Kate stopped just inside the door to Castle's apartment, setting her bags down and taking a good look around. Castle bustled in behind her, closing the door, offering to take her jacket, and generally failing to hide his nerves.
"Does it look familiar?" Kate had no difficulty hearing the anxious hope that Castle tried to hide.
"Very. I stayed here after my apartment blew up. I've had dinner here several times. Martha put on a play in your living room?" Castle couldn't help but return Kate's grin.
"Yes, my mother is-"
"Beautiful, generous, and unbelievably talented?" Martha waltzed into the room with an intentionally humorous flounce that almost managed to pull a giggle from Kate before she squashed it. She'd had little enough dignity at the hospital for the past 24 hours, she felt like trying to pretend she was an adult and not a giddy little girl. But it was hard. Her memories had been returning in fits and starts at the hospital, and returning in no particular order of time nor importance. Standing in a room that felt familiar and filled with happy memories was enough to leave her slightly light-headed with joy.
"Kate!" Alexis kept herself to a walk down the stairs, yet still managed to make Kate imagine what kind of whirlwind 5-year-old Alexis must have been. Kate gladly returned Alexis's hug, taking a breath and trying to memorize the moment.
"Come on, Kate," Castle picked up the bag Kate had dropped. "You must be exhausted. Let's get you up to the guest room."