Disclaimer: I do not own Castle

She waved at the man in jeans, blue shirt and black shades. He smiled at the woman in black leather jacket and walked towards her. He was carrying a duffel bag on his right. He closed the distance between them. She flew her arms to the man. They held each other for quite a while. She broke off the hug. He put an arm on across her shoulders and she flew her arm on his waist. They walked towards the cab. They sat at the cab in silence, feeling the comfort of each other since they haven't seen each other for a week because of his book tour. They didn't need to say that they missed each other. As soon as he saw her at the airport, he knew that she was longing to be with him. He kissed the side off her turned to her. His hand was touching her cheek and the other was still around her waist. He looked into her beautiful eyes. "How's he doing?" his voice was soft and full of concern.

She smiled. Her hand was resting on his chest while the other was on his back. "He's fine." She assured him. "He wants to see you though." She sighed. "I ordered Ryan and Esposito to take care of him. Martha's in her acting school and said that she will be home for dinner and Alexis is organizing an event. She said she'll be home before dinner." He pulled her closer with a hug. Her head was on his chest now.

"I guess the boys wouldn't mind if we grab some lunch and return later this afternoon." He looked at her and he raised his eyebrows. There's a small grin forming on his face. She just smiled and agreed. She was so glad that they are together now. She really missed him. Every vacant time that he had, he always called her and his daughter. Sometimes he calls Martha.

They didn't realize that the cab halt as they reached their destination. He went out first and lent a hand to her. He put her arm on his as they walked into the Italian restaurant.

Esposito looked inside the front hall closet. He pushed all the coats aside. "Have you seen him?" He yelled at Esposito. "No, he's not in his room." Ryan descended from the stairs with his brows furrowed and a hand in his hair. "He was just here a minute ago." He closed the door and put his hands on his waist. "A minute ago? He's been missing for two hours. He could have been out of this building!" Ryan started to get nervous. "We've already called the doorman." His partner sighed and sat on the couch with his head resting on his hands. "He said he hadn't seen him. The dude said he'll call if he sees him."

Ryan walked to him and stood in front of him. His hands are on his waist. "Could we at least ask for a little assistance?" He looked up to him quickly. "No way, bro. If we call for help, the Captain will get furious and get us killed."

"Javi, he's missing. We will be in trouble." He said while walking across the living room. "Wait, hold that. We are already in trouble." He sat on the couch beside Esposito looking so miserable.

He sighed. "Fine" His partner glanced at him. Esposito continued. "but " he point out. "we will not make it sound like he's been kidnapped or something." His partner nod then he pulled out his phone and dialled the precinct. "Hey, can you get some guys over here maybe two or three. No. No. Yes. He's kind of missing and –" They jumped as they heard a loud noise and rushed to the sound.

Five hours passed since she left the boys. Their cab was on the way to the loft. The two were chatting about what happened during the week he was gone and she heard a very familiar noise. It wasn't loud enough so she thought maybe it is not going to their direction. A few seconds later it sounds louder and louder. She is panicking inside but she did not let him see it. The cab reached the street of the loft. Panic can be seen on both of their faces when they saw two police cars in front of the building. She quickly got out of the cab and grabbed her gun from the holster while he hurriedly gave bills to the driver without looking how much he gave him. He took it as sign that he gave more than enough money since the driver thank him out loud and drove off. She was few steps away from him. She ran through the stairs followed by him. When she saw a uniform talking to a neighbor and another uniform got out of the last door on the left, she ran faster. She didn't notice that she shout at them "Where is he?" She didn't wait for a reply and ran inside the loft. She froze for a second at what she saw. There are two uniforms in the living room, one in the kitchen, one checking the door of the office. Based on her detective instincts, it looked like there was a crime happened in here. She can't believe that she only left those boys in here for five hours and then the loft became a crime scene.

"What the hell happened in here?" She yelled. She got all their attention. She was still holding her gun. She saw that some were caught off guard and frightened to answer the great detective. She raised her voice again. She used the voice she used to crack the toughest murderers. "Where is he?"

He heard her yelling at the loft and he quickened his pace. He saw her standing in the living room and freaking out. He knew what to do her. He simply stood behind her and held her tight. He felt her tension loosened. It came into her mind that yelling wouldn't help them find him and the boys. She got too emotional and attached that she forgot to be professional about handling a case like this. She sighed. He whispered "We'll find him." She is sure that they'll find him. They must find him.

In a second, her mood changed. She took a deep breath. It will not help if I have an attitude like this. She thought.

She turned to Karpowski. "Karpowski, what happened?" He smiled to see her gain control again.

The detective walked towards her. "Esposito called me and said he needs some men here. I asked if it's about a case he said no and if it's about a murder, he said no. Then, I remembered about your order and I asked him if it was about it and he said he was missing. I heard a loud noise and the call ended."

"What do you have so far?" She asked, crossing her arms. "We didn't find any signs of struggle. The rooms upstairs were locked except for the second to the last room. The door of the office is busted. It was kicked from the outside." The detective pointed out the door of the office.

"Kate," She turned around and saw him at the front hall closet. "The boys didn't go out. Their coats are still here. I think wherever he is, he's with the boys." She nodded. She gave the uniforms some orders. An hour passed, she was getting more worried. She called the Captain of the missing persons department. It was a brief call. The Captain there said that he already send a team on the way to the loft.

He noticed that she is fidgeting. He walked to her and pulled her in the office where they can have their privacy. "Kate, are you alright?" His voice was low but she can tell that he was very serious. Her arms are crossed. He put his hands on her shoulders. "I'm so worried Rick. What if we lose him? What if he's been kidnapped or killed? What if he's out there alone and somebody might get him or –" He cut her off. "What if he's fine? What if he's with Ryan and Esposito and their battery died? We can't think negative thoughts right now, Kate. He'll be fine. We'll find him." He hugged her. His Kate is getting weak and he has to be there for her. He has to be strong one now. This is the time where she needed him most. He knew Kate wouldn't forgive herself if something bad happened to him. She will say that it's her fault because she leaved him with the guys. He is her kryptonite. He needs to assure her that they will find him because if they don't, Kate will be broken hearted and he doesn't know if Kate can survive without him.

He hugged her tighter. She was crying on his chest. He kissed her head. "Everything's going to be fine." All he heard at that moment was her soft sobs but there is something else that he heard. He couldn't pin point it but there's another noise. It sounds like another soft sobs. He knew it wasn't him and then it struck him. He gasped. He let go of her. "Rick, what's wrong?" She grabbed his arm. "I think I know where he is." She let go. He didn't go towards the door. He walked towards his bookshelf. She was so confused at what he was doing. He pulled a leather covered book. That book was the collection of Edgar Allan Poe's works. She turned around to the loud sound behind her. The bookshelf across the room moved.

There he was, standing with tears on his face. She yelled his name. Her knees got weak. He ran towards her. She kneeled to catch his hug. He hugged her tightly. "Oh, Nathan" She buried her face on his shoulders. Rick joined them. He hugged his wife and his son. "I'm sowwy." The little boy cried. "Baby, it's okay. We're here now." He kissed the forehead of his boy. "Don't you ever scare Mommy and Daddy like that Nathan Alexander Castle." "Yes, Mommy. I pwomise" He wiped her mother's tears. She smiled. It's like her blood drained that moment she found out that her little boy was missing. And right now, she felt alive again. She could feel the blood rush through her veins as she held her boy. He was amazing. The way he wiped her tears like what her husband does. She kissed his can't stop the tears flowing but it's all tears of joy. She was as happy as she first saw this boy sleeping in her arms. Although she was very happy about her son, it's time to face those two men who almost lost her child.

She stood up. Rick carried his son in his arms, kissing him on his cheeks. She heard her son's giggles. She wiped away her tears quickly. She walked towards the two very nervous and scared detectives. Her hands are on her waist. "Explain yourselves." She glared at them. They felt like her eyes were melting them. Ryan was shaking so Esposito spoke up. "We were playing hide and seek." He gulped. "And we cannot find him."

Her arms are crossed now. "So, you're telling me that you cannot find a three year old boy in this two story unit but you always find the suspects and murderers all over New York City. Is that what you're reasoning out Detective Esposito?" She raised her voice. Anger was all over her face.

"Um, yeah." Esposito said and nudged Ryan who looked like he was going to pee in his pants. "Yes, ma'am." He gulped.

"What?" She made them repeat what they said. "Yes, Captain." The two said in unison. Ryan knew that his partner's explanation is not enough. "He was hiding in a secret lair!" He exclaimed. "behind that bookshelf, Ma'am." He pointed out without looking away from her face. "We heard it opened then we saw him. We went inside to get him out but the door already closed. We didn't know how to get out." His partner joined him. "It's true boss."

She knew they wouldn't lie. She turned to her husband who looked like he was hiding his face behind his son. "Castle," She stopped calling him like that when they got married. She only addresses him like that when she's angry. "why did you have a secret room behind that shelf and you didn't even bother to tell me?"

"I was going to.." He was thinking for an excuse. "surprise you, honey." He grinned. That would be a good excuse. He really meant to get that room to be alone for a while and to display his collector's items comic books and toys. She thought it was thoughtful of him but it should not stop her little 'interrogation'. "Then why does our child knows how to get in there and didn't know how to get out?"

"I saw Daddy the day before Sunday. He said he will put his toys there." Their child innocently said. She stared at her husband. "Well, yes after I surprise you." He grinned again. "You doesn't say surprise Mommy, Daddy" The young boy honestly said. His grin faded then he looked pale. Rick was getting in trouble because of his innocent and honest child. When she heard her little boy's words, that's when she knew Richard Castle is hiding something from her. She was slowly walking to him. He gulped. He didn't know what his wife will do to him this time. She doesn't seem to care about the two detectives now. She laid her son down and yanked her husband's ears like she used to do before. She looked at her son. "That's what you'll get if you lie to Mommy, ok?" Her son nodded. "Yes, Mommy. I'm will not be like Daddy" She heard the two detectives chuckled.

She looked at her beloved husband. "You almost kill me because our son was missing! It's your fault. You should've told him how to get out." She yanked his ears harder.

"Apples! Apples! Apples!" he cried.

A/N 1:

I hope you enjoyed the story. I named their child after Nathan Fillion and Richard Alexander Rodgers. I hope you understand when Esposito said that the Captain will get furious and get them killed. I had fun writing this one shot and I hope you had fun too. I challenged myself to combine drama and humour. I don't know if I did it well. Please tell me what you think. I really don't know if I succeed. If I did not, I'm so sorry to disappoint you. All of my mistakes are my fault. I do not own Castle by the way. If I did, they should be together right now in season four but I still love the show even though they are not YET together.

A/N 2:

1. I forgot all about Rick's duffel bag. Let's just say he left it in cab.

2. Let's think that they found Nathan before dinner because Martha and Alexis are supposed to come home before dinner.

3. What happened to the men that was sent by the Captain of the missing persons department and to the uniforms inside their home? I would like to think that they dismissed themselves when they saw the boy and they wouldn't want to disturb the Castle family moment.

4. I think I'm too mean to Ryan.