her voice just won't work. Rick clears his throat then. "But I need to go on pretending. Because maybe one day, you will be part of my family."

She is silent. It's about all she can manage.

He waits for what seems like forever, then nods once, finally understanding he's not going to get an answer.

"Just think about it."

She'll go. They both know that, and nobody will be surprised when she turns up, but for now, he's willing to give her time to 'think about it'.

She's still thinking about it when she gets dressed up - not to impress him - and she's still thinking about it in the car over and she's still thinking about it when she knocks on the door.

But there's no time now. Martha wraps her in a tight hug. "Oh, Kate, my dear! You came! And you look beautiful, as usual!"

She doesn't have to look to know Castle is smug and grinning. So maybe he got this one right. Another body crashes into hers from behind, and Alexis peers around.

"I'm so happy you're here," she says simply, because whether she understands fully what's going on, Alexis knows that her father asked, and Kate came. No matter what else, this was that simple.

Kate nods, her eyes flying to meet his.

"Yeah," she says, "So am I."