"So… what do you want to do now?" Alexis asked slowly, glancing from Kate to Rick and back. "I mean, it's only just gone seven-thirty. You've got at least a couple of hours until you have to leave."

Martha clapped her hands. "Yes, that's a wonderful idea, darling! Let's all do something together." Esposito and Ryan shot her a look but she continued brightly, "How about a movie?"

"Yeah!" Castle agreed, bouncing on his toes. "I've got that new shipment in of DVD releases that I never even opened."

It wasn't a bad idea actually, Kate thought. Lanie was due to arrive any minute and Gates had just left so… yeah. Not bad at all.

"What do you expect us to watch, Winnie the Pooh?" Esposito was bristling with indignation at even the possibility of having to watch a kids' movie, which she found quite petty of him given her own far worse situation.

"No." Castle looked affronted. "Of course not. I have every film you could ever hope to watch. Or we could watch a TV show. I have a couple of seasons of Breaking Bad that Alexis and I have been meaning to start… Ooh! Or Paranormal Activity 2. Just got it."

"I love those movies!" Ryan cut in brightly.

Alexis coughed. "Uh, Dad?"

"Yeah?"

She looked significantly at Beckett, who noticed and immediately frowned.

"I can watch it."

"I know, I didn't mean that-" Alexis started hurriedly, trying to make up for her mistake. "I just, uh, maybe we should watch something else? I'm not too crazy about horror."

"Me neither," Martha chimed in. "That blood-and-guts drivel is just full of overacting."

Kate wasn't falling for it, and her scowl didn't waver- if anything, it deepened. "I want to watch Paranormal Activity 2."

"Kate, dear, I really don't think-"

"He can," she pointed to Castle, her eyes flashing with stubborn determination, "Right? So why can't I?"

"Well, he's seen them before, dear."

"I don't care." She was adamant, her jaw set, chin up. "I want to watch it."

The adults shared a glance and then Esposito sighed. "Okay, if you're sure."

"I'm in, but Javi?" Ryan's voice was a little too sweet, too yielding.

"Yeah?"

"When she refuses to go to bed because she can't shut her eyes without seeing that dark room, and the demon that will eventually plague her thoughts for countless nights when she does fall asleep…" He patted Esposito lovingly on the shoulder. "Just remember, she'll be at your house."

Kate crossed her arms and stalked into the TV room, plopping down on the couch and steadfastly refusing to meet anyone's eyes, and ignoring when Esposito sat down next to her.

"Let's see…" Castle's quick fingers ran over the spines of the DVDs lining the wall, his eyes skimming over titles. "Found it. Paranormal Activity 2." He popped it into the DVD player and, when the screen came to life, ran over to the couch and squeezed in between Esposito and Alexis, his feet kicking against the couch until he was told to stop.

Kate sat there quietly, curled into the armrest. It was cold, and she was cold, but she bit the inside of her cheek and refused to speak, subtly moving her feet closer to Esposito to get a share of his body heat.

A haunting tune started to drift out from the speakers. It seemed to wrap the room in its chilling melody- and suddenly, Kate wasn't so sure this was a good idea.

No.

She was doing this.

No way was she backing out now.

So as the movie began she stared, fixated, at the screen, watching the woman who she knew was going to die sometime in the next five minutes get a taco from a Mexican food stand.

The first thirty or so minutes played out relatively uneventfully, for a horror movie. Of course, there were the few 'creepy' instances where something strange and inexplicable happened, but there was nothing too gory or violent. Kate was starting to relax, although her eyes stayed alert and focused on the screen, prepared to bite back the scream in case of a sudden scare.

The woman had managed to keep herself alive for thirty-five minutes.

Not bad, Kate mused.

She curled her lip back in disgust when the woman walked into an empty abandoned factory- seriously, who does that? She was running into the factory, her hand to her mouth. Looking for a bathroom, Kate realized. Abruptly, the woman stopped and fell to her knees, heaving into the ground.

Kate leaned forward, suddenly interested. Maybe she had food poisoning. The camera panned down to reveal the pale, sickly face and the stains of vomit on the floor.

So. She was sick. Although that was no excuse. She was young, maybe in her late twenties, but still, she was stupid. Kate already hated her for walking into a place like that unarmed, alone.

Well.

With her record of calling for back-up, she was being a little judgmental and she knew it.

The music was getting louder, quicker. Something was about to happen. There was some machinery in the corner, maybe something to do with that?

Kate sighed and shifted positions. Then watched as the young woman- she knew it- was suddenly mauled by a chainsaw by a demon who had appeared out of nowhere. She screamed and flailed as her arm was ripped to shreds, blood spurting everywhere. The music was now a deafening screech, fast and furious.

This… was ridiculous. It was.

It was such a ridiculous, stupid story.

But… the screams.

That chilling melody.

The blood.

Kate held her head in her hands as the woman's piercing shrieks melded with the demon's cackling and the mindless buzzing of the chainsaw, reaching a deafening volume. Castle quickly turned down the volume.

But Kate could still hear her moans, could still see the vomit and the blood swirling together on the factory's grey tiles.

Was she imagining it, or could she really smell the stale stench of vomit and tacos, and the metallic rust of blood? From her peripheral vision she was aware of Martha getting up to let someone in- must be Lanie- but she didn't look up, didn't answer when someone greeted her. She was too absorbed by the demon on screen, and by the pleading, wavering sobs of the dying woman.

The person- a quick glance confirmed that yes, it was Lanie- took a seat.

Kate was sure Lanie must be offended at her obvious antipathy towards her- but it wasn't that, it really wasn't. She just, she wanted to look away so badly, wanted to run to Lanie and hide in her lap but she knew if she glanced away, even for a second, she would never get the courage to watch anymore.

She was terrified. She wanted someone to hug her and comfort her and tell her it was okay, it was just a movie.

And that was scaring her more.

The harsh, ragged breaths of the dying woman worsened, getting weaker and weaker until all that was left was the lifeless corpse lying on the factory floor, her dead eyes staring into and through Kate's. She was sprawled on the ground, blood gushing from the several wounds on her torso.

Kate gripped the arm of the couch tightly with one hand, her other hand fisting into the material of her shorts. There were goose-bumps trailing up and down her body- her arms, her legs, her feet all covered in tiny little raised bumps that were chilling her to the bone.

It was too much. She couldn't take it. Feeling weak and pathetic, she covered her eyes with her hands and let her head drop down onto the couch.

Suddenly, she felt the heat next to her move away, leaving cold air for her toes. She was about to protest when the person sank back down again- except, it wasn't Esposito this time. Lanie's smooth hands were massaging her feet.

"You okay there?" Her gentle voice was no louder than a whisper, and Kate was grateful for it.

To lie was an easy escape. "Tired," she mumbled, resting her head on her arms and closing her eyes for the full effect.

Lanie let out a chuckle. "Of course you are. Come here." She pulled Kate towards her, the small girl immediately and easily curling up on her lap. "There you go sweetie. You just go to sleep, okay? No one will say anything. They know physiologically you're a child."

"'Kay," she murmured, shifting around a little until she found a comfortable position.

Lanie's eyebrows knitted together but she said nothing. Her fingers stroked over Kate's curls and down her back until her breathing was soft and even.

Kate willed herself not to fall asleep. To do so would be to show vulnerability beyond what she was ready to let them see. But her head hurt, and her eyes burned with the image of the dead woman and eventually, she couldn't help but relax into Lanie's warm embrace…

Esposito stood up and stretched, popping his stiff muscles. "Thanks for that, Martha. We should probably head out now."

"Yeah, probably," Castle echoed. He stood too, his eyes bleary and his shoulders drooping. From her chair in the kitchen, his mother hid a smile. "I mean, it is kinda late."

"Alright, kid, we can take a hint," Ryan complained, although he too was grinning at Castle's obvious exhaustion. He started to follow his partner, almost bumping into his back when Esposito stopped abruptly.

"Oh, whoops, forgot Beckett. C'mon Beckett, we're going to mi casa!"

There was no reply from the couch, except for a hissed "shh!" from Alexis.

Castle padded around to get her up. "Come on, Beckett, get up, you have to- oh…"

"What?" Esposito demanded.

"She's asleep…"

"She's… she what? She went to sleep? Willingly?"

"I don't know. I didn't even know she was asleep."

Lanie gently shifted Kate in her lap. "Shush, Castle! Not so loud."

Ryan and Esposito both rounded the couch to check it out for themselves, both expressing their disbelief and earning glares from Lanie and Alexis for making too much noise.

Martha came in from the kitchen, carrying her signature glass of wine. "Oh, isn't that adorable. Well, you certainly can't take her home now."

"I can't ask you to take care of her for-"

"Don't be ridiculous. Look at her, she's not going to be any trouble. And," she took a sip of her wine, "I don't think you'd have much luck getting her to do anything anyhow."

"Um." Esposito glanced once more back at Beckett, and then shrugged. "Okay. Thanks."

"Oh, don't mention it. Goodnight. Oh- Ryan! Tell your gorgeous wife that I loved those pictures she posted a few days ago. That dress suited her beautifully."

"Will do. Thanks, Martha."

The door slammed shut, and Alexis smiled as Castle instantly, visibly deflated.

"I'm going to bed," he announced, trailing up the stairs limply. "Night Alexis. Night, Mother."

"Good night, darling." Martha was already shooing Lanie out the door, the younger woman gently detaching Kate from her and laying her on the couch. "Go on. We'll take care of her, you don't worry at all. Get some sleep."

When the door finally shut on all the guests, Martha and Alexis approached the sofa, both smiling softly at the little girl sucking her finger while she slept.

"I'll take her," Alexis offered. She carefully slid one hand under Kate's knees, the other wrapping around her boney shoulders. With a little grunt she had the small girl up in her arms, but Kate was stirring now, her eyes fluttering in reaction to the jolting movement.

"Hey."

Kate looked up at Alexis' greeting, squinting to see who was carrying her- when she realized, she squirmed until the arms around her loosened and let her drop down.

"Just me." Alexis had her hands up, having mistaken the embarrassment for panic. Kate rubbed her eyes with her fists to try and clear her cloudy mind. "You fell asleep; I was just taking you to your room."

"My room?"

"Well, the guest room. The bed's a bit big but we thought you'd manage…"

For the first time since waking up, Kate looked around the room groggily, surprised and slightly relieved to find no one but Martha and Alexis. "Lanie?"

"She went home, dear," Martha told her. "And everyone else too, for that matter."

"It's quite late." Alexis ran a hand over Kate's hair, sensing her disorientation. "Dad's already in bed."

"He's in bed…?" A quick glance at the clock confirmed the time. "Oh."

"Yeah. It's late."

"Oh," Kate mumbled again. "Okay."

"Do you want any help or…?"

"Thanks. No." And then quickly corrected herself: "I mean- no, I'm fine. But thank you."

"Okay." Alexis bent down and picked up one of the last remaining plates left on the coffee table before straightening again, stretching her spine as she did. "Goodnight, then."

"G'night. Bye, Martha." Kate was already trudging past them to where she knew she'd be sleeping, her shoulders hunched, ready to collapse on the bed, shoes and all.

"Beckett! Hey Beckett, wake up. Beckett. Kate. Kate. Wake up."

She let out a muffled groan at the disturbance and rolled over, the right side of her face smashing into the pillow.

"Come on, Kate!" the voice whined.

"Go 'way."

"But it's me."

She turned at that and forced one eye open, sleepily glancing over what she could see- a dark blur- of the 'me' in question. "Even worse."

"Hey!"

She sighed, re-burying her face in the pillow for a few seconds before forcing her heavy limbs to turn her over so she was on her back, propped up with one elbow. "Castle. What do you want?"

"What, I can't want to see my partner at…" he glanced at the flashing digital clock on the nightstand "… um, a few minutes past three a.m.?"

She sat up straighter when he said the time, regarding him suspiciously. "What's up?"

"Nothing. Maybe I just thought this was the perfect time for a late night rendezvous with the beautiful Kate-"

"Okay, I'm going to stop you right there because I'm four and you're seven and it's creepy."

His nose wrinkled. "Yeah, no, not going there."

Silence.

When he didn't offer anything more, Kate's fingers started to tap the comforter. "Anything else?"

"Uh, not really? No. Guess not."

"So can I go back to sleep now?"

"Oh- right! No, definitely, go back to sleep- yeah, you should definitely, you know, get some rest." He didn't move, simply stood staring at her in the dark.

She watched him too- she could see him properly, now that her eyes were more or less adjusted to the dim light from the slightly-open door. Still he said nothing.

"Castle."

"Yes?"

His voice was too hopeful, too eager to continue a conversation with her- at three a.m. no less.

Kate crossed her legs and leaned forward. "What's wrong?"

"What?" His question rang with false objection and denial, an obvious pointer than something was in fact bothering him.

"What's wrong?" she repeated, her voice lower.

"Nothing. You know what, I think you're right and we should just- I should- I'd better get back to bed. Before an army of ghosts takes over my room, right?" He barked out a laugh.

She reached forward before he could get far, her fingers closing over his arm. "No. Wait."

And when she saw the pure, unadulterated relief in his eyes, she knew she was right.

"Yeah?" he asked. "You wanna tell ghost stories or something? I should warn you, I know a whole lot more than you do."

"Oh, knock it off Castle." She dropped his wrist and crossed her arms. "You're scared, aren't you?"

Okay, so maybe that wasn't the best way to broach the topic, she thought as his eyes flashed.

"I'm scared? Me? Of a little army of ghosts? And not to mention, from a movie that I've seen over three times?" He snorted, his shoulders tight and raised.

"So what?" she demanded. "Big deal if you were."

"Anyway," he continued as if he hadn't heard her, "at least I wasn't as scared as you were."

He did not just go there, she thought furiously.

"What?" she managed to bite out.

"You fell asleep. Come on, that's like, your number one defense tactic! Run away, hide, sleep, whatever. Same difference."

"Are you kidding me right now?" Her hands were clenched at her sides, unbelieving of this strange, proud Richard Castle. Suddenly seeing reason, she let her hands go limp. "Okay, yeah, you're right."

"What- I am?"

"Yeah. I was scared but I'm not now, and you are. So you want to go back to your room, or suck up your stupid man-boy pride and stay here?"

He stared at her.

"Castle. I'm tired."

He swiftly moved over to the other side of the bed and climbed in, wriggling under the covers until he was settled in next to her.

"Chose to lose the man-boy pride, huh?" Her voice teasing, light.

He grinned back at her in the dark. "Just for future reference, the only reason you are not cowering in your socks right now is because you did not make it to the part where the mysterious ex-boyfriend shows up at the house in a strange state of-" Her hand clamped down over his mouth turned his speech into muffles.

"I don't want to know." She lifted her hand.

"But it's actually really-"

"Don't want to know."

Neither of them said a word for a few minutes, each lost in their own thoughts. Then Castle piped up again: "Hey, you know what would be fun?"

"Cas-tle." Her hands covered her ears and she burrowed under the blankets.

Castle continued speaking anyway. "Pranking Lanie and the guys. They won't do anything in return 'cause we're kids and they'll feel bad."

Despite her pretences, he had her attention. "… What kind of pranks?"

The question was rewarded with a huge grin. "See, I knew you'd be into it! Anything. Whatever we want." He shuffled closer to her, his enthusiasm radiating off of him. "Seriously Kate, we could do whatever we wanted. Literally."

She yawned and nodded. "Yeah, 'kay. But let me sleep now."

"Oh. Yeah. Right. Sorry. Goodnight."

"Goodnight, Castle."