English is my first language but I still suck at it.

Here is the fourth chapter, I hope you all enjoy and are not disappointed with it.

Again Thank for the reviews

I do not own Castle.

Chapter 4 – The Next Day

Kate woke up that morning with the largest smile on her face; a smile so big that it hurt her face a little. The night before had been classic, impressive, and sensual. She turned to the look at the man who went with her on that journey but only found an empty bed. "Castle where are you?" she wondered out loud, sitting up in bed. She looked around for any sign of her husband but there was no such luck.

Then Kate heard a feeble knock at the door. She thought it was Castle and that he was back for another journey. So she let the sheet fall around her waist revealing her and in her best suggestive voice she called softly "Come in."

The door opened wide and Martha Rodgers appeared on the other side.

Martha let out a yelp and whipped her hands up in front of her eyes. Kate cried out and yanked the sheets up to her chin. "Oh my God. Martha, hi. What can I do for you?" Kate asked as she turned the brightest red that had ever been seen on a human being.

"Kate, hi. I just wanted to talk to you about the whole Meredith problem" she said still not removing her hands from her eyes. "I will give you a few minutes. So you can…yeah" she said backing out of the room and closing the door. Kate pulled her legs up and placed her head on her knees. She sat there awhile as the shock and embarrassment passed from her and then headed for the shower.

Martha sat staring into her wine glass. Not noticing that 20 minutes had passed or that Kate was coming out of the bedroom.

"Martha I am so sorry about that. I thought you were Castle…" Kate said slightly blushing. "You probably don't want to hear that either."

"My dear Kate, you have nothing to be ashamed of" Martha said focusing on Kate. "If I had your body I'd be naked all the time" Martha said placing her hand over Kate's, who had joined her at the kitchen counter. "I have been in far more embarrassing situations, trust me." This time Martha tipped her glass to Kate. "So, I came to talk to you about Meredith and the dinner tonight between you, Meredith, and Richard."

Kate cocked her head to one side and asked "Where is Castle, by the way?"

"Oh, he had to attend a meeting. He said he'd be back in a while" Martha stated taking another sip of her wine. "He waited for you but it was getting to be late and he couldn't wait any longer."

"What?" Kate shocked at the late hour of the day, when she noticed the clock saying that it was 4:30 in the afternoon.

"That must have been one hell of a night, dear" Martha smirked at her. "You can never have too many of those, if you ask me" she finished looking at the once again blushing Kate.

Kate thought to herself 'what was it with this family and its ability to make me blush.' "Great, I barely have any time to get ready for dinner tonight and pick this place up before then" Kate snapped back to the problem at hand, the dinner ahead with Meredith.

"That is exactly why I wanted to talk to you. I don't think you should get all made up for her. Meredith likes to make everything a big production that revolves around her. Show her that Richard and you will not change your daily lives because she blows into town. You, Kate Castle, need to show Meredith that he is yours and no one else's. No one can take him away from you."

Kate thought about what Martha was telling her. "How do I do that? I mean I can't slap the crap out of her like I want to. Can I?" Kate asked actually hoping Martha would say yes.

"My advice is not to look at her as Richard's ex-wife or Alexis' mom" Martha said. "View her as a suspect in a crime. The crime of attempted theft. She's trying to steal your man. Show her it's not possible, and that he is theft proof. Do not be Mrs. Castle, wife of famous author. Be Detective Kate Castle, Richard Castle's only muse." Kate could tell that Martha was speaking from her heart and that she meant every word coming out of her mouth.

"I only have one concern with that plan" Kate said. "What about Alexis? I don't want to ruin her relationship with her mother." Kate was more concerned about the littlest Castle than herself, again.

"Alexis knows what kind of person Meredith really is and that is why she called me. She asked if I would come over here to talk to you about how to handle her mother. Alexis knows this is the way it has to be. She won't think any less of you. I should be going and you need to think. Talk to Richard about it and handle her in the way you two decide is best. You try and have a good night, okay?" With that Martha stood up, kissed Kate on the cheek and walked out the door, leaving Kate with a big decision about tonight. Present herself as Kate Castle wife, or Detective Kate Castle muse.

As afternoon gave way to evening, Kate had decided to take Martha's advice but only if she got both Castles' permission. So she picked up the phone and dialed the little one first because her permission was more important.

After a few rings Alexis answered in her normal bubbly way. "Hi Kate, did Grams talk to you yet?" this greeting answered Kate's first question.

"Yes, did she tell you what she wants me to do? I don't want to hurt your relationship with your mother" Kate asked. Hoping it would not.

"Yes, she did. I think you should take Grams' advice here" Alexis was now less sparkling. "Our relationship has never been great, my mother's and mine. I mean, she didn't even show up to my high school graduation, what mother does that? I feel she needs to know that she cannot walk into Dad's life and get him back. You need to take a stand. Let her know that he is yours, Kate."

Kate smiled at the words of the littlest Castle. Kate thought that Castle had done a great job raising her but she had to make sure. "Are you going to be okay if I do this?"

Alexis became very serious, "That's what needs to happen, Kate. If it strains our relationship fine, anyways I have you and truthfully that's a lot better." Kate's eyes welled up a little at her words. She really cared for Alexis as if she was her own but it was hearing that Alexis felt the same way that made her ready to cry happy tears.

"Thank you" was all Kate could get out without her voice cracking.

"You're welcome and Kate, thank you. I should go. Have fun tonight" with that Alexis hung up.

Kate just beamed.

It was a little after 7 in the evening when Castle arrived home. He was a little surprised to find Kate sitting on the couch, in her sweats and an old t-shirt of his, a pony tail, reading a book. He thought that she would be getting ready to face Meredith. "Hi" was all he could think of at this sight. It looked homey and he wanted to join her.

She looked up from her book and over her reading glasses. "Hi" she replied sweetly. "How did your meeting go?"

"Fine. I thought you'd be getting ready by now" he said looking at her and thinking that no matter what she looked good in anything.

"I needed to talk to you first. I spoke with both your mother and daughter today about how to handle the whole Meredith situation and I believe they are right. They think I should be Detective Kate Castle, muse to Richard Castle, not Kate Castle, wife. They think I need to stand my ground with her and protect what is mine. That would be you, by the way." She held her breath waiting for Castle to answer.

"I believe that mother was right this morning and I still believe it now" he said with a playful little grin appearing on his face. "But I think we should wait to tell Meredith when she presents the best opportunity. I am not trying to hide us from her but she can be a little oblivious to the obvious."

"That's fine. Hey wait. You knew Martha was going to talk to me?" she asked already knowing the answer was yes. He just nodded his head confirming her suspicion.

"I am going to hop into the shower real quick and then you can take all the time in the world to get ready for a day of 'work'" he said with air quotes "What should we order for our little dinner tonight? Chinese or Pizza?" he asked while taking his jacket off and unbuttoning his shirt.

"Chinese, of course" she said with a smile. "You want me to call it in, while you're showering?"

"Sure, If you don't mind" Getting his head stuck in his undershirt as he was taking it off. Kate just smiled at how childlike he could be.

It was 35 minutes later and the knock on the door signaled that the food had arrived. Castle paid for it and set on the table with the rest of the dinner ware.

Kate was agonizing over what to wear from her work clothes. She wanted something that was cop-ish and but also sexy. She wanted to show Meredith why she was the inspiration for Nikki Heat.

Kate finally settled on a pair of black slacks that perfectly framed her butt, a white button up shirt that hugged her curves, and she decided to not quite button it all the way leaving three buttons at the top undone. This uncovered both her black lace bra and her small bullet shaped scar.

She pulled her hair back into a tight pony tail but left a few wisps of hair floating around her face. She slipped her handcuffs around her belt and then clipped her badge on also. She decided against the gun but would leave it sitting out for Meredith to see. Of course, last but not least, her four inch boots, the ones she'd worn only to drive Castle crazy and she was ready to face her adversary.

The knock on the door at five minutes after 8:00 was expected but still made Kate tense up.

It was show time.

"She always did like to be fashionably late" Castle commented as he opened the door to reveal Meredith looking like she stepped out of a magazine ad. As she swept through the loft, she paled at the sight of the gun just sitting the kitchen counter. "Kitten, what are you doing with that thing?" she asked Castle while staring at it.

"Oh that. That's…." Castle said unsure about how to finish his intended statement, but was thankful to Kate when she finished for him.

"It's mine."

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