Chapter 9

10 Days Later

Castle had finally come to terms with Kate's shooting…for the second time, and things were starting to get back to normal. He had almost all of his memories back and he had even started writing again. Beckett had thought it would best that he wait a while before consulting on cases, but he was too eager and started back a few days previous.

The Castles' kitchen was a mess. Martha had been slaving over food all afternoon in preparation for their family dinner that evening. Castle had invited Kate to join them in the hope that Alexis would start to accept Kate into their bubble. She never openly said she disliked Kate, just that she would prefer if her dad wouldn't be constantly in danger because of her.

"When is Katherine arriving?" Martha asked moving trays and stirring pots.

Knock. Knock.

"Right about now," he laughed, opening the door. "Hey! Come in."

Kate flashed him a smile and made her way to the kitchen. The dining table was covered in foods of various colours. There were cheeses, breads, and a variety of sauces. Castle stood beside her and placed his hand on her back.

"Kate!" Martha exclaimed, wiping her hands in her apron. "So glad you could join us."

"Hi Martha! Wow, you really outdid yourself," Kate acknowledged.

"I hope you're hungry," she said.

"Oh!" Kate said turning to Castle. "I brought wine." She had been so distracted by the food that she had forgotten about the bottle of red in her hand.

"Perfect." He gratefully took the bottle and looked for a bottle opener.

Alexis tried not to draw attention to herself as she descended the stairs, but Kate saw her and smiled. Castle, wondering what Kate was smiling at, also turned to see his daughter.

"Hey," Alexis said timidly when she reached the bottom of the stairs.

There wasn't so much of a tension, more so an awkwardness between the two of them. Kate was comfortable but Alexis, being the overprotective kid that she is, made very little conversation for the duration of the dinner. They all sat around the table and feasted on the banquet-like meal they had prepared.

"So, Kate! How are things at the precinct?" Martha asked making conversation.

"Good actually. Busy as per usual," she said. "New cases coming in everyday, so we're more than occupied."

"I can tell you've missed your partner," Castle teased, wiping his mouth with a napkin. "Luckily, I'm back in action."

Alexis sat in silence poking at her lasagne with her fork.

"Any chance we could get him another head injury?" Kate joked with Martha.

"Seriously?" Castle said offended. "I can't catch a break around you two."

"I'll make it up to you," Kate said with a subtle wink.

That's when Alexis broke her silence with a distasteful scoff. She hadn't intended for it to be as loud and noticeable as it turned out to be. The three other heads turned in her direction, but she latched her eyes onto the stern look of her father's face.

"Alexis…," Martha emphasised.

"I think I'm going to go study," she said leaving the table and throwing her plate in the sink.

Castle rolled his eyes and pushed out his chair before Alexis said, "No. Enjoy your dinner."

Martha and Kate exchanged an uncomfortable glance as Alexis jogged up the stairs. This is not how Castle had intended the dinner to play out. Alexis had said she approved of the relationship. But it seemed the mask she was wearing had fooled him.

"She said she was okay," Castle sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"It's all still very new to her," Kate said in Alexis' defence. "You can't blame her for having mixed feelings."

Martha began gathering the dirty plates and scrubbing them, leaving them to talk amongst themselves for a while.

"Maybe I should talk to her," Kate suggested after a brief minute.

"Do you really want to?"

"Worth a shot, right?"

Kate folded her napkin and placed it on the table before getting up and making her way upstairs. She was nervous and unsure of what to say, but she had to try. If she and Castle were going to be together, it was important to her that Alexis felt comfortable around her.

She tapped lightly on the door of what she assumed was Alexis' room. The faded 'High School Musical' stickers on it made her feel pretty confident about her choice.

"Dad, not now," came a muffled voice from the other side of the partially opened door.

"It's not your dad," Kate said.

"Oh…umm, come in."

Kate did as she was directed and entered the young girls room. It was more mature than she had expected. No posters of male popstars or cringey quotes. The walls were bare apart from a few family photos and a calendar. She sat beside Alexis on her bed, which had floral bedsheets.

"Alexis, I don't want to intrude on your relationship with your dad," Kate began. "I know how close you two are and how strange it must be for you to see him…dating someone like me."

"I want him to be happy," she declared. "And I know you make him happy, but you're also the person who has the power to hurt him, both physically and emotionally."

"I said I would get him out of that bank safely and I failed," Kate admitted. "Trust me when I say I live with the guilt every day. But he is one of, if not, the most important person in my life and I have no intention of hurting him."

"He would move mountains for you, you know?" Alexis said with a faint smile.

"Yeah." Kate smiled at the ground before continuing. "I just don't want you to hate me now that your dad and I are in a relationship."

"I don't hate you, detective Beckett," Alexis validated. "I'm sorry. It's just with school and friends and then to have this dropped on me. It's been a difficult couple of weeks."

Kate cautiously took her hand and patted it with the other. This was an unusual feeling for Alexis. The people who usually comfort her are her dad and Gram. Yet, there was a nurturing, almost motherly, sensitivity about Kate's touch.

"You don't need to be sorry. But if you ever need to talk, not matter what it is, you give me a call, okay?"

"Yeah," she nodded. "I really do need to study. Can you tell my dad I'm okay?"

"Of course."

Kate reached the door, but before she could close it behind her Alexis' voice lured her back.

"Oh, detective Beckett?" Kate turned back. "Thank you."

Kate smiled contently back at the now-comforted girl. "It's Kate."

Castle was pacing the living room which amused Martha as she sat on the couch sipping her glass of red. He was afraid Alexis would block Kate out and that they'd never get the chance to patch things up. His mind flashed back to when Gina was in the picture and how long it took Alexis to warm up to her. Look how that ended.

"She's okay," Kate said startling Rick from his thoughts.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes," she said wrapping her arms around his waist. "She's fine, I'm fine. Everyone's fine."

"Except Richard, who has been pacing a hole in the floor," Martha chimed in.

"Ignore her," he said holding her close.

"Well, she's not wrong," Kate confirmed looking at the indentation on the rug.

"Never am, darling!"

"Don't you have better things to be doing other than watching us?" Castle asked, now getting irritated by his mother.

"Alright, I'm leaving," Martha said getting the message. "There's cheesecake in the fridge if you two want some."

Excited at the sound of dessert, Kate unwound her arms from Castle and headed for the refrigerator. But Castle grabbed her arm and pulled her close with one arm.

"Hey-"

Castle cut her off with a long passionate kiss. It was slow yet fiery. The anticipation had been burning inside him since she arrived at the door earlier that evening. Alone at last, he took his time rhythmically moving his satin lips against hers.

"And what was that for?" Kate said when they broke the kiss.

"Do I need a reason?" He placed another soft kiss on her lips.

"Hmm," she hummed against his lips. "I think that cheesecake is calling my name."

"You know," he said stroking her hair. "We could just take the cheesecake to the bedroom and make it twice as sweet."

"I'm not giving in to your weird fantasy, Castle," she laughed.

"In my dreams you do," he said leaning to her ear. He lowered his register and whispered, "In every single one."

"Well, that's where they'll stay."

She could see he was eager to start something right here right now. He began nibbling on her earlobe, tugging it ever so slightly triggering Kate's eyes to slam shut in pleasure.

"Castle, your family are upstairs," Kate said trying to withhold a moan.

"Then let's take this to the bedroom."

"As tempting as that sounds, I think we should finish doing the dishes considering your mother cooked."

Defeated yet again by the tease that is Kate Beckett, he released her from his hold and finished tidying the kitchen. Plates were scrubbed, rinsed, dried, and put back in the cupboard. Wine glasses were washed and left to drain. Kate checked her watch; it was closing in on ten p.m..

"I better go," she said. "Early start tomorrow."

"Don't you want to stay?" Castle asked.

"Castle, I can't stay every time I visit!"

"But I want you do," he admitted. "Come on, give in and stay."

"Do I even get a say in this?" she laughed.

"Nope."

Before she could argue, Castle grabbed her by the waist and threw her over his shoulder. His arms tight around her legs preventing her from falling, he carried her to the bedroom.

"Castle!" she yelped. "Jeez! Put me down."

"Your wish is my command," he said, dropping her on her back onto the bed.

He climbed onto her and lingered for a moment, admiring the beauty beneath him.

"As much as I would love to stay and continue this, I really need to go."

"I can't let you," he said with a grin.

"Excuse me?" she laughed. "I can see you're trying to be sexy, and you're doing a great job, but if you don't move I will be obligated to tackle you."

"Trying?" he repeated offended.

Knowing that would distract him, she flipped him onto his back and hovered above him momentarily. She chuckled to herself and poked his nose mockingly.

"See you tomorrow, Castle."

She hopped up off him and escaped out the bedroom door before he could catch her. He lay on the bed and smiled to himself. What a woman she was.