Castle was working on dinner, putting together his penne pasta and Italian sausage medley. Kate was busy putting together a salad while Alexis sat on a barstool excitedly talking about their TV appearance and new relationship.

"So how did you manage to get on a morning show so quickly?" Alexis asked.

"Well, I let Paula know what we wanted to do and that it was very important to us. She was able to get us on the show partly because she sold this as an exclusive about our new relationship, but we also got lucky that one of their segments was cancelled at the last minute. Someone on the West coast couldn't make the red eye or something. They always have filler pieces they can plug in, but a current, exclusive piece, even for a minor celebrity is always better."

"As for the Fallon show, I called Jimmy myself because we go way back. I was surprised he could get us on so quickly. I think he actually postponed someone else's appearance so that we could come on later this week."

"How do you know Jimmy Fallon?" Alexis asked wide-eyed.

Castle grinned. "Mother was putting on a charity event, gosh I guess it was back in the late 90s. Anyway, Jimmy had just started on SNL and she got him for her headline act. Of course, Mother advertised me as one of the performing celebrities before she even asked me about it. I met Jimmy at the rehearsal that afternoon and we really hit it off. In addition to our individual acts, we put together a joint act where we did impressions. It was a hit."

Kate rolled her eyes. "Don't tell me you did your Walken impression?"

"What's wrong with my Walken? That's one of my best impressions," Castle feigned being hurt. "Anyway, Jimmy and I were really good friends for a couple of years, but life took us in different directions and we dropped out of contact for several years. When he got his TV show, he asked me to come on the first month he was on the air. He was so nervous he asked a lot of his friends to do the show. The timing was great since I had a book to plug anyway. I knew if I asked he'd work us into his schedule somehow."

- Yesterday -

Once Castle had his idea to go public, he knew he had to tell Alexis about Kate and him right away. She had asked him to wake her from her nap by 2 so when he went upstairs to wake her, he told her that he and Kate were finally giving themselves a chance to have a real relationship. To his surprise, Alexis was thrilled. She was only concerned that maybe Kate wouldn't have the same commitment that her dad did and she didn't want to see him get hurt.

"Dad, I really wanted this for you. You have loved her for so long. If you had never moved forward and tried to make it work you would have regretted it forever. Even if somehow it doesn't work out at least you will know you gave it a chance."

"I was pretty upset when you got back with Gina. I didn't say anything because it was what you wanted, but I knew it wouldn't work. It made me mad that you were settling for her because I think you knew it wasn't right either. I think you and Kate make a wonderful couple. I respect her a lot. I just don't want to see you get hurt anymore."

"I know Pumpkin." Castle wrapped his arms around his daughter. "When I got back with Gina I was lonely." He released her from his embrace and sat on her bed, patting the spot beside him for Alexis to sit. "We had a long talk and I remembered the things that made me fall in love with her. It was just easy to start up with her again and it filled a void for awhile. Then of course we started fighting and I remembered why we got divorced."

"Kate…well, I really love Kate. I guess I've never truly been in love before because what I feel for her is so much more intense. It feels like my heart will explode because it's too small to hold all the love I have for that woman. Kate told me she wants to make me, make us a priority. She quit her job, Alexis."

Alexis was startled. "I can't believe that! Being a detective seemed to define who she is. What will she do now?"

Castle shrugged, "I don't know. It's something she will have to work out." He smiled, "So anyway you'll be seeing a lot more of Kate around here." Castle hesitated a little then added, "We're going to announce our relationship on TV tomorrow morning. We wanted to do it to really make it official and of course Gina thought it was great publicity."

Alexis looked at him quizzically. "And Kate is OK with going on TV and announcing to the world that she is in love?"

Ah, that little four letter word again. Castle was a little uncomfortable but he certainly didn't want to say that the only reason they were doing it was to try and stay safe. Of course it wasn't too likely that Kate was going to proclaim her love for him on national TV since she hadn't even said the words to him. "Like I said, Kate wants to make us a priority. An announcement just lets everyone know how serious we are."

Alexis seemed satisfied with that answer and soon left to spend the night at Whitney's.

The rest of the day had been busy. Kate and Rick had a quick shopping trip to get Kate her new outfit for the show. Rick of course, wanted to buy her more than just the one outfit but Kate wouldn't allow it.

They got Chinese takeout for dinner and had a very leisurely and enjoyable time just eating and talking. It was so comfortable and familiar but at the same time being together was somehow new and exciting. There was certainly a lot more touching and a lot more smiling. They would brush hands together, jostle shoulders, steal a quick kiss, and just enjoy any casual contact.

"So what does your fortune cookie say?" Kate asked playfully.

Castle broke his cookie open and read, "No distance is too far, if two hearts are tied together. I like that," he said softly looking into Kate's eyes.

She held his gaze. Finally her eyes broke away from his. "Let's see what mine says." She broke open the cookie and blushed when she saw it. "Marry a man with joy in his heart," Kate read. Her heart quickened at the message. Marry him? She hadn't really thought about that before but why wouldn't you want to marry a man who loved you more than life itself, and who could brighten your day while surrounded by death? 'A man with joy in his heart', that certainly described Castle.

Castle's eyes were twinkling ever so slightly. "I like that one, too, but I'm glad it wasn't mine." Kate let out a laugh.

Castle stepped forward and took her in his arms, his lips seeking out hers. Kate felt like she could melt in his arms. She didn't believe in ghosts, magic, or fortune cookies so why was she so affected by some random saying that was echoing in her head? He kissed her tenderly but his lips pressed firmer and his impatient tongue forced its way into her mouth only to be met by her tongue seeking out his. Her hands roamed through his hair and caressed his neck while his hands brushed along her neck and into her hair, stroked down her back and pulled her even closer.

They had to break the kiss to catch some air. Kate rested her forehead against his jaw. She was overwhelmed with emotion. She desired him. She was burning for him, but it was so much more than that. "I love you Castle," she finally admitted as much to herself as to him. Her voice was rough and breathless and needy.

Castle's mouth captured hers and he crushed her in his embrace totaling forgetting about her injuries. It seemed like he had waited forever to hear those words and he suddenly couldn't get enough of her. His hands were roaming everywhere and he finally gave them the task of underdoing her buttons, but his mouth wouldn't leave her lips so he was fumbling a lot. Well, at least the button was gone from her pants, he remembered with a small amount of relief.

Fifteen minutes later they were lying panting on the floor. Castle had the presence of mind not to take her on the tile floor so they made it as far as the first piece of carpet which was next to the couch. Castle propped his head on his hand so he could look at her. He was so happy he felt like it was oozing out of him. "Maybe I should put a bed in every room," he said with a grin.

Kate in turn rested her head on her hand so that she faced him. "I really don't think it would help. We couldn't even make it as far as the couch." She grinned back at him.

He reached his free hand behind her neck and tilted her toward him as he leaned in and kissed her forehead. "You've no idea how much I love you." His eyes were radiating his love.

Kate smiled in return wondering if she deserved this man that was so full of love for her. She took his hand and kissed his palm.

They still had to call their respective parents to let them know about their new relationship status and to warn them that they would be announcing it on TV the next morning. They were forced to break the spell and make their phone calls.

Both parents were extremely surprised about the TV appearance, but they were very happy that their 'kids' had finally gotten together.

Then Jimmy Fallon called back saying they would be able to come on the show on Friday. He'd have a producer call later to give him more details.

Kate sighed when all the plans were in place and the phone calls had been made. "Wouldn't it have been easier just to change our Facebook relationship status?"

Castle laughed, "That would require you to actually be on Facebook!"