pre-series au; Johanna survived the stabbing & Kate and Castle met shortly after she moved home

(Kate)

She pulls into her parents' driveway, kills the engine, and turns to Castle. "You still sure you want to do this?" she asks.

He gives her a smile, the disarming one that's been giving her butterflies for months. "This is the fifth time you've asked me that today, Kate," he says. "I'm starting to think you actually don't want me around."

"You know that's not true," she says, fidgeting with her scarf. "It's just...people already talk about us. And I don't want to ruin today with that."

Castle nods. "Okay. We don't say we're dating, then," he tells her. "We're just friends-which we are-and you didn't want to come alone."

She smiles, immediately relieved. "That sounds great," she says softly. "I mean, it's the truth, so..."

"You really don't like lying to your parents, do you?"

Kate shakes her head. "Given everything that happened this year..." She shrugs. "It just feels wrong. And Mom would see right through us anyway."

He chuckles. "Your mom is eerily perceptive," he agrees. "You ready?"

She nods. "As I'll ever be, I guess."

She gets roped into helping her mom with the dishes, which she knows is just an excuse for Mom to conduct an interrogation.

"So," she starts, handing Kate another dish to dry, "Rick seems like a very nice man."

Kate rolls her eyes. "Mom, you've met him before," she says. "Several times. You know he's nice."

Johanna nods, laughing. "You've got me there," she admits. She glances over her shoulder, makes sure he isn't listening in. "In all seriousness, Katie, when are you going to tell that man how you feel about him?"

"We're just friends, Mom," she says. She busies herself with putting the dishes away, so she doesn't have to lie to her mom's face.

"Katherine Houghton Beckett." Ah, yeah, she's caught. She turns to face the music, finds her mom with her hands on her hips, giving her that look. The look she usually reserves for clients that are being less than forthcoming. "I've seen the way the two of you look at each other. You're not just anything."

She gnaws at her bottom lip. "I know," she says. "That still doesn't mean I'm going to act on it."

Her mom just grins. "Even if you don't, he will."

When Castle makes his move on New Year's Eve, her mom doesn't say I told you so. She doesn't have to.