SPOILER(S): Episodes 17 and 18, of season 2: "Tick, Tick, Tick..." and "Boom"

The Kiss

"Then you kiss me and suddenly I don't care anymore…"

She sat at the counter, flipping through the paper, and sipping her coffee. She was purposely avoiding Page 6. They had had their first official outing as a couple last night, to a Disadvantaged Kids Charity Ball. There had been photographers and paparazzi absolutely everywhere. She couldn't count how many they had posed for.

"Morning, Detec- uh, Kate."

She smiled and looked over at the young woman. While they were close, Alexis was still getting used to the shift in her father's relationship with the Detective he followed. "Morning, Alexis. How was your night?"

Alexis shrugged. "Quiet." She answered with a small grin. "How was your first official ball?"

Kate grinned. "It was… it was different. Walking the red carpet, with all those famous faces…" She looked into her mug. "I was this close to Alec Baldwin. Alec Baldwin."

Alexis laughed lightly, remembering how surreal it used to be, walking the red carpet with her dad.

Kate smiled. "Now I'm doing everything I can to avoid any pictures. I think I've read this article about the Knicks four times."

"You don't want to see?"

"I'm afraid to see." She confided. "What if it's a really bad photo? What if I'm going cross-eyed or something?"

Alexis bit her lip. "Here." She reached over and took the paper from Kate's hands, and flipped until she found the page showing off the hits and misses from the night before.

Kate moved from the stool she was sitting on, and made her way to the coffee machine. She topped up her mug, and grabbed another one to fill for Alexis. Though the night before had been their first outing as a couple to such a highly publicised event, over the previous month, she had been spending almost every night at the loft.

Though, if she were perfectly honest with herself, she had never really moved out after her own apartment had blown up all those months ago.

"You're awfully quiet." She commented, placing the mug in front of Alexis. She looked up at Kate, thanked her for the coffee and took a sip. "Is it that bad?" Kate asked, sitting back next to the younger woman.

Alexis shook her head. "Oh, no. Its… you looked amazing, Kate."

Kate blushed. "Really?"

Alexis nodded. "Yeah, have a look at this one." She slid the paper over, tapping the middle of the page.

Kate looked, and her breath caught in her chest. "Wow." She murmured.

"Is there coffee on? Please tell me there's coffee on."

"There's coffee on, Dad. Relax."

Castle grinned and skipped down the last few stairs, and into the kitchen. "Good morning, Miss Alexis." He planted a kiss on her forehead. "Good morning, Miss Kate." He leant down to her level, puckering his lips for a kiss. Absentmindedly, she turned her head and kissed him softly. Not noticing the pictures in the paper, he wandered over to the coffee machine and poured himself a cup, stirring it slowly as he leant opposite Kate on the counter. "Whatcha looking at?"

Kate looked up at him, her eyes shining. Castle looked to Alexis for an explanation.

"Pictures of last night." She said, nodding at the counter.

"Oh, let me see!"

He walked behind Kate and rested a hand on her shoulder, peering over the other. "Nice, very nice. There's me and Alec. So funny." He said, shaking his head with a small smile.

"I didn't think anyone saw that." Muttered Kate, tapping the page.

Castle looked above her finger. "Oh, wow." Richard Castle was at a loss for words.

The picture she had tapped was one of the two of them, standing in the middle of the ball room completely wrapped up in each other. The fairy lights that adorned the walls were blurry behind them, creating a kind of halo around them. They had been slow dancing, enjoying being in each other's arms in a very public setting. Kate remembered Castle saying something about wishing they were in the loft, because he could kiss her without making her feel awkward. She had felt sorry for him, strangely, and had grabbed the lapels of his tux, pulling him close and planting one on him right then and there.

The photographer managed to snap at just the right moment, after she had shifted onto her toes and Castle had cupped her face.

Before that night and that photo, she would have thought that they were still skirting the issue. Yes, they were seeing each other, but both were hesitant to put a label on what they had. Her, in fear of admitting that he might just turn out to be her one-and-done; and he out of respect for her, and her need to think things through.

But he had proved to her; and her to herself, that they really could go the distance. She knew there were people out there in the city of New York who would think it unprofessional for the Detective to be dating her charge. But they didn't know what it was like. They weren't the detective and the writer, not among their friends at the precinct. They were partners on the job. Castle had become an honorary member of the force, and she couldn't imagine even attempting to solve cases without him.

That kiss proved to her, and hopefully the rest of the city, that maybe, just maybe, Richard Castle and Kate Beckett could do it all.

"Are there any more?"

Alexis nodded, and pointed to one closer to the edge.

"I think we're making me sick." Commented Castle, bending to look at the photo closer.

Beckett rolled her eyes.

"Can you get copies of those?" asked Alexis, tapping the edge of the paper and looking between the two pictures.

Castle shrugged. "If you want them, I'm sure I can sort it out."

Kate looked up slowly, and turned her head to look at him. "You can get these? How?"

"I know a guy."

"You know a guy?"

Castle frowned. "I know lots of guys, Kate, we've been over this. I'm sure I could go to the paper and ask around in there and get copies. Why, do you want some too?"

Kate skittered her eyes away, then looked back at him. "Maybe I do."

Castle nodded. "Done."

He looked back at the photo of them on the red carpet. They had their arms around each other and had only just posed for another photo, when he dipped his head to whisper in her ear. She turned her head to look at him, and had to tilt it back slightly to meet his eyes. The cheeky grin he wore offset with her disbelieving one and it summed up their whole relationship.

Who said they wouldn't last?

The Kiss – Karmina