A/N: I hope I sent a reply to each of you who have left a review for chapters 11 and 12. If not, my apologies and please let me know so I can do this asap :P Last but not least a warm WELCOME to my new followers! Thank you!

Off to the next chapter we are!

Chapter 13

Kate Beckett couldn't quite believe what she was seeing, or more precisely, who she was seeing. Far away in the distance sat no other than Richard Castle signing books. The only reason why she wasn't paying attention to her surroundings was that she entered the book store with a list of books to purchase for her eldest son. She silently had wondered to herself what the crowd was all about, but figuring that the store might have some special sales, she hadn't put much further thought into it, as she walked up and down the aisles to find the books she was actually searching for. She had wanted to wander around some more for herself later on. She had finished her last book the previous night, and thus she longed to get some paperbacks for herself too.

She stopped in her trail next to a shelf that contained a vast arrange of culinary books. She hadn't been aware of ogling for a while, until an elderly lady excused herself to walk past her, as she was standing in the midst of the alley.

"Oh I'm sorry…" Beckett apologized and moved aside so the lady could access the cashier.

She could feel heat rising in her cheeks, when she noted Richard Castle smile at each and every single customer/fan once he had signed their book. Some young girls also wanted to have a picture taken with the famous author and he gladly complied to the show.

For some reason Kate Beckett was unable to move her feet, nor did she manage to take her eyes off the man, whom she was secretly falling head over heels with. In the meanwhile she was also struggling to balance the stack of books in her arms. They were starting to put weight.

Minutes later, as she was about to turn on her heels to pay for her books and exit the place for as fast, and as unknown, as possible, a security guard stopped her tracks.

"Excuse me. Are you Miss Beckett?" Kate Beckett could only nod her head since no syllable crossed her lips. "Would you mind following me?"

"May I ask what this is about?" Suddenly words came to her, but they were the wrong ones; after all she recognized the security guard who had been standing by Castle's side the entire time.

The security guard though thought none of it, "Mr. Castle would like to speak to you and requested you follow me."

The man turned around and continued his pace. Kate Beckett had nothing left to do but follow the guy who was merely trying to do his job. She walked past the long line of people still waiting for their autograph and could literally feel a couple of glares going her way. She didn't know whether they were glares of hatred or jealousy, but that didn't matter because they made her very uncomfortable regardless of the intention.

"Kate!" Richard Castle exclaimed beaming all over as he pulled her into a warm hug despite the pile of books in her arms, which she was unable to return. In the same cheery and charming tone he continued, "Ah… I see, you're trying to skip out without having your own signed copy." He balanced his new novel, which he had picked from the top of her pile of books, in front of her eyes. "I'm hurt!"

Kate Beckett didn't know whether she should laugh at his attitude or be mad at him for making her feel so out of place. A long queue of fans were awaiting his autograph and here he stood making small talk with her instead.

"I already got one at home. Thanks!" She threw at him, hoping this would bring that unexpected get-together to an end.

His mischievous smile grew, which made Beckett roll her eyes pathetically.

"Do you have time for a coffee?" he asked her after another while in a softer tone, to keep that part of the conversation more private. "I should be finished within the next hour or so…?"

Though Kate Beckett felt flattered, she mumbled "Oh…I don't know. I have to pick up Charlie, and then we…" Richard Castle's puppy dog face made her change her mind. She hated it, "One hour's fine. I'll be back."

"Meet me at Bosie Tea Parlor on Morton, between Bleecker and 7th?" he challenged her.

Kate flashed him a quizzical look as she became pensive, but still agreed to meet him there within an hour. It would give her enough time to pick up Charlie at daycare, go to the grocery store, have coffee with him, before picking up the other two from preschool and school. It all would need to be done in a rush, but it was feasible.

One hour later Kate Beckett was waiting outside said coffee shop with Charlie strapped in his stroller. Richard Castle was running late. She sighed and hoped it wouldn't take him much longer to finally appear since she needed to pick up the boys from school eventually. Ten minutes later he walked up next to her and placed a kiss onto her right cheek, which made her blush up profusely. She wasn't much of a person displaying herself in public, even if it were for a casual kiss. Castle had sensed her flinch, so he cupped her face with one hand and tenderly brushed his thumb across the rosy cheek. He didn't utter a single word and instead flashed her a grin.

"Shall we?"

Castle very gentlemanly held the door open for Kate Beckett to stroll inside the store, where they managed to catch the last couple of empty seats. They placed their order and were rapidly served afterwards.

"So?" Castle started. "What's new?"

Beckett shrugged, "Same old, same old. Nothing's new…"

Those words left Castle rather befuddled. They hadn't seen each other in two weeks due to Castle's vacation up in the Hamptons with Alexis and his mother. He had tried to get Kate Beckett to join him, but she could be quite the stubborn woman.

"Isn't it Charlie's birthday next weekend?" he pondered out loud, before tickling the boy's sides softly which elicited some cute gurgling sounds out of his throat.

Kate Beckett gazed at her little boy sitting in a high chair where he enjoyed the view across the table and onto the busy streets of Manhattan outside. She lost herself in her thoughts and Richard Castle knew something was up in the air.

"Scott insists being part of it", Beckett spoke softly unable to look Castle in the eyes.

He gulped a couple of times before letting his gaze swift onto the baby. He didn't know much at all about the boys' father, except for his name and the fact that he ran off half a year ago without giving any signs to the family ever since. No phone calls, no letters, nothing… Castle neither was the kind of person to judge, but he definitely didn't like that guy. How dare he leave his family behind? Of course Castle was aware that if it weren't for Scott running off, Beckett and him probably would have never met. It was all circumstantial and still…

When Kate Beckett looked up, tears were brimming in her eyes and Castle hated to see her that way. He loved the smiling Kate Beckett so much better. He also loved it every time she got nervous and bit her lower lip, or when her face was blushing up timidly. Castle lifted Charlie out of his chair and into his lap when he got impatient.

"Kate…" he hushed her first name and grabbed her hand across the table with his free hand, while the other one was holding a firm grip on her son.

Castle knew how much Beckett hated Scott for leaving them, but he also knew that the wounds were still new and that she still had feelings for the father of her children. It was something natural that would take some time to heal. Reason why he never pushed her for something more in their brand new relationship. The only thing he would achieve through that, would be a higher fall to break down. The wall was already high enough as it was.

"How dare he? What am I supposed to do? What am I supposed to tell the boys? Charlie doesn't understand… at least I don't think so. But Matt and Jamie… I can't do this to them."

Richard Castle was just as clueless as she was. It would be a decision she would have to make. He would simply need to go along with it. They didn't know each other that well yet. So far their relationship consisted of a zoo trip, a couple of casual coffees and readings, and a movie outing.

"You know I can't help you with that…", Castle reluctantly told her the truth and she knew.

"If I tell him not to bother, he might show up at the door step anyway! That is if he hasn't changed his mind till then… He didn't care about Mattie's birthday two months ago! Why does he care now?"

Castle didn't need to answer those rhetorical questions. Kate Beckett was seeking for support and he was going to give that to her.

Her gaze traveled across the table where Charlie was sitting in Castle's lap. Her son flashed her his four toothy grin, which always brightened her darkest thoughts. Charlie was her hope, her little sunshine. He had tumbled unexpectedly into her life, when it was already quite hectic. The couple was struggling to keep it together for Mattie and Jamie's sake, but then Beckett was pregnant again. Her decision to keep the baby had been an additional reason to their daily fights.

"I will be there if you want me to. Alexis too… she's been rattling on non-stop the entire week." Castle informed her. "She missed him, or them to be exact. Made me feel jealous. As if her new boyfriend wasn't enough information to digest already." he added with an eye wink. "Oh… a smile. I love it!" he couldn't help refraining to say when a faint grin showed up on Beckett's lips.

It though quickly faded away again.

"We don't deserve this…"

"Hey…" Castle tried to get her attention again. When he didn't, he brought her hand up to his mouth and dropped several kisses against her knuckles. "I promise I'll be there." Kate Beckett knew his words to be true. "Wouldn't want to miss the little guy's first milestone. Right, Charlie?" he lovingly squeezed his chubby cheeks.

Charlie wiggled his small arms up into the air, "Ma-ma!"

Castle lifted the baby up and handed him back out to his mother. Beckett strapped him back into his stroller right away after noticing the time on her watch.

"I'm sorry but I have to go now. I don't want to be late when the boys get out of school. And thank you for the coffee."

"Sure", Castle smile, "You're welcome", he added, whipping his mouth with the paper napkin before standing on his feet.

He dropped several notes onto the table for the waiter as they headed for the streets again where they spoke their goodbyes.

tbc