This chapter is another quick one, but I wanted to get it out while I have the chance! Enjoy!

The only edit in this chapter was that I originally wrote Pawn Stars as the TV show they were watching, but that was the wrong title. I corrected it to American Pickers, which I do not own any more than Castle!

Chapter 10

After their kiss, they laid in bed for a while longer, just enjoying being with each other. Neither one felt the need to fill the air with needless words. They were content to just enjoy this new feeling. Both Kate and Rick ended up dozing off again, before waking up to the sound of Rick's stomach growling.

"Hungry?" Beckett asked.

"No, it's actually an alien I have living inside me. He's so not a morning person!"

"Nice."

Rick looked at the clock. 8:15 am.

"So do you want to go downstairs to eat, or would you prefer room service?"

Suddenly Kate was afraid that if they left this room, everything would change and she really didn't want that. "Room service sounds good."

Castle rolled over toward the night stand and grabbed the phone. "What do you want?"

Kate had rolled to the other side of the bed and was getting up. "You know what I like. Surprise me."

Rick watched her stand and stretch. "Hey Kate, I like that you're wearing my boxers. It's totally hot."

She headed toward the bathroom but stopped in the doorway and looked back at him,"Hey Rick, guess what? You're pretty hot in your boxers too" then shut and locked the door.

Thirty minutes later Kate was laying on the bed watching the History Channel on TV and Rick was in the shower, when breakfast arrived.

Kate tipped the woman who delivered it and pushed the cart in next to the table. Two silver domed plates, two mimosas, two coffee cups, a coffee carafe, a basket covered with a cloth napkin and a vase with a single red rose, rested on the cart.

The sound of the shower being turned off told her that Rick would be out soon, so she resisted sneeking a bite. Instead she went to the window and pushed back the curtains. Most of the window was covered with snow, but one corner was clear, allowing Kate a fairly good view. The sky was dark gray and at first she thought it might be raining but on second glance, she realized that it was more like sleet. The world below the sky was white and shiny, everywhere she looked. The normally busy streets were completely deserted and in fact, it took a moment to even determine where the street should be hiding below the blanket of white. Looking around at neighboring buildings it looked like they got well over two feet of snow in the night, and now it was all covered in ice, which was still forming.

It would be a while before they were allowed to leave. Usually just the thought of being forced to stay anywhere would have her reeling, but today was different. Today she was with the man she cared deeply for. Today she didn't want to face the real world and all of it's hard cruelties. Today she wanted to explore the happy new possibilities that lay before them.

The bathroom door opened and Rick emerged, wearing jeans but no shirt. "How's it look out there?"

"Like the north pole. I'd say we got more than two feet, plus now we're getting ice. The roads are empty. I doubt a that a single plow has hit these side streets yet, and may not for a while yet."

Castle approached Beckett and opened his arms for her. She happily accepted his invitation and wrapped her arms around his naked torso, and then after a moments though, rested her check on his shoulder.

"Would you like to remind me how right I was, again Detective?"

"You were right. If we left last night we could have gotten stuck or injured or anything. You were very considerate to plan ahead. Plus, if we hadn't gotten snowed in here, we probably wouldn't be together like this, this morning. So I'm glad we're here."

"I'm so glad you want to be here with me." Rick kissed her. This kiss was more passionate than the one before, but they both still refrained from totally letting go.

Rick's stomach growled again and this time got a responsive gurgle from Kate's stomach.

"You didn't tell me you had alien too!" Rick quipped.

"I didn't know I had one! I guess we should feed them before they decide to explode out of our chests and eat us for breakfast."

XXXXXXXXXX

Rick and Kate watched American Pickers while enjoying their frittatas, fresh fruit and apple cinnamon muffins.

When the two men on the TV found a rather beat up looking, 19th century English writing desk in a New England barn, Kate sat up straighter and watched with increased fascination.

"What?" Rick asked.

"My Grandma Elsie had a desk exactly like that. It had belonged to her grandmother. When I was a little girl, I'd spend hours searching through all the little drawers and nooks, seeking out all of it's treasures. She kept all the letters Grandpa sent her during the war in there, along with family photos, a collection of fountain pens, a huge jar of buttons, her mother's silver mesh coin purse filled with currency from all around the world, and a well stocked stash of wintergreen mints."

Rick watched the woman next to him as she spoke. It was one of those rare moments when she was completely relaxed. Her eyes sparkled and danced; and her face had a sweet, far away look. These few precious minutes gave him a glimpse of the girl she was. It was so nice to see her allowing herself the joy of these happy memories; that at that moment he would have easily given up his entire fortune if it would spare her from ever feeling the painful memories again.

"Almost every time I went to visit her, we'd spend some time dusting and polishing the old piece, and while we worked, she'd tell me a story about one of it's many contents. Then when we were finished she'd give me a wintergreen candy, some paper and one of her special pens already filled with ink. Then she'd tell me that now that I knew the true story behind that day's particular item, it was my turn to write a new story for it. Then when I was done, I'd read it to her while we enjoying another pink mint."

"I think I would have liked your grandmother."

"Oh, you would have loved her. You two are quite the kindred spirits. Besides her family, there was little in life that she loved more than a good story. I think she's where I got my love of books from."

Beckett and Castle watched the men on the television a bit more, as they tried to load the heavy piece of furniture into their van.

"What happened to the desk?" Rick asked.

"It was sold, along with almost everything else. As Grandma got older she developed Alzheimer's and some other health issues that required a lot of care. Expenses piled up and when she moved to a nursing home, the family sold most of the estate to cover her bills. But I still have the coin purse, and a bunch of her leather bound books."

Upon hearing that this treasured desk was no longer part of her family, Rick got an idea. He couldn't share it yet, but the wheels were turning and he mentally scrolled through a list of possible contacts that might be able to help him. He only hoped he could pull it off.