Chapter 21 – Together At Last
When Kate woke up the next morning she found that she was very comfortable and was lying on top of something warm and soft, slowly blinking herself awake she opened her eyes to see that she was lying on Rick's chest her head lying on his heart, he had one arm over her and the other hand was entwined with hers. Their legs were tangled up together and the sheets were twisted over them as well. She rested her head back on his chest again closing her eyes feeling content, she had certainly enjoyed last night, and was glad that she had listened to her daughter when she had told her to listen to her heart.
She stayed there thinking about last night with a smile on her face, she was pleased to discover that she did not have a hangover as she had expected, this was a relief, she couldn't remember the last time she had tried to catch a murderer with a stomping headache.
Just then she felt Rick stir underneath her and she looked up into his gentle piercing blue eyes "morning" he whispered, "morning" she breathed back before kissing him again, then she rolled off his chest to lie next to him as he grinned at her, "last night" he said "was definitely amazing probably my best" Kate grinned "what better than with your deep fried twinkie" she teased referring to what he called Meredith, when she came back into town "much better" he said kissing her again. They lay there together for a bit until they heard the sounds of life in the other rooms, quickly she leapt up not really wanting to be caught by two teenagers in bed with Rick, she grabbed one of his shirts quickly pulling it on before giving him a kiss and slipping across the hall into the bedroom she had previously stayed in where Livie had obviously put her bag for her before she went to sleep, she was just pulling out some clothes when there was a gentle tap at the door and Livie poked her head in.
"morning" she greeted cheerfully "morning" Kate replied brightly, Livie raised her eye brows and looked her up and down "nice shirt" she commented, causing her mom to go red, she slipped in and jumped onto the bed next to where her mother was sitting "so how was it" she asked tauntingly, Kate grinned at her mischievously "not telling" she taunted back and then yelped as her daughter fell on her tickling her again, she fell back laughing before gasping "ok, ok I'll talk" giggling Livie released her only to be pulled into a hug, still giggling Livie hugged her back, Kate looked into her shining eyes and said "it was amazing, best date I have ever been on, we talked for hours about everything" she smiled at her daughter "and once you get home" Livie asked eyes glinting "oh I am so not going to talk to you about that" Kate said "and you can tickle me all you want I still won't discuss that with you". she kissed her forehead before sitting up "you have a good slumber party" she asked, Livie nodded and showed Kate her nails all painted a soft green which picked up the colour of her hair and eyes "it was awesome we watched loads of movies" "I saw" Kate said "did you watch all the twilight movies" she nodded "yep, it was cool"
Kate smiled "go get dressed" she urged so with another grin Livie slipped back to her room across the hall. When she came down after having a quick shower Livie and Alexis had just finished clearing up the mess of the slumber party and Rick was making pancakes again, that made her remember when they had been after the Nikki Heat fanatic and he had stayed over and made her pancakes before they had discovered the body on her front door step. Ryan and Esposito had thought they had been together then saying that pancakes were a way of saying thank you for a lovely night. She caught Rick's eye and he grinned and she knew he was thinking of that too.
She saw the two teenagers watching them intently, so she asked Alexis how the slumber party had been noticing her nails were a brighter green, picking up the soft grey of her eyes, she said the same as Livie, both of them continuing to watch their parents until the food was ready, and they had to focus on their food, after they had eaten they both disappeared up the stairs together whispering as they went, Rick raised his eyebrows "now what is the bet they are talking about us" he said with a grin "hmm" Kate considered "almost 100% unless they are discussing movie plots" Rick laughed and then kissed her gently.
"well" she said regretfully "I have to go to work now, do the paperwork for the case and the incident yesterday" Rick grinned "the benefits of being me, all the fun, none of the paperwork, and no shortage of cash", Kate growled at him "no need to brag" she grumbled "Livie" she shouted up the stairs "we gotta go", both girls appeared at the top of the stairs in a matter of seconds which made Kate think that they were lying on the floor listening to them. "are we coming back tonight" Livie asked, it was a perfectly innocent question, but it still made Kate stop and think, she looked at Rick, "you can if you want" he said "go you want to go out again tonight" he asked, she smiled and nodded "sounds good" she said, "see you later then, come on Liv" her daughter bounced down the stairs happy to know that they would be coming back. She brought their bags with them so Kate could grab them a fresh change of clothes.
In the lift Kate looked at her daughter again, she was grinning at her "what" she asked "and don't you dare say nothing" Livie's eyes sparkled "so we are coming back tonight" "looks like it" she said, Livie's grin widened "awesome" she said, and Kate smiled.
XOXOXO
Livie positively bounced into school and to her locker where she met Megan and Laura "they wrote it" she said making them blink "my mom and Rick Castle went on a date last night" "ohh" Laura squealed "and how did it go", they both laughed at the grin on Livie's face "lucky you" Laura said as they all linked arms and headed for class giggling, "oh yeah, my plan is working" Livie grinned, happy, she loved the look on her mom's face when she was with the author, she wanted her to be that happy forever.
XOXOXO
Kate arrived at work and slipped up the stairs, she got an odd look from her two team mates "what" she asked "your smiling" Ryan said "no one should be smiling at work at this time in the morning" Kate shrugged "maybe I am happy" she said, they both looked at each other as she moved to her desk and shrugged "oh Beckett" Esposito said "Lanie says go down to her lab as soon as you get here otherwise there will be severe consequences" Kate gulped "better get down there then" she said and walked down with a spring in her step, Esposito looked at Ryan who frowned at him "why were you with Lanie earlier" "um" his partner said "I had to deliver something to her for a friend" Ryan looked at him oddly but let it go, much to Esposito's relief.
Kate entered autopsy to see her friend sitting filling out a report "shall I come back at a better time" she asked teasingly turning to leave "Katherine Beckett, you come right back here this second, or I will go tell the boys upstairs everything" Lanie threatened, Kate laughed "I was joking Lanie" her best friend dragged her over to a chair and sat her down before sitting opposite her "tell me everything" she demanded, Kate told her of their date, where they went, what they talked about, Lanie was obviously delighted that they were finally together and kept interrupting to ask questions "Lanie" Kate complained "I feel like I am in interrogation, can we relax" Lanie sighed "no we can't I want to head everything, what happened when you got home"
Kate smiled "well there was mess everywhere from the girl's slumber party and they had left a bottle of wine and two glasses out as a big hint, so we had a couple of drinks and then we kissed" Lanie's eyes went huge "and then" she breathed, Kate ducked her head, "oh" her friend squealed "oh my gosh I can't believe you and writer boy finally did it" "shh" Kate hissed as the doors opened and Ryan and Esposito entered "finished your girly talk" Ryan asked "cus we gotta body, do you wanna call Castle Beckett" Kate nodded and said goodbye to Lanie, and called Rick.
"Well detective either we have a body of you missed the sound of my voice" he teased, she rolled her eyes, he had used that one before "learn some new pick-up lines Castle, we have a body" she gave him the address and then followed the boys out and driving to the crime scene.
XOXOXO
The crime scene was ordinary except for them all noticing Esposito and Lanie having eye sex as Ryan called it and then trying not to look at each other, Kate could feel Rick's eyes on her as she looked around, "quit staring R.. Castle" she groaned "that is what I am here to do" he protested "watch and observe you are my muse Kate", Kate groaned "this had better be one hell of a book if you are eye stalking me all the time"; she winked at him when the others were not looking.
Back at the precinct they were joined once again by Livie once school had ended, Kate smiled at her daughter as she leapt up to sit next to her on the edge of her desk, she leaned her head against Kate's shoulder content her eyes flicking over the board, Kate sighed happily, they both looked up though when there was a click, followed by a flash and a whirr. Rick was standing behind them holding Kate's camera "sorry" he said "seemed like a nice picture" he showed them the picture taken, Livie her head on her mother's shoulder, relaxed, he had taken it just as Kate had looked at her daughter, and there was pride and love in her eyes, in that picture, Livie really did look like her mother's double.
Kate smiled "thanks Castle, that is not bad, where did you get my camera" "your drawer" he said innocently "stop going through my stuff" Kate grumbled, giving him a small smile "shall we get back to the case" he suggested "lets" Ryan agreed from where he was watching them all interact, a small gleam in his eyes, they sat and mulled over every possibility in this case, trying out theories until it was time to go, Rick had got a cab here so he left with Kate and Livie, waiting whilst they grabbed some clothes and stuff, in Livie's cast a fresh pile of DVD's.
XOXOXO
When they arrived at the loft Alexis was delighted to see Livie and the two of them disappeared up the stairs giggling, Rick grinned at her "tonight miss Beckett how about I cook for you" Kate raised her eyebrows warily "you cook" she commented "yeah" he said as though offended she would think otherwise, he grinned at her "Alexis is still alive so I can't be that bad" Kate laughed "then that sounds lovely Rick"
He grinned and gave her a glass of wine, which she drank slowly as she watched him cook, whilst he moved around his spacious kitchen they talked again, opening up to each other, they didn't notice Livie and Alexis lying at the top of the stairs watching them with big grins on their faces, they only came down when the doorbell went and they retrieved the pizza Rick had let them order and a bottle of coke from the fridge and some plates and cups, all the while whilst they were down there they grinned at their parents. After telling them to have a good evening again they slipped up the stairs and started their movie marathon in Alexis' room.
The food Rick cooked did taste very good Kate had to admit, she told him that which made him very pleased, once again they moved to the sofa where they ended up watching old cop shows again, halfway through Kate tentatively lay her head on his shoulder and he draped one arm around her, they stayed there waiting for the girls to go to bed, they went to bed at 10 which was a reasonable hour for two teenagers but it felt like forever to their parents who remained in each other's embrace, not really watching the TV just savouring the feeling of being together. Eventually Kate rolled her head over to find him gazing at her, she smiled at him and then very gently kissed him, he grinned at her when they pulled apart and then kissed her again, they didn't have to check with each other about going upstairs, they both leapt up, and giggling Kate followed him up the stairs to his room where once again they fell on top of one another, kissing each other almost frantically whilst pulling each other's clothes off. Once again they spent the night in paradise, and as Rick said when they were finally done "that was 100% defiantly the best"
XOXOXO
Kate felt the sunlight on her eyelids and moaned, tired. Squinting against the glare of sunlight she carefully opened her eyes, once again she was lying in Rick Castle's bed pressed up against his bare chest, she sighed, content and snuggled in deeper, she could definitely get used to this she decided. It wasn't long before he too woke up and kissed her neck, she giggled, "please don't give me a hicky" she mumbled "I really don't want to have to explain that to the boys" he growled almost playfully, and she rolled over to kiss him again "think I already gave you a hicky last night" he said, she touched her neck "oh well" she mumbled kissing him again.
They continued like that until there was a tap at the door "I know you're in there mom" Livie called "don't hide, your phone has been dinging like crazy for the past 15 minutes, you have a text from Lanie" Kate groaned and got up yanking a shirt of Rick's over her head again and opening the door, Livie raised her eye brows, she still looked half asleep but grinned at her before offering her the phone "thanks" Kate mumbled taking the phone "I was just err" Livie stopped her "I know what you were doing, I am not a little girl anymore, and besides" she grinned "you weren't exactly quiet last night" Kate swatted at her daughters head, she ducked giggling and slipped off back to her room, Kate leapt back into the bed next to Rick who was in hysterics "shut up" she mumbled "I bet you have been in that position before with Alexis" he grinned still laughing "more than once" he said "I really don't want to know" she groaned kissing him again.
Then with a sigh she opened her phone and read the text.
'Got print off body, come down when u arrive, hope u had fun wit riter boy'
"is that my nickname" Castle asked reading the text over her shoulder "to Lanie yes" Kate said quickly replying thanks and shutting her phone before climbing out of the bed, "well if we have a print we have something to work on" she said as she pulled some clothes out of her bag and pulled them on, she then went down the hall and banged on Livie's door "no I'm tired" she mumbled from inside, Kate opened the door to see her burrow under the covers "come on" she said shaking her "up you get, we have got to get to work, and you to school" Livie grumbled "no" Kate grinned and then tickled her making her squeal before bursting out laughing and beginning to thrash wildly, Kate continued to tickle her until she gasped "ok I give I'm up, I'm up" Kate pulled the bed clothes away and watched her clamber out of bed yawning
Half an hour later they had dropped Livie off at school and were on the way to work, once they had cleared security and were in the elevator alone, and on the way to their floor, Castle once again flicked the emergency stop switch and grabbed her pressing her against the wall as he pressed his lips to hers, she giggled in delight kissing him back.
Neither of them noticed that as Rick pressed her against the wall he pressed her back against the emergency stop switch, they didn't feel the lift begin to travel to their floor, it was only when the doors dinged and they heard an awkward cough that they broke apart, to find the doors open and Ryan and Esposito staring at them in surprise as they stood there in each other's arms.
They both blinked at the couple, who released each other both blushing hard at being caught, Ryan raised him eyebrows "well" he said in a taunting tone "care to explain"
"Err"
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