This actually wasn't going half bad, the working together part, seeing him, all the time, wasn't as hard, as awkward, as she had expected it to be. Things were good. There was no Detective Beckett and plucky side-kick Richard Castle dynamic. There was this, Kate and Rick, and she could live with that, with them, just like that, because things were good, things were really good.

She smiled as she looked at him, so excited, so kid-like, concentrating on the, not so white anymore, board, writing, erasing, connecting with arrows in elation. It was easy to get excited about the things surrounding her when Castle was by her side, his humour contagious, his facial expressions always so revealing. She had missed that, even sometimes wished she was a little more like him, a free-spirit. The detective Beckett part of her had come to love this part of him, and she, as a whole, had craved it.

Getting up, Castle beamed out proudly, "Our very own murder board." He stood there, pensively observing his handiwork, a hand holding on to his chin, "It's too bland though, not enough of the Castle Bam. We should add pictures, maybe drawings" he stated as he pulled the blue marker out of his back pocket and started to draw what she presumed was intended to be a spaceship.

Taking a step back to once again stare at his handy work, he tilted his head in every direction to properly admire it, until he finally, confessed, "Okay, yeah, drawing's definitely not on the list of things I'm good at."

Kate smirked at his craftsmanship, the drawing was awful. She shook her head, still smiling, adding in a light-hearted tone, "Your board's way too cluttered, Castle. Murder boards look nothing like this. Your timeline, not like they'd do it."

"And how would you know?" he asked, turning towards her, his eyebrow arched playfully.

"I just do. Now shut up, and come here, we have to work," she suggested, motioning for him to come to her with a tilt of her head.

"All work, and no play, Beckett," he pouted.

"One of us has to. You're all play and no work. How do get any books published?"

"I have my methods," he added cheekily.

"Which consists of writing in a frenzy with 20 cups of coffee flowing through your blood stream, 2 days before your deadline?"

He nodded, impressed, "Pretty much, how did you know?"

"Lucky guess," she smiled.

She patted the empty place beside her, on the couch of the office, "Now come, I need your help going over something."

"We're just pitching them the idea of you and I working together, Kate. No need to go wild over this, it's me; they'll say yes, they think I'm a genius. Derrick Storm's dead, nothing more they can milk there. Plus, I already have a contract for three more books; this is just a question of renegotiating it so-"

"First of all, Castle, it not you. It's us, and they don't know us. They don't know me. Second, this isn't going wild, this is getting prepared, something normal people do before a meeting."

"But that's bo-ring, Kate. How about we go whip something up in the kitchen instead?"

She breathed out loudly, her tongue trailing her lips while biting at the lower one. She looked at him for a couple of seconds before confessing, "I like going in fully prepared. Mastering what I can, that way I can stay on top. It's who I am. So I'm going to stay in here and continue working on this spreadsheet. You, you can go in the kitchen if you like."

"Okay, fine then," he added as he jumped on the couch beside her, smiling. "What can I do for you, my lady?" he asked as he gently bumped his shoulder into hers, forcing a smile out of her.

Stepping out of the building, Castle turned toward her, "Well that went, pretty well don't you think?"

They walked side by side, and she answered, with a smile, "It did indeed, if we overlook the fact that your publisher, slash ex-wife, clearly hates me. The glaring downs she gave me, god. You'd think she'd at least try to hide it. Do you think it's because she recognised me from the book signing?"

"Probably. She wouldn't forget the pretty face that pulled me away from it, that caused her to deal with a mob of angry housewives," Castle said, nonchalant, as he winked at her.

"Shit."

"Hey, she's just jealous. See if I care. That's just Gina for you."

She shook her head, containing the smile, an eyebrow in the air, "You care! You're happy that we got a reaction out of her, aren't you?"

"That I am," he added seriously.

She smirked, "Maybe we should have walked in holding hands, then. Made out a little when we came in," she added, continuing her route casually.

He shivered, his eyes wide, and brushed his hands through his hair. Exhaling loudly, he shook his head before running up after her. Once walking beside her again, he added, "Signed you on the spot, renegotiated mine. Did I mention how good it went?"

"I believe you did," she said, not slowing down her pace.

"Oh, and did you see Gina's face when I told her Nikki Heat would be moonlighting as stripper?"

Laughing, she answered, "My kicking you violently in the shins probably was a dead giveaway though."

He stopped to massage his leg over his pants and Kate stopped too, turning towards him a playful smile on her lips, and he stated, "Yeah I'll be feeling the effects of that joke for the next two weeks, I'm sure I have a monster bruise there." He looked up to her, "Ouch, Beckett."

"You'll survive."

Getting back up, he added, "Worth it. That half second was priceless. Wish I could have taken a picture of her face."

He laughed to himself, "How awesome would it be if we could actually print out mental pictures like these. If we could like, connect our brains to printers, find a way to link the neurotransmitters of our brain to an electrical motherboard or something. God, I should fund a project like this."

"As much as I love hearing you ramble about, Castle, I already told you, I have to go and pick up Nikki at Jules, she's almost at the other end of town and her shift starts at 4. So, I'll see you on Monday."

"Alexis has drama class after school."

She chuckled, "How many extra-curriculars do you make that poor girl take, Rick?"

"Hey, it's all her. She's quite the over-achiever, but I think she wanted to take drama mostly to please her grandmother."

"The infamous Martha Rodgers."

"That she is."

"See you Monday, Rick," she called out once again, disappearing down the subway entrance.

Halfway down she stopped, turned around to the sound of the footsteps behind her, "Rick, you're following me."

"I'll be all alone until 5," he pouted.

Shaking her head with a smile, she asked him, "You want to accompany me to the other side of town, Mr. Castle?"

"With you asking so nicely, how could I say no?" he replied, walking past her swiftly, down the concrete stairs.

Castle and Beckett stood side by side as they waited, patiently behind door number 16, when finally it opened in an expeditious, totally Julie, kind of way, as she exclaimed, "Becks!"

She eyed both guests, a grin starting to form on her lips. Kate growled to herself, hand pointed to Castle as she started, "Hey Jules, this is-"

"This handsome hunk must be the charming Rick, huh?" Julie quickly cut off, pulling them both in by the forearm.

Castle, looking over at Kate, arched an eyebrow and smiled as they passed the arc of the door. It made him happier than it probably should have to hear. They'd been spending a lot of time together lately. A lot. It made sense that she'd talked about him, talked about him to her best friend. It made him wonder though, what exactly she'd been saying, what she really thought of him. Because he couldn't stop thinking about her, the mystery he couldn't quite figure out yet. He examined her; alert to any reaction on her part that would give it away.

Julie, a witness to the look, and detecting a hint of hot pink on her friend's cheeks, the tell-tale of her teeth biting at her lower lip, she added, looking over to Castle, "Yeah, Nikki told me all about you. Quite the verbal skills he's got that one."

Kate shook her head, rolling her eyes but smiling.

Smooth, Jules. Real smooth.

Jules bumped her hip into Kate's hooking her arm with her friend's and dragging her to the living room. "I'm going to need all the help I can, if we want to put Nikki's things together before I'm late for my shift at the restaurant, his stuff could be anywhere. Why did you have to pack so damn much, Becks?" Walking through the entrance hallway, passing the bedroom door on her left, she called, her head shot back in the direction of the entrance door, "Well don't just stand there Rick, all hands on deck."

"I liked handsome hunk better," Castle shot back as he proceeded to take his shoes off.

Jules chuckled, "I like that one, Becks," as she brought her arm around Kate's neck and kissed her cheek, whispering in her ear, "Plus, he's even hotter in person. You lucky rascal."

Kate stopped abruptly at the sight of the mess in the living room, Castle a couple inches behind them stopping in their tracks exclaimed, "Woah."

"Hey. No judging, I had no freakin' clue." Julie laughed.

"No judging," Kate stated, tilting her head and resting it over Julie's, still amazed at the condition of the place. Julie was no neat freak, but this was something else.

"You're a life saver, and I owe you one for doing this," Kate said as she tried climbing through the room to her son. Now she knew why it had taken so long for her to answer the door, this was a sport in its own.

"Nonsense Becks, you owe me a million," Julie called out laughing. Kate smiled, recognising some of the toys they'd played with as kids; even saw Mr. Muffler, the stuffed duck Julie slept with until 7th grade. She really had gone all out, and it made her love her even more.

"Maybe I do owe you a million," Kate laughed turning towards her, crouched over the playpen.

"Seriously, looks like there's been a tornado in here," Castle added.

"Yeah, there was a tornado alright. 10 month old Tornado Nikki. He crawls everywhere, opens everything! This is like, my third shirt!" Jules exclaimed.

"Don't blame this all on Nikki, Jules, I know you," Kate replied, picking up the baby, with a sly smile and an arched eyebrow.

"Fine one mustard stain was my fault. But, I'm telling you Becks, I've got nothing over that kid, he's the mess monster or something. It's unbelievable!"

Kate held Nikki up, bringing him up so his face would be above hers. He giggled, his little legs kicking through the air, as she peppered kisses on his rosy cheeks, "But he's so cute, he's worth the mess. Aren't you, my man?"

"Oh yes, I love the little devil man," Julie added, "But keep him away from me, I have to change for work."

Kate walked back to them, stepping over toys, blankets, textbooks, pens and magazines. "Who could resist this face?" Jules added extending her arms to them, "One last kiss for the mess monster," she added, kissing Nikki's neck repetitively, and tickling his tummy, making him squeal with laughter.

They turned around to the sound of water running in the kitchen, to see Castle rinsing the dirty bottles on the counter, "And he cleans too. Kate, if you don't want him, mind if I take a shot?" said Julie so low that only would Kate would hear.

Kate's eyes widened, her mouth ajar.

"Jesus Christ, Kate, I was kidding. Will you two just get it on already?"

He heard the door close behind them and from the couch he greeted his daughter, "Hey, Katie."

After putting everything down, she smiled, adding, "Hey, dad," as she kissed his cheek and sat Nikki on him.

Holding him under his short little arms, Jim stood the boy up on his thighs, bouncing him up and down as the Nikki laughed, "You have fun with your Aunt Julie, Nikki?"

Hearing her son giggling, Kate, in retreat, looking through the baby bag on the entrance floor, turned towards them, stating jokingly, "Careful, that little game might backfire on you, dad."

"He just ate?" Jim asked, stopping the bouncing.

"We stopped at Remy's, after picking him up. Alexis was feeling like cheeseburgers; he ate some veggies and cheese. I'm going to warm up a bottle before putting him down," she answered casually, heading to the microwave.

"You were with Rick all this time?"

"Yes, dad, I'd told you I'd be, last week, when I asked you if you could babysit."

"I know, but I thought your thing finished earlier."

"It did, but we felt like stopping at Remy's. I'm 25, dad, not 16. I didn't think I needed to give you a play by play."

"You've been spending a lot of time with Rick lately."

"That's one hell of an observation here, dad," she called out sarcastically from the kitchen.

He turned around on the couch, and looked at her with a scowl.

She shook her head, a faint smile on her lips, "Yes dad, I've been spending a lot of time with Rick."

"Still on that secret project of yours?"

"Yes, dad," she added, and Jim turned back around slowly, his attention going back to Nikki.

A few minutes later as she screwed the bottle shut, checked the temperature and walked back to the living room, her father asked, trying hard to smile as he did, "And you're okay? You're doing okay."

"I'm great, dad."

He breathed out loudly, liking his lips before asking, "Still going to your meetings?"

"What's with the interrogation, tonight?" she answered callously.

"I don't know. You've been secretive lately. I just… I worry, you know?"

"Seriously dad? I was with Rick. You know, Rick, the guy you pushed me towards in the first place. I can't believe you. I didn't tell you because I wasn't sure it would work out, not because I'm out getting high in the back of an alleyway. You want a urine sample, officer?"

"Katie, it's not what I meant. I worry, you're my daughter, it's what I do. I can't help it. It was just there, at the back of my mind, working at me and I thought it'd be better to ask."

"You still don't trust me," she added with a tremble in her voice.

"I trust you Katie, I do. But-"

"Dad, there should be no buts, not anymore. Almost a year since I detoxed, 6 months since I got out. I'm not going back, dad, I couldn't. I couldn't do that to you, couldn't do that Nikki. I know I've messed up, and I messed up big time, and there's nothing I'll ever be able to do to make up for the pain I caused you, nothing except do my very best every day. Nothing but get up every morning and try to be the kind of person mom would be proud of."

"I trust you Katie, I do."

"Good," she growled. "I'm glad we've got that settled, then," she added dryly as she picked Nikki up and walked to the bedroom, closing the door behind with a little more force than necessary.

It was more than half an hour later that Kate tiptoed out of the bedroom, closing the door gently behind her. She knew she shouldn't do it, try and put her son to sleep when she was a mess, when her emotions were overpowering her. She couldn't help it, couldn't do anything about it. She was mad when she'd entered the room, but she wasn't anymore. 45 minutes with her son, her own flesh and blood had made her realise, she wasn't mad, she was sad, disappointed, like she'd never overcome it.

Her father was sitting at the kitchen table, hands folded over the table, clearly waiting for her, "Katie, sit, please."

"It's fine, dad. We don't need to talk about it anymore," she tried to smile, as to say everything was okay, that she was okay, that they were okay.

He wasn't easily fooled, but seeing as she wouldn't sit, he went on. He was sorry for the way things had transpired, the way you're not fully in control when strong emotions cloud your judgement, but she needed to know.

"Katie it's not okay, because I really do trust you. Or at least I really want to. It's just for the first couple of months, it was just us three, and you talked to me. Now, you have Julie back, you have Rick. So you talk to her, to Rick, and I'm in the dark. I worry Kate, always will, I'm your father, it's in the fine print. I'll worry even when your 45. But I trust you."

She smiled lightly, more sincere this time, her eyes starting to water when he added, "Kate, you've come a very long way, and I'm proud of you."

Walking up behind him, she hugged him around the neck, both arms around him, she said in a voice that was starting to crack. "I'm sorry, dad, I'm so sorry."

"Kate there's no need to apologise."

"There is, dad, because I don't think I have yet. I'm sorry I made you go through all this, I'm sorry you had to see me hit rock bottom, sorry you had to find me half alive in a puddle of my own puke, sorry for everything I told you. Sorry for not giving you the chance to grieve mom. Sorry for not helping you through it, dad."

He smiled, stroking her arm still around his neck, "Apology accepted, Katie." And they stood there, for a moment, not moving.

"We're writing a book," she added as she sat beside him.

"What?" he asked in a joyful tone.

"The secret project. Rick and I are writing a book together."

"Wow."

"About a savvy detective and an annoying mystery writer tailing her," she added, an arched eyebrow as she nodded.

Yes, your hearing this right, dad.

"Does he know?" he inquired.

"Maybe one day."

"I'm very happy for you Kate," he added, sincere. Actually, he was a lot happier than he was letting on.

She looked down at he fingers, playing together, she asked, timid, "Dad?"

"Yes, Katie?"

"Do you think it's possible? For us, to be friends? Just friends?"

"You and Rick?"

She nodded slowly.

"Well is that what you want?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"I think that's the better question to ask, Kate."

"With everything-" she started.

"Kate, stop thinking about everything else, and just think right now, at this moment, what you want. That's all that matters. No one can understand it like you do, Kate. You have to be the one to make the decision for you."

"I know," she added as she exhaled.

"Kate?"

She looked at him with pensive eyes, smiling lightly.

"She's proud," he stated, and as she looked at him, a ball formed in her throat and a single tear slowly streamed down her cheek.

She hoped she was.

Once again. Thanks to my Beta, CaskettFan05, for the corrections and useful hints, but mostly for managing me and telling me that I'm too hard on myself.

Hope, you guys enjoyed this pretty long chapter. I love to hear what you think!