Disclaimer: I do not own Castle

AN: So this story came to mind when I was down sick as hell. A lot of fics have been written around this storyline, but I hope I can make mine stand out from the rest. :)
Enjoy :)

Chapter 1

Castle walked into the precinct with two cups of coffee in hand, he set them down on Kate's desk and looked around, looking toward the break room to see if he could find Kate.

"Looking for Beckett?"
He heard Esposito ask.

He turned to face him, "yea where is she?" he was looking towards the captain's office now.

"She's not coming in today, called in sick"

"oh" Castle said. A little disappointed, but then he had an idea, and began walking towards the elevator.

"Hey castle, you forgot your coffee" he called out to him.

"It's for you and Ryan" he called over his shoulder. Hitting the button to call the elevator.

He was at her front door now. Waiting for her to pull the door open. He had knocked twice now, and was beginning to wonder whether she had seen him through the peep hole and still decided not to open up.

Just then the door swung open and Kate stood before him, a robe tied around her, her hair tied up in a messy bun, her nose, red as ever. Probably a result of a runny nose. There were tissues in her robe pocket, her eyes we're a little puffy but it was beyond him how she still managed to look so beautiful even when she's ill.

"Hey" he said.

"Castle, what are you doing here?"

"Esposito told me you called in sick"

She waited for him to go on, when he didn't, she said "that still doesn't answer my question"

"i thought I'd drop by and check on you, aren't you going to invite me in?"

"Castle, I'm in no state to sit and be a good host right now, I just want to go back to bed"

"hey, you don't have to do anything, just let me in... I'll let you go rest... I just thought you might need the company"

Kate thought about it, she could do with his company, her headache was not letting her sleep, maybe Castle's company might help take her mind of things".

She sighed and moved away from the door, a silent invitation for him to enter. He looked so happy, but she couldn't care less. She was moving towards her couch, and he closed the door behind him.

"Oh, I'm going to make you all better Beckett. "

"Castle, I don't need you to take care of me, I'm perfectly capable of taking care of myself" she said to him as he came to sit on the couch with her.

"I'm sure you are. But I still want to. I'm your partner, it's what partners are for"

"I don't see Esposito going over to take care of Ryan when he's down with the flu" she stated matter of factly."

And Castle thought for a minute "touché"

"castle, I'm really tired, you don't have to be here, I just really want to sleep" she sneezed then, twice, and wiped her nose with a tissue.

"I'm not going anywhere, how about you go rest, and I'll make you some soup"

"you know what; I'm too beat to argue with you. Make yourself at home," she said, while getting up from the couch. "I'll be in my bedroom"

he smiled, realizing she was not forcing him to leave.

As soon as she disappeared into her room, he went about rummaging through her kitchen cabinets, in search of ingredients to make her his special soup.

Kate lay down in her bed and pulled the covers over her, she was shivering, feeling cold, but she knew her body was burning up. And her head felt like a hundred knives were stabbing into it.

She closed her eyes, trying to concentrate on everything else but the pain, she could her sounds from the kitchen, Castle was moving around, preparing something for her, to help her feel better. It made her smile.

She was actually really grateful he was here. Josh was out on one of his doctors without borders missions, and he said he'd only be back after a week. It was comforting that Castle cared to come check on her.

She'd ask herself what it meant for them, that he was here to take care of her in her time of illness, but her headache was apparently getting worse when she found herself thinking so much. So she pushed the thought away, to ponder about later.

She closed her eyes, and a delicious aroma entered her room. It was soothing and it made her insides warm.

She smiled. Castle and his cooking skills. He truly was a master chef. She couldn't help the images her mind was conjuring up in her head, images of the two of them, in her kitchen, in his kitchen, preparing a meal together, moving around each other reaching for ingredients...

Castle stealing a kiss or two from her while her hands we're busy with a salad. Her heart felt light thinking of it. And suddenly she opened her eyes.

'Why am I thinking of cooking a meal with Castle in my kitchen? And kissing him? Where did that come from' she thought to herself.
'Must be the pain killers' she excused.

And closed her eyes again, relishing the delicious aroma around the house. Subconsciously, she knew it wasn't the pain killers. She knew she had a crush on the man currently standing in her kitchen. A 'crush' would be an understatement.

She was falling in love with Castle, her heart wanted to admit, but her mind made her deny.

AN: Thoughts?