"Lanie, I'm not feeling all that great." Lanie turned to Kate and saw how pale she looked.

"Girlfriend, you will be fine once you get out of this car. Hang on. We're almost there."

At Lanie's words, Kate felt her stomach twist even tighter. She pressed her face against the coolness of the back seat window.

As Lanie watched her friend try to quell her nerves, she heard the ping from her phone.

Castle: Yes? How far?

Lanie: yes and about 20.

She pictured Castle bouncing around his house like Tigger when he got her response. He now knew that Kate WAS in the car with all of them and he would see her in about 20 minutes. Did Lanie think he would last? Questionable...definitely questionable.

Jenny looks across Lanie to where Kate is leaning against the window. Poking Lanie with her elbow and leaning her head towards the ME, she asks, "She ok?"

Lanie looks from Jenny to Kate, "she'll be fine. It's just a major case of nerves."

"I am not nervous!"

"Then what would YOU call it?"

Kate lets out a huge sigh and goes back to leaning her head. Maybe she was nervous.

Espo pulls their SUV into the driveway of a VERY impressive mansion.

"Aye carumba, this place is HUGE!"

"You got that right, bro. This is amazing!", Ryan responds. It's difficult for the ladies to see the full view of Castle's place from the back seat but once they exit the vehicle, they are equally impressed. Castle comes bounding out the front door like a 9-year-old on a sugar rush.

"YOU'RE HERE! You're all here!", he shouts while looking from one to the other of his friends, coming to a halt when he sees Kate. He feels like his heart is going to burst from his chest. She looks beautiful but not like she really wants to be here. Plus, does she look a little sick? He reaches out to shake hands with the boys, gives Jenny a tentative hug, pulls Lanie into an embrace and whispers to her, "Is she ok?"

"A little apprehensive but she'll be ok soon enough."

The guys get the luggage out of the back of the SUV while Jenny and Lanie head toward the open front door. Kate leans against the car, her arms wrapped around herself, looking at the house in awe. She wonders what she is doing there. Why did she let Lanie force her into coming… or did she? Did she really want to see him? Be there with him? ANd what happened with Gina? So many questions were running through her head, making her feel uncomfortable.

"Hey", she hears him say to her as he walks up next to her.

"Hey", she responds but she is so afraid to look him in the eye, so she continues to look at the house.

"You ok?" He so wants to give her a hug but is afraid she might hit him if he does. He leans against the car as well, slightly touching his shoulder to hers. She doesn't flinch and he takes this as a good sign. "Kate?"

"So where's Gina?"

Ouch, right for the jugular. "She's back in the city."

"Oh. Did she have to go back for work?"

"I have no idea. I sent her home. She was not….right." He wanted to say that she was not her but he just didn't want to push things.

When he said this to her, she finally looked down from the house and right into those blue eyes of his. 'Damn those eyes of his. Why do they have to be so...' she thought to herself.

"Listen, I really just want us all to have some fun this weekend. I think we all deserve to have some fun. Kate, whatta say?" He holds out his hand to her, hoping that she will take it. If she doesn't, it's going to be a very uncomfortable weekend. If she does…. oh, the possibilities.

She looks from his eyes to his outstretched hand and back to his eyes. She feels her heart skip a beat but really wants to enjoy this time with him. She looks back down to his hand and places hers in his. Both of their faces explode into smiles brighter than the sun.

Weaving his fingers with hers, he leads her toward the front door. "Come on. Let me show you around."

Castle gave all of his friends a tour of the house, showing them which rooms would be theirs, all while never letting go of Kate's hand. This was not unnoticed by Lanie or Jenny. Jenny looked at their hands, looked at Lanie and Lanie just held her finger to her lips to ask Jenny not to say anything about it. Jenny got the message and let it drop… for now.

The tour continued to show them all the game room, media room, living room, library, dining room and kitchen. He then lead them all to the back of the house to show them the ocean view, the pool and the hot tub.

"OK…well that's the end of our tour. Please, all, make yourselves at home. Whatever you want. Fridge is full, as is the wine cooler. I have many varieties of beer, wine, champagne, liquors. No need to ask. Just feel at home. I would also like to take all of you out to dinner tonight. So how about we all meet up in the living room in, say, 30 minutes to head out?"

They all agree and head off in their own directions. Kate tries to let go of Castle's hand but he doesn't relent.

"I was hoping I could have a few minutes alone with you. Care for a walk on the beach?"

Kate thought about this. was she really ready to be alone with him for any amount of time? If this weekend was to be comfortable for them, she might as well start now. Afraid of her voice trembling, she saw the pure fear in his eyes of her rejection, so she shook her head yes. He felt total relief and pulled her hand closer.

"So what's on your mind, Castle?"

"Kate, I am really happy you came out here. REALLY happy." he stopped walking and turned her to face him.

"Me too." As she said this to him, she took a step closer. Was she really feeling this brave? 'What am I doing?', she thought.

He stepped closer as well. Releasing her hand, he moved his arms to wrap around her, pulling her completely into his arms. Her arms were still at her side, not sure what was happening. She felt his hands rubbing her shoulders and she relaxed into his touch and extended her arms around him, leaning her head on his shoulder.

"Kate", her name was a whisper from his lips. He pulled his head away from her to look her in the eyes. His Kate was in HIS arms. They stood looking at each other for what felt like a lifetime, expressing all the unsaid emotions they felt. There was so many things each wanted to say the other but the feeling of just being there on the beach, alone, together, was overwhelming.

"Castle, I have something to tell you." Oh no. "Do you remember that last morning at the precinct before Gina showed up?"

"Yea?"

"Well there were a couple of things I was going say." She tried to back away from him but he just held her tighter to him.

"Kate, you can tell me anything. Any time. Anything at all."

"Castle!"

"Right. Sorry. You were saying?"

"Ok, so…first. I broke up with Tom." He looked at her quizzically. "Demming."

"You did." She noticed the way he said that, like he already knew.

"Yea. The morning the boys threw that party for you." Now for the hard one. Could she tell him? "I was also going to tell you… that…" 'Oh God, this was going to be hard', she thought.

"Kate..."

"Hang on, Castle. I need to do this." She took a deep breath. "I was going to tell you that I had changed my mind about coming out here with you."

"What?"

"I said I had changed my…."

At just that moment, Castle's phone announced an incoming text. He could not take his eyes off of her. Not even for a text.

"You gonna get that?"

Reluctantly, he took one hand from around her and took his phone out of his pocket. "It looks like our friends are all ready for dinner." He turned the phone toward Kate so that she could read the message as well. "Kate, I really want to continue this conversation but they might come hunting us down. May we continue this later, please?"

She looked back into those eyes and saw the sincerity in them. Smiling, she agreed to finish their talk later. They turned to head back to the house, hand in hand again.