Disclaimer: If I owned Castle, Castle would've said I love you during the proposal.

Chapter 5

Late November:

It was noon and Kate had just pulled up to her dad's apartment building. She could see Charlie standing outside waiting for her.

"Hey Charlie." Kate said as she made her way to the front door of the building where her sister was standing. "Hey, are you ready to play referee?" Charlie attempted to joke, nervousness filling her voice. "Calm down Charlie, I'm sure he'll be surprised that you're here and that I'm even talking to you, but like I said last night, I don't think it will take long for him to forgive you." "Yeah, okay, you're right. Let's just get this over with." Charlie conceded.

Kate buzzed up to her dad's apartment and the sisters quickly made their way up to his door.

"Hey dad." Kate said with a smile on her face when her dad opened the door. "Katie, to what do I owe this-." Jim trailed off when he caught sight of his eldest daughter. "Charlie? Is it really you?" Jim asked in disbelief. "Hi dad." Charlie said shyly. "My God, look at you. You're so beautiful, just like your mother." Jim still couldn't believe the sight before his eyes. "Dad-." Charlie's voice broke as the relief and regret of seeing her father for the first time in fifteen years ran together.

Jim stepped forward and pulled Charlie into his arms. They both reveled in the feel of each others' arms wrapped around them. Charlie inhaled her father's cologne and let the feeling of a little girl being comforted by the number one man in her life take over.

"I'm so glad your home." Jim spoke quietly after breaking their embrace. "I'm so sorry dad. You have every right to hate me and-." Charlie began her apology before her dad cut her off. "No, Charlie. Sweetheart you don't have to apologize to me. I didn't give you any reason to stick around when your mother died and I don't blame you for not coming back once I got straightened out. I can't fault you for running away, because I ran away too." Jim let his firstborn know that he understood her reasons for running away and had forgiven her long before she had reappeared and apologized herself.

"I love you dad, so much, and I'm here to stay. I'm done running away and living with regrets." "I love you too Charlie-bear and you don't have to apologize anymore. I'm glad you and Katie seem to have worked everything out." Charlie smiled at Jim's use of her childhood nickname and preceded to tell him about her reunion with Kate. "We did, yeah. She gave me a hard time at first, not that I blame her, but I finally convinced her that I'm willing to do whatever it takes to get back her trust." Charlie turned her head and flashed a smile at Kate.

"Well you two come on in. I want to know what's been going on with you Charlie. We've got a lot of catching up to do." Jim moved aside and let his daughters into his apartment. The sisters walked through the door, took a seat on the couch, and Charlie began to update her family on the happenings in her life.

An hour later the Beckett sisters emerged from their father's apartment building both happy that their family was together again.

"Hey can you give me a ride?" Charlie asked as they made their way to Kate's car. "Sure. Do you wanna grab lunch?" Kate wondered. "I'm surprised you actually want to spend more time with me after being stuck in the same room with me for over an hour." Charlie remarked, sadness tinging the edges of her voice. "Charlie," Kate waited until her sister looked up at her, "I've forgiven you. You apologized and explained yourself and I lost you for fifteen years, I'm not gonna waste anymore time." Kate honestly told Charlie. "You aren't still mad?" Charlie whispered. "I am a still a little bit mad, but I'll get over it soon enough. So, please stop assuming I'm gonna blow up at you again, I'm pretty sure I've gotten it all out of my system, and I want the real Charlie back. Okay?" "Okay, let's go get lunch." Charlie laughed.

While they were waiting on their food at Remy's, Charlie phone chimed indicating she had a text message. Kate looked over at her sister and noticed her silently giggling at something on her phone. "Are you giggling?" Kate teased. "What? No." Charlie protested. "Uh-huh sure, who is that?" Kate questioned her sister. "No one." Charlie replied. "Oh, so no one made you laugh like a school girl." "What is this an interrogation." Charlie asked. "I was just wondering what had you giggling so much."

"Fine, if you must know, it's my girlfriend." Charlie finally relented. "Girlfriend?" Kate repeated somewhat disbelieving. "Come on Kate you knew I was bisexual." Charlie said back. "Well yeah, I was once too, but I . . . grew out of it? . . . I guess you could say. I didn't know you'd sworn off all men." Kate continued their conversation. "I didn't swear off men. I just had a series of encounters with douche bags and then I met Val and everything was just so easy, it just felt right." Charlie said with a reminiscent smile on her face. "I know what you mean." "Right of course, I'm talking to the love struck teenager over here." Charlie joked to her little sister. "Hey, we are not that bad." Kate retorted. "You sure about that?" Charlie continued to tease Kate good-naturedly.

"So . . .Val?" Kate wondered aloud silently asking Charlie to elaborate. "Yeah, uh . . . her full name is Valerie Ruiz, she's 34. We met three years ago after I broke my leg. I was doing PT and she was working with another patient while I was there." "Well, if that look on your face is anything to go by, I'd say you're in love big sis." Kate smiled at Charlie. "Well, she's gonna be moving down here with me, so maybe in a couple weeks you and Castle can meet her." "I'd like that." Kate said excited at the idea of meeting the person who made her sister seem so happy.