A/N: Happy Thanksgiving to all of you who celebrate! Here's a little bit of something. Depending on how much alcohol I need to consume to get through Thanksgiving Dinner with my family (that I am honestly so very grateful for) I will have another little update later on this evening, maybe or maybe in the morning ;o)

Kate was sprawled over the side of his body. Her head resting on his chest; hand on his shoulder. He could feel her eyelashes brush up against him and he had one hand playing with her curls and the other caressing her back. She was content to stay nestled up against him forever. They'd been in this bed all morning and for the better part of the afternoon. They had ventured into the bathroom for a shower and ended up back in bed, towels and robes strewn over the floor, joining the nightstand table drawer debris after searching relentlessly for condoms; finding some eventually after she upended her purse. She chuckled now at the mess.

"What?"

"We should probably clean this up before Alexis gets home."

He craned his head to see the clock and groaned.

"How much time to do we have?"

He hugged her tight. "About forty-five minutes."

"I don't want to move."

"I'm not sure I can."

Clearly his head injury was only minor. Their lovemaking had started out slow and sweet, they had explored each other's bodies gently with their hands and then more passionately with their mouths. She couldn't kiss him long enough or in enough places and they eventually lost themselves in each other. They had stayed wrapped in each other's arms, she still kissing him over and over again until they finally drifted off to sleep.

Hours lately they reluctantly climbed out of bed and quickly sorted through the mess on the floor, each claiming their own belongings. She headed into the bathroom locking the door before he could follow her in and took a quick shower.

A few minutes later Kate was sitting at the bar at the kitchen counter, hair up in a messy bun, wearing a t-shirt and yoga pants, Castle was in a t-shirt and jeans standing behind the counter when Alexis walked in. She looked up from her phone and greeted the two with a smile.

"Hey, Dad. How do you feel?"

"I'm good actually, Detective Beckett took very good care of me."

She smiled at Kate, then looked back at her phone, texting quickly and then looked up again. "So you got some rest Dad?"

"Ah, yeah, some."

Alexis' phone buzzed again and she smiled at the text. She looked over at Kate and said, "And you hung out and watched him all day?"

Kate took in a deep breath and pursed her lips, "Yep, pretty much."

"That's so sweet of you, Kate, um I'm going to go call Ash, OK?" She headed for the stairs, phone to her ear not waiting for a response.

Kate slowly let the air out of her lungs and looked at Castle with wide eyes.

He leaned forward and placed a quick kiss on her lips and said "I'm not sure she heard a word we were saying, we could probably have a go at it right here and she wouldn't notice."

"Um, maybe so but I'm not taking my chances. I should probably head home any way."

"What? You can't leave. Who will watch me sleep?"

"I think your noggin is just fine."

He walked over to where she was sitting and placed a kiss on her head. "I can't stand the thought of you all alone in that cold apartment; don't you want to stay here so I can keep you warm?"

"I don't have any clothes, Castle."

"You've been wearing mine anyway." He started kissing her neck, slowly working towards her mouth; it wasn't long before their hands were under each other's shirts. She backed away when she heard Alexis coming down the stairs.

"Hey, Kate are you going to be here for Thanksgiving dinner?"

"I'm actually working."

Castle looked at her questioningly. "I thought you were all off? I heard Esposito and Ryan making plans.

"They are all off, I'm working though. I always do."

"What time do you get done?"

"Around four."

"Then we'll eat at five. What about your dad?"

"Castle, don't do this. He won't come."

"Can I ask him?"

"He has a dog."

"Excuse me?"

"He has a dog, he won't leave him."

"Is it a really big dog?"

"No."

"Is it a mean dog that will take bites out of my nether region?"

She smiled. "No, it's a very nice Irish Jack"

"As in 'Jack Russell that bounces and runs all over the place and barks'?"

No, as in a very sweet dog."

"So, he can bring the dog."

"He won't come."

"Can I call him?"

"You think you can charm him into coming?"

"Yes."

She rolled her eyes at him.

He pulled his phone out of his pocket and started scrolling through his contacts when Kate got up off the stool and stopped him with her hand.

"You have my father's number in your phone?"

"Of course."

"How did you get it?"

He raised his eyebrows, "Seriously?"

"Yes, seriously."

"He called me."

"He called you?"

"Yes."

"When?"

"After your apartment blew up."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"Why? Maybe because he was concerned about you."

"But I called him."

"And said, 'Yes Dad, my apartment blew up but I'm fine, don't worry, I'll call you in a few days' and then you didn't call him so he hunted me down."

Alexis had been watching this whole scene with a smile on her face. She slowly walked out of the kitchen and went back upstairs to let them hash this out on their own. Castle had been backing away from Kate who was inching closer and closer to him, her face getting a little more determined with each step.

"And what did you tell him?"

"Um…..you know, not much, just reassured him that you really were okay."

Her stare was boring through him. He put the phone back in his pocket and moved toward her placing his hands on her waist

"Kate, he's your father. You don't think for one minute if something like that happened to Alexis I wouldn't be doing the same thing."

Of course he would. She swallowed and looked away. She let him pull her into a hug. It had been awhile since she had seen her father and now all of a sudden she wanted to see him.

"I'll call him."

He kissed her on the forehead and hugged her tighter. "Thank you, what does the dog eat?"

She shook her head and chuckled.

"Jack, eats anything and everything."

"He named his Jack Russell 'Jack'?"

"Yep, creative huh?"

Alexis was back in the kitchen, clearing her throat. Kate moved away from Castle and made her way back to the barstool.

"So, what's for dinner?"

Castle looked at Kate and then back at Alexis. "How about takeout? Chinese, Italian, what'll it be girls?"

Alexis smiled at her father. "How about French toast? And then a movie?"

Kate slid off the stool and said, "Well, I think I can handle that."

"No, you are going to call your father; I will make my very famous French toast."

Kate rolled her eyes and went into the other room to get her phone and call her dad.

She came back out just a few minutes later with a stunned look on her face.

"What did he say?"

"You know what he said."

He smiled at her and did a feed the birds with Alexis."

"How did you know he was going to say 'yes'?"

"Kate, really? He adores you, of course he wants to spend Thanksgiving dinner with you."

"Um…hmmm….I think he adores you, I think you two have been in cahoots together for some time now." She started walking towards him. He quickly placed two pieces of French toast on a plate for Alexis and ran out of the kitchen, with Kate close at his heels.

Alexis sighed as she heard the bedroom door slam and Kate burst into a fit of giggles.

Thanks so much for all of you who are reading and reviewing and just reading.