Heartlines
by Sandiane Carter, and chezchuckles
Beth hugs Lucie one more time at the door of the loft, trying to get over how good it feels to have her friend here, in New York. Lucie laughs, but she hugs back.
"You trying to smother me here, Liz?"
Beth groans at the nickname, out of habit more than anything else, because she's long grown used to it.
She lets go of her friend at last, secretly admiring those big dark eyes, the flawless skin and the sharp cheekbones, the happy smile. Lucie's beautiful. And looking coy as she leans in to whisper in Beth's ear, "So, that fiancé of yours? Yummy."
Beth laughs, presses three fingers to her mouth as if to soften the too-bright sound. Which is silly, because even though it's well after midnight, it's not like Castle has neighbours on his floor she could be disturbing.
"Yeah?" She arches an eyebrow, daring Lucie to say more.
"Uh-huh," her friend hums, with a crooked little grin. "He doesn't have a brother, does he?"
"No," Beth chuckles. "Only son. Sorry."
Lucie gives a dramatic sigh. "You always get the good ones."
Regret fills her dark eyes before the last word is even out of her mouth; she reaches out, grabs Beth's hand.
"I didn't mean –"
"Hey, don't," Beth says softly, squeezing Lucie's cool fingers. "I've forgotten all about him. I have Alex now."
And silly as it sounds, that's true. Alex Conrad is all that matters now, Alex and the way he looks at her, jokes with her, goes out of his way to make her laugh (even though it's not very difficult).
Alex makes her happy without even trying, but he tries anyway.
"I'm so happy for you," Lucie whispers, and this time she's the one to crush Beth into a hug, to kiss her cheek. French style. "So happy. You deserve it, Beth."
"Ditto," the woman murmurs back.
And as impatient as she is to get back inside, find Alex, and kiss him senseless, Beth lets the moment linger. It's so close to perfect – her best friend in her arms, the gentle light of the loft pouring into the hallway, the voices of her family in the background.
The man she loves waiting for her inside.
She closes her eyes, and hangs on to it for a little longer.
Alex is in the kitchen, washing the last of the glasses. Beth leans into the wall and watches him for a few seconds, enjoying the way his shoulders work under his blue shirt. He's not a very large man; in fact, most people would probably call him lean.
But *she* knows what muscles are hidden under the fabric. Biting on her lower lip, Beth tiptoes closer, her bare feet meeting the floor without a sound. She loves to sneak up on him.
And Alex never disappoints. He jumps when she throws her arms around his waist, curses as he almost drops the glass, and she can't help a triumphant laugh. She presses her lips to his neck, a warm and open-mouthed kiss, until she feels him relax against her.
"Beth," he sighs. The tone is probably meant as reproachful, but the breathlessness in it kind of ruins the effect.
"Hmm," she hums against his skin, her tongue venturing out on reconnaissance.
He shivers violently, rests his hands against the sink for support. She loves how easily she can get to him.
"Beth? Let me –" he sucks in a startled breath when she nips at his skin – "Let me rinse and dry these two glasses, will you? I'm... Ah... I'm almost finished."
"Yeah you are," she answers, her voice dark and heavy with meaning.
He lets out a soft sound of need, and she has to gather the pieces of her control to step away, let him finish as he asked.
But she does, and leans against the wall, hands clasped behind her back. She'll be good.
For now.
Alex clears his throat, and she grins. He doesn't even bother to hide it. He's not one of those men who'd rather die than show weakness; no, Alex lays it all out for her to see. So open and trusting.
Gratitude is making her sappy.
"So," he says somewhat nervously, unaware that he's rescuing her with his words. "Did you like James and Shelby?"
"Yeah," she answers with a smile. "They were really nice. And funny, too. And J.R. is probably one of the cutest babies on the planet."
"Yeah, I think he takes after his godfather," Alex replies with mock satisfaction.
"Oh?" Beth echoes laughingly. "And how exactly did your genes travel to his little body? I'm curious."
"It's not about genes, woman," Alex shakes his head in despair. He stops the water, wipes his hands on the dishtowel. "It's about...inspiration."
"Inspiration? What is that supposed to mean? That J.R. is taking inspiration from you?"
"Exactly," Alex exclaims, obviously pleased that she's found him a way out. He beams and points his finger at her. "Exactly. See? You understand."
She frees one of her hands and snatches said finger. "Don't you point your finger at me, Alex Conrad."
"No?" He murmurs, crowding her against the wall. He's taller than her, though only by a couple of inches. Beth loves him towering above her, loves the thrill of anticipation that spreads in her belly. "Am I allowed to point other things at you?"
His lips are brushing hers, but she bursts out laughing against his mouth, unable to help herself. "Really? Really? That's the line you chose?" She exclaims, delighted. Not even his offended pout can make her stop. "Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Conrad, but I have to say, for a writer –"
He doesn't let her finish that sentence, silencing her with his mouth, demanding and a little rough. Oh yeah, she thinks as she opens up to him, feels her back collide with the wall. Yeah. Make me pay for that.
She moans into his lips when he weighs against her, closes her eyes at the delicious pressure on her breasts, the way his hips push into hers. Her arms wind around his neck of their own accord, her fingers digging into his skull, drawing him closer if she can.
"Oh, Beth, honey," he breathes when he breaks away from her lips, only to dip his head and feast on the exposed skin of her neck.
She arches against him, needy now, gasping and thrumming under his touch. Honey? She drops her hands from his hair to his waist, starts working on his shirt. Skin. She wants skin.
Skin, and the lines of his abs, the wild pounding of his heart.
Wants him naked on top of her –
She lifts a knee to wrap around his thigh, savors the low growl in his chest, the responsive, abrasive tug of his teeth.
"Beth," he says, child-like awe in his voice. Like it's their first time.
His strong hands splay at her sides, lift her up; she circles his waist with her legs, her body buzzing at the desired contact. His mouth is caressing her ear as he walks them to the stairs, undertakes the perilous climb.
He falters once, and she cries out in surprise before laughing, and tightening her hold on him. Which probably doesn't help.
She brushes her lips against his closed lids, moved by the effort he makes to steady himself, and he smiles, a slow, happy smile.
She kisses the dimple on his cheek.
When they get to the top of the stairs, she slides off him, ignoring the disappointed noise he makes at the back of his throat. She presses her mouth to his, firm and quick, takes his hand to lead him to their bedroom. It was once Martha's, long ago, but Beth has sort of claimed it as her own when she's here.
She's focused on Alex, his fingers warm and tender around hers, the ragged breaths that make her heart beat faster, and it's sheer luck that she hears the tiny sob as they pass Alexis's bedroom.
Beth pauses, signals her fiancé to keep silent. She doesn't hear anything else, and she's starting to move away when Alexis – who else would it be? – blows her nose as quietly as she can behind the closed door.
Damn it. Beth hesitates, looks at Alex and his shining eyes, dark with arousal. He pulls her into him, a loose embrace, and rests his cheek against her hair.
"Go," he says. "Go to her."
Her love unfolds inside her, a swan opening its wings.
"You'll wait for me?" She asks teasingly, nuzzling his cheek, his nose.
He steps back to look into her eyes, so serious and tender at once. Beth chews on her lip, unwilling to let emotion get the better of her, yet unable to help it. Alex lays a palm on the side of her neck, his thumb tracing her jaw.
"My wife," he murmurs, and his voice is disbelief and joy, impatience and determination.
Her words die in her throat, all of them – she can only rise on tiptoe, seal their mouths together, let her tongue whisper her secrets.
I love you.
The laptop rests open on her desk, but Alexis drifts to her bed, lying back on her pillows and staring at the ceiling. She's not sure why, but things still feel. . .in shambles.
There's a knock on the door and then it pops open, no boundaries, and it could be Kate or Beth - they do that the same - coming right in regardless. Alexis swipes at her face and rubs her eyes before sitting up.
But it's Beth. So it's okay. She gives Beth a watery smile and clears her throat, tries to push past the way things feel so ragged.
"Hey, StepCastle. What're you doing?" Beth sinks onto the foot of Alexis's bed and wraps her hands around Alexis's ankles. Rubs little circles. Beth pulls her feet up under to sit cross-legged on the bed, watching Alexis.
The girl gestures to the computer. "Just waiting on Ashley to finally show up." She rolls her eyes, but her voice breaks.
"Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry," Beth whispers and leans forward to take Alexis by the shoulders in a tight, warm hug.
Shoot. There it goes. Alexis sucks in a choked breath and hears her tears give way, can't stop them. And it's not even really about Ashley.
"I know. I know how it feels. I'm so sorry," Beth murmurs, rubbing her back and playing with her hair.
Alexis breaks from her and tries to scrub away the waterfall that's pouring out of her eyes. "This is silly. It's not that big of a deal."
"If you're crying, it's a big deal."
"No. I don't even care, really. I mean. When we skype it's so lame. He spends the whole time talking to people coming in and out of his dorm, or doing some lame prank on his suitemates. I mean - we don't even get to talk. He'll like turn to me and try to include me in whatever injoke they've got, but it just doesn't work."
"You know, it sounds like he's trying to show off for you. Impress you with his studly college-ness."
Alexis snorts and shakes her head, taking a moment to swipe her eyes again. "Not impressed."
"Well, did he miss it tonight?"
"Yeah. And last night. And he was an hour late the night before. So I just. . .I'm so tired of it. But I feel like if I *don't* wait, then it somehow becomes my fault."
"That sucks, Alexis. It's not how it's supposed to go. There should be some respect. I-"
Alexis lifts her eyebrows and waits but Beth blushes and shakes her head.
"I'm kinda lecturing you here. My bad. I should've just stuck with 'that sucks' and left it at that."
"No. It's okay. I know all this. I mean, Dad basically told me the same thing last night. That I can't be waiting around for him. And really, that's not. . .I'm resigned to it. It's just how my life is going right now. Just when I need him most, he's not here."
Alexis rubs at her forehead, can't get this stuff out of her head, the way the screaming resounds even when it's quiet. Just when she needs him, and he's nowhere to be found. He's the one that she wants to hug; he's the one who she could talk to and make everything fit again, put all the pieces back.
Beth slides an arm around Alexis's neck and tugs her closer. Alexis falls into Beth and wraps her arms around the woman's waist.
"Okay, so you wanna tell me what's really going on then?"
Alexis push her face into Beth's neck and can't stop the sob that takes her by surprise. Beth clutches her tighter and brushes her hand down Alexis's hair. It's enough to calm some of the storm in her, because she knows that Beth was there, Beth understands.
"I shouldn't be crying into your shoulder when you're getting married in less than two weeks," Alexis says with a sigh, lifting her head to look at her. . .what? A friend. An aunt?
"You do what you need to do, little sister. Tell me what's going on."
The moniker makes her warm, but Alexis sighs and shakes her head, still cuddled into Beth's side where it feels good, comforting. "It's just. Everyone else has figured it out. Has gotten over it and gone back to daily life. But I haven't. I can't. I have. . .these terrible dreams. And I wake up and lie here in the dark and text Ashley and he doesn't answer and there's no one else who gets it, what that did to us, how bad it was-"
"You mean. Kate getting shot." Beth is quiet now, her fingers rub circles over Alexis's shoulder and it feels nice. It's soothing and she doesn't even know why.
"Yeah."
"Sweetheart, none of us are over it. None of us have it figured out. Least of all Kate, I think."
Alexis feels her lips twisting with a grief she can't contain, squeezes her eyes shut and tries to keep it back. "I just. It's so easy to lose everything. So easy for Kate to never come back again and I don't - I can't - she means too much."
Alexis chews on the inside of her lip even as her chin quivers, the burn of tears in her eyes again. Beth wipes at her own cheek and now Alexis feels guilty for totally bringing her down.
"Yeah," Beth says with a quick nod, then wraps her fingers around the girl's neck, drops a kiss to her forehead. "I lost my mom when I was about your age. It's the worst; it never - it doesn't-" She sighs. "It's not fair. It sucks and it's not fair, but you get to a place where you realize you've lived with it. You've made it this far and you can keep making it. And if Kate. . ."
"I'm sorry, never mind. Forget it," Alexis says hurriedly, hating herself for bringing it up now. Of course Beth is thinking about her mother; of course she misses Johanna now, when she's about to get married. "I didn't mean-"
"Kate was shot," Beth says gently, firmly. "Kate almost died. We don't have to pretend it didn't happen, Lex. We face it, and then make a change, so that there are no regrets, nothing we might be upset for if she doesn't, if it-"
"Yeah, but-" Alexis says softly, able to pull away a little, sit on her own. Beth takes her hand and squeezes, but waits on her. "Yeah, I wish. . .Tonight, you know how we were all sitting around the table, and how good that was. . .how. . .how everything seemed good and right?"
Beth gives her a bright and happy smile. "Yeah. Yeah it did."
"I didn't have that before. Before Kate, and you, and now Alex too. It was me and Dad. My Mom's not really. . .someone to count on. And then Grams came to live with us a couple of years, and that helped, that was good. But with Kate - everything opened up. Not just this family, but even the guys at the 12th. They made my dad a part of that family, and me by extension. And if Kate died, what. . .what would we have?"
"You have me no matter what," Beth says fiercely. "But you know, you *know* that Kate's a fighter. Kate's the strongest woman I know and she'd do anything to get back to her family. You know that."
Alexis nods, but being strong doesn't mean you come home alive. She's not stupid. Not any more. She saw her father tackle Kate in the cemetery, heard the rush of the bullet after the fact, the blood, the darkness even in the bright sunlight.
"When we were downstairs, Kate spent most of the night holding little J.R., you know? She didn't want to, but-"
Beth laughs. "Ha. Oh, hilarious. Shelby was sooo glad to have a break. I know."
Alexis can't exactly laugh yet, but she does smile, sniffs a little to keep her voice clear. "She got stuck with him; she fed him his bottle and she. . .she just looked right doing it. I never would've thought it would looks so right. Never would have thought she wanted kids. But she does, doesn't she?"
Beth gives a shakier laugh, filled with a meaning Alexis doesn't understand. "She does. Yes."
Alexis nods. "And my dad-" Her voice cracks and she presses the heels of her hands into her eyes, sucks in a breath, has to center herself before she can go on. "My dad loves kids; he's so good at it. He's so good. And I know he wants kids with Kate. I know he does. But they almost lost that. Entirely. The little family they might make, the babies they'll have - gone."
Beth sighs softly and reaches out to Alexis again. She lets herself melt into Beth, unable to stop it now.
"Beth - It's not just Kate we lose. We lose everything with her."
"I know. I know, Lex." Beth wraps her tighter and it doesn't seem to do any good. There are all these pieces inside, all the jagged edges, like she herself has been shot and it won't heal up right. "You need to talk to Kate about this, sweetheart."
"No," she wails, and it breaks open, all of it, the wound weeping.
"Okay, okay," Beth hums, murmuring into her hair. "All right, Lex. It's okay, baby. It's okay."
"I can't. I can't, please don't tell Kate-"
"Baby, you need to tell her this. You need to let *her* hold you and listen, because that's the only way to get it off your chest."
"Please don't tell, Kate," she whispers, trying to struggle away, trying to control herself again. She untangles herself from Beth and uses her shirt to soak up the stupid, crazy tears she can't stop. "It's just not having Ashley and seeing Kate holding the baby tonight and I just. . .don't tell Kate."
Beth looks at her long and hard, but there's a tenderness in her face that rips open the wound in Alexis again. She has to clench her fists and dig her nails into her palm, let the sharp sting of it focus her.
"Lex. Remember last year when your Dad called for a group hug? He said we're family. All of us."
Alexis glances down at her clenched fists. "Yeah."
"That means you and Kate are just as much family as you and me, or me and Kate. Do you believe that?"
No. Alexis looks away from Beth, focuses on the now-dark screen of her laptop on her desk. Tries to keep it together.
Beth sighs. "You and Kate are family. You love her. I know you do. This proves it. Don't you think she loves you too? Why do you think I tease her so much about it, Alexis? Because being vulnerable to someone else isn't easy for her, and it's super fun for me to mess with her about it."
Alexis huffs a laugh and glances back to Beth. "I do love her. But Dad. . .I'm kind of a package deal with Dad. So she has to-"
Beth tightens her grip on Alexis's wrists, narrows her eyes. "Don't short-change my sister, Little Castle. Katie goes all out. Don't you know that by now?"
Alexis presses her lips together, but Beth is right. It is kind of. . .rude to assume that Kate is *forced* to love her. You can't force Kate to do anything. "Yeah."
"So I'm going to give it tonight. And then sometime tomorrow, I'm going to talk to my sister about this, Alexis. If you don't tell her first; I'll tell her. Okay?"
Alexis chews on her lip and glances down to her bedspread, takes in a shaky breath. "Okay."
"Okay," Beth says softly, then wraps her arms around Alexis and that-
that does make it seem better.
A little.
When Kate makes it to the kitchen the next morning, leaving Castle behind to finish showering, alone, she finds her sister and Alex already making breakfast together, all those little touches and soft comments between them.
She remembers that. Actually, she probably still does that. Castle does at least, and sometimes he works her into it.
"Hey guys," she says, clearing her throat so they know she's there.
Beth doesn't drop her hands from Alex's waist, but Alex flushes and stops messing around, gives Kate a quick look. "Hey Kate."
Beth sighs and sticks her tongue out at her sister. "You're ruining my fun."
Kate laughs and sniffs the air. "You're making enough for everyone? Because I'm starving."
"Oh, Kate-" Alexis pauses on the stairs, shooting a look to Beth who has some kind of look back. Kate can't understand their little secret conversations half the time anyway, so she brushes it off and reaches out a hand to Castle's daughter.
"Hey, Lex. They're making us breakfast. Hungry?"
Alexis slides cold fingers into Kate's, sidles up next to her. Kate gives her a long look, her cop instinct flaring to life, then glances over at Beth, asking silent questions. Her sister quirks an eyebrow and Kate takes that to mean Later.
"We made enough for everyone, yeah. But I have to leave in five minutes for French lab at NYU. Alex is walking me to work."
"Ah, what are you doing after that, Alex?"
"Meeting up with my mom for some last minute wedding stuff. Beth refuses to care about the seating arrangements but my mom is in a tizzy."
Kate and Alexis both laugh with Beth, imagining Elise worked up about it, then Castle comes through the living room and drops a hand on Kate's shoulder, another on Alexis's. Both women turn to him; Kate watches the anxious eagerness on Alexis's face, soothed by her father's kiss to the girl's forehead.
Kate gets a soft brush of lips to hers, smiles into it because she can feel his vibrating joy, but lets him go before damage can be done. They're not going to say anything, since it's still just talk, and Kate wants the two weeks to be about her sister.
Castle's eyes meet hers, and the delicious thrill of having a shared secret makes her stomach flutter.
"Okay, it's done. Serve yourselves guys." Beth nudges Alex out of the way and pulls down plates, grabs forks. Alexis gets up to help, and while the three of them are clustered around the stove, Kate pushes in close to Rick, slides her arms around his waist.
"Morning," she murmurs, standing on her tiptoes to gain some height.
"Morning. Again," he says back, and places a longer kiss on her mouth, easing her open. She dives into it, hands sliding up his sides, but lets him go when he breaks away. "I'm gonna have trouble keeping my hands off you today."
Kate grins back at him. No need to tell him it's the same for her. He'd *really* have trouble then. "Breakfast. Then I have to go to work. You could stay here-"
"Hell, no," he murmurs, lifting an eyebrow.
Pleasure floods through her, but she turns away from Castle and forces herself to grab a plate.
Beth and Alex are already wolfing down their breakfast, messing with each other as they stand to eat. Beth finishes first, drops her plate in the sink even as Kate is filling hers up. Her sister gives her a quick kiss on the cheek, whispering in her ear, "Talk to Alexis."
And then she's gone, heading for the door, calling out to Alex to hurry up. Her fiance is muttering something about being rushed, but he rinses his plate off and puts it in the dishwasher, does the same for Beth's, and leaves the rest of them to their breakfast.
"You need to plan this out better," he says to her, shoving his feet into his shoes by the door as Beth slides on her coat.
"Sorry, the impromptu sex this morning threw us off schedule," Beth laughs at him.
Alex turns the deepest shade of crimson that Kate has ever seen, and refuses to look behind him as Beth calls out her good-byes. Alexis is laughing, Castle is laughing, and Kate gives her sister a long, amused look.
"Bye, Katie. See you tomorrow."
"Bye Beth. Don't kill the poor guy, okay?"
"You can't die of embarrassment," Beth rolls her eyes, opening the door.
Alex huffs at her. "I beg to differ."
The two disappear out the door, shutting it with a resounding noise that makes the kitchen seem smaller and quieter for the two of them being gone.
Castle claps his hands together. "Well. Let's eat, family."
"There better have been a comma in there," Alexis says, regaining some of her teasing nature after Beth and Alex's departure. She looks relieved, and Kate wonders again at her.
"There was a comma!" Castle whines at her and sits down at the bar with his full plate. "Don't you have school or something, grammar-nazi?"
Alexis laughs back at her dad, sitting beside him as well. Kate sticks with just the scrambled eggs, pops a couple peices of bread in the toaster, her hip against the counter to wait for it.
"Not having biscuits?" Castle asks.
She shakes her head. She *has* healed, but her stomach still isn't right after the emergency surgery. Anything too heavy. . .she can't handle it. Toast is better.
"Want some?" she asks him, nodding to the toaster.
"Nah. I got biscuits. Is there jelly in the fridge?"
"It's right here, Dad," Alexis says, hopping up to grab it off the counter and hand it to her father.
At Castle's look, Kate snorts. "Alexis, you're just making him lazy. He knew that."
Castle laughs, throwing her a look, and Alexis slaps his shoulder. "Dad."
"She's right. I knew it. But I thought Kate would bring it back with her."
"Think again," Kate says, narrowing her eyes at him. The toaster pops out her two pieces, and she grabs them quickly, dropping them to her plate. When she comes back around the island, she does get the butter and ketchup from the fridge and put them at his place.
Castle gives her a sweet look, smiling. "Thanks."
She presses a kiss to his cheek in lieu of rolling her eyes - again - and sits down on his other side. "Hey, have you given much thought to what we're getting Beth and Alex for a wedding present?"
He shoots her a careful look, as if he's masking his surprise, but a kind of hopeful delight is on his face. "Yeah. Some. Why? Did you have an idea for what. . .we could give them?"
Oh.
Kate blinks and sits stunned for a moment. He thought. . .he's surprised that they're giving Beth a wedding present together. Together. It's the 'we' that got him.
Shit. She's really messed this up, hasn't she? Talk to Alexis. It's not just his daughter she's got to reconnect with, remind that she's still alive, but it's Castle as well. She spent six weeks being as solitary and alone as she could possibly be, as withdrawn and closed off as she could make herself (even with Castle there almost every day), and that's taken a toll on them. On her *family.*
She didn't see that coming.
But Beth, back to Beth first. "I had an idea," she says quickly, trying to push past that moment. "It's. . .sort of a present for you too."
She lifts an eyebrow at him, suddenly so very glad this came to her last night. Castle needs this as much as Beth and Alex. Maybe more so.
"It. . .is?"
Alexis leans forward. "Is this something I can legally hear?"
Kate laughs, shooting a grateful smile to his daughter, glad she's there. "It's not R-rated. Plus you're 18 and in high school. What could *I* possibly say that you haven't heard before?"
Castle immediately points his fork at Alexis, then at Kate, attempting a stern look. "No. Not-uh. I don't want to hear it. You are still my adorable little girl, and you - Kate Beckett - won't be corrupting her with your wild ways."
"Too late," Alexis says, shaking her head in mock condolence.
Kate laughs again, putting a hand over her mouth to stifle it when Castle gives her another look. "No, no, don't worry. No corrupting going on. I probably just scared the shit out of you guys this summer, but hopefully that doesn't ever happen again."
Even as she says it, she knows she probably shouldn't, that she's not been this cavalier about it in front of them. Gallows humor works best at the precinct, and Alexis might not be strong enough to handle-
But Alexis gives her a surprised, relieved look and takes a long sighing breath. "Yeah. You did."
Castle is very still between them for a moment, then he puts his fork down and looks first at his daughter - they share something then - and turns his head back to Kate, gratitude in his eyes.
"So what's your big idea?"
She's pleased with herself for somehow repairing something - a thing she can't name or see, a thing that's been blocking the way between herself and them. Kate smiles wider at him and digs into her pants pocket for her keys.
She starts working a key off the ring even as she talks. "Well, you know Beth lives with that crazy artist girl in the studio apartment-"
"She *is* crazy," Alexis interrupts heatedly. "Did you know that the reason Beth and Alex keep staying over here is because that girl keeps asking Alex to pose nude for her?"
Kate fumbles the key with her laughter, meeting Castle's eyes. She's told him before about modeling nude once; his face is dark and aroused with knowledge. And then it's gone. "Well that's proof there's no corrupting," he murmurs, lifting an eyebrow at her.
She bites her lip, tries to glare but fails. "Anyway, I asked Beth if they were looking for a place, but you know Beth. She's just. . .last minute about everything. I bet Alex is looking into it, but-"
Castle shakes his head. "He hasn't started yet. He told me the other day at the precinct that the rings were first on his list, and an apartment was way down there."
"Okay, well perfect. Because-" Kate finally draws the key off and puts in on the counter between them. She sees the understanding dawn on Castle's face, feels her chest fill at the sight. "Because I want to give them my apartment."