He's actually been really sweet and it throws her off guard. She'd been expecting to have to force conversation with a relentless playboy but she's actually been enjoying their time together and she's slowly letting her guard down.

He's not at all what she expected and she thinks, maybe, her night won't be as horrible as she'd anticipated.

Kate finds Alexis in the crowd once more and realizes she's looking shyly at Jeremy, then glancing back towards her father. Oh, this is her cue to distract him isn't it?

"Would you like to do a quick tour around the school?" she asks, her gaze drifting quickly back to his. Shit, that's probably not a good idea. She's here to supervise the kids after all. His eyes light up as they meet hers in surprise but he seems pleased by the offer.

"I'd love a tour, actually," he says, accepting her offer and she wonders what she's just gotten herself into. Before she starts to panic, she reminds herself that this isn't a date-

A date? Why is she even thinking about dates with him? No. There is no question of dating him.

Stick to the plan, Kate.

A tour of the school his daughter attends every single day of the week. It's completely normal that he'd want to see it. Quickly, she glances around to see if any other supervisor can cover her corner of the room for a couple of minutes and she sees her best friend Lanie, also the science teacher at the school, wink at her and give her a nod of approval for her to move towards the door.

How did Lanie even know she wanted someone to cover for her so she could leave? She swears the woman can read her mind sometimes. She's not complaining though because this time, it's coming in handy.

"Come with me," she tells Castle and he can't quite believe she's leading him out of the party like two teenagers sneaking around. Kate tells herself to calm down, that they aren't leaving the dance floor to go make out in some dark corner. She's just going to show him around and give Alexis the chance to dance with the boy she likes for a few minutes. That's all.

She motions toward the door with a nod as she glances back toward Castle and he gets the idea, moving ahead of her. She glances back toward Alexis quickly and the girl looks at her with a small grin and despite the dark lighting and flashing lights, she can see her mouth a shy "thank you" at a distance. Kate smiles back and gives her another thumbs up.

She follows Castle out of the gymnasium but as soon as they round the corner he turns to her abruptly, his eyes narrowed and his arm trapping her in as he lays his palm to the wall by her face. Her heart accelerates, beating hard against the cage of her chest and she stops in her tracks so as to not bump into him. He's standing close to her, mere inches away and she can smell the subtle trace of cologne on his skin, a rich a woodsy smell that leaves her wanting more, craving to lean in and press her nose to his neck, take a deep inhale-

No. No, no, no. That is entirely not the plan and she cannot be thinking things like that.

"Don't think I don't know what you're doing," he tells her, a challenge in his voice and the air catches in her lungs when his minty breath fans against her cheeks as he speaks. She decides to call his bluff. His mind could have gone in an entirely different direction. He could have absolutely no idea, could be playing her.

"And what is it that I'm doing exactly, Mr. Castle?" She plays dumb, lets him reveal his cards in case she's right and he's clueless about the reason she took him out here.

"First off, it's Rick," he says correcting the use of his surname and she can see he's not at all unaffected by the lack of space between them because he glances down at her lips, though he only allows it last for mere seconds before he meets her eyes once more. "Second, you're distracting me so my daughter can dance with the boy she's been not so subtly staring at for the past half hour."

Crap. Her cover is totally blown and she almost feels as though she's betrayed Alexis somehow. He must see her eyes go wide at her surprise that he actually figured them out, because his eyes sparkle in delight.

"I'm right, aren't I?" he asks, the glee in his voice evident and isn't he supposed to be upset about this?

Kate sighs, figures there's no use trying to hide it anymore. "I can assure you, Jeremy is a great kid."

"I knew it," he exclaims under his breath, more concerned now, and he looks about ready to bolt right back into the gymnasium, the thrill of finding out the truth wearing off. He wants to ensure no one gets more than ten feet near his daughter. She stops him when he attempts to move past her.

"Rick," she calls as she lays her hand to his arm to halt his movement. He stops and stares down at her hand holding onto him. Maybe she can still let Alexis have her dance. "Don't ruin this for her," she tells him simply and she can see the battle he wages in his head. Whether or not to be the "cool dad" and what it might cost him if he decides to interfere.

It takes him a couple of seconds to deliberate, to come to a conclusion by which he can stand, and Kate realizes her hand is still holding on to his arm. She lets go quickly and finds that she's disappointed by the loss of warmth beneath her palm.

He looks up at her and he can see he's still a little reluctant, still unsure of his choice but he seems to make up his mind when he speaks, his body deflating a little in surrender.

"Would you still be willing to go on that tour?" He asks her sheepishly, shoving his hands in the pocket of his pants. She smiles, oddly proud of him for making this decision, letting his daughter enjoy her first dance with a boy even though it seems to be killing him, the need to protect her overbearing. She understands that, relates to it even – the sudden need to spin the kids around in bubble wrap and shelter them from the world - but Alexis is a smart girl and she has no doubt that this is a good thing. Besides, he can't save her from heartbreak, if that's what he's afraid of.

So maybe she can be a welcome distraction, as opposed to playing a part in a deceitful ruse.

"We'll start with my classroom," she says, taking a few steps away from the wall where he'd had her a little breathless a few minutes prior.


He'd seen her give Alexis a thumbs up before they left the designated area for the dance and his daughter hadn't waited too long to head over to the boy who kept glancing over in her direction. He'd realized the professor's seemingly innocent proposal to walk around the school hadn't been quite so aimless after all, really more of a ploy to keep him from seeing his daughter dancing with that boy.

He'd been intrigued to find out whether his suspicions were correct but once she'd confirmed them, he'd been less than amused. This is why he came here in the first place, to keep his baby girl safe.

Only she isn't a baby anymore, is she? She's growing up to be an incredibly smart and beautiful young woman and he's going to have to learn to deal with the fact that boys and girls might try to compete for her attention now.

It won't be easy, the decision already tearing him apart because he just doesn't want her getting hurt, but Kate reminds him that in trying to protect her from pain he might inadvertently be keeping her from joy.

He's grateful that his daughter's teacher is there to remind him of that tonight. Sometimes, actions carried out with the best of intentions still turn out to be wrong.

So he turns back to her, the woman who's held his attention all night and he decides to let her distract him. Spending the rest of the evening with her might keep him from thinking about the boys who may or may not be trying to hit on his daughter.

He realizes it's a bit more than a distraction when his stomach flutters as she accepts to take him on the tour and leads the way to her classroom.

She'd thought of Alexis, put her first, and that alone pulls at his heartstrings maybe more than it should for someone he's only known for a barely an hour but it's unfortunately not something he can help. So he follows her down the hall.

He almost wants to reach for her hand but he realizes it would be a bit inappropriate seeing as he has no idea if she's interested in him at all, if she even knows who he is. If she does, she hasn't let it affect the way she interacts with him and he's unbelievably grateful for it. It's a rare occurrence these days, talking to someone who doesn't have an agenda where his fame and wealth are concerned.

But Kate Beckett has proven to be like a breath of fresh air so far and he's nowhere near ready to let her go yet.

She stops in front of a door and turns the knob, gesturing to the now open doorway letting him know he's free to enter if he wishes.

"So, this is me," she says as if he's just walked her home and they've arrived at the foot of her home. He laughs and steps inside, his eyebrows waggling comically and she rolls her eyes once more despite the fact that she wears a smile.

"So this is where the magic happens?" he asks curiously.

"Oh, there's no witchcraft at this school, only the basics of math, English and science. I guess, they're all their own kinds of magic though, when you think about it. The magic of equations, of putting pen to paper, of chemical reactions."

"You would have made a great writer," he tells her, impressed with her words, her mind. He has a feeling this woman is full of unexpected talents.

She shrugs. "I read a lot. I'll leave the writings to those who truly know what they're doing," she says and she gives him a sidelong look before moving towards her expansive collection at the back of the class room.

So she does know who he is. He files that away for a later time, doesn't linger on it; he doesn't want to talk about himself right now.

"Even for a private institution, I didn't expect there to be so many books in the classroom," he states, impressed by the multiple rows of bookshelves filled to the brink.

"Most of them aren't," she admits. "I've brought some from my personal collection here. Figured the kids would have a wider variety to choose from, especially those who are more advanced, like Alexis," she tells him and his smile widens, glancing at her before continuing to browse along the shelves.

They're silent for a moment as he lets his eyes roam across the spine of each book, sometimes nodding in approval, other times sighing at the sight of one of the classics. He stops and turns to look at her quizzically when he gets to a certain section.

"Russian Literature?" he asks picking up a novel from Tolstoy.

"Yeah, those weren't as much for the kids, but I was running out of space in my home shelves so I brought them over." Dear god, this woman might have been pulled straight from his fantasies.

"You read in Russian?" he asks as though it wasn't obvious at this point. He just needs her to confirm it.

"I did a semester abroad in Kiev," she says, oblivious to how equally impressed and turned on he is by this particular piece of information. "I fell in love with the language, and decided to learn through the literature."

He honestly didn't think she could get sexier but she continues to prove him wrong. It's not the first time he's thought of kissing her. He had seriously considered it, her lips so close when they'd exited the gymnasium and he'd stopped to question her, but this time he feels the hot burn of arousal lighting his blood like liquid fire. He realizes he doesn't know much about her, but if he'd been drawn to her when he first saw her walk through the doors, it doesn't compare to the way he feels now.

"That's really impressive, Kate," he tells her and he thinks she hears the honesty in his voice, the sincerity lacing his words. Truly, he doesn't remember the last time he's been in the company of such a remarkable woman.

She blushes a lovely shade of pink and lets her hair fall in front of her eyes to shield herself from him, cover the heat coloring her cheeks.

"Why did you decide to become a teacher? It's an honorable position, and one not many people could manage, myself included, I have to admit, but I have a feeling you're way over-qualified for this job." He's inexorably drawn to her and can't seem to help it when his feet move him forward, closer towards her, feels a thirst in his bones to know more. She rounds the corner of one of the high shelves and looks at him through the space between the planks and books.

She sighs and he realizes this might be a more personal question than he'd thought.

"My mom. She um… She was a strong believer in truth and knowledge," Kate says, her voice barely above a whisper but he hears her well enough in the solitude and tranquility of her classroom. "Always said the only way to preserve it, especially at times like these, was to have people who care about it passing it on to the next generation."

He doesn't know if the loss of her mother was something recent but he can tell she's still incredibly pained by it, suppressing tears as she tells him about her and suddenly he's too far away. He moves around the shelf and she turns away from him. He can see she isn't usually one to let her guard down like this, to wear her heart so close to her sleeve, but for some reason she's unable to hold back the silent tears in the moment. He doesn't want to invade her space, doesn't want to make her uncomfortable but he doesn't know what words to say to make this better, realizes there's really nothing he can say that will take away her pain, or bring back her mom.

He moves in closer, taking her small hand within his and giving it a light squeeze. She turns her head sharply, surprised to find him so close, but she doesn't take her hand back, doesn't pull away from him.

She meets his gaze and the clouds behind her eyes are chased away by the warmth emanating from his hand onto her skin. He feels it as acutely as he did when their hands first made contact earlier tonight as he'd presented himself to her and sparks had travelled up the length of his arm. This time is no different and it sets him on edge, fills the air with tension as she looks up from where their hands touch and into his eyes. He feels himself drifting closer, instinct pulling his body towards hers and he doesn't miss the way her eyes dart down to his lips for a fraction of a second, the emerald green turning the color of a pine forest perforated by splashes of gold along her iris.

He's so close he can feel her breath across his lips, their noses almost touching in a kiss but then his cell phone buzzes in his pocket and it breaks the trance, has her jolting back from him as if burned by a searing flame. He curses whoever deemed it a good time to try and contact him and his eyes shut, the moment gone and her with it. He takes his phone from his back pocket, wouldn't bother to check, but he's worried it might be Alexis so he takes a look just in case.

It's not Alexis. It's Gina, his publisher, inviting him to a late evening soiree downtown. He scowls and puts his phone back in his pocket, not bothering to answer.

He looks back up at Kate who has put a respectable amount of distance between them and he looks up at her sheepishly.

"Sorry about that," he says, not knowing what else he's supposed say, how to go back to where they were an instant ago. He wants to kiss her.

"Not a problem," she tells him, her voice a little breathy and it feels like there are miles between them now. "Want to see the staff room?" She asks and she seems a little desperate to leave the class, her posture already angled towards the nearest exit.

"Sure." He doesn't really mind, is actually kind of relieved that she still wants to go anywhere with him. Maybe she wouldn't mind kissing him either?

He follows her out and waits for her to make the first move, doesn't want to frighten her or pressure her into anything.

"Do you read with Alexis at home?" Her question ends the slightly awkward silence as they make their way across the hall and he's glad for it.

"Every night before bed," he tells her proudly, every minute he spends with Alexis a fond memory he holds onto for as long as possible.

"You're a good dad," she assures him and it breaks something open within him, cleaves his chest open and leaves him aching. He's not entirely sure why but this woman has him wanting to spill all his secrets. He already feels safe enough with her to share his insecurities.

"I try to be," he admits with a smile. "It's not always easy, doing it alone." He pauses and he can she sees listening to him intently, her eyes concerned but not filled with pity, only understanding. "Sometimes I feel like I'm failing her, like I'm not enough, you know?"

She stops and this time, she's the one to reach for his hand and give it a gentle squeeze, a gesture that speaks for itself in saying "It'll be okay."

"You are enough," she insists, her voice sure. "She's one of the happiest kids in school and in the top performers. It's an important balance and you give her that, you make it possible." Her words are like a balm and he's stricken by the urge to hug her, to pull her close and thank her. He isn't sure they're there yet though, so he settles for expressing his gratitude through his words.

"Thanks, Kate. That really… thanks." He can't even string a proper sentence together, but he hopes she can read the sincerity, see how much her words mean to him. Her serious expression turns into a smile and he sees the opportunity there again. All he'd have to do is take a few steps forward, lean in a little closer and their lips would meet. He sees the desire in her eyes but also the slight panic as she overthinks, and she turns her head, ending the moment, taking the opportunity with her.

"So this is where we get our crappy coffee," she moves into the staffroom and turns, leans back against the table in the middle of the room as she turns toward him, granting him the liberty to look around as he pleases.

"No fancy espresso machine?" He asks, arching a brow, clearly surprised when she shakes her head. "I would have thought it a necessity for teachers who have to deal with kids all day."

"Oh it is, only we put up with the cheap stuff," she scrunches her nose in distaste and points to an old coffee machine beside the fridge.

"That has to be a crime of some sort," Rick tells her very seriously, eyeing the machine which he can only imagine makes about as good a coffee as that no-name instant powder stuff. He mentally makes a note to look into something of better quality for the teaching staff of his daughter's school. They deserve a lot better than whatever stuff they're getting from that machine.

There's a loud clattering noise from outside the room and he sees Kate bristle, automatically turning into teacher mode and she heads straight for the door to see what's caused the commotion.

They see two boys running and laughing from one of the supply closets and they leave the door open as they make their not-so-subtle getaway. Kate rolls her eyes and looks at him as if to reinforce that this is the kind of stuff they have to deal with while running on cheap coffee.

She moves towards the closet to see if anything has been taken or moved out of place and Rick follows her after closing the door to the staffroom. She enters the small space where they keep some of their office and teaching supplies and Rick gets curious, wants to see what kinds of things they keep in there. Maybe a belt to scare the kids into doing their homework?

He doesn't realize how close he's gotten until she turns around and suddenly their noses are millimeters apart and he feels his heart squeeze in his chest.


Oh shit.

He's really close. Like, really, really close and she realizes she isn't using proper grammar but she can barely breathe, hardly think, not with his nose nearly touching hers and his lips so close, the heat radiating off his body crashing into her in waves. The tension is back tenfold and she's not sure how they've come close to kissing three times in the span of a single night after having only just met but apparently Richard Castle has the ability to bulldoze right through her boundaries and walls in a matter of hours.

And she's done resisting.

She leans in, eradicating the last bit of distance between them and sealing her lips to his in a tentative kiss. He doesn't hesitate to reciprocate, one of his arms banding around her waist and the other sliding in her hair. It's gentle at first, his lips moving languidly against hers and a little shy but he gains confidence when her hands move up to hold him to her and she slips her fingers in the short hairs at his nape. He gets bolder, tilting her head towards him, getting better access as he traces his tongue along the seam of her lips silently asking for the access she grants without a second thought, opening up to him immediately. Her insides are lined with fire as he sweeps his tongue over hers, one of his hands coming up to splay along the rings of her ribs, her side, and it sends tremors up her spine.

Her mind feels at once like it's fizzling yet numb and she has absolutely no say over the sound that leaves her lips when he pulls her lower body in closer, the friction sparking lights behind her eyes. His hands roam, his body pushing into hers until her back hits the wall and suddenly there's a loud clatter as something tumbles from one of the shelves in the closet and it washes through her like a bucket of ice water, propels her back into reality and she pulls away sharply, needing to put space between their bodies.

What the hell is she thinking?

A few hours and she's making out with Richard Castle at the school dance in a supply closet? No, she can't-

She's too damaged and he's in the public eye, this isn't… It would never work. And Alexis. Oh god, the last thing she wants is for Alexis to get hurt. They can't.

She takes several more steps back, escaping while she can, leaving him there in the closet. "Kate," he calls after her, but she's already half a dozen steps ahead of him down the hall, still moving in the opposite direction when he manages to make it out of the small storage space.

"Kate, wait." He's moving towards her and part of her wants to let him stop her and hear him out because this man has been nothing like she'd expected since the moment he began talking to her at this elementary dance.

"Dad?" a voice she recognizes very well calls down the hall towards them. Alexis. She's rubbing at her eyes, exhausted, it would seem, from all the dancing and jumping. "Can we go home? I have homework to do tomorrow and I'm really tired." Alexis is wise beyond her years, but she'd only twelve and the tension between Kate and her father seems to elude her. Kate takes in a grateful breath.

Castle switches into father mode immediately at the sound of Alexis' voice, reaches for his daughter, holding out his arms and she falls into them easily, wrapping herself around him. Her heart melts a little at the sight. "Yeah, Pumpkin. We can go home. Want to say bye to Ms. Beckett?"

Alexis turns to look at her, a wide smile splayed against her lips and Kate can't help but reciprocate. "Night, Ms. Beckett. I'm glad you came to the dance."

Kate winks at her, lets the girl believe that their secret mission worked and they are still undercover. She doesn't need to know Castle already figured them out. "I'm glad I was here too, Alexis. Have a good spring break. Have some fun okay?"

"I will! And I'll also work on our spelling assignment."

"I know you will," Kate tells her fondly. She has no doubt Alexis will be doing schoolwork over the break. She just hopes she'll take time to relax and be a kid too.

"I hope we'll see you again, Kate." Rick tells her and her cheeks flame.

"You called her Kate," Alexis giggles, letting her tiredness get the best of her. "Everyone always calls her Ms. Beckett."

"I'm allowed because she isn't my teacher," Castle ruffles her hair and Alexis ducks, tries to get away from him. "Dad, I'm not four!"

Kate can't help but laugh, seeing the two of them interact this way and when Castle looks up to meet her gaze, his smile wide, there's something more in his eyes. She'd managed to forget about the kiss in the storage closet for about thirty seconds but the way he looks at her brings her right back to that exact moment and desire flares hot in her abdomen.

Damn it, he isn't supposed to have that kind of effect on her. But her body betrays her mind, yearning for something she knows can't be good. She needs to leave before she does anything stupid.

"Goodnight you two. I'll see you in a week, Alexis," she says as she begins walking away.

"Bye, Ms. Beckett," she hears Alexis' tired voice call out.

She's almost out the door but she hears his voice one last time before she leaves. "Until next time, Kate." His voice is soft but sure, almost like a promise.

She's not sure what he means by it and she curses the butterflies that flutter awake at his words. She has a feeling she hasn't seen the last of Richard Castle.


A/N: Wow, you guys! I've been completely overwhelmed by the positive response to this story! You are all wonderful and make writing for this fandom worth it! Thank you all for your amazing support; I'd love to know what you think of this one.
- Zoe

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