Kate's mind kept drifting off to the previous night, the feeling of Rick's lips on hers, his warm hands on her cheek... She really wanted to see him again, so she called him and invited him and Alexis for the day, though Alexis would stay th night. The Castles accepted the invite and were already on their way. She let both her kids know they'd have visitors and they were very excited about it.

She prepared lunch for the three of them - as the Castles had had lunch already - and gave her kids a nice, warm bath. She framed the Halloween pictures. She had made their costumes herself. Hanna was a Power-puff Girl and Noah was Batman. She wondered which costume Alexis had chosen for that year...

"Hey, Kate." both Castles said when she opened the door for them. Alexis gave her a quick hug and went on a quest to find Hanna and Noah. Rick stood awkwardly by Kate's door.

"Come in, Rick." she said finally and took his hand, dragging him inside, before closing the door. "What's up with you today? You are way too quiet..."

"Uh-nothing, nothing." he babbled.

"You sure?"

"Actually, no. I just - I wanted to say that I'm sorry I kissed you yesterday. It was way out of line, but you were crying and I thought it would comfort you. I really like you but you seem to be on the friendship side of our relationship and I really don't want to ruin what we have -" he was cut off by her finger on his lips.

"There's no need to be sorry, Rick. I'm not mad at you. I kinda like you too." she blushed a bit, bit her bottom lip and dropped her head. He cupped her cheek, just as he had done last night, forcing her eyes to meet his He quickly scanned the room, making sure the kids weren't around, and , for the second time in less than 24 hours, he pressed his soft lips to hers.

She welcomed him gratefully and parted her lips to his touch, allowing his tongue to search every inch of the inside of her mouth. Their tongues battled for dominance, but she surrendered quickly, as he ran his hand to the small of her back, under the hem of her shirt. Her hands were on his chest and she smiled in the kiss as she felt his heartbeat increasing.

They pulled apart slightly, in a sudden urge to breathe. She rested her forehead on his, breathing him in. The scent of his cologne invading her nostrils. She was still fisting his shirt; her hand didn't move at all. He smiled at her like a nine-year-old on a sugar rush and dove in for another kiss.

This one was slower than the previous and didn't take as long. All he wanted was to taste her again. She not only smelled, but as well tasted like cherries. "You taste like cherries." he whispered as they broke apart.

"You like it?" she asked teasingly.

"Yeah." she grinned at the answer, but the grin faded when she heard a scream coming from the kids' bedroom and then, crying. She rushed out of his grip into the bedroom and faced blood All three kids were crying hard, but, as they had their backs to her, she couldn't tell whose the blood was. "Who is hurt?" she asked and, as soon as Rick heard it, he joined her in the doorstep.

Hanna turned around and faced her. The little girl's white shirt was soaked in the front as more blood slid down her neck from her chin. "Come here, baby. let momma see how bad it is." Hanna did as asked and Kate quickly spotted the nasty cut. That would need stitches. She grabbed a towel from the bathroom and pressed it to the cut. "I have to take her to the hospital." she told Rick, who picked Noah up and took Alexis hand in his as he followed the brunette out of the apartment, to his car.

"Momma is staying with you, okay? I'll hold your hand and you can squeeze it if you want. You'll only feel a sting, it's not going to hurt." Kate whispered to her daughter, who nodded, and then, pressed a kiss into her hair. "I love you, honey."

During the procedure, the girl didn't shed a tear, but kept squeezing Kate's hand from time to time until it was over. "I', really proud of you, baby girl." she kissed her forehead.

Rick was now allowed to go in with the other kids, who were - thankfully - not crying anymore. "How is she?"

"She's okay, now."

"And you?"

"I-I'll be fine. Did you find out what happened?"

"Noah had jumped from one bed to the other and she wanted to do the same, but she slipped on the comforter and hit the edge of the nightstand."

Kate sucked in a trembled breath as images of her little girl flooded her mind. She still had the blood on her hands and clothes, but they'd dried already. She could feel the tears gathering in her eyes and Rick pulled her into his embrace. She let the tears fall freely. As she buried her face in his chest, he smoothed her back and kissed the top of her head. "I was so scared." she sobbed, crying even harder. It had always been hard for her to express her feelings with actual words, but she'd collapse if she didn't get that out.

"Shh. I know, Kate, but you remained calm and strong for her and that's what matters. he said and she felt someone tugging on her shirt.

"Don't cry, momma. I don't like to see you cry. I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Noah. But no more jumping from the bed."

"Lexi told us not to but we did it anyway."

Kate, then, remembered Rick's daughter was there and glanced at her. The little redhead was squeezing her own hands as she looked down at them. Kate walked out of Rick's arms, immediately missing the heat - but she had to do it -, and crouched in front of the girl, taking the girl's hands in hers to draw her attention. "Thank you for warning them, sweetie."

"Don't thank me. I should've stopped them, but I didn't. I let them do it and it's my fault Hanna is hurt." a fat tear slid down the girl's cheek and Kate dried it with her bloodstained thumb.

"It is not your fault! You warned them and yet they did it. If you had done anything else to stop them you would've gotten hurt too."

Alexis threw herself in Kate's arms and cried just like the older woman had done moments before. When the sobbing subsided, Kate told Rick to enter the room with the kids and that she would wash herself. Later, she watched as the warm water washed the blood out of her hands. She hated to see her kids sick or injured, but sighed in relief that her baby girl was now okay and free to go home.

She pressed her now clean hands on the counter and leaned over it, her hair creating a dark curtain on the sides of her face, as she cried. "Kate, daddy said to come and get you so we can go home." Kate nodded, whipped the tears off her face and followed Alexis out.

Her children were asleep in the back of Rick's car when she entered it with Alexis. The drive back to Kate's apartment was quiet as Alexis quickly dozed off as well. Kate kept watching the trees blur out the window. "Kate, are you alright?" Rick asked, worried.

"Not yet." she replied honestly. "But I'll be fine."

They exited the car. Kate carried her kids and Rick carried Alexis to the apartment. Kate settled her children on the bed and tucked them in before taking a look at the bedroom floor. The dry blood brought the memories of earlier that day back, but she didn't cry. There were no more tears to be shed. Instead, she cleaned the floor while Rick changed Alexis into her PJs and set a bed for the girl.

It was still early night, but the kids were exhausted. He layed Alexis on the bed and kissed her forehead. "You should stay as well." he heard Kate say as she leaned against the door frame, watching him intently.

"I wouldn't want to impose."

"You're not imposing, Rick. I'm telling you to. I'll make as something to eat, you should get more comfy."

She prepared some noodles and they ate quietly in the kitchen. Kate changed into an oversized NYPD shirt and leggings before joining him on the couch. She sat down next to him and he took her hand in his, gently pulling her so she'd lay her head on his lap.

Kate closed her eyes, as he stroked her hair gently, amazed at what the slightest touch from him could do to her. "Thank you.. for being here."

"Always, Kate." he whispered and leaned to press a kiss to her forehead. "You should go to bed, you're really tired."

"No. You take the bed and I'll take the couch."

"There's no way I'll let you sleep on the couch, Kate!"

"Tell you what, we both take the bed, but no funny business."

"Scout's honor!" he raised a hand and she glared at him, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Were you ever an actual scout, Rick?"

The grin was whipped off his face and he lowered his hand. "No, not really. But, come on, you understood." she smiled, took his hand and guided him wordlessly to her bedroom. "Do you have a favorite side of the bed?"

"Yeah, I'll take the right."

She lied down and he lied next to her, their backs touching and sending not only goosebumps but also a heat wave up their backs. Kate wanted to reach for him, to cuddle and feel his protective arms around her, but didn't move, afraid that he wasn't on the same page.