The moment the ping-pong ball splashed into the cup the redhead rolled her eyes.
"Dad, you've had at least six already, you do not have to drink this one."
The sandy haired man smiled, ignoring his daughter's words, and looked with blurry eyes at the fraternity members who had challenged him. "See, what'd I tell you boys?" His words slurred around the letters as he looked toward the brunette who had appeared, somewhat unexpectedly,and added her two-cents worth into the game of beer-pong.
"Drop – Dead – Gorgeous." Rick Castle pointed a boyish grin at Katherine Beckett Castle, his police captain wife, who was apparently here to break up the college frat party. "That's her gentl-men, all mine… my wife…right there."
Kate looked at her husband and then at Alexis Castle, her stepdaughter, who wasn't smiling at the situation but looked at least slightly relieved that the older woman was now on the scene.
"That's about enough Castle," Kate crossed her arms across her chest and looked at her husband with a mothering sort of face - which he also ignored.
"Wait," Rick put his index finger in the air clumsily and grabbed the red plastic cup where the plastic ball was still floating. "I gotta drink this…" he put the cup to his lips and tilted it until the ball hit his nose and much of the liquid spilled out, missing his mouth.
"Dad!" Alexis jumped away from the splash as she admonished her father.
"Rick, c'mon, really, that's enough," Kate nodded and stepped toward him. She took the cup from his hands and sat it down on the pool table before wrapping a slender hand around her husband's bicep and tugging him toward the door.
"Party's over kids," she added with a flash of her badge. "I'm guessing most of you are underage so unless you want me to start calling parents, you can clear out now," she deadpanned with no intention of doing anything more, other than getting her husband out of the situation.
"Well tha's no fun," Rick stumbled slightly and then stopped to look at a group of guys who were obviously eyeing Kate and Alexis.
"Wexis, you can do better 'an them," he looked at his daughter who just rolled her eyes. "You don't find a good man at a frat party," he thought about each word before they slipped from his mouth.
"And yet, I'm dragging my husband out of one," Kate shook her head and attempted to pull Rick with her as she started walking. But he didn't budge.
"I told you I have a gorge…gorge… bee-you-tiful wife, didn't I boys. This is the kinda woman you find if you wait long enough and take time to get to know her." He looked at Kate and smiled again, "I love you, Swee'heart," he puckered his lips for a kiss.
Kate tilted her head and again gave him that mothering sort of serious look.
"Wha'?" Rick's bottom lip protruded in a pout. "You know, I woul'n't be here if you just let me work wif you. Why won't you lemme, Kate? Why can't I work wif you now?" He glanced back at the boys, still not moving from where Kate's direction had stalled. "I love her so much, but she thinks she hasta protect me all the time. I's why she's not living at our place right now, right Kate? You say you gotta pertect me but you still love me, right?"
Kate's breathing became a little shallow as she listened to Rick bare their very personal life to this group of complete strangers – except for Alexis who was familiar with the situation and simply wanted her father's happiness.
Instead of answering Rick, however, she tugged on his arm again with a simple look and apologetic smile at Alexis. "My car is outside," she told her stepdaughter, "If we can just get him to it…"
"You do still love me, don' ya, Kate? Don't ya…love me?" Rick practically whimpered and leaned closer to his wife.
"Come on, Buddy," Kate looked away from Rick and Alexis both, toward the front door, and again pulled on Rick's arm.
"So you don't love me now? Wha'd I do, Kate? I dunno what I did?" Rick continued to badger her with his face near her ear and beer breath blowing across her face.
Kate closed her eyes for a split second and then turned to face him, their faces close enough it was hard to focus. Her first instinct was to shut him up with a kiss which would have been the simplest action. But, she certainly didn't want to amp up any drunken groping possibilities before at least getting him away from the college-aged hormones flowing through the room.
"I do love you, Castle, but can we not do this here, please? Let's at least get out to my car…" She was thrilled when Rick began putting one foot in front of the other with help from Kate and Alexis on either side of him. "How much did you drink anyway?"
Kate looked toward Alexis who sighed and just stayed quiet. The rest of their short walk to Kate's police cruiser was the same, except a few slurred 'I love you's' from Castle and a hurried kiss to Kate's cheek that she imagined was similar to a slobbery kiss from a toddler.
"Wexis," Castle laughed at himself for not being able to pronounce his daughter's name, "Ah-LEX-isss," he grinned at her. "You jus sit in the back seat. Bex…Beck-ett 'n' I 'll be right up front here. Right, Kate?"
Kate tugged his arm toward the back door and pointed Alexis around to the opposite side of the car. "I think it'll be safer if you sit in the back, Castle. I'll drive you back to the loft and you can just sleep this off, okay?"
"No," Rick pouted again, "Not kk… I wanna sit up front with you. I need to hold your hand. You said you still love me, Kate. I jus wanna sit and hold your hand for a while."
Alexis watched Kate take in a deep breath before saying another word. The younger woman wasn't sure of Kate's intentions, or thoughts and she certainly wasn't sure about her father at this moment. She'd seen him on the empty side of a whiskey bottle before and still walking a straight line. Alexis truly wasn't accustomed to seven beers making Rick Castle a sloppy drunk.
Still, here the three of them stood, waiting for Kate to make the call about a simple ride home – and trying to anticipate Castle's response.
"Look, Rick," Kate started and took another second to choose her words carefully. "I think it's best if you sit in the back seat for this ride. I know you and I are going through some stuff and I would just be more comfortable if you sit in the back. Alexis can sit with you and I'll take you back to the loft. We can talk on the way if you want."
Rick listened to her, leaning against the door of the car with his mouth slightly open, watching her mouth as she spoke. "Where're you gonna go?" He wondered innocently.
Kate took that as the signal to open the back door for him. She placed a hand on his head and her other on his arm to guide him into the back seat. Alexis joined him, still keeping quiet with a myriad of thoughts going through her mind.
Rick looked at his daughter once they were both seated. Neither bothered pulling seatbelts around themselves but Rick scooted his butt around on the seat for a few seconds while Kate rounded the car and got in behind the steering wheel.
"I been back here before," Rick ducked his chin and grinned like a guilty child, "but I was in handcuffs cause Beckett arrested me for ssstealing evidence," he whispered the offense, "or was it when you thought I was a murrrrderrrrerrr?" He caught Kate's eyes in the rearview mirror.
"I never thought you were a murderer, Castle," Kate shook her head and looked back at the road. She pulled away from the curb and headed onto the streets. "The evidence pointed toward you and I had to arrest you until we could prove it wasn't you."
"I think you jus like to arrest me cause you like me in cuffs," Rick bit on his bottom lip and again caught Kate looking at him in the mirror. This time she couldn't help the little smirk that formed on her lips. The lip bite was his attempt at being coy – usually. Truth be told, she did like him in handcuffs, but purely for personal reasons.
"Seeeee?" he smiled widely and looked at Alexis. "Did ya see her grin at me, Wexis?" He laughed again but didn't try to correct his pronunciation. "She likes me in handcuffs. It's sexxxxy!" He leaned forward and flopped his hands and chin onto the seatback.
"Ewww! Dad, stop!" Alexis's tone was also somewhat mothering. "Kate, can you take me to the p.i. office so I can get some work done, please? Then you can take him back to the loft and put him to bed."
"No," Kate looked in the mirror at Alexis while Rick simultaneously agreed with his daughter, "Yes!"
"I think I'm gonna need your help Alexis, please?" The two women's eyes met, conveying very different meanings. Kate's were practically pleading with the younger woman. Alexis's said she just wanted to be out of this situation. "Or I can drop you both off at the office and we can get him settled on the couch."
"He wants to be with you," Alexis stated pretty matter-of-factly.
"I know, but I'm on a case –" Kate attempted until Rick interrupted both of them.
"I am right here, you know," he said somewhat clearly.
"Castle, you're too drunk to know what's good for you right now," Kate tried to explain but the words fell on deaf ears.
"I wanna go back to our loft," Castle lifted his chin from his hands on the back of the seat. "I wanna go back to our loft, with you." Again his words and wishes were quite clear making Kate turn to glance at him fully when they stopped at a red light. "I want my wife," Castle spoke just loud enough for her to hear, although Alexis most likely heard his declaration.
It was one that spoke right to Kate's heart and one she knew she couldn't ignore.
"Alexis, are you sure you want the office, not your apartment?" Kate looked again in the mirror.
Alexis was actually grateful for the sound of defeat in Kate's voice. She nodded at her stepmother, "I got a couple of leads from that party that I want to follow-up on. As long as I know Dad's with you, I'll be able to focus on that and not worry about him drinking himself any further into oblivion."
Kate smiled softly as Rick flopped backwards, nearly catching Alexis with his shoulder. "Hey!" He looked at his daughter, "I resemble that remark."
His words were again slurred. Alexis again rolled her eyes and Kate just kept driving.
They drove for a few minutes in total silence. Both women assumed their male counterpart was falling asleep, his head lolled onto the back of the seat and drifting nearer and nearer to his daughter's shoulder.
"What were the two of you doing at that party?" Kate finally gathered the courage to inquire from Alexis.
"We had a lead on the frat boy that was killed. When your plan for Detectives Ryan and Esposito to infiltrate the campus failed…" Kate caught Alexis's eye roll and head shake in the mirror, "I made some in-roads with a couple of guys at the frat house."
"How deep are these in-roads?" Kate sounded as though she had gone into interrogation mode or was it motherly questioning?
Alexis tilted her head and shot Kate a serious look. "I didn't sleep with any of them if that's what you're wondering," Alexis informed her.
"What? No!" Kate shot back as she realized what might be going through the twenty-something's head. "No," she settled again, "I was just wondering if you had concrete leads that maybe I could help you look into, or you might help me."
She saw Alexis relax a little. "Sorry," the stepdaughter offered, "Dad and Gram are the only ones who ask me those kinds of questions…about my personal life, I mean."
Kate nodded her head and took a breath, "I…worry about you, too, Alexis. If I haven't said it…and I know I haven't shown it recently and I apologize…you are family to me. I understand if you don't feel the same, but I do care and I do worry. But you're an adult and I don't want to overstep my bounds."
Alexis nodded and sat quietly again.
"My mom doesn't either," she offered with a glance at Rick who now had his eyes closed and mouth open slightly as he breathed in and out.
"What's that?" Kate asked casually.
"My mom, Meredith, you know…she doesn't overstep her boundaries either. It's usually 'Do you have a boyfriend? Anyone serious? Let's go shopping!' kinds of conversations."
"Really?" Kate responded. "That surprises me." She caught Alexis's eyes. "I mean, I know you don't get to see her a lot so it seems like she would want to know everything that's going on in your life when you do get to catch up with her."
Alexis's smile was a bit sad, Kate thought. And she didn't offer any sort of remarks or explanations. Kate watched as the young lady turned to look out the window, seemingly avoiding more of that conversation. Kate let it drop easily.
After another moment, Alexis again looked at her father and then back at Kate. "Kate, what's going on with you and Dad? I mean, seriously, did he do something that made you move out? Are you all heading for a divorce?"
Kate breathed in and out a couple of times before Alexis added, "And don't just say it's complicated. Life is complicated, everything is complicated these days. You guys aren't supposed to be complicated anymore. You're in love, you're married, you both have successful careers… So what's the catch?"
Alexis heard Rick's breath hitch but noticed that he didn't open his eyes or raise his head. So, she hoped, perhaps, Kate would answer her question.
"Alexis," Kate put a hand on her forehead as she pulled up to another red light and ran her hand through her hair. She turned her head toward the window, trying to direct her voice at her stepdaughter, "Divorce isn't even on the radar. I don't want – that's the last thing I want…unless I'm driving your dad in that direction. I love your father more than I've loved anyone in my life – besides maybe my mom and dad. He's the most important man that's ever come into my life and from the day I realized I was in love with him, I vowed to myself that I would protect him. Along with that I want to protect him so that he is here for you. You told me once that he and your grandmother are all that you've got. I hope maybe someday you'll come to think of me in that mix as well, but I know that your dad and Martha are the most important people in your life right now. So, I need to protect them for you and me both."
"Don't need protecting," Rick's voice surprised them both.
Kate thought his voice sounded a little clearer again instead of the drunken slurs.
"Tha's what dis is all about?" Rick lifted his head and squinted his eyes as he looked toward the driver's seat? "You lef me to protect me? Dat's not what we do now Kate."
There was some of the drunken slur again.
"But Dad, if Kate's working to protect you…" Alexis attempted to reason with him until her father sat straight up in his seat and looked at her.
"I don't need her to protect me. I need my wife. I said in my wed…my weddin' vows that I wanna see her face every night before I go to sleep. An' how can I do that if she's not even in the same home with me?" He looked at his daughter with sad eyes making Alexis look toward Kate who slouched in her seat and let out a soft sigh.
"Castle," she glanced into the mirror and saw him turn his face toward her.
Rick took the opportunity to again lean forward in his seat, placing his wrists on the back of the front seats and holding out his hands in a pleading fashion.
"How, Kate? You pertect me better when you're with me. We are better together. We make a good team, right? You said we're like Turner and Hooch an' I'm Hooch!" He commented and then wiped a little bit of spittle off the corner of his mouth. "See, I even drooooooool like him sometimes." He smiled at her.
Kate turned her head and looked into his eyes for a moment then looked back at the road. "Yes, Castle, we're like Turner and Hooch and you're Hooch…" she agreed.
"S' why aren't you home with me?" Castle asked very simply.
"I –" Kate somehow pulled into a parking spot in the garage of The Castle's private investigation building. She put the car in park and turned to look at her husband. "Castle, you know –" she tried again but Rick held her gaze.
"All I know is I love you an' we're married an' I want you home with me. Please Kate?" He whimpered and blinked a couple of times, staring into her eyes as tears formed over his blue irises. "Please?"
Alexis put a hand on her father's back. She was still quite unsure of his state of mind, his level of drunkenness and what he truly needed. She was upset at Kate for seemingly leaving her father but she understood Kate's thoughts as well. "She's gonna take you home, Dad. I'm gonna go do some work and Kate's gonna take you home."
Rick leaned back and looked at his daughter. "Kk, Pumpkin, that soun's like a plan. Are we at the office? Maybe I should walk you up there." Rick reached for the door handle before Alexis grabbed a handful of the back of his shirt and pulled him backwards somehow.
"I'm fine Dad. Kate's parked right here at the elevator. Haley's probably up there already. I'll be fine." Alexis scooted toward her own door and looked at Kate who had kept quiet after Rick's latest plea.
"I'll take care of him," Kate nodded at Alexis for assurance. Castle's daughter simply nodded back at her stepmother.
"I'm counting on it," she said with her own mothering kind of look. Kate could feel the girl reinforcing that sentiment as she closed the door and looked back at them over her shoulder.
"Can I sit up front with you now?" Rick again propped his chin on his hands on the back seat. "You can buckle me up and I'll sit still, I promissseee," he put his fingers in the air, "Scou's honor," he tried.
"You were never a scout," Kate deadpanned. "Listen Castle, just stay back there, okay. I need to think and concentrate while I drive. Why don't you just lean your head back against the seat and sober up a little bit, okay? How much did you drink anyway? Did they spike that beer or were you drinking homemade hooch?" Kate wondered but Castle didn't answer.
He begrudgingly flopped his body backwards. "Don't need to sober up. Need my wife."
Kate glanced in the rearview mirror and felt her heart practically melt. She needed him too, more than she ever thought she'd admit. And when it seemed Castle had finally settled in for the ride she allowed herself to cry just a little bit over the decisions she had made.
She pulled into the familiar spot of the private parking garage next to Rick's Ferrari. That sports car had less miles on it than the last 'new' car that her father had purchased. Although, the mileage had gone up the past few years, each time that her husband lost a bet to Kevin, Javi and even her a couple of times.
Kate really did love Rick Castle. She knew bringing him home, drunk, by herself wasn't a good idea for her 'protect him by distancing from him' idea. Of course she had been second guessing herself about that one from the moment she'd made that decision.
It was just something she did.
Well, she'd never before allowed herself to fall in love with someone, truly. Not ever. But the man in the back seat had chipped away at every wall she put up around herself and for some reason she just couldn't make him go away.
She turned in her seat and stared at him. She wanted nothing more than to climb into the back seat with him and make out like teenagers. Kate wanted to run her fingers through his hair, kiss his lips, feel his mouth owning hers and to just be in his arms.
She felt safe in his arms – even though she was the police captain, his arms made her feel safe. She felt cared for in those arms. And most of all, she felt loved. That's what it all boiled down to. In his arms she felt loved. Their relationship went so much farther than that, but his love made everything seem simple.
"I know you're staring at me," Rick opened one eye, winking at her slightly.
"Just trying to figure out how to get you upstairs to the loft," Kate sat still.
"You mean home? How to get me upstairs to our home?" Castle offered.
"Yeah," Kate said softly then turned away from him to climb out of the car. She came to the back door and opened it before bending down and looking in at Rick.
"C'mon frat boy, let's see if we can get you outta here," she attempted to joke and smiled at him.
"You gonna stay with me, Kate?" Castle asked as he worked to slide his body toward the open door.
Kate didn't give him an answer but offered him a hand when he set both feet on the pavement and pulled his body out of the seat.
"Well, are ya?" Rick looked at her as he stood up straight and peered down into her eyes. "Cause you told Lexis you were gonna take care of me. Can't do that if you're just gonna dump me on the couch."
Kate noticed his eyes looked serious as he spoke to her.
"I'm not just gonna dump you on the couch Castle," she stopped instead of speaking the rest of her thought. The "I care too much – I love you too much to just dump you on the couch…" rambled through her mind.
"Good," Castle nodded and then stumbled slightly as they made their way toward the elevator.
Kate placed both of her hands on his bicep to steady him and then allowed him to lean on her as they began walking again.
"Hold my hand, Kate?" Rick requested and again Kate was reminded of a little boy making a request that she couldn't turn down.
She slid one of her hands down his arm until it reached his much-larger-than-hers hand. With a tug of his hand the two of them were side by side, her hand firmly in his and Rick leaned his head over onto hers. He placed a kiss against her scalp and breathed in deeply. Oh, how he had missed even the scent of her.
"That's better," he smiled and let her lead him into the elevator that took them to their home.
The two of them laughed together a little bit as Kate guided him out of the lift and they both stumbled going down the hall. Rick had to stop in the middle of the hall and nearly doubled over laughing. Kate stood watching him and couldn't keep herself from chuckling with him.
"This reminds me…" Rick started, "'Member our first kiss, Kate? 'Member? We were trying to get past that mob bouncer guy and so we pretended you were drunk and we were leanin' on each other. You tried to pull your gun but I kissed you. 'Member that, Kate? You kissed me back and you can't deny it cause you liked it too. It felt good."
Castle snickered again but Kate froze. She hadn't thought about that kiss in ages. It seemed like so long ago. She took a minute to really think about it now. That kiss had haunted her for months – no, years – before they shared more.
If she wanted to be truthful to herself, that first, fake kiss had felt right. It felt like home and she knew now why. Because his arms had wrapped around her. Castle had held her face firmly in place as he planted his lips on hers.
He was right. She had kissed him back and she had liked it. It had terrified her so much that Kate refused to talk to him about it. Matter of fact, they still hadn't.
Castle tried to fumble his hand into his pocket to find his key. Kate watched for just a second then fished hers from her pocket on the keychain with her cruiser keys. Rick paused and watched as she slid the key into the door and unlocked it for them.
"You still got your key," he commented and let his eyes drag from her hand on the door up her arm to her face. "Tha's good."
"We're just separated Rick, I'm not trying to disappear from your life. I just need to work through some stuff. I told you that," Kate opened the door and stepped into the apartment to give herself some space from him.
"Trying to pro-tect me," Rick commented. "I don't want your protection, Kate, I want you."
His words were clearer than any others had been over the past hour. Kate stopped at the sound of them with doubts, fears and second-guessing all slamming together in her brain.
"What you need from me right now is aspirin and water. Sit on the couch," she instructed, "I'll get those for you and figure out the rest after that."
She reached back for his hand and led him to the couch before heading into the kitchen and opening the familiar cabinet for a glass. Rick stood and watched her every move. She took the glass to the refrigerator door and put a minimal amount of ice in it before pushing the button and filling the rest with water.
Kate sat the glass on the counter and started to head into the master bathroom to get the bottle of aspirin that she knew was in the medicine cabinet over Rick's side of the sink. She noticed him watching her and paused before going into their bedroom.
"Rick, sit, on the couch. I'm just going to get the aspirin. I'll be right back, I promise."
Still he stared at her and held her eyes for another moment, silently.
Before she could step away he took a deep breath and licked his lips. "I'm not drunk, Kate."
This time his words were blatantly clear.
She tilted her head and smiled at him. "Nice try, Castle. I bet they spiked the beer or slipped something into the old man's drink." She put a hand on her hip and looked him up and down.
Kate realized that he might just have conned her when he stepped away from the couch and walked to her without a stumble or any hint of inebriation. Granted it was only a few steps but it was enough…
Captain Beckett's breath hitched when her husband was standing directly in front of her, looking down into her eyes without a smile on his face.
"I'm not drunk. You may be able to out drink me, but you've seen me with a fifth of scotch, a night full of whiskey while playing poker and tons of other times with hard liquor and mixed drinks. A few beers aren't going to put me under the table," Rick admitted.
Kate attempted to step backwards but was pinned in by the counter. She looked away from his face momentarily with a look of slight anger and frustration contorting her face.
"Why would you do this?" She shook her head with questions and unbelief in her tone. "Why would you pretend? You scared Alexis and me…" Kate tried to sound angry.
"You knew," Rick stated, still looking down at her. "You knew I wasn't drunk. So the question is, why did you go along with it? If you're trying to stay away from me, then why did you let yourself end up back here, alone, with me?"
"I-" Kate started and searched for a clear thought. "Because Alexis…"
Rick shook his head and reached out a hand to grab one of hers. "Try again. You wanted an excuse for us to be alone together. You missed me and wanted time alone, just you and me."
"Castle, no. I thought you were…" Kate pressed her lips together trying her best to deny his accusation. "Is this a set up? Did you and Alexis set me up?" Her body stiffened but he refused to let go of her hand.
"That's enough," Rick used his free hand to put a finger under her chin and direct her sight to his eyes. "It's time to stop this protection ruse; stop this separation crap and come home." He placed a palm on her cheek and was happy when her eyes closed and she let her face relax in his touch.
"This isn't an option, Beckett. Not this time. No running away from me. I meant what I said in the car. Our wedding vows said we would figure things out together. I'm done with this. I'm done with you trying to find excuses to walk away when the situation gets tough. That is exactly the time that we need each other. Right now."
At that he leaned down and pressed his lips to hers. He felt her hand squeeze his so he maneuvered the hand on her cheek to the back of her head to make sure she didn't pull away from their embrace. He took their joined hands and placed Kate's on his hip while he slid his around her back again holding her in place.
He felt himself relax slightly when she didn't fight him in the least or try to pull away from the kiss.
When Rick finally separated them, Kate let her eyes open slowly and was met with his smile. Their foreheads remained pressed together as they finally savored each other's presence once again.
"I liked our first kiss," she said breathily with his arms still supporting her now-weak legs.
"Yeah, me too," Rick said. "But I told you right there that it was amazing. You knew I was talking about the kiss and not the way you karate kicked the bouncer – although that was pretty amazing too!"
"Yeah," Kate nodded and nibbled on her bottom lip. "I'm sorry we never talked about that kiss." She pulled away from him just to focus on his face. "But, Rick, as amazing as it was…it terrified me. It's kinda like us right now and the mess that's going on. I felt something in that kiss that I'd never felt before…I can't describe…I knew you were something special and I didn't want – I don't want - anything to happen to you because I couldn't forgive myself. I love you with everything in me and I don't know what I would do if something happened to you – something that I could prevent…I could protect you from…"
Rick placed another kiss on her lips and set his jaw firmly as he looked at her again. "I feel the same about you. And that is exactly why we have to do this together. Enough about it for tonight. Tonight I'm gonna take you into our bedroom and make love to my wife in our bed and the rest of the world is just gonna fade away. Alright?"
He loved the little blush of red that moved into his wife's cheeks at the thought of being together in the most intimate way.
"Okay," she answered simply.
Rick placed both hands on her cheeks and let his loving smile fade again into the face of a concerned husband. "And tomorrow morning you won't get up before me, take more of your stuff and leave again. Promise me, Kate."
She pressed her lips together. The thought had crossed her mind. But she knew if she did that, he would just find her again and likely put himself in the middle of danger at the same time.
Maybe Rick was right. Maybe she could protect him better by being with him.
"I promise," she answered with a nod of her head.
"Good," he took her by the hand and slowly led her toward the bedroom. "Because I probably am gonna need that aspirin and maybe a little pampering in the morning. How are you at making bloody mary's?"
Kate felt his eyes on her the next morning along with the sun shining through the window. "Hi," she smiled with her eyes still closed.
"Hey," Rick smiled from his propped up position on the bed that gave him a spectacular view of her face.
"How long have you been watching me?" Kate blinked, then squinted at the rays of light coming through. "What time is it?"
"It is 8:20 and I've been watching you all night," Rick answered before using his index finger to move some strands of hair off her cheek.
"I know that's not true because you fell asleep on me after round two…or was that round three?" She bit her lip remembering just how well they had made up for lost time in the wee morning hours. "Were you dreaming before you rolled off of me? Cause little Richard seemed to be revving up for another round and you were snoring on my boob," Kate chuckled as Rick feigned being offended.
"I have little control over him, especially when it comes to you. You know that. And haven't we discussed the 'little Richard' moniker? Pretty sure I've proven otherwise, with you, many, many, many times in this very bed," he cocked his chin in a defiant way. "If he's not living up to your expectations I can always just tuck him away –"
"Don't you dare!" Kate smacked her hand toward her husband, landing a slightly-stinging hit to his abdomen. "Would you prefer I call him and you 'Big Rick'?"
Rick raised a single eyebrow and quirked a smile with one side of his lips. "Now we're getting somewhere… By the way, Big Rick would like to keep you in bed a while longer this morning."
Kate smiled but shook her head. "I wish I could, but this fraternity murder has leads that need to be followed. I need to chat with Alexis to find out what she's learned. And do you remember anything from your beer pong extravaganza last night? Was there any helpful information that came out of that?" She questioned.
Rick grabbed for her arm as Kate sat up and started swinging her legs off the side of the mattress. "The most important part of last night was you and me coming home together and you staying here, all night, with me."
Kate looked over her shoulder at him and placed a kiss against the fingers that were now on her shoulder. At some point, she certainly couldn't remember when, she had slid into her NYPD Academy t-shirt that had been on her pillow when they came to bed. She learned that Rick had been leaving that garment and her sleep shorts on the bed every night, willing her to come home.
She sighed and debated crawling back onto the bed for more time with her Big Rick.
Instead she looked at him while trying to form her thoughts into words. "Thank you," she offered shyly. "You're right. Us being together is the most important thing that happened last night. So thank you for conning me," she smiled.
"But, I do need to work on this case. So unfortunately Big Rick is gonna have to wait till tonight to get more attention," she offered.
Rick smiled widely. "Or," he held his hands out in front of his naked upper half and pointed toward the master bathroom. "We could share a shower, make it a quickie, and then go to the precinct together," he raised his eyebrows and bit his lip hopefully.
"Castle, there's no such thing as a quickie with you and Big Rick," Kate retorted.
"I'll take that as a 'yes' and a challenge!" He practically jumped off the bed, rounded the foot of it and pulled Kate onto her feet.
As he began dragging her toward the oversized shower stall that they both enjoyed immensely - especially when they were in it together, Kate grinned widely. "Why am I such a pushover for this shower?"
Rick gave her a sideways glare. "For the shower?" he wondered begrudgingly.
"Well, yeah," she answered with slight disbelief. "This shower is amazing, Castle. I've missed it," she pretended to ignore the fact that he had stopped them in front of the sink, on the fluffy bath mat where her toes were digging into the softness, and had already hitched her t-shirt up above her naked breasts in his quest to hurriedly undress his wife, again.
"So you aren't a pushover for me…in the shower?" Rick pulled the shirt over her head and upstretched arms like a parent undressing a child.
"What?" Kate scrunched her eyebrows in thought and tried her best not to glance towards little Big Rick who was enjoying the sight of her standing there in just her panties. "Uh-uh…no, totally the shower…" she nodded as she lied.
Rick raised his eyebrows and placed his hands on his hips waiting for her to say something more.
"Are we getting in the shower or are we just gonna stand here staring at each other?" She wondered out loud after a few seconds of silence.
Rick took a breath but remained in his stance with hands on his hips.
At that, Kate bit her bottom lip, reached one hand out to his shoulder and then used her other hand to shimmy out of her last bit of clothing. Once she was naked in front of him she stepped towards her husband and hooked fingers into the waistband of his boxer shorts.
Katherine Castle deliberately took her time, carefully lowering the garment over her husband's hips, freeing his male appendage that certainly was not 'little'. And from her perch, on her knees in front of him, Kate enjoyed his eyes-closed, content appearance that told her he was open to any ideas or suggestions she might want to share with him.
"I thought you were in a rush to get to work, Captain Beckett," he caught her eyes and couldn't help the surge of heat that immediately made his groin twitch.
Kate shivered at the slight gruffness in his voice but reached a hand up toward his, asking for his help to stand up again.
And when he helped her to her feet she didn't hesitate to press her body against his. "All things considered, the victim is still gonna be dead no matter what time I get to the precinct, right?" She pressed a kiss to his lips, pulled away and smiled shyly.
"Mmm-hmm, that's true," Castle practically hummed at the feel of her mouth against his.
"And who knows, now that you've sobered up, maybe we can talk about those leads that you got at the party last night, right?" Kate again leaned in and kissed him, then grasped one of hs hands and led him toward the shower door.
"Mmm-hmm," Rick answered again.
"So…I should probably take my time…in the shower…while we are… chatting… about it, right?"
"So you're saying you are a pushover for me in the shower?" Rick wondered as he opened the door and adjusted the knob for the water pressure.
"Maybe a little…" she admitted as she pulled him in with her under the spray.
"And what else are you saying?" his body immediately reacted to the feel of her hands working their way down his water-slicked chest and the site of water droplets creating steam as they streamed over her nakedness.
"Just making sure we have our stories straight…since we're both gonna be late to work…" Kate grinned.
Her arms immediately linked around his neck as they both giggled at each other.
"Frat Boy," escaped from Kate's lips as Rick attempted to mark her collarbone with his lips and tongue.
That was followed by, "I'll show you a pushover…" as Rick pressed her firmly against the granite-tiled shower wall…