This chapter is loosely based on "Significant Others." I took some liberties with the plot, because a lot of it was written before the episode aired, and I didn't have the energy to change it. Enjoy!

Dammit. He knew this had been a bad idea. He should've never said she could stay here.

"But Ricky! I'll only be here for a week! I need a place to stay, and it will give me some bonding time with Alexis before she goes back to college!"

Yea, that made it sound okay. If she was a normal person. But this was Meredith they were talking about. Even if he wanted to turn her down- which he did- he couldn't. Because all this sweetness was dripping from her tongue as she held her bags at his doorstep, followed by her inviting herself in.

Upon finding out about this little arrangement, Kate was livid. But she was polite to Meredith at breakfast, and held her tongue when the redhead started babbling on about some topic she couldn't care less about.

But when she walked in on Meredith snogging her boyfriend three days later, that was it. She turned and left with a huff, a "Call me when you're done fooling around with your ex-wife," casually thrown over her shoulder as she slammed the door.

He was angry; Meredith just blew it off with a flip of her hair, and went back up to the guest room. She winked at him, the, "if you want to finish what we started, you know where to find me," left unsaid.

The poor man was at a loss. He sat down on the couch with his head in his hands, sighing in frustration.

It had been two days since he'd seen her. He tried calling, but she wasn't answering her phone. He wanted to run to her and beg her to come home, but he knew nothing of the sort would happen until Meredith was gone, and she wasn't leaving for another three days.

He was wandering the house, lost without Kate by his side. He couldn't write, couldn't think; he could hardly eat. So he wandered.

As he neared the upstairs, he head music blaring from Alexis' room. He huffed over, ready to be all father-like and tell her to turn it down, when something made him stop and listen.

You're the snake hidden in my daffodils when I'm picking flowers,
That's just my luck these days,
Why can't you just be happy for me?
You're the brake lines failing as my car swerves off the freeway.
It kinda feels like sabotage...
Why can't you just be happy for...
Why can't you just be happy for me?

Huh. Now didn't that sum up his relationship with Meredith perfectly?

That's when he knew something had to be done. This was it. He couldn't let Kate be upset, and he couldn't let Meredith stay here ever, ever again. He had to talk to Meredith. Now.

He stomped over to the guest bedroom, preparing himself to be all manly and macho and not let her womanly guile get to him. No; Only Kate's womanly guile stirs anything in me now, he thought.

"Meredith?" He rapped three times on the door. "I need to talk to you."

She opened the door and pulled him inside by the scruff of his tee-shirt. She pushed him back against the door and immediately went for his lips.

"Shhhpp," he mumbled. Finally pushing her off, he growled, "STOP!"

"What, Rick? I thought we were just doing what we always do."

"Stop f**king around with my emotions, Meredith!" He did his best not to shout, so Alexis wouldn't overhear.

"Excuse me?"

"What do you think you're doing here? Trying to seduce me? Why are you always out to get me? I have a girlfriend, Meredith! A girlfriend I love and care about very much!"

"You used to love and care about me, too."

"Once. But I'm in love with Kate now. I was never good enough for you. You...you cheated on me. And I was sick and tired of the false devotion, so we both moved on. Kate would never do that to me. And I'm not letting you ruin what I have with her."

"I liked you better when you were numb. Pining after her like some lost puppy who would never get thrown a bone. You were mine first, Richard Castle. And I am the mother of your daughter. Remember that."

"Granted, you gave me Alexis. But You have hardly been there for Alexis. This thing about spending more time with her was all a facade to scope out my relationship with Kate. You wanted to break us."

"So what if I did? It worked, didn't it?"

"I don't think so. Kate and I spent four years dancing around each other. We're not going to let something as silly as YOU come between us. Suck it up, and let it go, Meredith. We're over. We have been for a long time."

"A**hole."

"I think it'd be best if you would just go."

"I think so too. I will just grab my things and live out on the street." Drama Queen.

"Your mother lives three miles from here. Take the Q train and stay with her." He was finished now. He turned on his heel and walked out of the room, feeling very proud of himself. Now he had to make things right with Kate.

Knock, Knock, Knock.

Kate answered the door and immediately a look of contempt crossed her face.

"What do YOU want?"

"To apologize."

That threw her. She wasn't expecting that. Well, she was, but she didn't expect him to seem so genuine, let alone continue. "I should've never allowed Meredith to stay with me. It was completely inappropriate. I'm sorry I hurt you."

Her eyes welled up the slightest bit, and she rushed into his arms and hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her trembling frame and kissed the top of her head.

She sniffled, but managed a watery smile. "What brought on this revelation?"

"A song I heard playing in Alexis' room. It sparked me to talk to Meredith and tell her to get out."

"What song was it?"

"I don't know. I'll have to ask her later."

He kissed her, and then all was right in their world.

So charsarb, what did you think of this lovely chapter based on this "awful" song. I wrote it for you to try and prove to you that this song CAN be good! ;) Everyone else, what did you think? Comment below!