Kate sat at the island bar in Castle's kitchen, watching him move swiftly as he prepared their breakfast. She felt awkward as she swam in Castle's clothes but all she could smell was him and she was secretly reveling in it. They chatted lightly back and forth, mostly about Alexis and how they would break the news to her. They figured that plain all out honesty would be best in this case. Alexis was nearly an adult and in this situation, deserved to be treated as such. Castle tried to argue it would be better to hide it at first until Kate reminded him of how bright a daughter he had. She would figure it out in the first few minutes she was sure. No, point in denying it. They even decided to make it a bet. See how long before she figures it out, without them trying to hide it of course. Castle bet at least a day but Kate knew better. "Fifteen minutes tops." She told Castle in a plain tone, picking a grape from the fruit basket resting on the counter in front of her.
"I don't think were that obvious." Castle replied bringing over a couple plates of pancakes and placing one in front of her. She quirked a questioning eyebrow at his statement. They were obvious before they were together. Now it would be far worse. Point made, the chocolaty warm aroma of chocolate chip pancakes filled her lungs and she was forced to look at what had been made for her. When she did her heart melted instantly. Castle had arranged the chocolate chips to be in the shape of a heart.
"Oh, Castle you are too sweet." She said filled with delight.
"I try" He replied shrugging his shoulders, that usual smug grin on his face. Kate reached out to pull him near her.
"C'mere." she said to him, leaning to meet him halfway for a kiss. "Thank you. For everything." Her eyes were locked with his and a soft smile played on both their lips.
"You're very welcome Kate." He replied before taking a seat next to her. "Now eat your emergency cheer up pancakes or I will eat them on you." He told her, thrusting his fork towards her plate to show his seriousness. She laughed and began to pour maple syrup onto the flap jacks, a sign of claiming them. "Oh and don't tell Alexis I made them for you or she'll be jealous." He began to warn her. "It's usually our special thing but after the past few days, I figured we both could use them."
"I'll keep that in mind." She replied now cutting the pancake into smaller, bite size portions. This gesture of picture food was sweet, cute, and so not the play boy Castle she saw from when he was in other relationships. It would take some getting used to this new tender side of Castle but Kate wasn't about to complain at all. In fact this revelation just made her admire the man all the more.
They ate mostly in silence after that, taking to small talk on what they would do for the day. Since it was raining that crossed a lot of things of the list. Kate mulled over the possibilities in her head until it suddenly clicked. "What about that movie marathon I was supposed to join you for?" She asked as she helped gather up the dishes and set them in the sink to soak.
"That's a great idea. I completely forgot about that after everything." He said excitedly. Cuddling on the couch for the day watching gruesome movies with Beckett. Of course Castle was thrilled. "Just let me do these dishes and put your clothes in the wash. Then we can pop some popcorn and have movie time." He chirped as he began to run the hot water in the sink, adding some dish soap.
Kate lightly hip checked Castle out from the front of the sink. "How about, I do the dishes while you go throw in a load of laundry. That way all that's left is popcorn." She took charge again, an old habit in their relationship that would die hard, if ever.
Castle chuckled at her and her independence. Can't just sit and be a guest. She never could. "As my lady commands." He replied to her as he exited the kitchen to fetch a load of laundry and take it to the laundry room.
When he returned Kate was finishing up the last few dishes. She could feel his eyes on her again and so she spoke. "What ya thinking about Rick?" It was weird calling him by his first name but at the same time, she liked it. Just another thing that would take some getting used to.
"You, standing in my kitchen, doing dishes." He said to her. She could hear the smile in his voice. He came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist and kissed her neck before whispering in her ear. "I like it." His lips and closeness caused goosebumps to rise on her skin and a blush to creep to her face when she tried to fight the urges he was causing her to feel. Once she had forced the urges back down, she had to think of how she felt about that for a minute. She liked the thought of living with Castle and at the same time she was hesitant. She was independent and he had failed two marriages before after all. She had never pushed before, but now, more than ever, she wanted to know precisely why. Christ, am I really thinking these things already? They hadn't been together twenty-four hours. Yet at the same time, it felt like they had been together all these years.
The fact she had fallen into deep thought was plain as day on her face and so now it had been Castle's turn to ask. "What are you thinking about Kate?" His voice startled her from her almost day dream and she wasn't quite sure how to answer.
"I guess everything, so much is changing so fast. I don't know where to begin. It's all a bit overwhelming." She admitted. She finished washing the last dish and let it rest in the dish rack then turned to face Castle. "I'm just so lost." She shook her head and he pulled her into his chest for a long hug.
"One day at a time. Baby steps. We'll get through this together." He reassured her, taking her hands and leading her to the couch. Popcorn was forgotten about for the time being. She could see he was thinking, trying desperately to figure out some way to help. Once he did his eyes lit up a little. "I think what you need is a vacation." He started. "I think we both need a vacation." He continued. "Kate we should go to the Hamptons, just the two of us. You can think everything through without the stress of the city." He got more and more excited as he continued with his plan.
A trip to the Hamptons did sound like just the thing she needed, until she remembered that the only reason they hadn't been bothered by Castle's eccentric mother was because she was already in the Hamptons. "What about your mother?" Kate brought up this valuable point before giving her opinion.
"Oh, I forgot about her." He said disappointment on his face. He pondered for a moment before bouncing back. "I could put her in a resort. I'm sure she wouldn't complain about that. If I explain the situation to her as well I'm sure she'd be all too happy to comply." He smiled at her, satisfied with his solution to what seemed to be the only problem with their trip.
"Okay, you've twisted my arm Castle." She joked in reply. If Martha wasn't going to be too much of a bother than she couldn't she a flaw in his plan. Other than the fact that everyone would want to know what's going on. She could fix that one. "I'll have to tell Lanie I'm going out of town though so the others don't worry. I'll just say I need to go think." She told him satisfied. It wasn't a lie. It just wasn't all of the truth either and she didn't want all her friends to know about her and Castle just yet.
"Okay. We can pick up your clothes and stuff from your apartment later today and leave tomorrow morning." Castle finalized the plans and it was set. It was time to take a much deserved break. "Now, about that popcorn." Castle remembered their original plan so he got up and headed into the kitchen. Kate followed to end up in her usual position at the island again. Just then the couple heard a key in the lock of the door. After a moment in popped Alexis.
"Hi Dad." She called into the house as usual until she looked up and into the kitchen. "Detective Beckett, what are you? Oh, never mind." The girl began to question Kate's presence but answered her own question before asking.
"No, what is it?" Kate asked, not sure what the teens intentions had been.
"Well I was going to ask you why you're here, but that's a bit obvious." She replied, a bit of a blush on her cheeks and she clearly wanted to escape the situation before it grew awkward. Castle turned to look to his daughter, wondering how had she figured it out without either of them having even said a word.
"How?" was all Castle and Kate could begin to utter in sync before they got their answer.
"Easy, You're wearing my Dad's clothes." She said to Kate "Doesn't take a detective to figure out you two finally got together with evidence like that." She finished, then grabbed a hand of popcorn from the fresh bowl her father had just placed on the table. She seemed so unaffected by this new development between her father and long time partner. In fact she seemed... well like plain old Alexis. "Just one thing Dad." She started to address her father with that parental tone that made Kate laugh at their often backward relationship. "Please don't pull a me and Ashley. I am so sorry about that." Alexis blushed at the memory of being walked in on by her father while she was making out with her boyfriend on the couch.
Castle and Beckett both laughed, knowing of exactly which incident the teenage girl was referring to. "We'll try not to sweetie but no promises. You won't have to worry for the next week anyways. I'm taking Kate to the Hamptons tomorrow to think and get away from it all." Castle informed his daughter. "And no parties while I'm gone." He said in a joking tone, knowing his daughter to probably be the last teen on earth who needed to hear it.
Alexis laughed at her fathers joke before beginning to head upstairs. "I'm not home long. The girls want to go out shopping I just have to change." She told him as she disappeared around corner.
Castle changed the clothes from the washer to the drying and then brought himself and the bowl of popcorn over to the couch to cuddle with Kate while they began their movie marathon at last. Alexis eventually left to go with her friends and that was that. The day wore on filled with screams, blood, and entrails from the movies. After two or three, they weren't keeping count, they decided to take a break and go get Kate some more clothes for the trip, since hers were now clean. She was a little sad when she changed out of Castle's clothes. She was starting to like how comfy they were and how his smell clung to them but at the same time it just felt good to be back in her blouse and dress pants. They climbed into Castle's red Ferrari and sped off...into New York traffic.
The evening rush had cars backed bumper to bumper. It was days like this that Kate would miss the cherries on her cruiser. Traffic was a bit easier when you were in a cop car and it was an emergency. It was not so today. They may have been in a car with top speeds of more than two-hundred miles an hour, but in New York traffic, it wouldn't change a thing. "God I'm going to miss my cruiser." She said as she stared blankly out the passenger window.
Castle laughed at her statement. "Yeah, me too." They were quiet the rest of the drive to Kate's apartment. Once there, Kate rolled out a suit case, and filled it with some clothes and a few bathing suits, being full aware of where she was headed.
When she came back out, suitcase packed, she found Castle with his head in her fridge. "Kate, what the hell is in here?" He asked curiously and almost disgusted as he pulled out a see through tub that looked like she had been culturing some penicillin. Kate brushed a lock of her hair behind her ear, a little embarrassed, before answering.
"I told you Rick, I don't cook much." She walked over to him and took the tub from him and threw it out. When she saw his head was back in the fridge she popped her head in under his to see the damage, now a bit curious herself. Castle grabbed a Styrofoam take out container and began to open it. "No, Rick, don't." She put her hand over his, keeping the lid shut. "Trust me, you don't want to know." She gave him a look that spoke more than words can say as a warning. Guess he didn't hear them. Just before Castle went to drop the container into the garbage can curiosity got the better of him. All Kate heard was a deep gag followed by heavy coughing and then the thunk of something landing in the garbage. "I warned you." She teased him.
"You weren't kidding." He answered between more coughs and gags. Finally the smell hit her as well and a gag escaped her.
"Oh god." She coughed as she went searching for the air freshener. Once she found it she sprayed her kitchen area liberally before tempting another inhale through the nostrils. "That's better." She exhaled with relief. "Now, no more peaking." She told him before they proceeded to clean out the rest of the spoiled things in her fridge witch was pretty much everything. He was only able to nod a reply.
Once that was all finished she watered her plants, checked her mail, and then it was back into the car and back to Castle's for more movies. Just as they were about to settle in for more blood and gore Kate's phone began to ring. She picked it up off the coffee table in front of her to see who it was. Lanie. She could do this. It was actually convenient. It would be just like they planned earlier. Kate slid the accept button on her phone and answered. "Hello?"
"Kate honey? You have a hell of a lot of explaining to do girl." The familiar voice of the M.E. Rang on the other end of the phone. It would seem Esposito turned to his ex, the ever lovely Lanie, for comfort last night and now that he was gone she wanted it straight. He had told her about how they went after Maddox and Kate wound up hanging from the side of the building, her resignation, everything. "But don't you go tellin' him I told you so cause Javi said all I know it he's suspended and you resigned. But seriously honey he told me you and Castle had a fight. Everythin' okay?" Kate was one of Lanie's only "living" friends. The M.E. often joked how quiet her usual crowd is. Because of this, the two had formed a close friendship over the years and Kate would often confide in Lanie for help when it came to Castle. She was one of the first and few that got to hear Kate confess her attraction for the writer. Because of these things Kate felt bad when she had to lie. She would tell her friend everything in time, just not right now.
"Yeah everything is fine." She started. "I just...I don't really want to talk about all that right now. I need to go work some things out Lanie. I'm going to leave town for a bit like I did before. I just need some time to think you know?" She paused hoping her friend would understand.
"Okay, I get it. But I'm worried about you so don't think I wont be calling now and then. You're sure everything is okay?" Lanie asked again, concern in her voice.
"Yeah. Just need some time, that's all. I'll tell you everything once I figure it out, but don't worry. I'll be safe." She reassured her friend. Kate knew part of her friend's fear stemmed from Kate's record of running off and doing the reckless. "Let the others know too okay?" She asked. It was easier if she didn't have to talk to too many people.
"Of course I will Honey. Poor Ryan. Javi won't even talk to him. He did the right thing Kate you better not be mad too." The M.E. was defensive of their friend who did save her life. Kate knew she had been in the wrong that day.
"No, Not at all. If anything, do you think you can thank him for me? I never got the chance to myself." Kate asked her friend for another favor, again hoping she'd understand her lack of want to talk to anyone else.
"Alright honey, I will. You take care of yourself now okay? And don't worry about Castle, he'll come back around in time." This last bit made Kate laugh on the inside. If only she could sit over a bottle of wine and giggle like high school girls over "details" with her friend. Another day.
"Ya, I know. I will. Talk to you in a few days."Kate finished before listening to her friend do the same and clicked the hang up button. Alexis was upstairs on her laptop so they were pretty much alone again. Castle stretched himself out fully on the couch and Kate lay beside him doing the same, his one arm resting on her waist the other under her head like a pillow. Once they were comfortable Castle resumed their blood filled marathon. Kate smiled at how natural it felt to just lay here with him like this. Like this is where she was supposed to be the whole time. As the movie wore on, the impact of all the emotional drama over the past few days began to sink back into her and she had to fight to keep her eyes open. She eventually failed and fell asleep in Castle's arms.
Once the movie had ended Castle finally spoke up. "You want to watch another one or you want to go to bed?" He asked her to no response. He smiled at this peaceful Beckett next to him on his couch. "Guess its bed." He chuckled to no one before turning off the T.V. And such. Then he carefully slid his legs under hers and cradled her in his arms before picking her up and carrying her to his bedroom. He lay her down gently on his bed before beginning to undress himself. As he unbuttoned the dress shirt he changed into when they went to Kate's house he heard a quiet moan from behind him. He turned around to see a sleepy Kate watching him undress tentatively. "Oh is that what you're after?" He asked. A devious grin appeared on her face and she didn't need to answer.
He began by taking a far too long time for Kate's liking to unbutton her blouse. He was teasing her and she both loved it and hated it. Kate Beckett may have liked being in charge in their relationship, but now and then, she would let him do this to her. This slow torment till she couldn't take it anymore, demanding he give her what she want. Then worshiping her body slowly till she climaxed and he joined her in pure ecstasy. They lay there, sweaty and beat, tangled up in each others bodies as the ecstasy faded to the most restful sleep Kate had experienced in a very long time.
A/N: I didn't want to get too graphic there because every time I write something graphic I feel like I'm doing something wrong, like watching porn and I can't get this filthy grin and blush off my face. That and who can't think of their own awesome smutty scene really?
Edit A/N: Due to high demand, the next chapter has smut :) I may eventually finish writing this scene too for fun.