Sorry this is so late! I spent 2 days on a chapter for another fic and now I'm behind on my other ones! I'm gonna try to keep up though! Enjoy!

Back at the Cabin

Castle was more than just a little relieved to finally be going back to the Becketts' cabin upstate, especially since it meant he would be away from his mother and Gustave, who constantly made kissy faces at each other when they thought he wasn't looking—which, believe me, he tried—and were always interested in what he was doing, whether it be in school, with Kate, or when he was just reading a simple book (he still hadn't touched the ones Gustave had bought him).

What's worse, the Ukrainian had imposed a new curfew, which he'd convinced Martha was for Castle's own good. So, now, instead of staying out until midnight with his friends, he was always expected back at the apartment by ten, at the latest.

The first time he'd broken curfew, his mother had taken his phone and the controllers for all his video game consoles for a full week.

He had half a mind to run away, but knew that was completely ridiculous, especially over something so silly. But he did do his best to rebel against the man, from leaving his shoes lying around, to leaving a mess in the kitchen when he cooked; little things that might have seemed insignificant, but were the ultimate acts of Anarchy to the man, whose toupee only seemed to grow more disheveled as time went on; probably from running his hand through the fake hairs out of frustration.

"Good," Castle thought, with a grin as he actually caught sight of a bald spot in the middle of the man's head once.

Finally, when it came time for the trip to the cabin, Castle didn't even bother to say goodbye to his mother or leave a note; she already knew he was leaving and he didn't want to give her beloved boyfriend any reason to keep him from leaving. He'd already had his bags packed for the last couple of weeks and crept out with them in his arms, quiet not to make a single peep so as not to wake the couple up in the early dawn.

Kate met him in the lobby, slightly grumpy with lack of sleep.

"Did you sleep at all?" Castle laughed as he kissed her cheek.

"Barely," she yawned, leaning into him as he led her outside.

"And your dad didn't give you any coffee yet?" he asked, practically carrying her on one arm while the other dragged along his suitcases.

"I drank half a thermos," she informed him. "Didn't even make a dent."

"Maybe it's decaf," Castle suggested and Kate glared.

"If it is, I'm about to commit patricide," she growled. Castle chuckled and shoved his suitcases into the trunk, which opened as they approached, before scooping Kate into his arms, laughing at the little squeak she emitted as he carried her round the front of the van.

"Put me down!" she slurred, even as she snuggled closer.

"In a minute," Castle replied, opening the door and ducking in, nodding to the boys and Lanie, who were all nodding off in the back. Even Johanna was snoring in the front seat, her face mashed up against the window. Castle shook his head, buckling Kate in, before taking his seat next to her.

"Good morning, Rick," Jim greeted from in front of him.

"Morning, Mr.—Jim," Castle replied. "Is that decaf?" he pointed to the thermos in Jim's hand.

"No sir," the older man replied. "I think I might kill us all if it was; none of us got any sleep last night because of that damn owl."

"Owl?" Castle asked, glancing between his girlfriend and her father.

"Yeah," Kate grumbled. "Damn thing's living in the willow tree in the back garden and it just hatched little owlets. 'Hoo, hoo, hoo' all night long!"

"I was tempted to just shoot the damn things for a moment," Jim admitted, pulling into traffic, "but I would never have forgiven myself; neither would my girls."

"Just 'cause they're annoying doesn't mean they have to die," Kate agreed. "I mean, look at Castle."

"Hey!" Kate grinned at his indignant tone and blew a kiss his way, before closing her eyes again.

"Wake me up when we get there," she said. "I'm going back to sleep."

"How can you still be so tired?" Jim laughed. "You drank half of my coffee!"

But Kate was already out.

"I'm starting to think that girl has a caffeine problem," Jim murmured to himself, but Castle still heard and snorted, wrapping his arm around Kate's shoulders, allowing her to lean into him as he rested his cheek on her head, pressing a soft kiss there before closing his eyes, allowing the hum of the van and the flowery scent of his girlfriend lull him into a deep sleep.

Hours later, he awoke to a soft shaking and a feminine voice whispering to him.

"Rick, sweetheart," Johanna Beckett's voice broke through his slumber. "Wake up; we're here."

Castle grunted as he came back to reality, blinking in the morning sunlight, which glinted off the water, through the van's window. Kate was still cuddled up against him and Castle smiled, nuzzling her ear with his nose, whispering soft words of love and affection, mindful of the girl's mother, who still smiled at them adoringly.

Kate woke up with a start, blinking sleepy, clouded hazel eyes up at him, before giving him a soft smile and pressing a kiss to his lips, thoroughly surprising the teenage boy.

"Kate," he hissed, backing away. "Your mom is right. There." He motioned with his eyes and both Beckett women rolled their eyes. The elder walked away, giving the two of them privacy as she helped her husband carry in the luggage.

Kate and Rick, meanwhile, straightened up, stretching their cramped muscles and unbuckling their seatbelts. Castle climbed out first, before offering his hand to Kate, who rolled her eyes, put accepted, letting him lift her down to the ground, graceful as a butterfly. She leaned into him for a second, smiling sleepily up at him while he gave her a loving, brilliant smile of his own, his forehead brushing hers.

"Kate," he whispered after a moment, "I have to tell you something."

"What?" Kate asked.

He leaned closer and Kate thought he was going to kiss her again, but instead he whispered, real quiet-like: "You have a drool stain on your chin."

Kate's eyes popped open comically. "What?"

Just gonna leave it there. I'll try to have the next chapter up on time but school is more hectic than I thought it was going to be.

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