A/N: This was triggered by a Tweet by Tamala Jones last week that she was going to shoot a K-Bex and Lanie scene with Stana. Insert fan girling here.

Castle is not mine, their characters just make their way into situations in my imagination.

There was a knock at the door. Beckett sighed, there was nothing more she wanted to do than just snuggle up with Castle on her couch mumbling musings from their week to each other until they fell asleep. Not that she'd admit it, not to anyone. But it had been a tough week, they had had a relentless case which forced them to stay at the precinct late into the night and in the wee hours of the morning and Beckett really was exhausted. However, she had promised to have a girls night with Lanie, and she met her demands because, well Lanie could get rather scary when she didn't get her way.

The knock came again, this time more impatiently, as Beckett begrudgingly made her way over to the door to open it. She heaved it open to a far too bubbly Lanie.

"Hey girl!" said Lanie.

"Hey Lanie." Beckett replied flatly, as she made her way back to the kitchen to pour a glass of rosé for them both.

They made their way over to the couch, where Kate's inevitable interrogation was about to take place. This was long overdue as Lanie and Beckett had both been very busy at work and hadn't had a chance to catch up since Kate broke down with Lanie when things weren't looking good for Castle.

Beckett's phone vibrated bringing one of those knee weakening smiles to her face. It was from him.

Hey you .Can't wait to see you later, much better company than the boys. Xx

She quickly typed back a reply hoping that Lanie wouldn't notice. She didn't, or at least she didn't seem to as she launched straight into her interrogation.

I can't wait too, where are you guys?

Castle punched back a reply and put his phone away as he spotted the boys seated on the other side of the bar.

"Hey guys." Castle said as he slid into the circular booth opposite Ryan and Esposito.

"So you guys watch the game"

"No way bro you're not getting off that easily" Esposito replied.

"We are here to inform you that if you even think about hurting Beckett we will know." Ryan chimed in.

"And we will kill you." Esposito backed up.

Castle gulped, he would never intentionally hurt Beckett, but sometimes he can be known to do stupid things.

"And no one will ever find your body." Esposito said with a look that nearly killed Castle where he sat.

It was going to be a long night.

So?" Lanie hinted strongly.

Beckett looked down trying her absolute hardest not to smile, she wasn't going to give up any information that easily.

"So, how is he?" Lanie tried again.

Na uh, Lanie was going to have to try harder than that. Beckett's phone buzzed again.

We're at the Old Haunt, please come save me. Ryan and Espo are giving me the big brother talk.

That did nothing for her attempt to hide her happiness; she drew her bottom lip between her teeth and typed out a reply.

I'll see what I can do, I'm getting interrogated here too you know!

Castle chuckled, he knew all too well how Lanie could get and despite the misfortune of his girlfriend, he was glad he wasn't stuck alone with a Lanie Parish who demanded answers.

"So how long?'

"Huh?'

"You and Beckett, how long?"

"Oh, um since her suspension."

A light bulb went off in Ryan's head.

"So that's why you were at her place when I came over to ask if she could ID that photo stolen from Montgomery's album."

"And the next morning too!" Esposito chipped in, bells ringing.

"Ah yeah, so how did you guys find out about us?"

"We're detectives you know." Said Esposito.

"When you were in the Hamptons 'writing'." Ryan air quoted.

"I found out that Chief Brady had help from two consultants." He added with a smirk.

"And Ryan had to tell me when you got arrested." Esposito added.

"Well I guess that would have been for the better, you guys would have been in for a shock if you only found out through investigating me."

Castle typed back a reply to Beckett. Maybe she could join him.

"Kate!" And Beckett was jolted from her not so subtle telecommunications.

"Hmm what?"

"Ok fine, so when did you guys first start?"

Beckett smiled, that was a good night, frantic, but amazing.

"When I got suspended, I didn't go home, I went for a long walk and ended up at his place."

"What made you do that?"

"When I was hanging off that building all I could think about was him. Every time I have been in a life or death situation in the last four years he has been there. He's always there, and that time he wasn't." Beckett sighed and shifted uncomfortably, it was obvious that she was annoyed with herself. " I hated it and I put myself in that situation. When I heard Ryan calling out for me I thought it was Castle, I really did. He would always just come in the nick of time. I was gutted when it wasn't him."

Beckett sniffed, her eyes were glassy, but no, she wasn't going to cry, this was a good story. What triggered her to bite the bullet. Where they started. Where her and Castle became 'we' and 'us'.

"Oh sweetie." Lanie said, setting down her glass.

"After that I realised that Castle wasn't always going to be there if I pushed him away. Actually no, I threw him away. We had a pretty big fight the night before, he told me he loved me and if I cared about him at all I would stop chasing my mother's case because it was going to get me killed. I nearly destroyed everything we had."

"You never told me about that fight. Was it like the one before Montgomery's funeral?"

Beckett weakly smiled, she knew her friend was avoiding saying the word 'shooting'. It was still a sensitive topic between them. But Kate felt like it was okay now.

"Yeah but worse, he knew what he wanted this time and I guess he was at that point where he was going to go all or nothing. I really think I could have lost him then. He was actually prepared to leave for good." Beckett brushed away a single tear that had managed to escape and swallowed the enormous lump that had formed in the back of her throat. Oh God Lanie I really could have lost him."

"But he's here now and you guys are okay, more than ok. And it's not like a huge secret that he loves you Kate, he has basically dedicated God knows how many hundreds of pages in love letters to you."

Lanie drew Kate in for an awkward side hug that somehow made Kate feel better. It was reassuring and helped to remind her of what she had now.

"Yeah he does." Beckett mumbled, a smile beginning to form as Lanie draws away to grasp her shoulders and hold her at arms reach to look her in the eyes.

"And you are totally head over heels, gonna have his babies in love with him too!"

"Am not!"Beckett retorted, quickly blushing and pulling away. Hoping for Castle to reply and save her from the wrath of Lanie.

"When were you planning on telling me anyway? I know the way I found out was not what you were intending."

"I dunno, when I had to take you shopping for bridesmaids' dresses."

Oops, Beckett covered her mouth and looked away; she didn't mean to say that. No one was supposed to know about those dreams of hers just yet.

"Katherine Beckett!" Lanie screamed, making Beckett nearly fall of the couch.

Beckett's phone vibrated again. Speak of the devil.

Maybe you and Lanie can join us; I need someone to hold my hand while Ryan and Espo scare me!

"So you guys are pretty good then?"

"Yeah, yeah we are."

"You look pretty happy."

Castle had a sheepish grin on his face, oh boy was he happy.

"Yeah I am."

"I see it in her too."

Castle grinned as his phone went off.

I will have a chat with Lanie, maybe she will hold your hand.

Beckett was beaming; she had given up trying to hide her happiness. Who was she kidding, she was totally happy.

"You look really happy though." Lanie stated.

"Yeah Lanie, I really am."

Beckett's phone buzzed yet again only this time Lanie definitely noticed.

"Seriously, you have been away from each other for what? A few hours and you already can't handle being without each other. Talk about co-dependent old married couple."

"Hey, you don't even know it's him I could-"

"Girl I know it's him. The way corners of your mouth turn up like you are trying so hard not to smile. I know how someone looks when they are madly in love."

"Do you now?"

"Mmm hmm, go look in the mirror!"

Kate looked down, her hair falling down framing her face. She bit her lip. She knew it, she was probably pissing off strangers in the street by how happy she was and she didn't mind one bit. Then she remembered her message from Castle, she unlocked her phone.

Well that would free up your hands for other tasks ;)

Beckett grinned and suddenly felt the need to be with Castle. She looked up at her friend who was watching her the way you would watch a puppy who's playing happily afraid that if he sees you watching he will stop being adorable.

"What?'

"Nothing."

"Yeah right. Anyway can we go meet up with the boys at the Old Haunt later?"

"You just want to go so you can get your hot little hands on Castle." Lanie said with a wink.

"Yeah maybe." Beckett sighed. "But we have hardly seen each other all week." She continued to whine.

"Fine but you guys aren't allowed to leave early and go have sex. You can't leave 'till the rest of us do."

"Ok deal, I'll text Castle."

The boys were waist deep in conversation about how important it is for superheroes to strongly uphold their secret identity. Despite this being Castle's forte, he was only half heartedly participating. He was distracted. He missed Kate. They had hardly seen each other all week and the nights they did they were so shattered they just fell asleep. He was anxious to just snuggle up with her on the sofa and watch old superhero movies.

His phone went off.

We're on our way. See you soon. Xx

Castle grinned.

"What bro?" Asked Esposito.

"Yeah Castle, it's very serious. If people knew that Bruce Wayne is Batman could you imagine what would happen to Wayne Enterprises?

Castle was more interested now. He needed to stay awake. He was going to see his girl soon. That's right, she was his girl.

"Well what about Stark Industries? They seem to do pretty well. Oh, and by the way guys Beckett and Lanie are going to drop over at some point."

Ryan and Esposito rolled their eyes comically.

The cab pulled up outside the Old Haunt and Beckett flew out a little too quickly leaving Lanie to pay. She would probably feel bad about it later, but right now she just wanted to jump into Castle's arms and she couldn't get there any sooner.

When Beckett entered the bar she stopped and stood tall searching for Castle, Ryan and Espostio; giving Lanie a chance to catch up. Lanie let stirring Kate for her mad dash slide for now; she would save it for later use, and helped look for the boys amongst the surprising bustle of people. Apparently a writer's seminar had just finished a few blocks away and what better way to end a night in a writer's bar.

Castle had jut rechecked his phone for the seventeenth time in the last five minutes when he looked up towards the door as soon as Beckett stepped in. It's like he knew. Some sort of Jedi thing. Like a moth to a flame he was drawn to her.

The chatter of Ryan and Esposito were mere white noise as Castle sat enchanted. The bar was shadowy but the light from the street showered her and lit her up like the way the sun shines through the curtains in the morning. Her hair was down, the way Castle liked it and she was no longer in her work clothes, but in a casual black dress hugging in all the right places and was definitely not appropriate for the workplace. Castle was staring at her like a kid at Christmas who could see his present but wasn't allowed to open it yet.

She was looking for him and when their eyes finally locked there was no topping that love sick smile that they both wore.

Castle trance was broken when he was jolted back to reality. Apparently he had not been participating in conversation long enough for Ryan and Esposito to notice.

"Hey Castle?" Ryan questioned.

"Yeah what-cha looking at?" Esposito followed.

Then they both followed his gaze.

"Oh." They mumbled in unison.

Kate's eyes finally hone in on Castle's, and stayed that way as they shared one their moments. She couldn't help but smile. He was sporting a few day old stubble because it had been a rushed week, and she may have hinted it looked sexy and he was wearing her favourite deep blue shirt. Kate was in Narnia. Lanie quietly watched her friend with one of those shit-eating grins, not wanting to break their trance and cast an evil spell across all the land.

"Oh girl you got it bad." Lanie sighed.

"Hmm?"

"Never mind, c'mon let's get you over to lover boy!" she said dragging her love sick puppy along by the arm.

Lanie slid into the booth next to Esposito while Kate rushed in beside Castle, who was seated opposite them. Kate leaned in to kiss Castle because that's what was normal for them now. Only their friends were certainly not used to it. The kiss was tender, longing for more as Beckett's hand cupped Castle's cheek and his hand cradled her head at the back of her neck, fingers tangling in her hair. But it was also chaste as they simultaneously remembered that they had an audience. Beckett pulled away and blushed, wedging herself beside Castle at a respectable distance but still making it obvious to onlookers that they were a couple.

"You guys don't have to stop being adorable on account of us." Ryan said.

And that was all the invitation Beckett needed as she grinned and thought "You know what? I want to cuddle up beside my boyfriend and I don't have to hide it in front of my friends anymore."

Beckett then shuffled over as Castle lifted up his arm and secured it possessively around her shoulders. She rested her head on his chest and sighed, completely content. Castle kissed the top of her head and she looked up, both gazing blissfully into each other's eyes both sharing an equally nauseating smiles.

"You guys are disgustingly cute." Lanie interrupted.

They looked and three of their closest friends and right they now they were pretty happy. Yeah they were disgustingly cute.

Thanks guys, please review!