Once again a whole lot of fluffy non-sense.
Characters are still not mine.
The room was darker than usual for this time of day; the wind whipping snow against the window, he could almost feel the chill in the air even though he was plenty warm with Kate snuggled up to his side. It was going to be another long, cold, messy winter day in the city. He reached over and turned off the alarm. The simple movement caused her to stir; he placed his hand over hers and gently squeezed it.
"It's still dark."
"It's snowing."
"No."
"Afraid so."
She let out a sigh. "I want to stay right here all day." She snuggled in tighter and he pulled her closer wrapping his arms around her and gently tugging on her disheveled curls.
"Hmmmm I'm good with that. I'll call Montgomery and tell him you're lovesick and have to stay home today."
She chuckled. "Lovesick huh? Sounds serious."
"Oh it is very serious."
"No cure?"
He rolled over so he was mostly on top of her and bent down and kissed her eyelids and then her nose. "Well, there is a cure, but it requires lots of bed rest."
Her hands reached up behind his neck and pulled him closer and kissed him softly on the lips. "Somehow I doubt there would be much rest involved."
He kissed her back. "You think?"
She smiled at him and rolled her eyes. "Umhmmm, I know this for a fact."
His lips were on her neck and trailing down to her chest. His hands unbuttoned his dress shirt that she had stolen months ago and hadn't given up.
She tried to wiggle out of his embrace. "You're going to make me late for work."
"You say that every morning." His mouth was back on hers.
"Well it's true." Her hands were gently caressing his back; then finding the waistband to his boxers, she let them slip inside.
"I would think you would have the routine down by now." He slid the shirt open and looked at her and smiled. She just rolled her eyes at him as he continued with his little rant. "A little nookie." He worked his tongue back to her lips. "A quick shower together." He waggled his eyebrows at her and then kissed her. "You do that thing you do with your hair while I make coffee and toast." He kissed her again, his tongue finding hers as he deepened the kiss. "With Nutella, of course, and then you go to the precinct and I get more coffee and something healthy for you to eat. It works every time. You haven't been late yet." His mouth found its way down to her breasts and she arched her back and moaned. He worked his way back up to her mouth and smiled as they got started on their morning routine.
A few hours later Castle came flying into the bullpen and placed a coffee and a bakery bag containing a whole grain carrot muffin on Kate's desk and said, "Um, I have to go to LA and get Alexis."
Kate was on her feet immediately. "Castle, what happened? Is she okay?"
"Oh, Meredith assumed she could take Alexis on a two week vacation to Mexico."
"Without discussing it with you?"
"She claims she did."
Kate looked at him with wide eyes. "And you were writing and didn't really hear what was being said?"
"Well, I doubt that's what happened. Alexis had no idea. Although Meredith claims it was supposed to be her Christmas present."
"And Alexis doesn't want to go?"
"No. She doesn't and Meredith is having a hissy fit to beat all hissy fits."
"And where is Martha? I thought she was out there with her?"
"She dropped Alexis off with Meredith then went to visit friends in San Francisco and is of course happy to go retrieve Alexis, but Alexis is just a little crazed right now and I think I need to go get her. I have a few things to look into regarding the Heat Wave movie too, so I'm not sure how long I'll be gone, especially with the weather being what it is."
"Of course."
"Look, I'm sorry about our plans for Friday night, I know you were looking forward to going out, I'm not sure I can get there and back by then."
"Castle, don't even think about it. I need to catch up with Lanie any way. We'll make plans when you get back." She reached behind her and pulled on her coat.
"What are you doing?"
"You don't think I'm going to let you go out to LA with the deep-fried twinkie and not say a proper good-bye to you do you?"
He smiled and helped her with her coat and followed her. Just before they got to the elevators she turned towards the stairs.
He stopped her before they descended the stairs. "Kate, you do know you don't have to worry about Meredith."
She smiled at him sincerely and cocked her head and placed a reassuring hand in his arm. "I do know that Castle."
"Good. Ummmm Kate, where are we going?"
"You'll see." She took his hand and squeezed it tight then let go and they went all the way down to the basement level and down a dimly lit hall. She took out her keys and opened a door and pulled him into a small room filled with old file boxes and shelves.
"What is this place?"
"Storage for really old stuff, no one ever comes down here." She closed the door behind them and locked it; turning on her flashlight she led him to a back corner.
"Are you sure no one comes down here?"
"Yes."
"How do you know for sure? Because I'm thinking if you know about it so does everyone else in this place."
"Castle, do you want a proper goodbye or not?"
"Well, I do, but I don't want you to shoot me when pictures pop up all over the precinct computers of us 'saying goodbye'."
"There are no cameras down here."
"I'm not convinced." He used the flashlight app on his phone and started looking around. "What if someone saw us come down here and they are waiting outside. What if this place is bugged and Esposito and Ryan are listening to our conversation right now?"
She took his hand in hers and then leaned in close and in her best Elmer Fudd voice she whispered into his ear. "Then we have to be vewy, vewy quiet."
He chuckled nervously. "What exactly did you have in mind for a goodbye?"
"Well, I thought we could rip each other's clothes off and make wild, mad passionate love on the dirty, cold concrete floor."
"Really?" He croaked out.
"No. Castle, why did you pick now of all times in your life to be practical?"
"Why couldn't you just say goodbye in the garage where my car is?"
"Because then our picture would be posted on all the computers in the precinct. There are cameras in the garage."
"Right."
She pushed him up against a shelf and ran her hands up the front of his shirt and opened a few of his buttons and placed soft kisses on his chest and up his neck, then let her hands weave their way into his hair, her tongue finding his earlobe and that spot on his neck that made him weak in the knees. His hands were under her coat and blouse and caressing the bare skin just above the waistband of her jeans. He bent down and kissed her softly at first and then desire took over and she quickly made him forget about all of his previous concerns.
XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX
Work had kept her busy and her mind off missing Castle for the most part. A few days after he left she was sitting in her apartment reading the newest Patterson novel wearing a pair of yoga pants and a t-shirt, waiting for Lanie to show up so they could do some catching up. She was more than just a little surprised to see Lanie at the door in a bright pink dress that showed off her ample cleavage. Not a color that Kate ever wore but on Lanie it was gorgeous.
"Lanie, you're a little overdressed for a night in."
"And you are a lot underdressed for a night out."
"I thought we were staying in?"
"We are going out?"
"But you said…"
"No, you said, 'Let's stay in', I said 'we'll see'."
"Oh."
"Well, girl don't just stand there get changed."
"Where are we going?"
"The Haunt."
"The Haunt?"
"Yes."
"Isn't that where Esposito and Ryan are playing pool?"
"I believe it is."
"Uh huh, and you want me to hang out with you while you stand around in that dress and watch Esposito play pool?"
"We're going to stop and pick up Jenny."
"OHH well, that makes it okay, so I can sit around and watch Ryan and Jenny make goo-goo eyes at each other and watch Esposito drool at you in that dress?"
Lanie rolled her eyes at her best friend. "Just change into something sexy, it'll be fun."
"No, I'm not thinking it will be fun. You do know Castle's in LA?"
"So you are telling me you can't go out with the gang and have fun because Loverboy is away?"
"I'm saying I don't want to be the spare tire, fifth wheel so to speak."
"You won't be. It'll be us girls having drinks and catching up and the guys will be playing pool, I thought it would be nice for Jenny and having Ryan around will make it easier for her, we need to get to know her better and make her feel welcome."
"Okay, I get that, but why do I have to wear something sexy?"
"It'll make you feel better."
Kate raised her eyebrows "Excuse me?"
"You are sitting here pining away for Loverboy and you know it."
"Um, no, I am not pining away; he's only been gone for four days."
"He's in LA with one of his ex-wives and you are worried that he is doing the 'deep-fried twinkie'."
"Lanie, I am not worried that he is 'doing the deep-fried twinkie'."
"You seriously expect me to believe that?"
"Yes, I do."
"You're not jealous?"
"No, I'm not jealous."
"Seriously?"
"Yes, seriously."
"So you are telling me that you don't care if he is doing the deep-fried twinkie?"
She took a deep breath and pinched the bridge of her nose."
"Lanie, what I am saying is that he is not 'doing' his ex-wife."
"You're sure about that?"
Kate smiled and raked her hand through her long curls. "Yes, Lanie, I am sure about that."
Lanie looked at her best friend and saw something she hadn't seen before. "Are you thinking what I'm thinking, girlfriend?"
Kate rolled her eyes. "I don't know Lanie, what are you thinking?"
"I'm thinking that maybe you're thinking you might be in a little over your head with this one."
Kate shook her head and sat down on her couch and gestured for Lanie to do the same. "No, I'm not thinking I'm over my head, maybe that's what you're thinking but I'm fine, I'm happy, we're fine, we're happy, we're in a good place, a very good place for us. For now."
Lanie stared at her. "Umhmm. You do know I want details."
Kate laughed and rested her head on the back of the couch. "You are soooo not getting details, because I know Esposito will find a way to get them out of you."
"Okay, tell me one thing. Is he as good as Rook?"
Kate tossed a throw pillow at Lanie and got up from the couch blushing. Smiling and shaking her head, she headed for her room to change and said, "Shut Up, Lanie."
"I'll take that as a yes."
They arrived at The Haunt a little while later with Jenny in tow and Kate dressed in jeans and a gauzy blouse with a dark red camisole underneath, her hair down and blown out with a few curls at the ends; wearing a little more eye make-up than usual and heels to match her red cami.
The girls got caught up on all the details for Ryan and Jenny's wedding plans and then they played pool with the guys, had a few drinks and ate some nachos; she was actually having a good time. They had just finished a game when her cell phone buzzed indicating she had a text.
"Hey guys, this is Castle; I'll sit this one out, okay?" She walked back to their table and pulled out her phone.
Hey
She typed in: Hey, yourself
Where are you?
The Haunt with Lanie, Espo, Ry and Jenny
Seriously?
Seriously
Sorry I'm not there with you :o(
It's OK. How's Alexis?
Much better.
Good. Give her a hug
How about a hug for me?
K Hug for you too :o) Where are you?
Heading home soon.
:o)))
Do me a favor?
Sure, what?
Ask Brian for the keys to my office and grab the file on my desk.
K
K, miss you.
Miss you too. See you soon?
Yes, soon.
K G'night
Night
She closed her phone and drained her drink and grabbed her coat and walked over to the pool table.
"Hey, Lanie, I'm going to grab a file in Castle's office then I'm going to head home. I'll see you guys later."
"How is Loverboy?"
"Good, he's trying to get home."
"Okay sweetie. I'll call you tomorrow."
She gave Lanie a hug and said goodbye to the rest of them and headed over to the bar.
"Hey Brian."
He smiled at her. "Hey Kate, what can I get you?"
"Castle asked me to get something for him out of his office, could I get the key?"
"Sure thing." He reached behind the bar and pulled out a key and handed it to her.
"Thanks, I'll drop it off on my way out."
"Okay."
She walked towards the door that went downstairs, reached down and opened it and then let it close and lock behind her and headed down to the office, once down there she noticed a dim light on. As she rounded the corner, she sensed a presence, her heart rate quickened and while she was looking around she heard someone clear their throat, she turned towards the sound and there was Castle, standing against the door jamb to his office, smiling in his signature dark blue shirt and jeans. He watched her toss her coat onto a chair and saunter over to him, her gauzy shirt and the gentle lighting allowing him to see the outline of her slim waist and rounded breasts under the shirt. His heart skipped a beat at how beautiful she was and more than that how much he had missed her in the few short days that he'd been away.
She smiled at him, wrapping her arms around his neck and nuzzling her face in his shoulder. He wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up off the ground and swung her around. He placed a kiss on her cheek and then found her mouth, kissing her senseless, his hands now on either side of her face. When they finally came apart for air, he looked down at her and placed a stray curl behind her ear and said. "Longest four days of my life."
She hadn't realized how much she had missed him, this part, the closeness, someone to wrap up in at the end of a really crappy day. He hadn't been there to defuse the drama and trauma of her work day something she had grown so used to. She pulled him back to her and held him tight for just a moment longer. "How's Alexis doing?"
"Sleeping like a baby."
"Good. She's okay then?"
"She'll be fine, she's a tough cookie." He kissed her on the forehead and let his mouth rest there a moment longer. "I missed you Kate."
She looked at him and smiled tracing her fingers along his jaw, "I missed you too, I think we have some making up to do for lost time."
"I think you're right."
"You think I'm right?"
He grinned, one of those smiles that lit up his face and made his eyes crinkle. "Excuse me, you are right." He took her hand and brought her into his office and closed the door, never bothering to turn on a light. There was a fire in the gas fireplace and quiet music playing. He handed her a glass of wine and slipped his hand under her shirt and pulling her close he kissed her, her breath caught as she caressed his chest with her free hand and then let it slide up to his neck and into his hair.
She pulled back and with her eyebrows raised she said, "No cameras or bugs in here?"
He chuckled. "Place has been debugged and definitely no cameras."
She kicked off her heels took another sip of her wine and placed the glass on the table and then reached up and put her arms around his neck and kissed him. "No vents that lead up to the bar?"
"No, not a one." He unbuttoned her shirt and slid it off her shoulders.
She started working on the buttons to his shirt. "No one can get in through the secret passages?" Her hands were on his chest and then maneuvering the shirt off, she tossed it onto the floor.
He kissed her neck and pulled her down on top of him onto the large leather couch. "No. Now stop talking and let me welcome you back properly."
She giggled and traced her tongue along his lips and whispered, "Yes sir."
A/N: so as I've said before, writing doesn't really come easy to me. The muse cooperates in random blurbs. That being said I do hope that at least some of you have been mildly entertained while we all wait with baited breath for the next episode of Castle, written by the real writers who write way better than me but don't always give us everything we want ;o) Hugs to you all and thanks again so very much for all your reviews and alerts, they are so much better than chocolate :o))