Evening Blues Chapter Thirty Seven

Alexis leaned back on to the couch and starting telling her father all about her and Kate's day. She told him about the shooting range, the motorcycle store, Kate's motorcycle and she even showed him the rest of the pictures she had taken. Kate beamed as Alexis finished telling Castle about their day, she was just as happy as Alexis was. Castle watched his daughter as she explained her day; he had never so much joy in her eyes as she had today. After she quickly finished Alexis gave her dad a kiss on his cheek, she stood and gave Kate a bear hug and retreated upstairs.

Castle smiled as he leaned back on the couch and threw his arm around Kate. "You don't think she is going to want a motorcycle now do you?"

Kate giggled a she remembered Alexis's words earlier 'Forget the scooter! I want a motorcycle!' She didn't want to freak Castle out so she shrugged as she laid her head on his shoulder.

Castle kissed her head. "Nah, me neither"

The couple sat on the couch for a few minutes in silence, just enjoying each other's company. Castle shifted against the couch and broke their silence.

"So did you have fun?"

Kate smiled to herself as she sat up. "Yes, you have an amazing daughter Rick."

"Thank you, she thinks you're amazing too."

Kate blushed slightly as Castle took her hand. Castle mumbled under his breath. "She isn't the only one"

Kate gave him a confused look. "What?"

Castle took a deep breath as he inched closer to Kate; He laced one hand through hers and placed the other on her hip. "Kate, there is something I need to tell you, that I have known for a while now."

Kate saw his serious face, as she shifted her body towards him so her legs that were crossed were touching his. "I'm listening"

"I don't really know any other way of saying this, I'm a writer for crying out loud and no other words come to me, so I'm just gonna blurt it out there and if you don't feel the same I understand."

Kate took a deep breath, her hands started to get clammy, and her heart started to race. "What is it Rick?"

Castle pushed a hair that was flowing freely by her face behind her shoulder as he trailed his hand back to her hip, he exhaled slowly as he looked up to see her green eyes staring back into his. "I love you"

Kate felt her heart skip a beat; adrenaline started rushing through her veins, she felt her eyes starting to get a little misty, she looked down at the couch to try to hide the tear that was about to fall. She smiled as she looked back into Castle's eyes. "I love you too"

Castle's heart beated rapidly against his chest, he felt like jumping up and doing a happy dance. He squeezed her hand that was laced through hers and he ran his free hand through her hair, he pulled her close to him and pressed a gentle kiss against her pink lips. Kate ran her free hand through Castle's hair as she responded to his lips against hers. She knew she loved him, but there was something about saying it out loud to him and herself that made it feel different.

Alexis started to descend down the stairs when she quickly stopped to see her dad and Kate on the couch, she had witnessed them kissing before, but this time there was something different, there was some other kind of spark that seemed to be exploding everywhere between them. She grinned as she took out of her phone and took a few photos of the couple before she quickly retreated back up stairs.

When the couple heard Alexis's door shut, they opened their eyes and pulled away, they both quickly turned their heads towards the stairs as Castle started to smile.

"I bet she came down here, and then went back up."

Kate grinned as she looked back at Castle "I'm sure of it."

Kate kissed Castle once more before standing and making her way towards the door. "I'd better go; I have work in the morning."

Castle sighed, he hated when she had to leave, and he wanted her to stay beside him all the time. She lived all the way across town, and he absolutely hated the distance between them. He led her to the door. "I'll see you in the morning Kate"

Kate smiled as she placed a kiss on his cheek. "Night Rick"

Castle reluctantly shut the door and walked back to the living room, he quickly looked around the loft to make sure no one was watching when he did a fist pump in the air and started dancing to his office. He was humming a song as he swiftly moved his feet and hips past the couch, when he heard someone clear their throat rather loudly. His faced blushed as he slowly turned around seeing his daughter, with her hands on her hips, her eyebrows raised and a smirk splashed across her face.

"Dad, what are you doing?"

Castle swallowed hard and shoved his hands in his pockets. "I uh, I was just uh, I was going to my office."

Alexis giggled "Moving like THAT?"

Castle felt his face blush ten different shades of red. "Uh, yeah, just kind of happy I suppose."

"You told her didn't you?"

"Uh….what?"

Alexis rolled her eyes and she moved closer to her father. "You told Kate you loved her didn't you?"

Castle smiled a cheeky grin. "Yes"

Alexis squealed as she squeezed her dad into a hug. "What did she say?"

Castle hugged his daughter back as she kissed her forehead. "She said she loved me too"

Alexis squeezed her dad once more before quickly letting go. "Finally!" She giggled all the way back up the stairs.

Castle shook his head and he retreated to his office, which was where he really was headed in the first place. He plopped in his chair, logged into his laptop and clicked on the 'Nikki Heat' file, inspiration had struck and he felt like he was going to explode with happiness if he didn't write about it somehow.

Meanwhile at Kate's apartment: Kate walked wordlessly into her apartment, threw her purse, keys and jacket on the couch and retreated to her bedroom to flop onto her bed. She flipped over on her back and stared at the ceiling. She had a huge smile on her face and her heart was beating what felt like ninety miles a minute. She had been in love once but it had never been this strong, she had so much adrenaline running though her system she could have probably ran a triathlon and it wouldn't have fazed her. She was glowing and she felt something in the pit of her stomach. She closed her eyes as she thought about what had just happened between her and Castle, her breathing became steady again, and her nerves started to calm, before she knew it she was asleep and lightly snoring.

Kate made her way into the precinct; she strolled over to her desk and sat down in her chair. Ryan and Esposito weren't there yet, and neither was Castle, for a few minutes she had a few moments of silence to herself. Of course that all changed a few seconds later and the two boys stepped off the elevator and made their way towards their desks. They all three exchanged 'good mornings' and the boys went to their paperwork. Esposito was watching Beckett at her desk as she would pick up her pen, smile, and then write a few notes down. Then she would rest of head in her hand, smile again and go back to her notes. He raised his eyebrows and turned towards Ryan.

"Dude, are you catching any of this?"

Ryan pushed away from his desk, towards Esposito. "Catching what?"

Esposito scoffed as he nodded towards Beckett. "Watch her for a few seconds."

Ryan turned his attention to his boss as he started to see what his partner was talking about; he quickly turned towards Esposito with his eyebrows now raised. "Bro, she is glowing!"

Beckett looked up from her paperwork to think about what she had just read when she caught the stares of the two detectives across the room. She blushed slightly, but hid it very well. She furrowed her eyebrows. "What are you two looking at?"