Fluffsters beware…more fluff and drabble. I know it is probably out of character for Kate to knit, but it's my story and I want her to knit. If that bothers you then don't read any further.
Sorry to say the characters are not mine.
A little over a half an hour after Kate sauntered into the shower she walked out to the kitchen; dressed in an old pair of jeans and a dark red sweater, her hair blown dry but not straightened so it hung past her shoulders in loose waves.
"Hey." She said as she walked toward Castle and looked in the pan. "Omelets?" Then she looked at her fridge with her eyebrows raised.
He smiled. "Uh, no I didn't use food from your fridge. I opened it earlier and a green cloud appeared."
She rolled her eyes at him and poured herself some coffee.
"I ran down to the market on the corner and picked up a few things."
"Ummmm, thanks, I haven't exactly spent much time here lately." She sat down at the table and he placed a plate with a ham and cheese omelet in front of her. He sat down across from her with his own fork and started eating from her plate. She smacked his hand with her fork. "Get your own, Castle."
"There are five eggs in that; you'll never eat it all." He reached for another forkful, just as his cell phone buzzed. He looked at the screen and said, "Ah, it seems Alexis needs rescuing from her mother, I suppose I should go." He looked over at Kate. "How about you, any big plans for the day?"
"I'll probably head over to the precinct for a little bit and finish up the paperwork on this last case."
"Seriously, Kate? You should take the day off, do something fun. I'm going to rescue Alexis for a bit and then I'll be back to haunt you."
"Castle, don't bother. I'm fine. Maybe I'll hear from Lanie."
He walked over to where she was sitting and placed his hand on her back and kissed her on the forehead and said, "Don't hold your breath waiting to hear from Lanie, I'll be back."
She watched him leave and shook her head and smiled, she wasn't going to psychoanalyze this. She got up and washed the breakfast dishes and then grabbed her jacket and took off to the precinct.
It was already late afternoon, and Kate was still at her desk. She hadn't planned on being there that long but she got caught up in the case. She had just finished clearing off the murder board when she heard the elevator doors open and Castle walked up and sat down in his chair.
"Castle, what are you doing here?"
"I could ask you the same question, I told you I'd be back."
"I just finished up some paperwork."
"I had a feeling you'd still be here. Heard anything from Lanie?"
"Of course not."
"I thought you might like to grab a bite to eat."
"Still trying to avoid your ex?"
"Am I that transparent?"
She looked up at him and smiled.
He raised his eyebrows and said, "Thanks for last night. It was fun."
She rolled her eyes and got up from her desk and asked, "So, Prince Charming, where are you taking me?"
"Ahhh, your wish is my command. Where would you like to go?"
"Oh, I don't know, it's nice out let's just take a walk and see what's out there."
He helped her into her jacket and then followed her to the elevator.
The air outside was crisp and the leaves on the trees were starting to change to bright oranges and reds. They walked in silence taking in the fall sights. They hadn't walked far when Kate pulled on his arm. "Look, a yarn store."
He looked at her with his eyebrows raised. "Um, that's nice."
"Come on let's go in." She grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the little boutique.
"Kate, why do you want to look at yarn?"
"I love yarn, I love to knit. I just hardly ever have time for it anymore."
"You knit?" He held the door open for her. She let go of his hand and walked into the shop.
"Yes, I knit."
"Did your mom teach you?"
She laughed and said, "No, actually my grandmother taught me, my Dad's mom. She lived in upstate New York and I would spend weeks at a time with her in the summer."
"Another layer of the Beckett onion peeled, who would have ever guessed?"
She shook her head at him and continued to touch the different yarns. She found a dark black heather with blue flecks in it; it was a merino and cashmere blend. "Do you like this?"
"You are seriously asking my opinion on yarn?"
She rolled her eyes at him and picked up another skein and then went to the cashier to pay for it.
"I'll get it."
"Castle, you are not paying for my yarn."
The woman at the counter looked at Kate and said, "That's a good man that will buy you yarn, you hang on to him sweetheart."
Kate smiled at the woman and didn't even acknowledge Castle's smirk. She pushed his hand away and handed the woman the cash for the yarn.
As they walked out of the shop, Castle said to her. "So what are you going to do with that ridiculously expensive yarn?"
"I'm not telling."
"Hmph, be that way." He took her hand again as they continued walking and finally decided on a small Irish pub and grabbed a table in the back. They ordered beers and burgers and chatted for over an hour.
As they walked out of the pub it had started to rain. Kate tucked her yarn purchase inside her coat and Castle tried flagging down a cab, without any luck. "Rainy Saturday night, I think we're going to have to walk in the rain."He took her hand and they dodged puddles and practically ran all the way to her apartment.
Once they were inside the door he turned her towards him and placed his hands on her waist and said, "I think we should not sleep together again tonight?"
"Castle, there's no reason for you to stay here again tonight."
"Except that my ex-wife is at my apartment."
"Can't she stay at a hotel?"
"She and Alexis are bonding."
Kate rolled her eyes at him.
"Besides it's pouring out and I'll never get a cab."
"Fine Castle, you can stay here, but this is the last night, OK?"
He pulled her into a hug and said, "Yes, Mam."
She rolled her eyes at him and pulled away from him. "Don't call me Mam."
She took off her wet coat and he took it from her and hung it up in the closet and then removed his and hung it up beside hers. He pulled off his wet socks and shoes and started to remove his jeans.
"Castle, what are you doing?"
"My pants are wet; I'll freeze in these, since you don't seem to have any heat in this place."
"I cannot believe I just said you could stay here." She went into her room and changed into a pair of plaid pajama pants and a t-shirt and handed him a pair of sweats. "You can change in the bathroom."
"Afraid you might like what you see, Detective?"
She shook her head at him and smiled and pointed to the bathroom. While he was changing she made a pot of tea and brought it into the living room and got out her yarn and needles. When he came back in he poured them each a cup and wasn't sure if he should sit on the couch with her or not. She looked up from her yarn and said, "Sit here Castle, I can use your help."
"You are NOT going to teach me how to knit."
She motioned for him to sit beside her. "Hold out your hands." She placed the skein of yarn on his outstretched hands and started to wind it into a ball.
He looked at her with his eyebrows raised. "How long is this going to take?"
"Are you bored already? Would you like me to turn on the TV for you?" She stopped winding long enough to turn on the TV. They sat and watched reruns of Happy Days while she wound her yarn and started knitting. She eventually put the knitting down and curled up with him on the couch. They woke up long enough to brush their teeth and head off to bed.
As she climbed into bed she said to him, "Make sure you stay on your side of the bed."
"Yes, Mam."
"Castle, I told you not to call me Mam."
"Then stop ordering me around."
"I don't order you around."
"Do so."
"Go to sleep."
"See, you're still telling me what to do."
"Castle, you're touching me."
"I am not."
"Yes. You. Are."
"Where?"
"Knees."
"Well, it's your fault; you're hogging all the covers."
"What? I am not. If you don't move and stop complaining you'll have to sleep on the couch..or better yet, you could go home."
"OK, I'll move." He moved back slightly. A few seconds later he let out a loud sigh.
"What?"
"I'm cold, can't we just snuggle for a few minutes so I can get warm?"
"Castle, we are NOT snuggling."
"Then I need some warm socks."
"You're kidding, right?"
"No. I won't be able to sleep if my feet are cold. Tell me what drawer they are in and I'll get them."
"You are NOT going to rummage through my drawers."
"I won't rummage."
"I'm sure you'll survive without socks."
"I'm sure I won't." He moved his feet over to her side of the bed and placed them on her legs.
"Castle!" She moved her legs back and pushed him over to his side of the bed. He promptly rolled over and pulled on the blankets so she was half covered now. She grabbed the blankets and pulled hard, but he was holding on tight and he rolled back over and landed on top of her. She let out an exasperated sigh.
He wiggled his eyebrows at her and smiled and said "I'm getting warm, now."
She rolled her eyes at him and tried hard not to smile, but it wasn't working and her lips turned up slightly.
"I win again."
"How's that?"
"I made you smile."
"Yeah, you did."
He pulled his arms out from under the covers and rested on his elbows, his hands playing with her hair he bent down and very lightly kissed her on the lips and said "G'Night." He rolled off of her and wrapped his arm around her waist and gently nudged her shoulder so she rolled over and he curled up behind her and drifted off to sleep.
Kate smiled to herself as she snuggled in for the night. There were no butterflies, just a content feeling of something she wasn't sure she could name, she did know one thing though; there was more than one winner at this game.
OK, I think I'm going to end this here before it gets any sappier, I also have no idea where I am going with it so I'll stop and there will be a sequel…soon I hope. Thanks again for reading and reviewing. I really do appreciate it.