Title: Secrets

Summary: This is post ep to Cops and Robbers… yes it's been done but not by me. This picks up at the dinner and then goes on with my wacky imagination and goes from there but not along with the show. They were not in a relationship on the show at this time so …hmm who knows what my mind might come up with. I came up with this while I was torturing my husband making him watch Castle this morning for being annoying.

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle but I'm on the countdown to 50 and NF would make a great 50th birthday gift since he wasn't under my tree.

A/N: For the purposes of this story we are going to pretend there is a wall between the kitchen and the table in the loft.

Chapter One: Decompress

Kate looked around the table and smiled, she realized in the years she had known Castle she found herself spending more time with his family. She had offered to buy him a drink but then he invited to bring her to his home to eat with his family, he told her that the family wanted to be together but his mother specifically told him that included Kate. She smiled at his mother. "Martha this is great, thank you so much for inviting me."

"Well like I told Richard the family needed to be together this evening and that includes you darling."

Castle smiled at her. "And you swore that I was making it up that mother invited you."

She smiled and held his hand that was sitting on the table. "That is not exactly what I said Castle and you know it be honest with your mother." When she noticed his mother and Alexis looking at their joined hands she pulled hers away quickly and cleared her throat.

"You said oh Castle is it really your mother inviting me or is it you?"

She laughed. "Okay yes I did say that Castle but you said we're having dinner and mother insists you come and won't take no for an answer."

Martha laughed. "Katherine that is what I told Richard, I said tell that darling girl she is joining us and I won't take no for an answer."

Alexis smiled. "Detective Beckett I owe you and apology, I was rude to you today at the bank and it wasn't your fault."

Martha and Castle were just looking back and forth but Kate just smiled. "No Alexis you were stressed I get it trust me, I threatened to walk in the bank and shoot one of the robbers if he hurt your dad." She didn't think about what she was saying she was just talking and trying to comfort Alexis. "When someone we love is threatened we react quickly and without thinking because trust me threatening a bank robber is not the best way to go about that but anyway, I totally understand how you felt standing out there."

Alexis nodded. "Well I just wanted you to know I wasn't blaming you."

"Oh no sweetie I never thought that, my mind the whole time was on ending that situation and getting your dad and grandmother out of that bank safely but my hands were tied because I wasn't in charge there. When the Morse code came out they asked me how I knew Castle was sending it and I told them I just knew. But the worst part was when I first got there and I told them my partner was in that bank and they made me leave the command post, I've never felt so out of control in my life I mean there was nothing I could do."

Castle looked at her. "You told them your partner was in the bank?"

She smiled. "You're my partner Castle and yes I told them that my partner was the bank and the commander was like there's a cop in there? And I told him my partner is a civilian investigator and that you were in the bank at the time. I felt so helpless I mean my partner was in that bank and there was nothing I could do."

Martha smiled. "Well we are alive and celebrating here together so obviously you did great."

"Thank you Martha." She looked at Alexis. "So what's new with you these days?"

"Ashley and I just broke up but he was never there for me and I need someone that is around for me not someone I have to beg to be there, you know what I mean?"

Kate smiled. "Yes, the doctor I was seeing just before I got shot we broke up before I got out of the hospital for many reasons. He was around when it was convenient for him but not always when I needed someone. He wasn't too wild about me having another shoulder to lean on and well I made a mistake a couple of times that made things difficult so anyway it was better to end it."

Alexis leaned forward. "You know what I'm looking for exactly don't you?"

Kate smiled. "Yes but you won't find it overnight or with the first guy you date seriously or even the second. Don't ever think you won't find it and it might even be the most unlikely person in your life or even the guy you've been secretly crushing on since you were teenager."

Alexis smiled. "Who was your biggest teenage crush?"

Kate smiled. "Oh I can't tell you that." Martha got up so Kate started to stand. "Let me help you clean up Martha."

Castle pushed her back down. "Talk to Alexis while we clear and get coffee, she never gets to talk like this."

Alexis looked across the table. "Oh come on Detective Beckett, you crushed big time on someone when you were a teenager who was it I mean dad can't be jealous now he can't hear you."

Kate smiled and looked toward him and then back over at Alexis. "Your dad is my partner and friend but no more than that so why would he be jealous?"

Alexis laughed. "You're kidding me right? When you got shot my dad cried while jackass doctor was blaming and acting like he was all that all dad was doing was crying and talking about how much he loves you."

She nodded. "Oh I didn't know that, dad told me that Josh was rude to your dad but not that I guess its good we broke up since he was so hateful to my best friend."

Alexis smiled. "You aren't getting me off of it, who did you crush on?"

Castle came in and put coffee in front of Kate and picked up a couple of dishes then walked off. Kate looked at Alexis and smiled then looked at Castle. "He's something."

Alexis laughed and then covered her mouth. "My dad, your teenage crush was my dad?"

Kate looked at her and smiled. "Our secret?"

Alexis smiled. "Cause he would believe me?" She laughed louder. "Does know?"

"Only one person knows and that is an old boyfriend of mine I made him stand in line with me when I was a rookie at your dad's book signing but your dad doesn't know."

"Dad doesn't know you went to a book signing?"

"No, I made my boyfriend stand there for an hour while I talked about your dad for an hour then we get up there and I'm like duh I couldn't even tell him my name my boyfriend had to tell him my name. So anyway we worked a couple of cases with him and he hates your dad."

She smiled. "I'll say he does, so will you show me that book one day?"

"It got blown up in my apartment that time."

Alexis smiled. "That is like the most perfect love story ever."

"Only it's not because we are friends."

Alexis smiled. "You guys are so not friends, I saw you face today when you stepped out after that explosion and it rocked you just as much as it rocked me. You said earlier people we love, he only acted like he didn't notice."

Martha and Castle came back in then sat down. Martha looked between them. "So what are we talking about?"

Alexis smiled. "Teen crushes, young love, understanding love and lasting bonds isn't that right Detective Beckett?"

"That about sums it up but I just hope I helped you Alexis."

"You did help actually, you made me see many things more clearly." She got up. "I'm going to bed it's been a long day and I have some reading to do." She kissed Martha, Castle and then she walked over and hugged Kate. "Goodnight everyone and thank you Detective Beckett for those insights and what's told in secret stays in secret until you tell it."

Kate smiled. "I'm glad I could help, call me if you need anything else."

When she was gone up the steps Martha smiled. "You are so good for her Katherine she needs a woman to talk to sometimes that's more of a mother figure and everyone knows that Meredith is not it."

Castle smiled. "I'm more interested in the secrets."

She shook her head. "No Castle they are secrets of the teenage sisterhood and that's not you my friend."

He smiled. "You told her who your teenage crush was?"

She looked at Martha. "Has he always been like this?"

Martha smiled. "Yes always, oh Katherine you should have seen him as a child I thought I would never survive. I have no clue who Alexis is like I mean you know Richard and Meredith so I mean I have to wonder."

Kate smiled. "She clearly takes after me."

Martha laughed. "It's funny that sometimes she does remind me more of you."

Kate finished her coffee and stood up stretching. "Well thank you Martha but I need to go home it really has been a long day." She looked at Castle. "Can I talk to you in private?"

He smiled. "Sure want to go in the office?" She nodded and followed him in the office.

He closed the door and she sighed. "I'm going to say something and I don't need you to question it, really I need for you to not question me at all I'm just going to make a request and the only thing I need out of you is a yes."

"Whatever it is Kate."

She nodded. "I want you to go home with me for a while and I know it has been a long day, you want to be with your family and I can't explain why I'm asking right now. I promise when I can later I'll explain it but if I try to explain it then things will fall apart and explode I just need you to ride home with me."

He nodded. "Let's go." They exited the office. "Mother its late and well I'm going to ride home with Kate, don't wait up." He hugged her.

Kate walked over and hugged Martha. "Thank you for dinner Martha."

She smiled. "Any time Katherine."

They arrived at her apartment and they walked in, she put up her gun and badge then looked at Castle. "I'm going to change would you pour us some wine please and meet me on the couch we need to decompress after today?"

He smiled. "Sure."

She came out of her room in boxer shorts and a Richard Castle shirt, she smiled. "Lanie thought this would be hilarious for me to have." She took a drink but then put her glass down and sat there in stone silence not even looking at him, no expression nothing.

"Kate are you okay?"

That is all it took and it was like it happened suddenly, her face crumpled then she grabbed him and pulled him close as she cried. "I could have lost you today Castle, do you know how close I came to losing you and there was nothing I could do about it. What if being able to hold your hand for a few seconds was my last contact with you and then I walked in that bank and you were gone? Do you think I could live like that? Just hold me Castle please just hold me I need to know you're alive."

He gathered her up on his lap and tucked her head under chin. "I'm fine Kate, once again we worked together and things were fine."

She cried harder. "I need to feel you Castle, all of you I need to know you're alive stay with me tonight?"

He nodded. "I told you whatever you need Kate."

"Will you sleep in my bed with me and hold me tonight?"

"Yes." He stood up and carried her to the bedroom, he stood her on her feet beside the bed and then pulled the covered down. "Let's go to bed Kate."

He sent his mother a quick text to let her know he was staying at Kate's and he would explain later then he laid down in bed beside and pulled her close.

TBC

Review… and in the light of day what happens… will Castle ever find out about the teen age crush thing?