AN: The song Kate sang in Chapter23 was "Christmas for Two" by Sixpence None the Richer.
Chapter 24

"You still with me?"

"Hm? Oh yeah. With you..." She felt his face burrow deeper into her chest, stubble scraping across sensitive skin, as he heaved a great sigh. Or maybe he was just breathing her in. It occurred to her that he did that a lot as of late. Granted, before this vacation he hadn't had the freedom to do so.

Maybe...huh.

Well, she couldn't judge as she most thoroughly enjoyed basking in the scent of him. Ah, the wonderful sense of smell. So very powerful. It was supposed to be tied to memory. Certainly was for her. Funny how out of nowhere she could be transported to a specific time and place if she caught a whiff of just the right scent.

She would never tire of his scent. Came to not only expect it in her space, but anticipated and even longed for it. Him. In truth, she'd become quite addicted to him-and she wasn't certain it hadn't happened before this little foray out of the real world.

Kate toyed with the ends of his hair, tugging and twisting gently. From the way it seemed eager to please and stood with no help...perhaps it was time for him to shower.

It smelled divine.

Whatever it was Kate had been up to-whatever reasons she had for evicting them from the cabin for several hours-seemed well worth it.

Based solely on smell.

Alexis had driven the truck back from the village with maybe ten minutes to spare. She and her grandmother had kept an eye out for her father along the way, but he'd said he'd be back in time and not to worry...and she hoped he was right. They hadn't seen hide nor hair of him since he'd abruptly made them stop and let him get out on the side of the road hours earlier and if he hadn't made it back, there might not be any of...whatever it was left when he finally did.

Based on smell.

Geez. If it tasted half as good as it smelled they should think about inviting Kate over to cook for them more often.

Over for dinner.

They should invite her over for dinner more often. Though, Alexis was pretty sure that was probably going to be thecase anyhow.

Kate.

They'd all seen this coming. It had seemed inevitable. Kate and her Dad.

Kate-who made her Dad smile more. Laugh louder. Scheme more deviously. Love harder. Not that he loved her, Alexis, any less. He couldn't. She already knew that he loved her more than anything. That hadn't changed. But something...something had changed. And somehow he loved harder. Showed it more. He loved Kate differently, sure, but there was more love. Kinda like his heart had grown to fit more love in.

(Or something.)

It was weird at first, if Alexis really dwelt upon it. Kate had been her Dad's coworker...kind of. His inspiration. His muse, as he liked to put it. But as of late she had become more. Become? No. It had happened slowly. Gracefully like the woman herself. It wasn't noticeable until you stepped back and realized that things had changed drastically around you and you weren't even aware of those changes until they were good and made. A done deal as it were.

And they were good.

Good changes.

And boy did it ever smell good.

Once the urgency had left their veins they'd stayed cuddled up languishing in the simplicity of each other's presence. Kate had stolen a glance at the clock to make sure nothing would be ruined, but they still had a few minutes before she had to get up, get dressed, and adjust temperatures on her meal.

Some of it was good to go. Had finished before she'd taken her bath. The main dish, of course took longer, but thanks to her insomnia she'd been able to do all of the prep work last night after thoroughly exhausting Castle. Truth was she'd been as reluctant to leave him then as she was now. To leave behind the warmth his body provided and the comfort of his presence. The soothing sound of his breathing was nearly enough to make her abandon her plans. But she'd had plans and Kate Beckett, God help her, was one who saw things through.

So prep work at 2:00 in the morning it was. But it would be well worth it (she dearly hoped) when she presented them with the one thing she felt she could contribute to this whole amazing experience that was: a vacation.

It struck her then, laying bare back to Castle's bare chest, that it mattered.

It mattered. What they thought.

His family.

Her family too, he'd argue. And if she let herself think about it, the idea didn't sound so strange and foreign as it might have a year ago. In all truth, that was what wanted.

Kate sighed. Right.

Best get up before she either ruined the meal, or Martha and Alexis got back.

Kate rolled to her elbow to take him in one last time. His left index finger played at the ends of her hair, his eyes on hers. So very much emotion lay there in their depths and Kate nearly giggled to find that she wasn't as terrified of it as she may have thought. His eyes crinkled as a slow smile crops across his face.

"What?" he whispered.

"Just. Nothing. Just you," she sighed and leaned in for a quick kiss, but he threw her off when he leaned away from her kiss, from her, and frowned.

"Nothing? Just me? Am I to take that to mean that I'm nothing, Miss Beckett?" he pouted and started rolling away from her off of the bed.

"You're such a girl."

Kate grabbed his shoulder and tugged him back towards her catching his lips with her own. He responded immediately, nearly causing her to forget that it was time she got a move on things.

She kissed him one last time, pouring promises of later into it before sitting back to gather her clothes and pull them on.

"Kate-"

Kate turned her attention from the food that she had been playing and smiled warmly at the nymph-like girl before her. Alexis' cheeks were tinged pink from being outside and her hair was covered in flakes that were rapidly melting.

"Is it snowing again?"

"Started up again on our way back. Have you seen my dad? We-"

Kate laughed and inclined her head toward their bedroom, "He's here." Hopefully dressed now. "Got back a little while ago."

The girl looked relieved one moment and the next let that excited curiosity take over. "Did he interrupt-?"

"Only my relaxing time. Everything should be pretty much finished...but would you mind if I asked you and your grandmother to stay...upstairs until it's time? I had this idea in my head and..." she bit her lip. She'd been hoping to have everything plated or ready to be plated-arranged and looking pretty-by the time everyone came home.
And there it was again. Home. Kate laughed at herself. Had she not only moments ago thought of the master bedroom as 'their's' in her head? Yet in other respects she still felt that she may be treading on toes.

"Oh no! That's fine. I was going to go change clothes and I'll let Gram know too. Just don't forget to let us know when to come down, it smells absolutely divine!" And she was off and up the stairs with a laugh.

It was torture. Complete and utter torture.

"You need a shower," she'd said before unceremoniously pulling away and leaving his head to fall to the mattress. He hadn't even been one hundred percent conscious. Didn't she know what she'd done to him? What she could do to him? And with so little effort.

But when he lifted his head, as his eyes found hers, he saw the smirk. The if I don't leave you here right now I'm likely to join you in that shower and ...

Yeah.

And...

THAT look. God, he loved that look. And also, hated it. Hated it because it meant he'd have to wait for its fulfillment.

"Maybe I should come help you." He scrambled up to his knees on the bed and she shoved his shoulder toppling him to his back once again.

"Castle," her shoulders slumped and for half a second he thought she'd give in. that is, until she shook her head with a sad shy smile, "I neither want nor need your help right now. What I need is for you to shower and clothe yourself and then wait until you're called for. Think you can manage that without me?"

"What if there's a fire and you need me to put it out?"

"You have eight fire extinguishers in the kitchen alone, not counting the five in the living room. I think I'll be ok."

"Right."

Right. He'd had to explain his overzealous safety precautions that had started one year when a fiery marshmallow flew off the end of a roasting stick and ended up burning a hole in the living room carpet (which had since been replaced). From then on all marshmallow roasting took place outside and fire extinguishers were hidden within reach all over. it had probably been a good idea anyhow and they'd kept them up to date as the years went on.

Kate leaned in and kissed him gently on the lips. So much said in that kiss. So much hope. So much promise. "Please?"

His reply was barely a whispered, "Yeah" as his body wanted forward chasing her lips as she drew away and left him naked and alone in bed.

Gingerbread house.

It was weird, yeah-bit that was the first thought that came to his mind when he opened his eyes and saw the spread before him.

Gingerbread house.

Delicious-he was certain, smelled heavenly too but that wasn't really the comparison his mind was making. It was more the comforting feelings the sight of it evoked in him. The thought of a warm cozy gingerbread house with stained glass candy windows... exquisite in every way, delicate, intricate, complicated, sweet and savory-oh.

It was Kate.

This meal that she had prepared was also-somehow representative of her. She had laid her heart on a platter (several platters actually) and was looking at him expectantly-a watery curtain shimmering just over her eyes. Hopeful. Shy. Unsure. He didn't like that. Didn't she know- Didn't she know that this was...perfect. That she was-God, he loved her.

He loved her.

Castle let his smile go, unfettered the emotions that had been threatening to spill out anyway. It was in all likelihood inappropriate for simply being served a dinner, but he couldn't have contained it if he'd wanted to. And Kate-Kate probably needed the reassurance so it was a win-win kind of situation.

Had his mother and daughter not been present he probably would have released his grip on every last shred of dignity he still had and done something really stupid-like stuffing every morsel he could into his body just because she made it.

She made him dinner.

She'd made dinner for his family.

Hell, she was family. He'd already declared as much. Alexis too, so it must be true.

He sidled up to Kate wrapping an arm around her shoulders and kissed her.

"So, what'd you make me?"

The twinkle in his eyes was unmistakable. He knew what this meant to her—or-at least he had some semblance of understanding. Kate didn't even know the full meaning of the feelings she had herself, so really how could this man really have a complete understanding of them if she didn't?
But then, if anyone in the world would ever have an understanding of her, it was this twinkle-eyed man-child before her.

"Tradition," she whispered.

AN: I know some of you are frustrated that this is taking forever. And I'm sorry if you've forgotten what's happened. All I can say is, "I'm sorry." It's frustrated me as well. But I will go on.