Chapter 4

Castles Apartment

Christmas Eve (well you know)

Castle and Kate

"Good morning sleepy head" Rick called as he set the breakfast tray down on the bedside table.

Kate has been in the middle of a very steamy dream. It had started off with the two of them riding a borrowed police mounted patrol horse without a stitch of clothing on. She looked out the window to see a sheet of swirling white. She groaned and pulled the sheets over her head.

"Come back to bed and make love to me" came a voice from under the covers.

"You know I would but then your coffee would get cold and then you'd blame me. Besides, I just got a call from Paige's parents. They have decided to walk Alexis back home this morning. Apparently, our baby bird got a little homesick and wanted to come home early. Truthfully I think that Paige was driving everybody nuts. That girl has the attention span of a gnat. They said that they were going to take the subway somewhere for Paige to wander. Now sit up and eat you sausage and eggs before they really do get cold. "

"It's too early"

"It's nearly 10 o'clock you little teenager." With those words Castle left.

Kate looked at the clock and it was almost 10. She sat up. Richard had left one of her NYPD t-shirts on the bed which she put on and dug into her eggs. She thought it was so nice not to have to make every meal she ate. The dark thoughts of the night had gone to ground, not gone for good, but hidden. Once she had finished her food she jumped in the shower to wash off the sweat and sex from the night before. She dried quickly and put on a blouse and jeans, just in case they had company. She walked out to see Alexis come in.

"So how was the sleepover?" she asked.

"It was great until Paige got mad."

"Why did she get mad?" Kate asked.

"Oh, Ian Snap chatted with me last night during the second movie we were watching. She got a look at him and then she got all prickly."

"Well you were there to spend time with Paige."

"Everything was all right when she was talking to her boyfriend, during the entire first movie. I even apologized and stopped chatting when she made a deal about it.

"Well, I am glad that you are back. Your dad and I both missed you."

"You two have not gotten bored with each other, have you?" Alexis sounded a little scared.

"What? Oh No, no danger of that anytime soon." Kate assured.

Alexis gave a relieved smile and went to put her bag away. Kate pondered the question. Could she ever get bored of being with Rick? She decided that while possible, it was not likely to happen. Richard was too mercurial to ever become predictable. Castle's inner child loved life too much it was contagious. You just couldn't help but be swept along. Kate decided that it was one of the qualities she treasured the most. They dealt in death every day on the job, but Castle never let it shroud his humor for long. Even after his brush with death last fall, he bounced back in a month or two. She had seen colleagues who took years to fully recovered bad some stayed scarred for life. She knew that he still had bad times but then everybody did. Richard seemed undiminished.

Kate had been pleasantly lost in thought but was brought back to reality when Castle called them to lunch. It was a simple affair of deli meats and cheeses and sub rolls. He sat the tray on the coffee table along with a pitcher of tea and a plate of chocolate chip cookies.

"Gracious Richard you are trying to fatten me up." Kate playfully accused.

"While it would be easier for me to catch you if you waddled, I don't think you are going to pile on the weight. I am sure we can find some activity to help you work off any excess poundage. All right Switchblade you have the first choice."

"First choice of what?" Kate was curious.

"Christmas specials," Alexis answered.

It took her a while to find what she was looking for. When she put the disk in the title popped up. It was John Denver and the Muppets. Kate found herself between the two Castles. Alexis on one side lightly resting her head on Beckett's shoulder and Richard who had his arm stretched across the back of the couch. It took Kate a little while to get used to the closeness, but soon she found herself relaxing.

"This is the very first Christmas special that I can remember."

"You played it so often that the VHF tape wore out… twice," Rick commented.

After the show was over Rick excused himself to go work and he said he would be finished by dinnertime.

Alexis smiled knowingly. "He's going to wrap Christmas." She explained.

Kate looked at her watch "Surely it won't take him that long."

"Neither of my parents are known for their moderation"

"Oh dear, but he has done so much already."

"Get used to it Kate, if he had his way, we'd have Christmas once a month."

Kate decided it was time to do a little reading as Alexis got into a texting session with someone, probably Ian or maybe Paige. She picked the copy of "Trixie Red' and began to read about the young heroine and the cats she had as clients. It was a wonderful read because she knew that Castle had written the book she could pick out the 'Castle-isms'. She found it refreshing that Castle could forgo all the sex and violence and write a story for a much more innocent audience. She became aware of Alexis standing before her looking a little anxious.

"What's wrong Alexis?"

"I think I need some more mom type advice."

"It's the type of thing that your Mom doesn't deal with I take it."

Mutely she handed Kate her Tablet. A video was cued up and she had furnished earbud for Kate to use. Kate put in the buds and cued the video. A face popped up on screen. She presumed that this was Ian. Despite the piercings and the neon purple Mohawk, he was cute.

"Hey, babe." He said with a British accent. "I can't stop thinking about you. So I wrote you a song."

He began to play a fairly up-tempo melody and then he began to sing

"Oh Lexi my red-haired girl

Come back to me and let's give it a whirl

Those beautiful green eyes are oh so cool

Like two emeralds in a forest pool

Oh Lexi my red-haired girl

Come back to me and let's give it a whirl.

You were standing there your body oh so sexy and tight

Come back to me and we'll make love through the night…..

Babe if we have to we will go on the run.

Cuz your dad is really mad and your moms got a gun.

Oh Lexi my red-haired girl

Come back to me and let's give it a whirl…."

"That's all I got right now. I am working on another couple of verses. Now I know it's not the ballad that you deserve so I'm working on that too. Let me know what you think."

"Well it was pretty good but he lost me right about the time he started singing about having sex with you. You didn't let him touch you, right." Kate said delicately.

"Well we kissed so he touched me then but you know not intimately." Alexis blushed.

"Well, what do you think?" Kate asked watching for her friend's reaction.

"I've… I've never had someone who wasn't my dad write anything about me. I'm Flattered and a little scared."

"That's how I felt when I read the first Nikki Heat book. Look we don't know how serious he is. He could just be enjoying talking with you and wants you to feel special. We just don't have enough information. Plus you are not going to see him again until this summer, So you don't have to make any rash decisions yet."

"I am so glad you here Kate." Alexis sighed and gave her a hug.

"Now come on, get your nose out of your phone and tablet to come to help me fix dinner" Kate cajoled.

"Yes, MOM…."

They went into the kitchen and began the process of making Baked Potato Soup. The two women enjoyed each other's company and were soon laughing and exchanging confidences. The time it took to prepare the soup flew by. Kate felt a little sad at first, remembering the times she had spent cooking with her mother, but soon realized that her mother would never have wanted Kate to hold back in making new happy memories.

"Kate impulsively wrapped Alexis in a warm hug. "Oh, sweetie, I so wish that my mother could be here. She would just love this."

"I am glad you think so, but if she were here I probably wouldn't be."

"How do you figure that?"

"Well if your mom were alive you probably wouldn't have become a cop and you probably would never have met dad. If you had become a lawyer you might have prosecuted him for his foray into naked horseback riding. Not the best first impression."

"You're probably right. I might not even have started reading your dads books. Now go get Santa it's time for dinner.

Dinner was a joyous affair with everybody reveling in the Christmas spirit. Gone were the cares of the day and the melancholy thoughts of last night. Rick regaled them with the tale of how one Christmas he had lost Baby Alexis amongst the wrapping paper and how she had crawled into a box and fallen asleep. And Alexis with her father's flair told of one of their earliest laser tag bouts that her dad had been taken out by the Christmas tree. Kate listened and felt her heart overflow with love for her two companions.

"Okay Kate it is now your turn to pick what we watch. Just so you know I don't have the Christmas episode of S.W.A.T."

" . mister smart britches, I wasn't looking for that."

"It's a Wonderful Life?" Castle guessed

"Nope"

"Rudolph the red nosed Reindeer."

"Just push the damn button, Kitten"

"White Christmas" came on the screen.

"Why Ms. Beckett you constantly amaze me. Alexis was sitting on the floor leaning up against a chair so Kate stretched out on the couch and lay a pillow on Richard lap for her head. Castle moved wayward wisps of hair from her eyes and absently stroked her arm as good ole Bing sang about snow.. Kate did tear up when she remembered that this was one of her mother's favorites as well. If Rick noticed the tears he made no comment but he did give her arm a squeeze.

At last, it was Castle's turn to pick a movie.

"You are so predictable Castle it's going to be either Christmas Vacation or A Christmas Story."

"You'd think so but you'd be wrong. Not that they are not both classics."

"A Christmas Carol" Alexis said absently.

"Correct" Rick affirmed.

"Oh, so Scrooged then with Bill Murry"

"Nope," Castle said pressing the play button, "There is nothing like George C Scott as Scrooge. Patrick Stewart and Michael Caine are a very close second though."

"Michael Caine?" Kate was confused.

"A Muppets Christmas Carol." Castle supplied.

As Kate Watched the movie she thought about Rick's choice. She had been so sure that he would pick a comedy because of his light-hearted nature. She sat up and moved in close to Richard. She surreptitiously watched his reaction. She was surprised to see his eyes glisten during Scrooges transformation. After it was all over Rick suggested that they head to bed because Santa would not visit unless they were in bed.

As was her custom since sleeping with Richard, Beckett came to bed wearing nothing but a robe and a come hither look. Their lovemaking was less frenetic but was slow and languid. Castle was no less passionate but was a little subdued. Once they had satisfied each other, they snuggled together.

"Are you all right Richard?" Kate asked concerned.

"I'm fine." Came the slightly out of breath reply

"You just seem a little less,, uh… enthusiastic tonight."

"What? Oh… we just have an audience tonight. Alexis loves you very much but I do try to be somewhat circumspect. I don't want to scar her for life. By the way, you may want to wear something in bed tonight. I hear Santa is a dirty old man, that and the fact that Alexis may come romping in here early in the morning. Kate got up and put on a t-shirt and shorts and climbed back into bed. She snuggled close to Rick and was soon asleep.

Kate woke up cold and realized that Castle was not there. She tiptoed out into the living room; Santa Rick had been at work. The stockings were hung over the gas log fireplace, stuffed to the brim with brightly colored wrapped packages. Castle now sat by the fireplace on 'their' couch drinking from a mug. She lifted it from his hand and took a sip. She was surprised to find that it was hot chocolate not rum with a little eggnog.

"I like your choice of beverages. Santa."

"Every Christmas since Alexis has been alive I have had a cup of hot chocolate after laying out the presents; At first it was to prove that Santa had stopped by. After Alexis got older I would have to make the coco myself, then I would sit down, my job done and reflect on all that I am grateful for." This has been one hell of a year. I met and fell in love with a spitfire of a woman. I got shot by a crazy man and framed for murder by the three faces of Roxy Blue. All in All, it's been a full year."

"So you love this spitfire gal, do you?"

"Absolutely, she fills my nights with exquisite love and my days with joy and intrigue".

"Wow! She does sound like a handful" Kate agreed "Any regrets?"

"None… well, one. I regret that it took me getting shot to realize how much I loved her."

"T guess that's not too bad in the regrets department." Kate cleared her throat and began speaking in her sexist bedroom voice. " So Santa, my boyfriend left our bed, Do you want to come and let me show you what a naughty girl I've been this year?"

"San… um, Santa says yes!" Castle practically ran toward the bedroom.

A/n:) I would like to apologize to any and all poets and songwriters. I am no Bob Dylan or even the Cookie Monster they can all write better lyrics than I can. D.