So here's chapter five, and I beat the Monday deadline! I LOVE Martha's 'Pretty People' remark – it reminds me of her using 'MyFace'. Hahaha, and I hope you liked the Nathan and Stana quotes I included! Enjoy and as always, please review! :)


Kate entered, trying to ignore Castle's last statement. Martha came out from the kitchen and greeted them both.

"Hi, detective, this is a surprise. I didn't know we were expecting company. Richard, you could have informed us you know."

"Please, call me Kate." She looked uncomfortable until Martha made her feel at ease. "Well you're here now and that's lovely." Martha put an arm on Kate's shoulder, just as her mother used to do. "So, I guess you've heard it's family night... Monopoly is tonight's game of choice."

"I have, yes. He invited me to join you guys, I hope that's okay."

"Yes, of course it's fine. We're glad you're here!"

"We also watch a movie too." Alexis chimed in as she descended the stairs. "You're welcome to stay if you like, although it's dad's turn to pick out the movie." She frowned.

"I thought you and your grandmother went to the movie store earlier?"

"We did. But we got the movie he wanted." She frowned again.

"Well, I'll work on changing that!" She said with a smile.

Castle spoke up. "That's not the rules Beckett. And here I thought you always followed the rules. I'll let it go just this one time, so we can eat." He glanced at Kate, "unless you want to break the meal before dessert rule, too?"

She shot him a look before walking to get a slice of pizza.

They had just finished eating when Castle was eager to get the game started. "Alright, let's get this going. I need to show detective Beckett over here, a thing or two about Monopoly."

She turned on her heel. "Keep dreaming! You're going down, Castle."

"Care to place a bet, Beckett?"

"What'd you have in mind?" She regretted the words soon as they left her mouth.

"If I win," he paused, "We are playing laser tag!"

"You know I will beat you at laser tag, right?"

"We'll see, but that's not all. If I win, I get to take you out on a date. Like a real date. Flowers, dinner, the whole nine yards and I'm paying."

She thought about it. She could already hear Lanie screaming and jumping for joy. She knew that Ryan and Esposito would never let her live it down, even Montgomery would tease her but it'd only be one night, with a free meal. And that's only if she lost, which she had no intention of doing.

Castle was utterly shocked that she hadn't turned him down right there on the spot. "It's not like we're getting married or anything, it's just dinner."

"We are most definitely not getting married. Men should never marry their muse, it ruins the illusion."

"Well in that case, how about it? You're not afraid of a little… action are you, detective?" He knew how to push her buttons.

With that she made up her mind. "Deal. But if I win," Castle now looked terrified. He hadn't thought of that. But there was no way little Detective Kate Beckett could beat him. Could she? "I'm picking the movie, and you have to tell me the new Nikki Heat title."

"Fine." He relaxed a bit.

"And you are never, ever to call me Katie ever again, or I will shoot you. No number of custom ordered bullet proof 'WRITER' vests will protect you from the pain I will inflict! "

"That seems kind of extreme!" He tensed again.

"And," her eyes narrowing, "You are not allowed to make any kind of jokes or innuendos while we're at a crime scene. Not relating to the murder, the victims, the suspects, absolutely nothing and no one!" She paused, "for the next five murders."

"Five! That's not fair! Three." He stood there with his arms folded. "Three. Take it or leave it."

She knew there was no use arguing. "Fine, three."

"Deal."

"Deal."

They both looked like they would turn on each other any second. Martha and Alexis looked from Castle to Kate then to each other. They were in shock that one, Castle tried to ask her out on a date, and two, Kate actually agreed – well, sort of. Both girls marvelled at the idea of how this night would turn out.

"Do you have Pretty Woman, Castle?" Kate asked curiously.

"Actually, I have many pretty women. Why, are you jealous?"

"I meant the movie, Castle." Shaking her head, "because, when I win that's the movie we're going to watch. It's a classic."

"That's not happening. We'll be watching what I picked out."

"I agree with you, Kate. I could watch Pretty Woman any day… that Richard Gere... yummm!" Martha licked her lips.

"Mother! Ew!" Castle plugged his ears.

This time it was Kate who spoke. "He is so handsome. He can climb up to my window any day." She rested her hand on her hip.

With that, Castle was listening intently. "Is that what you like detective?"

Before Kate could respond Alexis put in her two cents. "He is kind of cute you know dad."

"Alexis!? The man is like sixty! No matter how famous he is, that's illegal!" His face was flustered. "I know people now, I'll have him arrested!"

"Relax dad, I'm just saying." She smiled at the two women before her.

"You know Castle, if he was like forty-five years younger, he could date Alexis, you could even be his father in-law!" Kate teased.

"Not funny!"

Kate and Castle stared at each other until Martha broke the silence. "Alright, enough of this, I'm getting all hot and bothered." Kate and Alexis giggled while Castle pretended to vomit. "Let's play! Alexis I think the game is in the closet upstairs. I'll get the wine!"

Kate giggled again as Castle whispered in her ear "I told you so.. wine to her is as murder is to me."

They made their way towards the living room. "I call being the banker!" Castle hollered as he started setting up the board.

"No way, I don't trust you."

"I'll be the banker." Alexis said, trying to settle the argument about to ensue.

All three adults looked at each other and nodded in agreement. With that they started the game.

They'd been playing for almost an hour and Martha was no doubt in last. It was tough to tell if Kate or Castle was winning. Castle had more properties with a few houses on them, but there was a hefty pile of cash sitting before Kate. Alexis was closing up the gap. She owned Park Place, but Boardwalk was still unclaimed. Both Kate and Castle were determined to land on it and make some sort of deal with Alexis. However, it was too late for both of them.

".. seven, eight," Alexis had a smile that lit up her whole face, "nine! I want it, it's mine." She let out a squeal of excitement as all three adults watched as she landed on Boardwalk, put $400 of her money into the bank, and frantically searched through the pile of unowned properties. "There is no way I am giving either of you these, so don't even try it!" She said it to everyone, though she was glaring directly at her father.

"I'm going to get another drink." Martha stated as she tried to get to her feet. "Anyone want anything?"

"No mother, you're cut off!" He shot her a look. "It's your turn, Beckett."

She was about to roll the die when she glanced down at North Carolina Avenue and Pacific Avenue in front of her and then at Pennsylvania Avenue in front of Martha. She looked at Castle and smiled slyly, then focused her gaze on Martha. "Tell you what; I'll get you a glass of wine if you give me Pennsylvania."

Castle's smile was soon replaced with a look of disbelief. "Hey, that's mine - that's not fair!"

"Why Castle? Not afraid of a little action, are you? I can make trades before I roll – that's the rules, and since you're so intent on following rules…" She sipped her coffee, very pleased with her accomplishment.

"Mother, don't do it! She stole my thunder!"

"Thunder, Castle? Isn't that a little excessive? I think you mean line… You know, for a writer I figured you'd have better word choice. You're murdering the English language." She shot him a look.

"Hey! What... I… that's not…" He was speechless. First, she stole his wine gimmick and now she was spitting his jokes back in his face.

"Oh calm down Rick." Martha was starting to slur her words. "I'm on K-Kate's side. I'd rather watch Pretty People over some movie with guns and blood."

"It's Pretty Woman, mother… Pretty Woman." Castle now turned to his daughter for support. "Alexis?"

"Sorry dad, I'm with them."

"So, do we have a deal?" Kate looked at Martha sweetly.

"We do indeed." She said as she handed her glass to Kate. "This game reminds me of Mousetrap, I still don't understand either of them." Everyone exchanged comical looks as Kate went to refill the woman's glass.

Another two hours had passed and the game had changed drastically. Nothing had changed on Martha's behalf though; she was still in dead last. She had somehow managed to get hotels on the light blue properties and own two railroads, which shocked everyone including herself. Kate and Castle each had two sets of hotels on the board. The dark green and orange belonged to Kate, while Castle owned the yellow and pink. Alexis was dominating, owning the dark blue, red, purple, both utilities, and the remaining two railroads.

It was Castle's turn. He looked at his playing piece resting on Atlantic Avenue, picked up the die, and counted the spaces. At that moment, the only thing standing between him and going on a date with Kate Beckett was rolling a five, six or eight. If he landed on any of her green properties he'd be done for. If he rolled anything else he would be safe for another round – maybe three rounds if he could roll a four and go to jail.

He shook the die and released them on the board. He closed his eyes, he couldn't look. His dream come true could be ruined by rolling one of three numbers. The squeal from Kate that shot through the air hurt him, bad. He opened his eyes, revealing a pair of fours staring back at him.

"You owe me $1400." Kate pronounced each syllable ever so slowly.

The look on his face was of pure sadness. Not because he lost the game, that didn't matter to him. It was because that was his only chance to go out with Kate. He knew that under normal circumstances she'd never agree.

He hoped he'd still have a chance. He sold his hotels, mortgaged his properties, and counted every last dollar before him, but it only came to $1364. He was defeated.

""I think you've lost, writer boy." Kate now resembled the Cheshire cat she had seen only hours ago.

"Bam, said the lady!" Castle replied jokingly, trying to conceal how upset he really was.

After Castle was bankrupt, he sat observing the game unfolding before him. Martha was out next, landing on Illinois Avenue. She forfeited her remaining money, and the light blue properties to Alexis, as she couldn't cover the $1100 rent. After Martha was out, it was obvious that it would take hours for Kate to win, and that's only if she didn't land on any of Alexis' properties. Since that posibility was highly unlikely, both ladies declared it a tie.

By the time everything was cleaned up it was closing in on 10:30 PM, and Alexis was getting tired. "I think I'm going to go read for a bit and then go to sleep, so, if you'll excuse me, detective. See you next time you come over!"

"Night, Alexis."

"You're not going to stay up to watch the movie sweetie?" Castle was surprised.

"Nah, Owen and I are planning on getting up early tomorrow to go for a walk in the park, and I don't want to have bags under my eyes!"

He chucked. "You'd look beautiful anyway."

"Thanks." She hugged her dad, "Night guys."

As Alexis made her way upstairs, Martha headed towards the living room. "So are we going to watch this movie or what?" She had already grabbed a blanket and sprawled out on the bigger couch. This meant the only vacant spot was the love seat – coincidently the perfect size for two people. Kate made her way over to the seat and realized her predicament.

Castle spread out the blanket that was already on the arm of the couch. "So," he sat down and patted the empty spot to his left, "care to join me?" He was thrilled.

Writers Note: I checked the Monopoly board with the placement of the spaces (and money owed for rent) for accuracy. However, I didn't check if depending on the properties each character owned they would have gone bankrupt or not. It was about three in the morning when I wrote it, so I'm sorry if it's not totally correct!