"So what do you say, Beckett? Wanna snuggle?"


Oh he was testing her self control and her patience and her...ugh, she hated him right now. They were meant to be taking it slow and waiting for her memory to come back and make everything right in the world. Just a few hours ago she'd had to stop him getting into the bath with her and now he wanted them to share a bed? Again. Because, the little voice in her head reminded her, she and Castle had shared a bed the previous night in the hospital too.

"I can hear your brain overthinking from here." Castle smirked as he spoke, watching as her head snapped up for her eyes to meet his gaze, whipping her out of her own little world of overthinking sharing a bed together. Again. She was adorable. "Come on, Beckett," he said, "no funny business, I promise." She frowned at him. "Well, unless you want funny business to happen.." he waggled his eyebrows at her.

Beckett rolled her eyes at his insinuation. "Not quite up to funny business just yet, Rick," she replied with a grin, slowly turning herself around from the stairs and moving towards his room. "You comin', Castle?" She threw over her shoulder as she retreated into his office, towards where his bedroom was located.

Castle had to stop himself from running to catch up with her.

It was probably a terrible idea, Beckett knew that. But what else could they do? She needed to be with people for a little while longer, until she was healed more, and she couldn't manage the stairs just yet. And she wasn't going to make Castle move out of his own room just so she could sleep in there, she'd feel so terrible that she wouldn't sleep and then she wouldn't get better. So it seemed as if her only option was for the two of them to share his bed for the night..well, it was a big bed, wasn't it?

Castle had made her take another painkiller before bed to try and help her sleep better, and as much as she wanted to be strong and fight through it, she had given in; she didn't particularly want to be awake half the night in pain.

Beckett had to stifle a laugh as Castle slipped into bed - he slept on the same side that her Castle did. This whole thing felt so familiar and yet so strange. "What are you laughing at?" Castle asked her as she got into her side of the bed.

"Nothing," she grinned. "Just um..no, nothing, I'm just being silly."

"Come on, Beckett," he scoffed. "You're talking to the king of silly. What is it?"

"I was just thinking that all of this feels so familiar to me, you know?" She smiled sadly. "I mean, you're even on your side of the bed.."

Castle smiled back at her. How cute was it that Kate Beckett was getting sentimental over sides of the bed? The two of them shifted around to get comfortable before both lying still in the dark and quiet.

Beckett suddenly felt like she wasn't tired - being in bed before 10pm was early for her but she had been shattered out in the lounge, she thought going to bed now was what she needed.

"I can hear you thinking again."

"You do know that's literally impossible, right?"

Castle didn't reply to that, mainly because she was right. But still, he could hear her thinking, he could tell she wasn't sleeping, or even trying to, without even looking at her. Not that he was sleeping - for the second night in a row, he was sharing a bed with Kate Beckett. How was he supposed to sleep knowing she was right next to him?!

"I uh, I seem to remember you saying something about snuggling, Castle?"

Castle was glad it was dark, he wasn't sure he wanted her to see the grin on his face in that moment.


Beckett felt like she'd been asleep for about five minutes when she was woken up again. It was still dark when she opened her eyes, her confusion soon landing on the weight over her middle - before she realised it was Castle's arm. The source of their rude awakening was Alexis, bounding into the room - loudly - rambling off words like 'not here', 'missing' and 'guest room'.

"Hey, Pumpkin, slow it down would you?" Castle grumbled, sitting up in bed. "What's happened?"

"It's Det-Kate," Alexis explained hurriedly. "She's gone! The guest room is empty and she's not in the lounge, or in the kitchen and-"

"I'm here." Kate supplied from her position next to Castle. "You can stop worrying, kid."

"Oh...oh." Alexis' face turned a shade that clashed horribly with her red hair as she realised what 'here' coming from Kate meant. "I'm..god, I'm sorry, I didn't know you two were um.."

"Kate couldn't manage the stairs, sweetie," Castle explained as he heard Kate groan in embarrassment beside him. "That's why she's in here."

"I..don't need to know," Alexis stuttered. "I'm just gonna..go..to bed..alone, oh god, um…"

"Night, Alexis," Kate called loudly, and the girl hurried from the room, shutting the door behind her. "'Cause that wasn't awkward," Kate muttered once she and Castle were alone again.

Castle chuckled. "She was just surprised, that's all. I think the only woman she's ever seen me in bed with is her mother, and the last time that happened was when she was three."

Beckett contemplated for a moment. "But.. what about Gina?"

"Never really around much," Castle shrugged, "busy lives, you know."

"Hmm."

"What?"

"Nothing."

They were both silent for a few more minutes.

"Wanna snuggle again?" Beckett asked.

"Thought you'd never ask."

This time, Beckett was the one grinning.


"What do you fancy for breakfast?" Castle asked, the two of them lazing in bed as the sunrise began to stream through the bedroom window.

You. "Uh..pancakes?" Kate replied, blushing at her first thought. Castle smirked at her answer, making Beckett panic for a moment that she'd voiced her first thought out loud. "Um..what's wrong with pancakes? You love pancakes?" Was it only in her world that Castle loved pancakes?

"I do," Castle nodded. "But what you seem to be forgetting is that pancakes are an edible way of saying thank you for last night." He grinned at the blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Shut up," she grumbled. "Go make me pancakes."

Castle laughed as he climbed out of bed and made his way to the bathroom. When he returned a few moments later, he almost tripped over the bed when he saw Beckett trying to get up. "Beckett," he half-squealed, "why didn't you call me?"

"I can get out of bed, Castle," she huffed whilst proving herself wrong. She couldn't get out of bed; she had managed to get herself at up and had swung her legs around so they were hanging over the edge of the bed and touching the floor. "Why is this bed so damn close to the floor?" The only part she was having trouble with was getting up from the bed to a standing position.

"You slept like a baby last night, Beckett," Castle reminded her as he rushed over to help her. Hauling her up under her arms they managed to get her stood up.

"I'm going to the bathroom," she told him, ignoring his comment. "Alone." She added sternly. "Go make me pancakes"

Castle grinned the whole way to the kitchen. She so wanted him.


"You have that appointment at the outpatients office today don't you?" Castle asked over their pancakes. Beckett nodded, tucking into her food. "Want me to come with you?"

"I uh...sure, if you don't have anything better to do." Castle shifted, a guilty look crossing his face. "You have a chapter due, don't you?"

"Sorta," Castle admitted. "But Gina did call the other day and say that given the circumstances, Black Pawn are willing to give me an extra couple of weeks to get it finished."

Beckett ignored the pang of jealousy at hearing Gina's name. "Oh, so you're using my shooting to your advantage, are you?" He didn't answer. "Right, well I'll take that as a yes then. But yeah, I've got the appointment, shouldn't be anything too crazy, just gotta check in with the doctor and have a nurse change my dressing." She had only just gotten out of the hospital the previous day but she still had an appointment today. It was in the outpatients department though, and she just needed to ask the doctor a few questions - mainly about her memory and when and how she could expect to get that back.

"Great, well I was thinking..do you wanna drop by the precinct on our way there? See the boys, meet your new Captain?" Beckett sucked in a breath of air at the mention of a new Captain. "God, I'm sorry, Beckett, I didn't mean to-"

"It's fine," she cut in. She was going to have to face it at some point, Montgomery was never coming back. "That sounds good, though." Despite her injury, she had been itching to get back to work. She knew it was a long way off yet, but it would be nice to drop by and see the boys.

"Perfect. I'm gonna go jump in the shower - eat your pancakes."


Beckett's appointment was at 1pm, so she and Castle left the loft a little before 11 - Alexis was either still in bed or avoiding them after the embarrassment of the previous night, giving them time to drop by the 12th and get to the hospital. Luckily, the boys were there when they arrived, chasing down leads for their latest case.

"Yo, Beckett..Castle!" Espo called as they exited the lift. "What're you guys doing here?"

"Just thought we'd drop in, say hi," Beckett smiled weakly. She had been determined to make it to the precinct and to the hospital but after just 30 minutes away from the comfort of Castle's loft, she was feeling a little shaky.

"Oh, hey guys!" Ryan greeted warmly, as Beckett sat herself in her chair at her desk, Castle taking his place in his usual seat too. "How you doing, Beckett?"

"I'm getting there," she replied. "Castle's taking care of me." She didn't miss the look between Ryan and Esposito at that. "So uh, where's the new Captain?"

"In Mont- in her office." Espo told them. "She'll probably come out in a minute and say hi."

True to Espo's word, the door to the Captain's office opened, a sharp, severe looking woman heading towards Beckett's desk to see what the crowd was for. "Ah, you must be Detective Beckett?" She asked and Kate nodded. "I'm Captain Victoria Gates. I must admit, I didn't expect to see you here so soon?"

"Just dropping by, Captain," Beckett reassured. "Castle and I wanted to come in and say hi, see how everyone's doing."

Gates spun around to see Castle sitting just behind her. "Ah yes, I had heard about the writer that followed you around. I'm not sure what kind of a show Montgomery was running-" she stopped short of finishing her sentence at the reaction of the detectives - and writer - surrounding her. "Yes, well..be sure to look after yourself and uh, come and see me when you're ready to return to active duty." Gates disappeared back into her office.

"Well, she seems...nice?" Beckett suggested. In all honesty it didn't really matter who it was, the circumstances in which Gates had become the replacement was enough for Beckett to dislike her whoever she was.

"Beckett, we better go," Castle announced as he stood up. "We don't wanna get stuck in traffic and be late for your appointment."

Kate nodded and made to get up from her chair. Castle moved to help her but she flapped him away - him helping her get out of bed was one thing but out of her chair, in the precinct, in front of their friends? Yeah, not going to happen.

"Cmon then Castle," she said, after saying her goodbyes to Espo and Ryan. "Let's go find out how long I have to wait until I get my memory back."


A/N: I'd like to point out that my American medical knowledge comes from watching Grey's Anatomy. I mean, they don't even public healthcare so I have no idea how it works. (The NHS is awesome.) Therefore, please forgive any glaring mistakes on what would happen in real life. Thoughts welcome on the chapter.