Sealed Lips

Chapter Two

Beckett groans, rolls over in bed and snatches her phone from the nightstand a second too late. She thumbs the screen and it flashes to life. Great, she missed a call from her father. She yawns, blinks at the screen and tosses the phone back. She'll just get five more minutes sleep and then call him back. It's not an unreasonable hour so she's fairly certain it's not an emergency. She hasn't spoken to her father in a couple of weeks now, he's probably just calling to organise a time to catch up and she can formulate a plan a lot more effectively when she's conscious and coherent. She hasn't told him about her relationship with Castle yet, a little because she hasn't really had the time to catch up properly. It's not like she's really made the effort to introduce boyfriends to her father over the past few years anyway, she's kind of past the awkward meet the parents stage of her life. Plus, introducing Castle as her boyfriend changes things, it's not so much a meet the boyfriend experience as a meet the only likely candidate for future son in law. She's never brought a man she fully intended on marrying home before. She definitely intends on marrying Castle. Not tomorrow, but someday. She is a one and done kind of girl after all.

It's as if Castle is in tune with her thoughts. He rolls over and pulls her tight into his chest, curling his body around hers. She pretty certain that he fully intends on marrying her someday too. She wouldn't be surprised if their was already a ring stuffed into his sock drawer or something. She's not going to search for it, not with the knowledge that in time it will be hers regardless. Best not to spoil her own surprise. She groans internally over her minds fixation on marriage, seriously, what is she, thirteen? They've been dating for weeks, barely even months and she's already obsessing over proposals and happily ever afters. Castle with his sunny disposition really has altered her life. She slips back into sleep, the five minutes more turning into ten, then thirty and then a resounding knock on the door of Castle's loft is rudely interrupting her slumber. She's never been one for sleeping in, but quality time with Castle is introducing her to the merits. She sleepily pries her eyes open, glancing at Castle's still sleeping form. Typical. She's the one who has to drag herself from bed to open the damn door to his house.

She stumbles gracelessly from the bed and tugs on one of Castle's t-shirts before managing to find her own pyjama pants tangled on the floor. She pulls them on as well and makes her way through the loft to the front door. Usually she'd make the effort to check the peephole, but she's still drowsy and a little disoriented. She wordlessly jerks the door open and freezes.

"Dad?" she chokes out, her voice tight, strangled. He hums in greeting and she's suddenly so very aware that she's wearing a shirt with the cover of one of Castle's books emblazoned on it. Oh, and she's answering the door to Castle's loft with mussed bed hair and sleep in her eyes. She folds her arms self consciously across her chest and averts her gaze steadily to the floor. "What are you doing at Castle's home?" she manages to force out with a huff of breath.

"I could ask you the same thing," Jim answers solemnly. Beckett chances a glance to his face and finds his expression light and teasing. She relaxes and grins a little.

"You first," she smirks and ushers him in. She leads him to the kitchen. "Coffee?" He nods. She busies herself pulling mugs from the cabinet.

"You look very domestic," her father hedges. She rolls her eyes.

"Nope, you first," she demands gently.

"Mmm. Well, there was a fire in my street last night. Nothing too dramatic," he assures her as her expressions shifts from curious to panicked. "The smoke was quite thick in the air and the firemen advised most of us we might be more comfortable seeking alternate accommodation for the night. Give the air a chance to settle into a more breathable state."

"That makes sense," Beckett nods, listening intently to her father.

"Yes. So, I headed to your apartment and made use of the spare key you gave me. I waited up for a little while but reasoned you were just having a late night at the precinct. Imagine my surprise when I woke up in the morning and you still hadn't come home," he teases softly. "I decided to stop by the precinct and say hi before heading home…But you know what?" he pauses for dramatic effect, "you weren't there either."

"Ah huh," Beckett sighs, placing a steaming cup of coffee in front of her father. "So, you thought you'd just wander over to Castle's and check if I was there next?"

"Well…Yes," her father grins. "Worked out pretty well too. Here you are," his smirk widens.

"Hmm, here I am," she concedes.

"Your turn," he prompts. She lets loose a steady sigh and opens her mouth to explain, but Castle emerges from the bedroom, rubbing his hands over his face and completely ignoring his surroundings.

"Beckett," he whines, "why are you out of bed? Come back. I want to snuggle…" he voice fades away as he draws his hands from his face and takes in the occupants of the kitchen. "Oh god," he murmurs, before stumbling slightly, his face pale. Beckett emits a pained groan as the blush rises steadily up her cheeks. "I…ah…sorry?" Castle offers, his voice high-pitched and panicked.

"Sit down, son," Jim chuckles, pulling a stool from under the kitchen counter and patting it encouragingly. Castle staggers to a seat beside him. "Katie, get the man a coffee," he smiles. Beckett obliges shooting Castle an apologetic glance as she places the mug before him. He manages a tight smile in response. "Anything you'd like to tell me, Katie?" Jim hedges with a smug little smirk. At least someone appears to be enjoying the emotionally scaring experience. Beckett is half expecting Castle to pass out, he's still deathly pale and his slack-jawed expression does nothing to instil confidence in her.

"Fine, yes, Dad…Castle and I are dating now. Clearly, it's not that much of a shock to you considering you showed up here looking for me," she berates jokingly. Jim beams at that –

"I'm happy for you both," he exclaims, clapping Castle on the shoulder. He shudders under Jim's touch and Beckett shakes her head at her father. "So, just tell me one thing?" Jim adds, his tone suddenly serious. Beckett worries her bottom lip between her teeth and Castle hopes that his attempt to not look like a terrified teenager is coming across as genuine. "Do I need to start looking around for a sophisticated suit to walk you down the aisle in?"

Beckett is biting down on her lip – hard – to contain her laughter, she can't disguise the humour shining brightly in her eyes. Jim lets out a thundering chuckle. Castle is surprised. With the hardships Jim has endured, the loss of love, the loss of life to the bottle, he sometimes forgets that Beckett's dry, biting humour stems from this man. Jim is gazing between them, clearly expecting one of them to form at least some semblance of an answer to his teasingly prying question.

"Dad," Beckett chides lightly, throwing in an eye roll for good measure, "just waiting for Castle here to man up and ask me," she shrugs. Castle chokes on the coffee he's sipping with a snort. Both the Beckett's chuckle at him. It doesn't need to be said that the reality is the ball's totally in Beckett's court. Castle's been ready to propose to her for years.

"I'm not sure how well we could keep it from Gates if we got married," Castle mentions with a quirk of his eyebrow.

"When…" Beckett intones softly, with a wistful expression clouding her countenance.

"Huh?" Castle replies quizzically.

"You said 'if'…It's 'when', Castle," she smiles.

"When," he affirms with a broad grin, stretching his hand across the counter to grasp hers gently, rubbing soft circles along the back of her hand. "When," he repeats, the joy evidently shining on his face. Jim watches the interaction with a soft chuckle.

"I best be going," he grins, squeezing Castle's shoulder in farewell, "Rick."

"Jim, you're always welcome here," he nods.

"Come here and give your old man a hug, Katie," he motions, getting to his feet.

"Do you have to leave so soon?" she pouts, regressing to a childish version of herself momentarily, hugging him tightly. "Stay for brunch?"

"I can't. I'm a very busy man," but he pulls Kate back into his side once again as they walk towards the door. "I think I might head out suit shopping," he winks, swinging the door swiftly shut behind him. Beckett is left in the doorway with a slightly stunned expression. She shakes her head before drifting back into the kitchen and pressing a soft kiss to the top of Castle's head. Let her father buy a suit, it's only a matter of time now, they're too far along the path of the inevitable to ever turn back.

AN: I so wasn't intending on updating this so quickly, if at all… However, seeing as fic writing is much more entertaining than university here we are. On that note, I've got at least another two chapters in mind. Please review!

One last thing, oh my god, White Pawn – you're back! I'm missed your stunningly gratifying reviews. Lovely to hear from you once again!