A/N: Because I wanted to write this story almost directly after watching the episode, I didn't read any other "Signicant Other" stories. Hopefully I wrote something original. Thanks to CastleFan1012 for the Beta reading.

The Meredith Situation

Finally, I thought, while I sat down with a sigh on my couch – in my apartment. It was good to be home again, especially after the whole Meredith …'disaster', 'catastrophe', 'clusterfuck'? Well, not being too harsh, let's say …situation. Yeah, that's a good definition. And yet, everything started so harmless.

When my super told me, that our building was going to be fumigated, I asked Castle, if I could stay at the loft during that time. He was thrilled and secretly so was I. Then the surprises started. First, Alexis came down with Mono and returned to the loft to stay there during her time of sickness (and to let herself be pampered by her dad). I didn't mind, because I really like Alexis and things between us are very good. After she was convinced, that I wasn't messing with Castle, she welcomed me with open arms, just like Martha. I think Martha always rooted for Castle and me to finally get our act together.

Next, Meredith arrived and Castle wasn't able to tell her, that she couldn't stay with us at the loft. I was really pi… angry. I mean, the nerve of that woman! And to come down for breakfast almost naked! Ah, she obviously tried to provoke me. But I kept my cool and she finally invited me even to dinner.

I'm not naïve, I was sure she had a secret agenda. Well, not too secret. I think, she wanted to test the waters and perhaps drive a wedge between Castle and me. She tried to be subtle, but even she couldn't act so well, that I didn't notice what she really wanted. Didn't this woman know, that I'm a Detective – that's what I do, I detect.

At first, I was really angry with Castle. How could he let her stay? And how could he not see, what she wanted to cause with her visit? Taking care of Alexis was obviously a ruse. In retrospect, it was really fun to see Castle squirm almost during her whole visit. And his face when Meredith and I returned from our dinner was priceless. It's cute how insecure he acted at that moment. And when he started to babble, I could have kissed him right there.

Back to that dinner. Well, it was good (at least the food). Meredith told some funny stories about some TV shows she was on. Not to forget some funny stories of Castle, which didn't put him in a too good light – from her perspective at last. I still don't understand how she could cheat on him. Why wasn't he enough for her? And what did he ever see in her?

Poor Castle almost ruined the whole situation again, when Meredith finally left. Thank god for Martha's help! Even Alexis was glad to send her mother to Paris. It was an interesting visit. I'm sure, I won't forget that for a long time… I almost couldn't keep a straight face when Martha signaled nearly frantically to Castle when Meredith said good-bye. She couldn't get rid fast enough of her, too.

It's interesting, that Meredith again tried to seed some mistrust between Castle and I, when I asked her, why her marriage to Rick didn't work out. Obviously it was all his fault. Because he couldn't open up to her. No word on her cheating on him. But she was impressive, almost believable.

Well, Meredith was right insofar, that Castle isn't someone who easily talks about personal things. I mean, he shows his love to his family and me constantly. And he tells us, too. He is a kind person and ready to help someone in need almost instantly. I know his playboy persona and I know him as a wonderful father. He is a good son and a talented and successful writer. As my partner at the precinct, he constantly comes up with crazy plots of what could have happened. And more times than I like, his ideas are right. He is a wonderful and generous friend and lover, too. And sure, sometimes he's like a nine-year-old on a sugar rush, but all the time he is one thing to the people he cares about: he is absolutely loyal.

So, how could I be disappointed, that he wouldn't talk much about his childhood or his unknown father? It took him four years to tear my walls down. Four years and a lot of patience and first friendship and then finally his love. He gave me the time I needed to work through my problems and to become the woman I wanted to be for him. If Meredith thinks, that his withholding information about his probably lonesome and hurtful past would push me away from him, she's soooo wrong. If anyone could understand his handling of his feelings, it's me. I'll give him all the time he needs to someday open up to me. Just like he did for me. Because, that's what people, who love each other, do.

End