This story parallels "No Tomorrow" then continues moving toward to fill in the time until "In the Days After tomorrow"
As usual. This is AU, so please do not compare with canon

Friday morning Kate is packing her bags in preparation for a trip with Castle to a book signing in Houston. He told her that after the book store visit that they would be making a trip to somewhere else in the south and he had a surprise for her.

She could not imagine what he could be talking about but she was excited about just being with him now and looking forward to the next steps in their journey together. He did tell her that she needed some casual diner party attire

As Beckett is putting together her travel bag, she made sure to include that special night gown that she had bought in LA while they were there taking care of Alexis. She knows how it affects Him when she puts it on. It does things to him that she enjoys watching, but wearing it for him does things to her as well. Flirty, sensual things that she had not done before.

This relationship has already gone places and done things that are very new to her and she believes it is going places at are unfamiliar ground for him too.

After she finishes packing she rolls her bag into the living room to wait for Castle to come and pick her up for their ride to the airport.

After she drops her bag at the door, she walks back to her desk and picks up the diary. She then moves to her couch to wait for her ride. After she sits down she opens the diary and looks again at he last entry she made last night then she takes out her pen

Mom I want to tell you more about Rick.

He makes me feel special. He did not do that at first. He came into the station acting every bit the pompous jerk that the newspapers wrote about. I wanted him gone from the precinct but he wouldn't leave. No mater what I did, he kept coming back.

After having him around for several months I discovered that there was a different guy inside that big fat head of his. There was a man who loved his mother and protected his daughter. I told you about the dress he bought me. Well his mother let me wear some of her expensive jewelry. These two women kind of accepted me and it felt good to have a family again.

Then I almost got killed when a murderer blew up my apartment. Castle called me to warn me just seconds before the blast. He saved my life. Then he let me live at his place. No not like that! Just let me stay in his guest room until I found a new place.

Mom! Him caring for me like that and my own feelings scare me bad. After I lost you I tried to hide in relationships with men I didn't love. That way it was easy to dump the guy and not get emotionally involved. But no matter how hard I tried to push Rick away, he stayed and stayed. I think he had already fallen in love with me but I was NOT going to let my feelings for him get out. I shut him out of my heart. I knew if I fell for him and he left me, I would never recover.

And anyway who am I? I'm just a cop. He's rich. He has a very expensive loft apartment. I know he also has a place in the Hamptons. He is a world famous mystery writer and there is no way he would want me. He gets any woman he wants. I don't want to be hurt by any man. I might just need to run away…

A knock on the door breaks her train of thought. She quickly closes the book, places it in her carry bag, she stands up, and moves to the door before opening it with a smile

"Hey" she says as soon as she sees Castle's face appear thru the doorway

"Hey yourself. You ready?"

"Ready as I will ever be" Beckett responds as she tries to take the handle of her roller bag, but Castle takes it away from her and proceeds to pull the suitcase behind him.

Kate closes and locks her door and follows close behind Rick. On the street there is a car and driver waiting at the curb. Rick hands the bag over to the driver as he steps aside to allow Kate to enter the rear of the limo. He follows her in the back seat and as they are getting comfortable, the driver closes the door. He gets into the driver seat and they pull out into the New York traffic.

"Kate are you ready for a few days of travel?" Castle asks as he takes her hand into his own

"As ready as I will ever be" She responds "So where are we going? Just to Houston? You told me to pack for five days. It doesn't take five days to go there, sign a few books and come back"

"Well, we will be in Houston just in time for the signing where we will spend the night. Tomorrow we fly to Miami"

"What are we going to do in Miami?"

"Well, one thing to do is to pick up my car at the airport"

"Why is you car at the airport?"

"You remember when Alexis got hurt, I was in Miami and I flew to LA? I left my car there in the long term lot at the airport"

"Oh you were driving your car on the book tour?"

Castle is a little nervous about talking the Kate about this time. He had left New York not expecting to see her ever again so he was driving. But the fact he was driving gave him the opportunity to meet some new friends and to stop off in South Carolina to stay with the couple who showed him the way to fix the things with him and Beckett

"Yeah I was. You know taking my time. Seeing the beautiful scenery along the coast. Things like that. So now you and I will drive back home from Florida together"

Beckett smiles at that thought. The two of them will be spending some alone time together. New couple, new relationship, new memories to be saved. She is excited about this next week

Once on the plane they lean back in their comfortable first class accommodations and just enjoy being together, somewhat alone.

They arrive in Houston around noon where there is a limo to take them to check in at the hotel then bring them to the bookstore

Kate Beckett had been to one other of Castle's book signings when she was younger and a smitten fangirl. This time instead of waiting in line, she is behind the table with Rick watching the women swoon over her man.

Her man!

She considers that statement. Is he is her man now? She thinks about the notes she made in her diary earlier "he can have any one of these women that are in this line" All he has to do is ask and most of them would jump at the chance for him to take them home

A knot pulls up in her stomach while she watches the line dwindle to the last few. Then finally the signing is over and they go back to the awaiting car for the trip to the hotel.

On the ride, he has his arm around her and for the moment she feels safe again, but in the back of her mind is that nagging worry

"Am I really here with Richard Castle and where are we going with this?"