A/N: Damn, time just flies by doesn't it? Next chapter will be the last one (though I'm honestly still writing it and will try finish it today), I might also add an epilogue but I haven't decided anything yet. I was planning on writing everything this weekend but fever along with a cold put that to a stop. Anyway, until next time, xxxx
"Goodnight Kate, thanks for coming with us today. It was really fun," Alexis says as she's giving Kate a hug.
"Thanks for inviting me," Kate says, surprise evident in her voice as she's hugging the girl back.
When they let go of each other Alexis moves on to saying goodnight to her dad while Martha is hugging Kate as well.
"Goodnight kiddo," Martha says before she whispers the next part in her ear, "and thanks for going with them today."
Kate feels a blush coming on as she wishes her a goodnight as well. Then the two redheads retreat upstairs, leaving the couple in the living room. They stay quiet for a little while before Kate turns around to grab their empty wine glasses and starts to go to dish them.
"Oh no, you don't need to do that," Castle immediately says and she chuckles.
"I want to," she says with a shrug.
"No, you…" he starts but she's cutting him off.
"Stop, I'm doing it," she says with laughter in her voice. "You can do the drying."
She grabs the towel and throws it at him, chuckles when it lands on his face. He shakes it to land in his hands and starts drying when the first glass is washed.
"You know," he says as she's continuing with the next glass, "you're amazing."
She blushes as she glances at him. "What did I do now?"
He shakes his head, she almost never just takes a compliment. Work-wise she's the most confident person he knows, but emotionally and especially in a relationship like the one they're in, she's not as confident anymore.
"Today, it's been perfect," he says and she wrinkles her forehead. "You show real interest in Alexis, not many of my past girlfriends have done that. They show interest, yeah, but not genuine. It's always been fake to gain my interest in them, which has only made me lose it. But you," he pauses and she looks at him. "You're real. Every part of you. And it's so refreshing."
She feels her cheeks burn with the compliment. She is interested in Alexis, she's an amazing girl turning into a brilliant young woman and Kate can't understand how anyone involved with him hadn't seen that before.
"Well, she's impressive, and kind. Are you sure she's yours?" Kate can't help but tease him to hide the way his words have taken her by surprise.
"Ha-ha, very funny," he says and reaches for the next glass with a smile on his lips.
Before Kate's finished with the last one she feels his arms go around her, his fingers tracing down her underarms and dipping into the bubbly water. She shivers when his fingers send electricity from his skin into hers.
"Castle," she gasps when his fingers start traveling upwards again with the bubbly water everywhere. It's enticing.
"What?" he whispers in her ear as his nose buries into her hair to connect his lips with her neck.
His fingers keep tracing up and down her arms, making her covered in bubbly foam and it's thrilling yet not a good idea.
"You're making me wet," she says without thinking about her choice of words. Instantly regretting not thinking.
"Ooh, am I now?" he chuckles into her hair as one of his hands finds its way onto her shirt, teasing her breast through the shirt, soaking the clothing.
She gasps and puts down the wine glass before she accidentally drops it, if she hadn't she probably would've done it when he's sneaking his soaked hand inside her shirt.
"Castle," it's more of a moan now because his hand is sneaking further into her bra and playing with her nipple.
"What?" he asks and she bites her lower lip.
She grabs his hand and pulls him with her towards his bedroom, feeling his confusion when she lets go of his hand and continues walking past his bedroom and into his bathroom. She picks up on him not following her and so she turns around.
"You coming?" she asks and he gives her a confused smile. "I prefer to be soaking in a bath or a shower, where your family can't come barging down the stairs any second."
His confusion immediately changes into eagerness and his feet take him to her in fewer steps than she thought possible as he grabs her hips and pushes her body into the bathroom with his lips crashing onto hers. Somehow they manage to push the door closed behind them and before she can even try to think he's pushed her into the shower, turning on the water to drench them, clothes and all.
She shivers at the cold water, her tongue still dancing with his, and she feels his fingers go under her wet shirt again, warming up her skin with his scorching touch. Now that she doesn't have dishes in her hands she's putting her own hands to use, working him out of his pants and his soaked shirts. It doesn't take long before their clothes are joined in a wet pile on the floor, hands and fingers exploring each other for the thousandth of time. Kate can't understand how it still feels as thrilling and exciting as that first time. When he enters her she's glad they remembered to close the door before entering the slippery box because, damn, that feels good and she's not able to keep the noises from escaping her lips.
Once they finally snuggle into bed she's remembering something he promised her once and she feels her cheeks blush as she's letting her nose sneak into the crook of his neck. Her body is sore from their shower and it's nice to just relax all her muscles again. And it's even more electrifying to feel his fingers trace patterns on her back than normally.
"Castle, you awake?" she whispers after a while, not expecting him to be considering their love making and his deep breathing.
She's happily surprised he's not asleep. "Yeah?" he mumbles and she feels his head move in order to look at her and so she pulls her head towards his chest in order to look up at him as he's looking down at her.
"Do you remember that night when…" she starts and bites her lower lip. "When you told me you couldn't stop thinking about stars?"
She observes him as his mind starts to work on his memories. He nods. "Yeah, you wouldn't open up about your own thoughts so I decided to share mine."
She lets her teeth sink deeper into her flesh as she nods too. "You told me about a place you knew, where you'd take me if I ever asked you to."
His eyes widen as she can feel the excitement bubbling through his body. "You asking?"
She smiles and nods. "Yeah, I am," she whispers and he leans down to kiss her forehead.
"When's your next two days off?"
She chuckles and thinks about it. "In a week, so next Wednesday and Thursday."
"It's a date," he promises and she grins big as she's raising herself in order to chase his lips with hers.
It's a sweet kiss, and just a kiss, no pushing, no trying to turn it into more, just a beautifully sweet kiss before sleep calls to them.
Kate's never seen him so focused on planning a trip before, and she kinda finds him adorable for it. Also, Lanie has managed to pull her aside at one of the crime scenes, asking her how it's all going. Kate can see her friend is genuinely happy for her and the writer finally having figured out their whole partnership, both professional and emotional. Kate told her about them finally stating their love for each other and it made the M.E. squeal with joy, making Castle look towards them and Kate just shook her head in annoyance. When she met his eyes though she couldn't stop but drowned in his blues.
"So, where are you taking her?" she hears Espo ask her partner and she rolls her eyes.
The two of them have tried grilling her and her partner the whole week to try and figure out where they're going. This time around they'd known immediately the two partners were together, Kate's sure it's all because of the sudden comeback from the writer, but she also suspects her best friend might've told the latino in pure ecstasy that they're back together again and that's how they got wind of it.
"It's none of your business," the writer tells the two detectives as they stop by the murderboard.
"Oh, come on, maybe I could take Jenny there sometime," Ryan tries and Castle just shakes his head with a grin on his lips.
"I ain't kissing and telling."
"'Kay then, Beckett, where's he taking you?" Espo turns to her and she chuckles.
"I have no clue so neither do you," she says and she feels the eyes widen on her.
"You don't know?" Ryan questions and she shakes her head.
"You?" Espo says disbelievingly. "You who needs to know everything?"
"Control-freak number one?" Ryan adds and deserves the glare she's giving him. "Sorry," he mumbles.
"Yeah, she doesn't know a thing," Castle says and she sees how excited he is about all of this. She's always hated not knowing, but with him… it's different.
"I only know it's outside of the city," she says, neglecting to say she also knows it's the perfect spot to see the stars, at least according to the writer. "Anyway, did you find anything out from the parents?" she changes the subject as she turns her eyes back to the murderboard.
"Yes, there's a girlfriend," Esposito says and Ryan slaps the picture onto the board under the 'suspects' category.
"Meet Sarah Otterman, divorced five times whereas the last two died mysteriously," Ryan explains and continues to deliver the knowledge he's been given about the woman in the picture.
The case goes on like most other cases, apart from the continuous teasing from their partners. Kate has a feeling they've been waiting for this ever since Castle first joined their team, she also keeps wondering if they have hoped for the two of them to get together since the first time they met him. Kate vaguely remembers Espo going on about how the writer had a crush on her and how fun it would be with her having something she couldn't control, that it would be funnier than shark week. She supposes he was right though. At least she's had some fun. Fun they had no idea about. Even now she's sure they didn't know about them getting together after that first case. Though she supposes they believe they hooked up at some point and that's why Castle disappeared for a few months and also why Kate was so… not her.
"Sarah Otterman!" Kate shouts through the door as she knocks. "N.Y.P.D. open up!"
When they hear a crash she nods to Espo who immediately switches places with her in order to quickly count down before kicking down the door, the three detectives immediately busting through to find the woman escaping out the window down the drain. With immediate hand signals Espo and Ryan rushes out and down the stairs while Kate goes for the window to keep track of the woman as well as going after her. She first makes sure the woman doesn't look like she's having a gun in her possession before Kate starts climbing down after her.
"Be careful!" Castle calls after her and she looks up to see him look at her with horror.
She gives him a quick look before she continues down, her eyes down on their suspect.
"Freeze!" she yells down and Sarah looks up at her with panic in her eyes.
The woman jumps off when still a few feet in the air and Kate does too once she's almost at the same height. Kate's tackling the woman right before Espo and Ryan come into sight and they help her cuff Sarah.
"You're under arrest for the murder of Calvin Dorales," Espo says and reads her Miranda rights.
When Kate stands up she yelps at the sudden pain in her foot, she must've landed wrong, and so she halts a bit on her way to the closest bench. Once she sits down her partner comes rushing out the door. He's probably been rushing down the stairs since he was out of reach to catch her if she fell from the drain.
"Kate, are you okay?" Castle asks when he sees her on the bench.
As soon as Ryan and Espo have put the suspect in the car they come up to them with questioning looks.
"What's going on?" Ryan asks and Kate starts massaging her ankle.
"I think I twisted my ankle," she tells them and shakes her head with a sigh. "You two go ahead and take Miss Otterman back to the precinct."
"Sure thing," Espo says and the two of them go to their car.
Once they're gone Kate turns to her partner. "Castle, can you help me to my car? I don't think I can stand on my ankle."
"Of course," he says as he puts his arms around her waist.
As soon as they get to the car he's leading her to the passenger seat and she can tell he's surprised by her not arguing with him, she's actually letting him drive.