Chapter two: Beckett's POV

..

She can't believe she has just agreed to go away with Castle! But to be honest she's heard so much about New Zealand and she really does need a trip far away from New York, somewhere she can really relax. But with Castle...? Her hands tremble as she makes a late dinner and tries to figure out what she should do to calm herself. Lanie comes to mind and she glances at the clock... 9.00pm not too late to call. She grabs her phone from the bench and settles onto the couch pulling her mink blanket around her for comfort.

"Hey girl," Lanie answered.

"Hi Lanie, do you have a moment to talk?"

"Of course,"

"I just did something a little impulsive... Now don't go telling Esposito straight away..." Beckett laughed nervously.

"Oh my god... Did you sleep with Castle?" Lanie sounds excited and Beckett rolls her eyes. She isn't surprised that Lanie jumped to that conclusion. "Shut up Esposito!" Lanie's voice sounds muffled, she was probably cupping her hand over the mouth piece of the phone as she yelled at him.

"No Lanie, I've... Um..." She pauses, and then blurts out the remaining words. "Agreed to go away with him and Alexis to New Zealand..." There was a moment of silence as her words sunk in, or quite possibly Lanie was trying to decipher the rushed words.

"Oh wow sweetie that will be so good for you. I'm jealous! Don't stress, Castle is a good man... If you're not ready, he's not going to push you." Beckett smiles into the phone. Lanie knew exactly what she was thinking and feeling... Sometimes it freaked her out how she did that.

"Thanks. I do really want to go away and I do enjoy his company... I just worry he's going to get the wrong idea."

"Do you have separate motel rooms?" Lanie asked.

"Yes," Beckett replied indignantly. "He said he would make sure of it before I even asked."

"Hmm,"

"Do I detect a hint of disappointment?" Beckett asks teasingly.

"Maybe a little..." Lanie admitted. "But it's a good thing you have separate rooms, if things get too much you have your own space to go to."

"Well I'll let you go; I'll keep in touch though."

"You better girl! I need to know every detail. Goodnight,"

"Goodnight,"

She hung up and decided to have a bath before going to bed, she had been at the gym earlier and her muscles felt a little tense... Or maybe it was the upcoming holiday that was making her tense she couldn't tell.

..

The morning light sneaking its way through a gap in her curtains made her eyes ache, she buried her face into her pillow and tried to clear her sleep fogged mind. Tuesday... No work... Castle... Oh. She lurched clumsily upright and looked at her clock, 10.00am. She had plenty of time to pack and pop over to her neighbours and ask her to collect her mail.

'You're going away with Castle today...' She tells herself, testing the thought out in her mind and seeing what it felt like. Her heart skips a beat and butterflies began fluttering into her belly in excitement. This morning things seem more promising than her anxious thoughts last night. She knows Castle, she trusts him. She was sure to have a good time away with the writer and his brilliant daughter, she smiles as she gets dressed, and as she does she racks her brain trying to remember where she stored her suitcase. It had been a while since she'd needed it!

She begins by pulling all her winter clothes from her wardrobe, she'd packed them up on the top shelf since being summer in New York she didn't need them. She throws them onto the bed, and pulls out random things that catch her eye. She finds herself wondering whether Castle would like the colour of this jacket, or the tightness of those jeans. She can't seem to help it; it was an automatic reaction for her to want to impress Castle. This wasn't the first time it had happened. She had found in the past few months she had begun doing this every morning before work when she knew Castle would be in. She pulled out her swim suit, and smirks. Now this could be fun. She definitely isn't beyond a little teasing... She packs in a modest one piece swim suit and then digs around for a bikini. It's white and not the see through kind and it shows off the olive of her skin and makes her dark hair stand out. She grins; this is definitely going to be a fun.

..

At half past twelve, someone knocks at her door. She knows it's him. She opens it, a little surprised to see him so early, Alexis stands a little to the side looking a bit apprehensive.

"Hey Alexis," Beckett smiles at her welcomingly and Alexis gives her a big smile in return, moving closer to the door. "Come in guys. Do you want a coffee?" She gestures to the kitchen where the jug was boiling.

"Sure, sorry we're early. Someone was getting a little antsy waiting at the loft." Castle confesses following her into the kitchen. "And that someone wasn't me for once." He laughs, and Alexis joins in, looking more relaxed than she had standing outside Beckett's apartment. It must be weird for her going away with her dads work partner, even if Castle was telling the truth when he said Alexis had suggested it.

"Well I'm ready any way; I was just making myself a coffee to pass the time." She looks over her shoulder and catches Alexis' eye, the girl was settling herself into a chair. "I'm excited too." Beckett admits and begins making the coffee. "I haven't travelled so far before."

"Really...?" Alexis asks, she starts rattling off the places she had visited and Beckett saw Castle cringe. She raised her eye brows at him in question. What was that look on his face? Was he worried she didn't want to hear this? She hands him his coffee and sits across from father and daughter.

"So, where are we staying?" Beckett asks them when Alexis had finished telling her about the various places she'd been.

"It's a motel in Turangi which is closer to Mt. Ruapehu than Taupo is." Alexis began. The places she was speaking of sounded so foreign to Beckett and she felt the excitement rise in her again. "It's in a nice area near the river!" Alexis fishes through her handbag. "I was going to show you on the plane, but I'll show you our activity plans when we're flying, for now I'll just show you where we are staying." She hands her a page that she had obviously printed from the internet with a big picture of the motel at the top of the page and contact details written beneath it. "I chose it." Alexis says proudly.

"What a great choice." Beckett tells her. The motel looks nice, not flashy like the places Castle would normally choose. A gravel driveway led to an area to park your cars and an open ended square of motel buildings. The buildings were neatly painted white with a green trim. The gardens were neat and to the right you could see the river and a large swing bridge across it. "It's beautiful."

"I suggested a hotel, but Alexis likes simple better." Castle commented.

"I like simple too." She says and glances at the clock, out of the corner of her eye she sees Castle turn to the clock too.

"Time to go Detective Beckett," he grabs their coffee mugs; she left him washing them while she heads to her bedroom and drags her suitcase into the lounge. Castle straight away reaches for her suitcase but she rolls her eyes at him and pulls it out of reach.

"I'm alright Castle. Alexis do you mind grabbing my handbag from the kitchen?"

"Sure," Alexis brought it back with her a funny expression on her face. "What on earth do you have in here, bricks?" Beckett chuckles at Alexis' comment.

"Sorry, no. I packed a couple of books in there but they're pretty big." Alexis smiled.

"I packed books too, probably way too many." Alexis slips the strap of Beckett's handbag over her shoulder. "Let's go!" She strides towards the apartment door and Castle follows, still disgruntled at not being allowed to carry her bag. Beckett turns around and takes one last look at her apartment. This is it; she's really going away with Castle.