So it didn't end up exactly how I had anticipated it would. Beckett and Castle wake next to each other the next morning.

Disclaimer: Anything that looks or sounds like Castle doesn't belong to me.


Beckett awoke the next morning to the gentle rise and fall of a bare chest against her own. For a moment, she relished the warmth and steadiness it offered. It had been several months since she had woken up next to someone else. Well, when you didn't include the time she woke up hand-cuffed to Castle. Castle. With a jolt, she sprung backwards away him. He jerked awake from the sudden movement and blinked slowly.

"G' morning," He mumbled.

"Castle!" She said sharply. She sat up and promptly yanked the covers over her bare chest.

"What?" He replied groggily, rubbing his eyes.

"What are you... what..." She trailed off, not entirely sure what she had meant to ask.

He watched her sit tensely on the edge of the bed for a second, and then laid his head back down.

"Castle!" She repeated, holding the sheet up with one hand and with the other, picking up a pillow and hitting him in the head.

"What was that for?" He asked, propping himself up and blocking further smacks with his arm.

"Get up!" She told him.

"I'm tired!" He protested.

"Castle..." She repeated warningly. He sighed and sat up. She watched him, if not a little guiltily, cross the room to pick up the clothes he had discarded last night. Kate almost started to smile at the memory, but caught herself. Yes, sex with Richard Castle was fun. Everything about him was fun. And great. And wonderful. Dammit, Kate! She scolded herself, becoming aware of the little smile that had worked it's way onto her face as those thoughts had been crossing her mind. Stop thinking about that! You know you're not ready for a relationship. Especially not with this man. From somewhere in the back of her head came a small cry of disagreement. She squashed it. No. Tell him to leave and forget all about this. Don't get yourself into something like this, it never ends well.

Castle was now finished getting dressed, so he turned to her.

She had no idea what to say, and Castle's face was serious. That scared the shit out of her.

"Kate..." He said softly. All other thoughts evaporated from her mind as she watched him walk over, wide-eyed. "I need you to tell me what this means."

"What it... It doesn't mean anything, Castle. It was a mistake," She tried to sound confident, but she was worried he would be upset. However, he just shrugged.

"It was a nice mistake, then," He hesitated. "You'll still let me shadow you, right?"

"I'll let things go back to normal as long as you can," She replied. One mistake didn't constitute the end of their partnership, did it? She didn't want it to.

A broad smile crossed Castle's face, "Good. Thank you, Kate." With that, he turned and left.

Beckett didn't know whether she was pleased or disappointed by Castle's response to her rejection. It wasn't as though she wanted him to be unhappy, but she hadn't expected to handle it so well. As for herself, she didn't know how she was handling what had just happened. Last night, it had all just felt so right. And then this morning... well, she certainly couldn't say she hadn't enjoyed waking up next to him. But what was she supposed to do? She couldn't go out with him. Not yet. Not when she could barely even admit that she had enjoyed being with him to herself, much less to him.

Maybe he would let things go back to normal. But even then, would she be able to sort out everything she was feeling about him?


"Well look who decided to drop by," Martha called to her son as he strolled into the apartment with a swing in his step and a smile on his face broader than the Grand Canyon. "Looks like you had a nice night."

"Oh, Mother, must you always poke around in my personal life?"

"Richard, I'm your mother. If it wasn't for me, you wouldn't have a personal life. Or any life, for that matter."

For once he didn't offer any sort of reply, just strode over to the kitchen and began pouring himself a cup of coffee.

"So?" Martha said after she realized he wasn't going to say anything. "Spill. It wasn't a one-night stand, was it?" She asked accusingly.

"No need to use that tone. And no, I'm pretty sure this won't be the only time."

"What do you mean, 'pretty sure'?"

He just smiled.

"Richard..." She said warningly.

"She might have responded badly this morning but I think she'll come around," He replied evasively. And, despite his mother's further prying, that was his final comment on the matter.


This didn't turn out how I had originally anticipated, and I'm not entirely sure where I'm going to take it next. I'd love to hear what you all would like to see!

Please review and tell me what you thought of it!