3

Kate woke to the sound of a door closing and she turned to look at the alarm clock beside the bed. It showed 7.30 a.m. She didn't remember falling asleep yesterday but she must have some time. All she knew was Chas waking up twice crying, asking for her mommy. Kate had calmed her down and stayed until she was asleep again, afraid to let her alone, not sure what would happen if Chas would wake up alone. It hadn't even been 6 p.m. when Chas finally fell asleep but somehow the bed had felt way too comfortable to get up.

Slowly and carefully she got out off bed and met Rick at the end of the bed.

"Good morning, beautiful. Thought you may need a shower and a few minutes to yourself." Rick said leaning down to capture her lips in a soft kiss.

"Good morning. Sounds perfect." She smiled. "Thanks for letting me sleep. Think I really needed that." She gave him another kiss before resting her head on his chest for a moment.

"I figured that and you're welcome" Kate walked over to the door and quietly opened it. "Take your time. I'll take care of Chas. Breakfast's ready when you are." Kate smiled before closing the door behind her.

After her shower Kate walked back into the guest room (or now it would be Chas room) in search for her cell phone. She needed to check the messages she received and didn't hear yesterday. When she found it under the pillow she was surprised to see there weren't any new calls or messages. Either Ryan and Esposito were still nowhere with their investigation or they had just not called. The more she thought about it she knew it was the latter.

Normally she would be pissed at them for not calling about new leads and evidence, after all this was her case, but somehow she couldn't be today. As much as she needed to find the murderer of Kimberly Hastings she also wanted to spend some more time with Chas and let the others figure out their case.

At the foot of the stairs Kate almost ran into Alexis who was in a hurry to get all her things together for school.

"Morning, sweetie"

"Morning, Kate." She hugged her briefly and walked over to the kitchen. There she hugged her father and gave a giggling Chas a kiss on the cheek before getting her things and heading for the door.

"I'm off to school. See you later. Bye." The front door clicked shut the moment Kate entered the kitchen. She leaned in the doorframe for a moment, watching Rick make pancakes, a laughing little girl sitting next to him on the counter.

"Katie!" Kate pushed herself off the wall and walked over to Chas. The little girl was hopping up and down on the counter happy to see Kate.

"Good morning, honey!"

"I help" Chas pointed over to the bowl of batter and smiled first at Kate and then at Rick.

"I can see that!" Kate let out a laugh and reached over to wipe the flour from Chas cheek and brushed it out off her hair. "Did Ricky already promise you ice-cream today?"

"Yes!" Chas started laughing because of Ricks face but as Kate turned around he was preparing breakfast, pretending he had done nothing.

"I told her to say no" his voice was betrayed but sounding very much fake and his lips already formed into a smile.

"She's three" Kate answered laughing "Besides, she totally loves me!"

"Well, that makes two" he leaned forward and kissed Kate lightly on the cheek.

"Me, too!" Chas exclaimed suddenly.

"Come on, beautiful!" Rick placed both his hands on her waist and placed a soft kiss on both of Chas cheeks.

Castle then continued making pancakes, Kate standing beside him because Chas had a hold on her hand. She had fun playing with Kate's bracelet and it didn't seem like she would be giving it up anytime soon.

"What do you say while Rick's setting the table we go upstairs and I twist you two real plaits?" Kate asked upon studying the ones Rick had tried to create. Chas nodded her head yes and held her arms out for Kate to take her.

"We'll be back in 5 minutes"

"I'll remind you of that in an hour!" Rick called after them.

* falling in love with a vampire* *falling in love with a vampire*

Kate knew the precinct wasn't the best place for a two-year-old but she couldn't just stay at home the next few weeks. They actually had tried to leave her at the loft with Rick but Chas vehemently refused to be anywhere where Kate wasn't. Not that she didn't adore Castle already but for now she was attached to Kate.

So right now she was sitting in the break-room, playing with some of her toys. Her old teddy bear was sitting right beside her; the one she'd given Castle sat on his lap while he watched Chas play with her Barbie dolls. Kate had her own teddy on her desk right now but she would take it home with her later and place it on the nightstand in Chas room, because Kate was certain she would have to sleep in there for a few more days to get Chas comfortable.

"Hey. You want to hear what we found on Kimberly?" Ryan asked when he and Esposito came to a stop in front of her desk.

"Sure" but you could easily hear that she wasn't in the mood for it right now.

"She's 19, never finished school because she got pregnant with 16. Started working as a babysitter five months ago. She used to go by the name of her husband, although not on legal papers, but she got divorced recently. Name of her ex-husband is Drake Keller. Still have to find him yet."

"Anything odd in her financials? Did her old neighbors help with anything?"

"She wasn't exactly a people person. Stayed in for most of the time, watching her daughter. She gets maintenance from her ex and a little money from her job but that's it."

"So and now to something that you'll like better." Esposito continued. Kate glanced at him waiting for him to go on. "Your little beauty in there is Chastity Caroline Hastings. She turned three a month ago. That's all her birth certificate tells us but we know that she really is obsessed Disney princess. Her room in the old apartment was full of it, too" Esposito smiled at that and got the effect he wanted when Kate smiled herself.

"She really loves that. We had to read her two of Alexis' old books today before we could leave the house. She said her mom always read her one before sleeping and one when she would wake up."

"I thought I will make a quick visit to fill you in on what I found about our… about Kimberly" Lanie said when she stepped around the corner, a big smile on her face. Kate knew that was only one of three reasons she came up here. One of the other two was currently sitting at his desk, trying to keep his eyes off of his girlfriend but on the report that had just come up.

"You're lucky Ryan and Esposito refused to tell me 'til now"

"You sure you're okay with that?" With Kate's nod of her head Lanie went on "She has five stab wounds on her back, all caused by the same weapon. If I would take a guess I would say a hunting knife, maybe special manufacturing. The cuts aren't deep but arranged in the exact places that would make her unable to call for help or survive. No signs of medication or drugs. Seems like she knew her murderer and trusted him enough to let him or her into her bedroom."

"Thanks, Lanie" She gave her friend a smile before adding "She's in the break-room but I can't promise anything" Lanie returned the smile and then headed straight to where Kate had said Chas was.

She stopped in doorway, watching Castle watching Chas while the little girl was sitting on the floor, back resting against the couch. She was currently coloring in one of her Snow white coloring books.

"Hi" Chas looked up from her painting, looking straight into Lanie's eyes, a smile tugging at the corners of her lips.

"Hi" Lanie replied, sharing a quick look with Rick and seeing her own surprise mirrored in his eyes. "What are you coloring there?" She made her way over to sit beside Chas on the floor. Seeing the girl making the first attempt of speaking, Lanie took as a good sign.

"Snow white"

"I see. You like her?"

"She a princess"

"Yeah, just like you" She liked Lanie.

Shoving her crayons into the middle of the table she said "Help me?"

Rick watched them for a few minutes before speaking.

"You know where Katie is, do you?" Chas nodded at that, pointing out the door. "Would you allow me to go there for a minute?"

Chas played that question over and over in her mind. She knew what he wanted but she wasn't quite sure if she wanted him to leave. Taking a quick look at Lanie she nodded her head. "okay"

"You're okay with her for a few minutes?"

"Sure. Go, Castle, I know you're way over a break."

"Thank you"

"Hey, can you believe it?" Rick said when he walked up to Kate.

"You let her with Lanie?" Kate asked, not really believing, and sat on the edge of her desk. "How?"

"I just asked her and she said okay"

*falling in love with a vampire* *falling in love with a vampire*

The last twos hours they had been going over reports and financial records on every of their suspects although the number of suspects was damn small. When Kate finally decided it was time another break and a few more minutes to spend with Chas and Rick she closed the file she was going through. The moment she left her desk Castle came out of the break room, Chas in his arms. The first time since she met the little girl, Kate was glad for her fear to be seen by anyone otherwise Chas now would've come face to face with pictures of their crime scene.

"I'm sorry but she wanted to see you. I kind of was afraid to tell her no because of her teary eyes."

"It's okay, honey. I was coming over to you anyway. And I didn't just say that out loud, did I?" Kate closed her eyes and biting her lip she hoped beyond anything that nobody had heard her.

"Oh yes, you did my darling" Castle whispered in her ear, not able to contain his smile.

"I can promise you we will have a great time holding that against you" Esposito chimed in with a smile of his own. Then he retreated to his desk, trying to avoid the pen Kate was throwing his way.

"You just wait until I talked to Lanie" she said after the pen didn't quiet hit the target.

"As much as I adore her but could you maybe take her for a while? My arm's kind of hurting." Rick said, indicating to the one arm he had over Chastity's head in a rather odd angle.

"Sure, come on, baby girl!" Gently she took Chas from Rick's arms, realizing she was fast asleep. With one hand she steadied the little girl on her waist, with the other she reached up and undid the ponytail she had put her hair into this morning. "How did this even happen?" she asked, meaning his arm, when she walked back into the break room.

"She refused to go out here if anybody would be able to see her and unfortunately I didn't happen to have long hair where she could hide under."

"You could change that, you know" she turned around and studied him, actually trying to imagine him with long hair.

"That would look terrible"

"Yeah, you're probably right" Kate shook her head, getting that ridiculous image she just got out off her head.

After Rick had closed the door behind them, he made himself comfortable on the couch beside Kate. She leaned against his side; her head rested on his shoulder, and closed her eyes. Chas was still sleeping peacefully in Kate's arms, both of her hands gripping her shirt.

"Maybe you shouldn't get too comfortable. Looks like the Captain's already looking for you" Rick after a few minutes said. Her response was a frustrated sight but she got up and laid Chastity on the couch. She kissed the top of her hair lightly and making sure no one was watching she leaned in and gave Rick a quick kiss.

*falling in love with a vampire* *falling in love with a vampire*