Hmm... so this is me trying to work through writers block just generally I'm not really sure how it turn out but the end of Cops and Robbers left so much room for potential that I thought I'd start there and see what my mind came up with.

Castle isn't mine.

Undefined

The wine had been really good, I reflected spinning the now empty glass by its stem between my fingers. But so had the incredible array of food and the company. The company had probably been the best part sitting across from Castle as he, Martha recounted the tales of inside the bank, and then they devolved in stories from Castle's youth. Alexis recounting a series of Halloween costumes that he wore to take her trick or treating as a kid.

Before I even noticed Martha was standing up announcing the dishes could wait for when she was dead. Alexis rolled her eyes at this and scooped up the dishes offering to do them before she went to finish her homework. Leaving Castle and I quietly looking across the table at each other. I could feel the smile on my face, and I couldn't make it go away.

"Can I interest you in another glass of wine, Detective Beckett?" he finally asked wiggling his eyebrows.

I laughed, "I'm ok Castle."

"Coffee? Desert? Cheesecake? We have homemade cookies."

Another giggle bubbled up, "I'm really ok Castle. Thank you for dinner though it was wonderful, but I think that I should head home."

He called my bluff, getting up and going over to the cookie jar scooping it up. "What are you going to do? Go home and read Nikki Heat? Why do that when you can hang out with me?" He said heading over to the couch. "Come on we'll celebrate being alive by eating cookies and watching a movie."

"I don't think I'll make it through a movie. I exhausted from all that saving business," I told him honestly flowing him over to the couch, "But I can always stay for a few cookies."

"Well we'll start a movie and when we don't finish it you'll have an excuse to come back and finish it some other time." He told me flopping down on the couch motioning for me to join him, "They're chocolate chip."

"Castle," I laughed settling next to him, "I'm already staying. So what are we watching?"

He clearly hadn't thought that far ahead cause his face went blank for a second before he grinned, "Why don't you pick I'm going to get us glasses of milk. You can't have cookies without milk." He leapt back up from the couch heading back to the kitchen leaving me to my own defenses with his vast movie collection.

Standing back up I opened the cabinets I knew to be hiding the massive collection, running my fingers across the spines of the TV on DVD, the classics, the murder mysteries, the romantic comedies, the sci fi flicks. Only he would have them organized by genre and then by title. "Did you find something?"

"I believe I did." I told him grabbing one from the self and moving over the blu-ray player sliding the disk in.

"Are you doing to tell me what it is?" He asked sitting back down as he used the remotes to fire up the sound system and the television screen.

"Nope." I told him flopping down on the couch reaching to grab a cookie and the glass of milk he'd brought me.

But sure enough when the menu finally came up he grinned, "Excellent choice Detective Beckett."

"Plus I've already seen it so when I fall asleep I won't be missing anything." I shrugged.

He looked at me curiously for just a second, "Well if you're planning on falling asleep on my couch we should probably get you a blanket."

"I'm not planning on staying here but I really don't know how long I'll be able to keep my eyes open."

"We don't' really have to watch a movie. If you'd rather you can go home."

I smiled at his endearing worry, "Start the movie. I'll be fine." I told him taking a bite of my cookie and pulling a blanket across my lap. He smiled now and hit the play button as he relaxed back into the couch one arm swinging to rest on the back of the couch behind me as he took a bite out of a cookie.

The opening scenes started to play and we both lost ourselves in the film at least I thought we did but the next thing I knew I was been gently shaken awake, "Kate." His warm hand wrapped around my shoulder gently shaking me, "Come on Kate. I think you should go home."

I yawned, and blinked sleepily. "Sorry."

"I called you a cab," stood up right extending his hands to pull me upright.

Gratefully I took his hands allowing him to pull me upright. Shocked at how close we were once I was upright. Recovering myself quickly I smiled and focused on his eyes, "Thank you Castle."

"It was the least I could do for the hostage negotiator." He smiled softly lifting a hand to… well I don't know because he seemed to think better of the movement and dropped it again. Leaving us just standing there, slightly too close, but in an undefined distance. To close to be platonic, to far to go further.

So impulsively, I changed the status quo stretching up on my toes I brushed a kiss on his cheek resting my right hand on his shoulder, just long enough to squeeze before turning to get my coat. "Thanks for dinner and the cookies Castle." I scooped up my coat turning around to see him looking a little shell-shocked. "See you tomorrow."

"See you tomorrow." He repeated shaking his head.

I turned for the door smiling to myself liking that I could keep him on his toes, even after all this time.

Your thoughts would be much appreciated.

Babyrose