Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

Prompt: Twistymaven reblogged a quote - "Can't sleep? Me either. Let's can't sleep together." and Kate Christie started tagging people, giving us tons of great one shots :) The quote stuck in my head until now and this happened.

It was a barely audible knock at the door that made Castle surface from his writing. He belted his robe and made his way to the front door to peek through the peephole where he saw the crazy, brown, curling hair that could only belong to...

"Kate." He breathed her name as he fumbled with the lock and opened the door, "Why did you knock? You have a key for a reason."

She stepped towards him and loosened the belt on his robe to slip her arms around him, closer to his skin. "I didn't want to wake you..."

"I was writing." Castle shut the door and rubbed her back, tugged lightly on her curls, "What are you doing here?" She had left his place earlier, claiming she wanted to sleep in her own bed so that her routine would be just right before her first day of back at work. She wanted, needed, the control.

She laid her cheek against the warmth of his chest, "I couldn't sleep."

"Missed me?"

He felt her smile against his t-shirt.

"No."

She didn't have to look up to know that he was pouting in fake indignation.

"I couldn't help thinking about tomorrow...about whether or not I make the right decision to go back...and if it is for the right reasons..."

"Oh Kate..."

"It's fine. You go back and write, I'll just sit and watch you." She looked up at him then with a faint smile.

He grinned, "It's creepy." He took a step back from her, "I have another idea," and turned on his heel to head to his bedroom.

She had nothing to do but follow him there where she sat beside his discarded robe and watched him as he stepped into his jeans and pulled a sweater over his t-shirt.

"Let's go."

She trusted the crazy man completely so she grabbed his hand and held on tight. She let him lead her as they wandered the city in the pleasant fall air. They walked in silence under the glowing streetlights, giving Kate more time to think.

When they rounded the corner and saw the park and the swings, she realised where Castle had lead her.

Castle heard the sharp intake of breath when she saw the swings but didn't say anything. Neither did she.

They simply sat on the swings, side by side.

After a while Kate pushed off, pumped her legs back and forth and pulled with her arms, until she was swinging high above Castle's head. He watched a grin spread across her face, smoothing away the worry, and he smiled at the sight.

When she let the swing slow down and finally stop, she asked, "Why here?"

Castle reached over and caught her fingertips, "It's as good a place as any...Plus, it's worked twice before as a place to talk and think..."

She tugged on his hand, making the swings sway back and forth, "I was lying in bed, missing you beside me...it was just too different...as much as I wanted my routine to be exactly the same, it didn't matter...too much has changed. I just want to make sure that all the good changes are not outdone by going back to something from before."

"You can always change your mind about going back to work."

"I just want to be sure." She wanted to control her emotions.

"Maybe you can't be and that's ok too."

"Maybe...I just don't want to go back for the wrong reasons."

"Why do you want to go back?"

It was a conversation they had had countless times over the past few months.

"For ...People. To help them." For Ryan and Espo, Martha and Alexis, Montgomery...people.

"Is your mother one of those people?"

"Yes...but in a good way."

He held her hand more tightly, "I know."

She did too. She just wanted to make sure that it wasn't just her head telling her that she knew, but that her heart knew too. She just..."You know when you're a kid and nothing matters but being the one who jumps the furthest when you jump off the swing."

"Isn't that all that matters now?" Castle said, tongue in cheek.

Kate gave him a look and continued, "There is no fear there, you just blindly let go and fly through the air and know that you are going to land on your own two feet."

Castle only nodded his agreement and then pushed off from the ground, going higher and higher. When Kate caught up he said, "On your mark...get set...go!"

They let go.

Soared.

A/N: Let me know what you thought and then go read all the others (if you haven't already) they are so good. International08, Kate Christie, liviafan1, muppet47, chezchuckles – to name a few...