Woke up this morning to find a whole load of reviews from LittleLizzieZentara which made me very happy. Thanks! :D

The chapter after this one will be Kate remembering the kiss. Still not sure about how she should react or if she should tell Castle or not. We'll see...

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or any of the characters.

Chapter 12 - Temptation Lane

Yawn.

Kate woke up to find herself warmer than she'd felt in years. She was swimming in blankets and was wrapped in strong arms that were attached to her ruggedly handsome partner. She started to absentmindedly draw circles on his chest which was firmer than she'd expected it to be. She lifted her head, resting her chin on his chest and touched his chin with her fingers, much like she'd done in the freezer from what she remembered. She had the urge to just run her hands through his hair which was disheveled from sleep or lack there of.

"You know someone once told me that staring was creepy."

She jumped at the sound of his voice and looked to see a smile on his face, but his eyes still closed.

"I was merely observing, Castle. I'm a Detective, I'm meant to look at my surroundings thoroughly."

"You weren't looking at your surroundings, you were looking me with that cute little face you have when you're thinking. I could almost hear the cogs turning in your head."

"I least I have cogs to turn." She turned to see him sticking his tongue out at her, eyes now wide open, sparkling with michief.

"Make me breakfast, Mr Castle?"

"Am I your butler now? Do you want me to wear a tux?" He started to get up and walk towards the door.

"Nah, your maid suit will do. I know how much you want to wear it, but be careful, there's such thing as too much skin."

He stopped at the door and turned around, ready with the usual innuendo.

"My dearest Detective, you can have as much of my skin as you please." He quirked his eyebrow and left, presumably to make breakfast. She started to get up but gave small yelp of pain as she sat upright too quickly. Instead of Castle running into the room as expected, it was Alexis. Without speaking, she went to Kate's side and put the Detective's arm around her shoulders and helped her stand up, slowly guiding her towards the kitchen so she could sit down. The teenager's father was running around the kitchen haphazardly, trying to control different foods that were cooking, filling the room with amazing aromas.

"Kate! I would've come and got you out of bed. You didn't have to try and get up without help."

"Relax, I had Alexis's help." She smiled over at the teen appreciatively, who gave the same smile back.

"Seriously, Richard, give the girl some space. She doesn't need you mollycoddling her. She's a grown woman-"

"-Who was shot and is now in my care. What are you doing up so early in the morning, Mother?"

Martha was fully dressed in her usual glittering gear. "I have an audition, so I'm going to grab some breakfast and I'll be off."

Kate couldn't help but admire the diva's outfit. "You look amazing, Martha. They'll have no choice but to give you a part."

"I hope so. I need it so I can get away from my frantic son. He may be caring and sweet, but he can be incredibly annoying."

Alexis cut in. "I second that."

Kate couldn't resist teasing him. "Thirded."

"Is this how it's going to be from now on? My favorite ladies joining forces against me, a helpless writer." He feigned hurt and pouted whilst dishing up the breakfast.

"Favorite ladies, Castle?"

"Yeah, my favorite Mother, my favorite daughter and my favorite friend."

Yet another opening to tease him. "I'd be flattered, Castle, but you have no other friends to choose from." She grinned at him whilst picking up her cutlery, prepared to begin eating her breakfast.

"I'd jab you, but I don't want to break you. Besides, I'd have to catch you first." He waved the spatula at her whilst talking.

"Bring it on, Writerboy."

She was on a roll and he was easy.

"Believe me, one day, when you're better, I'll prove to you that I am definitely Writerman." He was bent over, leaning his arm on the table, his faces inches from hers, silently daring her to look away. She bit her lip knowing it drove him crazy and was pleased when she saw his jaw clench.

"One, ew. Two, the pancakes are burning." Alexis pointed to the kitchen.

He turned to find his masterpieces sizzling, but managed to save the majority of them. He presented them to the women sat at the table.

"Voila. Pancakes รก la Castle." He waited to see Kate's reaction.

"You do realise that I'm supposed to be eating healthily, right?" She gave him an incredulous look.

"That's why I put bits of fruit in them. You have blueberries, raisins and your favorite, cherries." He winked at her and took the seat next to her, digging in himself.

"I'll let you off for now." She chewed at the first pancake. "I'll let you off forever, these are really good."

"Slow down on the food. You'll get fat."

All three heads looked up at him at the same time. He should know that the first rule of speaking to a woman, is not to call her fat, or even insinuate it. He stopped eating mid-chew and swallowed.

"I, uh, don't mean that you're fat at all. I mean you're definitely not fat, you have a gorgeous figure, not that I've been looking or anything, but seriously, you have not one bit of fat on you. In fact you should eat more, here have some pancakes..." He said the sentence so quickly she had to replay it and slow it down in her head to decipher it.

"Are you calling me greedy, Castle?"

His put his head in his hands and started stuttering. He was cute when he was like this... There were those thoughts again.

She took a pancake off the pile, folded it up and shoved it in his mouth. "Castle, once you've got your foot out of your mouth long enough to talk sense again, you can tell me what we're going to do today."

He chewed on the pancake, all the while looking at her from the corner of his eye. He took a few seconds to regain his composure before attempting to speak.

"Today, we are going to have a lazy day. Once Alexis has gone to school and Mother has gone for her audition, we are going to spend the whole day on the couch with blankets, comfort food and several seasons of Temptation Lane on DVD. Sound good?"

She laughed at him at his mention of the soap opera. "You, Richard Castle, watch Temptation Lane?"

"No. But you do, so get on that sofa and snuggle with the blankets. I shall be over to keep you warm shortly."

She sighed, rolled her eyes and hobbled her way over to the sofa with his help. He disappeared into a closet behind her, and thing she knew, everything went black. "Castle!" He'd thrown the blankets over her head when she wasn't looking. He then said goodbye to Martha and Alexis kissed him on the check, before walking over to Kate, hugged her quickly and left the apartment with a "Bye, guys!"

Castle put the DVD in the player and waited for it to load up.

"So, how did you know that I watch Temptation Lane? It's not a piece of information that I'd give up easily."

He laughed quietly. "We had a case. One of the shows writers was killed. Axe in the back, turned out to be the assistant. You started to explain things about the show that you couldn't possibly know unless you were a regular and devoted viewer, Miss Beckett and I sussed it out. Especially when you talked about shippers. Oh, I came up with an awesome name for Esposito and Lanie. Espo... Lanie. Espolanie! Cool, right?"

"That isn't actually that bad. So, what season are we watching?"

"Season 1. From the beginning. I'm dreading Season 3 though. My mother's in it and she's a love interest of Lance Hastings. Never gonna forget him."

"Why not?"

"Put it this way. It's one thing coming home to find your teenage daughter making out with her boyfriend, but walking in on your mother and Lance Hastings making out, that is just..." He trailed off and shuddered theatrically.

"Poor you, but walking in your mom and dad, that's double ew. Thankfully, I never had to endure the pain, but a friend of did. We were in grade school, just old enough to know what sex was and what it entailed and she came in the next day, face pale and she just broke down on my shoulder."

"Good job I've got a lock on my door. It'd be just as scarring for me, nevermind Alexis or my mother. Anyway, shut up and watch the show." He pressed the Play button on the remote and started the show. By the end of the first 5 episodes, Castle had his arm around Kate's shoulders and she was leaning into them. After being shot, and recovering, he'd been there all the way and this way just her way with showing that she's comfortable with him and his care."

A few hours later, Alexis arrived home from school to find them asleep with the DVD still playing. They were lying horizontally on the couch, Kate on her side, between the couch and Castle. She took a picture on her phone before adjusting their blankets to keep them cosy and going upstairs to her room to study. At the sound of footsteps ascending the stairs, Kate awoke. She carefully got up without disturbing her sleep buddy and she slowly made her way to Castle's room to find the belongings that Lanie had brought over. She wanted to shower and she wasn't keen on asking Alexis to help her, or anyone for that matter.

She opened the bag and found a slip of paper on top of all the items. It was from Lanie and read: Found this under your pillow. Figured you might want it close. L x

She looked at the photo it was attached to. It was a cast photo from Temptation Lane and they'd all signed it. On the reverse was written: To KB, From RC

She smiled and turned the photo back over to admire it again. Of course she wanted it close to her. It reminded her of her mom and now it would once again remind her of Castle.

Beckett looked up from her desk to see Castle stood next to her with an envelope in her hand. "What?"

"I got you a present." He held out the envelope for her to take. It intrigued her, just like everything else that she did. What could he possibly have got for her?

She opened it to reveal a signed cast photo of 'Temptation Lane'. She'd told him she watched it, well he caught her out, but she hadn't been expecting anything like this from anyone, nevermind her partner.

"Signed cast photo from 'Temptation Lane'. He'd seen her smile before, but this one was so big it almost stretched from either ear. "How did you even get this?"

"I know people who know people," he shrugged. She looked up at him trying to put on a face that showed she was annoyed but she couldn't. She was so incredibly happy. He sensed an oncoming take from her past and he couldn't pass that down. He propped his chin up on the arm that was leaning on her desk.

She lowered the photo. "OK." She laughed at the memory she was about to reveal. "I was nine, and I had to get my tonsils taken out and I was miserable, so my mom took time of from work and stayed with me and... cuddled up infront of the TV, on the couch and we would watch episodes of 'Temptation Lane.' The smile erupted once again on her face. "So every time I see it now, I just... I makes me feel like home and... safe." She paused to look at him, waiting for a snarky comment. "So there you are. Judge away!"

He actually considered making a joke but he thought better and took a deep breath instead. "My DVR would make yours look like masterpiece theatre. But I am glad to know this about you." He was so sweet and the smile that turned the corners of his mouth made him almost irresistable. They were having another of their moments. They were happening more frequently. But every moment has to come to an end.

Her cell started to ring. Peering down to look at the screen, disappointment filled not just Castle, but Beckett as well. It was Josh ringing atthe worst possible moment. She reached to answer, but hesistated slightly before picking up the phone, her smile slightly smaller than before. Castle sensed the moment was over and got up to go.

"I'll leave you to it." He headed to the elevator before turning around at the sound of her voice.

"Hey, Castle. Thanks for the photo."

"I'll see you." He left with a smile lingering on his features.

She turned back to her cell before finally picking up.

"Hey."

When Castle woke, he was alone and couldn't see Kate. Being worried by her disappearance, he went searching. He went to his bedroom first incase she'd decided to sleep somewhere more comfortable. He was right. She lying on the bed fast asleep. He smiled and walked over to her and knelt by her face. He cautiously reached his hand out to stroke her hair softly. He noticed she was clutching something to her chest. He managed to pull it free from her grasp without waking her and looked at. It was the picture of Temptation Lane cast that he'd gotten for her after the soap case. He smiled softly and put the picture under arm. He smiled and kissed her forehead and worried when she started to stir. She just rolled over and carried on sleeping.

He left the room, shutting the door quietly behind him.