A/N: So I lied. This is not going to be a three-shot because I still have another chapter to go. Thank you so much for all your support and comforting words. I'm glad you guys are enjoying this story.

A Helping Hand

Chapter 3

The shrill sound of her cell phone startled her awake. Kate groaned and rolled to her side sleepily, patting the space next to her pillow blindly in an attempt to find her phone and make it shut the hell up. In the midst of her exhaustion and emotional confusion last night, she had completely forgotten to turn it off as it was usually set to 6am every day. When her hand finally found the offending object, she closed her fingers around it and brought it up, closing her eyes momentarily at the harsh light.

"Turn it off. Too early." She heard a groggy voice mumble behind her and smiled involuntarily at his obvious grumpiness at being so rudely awoken.

Resetting it for 9am, she put it back where it was next to her pillow and returned to her previous position. With a content sigh, she snuggled back into the warmth that his body provided, allowing his scent and his steady heartbeat to slowly lull her back to sleep. Before she could fully embrace the world of dreams, however, something became very clear in her mind.

She was in bed with Castle.

Oh.

Granted, she had slept wrapped in his warmth willingly, but this was a new day. It was morning and she had voluntarily come back to his arms as if this was the most common occurrence in the world. Normal. Ordinary. Except it wasn't and now she found herself at a loss of what to do. In the darkness last night, it had been easy to give in to the sheer need for physical contact and comfort. But now, as she watched the room slowly fill with the rising sunlight, she felt… not uncomfortable or awkward, but – strange, maybe?

This, touching, cuddling in bed, this kind of intimacy was a first for them. In the four years she had known him, they had never really touched each other a lot. Sure, she knew he loved her and she also knew with absolute certainty that she loved him right back, but this was still not the norm for them. And, as strange as it felt (except it didn't, really), she found herself sinking into his arms nonetheless. It was too comfortable, too right for her to fight it.

"I can almost see smoke coming out of your ears." He whispered and she felt him press his lips to her forehead.

Right, she had now realized her face was burrowed into the crook of his neck, her hands holding onto his shirt. She hadn't even been aware that she had just simply gone back to what was probably the position she had been sleeping in. His fingers had slipped underneath her shirt and were lazily tracing the alphabet on the small of her back.

"What?" She croaked out, still not ready to face him. Instead, she breathed him in and debated whether or not she should place a kiss on his skin, deciding in the end this was still too up in the air.

"You're thinking too loudly." He elaborated and she chuckled sleepily. "Don't."

"I'm not." She protested weakly and he laughed quietly. She finally retreated from her safe place in the crook of his neck and looked up at him.

"Of course you are, Kate. It wouldn't be you otherwise." His hand left the confines of her shirt and came to rest on her hip. He looked positively adorable, she thought to herself, with his hair all over the place and that little boy look gracing his features. Involuntarily, she reached out and ran her fingers through his messy hair gently, that warm, pleasant feeling growing inside her when he closed his eyes. "I like this new side of you." He commented contently and she stilled her hand as it was brushing over his stubbly chin.

"New side?" She asked self-consciously and returned her hand to his chest, resting it over his heart. His grip on her hip tightened slightly and he pulled her a little bit closer to him, apparently getting the meaning behind her actions perfectly.

She should have been surprised, but she wasn't, really. This was Castle. The only person in the world who knew her better than she knew herself.

"New with me." He leaned in and kissed her cheek, lingering for a moment, enough to make her breath catch in her throat. "I'm not entirely sure what's changed, but I like it." He said, his hand now travelling up her back and down again in a feather light touch. His tone was light, but she saw the sincerity and wonder and happiness shining in his eyes.

"I don't know." She breathed and closed her eyes, seeking refuge in the warmth of his neck again. "I just…" she hesitated, pulled back to look at him as he watched her patiently. "I guess… I don't want to waste any more time." She finished and swallowed hard, closing her eyes again.

"Kate…" he started, but she shushed him, touching a finger to his lips.

"We don't have to talk about this now. Not in these circumstances." She said gently and watched as grief clouded his eyes. "We'll figure this out later." She murmured, kissing his chin comfortingly. His hold on her tightened.

"Promise?" He asked, a childlike tone to his voice and Kate smiled softly at him.

"Cross my heart." She promised and snuggled closer to him, letting out a sigh when he kissed her temple.

"Something to look forward to." He said after a moment and she nodded, letting out a yawn. "Sleep?" He questioned with a trace of amusement in his voice. She nodded, kissing his neck lightly, innocently.

"I set the alarm again to 9 o'clock." She mumbled against his skin and felt him react to her touch as a shiver ran through him.

"Okay." He said quietly and she heard him sigh. She knew he was probably dreading going to the funeral, as much as he tried to look strong on the outside. "And Kate?" He called after a minute and she looked up at him as he touched her cheek. "Just for the record, I don't want to waste any more time either."

They left the hotel a little past ten in the morning. Breakfast had been quiet as she watched him get more and more withdrawn with the proximity of the funeral. There was a new sort of vibe between them since their early morning talk and they seemed more at ease around each other, more comfortable with physical contact than they had ever been before. The short drive to the cemetery was made in silence, but Kate kept her hand on his thigh as a source of comfort and strength for him. He offered a quick, sad smile, but she could feel that the closer they got to the cemetery, the harder it was for him to keep his emotion in check. When they got out of the car, she met him on the driver's side as he looked at what was going to be his cousin's final resting place.

"You ready?" she held his hand and he immediately entwined their fingers. The look in his eyes when he looked at her broke her heart. He nodded. "Okay. Let's go." She squeezed his hand and they started toward the small crowd that was already gathering for the ceremony.

"Richard!" They heard someone call and turned toward the sound. A woman that looked remarkably like Martha waved them over. Rick tugged on her hand and changed their path towards the older woman.

"Hi, Aunt Margaret." He greeted her with a sad smile, reaching out to pull her into a hug. His right hand remained firmly holding Kate's, as if he was afraid to let her go. "I'm so sorry." He whispered and Kate watched the sad scene as Aunt Margaret nodded into his chest. "I can't believe this happened."

"I know, honey. It was just so sudden." Her voice shook and she wiped a stray tear with a light blue handkerchief. "It's good to see you. He had been talking about going to New York lately, catch up with you, you know." His grip on Kate's hand tightened and she tried to soothe him by caressing the back of his hand, willing to pass her strength over to him in any capacity.

"He called me last summer, but…" He sighed and Kate knew all too well why he probably hadn't seen his cousin. Guilt gnawed at her heart. He looked at her for a moment, as if sensing her distress. She shook her head and gave him a small smile, squeezing his hand. "Aunt Margaret, this is Detective Kate Beckett." He introduced and Kate saw as a flash of recognition passed through the woman's eyes. "Kate, this is my Aunt, Margaret Thompson. She's my mom's sister and Sam's mom." Kate shook her hand.

"I'm so sorry about your son, Mrs. Thompson." She said and Margaret nodded, holding Kate's hand with both of hers.

"Thank you, dear. I'm glad you came with Richard. I've always wanted to meet you." She offered Kate a small smile. "Martha talks a lot about you."

"Really?" They both asked, surprised, and Margaret chuckled quietly. "I mean, what has Mother been telling you?" Rick wondered in confusion and she waved a hand in dismissal.

"All wonderful things, Richard. All wonderful things." She said and turned to Kate. "It's great to finally meet you, Detective."

"You too." Kate smiled and turned to Rick after the woman excused herself and wondered off. "What was that about?" She asked, amused, and he shrugged.

"No idea. Guess you're quite famous in my family, thanks to my mother." He laughed quietly and tugged on her hand again as they made their way to where the rest of the family was.

"Should I be scared?" She asked lightly, glad to see him smiling again. He bumped her shoulder with his.

"Nah, you'll like them." He said with conviction and Kate smiled. "I just wish the circumstances were better." He finished quietly and Kate leaned against his side, pressing a light kiss to his jaw.

"Me too." She agreed and they were silent for a moment.

"You would've loved Sam, Kate. He was such a fun guy." He said reminiscently and Kate nodded as they took their seats.

The ceremony was beautiful and Kate found herself tearing up a little, even if she hadn't even met Sam. There were so many people, friends and family, who came to say their last goodbye to this person Rick had loved so dearly, that she had to wipe a few tears discreetly. She looked at him and found the tears falling freely down his cheeks, under his sunglasses. His jaw was set and he seemed to be gritting his teeth in order to stop crying. She leaned in, brushed a gentle kiss to his cheek and whispered in his ear that it was okay to cry. His only reaction was to look down, his shoulders shaking slightly, as she held on tightly to his hand.

After the coffin was finally laid on the ground and people started to disperse, they stood up. Before she could say anything, he pulled her into a bone crushing hug, burying his nose in her hair. They stayed like this for a couple of minutes as she rubbed soothing circles on his back. When he pulled away, he framed her face with his hands and kissed both her cheeks. She reached up and wiped away the path the tears had left on his face.

"Thank you." He said simply and she nodded, turning her head to press a kiss to his palm. "I don't know what I'd do without you." He rested his forehead on hers and Kate let out a sigh, closing her eyes, her arms slipping around his waist.

"Right back at you." She said and he smiled, his love for her obvious in his eyes. Kate fought the intense urge to say those three words to him, but she knew it wasn't the right time. They remained in that spot for another moment, their breaths mingling in the tiny space that separated their lips.

"We should go. Aunt Margaret is having a brunch of sorts back at the house. Do you mind?" He pulled away, but kept his arm around her waist. She shook her head. "Alright, we don't even have to stay long."

"We can stay for as long as you want, Rick. This is your family. Don't worry about me." She told him and he smiled, guiding her back to the car.

Margaret's house was right on the beach and the family filled the house. Rick introduced her to everyone and they all had the same reaction his Aunt had had at the cemetery, to the point that Kate was blushing slightly when they told her for the hundredth time how much they had wanted to meet Rick's muse. He seemed to have fun with it and she let him. If that's what it took to distract him from that black hole of pain and grief, then she was more than willing to do it.

Brunch passed with lots of stories about Sam going around the huge dining table, but Kate couldn't take her eyes off of his daughter. She seemed to be no older than twelve and Rick had introduced her to Kate earlier. Her name was Julia and she was Sam's oldest child. He had left three kids behind. Julia and a pair of three-year-old twin boys, who were playing quietly now that brunch was over. They had retreated to the living room and several groups were talking amongst themselves. She could hear Rick telling a story to one of his cousins, but her attention kept wandering back to the sad little girl that was leaning against the railing on the porch outside, looking at the ocean.

After a while, she excused herself, and made her way outside. She wasn't sure if it was her place or if she was doing the right thing, but she just couldn't ignore that grieving little girl all by herself out there. She needed to do something.

Stepping quietly out onto the porch, she approached her, leaning against the railing next to her. Julia looked up at her and she reminded Kate so much of a younger Alexis that Kate felt her chest hurt. The girl looked out at the ocean again and they stayed silent for a few minutes.

"You're the detective, right?" The girl finally broke the silence, her voice surprisingly firm. Kate looked down at her and nodded. "The one Uncle Rick writes about in his books?"

"Yeah, that's me." Kate said quietly and the girl nodded.

"Dad talked about it. That Uncle Rick was working with the police and stuff. He always talked about him and the good old days." She finished in a whisper and Kate watched as she wiped a tear away angrily.

"Rick talked a lot about your dad." She offered, unsure of what she should say. "About how he spent his summers here and that he thought your dad was the coolest guy ever when they were growing up." She said and Julia smiled, another tear escaping, which she quickly brushed away. "It's okay to cry, you know." She told her softly, but Julia shook her head, biting on her lip to keep the tears at bay.

"I can't. I have to be strong for Matty and Peter." She turned to check on her little brothers quickly and turned back to Kate. "I don't know what to tell them. I think Grams told them that dad went to be with mom and that he wouldn't be coming back, but I don't think they really got it." She whispered, her words coming out fast and Kate felt like someone had punched the air out of her lungs. She had no idea they had already lost their mother as well.

"They'll understand eventually. Maybe it's better this way." She managed to say, but her heart ached for this orphan little girl and her sense of protection of her younger brothers.

"Yeah. I don't want them to ever feel like this. Like," she swallowed hard and took a deep, shaky breath before continuing. "Like someone is ripping your heart out. It hurts too much and I don't want them to go through that." She whispered harshly as two fat tears escaped her blue eyes and her chin quivered. "I just can't believe he's gone, you know?" An unwanted sob escaped and Kate didn't think before she wrapped the girl in a hug.

"I know it hurts now, Julia. Feels like nothing makes sense anymore, right?" She ran a hand through the girl's reddish blonde hair gently and felt Julia nod against her side. "But you have to hold onto all the happy memories you have of him. And I know that wherever you go for the rest for your life, no matter how old you are, he will always be watching over you. Always. Whenever you're scared or sad, you just think of him and how much he loved you and all the good times you had together." She looked down at her and found the girl's bright blue eyes shining with tears. "I know it seems impossible now. But it will get easier, I promise. And when your little brothers get a little bit older you can tell them all about their amazing father and how much he loved you guys."

Julia nodded and was silent for a few minutes, trying to get her emotions in check. Kate looked behind them and found Rick watching them from the living room. She smiled at him and he nodded, offering her a small, grateful smile in return. Julia turned back to her and bit her lip, leaning against her shoulder. It was amazing, Kate thought, how kids took comfort in little things, even if it came from someone they had just met.

"Thanks, Detective Beckett." She whispered and Kate smiled down at her. "I'm sorry to dump this on you. I didn't mean to and…" She started to apologize, but Kate shook her head, effectively silencing her.

"You can call me Kate, sweetie. And you have nothing to apologize for, believe me." She reassured the girl and Julia nodded, looking out at the ocean again. The sun was shining brightly and the beach was filled with tourists. It was such a contradiction today.

They were quiet for a couple of minutes.

"What's it like in New York?" Julia asked curiously, breaking the silence, and Kate sighed in relief, before telling the girl all about the city she loved so much, glad that she could distract her for a little while.

"You were amazing today." He told her as they walked back to their car in the late afternoon. Kate turned to him and he was watching her with such love and affection that it took her breath away. "Really, Kate. I saw you with Julia and she was so much calmer after talking to you." He put an arm around her shoulders and felt Kate shrugging.

"I know what she's going through." She said simply and he nodded, kissing her temple as they reached the car. He leaned against it for a moment and pulled her into a hug. "You didn't tell me they had already lost their mom." She whispered and heard him sigh.

"Her name was Sarah. She died when the twins were born. Complications during the c-section. I'm not entirely sure what happened, but I think she had some kind of massive hemorrhage during surgery and didn't pull through." He explained and she pulled back to look at him. He brushed her hair behind her ear, but the wind insisted on making it fly about.

"That's so sad. Those poor little kids, losing both their parents at such a young age." She shook her head, her eyes suddenly burning with unshed tears. "I told Julia she could come visit sometime. She's never been to New York. Is that okay?" She asked unsure and he beamed at her, his eyes sparkling with his feelings for her.

"Of course it's okay, Kate. You have no idea what you did for that child today." He whispered and framed her face with his hands. "No idea. You are the most amazing person I know." He continued and finally closed the distance between them, pressing his lips to hers in a gentle kiss.

A/N: Thoughts?