A/N(1): (Sigh! )… Just (Sigh!)

A/N(2): If you enjoy this chapter then you must thank Easton and "Letters to Jersey" awesome song and the song that got me writing Castle again. As always please excuse the typo's and grammar missteps.

Chapter 27

Castle's Apartment

Kate, Alexis, Castle

Alexis was shocked to see Kate come out of her father's room wearing his robe. When she had gotten up to get ready for school she had casually glanced into the guest room to see if the detective had stayed the night. She had assumed that since the guestroom bed had remained undisturbed, that Kate had gone home. To see her out of her normal attire and realizing that Kate must have spent the night with her dad flabbergasted her.

"Morning Alexis" Kate said yawning.

"Morning Kate, can I….. uh, get you some coffee... or something?"

Kate chuckled, seeing Alexis in distress, she tried to comfort her. "Some of your dad's French roast would be great. Before your mind runs wild, your dad and I spent a very quiet and restful night sleeping... and nothing else."

"Oh, I wasn't… I mean… I wouldn't mind if… Oh, dear what I meant to say was…."Alexis sputtered

"Alexis slow down." Kate interrupted. "I just want to be completely honest with you. Ok? Your dad and I are very well aware that our relationship is still at a shaky point. We are trying to maneuver around each other with stepping on any land mines. We also know that what we do will affect you and Martha. We're getting close to … That point but not yet."

"Kate, I just want what makes you and my dad happy. I am okay with you two …. You know…. Since we have gotten to know each other better, I understand that you and dad are not just being swept away in the moment. If you and dad … well… take things further, I know it's because you both want to, not just because of dad's libido. So we don't have to talk about it…. You know… Ever."

"Fair enough."

Castle chose that moment to enter the kitchen. Because of the topic of conversation Kate and Alexis both blushed. Castle cast a worried glance at Kate who couldn't help but giggle. Alexis kissed her father's cheek and fled back to her room with the excuse of getting ready for school.

"Do I even want to know?" Rick cast a worried glance at his departing daughter.

"We were just talking about girl stuff." Kate teased.

"She in not thinking about…. You know… stuff." Rick blanched at the thought of where the conversation may have been going.

"What stuff are you talking about?" Kate asked innocently.

"You know about boys… and …. Sex" he whispered the last word looking around to make sure that neither Alexis nor his mother were in earshot.

"As a matter of fact we were discussing boy and you know… sex." Kate had to laugh at the scandalized and panicked look that crossed Richard's face.

"Can I borrow your gun and get the name of the little philanderer that is attempting to deflower my child. 'Cause I have to teach the young scallywag a lesson."

"Scallywag? Who are you? Captain Bligh?" Kate's eyes twinkled

"If I were a pirate I would have the young Lothario keel hauled and then make him walk the plank." Rick replied.

Kate sighed knowing that the joke had gone on long enough. "Richard the boy in question was you and the sex was with me."

"What?" Castle was confused.

"I told Alexis that nothing happened between us… except of course that you copped a feel."

"I did no such thing…."

"Richard.. I did not tell her about you copping a feel and you did it in you sleep. I am not complaining it was rather pleasant. If it had been unwelcome I would have broken your hand. So 'young Lothario' cool your jets. She was just giving us her blessing."

"Oh," Richard sighed.

"What's wrong Castle?' Kate asked.

"My little girl shouldn't have to think about such things. Kids should be blissfully unaware of parental sex until they're, like thirty of so."

"Richard if you had wanted that you should have stayed celibate. But, Alexis is a good, smart teenager and will handle that situation, when it comes up with the proper and mature response. Unlike some people I could mention."

She leaned in close and kiss Richard. It was deep, passionate and full of promise. The two lost themselves for a few moments in the experience, coffee and kitchen forgotten. A discrete cough pulled them back to earth.

"If you don't want Alexis to get ideas, I suggest you keep your osculation out of the kitchen."

"Ah, Mother so nice of you to join us this morning. Chet out of town?"

"As a matter of fact he had a family emergency and had too head upstate. You should always follow my example, Richard, discretion is the watchword."

"Are you sure you want to go there, Mother. How many stepfathers did I have? And how many of them did you actually marry?"

"That is not the point," Martha said primly." You did not see me kissing my beaus all over the house, did you?"

"That just because you would either send me out to the movies or to my room."

"True, but the point is I was discrete."

The talk turned to general topics as the three of them made breakfast. Martha was regaling Kate with stories of Rick childhood in-between the good natured ribbing that seemed to be the cornerstone of Martha and Richards's relationship. Kate watched the pair interact of the preparation and consumption of breakfast When Kate had first observed the byplay she had assumed that it was slightly adversarial and a response to Martha intrusion into Castle's home. But the more she saw of the two of them interacting she realized that the two were genuinely fond of each other. His complaints of her stories and meddling concealed the loving son, and her meddling and embarrassing stories were her loving way of trying to keep her son from losing his perspective. Kate's relationship with her mother had been vastly different. Her mother had nurtured with shopping and cooking together, she shook her head and had to marvel, Richard and Martha were as close as Kate had been with her own mother. They just chose to show it in a different way.

As Martha and Kate chatted while cleaning up after breakfast, Rich excused himself to get dressed. He had to admit to himself that last night's sleep and been deep and restful but still did not make of for the last few months' of nightmare interrupted nights. The entropic drag of depression began to pull at his buoyed mood. He tried to hold onto the feelings of contentment he had woken up with. He had awoken from a dreamless sleep to the warmth of Kate nestled up against him. He would never have thought that Beckett would be a spooner. He was surprised at himself as well he did not generally spoon either. With most other women he would roll away from them and sleep back to back. With Kate, he derived as much comfort in the simple act of sleeping with his arms around her as he got from other woman and sex. Rick worried about the intensity of emotion he felt for Kate. He had been a love 'em and leave 'em kind of guy and these feelings he had for Kate were anything but. He admitted that even with 'The Deep Fried Twinkie' he did not have these feelings. With His Ex-wife he had been so astounded at the fact that Meredith, an A-list Actress loved him that he didn't really examine the depth of his only feelings. Perhaps he had felt that if he looked at his feelings too closely the whole relationship would just disappear as if a dream. He signed as his ennui crept closer.

A pair of arms encircled his waist. His depression lessened its hold. Her turned and pulled Kate into a passionate kiss. Surprised she tensed slightly but quickly melted into his kiss. She had been a little startled and worried at the mournful expression she had seen on his face. While she had not gotten a great deal of sleep, she had awoken feeling rested and quite content if not downright happy. Seeing such distress in Richard's eyes scared her. Did he not feel as happy about their night together? His kiss was passionate but it was also hungry almost needy. Finally she pulled back.

"Richard what's wrong?" Kate asked, concerned.

"Nothing…"He began.

"Richard, the only way we are going to make it together, and I do mean ONLY way, is for you to talk to me about what you are feeling, honestly."

"You know us guys, we don't do the feelings talk well."

"Richard." Kate asked "Is it me?"

"What?"

"Did something happen last night that has you having second thoughts?"

"What? Oh, god no. Look, Kate I am a brooding artist, it's what I do… brood."

"And it has nothing to do with us sleeping in the same bed together last night?"

"No… well kind of." He gently pulled Kate over to sit on the unmade bed.

Kate felt the fear she had been beginning to feel since Castle had left the kitchen blossom. She did not think she could handle his rejection and that scared her even more. How had she become so wrapped up in Castle? Without warning hey eyes began to tear up and she felt he heart threatening to shatter. He seemed to be able to sense that she was near tears.

"Kate it's not like that, last night I slept the best I have since before I got shot. And there is no one I would rather wake up beside than you. It's just I have had very shitty luck with relationships. Besides Meredith I have not had a long term relationship and let's face it I screwed that one up too."

"Richard, Meredith was the one who cheated on you. She was the one who wanted the divorce."

"Yes, but was it something I did to cause her to want the divorce? I am just scared that I'll do something to screw this up too. Kate I can't remember ever feeling like this. I am in new territory and afraid of making some unseen misstep. I don't want to, but I am afraid that I will. I know that this relationship scares you I can see it in your eyes when I talk about my feelings."

"I…" Kate protested.

"Kate, can you honestly tell me that this doesn't scare you?"

"I… Okay, your right, when you told me last night how much you missed me when we were apart last summer, I did get scared. You were talking all consuming passion and I have never experienced that before. Richard, despite your mask of nonchalance you have very intense feelings and I am just a little scared that I will be overwhelmed by them. I am afraid I will become an appendage. I don't want to lose me being Detective Kate Beckett.

"You would be a much loved appendage…"

"Richard!"

"I love you for who you are Kate. I don't want you to change. I would hope we could come to some understanding about a few things though."

"Such as?" Kate said apprehensively.

"Well, there are times that you work too much. You need to find a healthier balance between work and play. You have got to learn to take time off work, say maybe a week down in the Florida Keys after this case is closed, just you, me, and Alexis. Her fall break is just around the corner. Think about it, warn sun, sand, walks on the beach."

Kate shivered at the thought of being down on the beach. She pulled her mind away from those sunny thoughts."Any thing else?"

"Not really, I know that I will have to share you with your work, but the operative word is share. I don't begrudge the NYPD their best detective, but I want some of the time with Kate not just 'Detective Beckett'."

"Does that me I get time with Richard not Mr. Bad Boy 'Pain in My Ass' Author?"

"Well, I don't know why anyone would get tired of Him, but sure, fair is fair. I must warn you that that Richard guy is kind of high maintenance. He likes to spoon in bed on rainy nights, and walk on the beach on sunny days, bare footed. He positively dotes on his daughter and his girlfriend. To tell the truth he's kinda' boring."

"I think I can stand him." Kate looked at her watch and realized that it was time to get to work."Come on, Castle, we can't play in the sand until we catch the bad guy."

"When we go out to lunch can we look for a real slinky bikini for you? You know for the beach?"

"Don't push it Castle." Kate admonished but she did give some thought as to what type swim wear she would like to wear for him. "Get ready for work, Leisure Suit Larry."

"It's so hot that you know computer games of the nineties. I'm thinking something red, 'cause that's your color. Maybe something that would require a bikini wax. I used to do those for Meredith, so I would be glad to assist."

"Castle! I swear to god that I am going to end up either shooting you or sewing you mouth shut."

"Either way, I couldn't do this."

He swept her up into his arms and began to kiss her…..

A/N(3): Sorry for the wait. Among other things I have been writing and original work, I'm about forty pages in. It is a murder mystery but nowhere near as fun as Castle. When I get further along I might publish a few chapters on the web. As always I enjoy hearing your thoughts so let me know what you think of this chapter.