Hey everyone! This is my first fanfiction, so please point out anything that has gone horribly wrong! T Rating because sometimes my language gets away from me, probably won't change and if it does... Well you'll probably spot why :)

And wow, I knew there was a character limit on the summaries but WOW. Its a chore in and of itself to try and figure out what to put in those! :D

Anyway, ignore me and read on, hope you like it!

The bedroom was lit with only the muted light from the lamp in the hall outside. Most of the room was in shadow, but there was enough light when he woke to let him squint blearily at the figure tugging their clothes on somewhere by the wardrobe. They had evidently been trying to be quiet, but if there was one thing he was cursed with, it was the inability to sleep through any kind of noise. He was a light sleeper of the worst kind.

"What are you doing?" he murmured the words and her head snapped around to face him, "It's not even light outside. I doubt the alcohol is even out of your system yet,"

Alcohol. That horrific, but oh so good substance that had helped her convince herself (with only a small amount of help from him and his own alcohol levels) that it would be a good idea to kiss him, to let him kiss her -

And to go somewhere his mind was oh-so-willing to go back to -

"I have to go," she replied simply, the words enough to snap him back out of it, "We shouldn't have done this,"

"You're right," he agreed distractedly, mind whirring in an attempt to figure out how to make her stop what she was doing, "We probably shouldn't have. But now we have, can't we just enjoy it until its daylight and you're road legal?"

"That's not a good idea, Castle,"

"I never said it was," he replied shifting out of the bed himself. He grabbed a pair of jeans to ward off the cold and slid into them in the same motion as standing. The tense figure of Beckett on the other side of the room hadn't moved and he crossed to her, "You don't have to run. If you want to pretend this didn't happen, let's go downstairs, have a couple of coffees and sober you up. then you can head off,"

"Right. Because you're going to be able to do that,"

"As you like to point out every so often, I'm the King of casual sex," he responded easily, "I can assure you that if that is what you want me to do, that is what will happen,"

He knew in the darkness of the room she wouldn't be able to read his expression and he was glad. Because if she'd seen his face during that last part she would have known he was lying through his teeth. For all the rumours about his personal life, there had never really been casual. He had a daughter to think about after all, and casual to her was painful and confusing. Sure, some women might have disappeared on him, much like she was trying to do now, but he had never purposely put himself in the situation that he would try to sneak out. but if letting her think that would keep her that much closer... he was content to let her continue. But someday he'd have to put her straight, no matter what she did to him or certain parts of his anatomy.

He'd grown up with a single mother after all, there were some things about dealing with them that had been ingrained from an early age.

She was surveying him, and he could tell from her silence that she was hesitant about accepting his offer, but also wanted to take it, to see if this thing between them had altered. To see if a few hours of sex had changed their dynamic. He chuckled quietly,

"If I throw in pancakes, will that make it easier?" he asked. He saw the eye roll in his mind's eye and couldn't resist a grin of his own, one that again she wouldn't be able to see.

"Fine," she agreed, "But if we get downstairs and you renege on your deal... I'm gone,"

"Well in that case –" his hand slid along her jaw and drew her closer so he could kiss her firmly, not allowing her to pull back as he tasted her lips one final time. He had about four seconds before she shoved him back and hit him in the chest. It wasn't a painful blow, but it was enough to tell him it hadn't been appreciated,

"What the hell?" she demanded, "You just said –"

"I know," he interrupted, "I'm done. I'm sorry. I overstepped. I just – before you pushed me away completely," he was rambling a little in his explanation and she drew back physically, heading towards the door.

"Well now I'd say you owe me coffee, pancakes and bacon," she muttered, "Let's go, because at some point I'm going to have to go back home,"

He grinned at that and watched her step out into the hallway,

"And put a shirt on," she added, turning to glance back at him.

"Your wish is my command," he replied, the smile obvious in his voice. He reached into the wardrobe he was stood beside and pulled out of the first shirt he laid hands on. Sliding into it he quickened his pace so he could catch up to her before she convinced herself that running from the apartment was still her best idea.

All she had done was flick on the coffee machine by the time he reappeared and she turned to face him, eyes narrowing as she watched him button up the deep red shirt.

"That isn't one I recognise,"

He glanced to her and then back to the shirt, looking a little guilty,

"I don't wear it all that often," he admitted, "It was a present from my mother, who also decided, on one of her rare attempts at being helpful, that she'd wash it for me,"

He stretched out his arms and her grin widened as she noted that the sleeves stopped about mid-forearm. He flashed her a quick grin and then pushed them back up to the elbows, folding them quickly to stop them sliding back down,

"Now you know my secret. Do not tell my mother,"

"At this point I think I'd help you hide a body if it'd get me a cup of coffee any faster," she returned dryly. He grinned and glanced across to the coffee machine, still doing its thing, in the corner of his kitchen,

"Any minute now," he promised. Then he began pulling out everything he'd need for pancakes. He was trying to keep his hands and eyes busy for the sole reason that, if they weren't doing anything, they would irresistibly be drawn to the woman seated at his breakfast bar. And that would make her run. And if she ran, he probably wouldn't see her for – a good while.

Maybe three whole days.

The thought was inconceivable to him-

"Chocolate chip?" he questioned, "Blueberry? Plain? How do you like them?"

"Chocolate chip and bacon?" she raised her eyebrows and he grinned,

"I forgot you added that small request... one moment and – voila!" after diving into the fridge he brandished a packet of the desired breakfast product and place it on the counter before continuing with his chores,

"So how is Alexis finding college, anyway?"

He could tell just from her tone that she was trying to do the same thing he was and not make things awkward, so he flashed her a quick grin,

"She's loving it. She's made some good friends already, she's got herself a job at a small cafe and her course has her hooked. If it wasn't on the other side of the country, I think I'd be completely over the moon for her. As it is...she's going to have to settle for me being happy for her,"

She laughed softly at that and he glanced at her for one brief moment before starting to mix up the batter.

"I think she misses your random little chatting-over-coffee meetings though," he remarked, "Every time she phones I get asked about you. I've told her a half dozen times just to phone you directly but she doesn't want to disturb you,"

She smiled at that,

"As opposed to her father, who calls at every opportunity, good or bad –"

"I'm slowly breaking the habit," he argued lightly.

"By spending more time at the Precinct," she replied, "That isn't a solution, that's just making sure you're close enough to not have to call,"

"Well, whatever works," he offered her a grin at the words, "I haven't been that distracting have I?"

"I think you've done your best," she murmured. He chuckled at that and for a few minutes the kitchen descended into silence. But it wasn't awkward. If anything it was relaxed and for the two people on different sides of the kitchen bar, it was a relief to discover.

"OK," as he finished the promised meal, which should have been breakfast but was approximately four hours too early to be breakfast, he slid two plates before her, "The promised bacon and pancakes,"

"With no coffee," she observed. He winced,

"My bad," turning he delivered up the late coffee before slipping around to sink down onto the stool beside hers and tuck into his own plate of food.

Even at four in the morning it was well received and it took him approximately four seconds to figure out why. The whole idea of their evening had been to order food in and watch a movie. If he remembered correctly, within moments of stepping into the elevator their plans had changed.

Dangerous ground. Even the thought of what had happened in the elevator was enough to make his stomach tighten.

"This is really good. But I'm beginning to wonder if you're something of a one-trick pony,"

"What?" the offended look he sent her way was only half teasing, "I'll have you know I'm a great cook,"

"I think you're going to have to prove it to me," she shook her head as she took another bite. He surveyed her curiously, but then he nodded,

"Alright. Let me know when and you can come over and try something other than pancakes," he agreed, "I've got a fair few dishes you'll like, so I'll even let you pick what sort of food we'll be eating,"

"That sounds like a bet,"

"Take it any way you like," he returned easily. A grin appeared on her face and he was grateful, even though it was at the small cost of his ego, to see it. He'd been concerned that, even though she had decided to stay, she would be as withdrawn as she used to be when he first started following her.

"Alright," she studied him carefully, "If you fail to impress me, you stay in the car when I tell you for two weeks,"

"One week," he bargained, "Not including the days we don't leave the Precinct,"

"Deal," she nodded,

"And if I win – " he studied her thoughtfully. She crooked an eyebrow at him,

"What?"

"You have dinner with me every night for a week,"

"What? No way," she shook her head. He grinned,

"Something about my company that bothers you?"

"I do like having some of my nights to myself," she replied,

"What if I promise that three of them are very quick and don't also mean a night in my company?" he bargained. She didn't look convinced and he rolled his eyes,

"Alright. If I win, you have to have dinner with me five times, when I ask, but not consecutively," he sounded bored. She shook her head,

"I'll take the first one,"

He blinked,

"Really?" he sounded delighted and she shrugged,

"I'd rather get them over with quickly than let you drag them out," she responded, "We have a deal,?"

This was such a bad idea. He knew it from the fact it was being made spur of the moment in the middle of the night while there were still traces of alcohol in their system. And he wasn't even counting their sudden hope to keep things as normal as possible, or the big elephant in the room they were both trying to ignore by talking about other things.

It was a bad idea. But he still found himself nodding at her question,

"You've got yourself a deal,"

He managed to hold off her departure until 6am. Through a mixture of pleading, bribing and distracting her, he'd gotten them onto about their third cup of coffee and with the early morning news in front of them. He was hoping (although really she was the cop so it was up to her) that it had left enough time for her to sober up.

But eventually she insisted and slipped into her jacket and shoes and began for the door. But she paused and it gave him a chance to catch up.

"I realise that this was- awkward," he spoke carefully, "And I know we're going to forget it. but I think I need to tell you that –" he hesitated, noting the uncomfortable look on her face, when she didn't run away though, he took it as indication he could continue, "I enjoyed tonight,"

A slow burn of colour made its way through her cheeks and he smiled a little as she did, relieved that she wasn't about to slap him for bringing it up again.

"I did too," she admitted. Then her smile faded, "But it doesn't change anything. We can't do that and still work on the cases together,"

He fought the urge to bring up the obviously working example of Lanie and Esposito and instead nodded, keeping his face as neutral as he could manage it.

"And tell Alexis she can call me whenever she wants to," she added, still standing in the doorway, "I don't mind. It'd be nice to hear from her, and it's easier for her to call me. I don't have lectures that will be interrupted,"

"I'll pass on the message," he promised, "And I'll see you in a few hours,"

"We don't have a case,"

"I know. But it sure beats sitting in an empty apartment with only a laptop for company,"

"You're a writer, the laptop is supposed to be enough," she grinned at him and he shrugged,

"Then maybe I'm not much of a writer," the comment was a throwaway, not really serious, but he noted the change in her expression. Although it was a look he didn't understand. Whatever thought crossed her mind though, it was enough to propel her out of his doorway.

"I'll see you soon, Castle,"

"You definitely will, Detective," he says the words to her retreating back as she started away from him and he stopped in the doorway, watching her go, his own unreadable expression taking pride of place on his features. He had no idea how they were going to handle this one. At least, he didn't know how he was going to handle it. She seemed to already have it packed it away in its own little box. It wasn't a thought he liked and when he finally closed the door he leant his head against it, eyes sliding closed.

What had begun as a night straight out of his dreams had turned to one right out of his nightmares.

And that's the first chapter. Should I continue? Should I turn in my Words Processor skills for a library card?