Alright, since the feedback was great – I got the message loud and clear. Thanks for your opinions, and here's chapter four! :)

I know this is a day late, but this chapter is dedicated to Carolina17, for her birthday. So Happy (belated) Birthday, Ana. Chats just aren't the same without you and the rest of the CREW! I hope that you had a fabulous day!

Castle arrived at the bull pen with two coffees and a bear claw. He also stopped into Macy's to pick up something to decorate the precinct.

"What's in the box?" Ryan asked as Castle quickly ran into the bull pen.

"Is the suspect still in interrogation?" Castle asked completely ignoring Ryan.

"No, Beckett just finished up about five minutes ago. She said she couldn't wait for you. But we did find out that the victim's name was Noah. What took you so long anyway?"

Castle looked disappointed.

"Sorry, bro," Esposito said. "But if it makes you feel any better you didn't miss the take down. He wasn't our guy. Turns out he was hosting a charity auction at time of death."

"Would you think any less of me if I said that it did make me feel better that Beckett didn't nail the guy without me?"

"Nah, bro. We already think pretty little of you," Esposito teased.

"Well then, I guess I can cross you two off the guest list."

"Guest list?" Ryan questioned.

"Yes. I was going to invite you both to my Christmas Eve party, but since you think so little of me…"

"We were just joking! Tell me, will there be super models there?"

"Sorry, Esposito. Not this year."

"Castle hosting a party without booze and hot women? It's practically impossible," Ryan interrupted.

Both Ryan and Esposito glared at Castle.

"No seriously. There's not. Well the supermodel part anyway – there will definitely be plenty of alcohol. It's just going to be us. Montgomery, Lanie and Karpowski are also invited. Jenny can come as well, Ryan. You can take someone too, Esposito," he paused, "Oh wait, you're the only one of us that's not in a relationship," Castle teased.

"Yeah Espo, what's the deal?" Ryan questioned.

"You know Lanie will be there. You guys could go together," Castle casually suggested.

"What!" Esposito practically screamed.

"I see the way she looks at you," Castle said.

"You mean with a look of disgust?" Esposito said bluntly.

"No, I think there's something there," Ryan spoke this time.

"Guys, are you two bring serious right now? Esposito was stunned.

"Why don't you ask her out? Or at least ask her to accompany you to the party."

"Because she'd say no," Esposito looked disappointed.

"You never know if you don't try. I mean look at Beckett and I. At first she hated my guts, and now…" Castle didn't need to finish because Esposito already understood his point.

"I'm going to the break room. I need some coffee," Esposito stated. "When I return I hope that you'll both be out of your state of delusion, and will be joining me back here on planet Earth."

As soon as Esposito was out of ear range Ryan decided to do what the detectives of the twelfth precient do best, well second to catching murderers – get a pool going. "A fifty bucks that Espo and Lanie have their first kiss before New Years Eve."

"Fifty? A hundred they kiss at my Christmas Eve Party, and you've got yourself a deal."

"Deal."

"Deal."

"What are you two doing?" Esposito had returned from the break room.

"Oh nothing," Castle said suspiciously.

"Right," Esposito said knowing the boys were up to something. "Enough of this talk about my love life –"

"You mean lack of love life," Ryan pointed out.

"Thanks for that bro," Esposito narrowed his eyes at Ryan. "Anyway, what about you and Beckett, Castle?"

"What about me and Beckett?"

"Well, you've been together for like a year and a half now. Anything getting serious yet? You know she's been a bridesmaid six times… you thinking of breaking that streak anytime soon?"

"Beckett and I…" Castle started, "It's crossed my mind," he finished nonchalantly.

"What!" both boys screamed in unison.

"Well it has. Do you think she'd say yes?" Castle asked cautiously.

"You're still alive aren't you?" Ryan teased.

"Guys, seriously."

Castle's expression told them that he had seriously thought about it.

"I think she would," Ryan tried to reassure him.

"Yeah man, really. I think you should go for it."

"Third time's a charm, right?" Esposito teased him.

"And hey, what's the worse that could happen? She turns you down, shoots you, and gets Lanie to make it look like an accident?" Ryan tried to put a humours spin in it.

"Very funny," Castle said sarcastically. "I really don't think Kate would –"

"My ears are burning," Kate announced as she came into the bull pen.

"Hello, my lady," Castle greeted her with a coffee and bear claw. He momentarily forgot about the 'workplace rule' and went in for a kiss.

Caught off guard, Kate didn't have time to stop him. When Kate broke the kiss, he looked down to see her I'm-not-impressed face.

"Sorry," he muttered. "I forgot."

"You know guys," Esposito piped up, "You've been going out for like a year and a half now. I mean, you do live together, right?"

"Yeah," Kate said taken-a-back and a little confused at what Esposito was trying to accomplish.

"We are aware you..." Esposito trailed off looking for the right words.

"Make out like teenagers… among other things," Ryan happily supplied the phrase Esposito was lacking.

"Real subtle," Esposito said narrowing his eyes at Ryan. "But anyway guys," returning his gaze on Kate and Castle, "We're aware that you two are a couple. You've been officially together for a year and a half. Though, I think it's safe to say you've pretty much been together since the day you met."

"Where is this going?" Kate asked.

"The point is that you don't have to be ashamed, or hide your relationship. We are all well aware of what goes on behind closed doors."

"Thanks?" Kate said unsure of her own response.

"I'm just trying to say that it's okay if you sneak a kiss every now and again. But the second Castle is walking around here half naked, all bets are off," Esposito stated.

"Duly noted," Castle replied.

"Better be," Esposito said as both boys made their way to their desks.

Kate noticed that Castle was standing next to her, starring… again. "Is there a reason you're just starring at me? Isn't there something important that you should be doing?"

"Well, I may not look busy, but that doesn't mean I'm not looking to get busy," Castle raised his eyebrow.

"Oh, is that so?" a smile playing at the corner of her mouth.

"Why yes. Yes it is," Castle said with his trademark boyish charm.

Kate rolled her eyes.

"And since we have Ryan and Esposito's support, can we have a quickie in the interrogation room?"

"No."

"Storage closet?"

"No."

"Women's bathroom?"

"No!" Kate paused, "Wait, what? Why the female bathroom?" Kate was genuinely confused.

"Well," Castle replied teasing her, "you first read page 105 in the stall of the ladies washroom. So, I think it would be very fitting to recreate that scene in the very same stall. Look at it this way, it'd be like coming full circle, so to speak," Castle raised his eyebrow and Kate let the double meaning sink in.

"What's in the box?" Kate asked, pointing to the large box that stood next to her desk, deflecting Castle's advances.

"That, my dear lady, is a Christmas tree."

"I can see that, Captain Obvious," Kate teased. "But why is it here?"

"It's almost Christmas and there aren't even any decorations here!"

"This isn't Times Square, Castle."

"No, because if it were we would be borrowing a police horse right about now. Clothing would be optional, of course," he flashed her a classic Rick Castle grin.

Kate gave him a 'Beckett' look, indicating to continue explaining.

"Guess not then. It's so we can put our gifts under the tree for Secret Santa," Castle pointed out.

"Secret Santa?" both Ryan and Esposito asked lifting their heads from the paperwork in front of them.

"Yes!"

"This is a police precinct. We are not going to set up a Christmas tree in the middle of it," Kate said bluntly.

"Oh, come on! We could have a gingerbread house making contest for all convicted killers!" Castle said thinking that suggestion was a bit of a stretch but he was getting more excited by the second.

"There is no way we are doing any of that!" Kate said sternly.

"Spoil sport," he shot back.

"And we are also not setting up a Christmas tree, nor are we having a Secret Santa!" Kate stated.

"I think it would be kind of fun."

All four adults spun around to see that the voice came from Captain Montgomery coming from the elevator.

"Sir?" Kate questioned.

"You can't be serious." Esposito was stunned.

"You feeling alright?" Ryan remarked.

"Yes!" Castle screamed triumphantly.

"Yeah, why not?" Montgomery said.

"Be – because it's…" Kate stammered. A second ago she had numerous reasons why, however, now she had nothing.

"Great! Then it's settled," Montgomery said as he started to walk back towards his office.

"And by the way," he turned around again to address his detectives, "I take a large in men's shirts, and if either of you buys me underwear, you're fired," he said sternly with a hint of sarcasm, as he made his way to his office.

"Wow," Ryan stated which matched the looks of both Kate and Esposito. Castle was of course wearing an expression of the utmost excitement.

"This is going to be so awesome!" Castle squealed.

"I gotta confess," Esposito started, "there was no way that I thought he'd actually say yes."

"I know. Have we even ever had a –" Esposito was cut off by Castle's sudden muttering.

A light bulb went off in Castle's brain. "Confess. Yes," Castle murmured under his breath inaudible to the adults surrounding him. He quickly seized a piece of paper, scribbled down a couple sentences, grabbed his gloves, and headed towards the elevator.

"Castle!" Ryan shouted out, "Where are you going?"

"I gotta go talk to someone!" he hollered over his shoulder. "And don't you dare decorate that tree without me!"

Castle quickly got in the elevator and left all three detectives stunned, pondering if they should set up the tree without him.

A/N: Yes… you'll find out what Castle scribbled down on the paper in one of the last chapters. And also how it ties into what he mumbled. Also people wanted to read the whole poem, so it will be put up in a later chapter. Did anyone catch the quote from Stana's Facebook/Twitter that she posted a while back?