A/N1: Hello peoples and WELCOME to the seventeenth Chapter of Absolution titled 'The Path of Discovery' I haven't got a computer at home at the moment (Mine's in hospital for a tune up) so I've had to come to and internet cafe to work on this and not having the money to pay for such a service has restricted my ability to write. I hope you like this installment!

"Sorry, who's this?" Rick asked, his mind half concentrating on making the coffee.

"You don't need to know who I am," the voice replied. "But we've met, back in February in the car park after the little incident involving Mayor Weldon."

Rick's stomach fell though the floor sickeningly. "Are you kidding me?" he hissed. "I'm at the fucking precinct! I told you not to ring me here!"

"I am aware where you are Mr Castle and I also told you I would only ring if it were urgent," the voice informed him. "It is imperative we meet again. I have some information you might be interested in."

"Can't it wait?" Rick groaned. "Jesus Christ man. I'm trying to help bring down a serial killer, you know."

"I am well aware of that, Mr Castle but this is of vital importance," the voice said firmly. "We must meet today. It's time to move."

Something about the man's tone told Rick he wasn't messing around. "Alright, when and where?" Rick asked with a sigh.

"Midnight, same place as last time," the voice said. "Come alone. Do not come in your Ferrari or a taxi."

"B-but -"

"No buts Mr Castle, this is more important than you can guess," the voice said cutting Rick off mid-protest. "No Ferrari, no taxi. And come alone."

"Is this to do with Kate?" Rick asked hesitatingly.

"See you at midnight, Mr Castle."

And the line disconnected.

Rick knew it was serious. Whoever the voice was held the missing link to Kate's shooting and finding Johanna Beckett's murderer.

It was game time.

The rest of the shift was torture for Rick. Inwardly he wanted to tell someone about the phone call he had received but knew he could trust no one. He didn't know who he could trust with the little information he had. Kate noticed his agitation and rested her hands on his shoulders.

"What's up?" she asked softly, kissing the top of his head once Ryan and Esposito had left for the night.

"Ah nothing I just think this Knick Knack Killer case is starting to get to me," Rick replied with a sigh, closing his eyes as the female detective massaged his scalp with her fingertip. "Mmm that's nice."

"If I hadn't promised Lanie I would go out to dinner with her tonight. I'd take you back to my place and do it properly," Kate told him as she sat on his desk. "But it's our girl's night out, every third Friday. I can cancel if you fancy some company."

"No, you go and have a good night out with Lanie. I'll be alright," Rick replied with a smile. "I know the sisterhood code. You don't break dates with your girlfriend over guy. Our favourite M.E is a fearsome woman at the best of times. I don't want to overtly piss her off."

Kate laughed. "Maybe you, me and Alexis can get together sometime Saturday and do something?" she suggested. "Providing of course Lanie hasn't got me totally and utterly smashed like the first time we went clubbing at Frenchies."

"Oh I remember that night," Rick recalled with a chuckle. "You rang me at three in the morning after a series of sexually graphic text messages and told me you were dancing with a group of hot lesbians. Then you came back to the loft and passed out on the kitchen floor using your handbag as a pillow."

Kate turned red. "I don't remember that night," she confessed sheepishly. "I remember going out, then waking up on the loft kitchen floor because Alexis tripped over me not knowing I was there."

Rick chuckled. "You know the saying," he said in amusement. "If you remember it, you didn't party hard enough. If you're feeling up to it, come over Saturday night and we'll have home made pizza, it's been a while since we've made our own."

Kate grinned. "Sounds good," she said, getting to her feet. "Walk with me down to the parking garage?"

"Sure, just let me shut everything down and pack up."

Rick swiftly closed down his computer and packed away his completed work. He then pulled on his jacket and followed Kate down to the parking garage where her car was parked two spaces over from his Ferrari.

"You have a safe drive home, alright?" Rick said to the female detective after they pulled back from a heated kiss. "I worry about you."

Kate smiled. "You don't have to, I'm fine," she said, running her fingers through his hair and kissing him again. "As you say, I have badass ninja skills and a fully loaded Glock."

"You know what I mean, Kate," Rick countered, pulling the female detective close and inhaling her cherry scent deeply. "I just waited so long to find you and I've lost you once, I don't want to lose you again."

"I'm fine, Rick. Really, thank you for your concern, its sweet." Kate replied, returning his hug. "D'you want me to ring you when I get home tonight? Would it make you feel better?"

The Writer chuckled. "It would," he replied. "I now I'm sounding more like your Dad than your partner right now. I just love you so much, you know?"

"I do know, really, I do." Kate replied. "But I have to love you and leave you. I have to go home to get ready to go out. If I'm feeling well enough, I'll see you tomorrow night, if not eight thirty Monday morning in the bullpen, alright?"

Rick's hands drifted south and gave her backside a squeeze. "You got it, beautiful," he said, kissing her languidly. "Have a great night out, alright?"

"You got it, til tomorrow Writer Man."

"Til tomorrow, Tulip."

"So how's it going with you and everyone's favourite Quill Jockey?" Lanie asked a couple of hours later as the two friends at down for dinner at Deep Sea their favourite seafood restaurant. "Javi said you two arrived back at the precinct from your lunch break with sex hair."

Kate choked sightly on her white wine. "Javier Esposito couldn't shut his mouth to save his life!" she exclaimed.

"Oh honey, I wouldn't want him to!" Lanie countered with a grin. "He gives me all the juicy gossip on you two. So tell me your best friend why did you come back from lunch with sex hair?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Why do you think Lanie?' she told her dryly. "Because we went back to my place after leaving this morning's drop and got funky. We did it so hard and so many times I'm still sore."

Lanie clapped a hand over her mouth to prevent a hysterical squeal of laughter bursting forth.

"Really?' she hissed. "How hard?"

"Hard enough for him to pull his hamstring and me to have the worst carpet burn ever on my knees," Kate confessed. "I've had to bandage them both."

The M.E's facial expression was incredulous. "You're kidding me?" she exclaimed gleefully. "Have you guys gone a stretch without doing it or something?"

"Well it was that time of the month for me last week, but we've done it since then," Kate revealed, stabbing a chunk of snapper. "Just today was particularly vigorous."

"I think the rest of normal society call carpet burn and pulled muscles, rough sex sweetie," Lanie said in amusement. "I bet you've got hickeys and bite marks where no one else can see them."

"Oh god, do I," Kate muttered. "Legs, bum, thighs, neck, shoulders, stomach, you name it. Rick's bitten and hickied me so much over the last twenty four hours that I look like I have chicken pox. He's the same."

Lanie sniggered. "You're having fun though," she observed as she popped a piece of tuna in her mouth.

Kate grinned, her rouged cheeks darkening in colour.

"The time of my life," she confessed. "Holy hell Lanes, when Rick and I are together it's out of this world. I truly relax when I'm not at the precinct and I work better when I'm there because of him. I have never felt this way about a man in my life."

"Well you've never been with a man like that in your life, have you?" Lanie reasoned, stabbing a scallop with her fork. "You've found your soul mate and soul mates make the other feel relaxed, safe and secure. And of course have raging hot carpet burning hamstring pulling rough sex during their lunch breaks."

Kate rolled her eyes. "You're never going to let me hear the end of that, are you?" she asked dryly.

"Nuh uh honey, that revelation deserves special mention." Lanie replied with a grin.

"Alright then, as long as I can 'mention' that time you told me about that time Javi tied you to his bed and made you scream so loud the neighbours called the police," Kate replied with a grin.

"Touché detective touché," Lanie conceded. "So do you want to hit Frenchies again tonight? Or there's that really lah did dah joint on Madison, The Cobra Cave, that's supposed to be good."

"How about we try both?" Kate suggested as she swallowed the last mouthful of her pan fried snapper and herb garlic cream sauce. "Or we could take your theory of 'partying til al the clubs kick us out' literally and go to every club we can. I've had a tough week and I need to let my hair down."

Lanie grinned. "That's just what I want to hear girl!"

The lead up to midnight was torture for Rick. Alexis went to bed at ten pm after pulling twelve hours at the morgue with Lanie, which included three crime scenes and the Writer was left alone in the silent loft. As soon as his daughter went to bed, he ensconced himself in his office and began preparing to go out at midnight to meet the mysterious voice. He opened his safe and pulled out the padlocked case containing his Glock 23 pistol and exact copy of Kate's service weapon. He made sure every inch of the rarely fired weapon was working before he out a cartridge of bullets into it. He then pulled on his holster belt and holstered the gun making sure the firearm was easily accessible. He then dug out his bulletproof vest and put it on under his shirt (his spidey senses telling him it wouldn't be a totally stupid thing to do).

He redressed, then put on another jacket that better hid the bulkiness of his vest before returning to his office to go over the case notes he had gathered since Roy Montgomery's funeral all those months ago.

At eleven thirty Rick packed up all his notes and pocketed his phone, leaving the darkened loft swiftly and quietly. He made sure to go downstairs to the parking garage via the service stairs as to avoid catching the attention of Juan, the night doorman. He made his way out onto the curb where he waited til the taxi he ordered arrived.

"Where to pal?' the driver asked cheerfully.

"SoHo, corner of Prince and Sullivan," Rick said shortly.

"Gotcha."

A few minutes later the taxi arrived in SoHo and dropped Rick off in front of Bella Donna café, a popular 24 hour eatery. He paid his fare, then pulled his hood over his head before exiting the taxi and making his way down the bustling Prince street. Looking around to make sure he wasn't being followed, the Writer ducked down a couple of side streets til he came to the parking garage he had previously met the mysterious Mr Smith in before. He travelled down to the lowest level that was reserved for the occupants of a nearby luxury apartment building. There were only a dozen or so cars in the spacious floor and the only noise was of his own footsteps scuffing on the cement ground.

"Er Hello?' he asked cautiously.

Instantly the blinding lights of a large vehicle shone into Rick's eyes

"Mr Castle, you came,' the voice called from the direction of a dark SUV in the far corner.

"Of course I was going to come, you hold the key to finding out who the hell shot my girlfriend and murdered her mother," Rick said, wincing as he tried to look past the light of the car to find out the identity of the mysterious voice. "What the hell's going on? I think I deserve some explanation."

"You do and all will be revealed with the information I have for you," the voice replied. "Behind you is a red fire hydrant with a box behind it. Within this box is a folder containing all the information you will require to satisfy your curiosity. The information you need will not require any further contact between us...got it?"

"So if I go get it now, will you stop blinding me with your car lights?" Rick asked sarcastically.

The voice ignored this comment. "Just remember, Mr Castle. Trust the people you see every day," the voice told him. "The people that will be most effective in helping you reach your goal are the ones you see every day."

"Esposito and Ryan" Rick answered in surprise after a long moment of thinking. "Gates?"

"If they're the people you first thought of..." the voice said trailing off. "Now go and get that folder. I'm not going to turn the lights off til you move."

"Alright alright," Rick said. "Look, I'm probably never going to find out who the hell you are but just know I appreciate all your help. I know without you I'd probably never be in the position to find justice for Kate and Jim. I know you must be putting yourself in danger and I want to thank you for doing that to help me."

"Go and get the folder Mr Castle," he told him.

"Alright, alright."

Rick turned away from the blinding light and went in search of the red fire hydrant, finding it in a little alcove. He ripped open the box wedged behind it and pulled out an inch thick manila folder bound by a thick rubber band. He tucked it under his jacket then made his way up to street level where he hailed a taxi that had just dropped off a group of drunken girls on their way home from a night out.

"Where to Sir?" the driver asked in a sharp Bronx accent.

"TriBeCa fourteen-sixteen Bordeau Avenue,' Rick said, pulling his hood further down over his face.

"No problemo!"

Upon arriving back at his apartment building, Rick paid the fare and ducked down to the parking garage, making his way back up into the building via the service stairs. He arrived on the top floor heaving for breath but soundlessly let himself into the loft, locking the door behind him and heading straight to his office.

Rick immediately returned his Glock to the safe and his vest to the wardrobe in his bedroom then with a mixed feeling of dread and anticipation pooling in his belly, he dropped down in his office chair ready to open Pandora's Box.

The paperwork within the folder was the most complicated he'd read since his days with the FBI and Rick knew without a doubt he was going to need Ryan and Esposito's help. There were official NYPD reports from the night Johanna Beckett was murdered, Medical Examiners reports and what appeared to be a copy of the fire department's report from the warehouse fire. There were also crime scene photos, surveillance photos and personnel files of several ex NYPD officers all of which Rick knew from his own investigations, were dead. He couldn't make head nor tail of it and hurriedly packed away the paperwork when he heard Alexis make her way downstairs for breakfast. He packed up the folder contents and changed into a pair of boxers and T-shirt before pulling on his dressing gown and making his way out into the kitchen where Alexis was bustling about making a pot of coffee.

"Morning Dad, you look like hell," the redhead greeted him brightly, standing on her toes and kissing him on the cheek.

"Gee thanks pumpkin, your honestly knows no bounds," Rick said dryly. "No I couldn't sleep, I've got a lot on my mind with Frozen Heat coming out soon. Plus I've had a few ideas floating around and had to write them down."

"Another Nikki Heat book?" Alexis asked in interest.

"Nah Frozen Heat is going to be the last one in that series," Rick replied, going to the fridge and pulling out a carton of eggs and packet of bacon. "The ideas I've had are only a paragraph here or a paragraph there. I'm sort of considering going into true crime next. I just have to find the right case to write about."

"Well knowing you Dad, it'll be something involving lots of blood and guts and gore," Alexis said in amusement. "Ted Bundy? Jeffery Dahmer?"

"Nah tons of books have been written about those two, I'd only be adding to bargain bins at second hand book stores," Rick said with a sigh. "Maybe once we catch 3XK I'll write about him. I won't have to do much research."

"You could also write about the Knick Knack Killer once you get him too," Alexis added. "Basically as long as people keep murdering people, you'll stay in business?"

Rick laughed at his daughter's black humour. "Yup it seems to," He replied. "Kate and I are in the same business it seems."

"Speaking of Kate, is she going to come over today?" Alexis asked, pouring boiling water into the plunger jug.

"I don't know, she went out clubbing with Lanie last night and you know what those two are like after a night on the town," Rick said in amusement, his thoughts drifting back to the last time the two friends had gone out on the town. "I expect if she's going to come over, she'll ring. What do you have planned for today?"

"Paige, Kelsey and I are going to lunch then a cruise on the Hudson around Manhattan," Alexis replied, casually. "I'm leaving to pick them up a nine and we'll probably be gone all day. Kel's invited me back to her place for dinner afterwards. How about you?"

"Sleep and writing," Rick answered. "Liberal amounts of both. Might go for a run on the treadmill if I can gather up the energy but Jason worked me pretty hard at the gym yesterday and I'm pretty sore."

"Then you need to go for that run than," Alexis said with a grin. "That's what he says to me after our sessions. You'll get stiffer and even more sore if you lay about."

Rick rolled his eyes. "Here's you sounding like a parent," he said dryly. "Sometimes I forget who the parent is when you say things like that and I think you're older than I am."

Alexis laughed and patted her father's cheek, condescendingly.

"Sometimes I forget who's the parent is to, Dad." She confessed with a giggle. "Don't worry I like you just the way you are."

"Thanks a lot pumpkin."

Alexis left for the day with her girlfriends and Rick returned to bed. He fell into a deep sleep despite the sun streaming into the bedroom. He woke in the middle of the afternoon to the feeling of a soft pair of lips suckling upon his neck.

"Mmmm that's a nice way to wake up, Tulip." He murmured sleepily without opening his eyes.

Kate leaned down over the sleepy writer and kissed him languidly on the lips.

"How are you, Writer Man?" she asked in her trademark 'bedroom voice'

Rick opened his eyes and grinned. "Better now that you're here," he replied, reaching up and threading his fingers through her brunette tresses. "How's your head? Thumping?"

"Nah I stuck to Vodka mixers last night, they don't make my head sore," Kate replied getting up and beginning to peel off her clothes. "Lanie on the other hand was still out of it when I left her place. I think there's no tequila left in Manhattan because of her, she got into a drinking competition with a pair of Irish drag queens at Frenchies."

Rick let out an amused snort of laughter.

"Did she win?" he inquired, watching the female detective greedily his blue eyes raking over her slender frame lustily.

"Of course, this is Lanie Parish we're talking about. The only person I've ever seen drink Javier Esposito under the table," Kate replied in amusement, noticing him watching her wiggling her backside. "According to these guys, not even 'girls back home' drink like Lanie."

Rick sniggered heartily. "Shall we ring her and tease her?" he suggested with a grin, groaning inwardly as she bent over to gather up her clothes, revealing her already glistening core. "Jesus Kate, if you stay bent over like that I'm going to pass out because all my blood will be in my boxers."

"Good, that's exactly where I want your blood flow to head," Kate replied cheekily as she made a process of folding her clothes and placing them on top of the dresser "I didn't just come over to say hello, you know. I'd like to do a bit of 'socialising' if you get my drift."

Rick groaned as he snaked his hand under the covers and into his boxers where he grasped his length, his eyes firmly fixated on Kate's backside.

"Course I get your drift," he replied his voice low. "When you get your mind on this track I can't help but get your drift. Now are you going to cut the 'putting away your clothes neatly bullshit' or am I going to have to tend to business on my own?"

Kate turned around a slight smirk upon her lips. "No way, that's my job," she declared. "Hands off the goods."

And with that the female detective threw back the covers and climbed into bed with the Writer, seizing his lips with her own and pulling his hand out of his boxers.

"Mine,' she whispered, running her hands all over his broad chest and hooking one of her legs around his hips. "You'll get to use it in time, alright?"

Rick lowered his head and suckled upon the nape of her neck.

"Alright, he murmured," but no taking it slow this time, huh? I can't stand it when you tease, its pure torture."

Kate giggled. "You love it," she murmured, sliding her hands down his chest and grasping his masculinity, gently. "I'm not going to torture you but let's take it a little slower than yesterday huh? The carpet burns and bite marks still sting."

Rick chuckled. "I did my job properly then," he murmured, grasping his face in her hands and kissing her softly. "God, you're beautiful Kate. I'm so lucky you chose me."

"It was a pretty easy choice to make Rick," Kate breathed as the writer playfully tweaked one of her nipples. "You're pretty hard to say no to you know."

The Writer chuckled. "I've heard you say that before," he murmured as he lavished attention upon her breasts, tugging at her nipple rings. "Now shut up."

Rick trailed long languid kisses down Kate's abdomen, marking every inch of her porcelain skin with a miniature love bites. She squirmed and arched against him, moaning breathily.

Rick crawled between Kate's legs and grasped her thighs, pinning her hips to the bed and making her unable to move. Kate bucked against the pressure of his hold and let out a little squeak of desire. Rick spread her femininity wide and closed his mouth over her core and slowly and deliciously began to consume her, backing off every time Kate indicated she was close to peaking.

"Riiiiiiick, you're killiiiing mee!" Kate groaned as she ground her hips against the pressure.

"I know," the Writer responded cheekily. "And I love that you can't do a god dammed thing about it."

"P-please j-ust let me-c-come!" Kate groaned as he applied just enough pressure to leave her teetering on the edge.

"I love hearing you beg," Rick growled, teasing her sensitive spot just a little more. "It's such a turn on."

"Fuck you Rick!"

The Writer closed his mouth over Kate's centre once more and suckled upon the sensitive skin til she came apart above him arching her back and flopping back onto the cotton sheets with a primal scream.

"!" she screeched, her slim frame convulsing with each wave of ecstasy that washed over her. "NOOOOOOOO!"

Rick kept up the pressure on her clit til she was twitching on the bed in an enormous puddle of goo.

"Yessssssssssssssss," he murmured and she let out an occasional squeak. "Nice huh?"

Kate was so aroused and sated that she couldn't vocalise a distinguishable answer.

Rick crawled up the bed, his hardness pressing into Kate's thigh. The female detective rested her hands on his bulging biceps and gazed at the writer through heavily lidded eyes.

"You're going to kill me, Writer Man,' she murmured loosely, wrapping her legs around his hips. 'God, you're good at that."

Rick chuckled against the nape of Kate's neck. "I know," he murmured, cockily running the tip of his tongue along the bump of her clavicle. "It's a major turn on when you totally lose your shit because of something I've done. Wish I could get away with it at the precinct."

"I'd kick your ass if you tried that at work," Kate said in amusement. "Whenever we've done something funky at work, we've been the only ones there."

"I beg to differ," Rick declared, lowering his lips to her cleavage and gently sucking upon her bullet wound scar. "Did you forget about that time we got funky in the men's showers and Houston from Sex Crimes got in the cubicle next to us?"

"We were alone when we got in the shower, that doesn't count," Kate moaned as Rick pressed the tip of his hardness to her entrance. "Oh god Rick, don't TEASE!"

Kate let out a yelp of surprise as without warning the Writer thrust into her with one smooth movement.

"I wouldn't call that teasing, would you?" he growled, thrusting into her with barely contained restraint. "God Kate, you're tight. I'm not going to last long at all."

"Neither am I!" Kate squeaked, molding her body to his and mirroring his movements, meeting each one of his thrusts with one of her own. 'Ohuuuuughhh!"

Soon enough speaking became impossible and Rick and Kate gave into their most basic and primal needs. Rick laced his fingers through Kate's and pinned her arms above her head, thrusting into her with his whole body, pressing her into the bed sheets. Kate wrapped her legs around his waist and let out a guttural groan every time her hit her nub.

The pair tried for as long as they could to stave off the inevitable but soon it was of no use. Rick bit his lip and smashed his lips down on Kate's, plundering her mouth with his tongue. She let out a breathy moan of desire and allowed the Writer to slam his hips into her.

"Jesus Rick, I'm gonna come!" the female detective breathed as she felt the slow burn of climax ignite low in her pelvis. "I can't hold back."

"Then don't," Rick groaned. "Come with me darling girl, scream for me."

Kate pressed her lips against Rick's and pulled his hips closer with her legs. The Writer responded in kind as he felt himself near his peak. His thrusts became erratic and as Kate found her own moment he found his releasing into her depths with a roar like a bellowing stallion.

"KATE, KATE, KATE OHUGGGHHH!" he bellowed, his voice muffled by the nape of her neck. "Fucking hell!"

"Aw, I dunno. It seemed like heaven to me," Kate countered playfully, kissing him on the lips as he twitched inside her. "You stallion."

Rick laughed heartily. "Never had a woman say that to me before," he confessed in amusement resting all his weight on his forearms. "How's your carpet burn?"

Kate giggled and blushed. "I'll be fine as long as we leave off the doggy style for a while," she said coyly. "Me on top is a small possibility in a couple of days."

Rick's baby blue eyes sparkled mischievously. "I'm sure we can work out away to do it that will take the pressure off your knees," he informed her as he slipped from her depths and lay down beside her. "I like to experiment in the bedroom, you know that."

Kate whimpered as she felt the Writer's masculinity leave her, instantly wishing for the feeling if fullness to return.

"I do know that," she replied, turning on her side to rest her head in the crook of his shoulder and playfully run her fingers through his sparse chest hair. "It's because of that reason I have carpet burn on my knees. Lanie's jaw hit the ground when I changed my bandages last night. She said not even Javi's given it to her that hard."

Rick laughed heartily. "Go me," he crowed. "I am a stallion, aren't I?" – You're cocky.

"No, you're a peacock," Kate said dryly as she slapped his chest. "Or a rooster prancing about the yard like you're King Shit."

"Aw, but Tulip, don't you think I'm King Shit?" the Writer murmured, his hot breath tickling her ear. "A moment ago you couldn't help but scream my name. If I wasn't King Shit, you wouldn't have done that."

Kate giggled, Rick's low tone sending a new jolt of arousal to her core.

"True," she admitted as he suckled upon her neck. "Is Alexis going to be home today or am I going to have to put on some clothes for the sake of decency?"

Rick drew one of Kate's nipples into his mouth and teased it into a hard peak.

"You're going to have to put something on for the sake of decency," he murmured, looking deep into her green/brown eyes. "But it's only three o'clock. She's not going to be back til six. We can wander about in the raw til then."

"I think I'd be more comfortable in bed with you, Writer Man," Kate replied sleepily. "Here or in the bath. For me there's nothing more relaxing than soaking in a tub with you."

Rick's heart swelled with affection for the woman beside him.

"I love you, you know that, don't you?" he said, softly brushing a sweaty bang of hair from her face and brushing the pad of his thumb across her swollen lips. "My life is so much more meaningful with you in it."

Kate's eyes welled with tears. "No man has ever said that to me, you know," she whispered. "And my life is more meaningful with you in it. I feel like I'm a better cop and definitely a better person because of you."

Rick spooned her body with his. "We're a pair of love sick tragic, aren't we?" he said in amusement.

"Hmm, but not as bad as Esplanie or Kevin and Jenny," Kate replied. "Well in my opinion anyway, they might debate the cheese factor."

"Probably."

After a long silence Rick spoke.

"Come and live with me," he murmured, sweeping aside Kate's hair and kissing the sensitive spot behind her ear. "I don't like it when you go home. Please? Are you ready?"

Kate rolled over and snuggled into the Writer's broad chest. "I am," she murmured with a sleepy sigh.

Rick's insides leapt with joy. "Really?" he exclaimed happily.

Kate looked up at his through long lashes. "Really," she said softly a slight smile upon her lips. "You look like a little kid in a candy store."

"That's because I am a little kid in a candy store," the Writer declared, excitedly. "This is awesome, darling girl. Alexis is going to be so excited. She's wanted you here as much as I have."

Kate laughed as the Writer gave a little fist pump. "I'm finally ready Rick," she confessed. "I'm spending more and more time here of late and my apartment doesn't feel as much like my space as it used to. I'm happier here. That's why I came here straight from Lanie's. I want to go to bed here with you every night. I want to come home to an apartment that's full of the people I love, namely you and Alexis."

Rick grasped Kate's chin and kissed her enthusiastically.

"This is the most awesome of awesomesauce news!" he declared. "Can we tell everyone tonight? I could even tweet it-"

"No, no tweeting," Kate said in amusement as the Writer began getting carried away. "Let's just leave it to Alexis tonight then tell the people we trust namely Javi, Lanie and Kevin at work tomorrow. If you tweet it, we'll have the paparazzi on our ass and I would rather not have to deal with them unless it is absolutely necessary."

"I was actually joking about that," Rick replied with a chuckle. "Looks like we're going to have to properly clear out the downstairs spare room so you can have your own girl cave."

"Girl cave?" Kate responded with a giggle.

"Yeah, a girl cave," Rick repeated. "I have a man cave in the downstairs room where the pool table and bar is and where Patterson, Connelly, Lehane and I have games of poker. That's my dude zone. If you're going to live here you ought to have a dudette zone."

Kate openly laughed. "A dudette zone," she repeated with a snort. "I like it."

"Well that room is huge," Rick went on. "You can fit your bed in there as well as your desk and computer and most of the little knick knacks you own. You could probably have your own poker table too. Anything else you want to keep but won't fit here can be added to my storage shed in Battery Park, we could-"

Kate silenced her man by pressing her lips to his. "Shush," she said with a coy smile. "How about I start by packing up all my clothes and small essentials and bringing them all here? We can go to my place after the end of shift tomorrow and start it them if you like."

Rick grinned. Sounds awesome," he said enthusiastically. "Now we've just got to put up with the teasing from Esplanie and Kevin now."

"Oh that'll be easy," Kate said dismissively. "I have techniques that'll shut those three up quick smart. Besides I'm kind of looking forward to that sort of teasing. Those three are my best friends."

"When you're fully moved in I want to throw a welcoming dinner," Rick said suddenly. "Kevin, Jenny, Esplanie, Mother and Alexis. Sort of like a housewarming."

"Oh Rick you don't have to-" Kate began before he cut her off with a kiss.

"I know I don't have to, but I want to," he murmured. "I want to welcome you to my home, your home officially. Besides I like giving dinner parties. I like celebrating. Hell, I'm a party animal."

Kate laughed heartily. "Alright I'll let you throw me a dinner party," she relented, stretching luxuriously like a cat in the sun. "You're a hard man to say no to, you know."

Rick just grinned.

Kate and Rick eventually let the bedroom after an hour long soak in the tub and started making dinner. Alexis arrived back right on 6PM, an arm laden with bags and her iPhone pressed to her ear.

"I know! I had an awesome time-look I gotta go, I just got home, yep see you Tuesday Kel ... bye."

"Hey Pumpkin, good day?" Rick asked as Alexis dumped her bags by the door and strode over to embrace her father.

"The best!" the redhead declared. "Kel, Paige and I spent half the day at the pool then went shopping for college stationary. We took a raincheck on the Hudson cruise. I've got to get a few more things but pretty much all I have to get are my text books and I can't get them til I actually get to college. Hey Kate, good to see you again."

"Same," the female detective replied with a smile.

"Well I hope you've worked up an appetite, it's Castle Lasagne Night," Rick informed his daughter cheerfully. "Kate's making a badass salad and I'm making a badass lasagne. And I think tonight it's worth breaking out the badass apple pie and badass vanilla ice cream."

Alexis stopped in her tracks and raised an eyebrow as Kate let out a great snort of laughter.

"Alright what gives?" she asked suspiciously. "That's over use of the word badass, even for you."

Rick and Kate exchanged a meaningful glance.

"You tell her," the female detective urged.

"Tell me what?" Alexis demanded, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth.

"Kate has finally agreed to move in with us," Rick revealed with a grin.

Alexis lit up. "Really?" she exclaimed excitedly "are you serious? Kate?"

"Very-oof," the female detective replied as Alexis engulfed her in a hug. "As I told your Dad this afternoon, more and more lately this place has felt like home than my apartment. I'm going to make the move gradually though. Tomorrow after work your Dad is going to help me pack up my clothes and small essentials then whenever I have a day off and on the weekends I'm going to work on the bigger stuff."

Alexis gave Kate another squeeze. "This is awesome Kate, seriously!" she exclaimed. "Dad's wanted you to move in for ages. He told me so."

"Oh did he now?" Kate teased, elbowing the Writer in the side as he went bright red and made a pretence of inspecting the lasagne which was bubbling away in the oven.

"Oh yeah, he's always miserable when you go back to your own place after staying here a while," Alexis revealed. "He then pretends he isn't but I know he misses you when you're not here."

"Alright, enough from you cheeky," Rick told his daughter, his face still a respectable shade of red. "Put all your stuff away and wash up. Food's almost ready."

"Okay!"

"She's happy," Kate commented as the bubbly redhead disappeared upstairs.

"She's wanted you to move in as much as I have Tulip, of course she's happy," Rick replied, pressing a kiss to the brunette's temple. "I think she was worried about what I'd do once she headed off to college. She knew I'd be lonely without someone at the loft and now you're going to be here, I think that's put her mind at rest."

"She's a good kid, Rick. I can tell you're proud of her," Kate told the Writer.

"Oh, I'm very proud," Rick confessed. "Bringing Alexis into the world was and will be the best thing I have ever done. I look forward to doing it again all over some day."

Kate smiled and instantly pictured herself and the writer surrounded by a brood of their own children. "How about we tackle dinner first?" she suggested squeezing his hand.

"Brilliant idea."

A/N2: Well peoples what did you think? Reviews are love remember! **Grins**