A/N: I'm so sorry I never meant to leave for this long but life and school got in the way. I'm premed at college and in my junior year, so I have no time for anything right now. Plus I lost my beta and had to find a new one. Thank you to everyone who still reading and those who are finding this story and favoriting and/or following it! I keep getting the alerts and they keep me writing this.

Kate finished sprinkling the cheese over the potatoes she worked on all morning. "I'm done. No thanks to you," She glared at Castle.

Castle loved watching her work in the kitchen; he didn't know why but something about it was just so sexy. He tried to persuade her into other activities but she turned him down saying her mother would kill her if the dish wasn't perfect and finally banished him to go play with Alexis or something until she was done.

"Does that mean I'm allowed to do this now?" He spun her around and crowded her, effectively trapping her against the counter. One hand lifted her chin and his mouth was on hers before she could answer.

He broke the kiss far too soon for her liking, she went in for another but he dodged out of the way, what the- that's when she realized he was only trying to distract her.

"You bastard," Her voice too breathy to sound serious.

He gave her a smug smile, picked up the fork and slowly moved it towards the dish.

"Don't you dare." She gritted through her teeth.

"Are you going to talk to your dad today?"

"Wha-what?"

"I asked if you were going to talk to your dad?"

"I don't know, probably not. Why?"

"Well then I guess I'll just have to take a big bite then."

She took a step towards him, "Are you threatening me?"

"Well I would hardly say your life is in danger," He pointed out.

"Mine isn't but yours will be if you touch that food." She pointed to the counter.

He shrugged, "You don't have your gun on you."

"It's not me you should be worried about. Mom would do more damage than me if you ruined that."

He didn't budge, despite her threat.

She stared him down. It's not that she didn't want to talk to her father, okay she didn't but she didn't think brunch was the best time or place.

He inched the fork closer to it, never breaking eye contact. It was less than an inch from it when she conceded, "Okay fine! Just drop the fork please?"

He did as she asked and made his way over to her, kissed her forehead, "You won't regret this." She wasn't so sure about that.

She followed him out of the kitchen, "Why is this so important to you?"

He tried to keep the mood light, "Because I love you."

"I know that but that doesn't answer my question."

"I love you and it kills me to see you fighting with your dad. It reminds me of Alexis and I. I can't imagine not talking to her or being in her life. Every girl deserves a father and I want that for you. I don't have a father but you do and you're throwing the relationship away."

"I'm not throwing it away. He hurt me; he ripped apart our family. I'm sorry I can't just go back to the way everything was before. I can't act like everything is okay now that Mark is out of jail."

"I understand that you're hurt but this feud is also keeping your family apart. Don't you think maybe it's time to leave the past in the past and move on?"

"I don't know how," She admitted.

"We can figure it out together."

Beckett shifted her weight between her feet, trying to calm her nerves as they walked down the hallway, Alexis and Mark a few steps ahead of them.

Castle's hand rested on her back to comfort her.

"You hunt killers for a living, you can do this." He whispered.

She cracked a smile, mission accomplished.

They walked into exactly what Mark and Kate expected to see. Rick and Alexis had the same dumbfounded look on their face. The table was covered with everything from muffins and donuts to the biggest stacks of pancakes he's ever seen. There were bowls of fruit, pitchers of 3 different juices and they smelled fresh coffee and bacon. Speaking of coffee there was that coffee cake at the end of the table?

"Wow mom you really have outdone yourself."

"This is nothing," Johanna responded as she mixed the waffle batter.

"I don't know mom, I think Mark is right. I'm pretty sure this is a bigger feast then when grandma and grandpa used to come into town."

"Mark and Katie are right Jo you really have outdone yourself."

"Well thank you. Now get out of my kitchen, it's too crowded."

Everyone shuffled out but she stopped Alexis. She crouched down to her level, "Do you want to learn how to make cinnamon apple waffles?"

Alexis smiled and nodded, "Yes."

Johanna pulled up the stool for her and handed her a small bowl.

"We're each going to make a batch. So copy what I do."

Alexis watched and mimicked as Johanna measured the flour and cracked the eggs.

"You know I taught Katie how to make these when she was your age."

"You did?"

"Yeah, every Sunday we would put on music, dance around the kitchen and bake."

"My dad and I play laser tag. He even bought real laser tag vest and guns."

Johanna laughed, "That sounds like something he would buy."

Kate watched from the couch as her mom showed Alexis how to make her famous cinnamon apple waffles. Rick and Mark had disappeared to look at some comics Mark still had in his room.

That left Kate and Jim alone in the living room. Castle's words echoed in her head, don't throw this relationship away.

"So…" Kate hesitated, "how's work going?"

"The firm is doing well. We just landed a big international client. There's talk about sending a few of us to Italy. If that happens I'm thinking about staying longer and taking mom with me you know make a trip out of it."

"She would love that. You know how she's always wanted to travel."

"I know I never hear the end of it."

"Does she still randomly ask you so when are we going to Paris? Or Rome?"

Jim laughed, "Oh boy does she but now it's when are we going to Spain or Australia?"

Johanna watched as the two talked and laughed. She heard them talking about her, usually she would've jumped in and defended herself but this time she didn't care what they were talking about as long as they got along. Not wanting to disturb them she sent Alexis to go get the boys.

"I-" Kate started but couldn't find the words. She tried again, "You-"

"Come and eat!" Alexis called out interrupting her.

They fell into easy conversation, everyone acutely aware that most of the tension had subsided.

Rick smiled as he noticed the difference in the atmosphere. He was happy to see them getting along.

Their eyes met, tuning out another story about Kate and Mark's childhood. Castle gave her a cheeky grin that she knew was his way of saying I told you so and she stuck her tongue out at him in return.

A/N: Next chapter has parts written it's just going to require me connecting them and I'm going on break in a few days so hopefully I can find the time but then I have finals right after Thanksgiving and after than I'm on christmas break for 2-3 weeks so I should be able to continue then if not beforehand. If you want an update sooner reviews are the way to bribe me :) Thanks to those that are still reading