A/N: It's been a while since I've written anything and I've been working on this one for a long time now. The good news is that it is almost completely written (maybe a chapter or two left), so there won't be months-long waits in between chapters like I have been known to do. As always this is not beta-ed, but more edited than my usual stuff. Hope you enjoy!

After packing up the last of her luggage, Kate heaves her rolling suitcase off the hotel bed and drags it into the living area of the suite that she reluctantly shared with her partner on her rogue mission to Los Angeles. She was grateful for Castle's help and support though as they solved the murder of her former training officer, Mike Royce. They made a good team and judging by the letter found on Royce's body, that was a fact obvious to many.

"Castle, you ready to go?" Kate called out.

"Yeah," Castle responds as he is exiting his room on his side of the suite, pulling his bags behind him.

"I swear you are bringing home twice as much as you brought."

"I have to bring back souvenirs, Beckett," Castle admonishes.

"No, you don't."

"You clearly do not know my mother."

Kate shakes her head and walks to the door. Castle follows.

Kate and Rick arrive at the airport and manage to make their way through security with surprising ease.

"I'm going to get a coffee, you want something?" Kate asks, motioning to the coffee shop near their departure gate.

"I can get it," Castle offers.

Kate holds out her hand to stop his trajectory toward the Starbucks. "I can get it this time, Castle. It's not like you haven't gotten me hundreds of coffees since we've known each other." Kate smirks. "Go grab a seat and I'll be over there in a second." Kate hands her carry-on over to him and joins the queue of her fellow caffeine junkies.

After procuring the two cups of coffee, Kate spots Castle sitting near a window with their luggage.

"I should have figured you'd want to see the planes taking off," Kate says teasingly, handing Castle his cup.

"It's one of the best parts of the airport. Alexis would always get so excited to see the planes when we'd visit her mother. We'd both be running back and forth in front of the windows to scope out the best view."

Kate smiles at the soft grin that graces Castle's face, the memories playing out right in front of them, but when Kate follows his gaze she only sees the plate glass windows.

She grabs Castle's hand and gives it a squeeze, turning his attention to her. "You're a good dad, Castle. Alexis is a lucky girl."

Castle smiles and squeezes her hand back. "Thanks, but she pretty much raised herself. I can't take credit for that. Alexis is a genetic anomaly. There is no way my second child will be as perfect."
Kate knows Castle loves being a dad, but she didn't really expect him to mention a second child as though it were an inevitable. "You've thought about more kids?" she asks.

Castle meets her curious eyes and with a serious tone responds, "with the right woman, yes, I'd love to have more kids," he pauses, "have you ever considered having kids?"

Kate gives a noncommittal shrug and tries to hide her flushed reaction to his gaze. "It's crossed my mind. I guess I've been waiting for the right person too." The corners of Kate's mouth lift when she sees Castle's mouth doing the same. "Any more children you may have will be just as lucky as Alexis to have you as their father and I mean that, Rick." Still holding his hand, Kate gives it one last squeeze, heightening the already palpable tension between the two.

Castle breaks the mutual gaze when thoughts of Kate's current relationship status flashes through his mind and his desire to kiss her gets temporarily doused. He clears his throat and takes his hand back to look at his watch.

"Before we get on the plane, I should call my perfect daughter and let her know that we'll be home later today." Castle pulls out his phone and dials Alexis's number, eventually standing to talk to her while he leans against a window.

With Castle no longer next to her, Kate grabs her purse and slides her letter from Royce out of the front pocket. She flips it around and fidgets with it before finally opening it up again to read.

It's clear that you and Castle have something real.

You and Castle have something real.

You and Castle.

Castle.

Kate has her hand to her mouth, concealing the shy smile she is unaware she is making, when Castle returns, startling her. She stuffs the letter back in her purse, wrinkling it more than she wanted. Castle eyes her quick movement but doesn't press the matter and instead talks about the brief conversation he had with Alexis.

"Flight 827 for LaGuardia will now begin boarding passengers in first class."

"That's us," Castle says, standing and reaching for his carry-on.

"You upgraded me again without asking?"

"You are the only woman I know who would complain about being upgraded to first class."

Kate stands up and glares at him. "Castle, I am capable of purchasing my own plane ticket. I don't need your money."

"I know that. Is it wrong of me to want to spoil the people I lo… care about?"

Kate's insides spark at Castle's almost-verbal slip-up. She gulps down the words that want to call him out. "Let's go," Kate says suddenly, turning on her heel toward the loading gate.

The pair is silent once they board the plane. Kate is motionless in her seat, watching the seat belt demonstration with limited interest while Castle seems engrossed in the safety literature like he's never been on a plane before.

After taking off and reaching cruising altitude, Castle breaks the silence, "I'm going to take a nap."

"Okay," Kate says, and Castle turns away from her and closes his eyes.

When she sees that her partner's breathing has evened out, Kate pulls Royce's letter from her purse, smoothing out the damage she accidentally made earlier.

It's clear that you and Castle have something real. And you're fighting it. But trust me, putting the job ahead of your heart is a mistake. Risking our hearts is why we're alive. The last thing you want is to look back on your life and wonder if only.

The words haunt her as she slips the folded-up letter in her pocket. Kate looks to her left at her sleeping companion, the man worth risking her heart, the man even Royce knew from just one meeting, was more than a partner. With her heart pounding in her ears, she debates whether to slip her hand in his as he sleeps. Castle snuffles and turns in his sleep, his hand landing in the space between their seats like he was reading her mind, daring her to grab it.

Kate bites back a hopeful smile, not allowing herself to feel the giddiness bubbling inside her at the thought of pursuing something with Castle.

Her fluttering excitement quickly turns to gut-sinking fear when the plane shudders and jerks. The cabin lights flicker, and a brief series of terrifying clunks has Kate grabbing for Castle's hand forgetting her prior trepidation.

Castle startles awake from Kate's sudden vise-like clench around his hand. He lets out a pained squawk while the plane jerks and clunks again.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you. I think something's wrong with the plane."

"You okay?" Castle asks when he notices Kate's wide eyes, his voice still a little rough from sleep.

Kate gives him a hesitant, mechanical-like nod and pushes herself into the back of her seat. She doesn't let go of his hand and Castle doesn't try to stop her.

Moments later a voice over the loudspeaker says, "This is your captain speaking. We are experiencing unexpected engine trouble and will need to make an emergency landing at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas. Please fasten your seatbelts as we will be landing in 15 minutes."

Castle squeezes Kate's hand when he notices her worrying her lip between her teeth. "It'll be fine," he says when she looks up at him.

She releases a shaky sigh and sinks further into her seat, wishing it would consume her.

"We'll be landing in Vegas, so we can do some gambling before the next flight out."

Kate glares at him. "Who says we'll have time for that?"

"We'll make time. You can't come to Vegas, even if by accident, and not gamble, Beckett."

Castle's persuasive speech on the merits of gambling in Las Vegas distracts her enough that when they touch the ground again, she's surprised.

Once they deplane, Kate seeks out an available ticket counter and inquires about the next available flight to New York.

"I'm sorry, Miss. The next flight available is to JFK tomorrow afternoon," the attendant states.

Kate sighs, "I guess it'll be fine."

Castle stands next to Kate while the tickets are processed, trying to hide his smirk. Kate elbows him in the side when she notices his evident glee at them being stranded in Las Vegas until the following afternoon.

After they receive their tickets, they make their way to baggage claim.

"You ready for some gambling?" Castle asks as they maneuver around people, now not even trying to hide his excitement from her.

"Do I have a choice at this point?"

"You always have a choice, Beckett. I was just hoping you'd choose the fun option."

"Fine. We'll do a little gambling, then I'm going to my hotel room to sleep," Kate insists.

A/N: My goal is to post every Thursday, Saturday, and Monday. Thanks for reading!

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