Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.

After telling him to be back at her apartment in two hours, Kate sent Castle home to get showered and dressed in some form of clean clothes – knowing she wouldn't be able to last a whole day with the smell of stale beer following her around. Jumping in the shower herself, she let the warm water cover her, washing away all the stress of the day before. She had paused, for the slightest moment when a gun had been drawn on her, and this could have cost Kate her life. She knew this, and she also knew that Castle saw it in her.

Closing her eyes, she let her head fall back as the water splashed soothingly down over her face, the scent of cherries –which she knew he liked, filling the small room before she turned off the water and climbing out. She wrapped the soft, fluffy towel around her and headed to her room, turning the radio on as she passed to be met with the sound of a dance song playing rather loudly. Not caring about the neighbours, Kate began dancing around her room, as she dressed, letting her mind vanish letting it feel like she had not a care in the moment. She smiled, and laughed as she sang, pulling over her white t-shirt.

As she slipped the top down and freed her head, she turned and came to a full stop as she bumped into Castle who was standing with two take-out cups of coffee, now bracing them to avoid a spillage.

"Uh," Castle stammered. Kate could see he was trying to hold back a laugh and she narrowed her eyes, daring him to say something. "I brought coffee," He smiled before motioning back toward the living room. "I'll uh, sit in there and wait."

"Thank you," Kate called as Castle turned and left the room, before smiling to herself, her brow slightly furrowed wondering how he had managed to get into the apartment. Kate turned back to focus on getting ready.

Once dressed fully with a light layer of makeup on, Kate padded out to the living room, to find Castle seated in the chair he had knocked her into just a few hours earlier. "Aren't you kind of, early?" Kate asked, as she took the coffee cup from him, taking a sip. Stopping for a moment a soft, happy sigh falls past her lips as her eyes closed, revelling in the taste. "Perfect, thanks," She whispered, re-opening her eyes and turning her tone back up. "How did you get in here?"

"I –uh, the door was open. I didn't lock it on my way out. And you didn't answer, so I thought maybe you had slipped and died and I'd have to call –wait, who would investigate if you were gone?" Shaking his head at the look Kate gave him, and the direction his ramblings had gone, Castle paused before simply adding, "The music was loud, and I knocked but you didn't answer. I didn't see anything. "

"Oh, that's reassuring, Castle. Thanks." Kate rolled her eyes and grabbed her coat before walking to the door. "At least your only worry there was who would investigate if I was gone." She made a mocking face as he scoffed and pushed up from the couch, following her from the apartment.

"So, Detective, what are we going to do today?" He raised his brow before taking her cup so she could put on her jacket. "You mentioned something fun before. You have something specific on mind?"

"Nothing specific. But we live in New York City, Castle. I'm sure we can find something fun to do, don't you think?" She smiled, pulling her jacket on and fastening it as they walked down the stairs of her building.

"Well, yea. If you want to be a tourist and all." Castle said in a tone which made him sound like he was moaning, which made Kate laugh.

"Oh, so you don't want to spend the day with me and find something fun today? You'd rather we go to work? Hm?" She gave him a smile as she pulled the door open and stole her coffee from his hand when he walked past.

"You know I don't mean it like that, Miss Beckett." Castle spoke as he slipped past her, blinking a few times when she took the coffee. "But what is there to do that won't be really busy?"

"Well, have you even been down to the lower end of the city? Like, just to be there. Not for work, not because you have a meeting, but just to be there?" Kate questioned as she turned on the sidewalk, walking a head of him in the direction of Lower Manhattan.

"I've never had a need to go down when I've not, needed to go down." Castle stopped himself as Kate turned, giving him the look that informed him he had just said something very stupid. "Okay, but you know what I mean." He said finally catching up with her, taking one last drink of his coffee and throwing the empty cup into a nearby trash can.

"Okay, I'll show you exactly what you can do on a day in New York City. Deal?" She asked, walking by his side.

"Deal," He nodded and folded his hands into his pockets; his own way of stopping himself from taking a hold of her hand as they walked so close together. Castle knew Kate wouldn't take this in a good way at all. He chuckled to himself just enough so she couldn't hear. "As long as you let me by you dinner tonight."

Kate narrowed her eyes accusingly, before smiling and nodding. "Dinner tonight it is then."

Authors Notes: Sorry for the short chapter, I'll make it up. Promise!