Hi there my lovelies! Thanks for the ongoing support! It means a lot to me! So I hope you'll enjoy this chapter. I think it's sweet. Not much action though. If you know what I mean. ;-) But I promise. We are getting there. ;-)

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She knocked at his door at half past six that evening, feeling nervous. Things had changed and she wasn't quite sure what to expect. Had he told Alexis and Martha what had happened between them? How would they react? And his family comment from earlier was still running through her mind. What did it mean? There was no time to muse about it any longer as she was greeted by Alexis who swung open the door and beamed up at her.

"Detective Beckett, come on in," she welcomed her and reached for her hand to pull the not moving Detective into the apartment, where Martha was already awaiting her.

"Kate," Martha exclaimed and immediately embraced her, "This is becoming a nice little tradition, isn't it?"

Kate just nodded, not trusting her voice. It never stopped to amaze her how welcomed she felt whenever she stepped into the Castle home and considering the recent developments she felt hope that she could be part of this more often in the future.

"Thanks for the invitation," she finally managed and handed Alexis her coat before she followed Martha into the kitchen, where Castle was pottering about with a pan. For a moment she just watched him, standing at the kitchen counter, mesmerized by the man in front of her, until Alexis joined them and Castle finally turned around.

"Kate, hi," he beamed at her and was sure he saw her blushing. Since when was his savvy, kick-ass detective so easily awed?

"Hey," she sort of whispered back, a goofy smile on her face, which didn't went unnoticed by Martha and Alexis, who shot each other a questioning look.

No one moved or spoke for what seemed like an eternity and Martha could swear the air was so thick, she could have cut it with a knife. When she couldn't stand it any longer she took over the helm, "So my dear, can I offer you a glass of wine? My son seems to have forgotten his manners." She grabbed the bottle of red wine from the kitchen counter and shoved Beckett towards the table not waiting for an answer.

When finally everyone was seated and all plates were filled, Castle raised his glass, "I would like to make a toast: To family!" he said and let his eyes roam over the three most important women in his life.

"To family!" They all joined in and clinked glasses. When Martha looked over at Beckett she could see tears glistening in the younger woman's eyes, leaning forward and reaching around her side of the table, she reached for her hand and gave her gentle squeeze. Kate looked up in surprise catching Martha's comforting nod and managed a small smile, before she shifted her attention back to her plate.

"So what did you do in that cabin in the past two days?" Alexis suddenly asked, causing Kate's head to snap up, "Dad has been kind of secretive about it."

She looked at Castle, who looked similar shocked and tried to muster a tone that wouldn't give them away as Castle apparently hadn't said anything about the change in their relationship, "Not much really," she tried to play it down, "We played some chess to kill time."

"That's sounds awfully boring," Martha stated, filling up Beckett's and her glasses.

"Oh I wouldn't say that," Castle said without looking up, his tone ambiguous.

Martha looked at Kate who all of a sudden seemed to have taken a special interest in her potatoes. Alexis had noticed it too and raised her eyebrows when she looked at her grandmother, who shrugged in reply. Clueless of what was going on.

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An hour later they had finished dinner and were sitting on the couch in the living room area, while Martha and Alexis had retreated into the kitchen, preparing some popcorn. Martha stood at the counter watching the two of them. Finally she tugged at Alexis arm, causing her to look at her.

"So kiddo, what's your take? What's going on between Detective Beckett and your father?"

"I don't know, but they're sure acting strange," Alexis considered watching her father and his Muse talking on the couch. "Is it my imagination, or are have they moved closer towards each other since we left them?"

"Definitely not your imagination!" Martha hissed and grabbed the bowl of popcorn before she pulled her granddaughter along,

"So what are we watching?" Kate asked when everyone was seated and stacked up with popcorn.

"Oh it's a very special one. It's a Castle," Castle replied grabbing for the remote control and pushing the play button.

The pictures that flickered over the screen were old and faded and seemed to be from a different time.

"Dad this is our old family movie," Alexis exclaimed excited. "I thought the projector was broken!"

"Oh, it is! But I had it put on DVD." He smiled and then turned to Beckett, "When Alexis was young I had this cool, old Super 8 camera."

"And he used it at every occasion, I tell you!" Martha interrupted him. "All the other dad's had the latest video equipment, but my son had to use this old thing."

"Mother, it's cool! It's got style!" Castle tried to defend himself.

"It's dumb, in every sense of the word!" Martha retorted and Kate couldn't help but chuckle at their interaction.

"Guys, could we just watch it?" Alexis finally suggested.

"What? Are you afraid you could miss something?" Martha shot her a questioning look.

Alexis looked from her grandmother to her father and then smirked, "No, no. I'll just ask dad to turn up the volume!" She replied and then the three women burst into laughter, while Castle sat in the middle of them pouting.

"Yeah, very funny! You'll keep laughing. I will watch this now."

"Oh dad, come on!" Alexis patted his cheek.

"You three just wait! I'll get you back for this one!" he threatened.

"What Castle, more cruelties form the 80's?" Beckett asked and smirked at him. Behind his back Alexis raced her hand for Kate to high-five it.

"Oh Kate, finally a woman who knows how to handle him!" Martha laughed and caused another blush to creep up Beckett's cheeks.

Castle on the other side was oblivious to that, raising his hand to his heart, he said: "Mutiny! And this from my own flesh and blood!" He sounded overly dramatic, making a show of being deeply hurt. But on the inside he was overflowing with joy. This was exactly what he had wanted. All of them together, having fun. Like a real family. He had waited so long for this. He had waited so long for the right one. For her. And for her to be ready and now finally everything started to fall into place.

Beckett bumped her shoulder lightly against his, fearing that his Ego had taken serious harm, but when he turned around, he flashed her one of his brightest smiles and winked at her. She turned her attention back to the TV afraid that she would get lost in his eyes and his smile, when a little red headed girl waved into the camera.

"Alexis, you were so cute! I mean you still are, but … !" Kate exclaimed when she saw the red head running towards the person that was holding the camera, which could only be Castle.

"Come on, Beckett! What did you expect? Look at her father." Castle puffed his chest with pride and Beckett had to stop herself from kissing him. He could be so adorable, when he talked about his daughter.

They spent the rest of the evening watching Castle family memories, eating popcorn, teasing each other. Which meant mostly the three women against Castle but he didn't mind at all. He knew if he wanted to, he could take them all down simultaneously.

But as all good things the evening had to come to an end and Kate said her goodbyes. Thanking them all for the lovely evening she left the Castle home, leaving Castle sort of unsatisfied.

"I'm going upstairs," Martha announced after he had closed the door behind Beckett, "Good night, my dears!" She waved one last time at them before she disappeared up the stairs.

"Dad?" Alexis looked at her father, sounding awfully serious.

"Pumpkin?" he looked back, his tone matching hers.

"I think you should go after her," she stated.

"I'm not sure I know what you mean," he looked at her confused.

"Oh you do! Now go!" she smirked and opened the door for him, giving him a push.

One last look at his daughter and he was out of the door. At last second he shot his arm between the elevator doors and forced them to open again.

"Castle?" Beckett looked at him surprised. "Everything okay? Did I forget something?" she asked and looked down at herself, to see if she had left her scarf.

"You forgot this," he mumbled and before she could say another word, she found herself pressed against the wall. His lips on hers, hungrily she responded in less than a second, grabbing his shirt to pull him closer. His hands were pressed to her shoulders, trapping her between him and the wall, but she didn't mind. He couldn't be close enough. She moaned into his mouth and his kiss became even more passionate. The ride downstairs was short and so the doors of the elevator pinged way too soon, announcing their arrival at the Lobby. He pulled back, gazing into her eyes he said, "Goodnight kiss. You forgot your goodnight kiss."

"Thanks for bringing it to me," she smiled and caressed his cheek, before she stepped out of the elevator.

"Night, Kate!" He whispered to her, when she passed him.

She turned towards him, a twinkle in her eye, "Until tomorrow!"

He smiled, remembering the moment, very early in their partnership when they had used the same words, just the other way around.

"Is that a promise?" he asked.

"You still owe me a date," she remembered him. "And you're lucky. Saturday is my date night."

"I call you tomorrow," he announced and grabbed her, to pull her close one more time and place a soft kiss on her lips. "Until tomorrow!"