AN: Thank you for all the wonderful reviews. Sorry this chapter is so short. The good news is the next one is pretty much done and should be up in the next couple of days to make up for the brevity of this one.

Thanks for reading!

When Rick woke the next morning, there was a beam of sunlight directly in his eyes, a broken spring digging into his spine, an elbow in his sternum, a torso lying directly across his stomach, pushing on his (very full) bladder and the heavy knowledge that his best friend had just lost a close family member weighing down his heart.

But that elbow and that torso belonged to the most extraordinary woman in the world, who had just last night agreed to share her life, and the care of two young boys, with him.

So it was a pretty damn good morning, over all.

He extracted himself from Beckett's clutches and tried to move off the bed. Beckett moaned a little in protest and moved to pull him closer.

Which would have been very pleasant, if it hadn't meant that the elbow that was poking him in the sternum, was now resting on top of his (still very full) bladder.

"Bathroom," he whispered to her, sliding from her arms.

She blinked up at him, looking half asleep and fully adorable. "kay," she muttered, eyes closing again.

He grabbed some clean clothes from his bag, figuring he may as well get in a shower before the boys woke up. He poked his head into their room on the way to the bathroom. The two boys were sleeping in one bed, most of the blankets hanging off the side of the bed. He smiled sadly, devastated they had to go through this, but glad they had each other.

When he emerged from the shower and made his way back to the lounge, Beckett was already up.

"Morning," she greeted him, pouring him a large mug of coffee.

He took the mug, inhaling deeply. "Ah, coffee," he signed. "How you complete me," he whispered to the dark liquid.

Kate raised an eyebrow at him, picking up her own mug from the counter.

For a moment they just stayed there, Rick leaning against one bench with Beckett mirroring his pose against the opposite counter. There was a certain…domestic atmosphere, Rick supposed you'd call it. Just two people at peace with each other, who didn't need to speak.

Kate finished her coffee and took her turn in the shower. Rick folded the blankets from the sofa-bed and folded it back into a couch for the day. When Kate emerged from the bathroom, towelling her wet hair, she looked nervous.

Rick paused, waiting for her to bring up whatever was wrong. But patience had never been his strong suit, so after a few minutes of awkward silence and avoiding eye contact, he asked her what was up.

"I just-" Kate started, then paused and started again. "Last night…I mean, are you sure?"

Rick decided now wasn't the time for one of his wise cracks. "That I want you and the boys to move into the loft, and to share custody with you? Absolutely." To be honest, he was a little offended she'd had to ask. Rick was not a man who broke promises.

"I wasn't doubting you," Kate replied, picking up on his tone. "This is a big thing. We're going to be parents together. I should get the ball rolling with Child Services today. I just want you to be sure. I want us both to be sure."

"I'm sure," he told her. He paused. "Are you sure?" he asked.

She bit her lip. "I'm scared as hell. But I know if I could pick any person in the world to do this with, it would be you."

He couldn't help the smile that spread over his face. "Thank you," he murmured.

"I guess the next thing we need to do is ask if it's ok with Alexis. She's a big part of this too," Kate continued.

He didn't think it was possible, but he fell a little more in love with her in that moment.

Rick checked his watch, pulling his cell phone from his pocket. Alexis would be up now, getting ready for school.

Kate glanced down the hall to the boys' room, and then she grabbed his hand, tugging him out through the front door. They sat together side-by-side on the front step, and he put the phone on speaker as he hit speed dial one.

"Hi dad," said Alexis' sunny voice.

"Hey, honey," he replied, smiling at just the thought of her.

"Hey, 'Lex," said Kate from beside him.

"Kate! It's really good to hear from you. I'm so sorry about your cousin."

"Thanks 'Lex," the detective replied, a bittersweet smile on her face.

"Are you ok? Is there anything I can do?"

"Well kind of," Rick broke in. "We have something to ask you."

"Wait," Kate interrupted. "Alexis, we want to talk to you about something, but I want you to know that you can say no, and it is not going to change how much your Dad and I love you. This is a big deal and your opinion is really important to us. But the only way we can be happy is if you're honest about how you really feel, ok? Don't just tell us what you think we want to hear."

"Ok," said Alexis, and her voice was curious and a little fearful.

"You know that Maggie had two boys, right?" Rick asked.

"Yeah, Elijah and Ezekiel. Kate has a picture of them and Maggie in her room."

"Well, their dad has been around about as much as mine was," Rick said with a humourless laugh. "They don't really have any other family-"

"Oh! Are they going to come and live with us?" Alexis interrupted. "I'll help take care of them! I mean, after school and on weekends and stuff. I could teach them laser tag! And take them to the basketball court. Do they like reading? I still have heaps of books from when I was a kid."

Rick's heart could burst with pride. Of course his wonderful, kind daughter would think instantly of helping another in need.

"How about we start with applying for custody?" he said.

"Oh!" said Alexis, and Rick could picture the blush on her cheeks. "I'm getting ahead of myself, aren't I?"

"You're just enthusiastic," he replied. "So you won't mind? If Kate and the boys move permanently into the loft? It will be a lot more crowded with more people, and we may need your help with the boys."

"Dad, their mum just died. I think what you and Kate are doing is amazing. Of course I don't mind."

Kate exhaled hard from beside him. He wondered if she'd been holding her breath. "Thank you, Alexis," she said quietly.

"How's school going? Is mother taking good care of you?" Rick asked.

"I'm fine, dad," said Alexis in exasperation. "Everything is fine."

"What? It's a father prerogative to worry," Castle justified.

Alexis scoffed, but Beckett was smiling up at him, and the look on her face said 'you're a good father' better than any words.

They spoke for a few more minutes, Alexis filling them in on what was happening at school and life at the loft. It was a pleasant distraction, to remember that life went on.

When they returned to the house five minutes later, the twins were awake, sitting on the couch and watching some cartoon character with spiky black hair and a monkey side-kick who apparently possessed a magical belt.

Finally, Rick thought. A good excuse to watch quality programming in the morning.