Author's Notes: This takes place a couple of days after Knockdown.

Chapter 10

Rick was putting the finishing touches on the final chapter of Heat Rises when the doorbell rang. Alexis knew that he was immersed in his story so she went to the door and opened it to reveal her dad's partner, Kate.

"Hi, Kate. How are you doing?"

"Okay, and you?"

"Doing fine. How does your dad like being back at home?"

"He loves it. But he is already getting a bit stir crazy. He wants to be able to be back at full speed and doing everything that he hasn't been able to."

"Good luck with that. I don't know about your dad," Alexis' voice dropped to a whisper. "But when my dad is sick he is a bear to deal with."

"Most men are like that," Kate whispered back. "How's his hand doing?"

"Still a bit sore but he'll live. I finally convinced him to stop using the dictation on his computer and to try typing again, so now it's at least quiet around here."

"Is my darling daughter picking on me?" his voice surprising them as he walked into the room and gave his daughter a bear hug from behind. "Hey, Beckett. Ganging up against me with my daughter?"

"Just talking to her about fathers," Kate said.

"And how is yours doing?"

"Driving me crazy," she said with a smile.

"Just like mine is," Alexis interjected.

"Hey! Don't you have some homework to do or something?"

"Nope already finished it all," she smiled.

"I still don't understand how I can have a child who gets things done before their deadline."

"Someone has to Dad. I'm going to run over to my friend's house. I'll be back for dinner. Would you like to join us, Kate?"

"Maybe."

"Good. See you later," she said before she grabbed her jacket and left the loft.

Alexis left them standing there both a little unsure what was happening. Rick thought that after the Suggs case, Alexander wouldn't be seeing Katherine again but she had the same look on her face tonight as she had before.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"I just needed a break from my mom's case. I've been running everything through my mind again and again. I know there has to be something that I am missing."

"Did you bring your files with you? We can go over it together," he suggested as he led the way to the couch. "I have plenty of time. I just finished the last chapter as you and my daughter were picking on me."

"Oh, it wasn't just you, it was men in general," she assured him earning her the trademark Castle squinty glare. "I have a bunch of guys picking on me lately."

"So how many men are in your life for you to be picking on?"

"One less today than yesterday," she said without meaning to.

"What?"

"Josh called from Africa, he met someone there."

"He broke it off over the phone?" Rick asked shocked.

"Yeah. I was probably going to end it when he came back but he just beat me to it."

"He's stupid," Rick said as Kate pulled out the files.

They sat on the couch next to each other not touching and going over all the details of the case for a couple of hours. They both focused on the case and not the fact that they were sitting so close. Usually, neither would have even noticed it but since that kiss of theirs the other night, they were both a little unsure of where they stood. Also, since they were both single now, they were uncertain so they both tried to ignore the tension. Kate took a closer look at one paper and called it to his attention. They turned to look at each other suddenly aware of how close they were their faces just inches from each other.

Rick suddenly remembered the time at when this happened before and he was first overwhelmed by the scent of cherries. He had wanted to kiss her then but Ryan and Esposito interrupted them. Rick finally had the chance to kiss her a few nights ago and now he wanted nothing more than to kiss her again. The first kiss was a ruse, he knew that but he still had enjoyed it. He was blown away though when she had kissed him again. And what a kiss it was. He could still taste her on his lips and feel her in his arms. He wanted to feel Kate in his arms again. He had held her a lot lately but that was holding Katherine, that kiss was from Kate and he knew that there was a difference.

Kate looked into his eyes and wondered if he was thinking about that one time when he told her she smelled like cherries. She had always wondered if he would have kissed her if they weren't interrupted and how she would have reacted if he had. She thought it would have been a mistake then. She knew that things were different between them since he had actually kissed her. And since she kissed him back. She knew that his kiss was just to distract the lookout but she couldn't believe that he would put that much feeling into a pretend kiss. And he put even more into the second one when she kissed him back.

Kate's eyes dropped to his lips as he nervously licked them, and her breath caught as he moved closer. She knew that he was going to kiss her again and she knew that this time, it wasn't a mistake, it wasn't a hoax. Her eyes fluttered closed as she could feel his breath on her face.

"Apples," he said softly.

"What?" she asked confused as her eyes met his.

"I want to, Kate. So bad," he lightly touched her cheek. "But I can't. You just broke up with Josh. I can't betray your trust in me by pushing you. I can't hurt you again."

He pulled away from her and stood up, needing to put some more distance between them. Rick was shocked with himself for stopping what he knew would be an amazing kiss. He wanted her but part of him knew that she wasn't ready for anything yet. He didn't want just a night with Kate, he wanted a lot longer and he knew that now was not the time to start anything.

She turned away in embarrassment and pain. He said he didn't want to hurt her, but didn't he realize that he already had? She gathered up all the files, not bothering to put them in any sort of order. She knew that she wouldn't be able to see them through the tears that had yet to fall. Kate picked up the last of the files when the door opened and Alexis walked back in.

"So Dad, what's for dinner?" she asked before she noticed the tension in the room. "Everything okay?"

"Of course, pumpkin," he said glad that his voice sounded normal.

"I, um. I can't stay for dinner Alexis," Kate said her forehead creasing. "I need to get back to my dad."

"Are you sure?" the young girl asked wondering what was happening.

"Yeah. I'll see you later," she said as she slipped out of the loft without looking at Castle again.

"Dad, what happened?" Alexis asked.

"Nothing, pumpkin. Nothing happened. What would you like me to fix for dinner?" he asked trying to sound happier than he felt.

"How about I fix you breakfast for dinner, Dad?" she asked knowing that was usually something that always cheered him up.

"Okay. I'm going to go do some writing," he dropped a kiss on his daughter's head before he walked back to his study leaving her to think about what had happened between her father and Kate.

Kate went to work early the next morning. She hadn't slept well so at five she finally figured that there was no point in tossing and turning for another hour. She was standing in the break room drinking a plain coffee and glaring at the fancy coffee machine.

"Coffee machine broken?" asked Captain Montgomery asked as he walked in.

"No, sir," she said shaking her head. "I was thinking of something else."

He looked at her closely as he waited for his coffee to brew. When he had taken his first sip, he turned back to one of his brightest detectives.

"You need to not let your mom's case pull you in again. Not like before."

"I know, Roy. I'm trying not to." She took a deep breath before she continued, "Sir, I've been thinking about taking some time off."

"That's a good idea, Beckett. You've had some crazy cases lately. Go spend some time with your dad. Finish up what you can today and take the rest of this week and next week too."

"I didn't mean that much time, sir."

"Why don't you take the time you've earned instead of making me force you to take it? When was the last time you took off anyway? After your apartment blew up? You need a vacation."

"Okay," she gave in. She smiled at him and then went to her desk to work on the stack of files that had been neglected while she had been focused again on her mother's case.

Thirty minutes later, the rest of her team showed up. She told them that she was taking time off to spend with her dad. They were both glad and they both know that she needed it.

"Where are you going?" asked Ryan.

"Probably just going to stay at Dad's place, nothing special."

"Castle coming in today?" Esposito asked when he noticed his empty chair.

"Don't think so," she said looking back at her paperwork. The guys looked at each other not sure what was happening.

The guys didn't have much time to wonder as they were called to a scene shortly after. Kate stayed to finish up the now smaller mountain of papers that was no longer threatening on spilling over. They were back shortly after noon with take out for her. She dug into the food and listened to them about their case. It was one those "Jack shot Jill over Bill" kind of cases that Esposito favored so she wasn't worried that she was leaving them with a Beckett flavored freaky case.

She was just tossing her trash ready to get back to work when a set of keys was dropped on her desk. She looked up to see Castle standing there. He looked like he hadn't slept much last night either.

"What are the keys for?" she asked.

"My place in the Hamptons. Rumor mill has it that you are taking a much needed vacation." He smiled a bit as she glared over at the guys who suddenly looked much more interested in their paperwork. "My place is empty so you might as well enjoy it. I can have my friend air it out and stock the fridge if you like."

"Dad has always loved the beach even in the winter," she mentioned.

"It's nice and quiet this time of year too, not too many people go to the beach in January."

"Okay. Thank you." He looked a bit surprised when she accepted it so readily.

"I'll send the directions to your phone. When are you taking off?"

"I'm leaving work at the end of the day. I'll tell Dad and after I convince him, we'll probably leave tomorrow afternoon."

"I'll send you a picture that you can show your dad with the directions."

"That will be great. Thanks, Castle."

"Not a problem. I need to get back to some writing," he said to Kate before turning to the guys. "Talk to you all later."

"I guess he won't be back until Beckett comes back," Esposito said once Castle was gone.

"I wonder if he will be back after that even," Ryan said looking at the expression on Beckett's face as she watched the elevator close on Castle.

AN: Don't worry Part 11 will be posted here real soon. Please review. Thanks!