A/N: I didn't forget about Jonah's present from the Castles! It's just...waiting at the loft for him and will make an appearance probably next chapter. And those of you who asked for my tumblr, I'm hede-nyuie dot tumblr dot you know what, I think you know how it goes. Although, I'll warn you, I post a lot of stupid crap. And I sometimes bitch about my little sister adding Kidz Bop songs to my writing playlist (lots of Explosions in the Sky, Sigur Ros, Bon Iver, and Santigold) So. Follow at your own risk. But say hi, if you do. And, you know, read.

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Barely conscious, Kate Beckett sleepily attempted to roll over, only to find herself half-entangled in the other human occupying her bed. A human whose cold feet were firmly tucked under her warm ones.

"Joh?" she sleepily whispered, wiping the sleep from her eyes before prying them open, wiggling her toes over his. She turned her head and found herself blearily looking into her own eyes, mirrored in the face of her son.

"Morning, mama. Rick talks in his sleep." Jonah whispered, wide awake and with freezing fingers and toes.

"Mmm." Kate mumbled, rolling over to fully face him. "Say anything interesting?"

Jonah shrugged as best as he could on his side. "Only if you count 'There's a helicopter landing on the ceiling!' as interesting."

Laughing, she pressed a kiss to the side of Jonah's lips and mustered the willpower to sit up, dragging his relaxed body with her.

"Okay, J-Mac. Up and at 'em, Atom Ant."

"Uff." Jonah groaned, flopping back down on a pillow before remembering what he had left behind during his brief visit to the kitchen. "Rick's making breakfast."

Immediately more alert, her eyes widened. "He's what?"

Trying to relax her, Jonah dropped his head in her lap. "Don't worry. I showed him where all the important stuff is. And he and Lex went to the store for some other stuff."

"He what?"

Jonah sighed, putting his hands on her shoulders and gently pushed her back down. "Go back to sleep." He told her, patting her cheeks and kissing her forehead. "I'll make sure nothing is on fire."

He quickly slid out of her bed and tiptoed across the room, leaving his mother behind in the silence.

She took a few moments to close her eyes and stretch before rolling over to get up for the day. She dug around her nightstand for a hair tie before she gathering the tangled mess of curls in forcing them into a sloppy bun. She slowly walked to her door to crack it open and was immediately greeted by the scent of fresh pancakes. Deciding it was most imperative to check out the state of her kitchen, she pushed the door open fully and padded into the hall.

When she reached the halfway point she stopped abruptly, suddenly very aware of the fact that she was only wearing a pair of knit shorts and a slightly oversized tee that almost covered them completely. She briefly contemplated throwing on a pair of yoga pants or even jeans, before shaking her head. Stop being such a girl, she told herself, and shuffled the rest of the way into her kitchen.

When he caught sight of her, Rick's face split into a grin. "Morning, sunshine." At Kate's halfhearted glare, his grin just got wider and she suspected that it wouldn't be disappearing for a while. Especially when she realized that his eyes spent more than a few seconds on her bare legs. Should've gone for the sweats, she sighed internally, but without real regret. If he felt it necessary to parade around her kitchen in his boxers, she could damn well wear her own pajamas. Ignoring his gaze, she walked further into the room and slid onto one of the chairs.

Alexis leaning at the island table, looking as bright-eyed as ever as she paged through a familiar book. Jonah was perched next to her on a seat, and it was him that Kate suspected of pulling her copy of The Comedy of Errors from her room. She also noted that his own copy of The Word Snoop was face down on the table, his brightly colored sticky notes peeking out from the pages like tiny flags. She figured it was only natural that her book obsessed son and the daughter of a professional writer would be knee-deep in books before 9am on a Sunday.

"Morning, Kate!" Alexis greeted, slightly guilty. "Sorry I kind of crashed last night."

Kate gave her a look. "Please. I wish I could've crashed like you last night. I had to tuck in both Jonah and your dad."

Alexis giggled as her father's affronted look, and it turned into a full blown laugh as he tried to make a face behind Kate's back.

Skillfully ignoring him, Kate's worried eyes flicked around the remarkably immaculate room, save for a few splatters on the counter tops nearest to Rick. "What are you doing to my kitchen?"

Rick returned his face to normal and merely smiled at her, gesturing at his impressive pile of pancakes and the stove still in use, with something distinctively not pancake on it. "Creating a masterpiece."

"Uh oh." Alexis groaned, realizing just what that meant. "This never ends well."

"If you do anything to my apartment, Castle," Kate warned. "They won't ever be identifying your body."

Shaking his head, unbothered, he shot her a grin. "You women are so touchy."

"Nah, mom's just grumpy because there's no coffee yet." Jonah offered, glancing at Kate knowingly before dashing into the hall.

"Au contraire," Rick grinned, gesturing to a cup on the edge of the counter that Kate had overlooked. She eagerly hopped up from her seat for it as Rick snatched it nimbly out of her reach. "No good morning kiss?" Rick teased, raising his voice to imitate a rather annoying valley girl. "Thank you so much, Rick, I don't know what I'd do without-"

Without warning, Kate's hand flew up to his face, applying steady pressure under his nose. He immediately relinquished the coffee to her as he whimpered in protest, even as her arm dropped back down to her side. "No need for violence, Ms. Beckett."

"Detective Beckett to you, Mr. Castle." she muttered from the rim of the cup. After a few minutes of standing at the counter, Kate took a long look at what was on her stove, Kate frowned. "Uh, Castle? What is that?"

He carefully ensured that it was fully cooked before smiling proudly, nimbly sliding the spatula underneath it and lifting it like a trophy. "My newest creation."

"So not good." Alexis mumbled again from the table, settling herself down in an empty chair.

Shooting her a glare, Rick shook his head. "I heard that, dear daughter, and I am stunned by your lack of faith."

Glaring playfully right back at him, she sighed in remembrance. "My faith in your breakfast creations was shattered after that shrimp pancake you made me last year."

"Shrimp pancake?"

Rick hummed in disappointment, ignoring Kate's almost comical surprise. "See, now I have to try them out on other people." Looking around quickly, he called out "Jonah, breakfast!"

"Oh no you don't!" Kate laughed. "You try that…whatever that is first. You're not using my kid as a guinea pig until I know it won't kill him."

"Fine." he grumbled, digging a fork into his 'masterpiece' and chomping on a bite eagerly. "See, delicious!"

Now standing at the far end of the table, almost as if she was afraid it was going to jump out at her, Alexis whispered to Kate. "Is that…chocolate?"

Kate eyed the chocolatey brown smear on his fingers and looked at Alexis with worry, who took another gratuitous step back as Rick called out for the youngest Beckett once more.

As if on cue, Jonah whirled around the glass divider, his hair damp from a quick shower as he nearly ran into Alexis. "Breakfast?" he asked excitedly.

"Come try this!" Rick beckoned, presenting his plate with a flourish.

Without missing a beat, Jonah grinned up at the two women, still edging away. "Only if mom and Lex try it first."

"Oh no." "No way." They both responded immediately, slowly slinking backwards, away from the kitchen. Kate narrowed her eyes at Rick. "Did you plan this?"

"No, I am not conspiring with your son, Detective." he grinned patiently. "Come on you guys! It's not poisonous."

"Says you." Kate mumbled, gently pulling on one of the damp locks of Jonah's hair.

"I heard that! Just for that, you get the first bite." Rick informed her, shifting from foot to foot like an overexcited child.

Jumping further away, Kate shook her head vigorously. "Oh, there's no way you're getting that in my mouth. Just…give me pancakes."

Moving the pancake plate to the other side of the counter, Rick firmly shook his head. "One bite." he insisted, stabbing a small piece onto a fork.

"What is it?" Jonah wrinkled his nose slightly, eyeing the fork with curiosity.

"I call it…a smorelet!" Rick said with a dramatic flair worthy of Martha Rodgers.

"A smorelet?" Alexis asked in disbelief.

"Yes. I took an omelet," he explained excitedly. "And I put one graham cracker and six marshmallows on top of a chocolate bar. And voila! Smorelet."

"That is kind of-"

"Brilliant?" Rick cut Kate off with a grin.

Making a face, Alexis shook her head. "I think she was going to say disgusting."

At Kate's agreeing nod, Rick began to pout. After a few solid moments of Rick's slightly crestfallen expression, Kate rolled her eyes heavenwards.

"So help me God, Castle, if that thing gives me food poisoning-"

Immediately brightening up, Rick rubbed his hands together. "It won't!" His forehead still creased, he stabbed the piece of smorelet again and frowned, disappointed. "It's probably not hot anymore."

"I don't care." Kate said quickly. "Just give me the damn bite."

"Ah ah ah!" Rick wagged a finger from his free hand at her, waving the fork at her enticingly.

"You're kidding, right?" she raised an eyebrow skillfully at him.

Alexis shook her head solemnly, not envying the woman in front of her. "Dad is dead serious about feeding his creations. Baby bird syndrome."

With a sigh, Kate eyed the smorelet one last time before opening her mouth. Before she knew it, Rick had slid the fork between her teeth and she closed her lips over it, maintaining a critical eye contact with the writer as she chewed slowly.

"It's-"

"Delicious?"

"Gross."

Unfazed, he turned to his daughter. "Your turn!"

With a very Beckett-like eye roll, Alexis opened her mouth and found herself chewing on her own bite of smorelet. After a moment, Alexis made a face as she licked a bit of chocolate from her lips and swallowed hurriedly. "I'm gonna have to agree with Kate on this one. Nice try, dad."

"I can't believe I just put an omelet s'more in my body." Kate mumbled, taking another long gulp of her drink.

"Your turn, Jonah." Alexis nudged him forward. He had been watching the reactions of the other two with interest, and looked warily at Rick.

"One bite?"

At Rick's eager nod, Jonah slowly opened his mouth expectantly. Rick popped the piece in and watched as he chewed as thoughtfully as his mother.

"It's-"

"Gross?" Alexis nodded knowingly.

"Awesome!"

Nearly choking on a sip of coffee, Kate turned her head to stare at him. "Who are you and where is my child?"

Ignoring her, he turned back to Rick as he swallowed. "Mmm, 'nother bite?"

"Of course!" Rick enthused, cutting another piece and offering it to the boy. Looking thoroughly pleased with himself, Rick smiled triumphantly. "Finally, the one with some real taste!"

"I'd hate to know where his taste buds are located." Alexis mumbled, accompanied with a humored snort from Kate.

"Mom, can you make this every Sunday?"

"Uh, no." Kate said calmly, still looking at Jonah with concern.

"Come on, mom." Rick teased, ignoring yet another glare that Kate sent his way with a smile.

"Alright, can I have the real food please?" Kate asked, extending an arm towards the pancakes Rick still held hostage.

Rick let out a put-upon sigh. "Fine."

Kate laughed as he moodily slid the plate towards her, and she in turn tossed three of them onto Alexis's empty plate.

Around another bite of the smorelet he was now sharing with Rick, Jonah spoke once more. "Are you guys coming back for dinner?"

"Baby bear, I think we'd better let them get going home." Kate told him gently, biting her lip at the slightly disappointed look on his face.

Rick saw the look too, and shot a quick glance at Kate before putting on a big smile. "Hey, I made breakfast in this house. Shouldn't I get a free dinner now? I'm a man who hates to be cheated out of good food."

"Who says it's not going to be takeout?" Kate argued, looking briefly at Jonah and noting that his face had lightening considerably.

"Please." Rick snorted. "This is a kid with real taste. There's no way you'd get away with a takeout birthday dinner with him."

"Homemade manicotti. And he's right." Jonah bobbed his head. "You did try to get a taco truck for my last birthday dinner."

"That's because you just had to have it fiesta themed, remember?"

Ignoring her, he turned to Rick. "She would've gotten it if Uncle Javi's mom wouldn't have stopped her. And she makes the best tamales." Jonah confided, nearly jumping a foot as Kate's fingers dug into his sides. Twirling his laughing form behind her, she realized belatedly that she had maneuvered herself almost directly into Rick's chest.

After a beat, and the sound of the other two occupants of the kitchen heading towards the living room, she let out a slightly uncomfortable laugh. "Ignore the foolhardy child."

"I dunno, Beckett." he teased. "I think our children have more sense than the both of us."

"Speak for yourself." Kate teased back, her shorter, barefoot stature forcing her to look up to see his eyes. When he laughed, his warm breath brushed her cheek as he shifted slightly to plant one of his hands on the counter, effectively trapping her.

She stayed frozen for a moment, but forced herself to relax as she leaned into the counter to look up at him.

"Sleep well?"

Kate smiled cheekily. "You're the one on the air mattress in my motor mouth son's bedroom."

Rick lifted his shoulders noncommittally. "He's a cool kid. I didn't know he had the entire Frank Miller collection. Kept me occupied."

Rolling her eyes, she leaned slightly into one of his arms. "Ugh. I put way too many hours into scouring comic book stores for that collection. Doesn't surprise me that you're as fascinated as he is. Perpetual nine year old."

"I'm telling you." Rick insisted, grinning. "He's got great taste."

"That would also be implying that you, Castle, have great taste."

He dipped his head down to be cheek-to-cheek with her, unable to resist. "Oh, I can assure you, Detective, that I have excellent taste. You can try it any time."

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After boasting a fully belly and a dishwashing turning into a nearly full-blown waterfight, Kate was officially ready to go back to bed. Rick and Alexis were still loitering around, Rick in an intense X-Men conversation with Jonah and Alexis caught up in fascination with the books and pictures lining the shelves of the Beckett living room.

As soon as they had finished the breakfast dishes and dried the kitchen, Kate started making the noodles and brought out a few jars of already-made sauce. "None of that Ragu shit in this house. My grandmother would roll over in her grave." Kate had grinned, rolling her eyes as Jonah popped an extra marshmallow in his mouth with a smirk.

"I'm going to jump in the shower for a sec, can you keep an eye on the sauce?" Kate asked, more to Jonah than to Rick.

Jonah nodded in response, eyeing the sauce-covered spoon hungrily.

"No tasting!" Kate ordered. "I don't need your smorelet germs in my sauce."

"Come on, mom." Jonah protested, pouting at the prospect of having to wait until dinner.

"That's a negatory, good buddy."

Jonah made a face as she turned the corner and focused back on his favorite comic, spread carefully on the table. "I don't know how you still live with your mom." he whispered to Rick, who in turn let out a loud laugh.

"Don't worry, kid. I have a feeling that your mom would be cooler to live with than mine." Jonah studied him skeptically, but with a strange glint in his eyes.

After several minutes, he asked Jonah curiously, "So, who all is coming tonight?"

"Um," Jonah bit his lip thoughtfully. "You guys, all the guys from the precinct, Aunt Lanie, her sister and kids, my Aunt Maddie, my grandpa, and I think a few more." he shrugged. "We've gotta put another table in the living room somewhere 'cause everyone won't fit." Jonah shrugged and turned back to the comic, unaware of the idea taking form in the older man's head.

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Rick paced nervously in front of the bathroom door, waiting for the woman on the other side to make an appearance. The water had shut off nearly a minute ago, and he forced himself to lean patiently against the wall.

The door opened and a rush of heat preceded her, and Rick braced himself for her reaction upon seeing him.

"Castle!" Kate jumped in surprise, her hands clutching her towel around her. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Uh," Rick began nervously, trying not to stare at very almost-naked woman in front of him, reminding himself that the woman's son had probably stationed himself just outside the door in curiosity. "Waiting for you?"

"Obviously." Kate huffed. "Move." The detective pushed him out of her way, shaking her hair out as she dug into one of her drawers before pausing. "Better yet," She began pushing him once again, but instead of into the hallway like he expected, he was shoved into her dark closet. "Snoop and you're dead, Castle!"

"Fat chance without light." he muttered, letting himself rest against the wall. On the other side of her door, Rick heard the sounds of the towel hitting the floor and felt his heartbeat quicken. Knowing that Kate was probably completely naked on the other side of the door was more than a little tempting. He let his head rest against the door and inhaled slowly, realizing that the closet smelled like her, perfume-less and fresh.

A few moments later, Kate yanked the door back open and let him out. Now, the towel was wrapped around her hair and she was clothed in a pair of worn jeans and a loose black and white striped boat neck. "Why are you skulking around my bathroom door?" she asked flatly, her eyebrows raised expectantly.

"Uh," He stuttered nervously. Even barefoot and fresh out of the shower, Kate Beckett was a force to be reckoned with.

"Say 'uh' one more time, I dare you." Her eyebrows raised dangerously, she had rarely looked more intimidating. He idly pitied some of the innocent people she had interrogated in her time. That look nearly made him debate confessing to a crime he didn't even commit.

Rick gulped. "Well, u-" he stopped himself. "I have a proposition for you." Off of Kate's unimpressed look, he hurriedly continued. "I was talking to Jonah, about dinner tonight."

"Okay." she said slowly. "And this constitutes your creeping how?"

"I'm getting there!" Rick protested. "So, there's more than a few people coming here tonight, correct?" At Kate's nod, he continued. "And, well, I was thinking..."

"Yes?"

Rick let out a breath and finished his thought in a rush. "I just, well, if it's not too much trouble, you could move it to the loft."

Kate's eyes widened almost comically. "Castle-"

"No offense, because your apartment is great, but my kitchen is bigger. And my dining room, it could probably seat the entire homicide department and then some."

With a sigh, Kate pressed the heel of her palm against the side of her forehead. "Castle, I couldn't ask you to-"

"You're not asking me." Rick grinned. She hadn't said no. "I'm offering."

"I-"

Rick chuckled lightly. "Just say yes, detective."

Kate gave him an appraising look, taking in the look of sincerity in his eyes and his hopeful expression. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the door crack open slightly and a sliver of a familiar face plant itself in the opening. She idly wondered if it was the unspoken promise of a laser tag game that was motivating her son, or just the idea of getting to hang out at the Castle loft. Realizing that Rick was still staring at her intently, Kate sighed and shrugged her shoulders in acceptance. "Yes?"

"Good." Rick's hopeful grin widened as he now spoke without hesitation. "Now, Alexis and I are going to go home and clean ourselves up, and you are going to inform everyone of the location change and finish your brilliant cooking, and then you're going to bring everything over to the loft where you will do exactly whatever you had planned to do here. Just, with more room to breathe." When Kate opened her mouth, brow furrowed, he gently tapped a finger on her lips. "Don't argue." he teased. "We'd hate to have the birthday boy getting trapped in a labyrinth of folding chairs."

Shaking her head with an amused, crooked smile, Kate finally spoke. "You're-"

"Insufferable?" Rick offered easily.

She tilted her head at him. "I was going to go with incredibly good-looking, but insufferable works too."

Rick let out a full-bellied laugh, tucking an escaped strand of wet hair behind her ear. "That, my dear detective, is something I can live with."

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