Castle turned and as he was walking down the stairs grabbed his cell phone again out of his coat pocket and sent the picture to the detective who was putting a Cheshire cate size smile on his face. No caption, no emoji's, no comments, nothing, just simply the picture.

"A picture speaks a thousand words."

He stands in the lobby of the hospital waiting for her to come out of the restroom so he can take her home. He helped her change out of the gown that she had had draped over her thin frame for the past month, and then they both eagerly waited for the doctors instructions while filling out her discharge papers.

She walks up to him and he offers her his hand with a smile on his face, their relationship having progressed farther than either one of them thought possible within the span of a month. She takes it of course. He's caring a bag with her paperwork and clothes in his left hand and her small hand gently in his right when they walk out of the hospital doors to his personal car. She had asked him to bring it so they could just be alone.

Castle places the bag in the backseat after opening the passenger door for her and before running around the back of his black SUV and jumping in the driver's seat. He puts the car in drive, reaching over to intertwine their fingers together with their palm's kissing. She breaks the silence first.

"How was Emily this morning?" She's watching him and he has to resist the urge to look over and just gaze at his beautiful girlfriend, the mindset that if he looks away they will crash being the only thing that keeps him from smiling at her.

"Perfect. She had a couple of waffles for breakfast and Alexis chopped up a bunch of fruit that she and Emily bought together yesterday at the market." He steals a kiss from the back of her hand when they pull up to a red light.

"That's good. Oh, God, Castle, I miss her so much." Beckett's head falls back against the headrest and she squeezes his hand in response to his kiss. He squeezes her hand back.

"I know. She missed you too, actually, we all did."

It does not surprise Castle that Beckett insist on getting out of the car and walking up to the loft all by herself. Yet, he finds himself yearning to touch her, hold her hand, as they stand side by side in the elevator in the comfortable silence with a buzz of nervous energy surrounding them. He grins at her when she leans her head on his shoulder and closes her eyes for the few seconds left of the ride.

She is still clasping his hand in hers when she tugs him out of the elevator after her and heads towards his loft door, walking there with a confidence that takes him by surprise but has him grinning nonetheless. They arrive at his door together and he inserts the key into the lock as quick as possible knowing that she won't be able to hold out much longer and he can already hear the little footsteps running towards the front door. The scream of her name has him wincing as a smile stretches across his face, smaller than the one that she cloaks her face in.

"Mommy!" Her daughter's body crashes with her legs as she bends down and picks the child up into her own arms ignoring the look of concern sketched so clearly in Castle's eyes when she has to bite her lip to try and not groan in pain. She merely just turns in circles around his spacious living room carefully running her hand down the now sobbing toddler's back.

"Shh, baby shh. Mommy's home, it is okay, Mommy's right here." Castle tried to ignore the fact that she referred to the fact that his loft was her home, telling himself she is trying to calm Emily down. He walks pass them heading towards his home office where he sets her bag down and proceeds to the bedroom walking straight through to the bathroom in order to buy the girls more time alone.

Beckett watches as he finally emerges into the living room and she smiles up at him from her place on his extremely comfy couch as she rocks a now sleeping Emily in her arms. She nearly jumps out of her skin at the sound of his voice. "You know, I can take her form you if you would like? Maybe go put her upstairs in her bed or something?"

"No," she says and it comes out on a breath of a sigh. "She's fine, and plus. I think I would like to hold her for a little bit anyways."

"Of course." He gives her a smile before walking past her into the kitchen. "Can I get you anything to eat, or drink, maybe?"

"Not right now, rick. I just want to sit here with Emily and you. By the way, where are Martha and Alexis?" She asks, worrying now falling upon her at the newfound idea of her baby girl being left home alone, no matter how many times she keeps telling herself that in no way would the two women have done that to her daughter.

"Don't worry," he says, as if reading her mind. "Mother and Alexis went upstairs to give the two of you some privacy when we got home. It was right after you picked up Emily, you were probably just too focused on her and did not see them. That's all." He finishes off by bringing her a glass of water with some painkiller and sets them down in her hands waiting for her to swallow before taking the cup from her and setting it down on the coffee table in front of her. His own glass being set down right beside hers before he takes a seat on the couch next to her, his left arm wrapping around her shoulders, his thigh brushing hers, and his lips coming to connect with her right temple. She can feel his grin as she melts into his half-embrace, her own completing his half.

"How are you feeling?" He asks.

"I'm fine." She responds and judging by the look on his face she's quick to change her answer. "Honestly?" His simple nod is her encouragement to continue on. Plus, they had promised each other just a couple of weeks ago when their relationship had begun that they would try to be more trusting with each other. "My head is pounding, my ribs are killing me, and I'm having trouble breathing but am not moving my baby for nothing. I would rather be in pain then miss out on this moment right here, right now, with the both of you." Their eyes lock on the last few words of her sentence and he has to bite his tongue to hold back the gasp that is stuck in his throat and is causing him to choke up. "Come here."

She speaks those words on her own accord as her hand reaches over to cup his palm and pull him in for a quick, but intimate, kiss that leaves the both of them smiling like teenagers having their first kiss. Ironic, he thinks to himself, because that is exactly how it feels. She pulls her hand back, still smiling at him, and call him selfish but he does not want the moment to end so soon, and so, he cups the back of her neck and repeats her actions with his hand on her check as she leans into his touch and he bends down to capture her lips for a longer, slower kiss.

They both break apart at the sound of footsteps arriving at the top of the stairs and gradually descending to which he lets go of her and looks up to see both his mother and daughter walking towards them.

"Katherine! Oh, dear, how are you doing? I can only imagine how relieved you are to be home." His mother embraces his girlfriend in both a gently and strong hug while running her hands along Emily's back.

"I'm doing better, Martha, thank you for asking." Kate answers while trying her hardest to return the warm gesture one-handed.

"I see the little one is out, huh? She was all hyped up and thrilled this morning that you were finally coming home! Well, to be truthful, I think that we are all happy to have you back with us."

"Yes, Martha. It is so good to be back with my daughter again, and all of you. Also, I want to thank each of you personally for being so accepting to Emily and me staying in your home." Kate said while looking each of the Castle's in the eyes, locking their gaze to show her gratefulness.

"Kate, I wouldn't have it any other way, you should know that by now." Castle responding rubbing his hand over her shoulder and pulling her closer to him as his right hand went to shift Emily's weight half way off of Kate and on to him.

"Of course, Katherine, like Richard said, we wouldn't have it any other way." Marth said while simultaneously throwing her hands up in the air in a classic Martha flare.

"Detective Beckett, it truly is out pleasure to help the both of you out. Plus, I'm enjoying having Emily around a lot." Alexis said while sitting down next to her dad on the arm of the couch.

"Alexis, first, please call me Kate, and second, I want to thank you personally because from what I hear Emily wouldn't have a room, wardrobe, and toys to play with here like she does. Most teenage girls would be out in their free time partying with their friends, but you volunteered your time to caring for a two year-old, and for that, thank you!" Kate looked at Alexis with a sincerity that almost had everyone in the room in tears.

"Of course, Kate."

"Well, Alexis why don't you and I go get started on an early dinner and leave your farther and Katherine to just be alone together." Martha suggested while standing up from the chair that she was seated in across from the couple and toddler. The couple looked on as the their favorite two red-heads left in search of something to make for supper.

It isn't until they are getting ready for bed later that evening that she notices it. The small plastic box wrapped in black wrapping paper with blue going across it, accompanied with a bow on top. The package wouldn't necessarily catch her attention except it is on the nightstand that Castle proclaimed to be hers along with the side of the bed and as she is walking over to inspect the suscpicous container her mind floats to where he currently is. The bathroom, she thinks to herself and remembers that he was going to go freshen up for bed while she was putting lotion on her legs.

The gift has a nametag on the top, situated just under the bow, and it reads a name that she is all too familiar with, hers. And she does not even need to ask who it is from because she is pretty sure she already knows who.

So she picks up the box very cautiously and cannot help the urge to just slightly shake the container to which she is met with complete silence, and sets it back down. She vaguely remembers the sound of the faucet turning off and his footsteps becoming heavier with each fall as he nears the door connecting both the bedroom and his en suite.

She reacts merely out of curiosity and instincts when she rips open the lid to the present and she can automatically feel her breath catch in her throat as she has to close her mouth to prevent some ungodly sound from escaping within her without given permission because of the contents. The contents that has tears forming in her eyes and she should have known that he would have done something like this to try and show her just how much he cares about her.

Because it is her father's watch, repaired and in mint condition, which she thought, she had lost when her apartment was blown up.

His presence is not detected by her until he is standing right behind her, she tries to recall the sound of the doorknob being turned, but cannot conjuring up any memory in her mind.

"I found it amongst the wreckage and knew that I couldn't give it back to you all broken and chipped, so I got it repaired for you." His voice sends her heart racing more than it was beforehand, having tripled when he wraps his arms around her waist and to the front of her torso, giving her just a slight squeeze as he turns his head and kisses her temple.

Suddenly, she pushes out of his embrace to give her enough space to turn in his arms and kiss him. Her hands are on his cheeks dragging him down for a kiss that reaches a whole new level of intimacy, one that they have not quite reached in their relationship yet. But neither one of them pull back till the need for air becomes dominant for her, since her ribs are still in poor condition. They lean their foreheads on to each other's while smiling to one and another, their actions speaking more than they are physically capable to at the moment. However, she breaks the silence first, equally surprising the both of them.

"It's perfect, thank you." She begins.

"Always." He finishes.

She wakes up the next morning to a heavy weight on top of her hip, his scent soon following afterwards, and so she smiles as she snuggles closer to his side of the bed. A laugh falls from her lips without her permission when she hears him sigh in contentment, wrap his arm tighter around her, and place a chaste kiss to her temple as he pretends to keep sleeping.

"I know that you're awake, Castle. Why don't you stop pretending to be asleep and kiss me good morning the proper way?" Kate says while turning in Castle's arms until her nose is lightly pressing against his. She lets him have his moment of thinking that he has her as she watches him, the way that he is trying to control his breathing, the flock of hair that is normally so precisely held up by his gel, and the slight twitch of his nose every time that he exhales.

"Oh, yeah? And all that I have to do is just open my eyes and stare into your beautiful, forest green ones?" Castle replies while dramatically peeking one eye open.

"Are you a writer or something, Castle?" She fires right back at him, the hint of a smile beginning to tease her lips.

"Eh, I do alright?" He says with a hint of a smile teasing his own lips, however, before she can roll her eyes in old Beckett-fashion like he knows she is going to do, he dips his own lips down and catches hers in a sweet kiss. He feels her kiss him back and pull him closer with a hand on the nape of his nick and another resting on his cheek as his own hands rest on her hips. He is the first one to pull away, laughing at the groan that he pulls from her lips.

"You know, as wonderful as it would be to stay in bed with you all day and continue where we left off, I have a pretty good feeling that you would like to spend the day with your daughter too." Kate has to resist the urge to stare at Castle's lips while he talks to her, only looking away at the end when she hears the sounds of someone opening the bedroom door to reveal the youngest Castle carrying the youngest Beckett on her back.

"Okay, Emily, you can open your eyes now. The coast is all clear." Alexis watched as the two adults in the room begin to blush deeply. "Hey, I'm not judging anyone! The both of you are consenting adults and the two of us over here are living proof that you guys are somewhat experts at it and-"

"OKAY, ALEXIS! I think we all understand what you are trying to say, but for the record, no, nothing happened last night." Castle quickly interrupted his daughter and patted the bed gesturing for the two girls to climb on to it while Kate pulled herself up leaning her head on his shoulder and holding out her arms for her baby. Alexis passed Emily to Kate and waited till the toddler was secured in her mom's arms before climbing on to the other side of the bed and resting her head on her dad's other shoulder. Castle wrapped both of his arms around each of his girls and leaned back against the headrest as Kate placed Emily in the middle of them.

"Hey little one, how are you today?" Kate cooed her daughter, running her hands up and down Emily's back as she nestled into both her and her boyfriend's sides.

"M'kay, Mommy." Emily said smiling up at her mom as her eyes grew heavy and her breathing evened out rapidly.

"Tired, baby?" Kate asked while her running hands continued to stroke Emily's back in a soothing manner. The nod she received from the toddler being the only answer that she was given before the child's body stilled completely.

He looked over at his daughter and placed a kiss onto the teenager's forehead and then repeated the action on to the toddler's forehead before smiling at his girlfriend. One gaze into her eyes and he knew that they were thinking the same thought; they looked just like a family. The idea should scare her, she knows that, it should make her want to go far away and lock both her and her daughter in her apartment and build a wall around their hearts. She has never introduced Emily to anyone before, to afraid that her daughter would get attached to them and then they would turn around and dump her because they were not ready to be a parent, and yet, her daughter was already breathing the same air as both her boyfriend and his daughter. But the thing that shocked herself the most was that she loves it.

She loves sleeping in Castle's bed with him, waking up to his kisses, both of their kids in the doorway waiting for snuggles, and acting as if they were a family by blood and marriage.

"Just because we aren't married or that your daughter isn't mind by blood, and vice versa, doesn't mean that we can't be a family." Castle's mouth appears at her skull as he whispers her mind into her own ear and she can feel the smile that spreads across his lips against her head. She lifts her head from his shoulder and tilts it up to look into his eyes, smiling back at her boyfriend and leaning into his lips just slightly as he ducks his head down to meet hers. They break apart slowly a few seconds later with an unspoken agreement that they would never make-out or take it too far in front of their kids, as to not scar them permanently.

"Awe!" Alexis's voice caused both adults to turn their heads towards the teen, Kate's head hiding in the crook of Castle's neck as he smiled at his daughter, finally happy to have found someone that Alexis could have as a role model in her life. "But, as cute as you two are, it's already lunch time and I am STARVING!"

"Well, I don't know about you guys, but I haven't had a burger, fries, and a milkshake from Remy's in forever!" Kate said as she began to arise from the king sized bed with Emily still sound asleep and nestled in her mother's arms.

"Sounds good to me." Castle replied, a smile still spread across his face.

"Sounds perfect to me, I'll go get dressed." Alexis said already out of the room and running up the stairs to her bedroom, leaving the adults laughing hysterically at the teen's actions.

"You would think that I starve her or something." Castle gasped trying to regain his breath as he began to get dressed. "I'll take Emily up the stairs and get her dressed for you; we both know that you won't be able to get up those stairs without any pain."

"Yeah, I know." Kate sighed pressing a kiss to her daughter's forehead before passing her along to Castle.

"I'd offer to help you get dressed but we both know that you have too much determination and pride to let anyone help you."

"I'll be fine, go get her dressed, I'm famished!"

"Alright," Castle said giving his girlfriend a chaste kiss before leaving the room.

They arrived at Remy's about an hour later and sat themselves in a booth next to the outside window with Emily and Alexis sitting opposite of each other on the window seat and their parents sat next to them on the outside. The restaurant was just beginning to buzz to life with business and employees going on their lunch breaks and eager to get a quick bite.

"So, what are we getting my lovely girls?" Castle asked as the waitress placed menus in front of each of them.

"I think I'm going to get a burger with fries and a strawberry milkshake." Kate said without even looking at the menu in front of her.

"Oh, me too, Kate. That sounds delicious." Alexis said smiling at her father's girlfriend.

"Me too!" Emily piped up from her place next to Kate slowly crawling on to her knees so she could see above the table.

"But a kids one." Kate clarified for their waitress while running her hands through her daughters hair.

"You know what; I believe that I will get a burger with fries and a chocolate milkshake." Castle said, gathering the menus up and handing them back to the waitress.

"Alright my darlings," the waitress, Ann Marie, began. "I will go place your orders, and grab the little missy over here and booster seat and some crayons with a coloring page. Now, does that sound good little missy?" The elder woman spoke with an accent from the Bronx and a gentle smile on her face that made everyone at the table feel at ease and strangely comforted with their waitress.

"YES, PLEASE!" Emily all but shouted and was quickly hushed by her mother who only meant it half-heartedly while chuckling along with everyone else.

"Thank you, ma'am." Castle turned to Ann Marie and said with a grateful smile on his face which was quickly mirrored by all occupants of the table.

Not long after, Ann Marie returned with all that she said she would and Kate scooted out of her seat as to let Castle help Emily get situated. It frustrated her; they all knew that, she was an independent, single Mom who couldn't even help her daughter into a booster seat because of her injuries. She felt Castle press a kiss to her forehead, whisper soothing words and promises against her temple as he held her for a minute and her body soaked in the strength that he provided. However, their simple moment was interrupted by a different waitress bring their food to the table.

"Wow! That was really fast." Alexis said while grabbing the ketchup and squirting herself a generous amount before passing it along to her dad.

"Don't complain Alexis. I haven't had one of these in what feels like forever!" Kate said as she stuffed her mouth with her burger and then taking a sip from her milkshake. Not a hint of shame spreading across her face when the rest of the table laughed at her as she moaned at the taste of her food and drink.

"Caswle, helwp pwease?" Emily asked while pointing to her food.

"Of course, my precious little angel." He answered smiling and winking at the little girl who giggled at the nickname. Then nodded his thanks to the teenager when she passed the toddler's food to her father for him to cut and pour a reasonably amount of ketchup on to the child's plate.

"Thank you, Rick." He heard his girlfriend say and paused for half a second, his first name taking him by surprise, knowing that she reserved that for only special occasions.

"Always, Kate." Castle replied offering her a genuine smile as he began to dig into his fries. He only looked up again when he could hear the slurping of a milkshake and stared in shock at her as she had finished all of her burger and fries with only a few sips of her milkshake left. "Woah, hey, babe, you may want to slow down. You just began eating real foods again and you don't want to upset her stomach or make yourself sick."

"Yeah, Kate, I think I'd have to agree with Dad on this one. We haven't even had our food for ten minutes." Alexis spoke up, a look of concern plastered across her face towards the detective.

"It's okay, guys. I feel fine, but I guess I didn't realize how hungry I was until I started eating my food. I need another milkshake though." Kate said with a sparkle of joy in her eyes at the idea of another milkshake.

"How about some water, Kate? Your still getting back to being fully healthy, and I just don't want to see you get sick or hurt again." Guilt immediately struck him in his heart as he watch the expression on her face slowly begin to drop, only for a second though, as to keep up a façade for their kids.

"Your right, Castle. I need to take it easy." Kate said with a fake smile plastered across her face. He played along with the dance that they knew so well.

"I'm sorry, what was that detective? I'm right? I think I need to get that in writing or recorded if you don't mind." Castle pretended to gasp and feel his pockets for a note pad of pen, even though they all knew that it was in his left, front coat pocket.

"Oh, I don't know, Castle. Why should I put that in writing or on a recording to let your ego feed off of for a while." She could play this game, for the sake of their kids, and she could even do it with a teasing smile and a glint in her eyes. Both of them turning their heads to their respective kids when the two of them started to laugh hysterically, most of their food gone with some of Emily's across her mouth causing Kate to chuckle.

"Come here, baby. Let me wipe your face for you, okay?" Kate grabbed a clean napkin from the stack at the end of the table and turned to wipe her daughter's mouth. The two Castle's not missing the slight grimace on the detective's face at having to twist her body sideways. Turning back around Kate caught the look of concern in Castle's eyes as he stared at her.

"I think we are all done here, why don't you take the girls and go get in the SUV while I go pay up front for our meal." Castle said moving out of his seat to let Alexis slide out. He turned back around when he recognized the slender fingers wrapping around his wrist to pull it out of his back pants pocket.

"Rick, let me pay for our half of it." His girlfriend said once she stood up and was standing next to him. "We had an agreement, remember?"

"How could I forget?" He asked as both of their minds drifted back to the night in her hospital room the evening before she was discharged when he was finally able to convince her to stay at his place. "And I'm not breaking our agreement; I just want to be able to buy my girls lunch to celebrate my gorgeous girlfriend being able to come home, okay?" He finished with a finger under her jaw and a kiss to her lips. "Now, go get in the SUV and I'll be there in a few minutes I promise."

"Fine. Come on girls; let's go get in the truck." Kate turned back around to see Alexis already carrying Emily on her hip towards the restaurants front doors.

"You better go catch up." Her boyfriend spoke up as he placed a gentle hand to the small of her back, pushing her in the direction of the entrance and exit to the building. "Here, take the keys and go get the car running." He took out the keys from his front pocket and placed them in her hand.

"I will, but don't take too long. I'm starting to get tired." She whispered her reply before beginning to walk towards the doors.

"I won't, and I know, Kate. I can tell," he called after her with a knowing look on his face. He took a moment and relinquished in the sound of his girlfriend's laughter and watched as she shook her head before tossing him a gentle smile as she walked out of the restaurant.

By time he got in the car with his seat belt on, it took him a total of four minutes.

"See, I told you that it wouldn't take me too long." He said with a cocky grin on his face as he checked to make sure that everyone was buckled up properly. "Now, let's go back home and just relax for the rest of the afternoon."

"Mowie marwthon!" Emily shouted and threw her hands in the air.

"Sounds good to me." Alexis said from her place behind the driver's seat.

"Sounds wonderful to me, Castle." Kate said lacing her fingers threw his as he rested their joined hands on the armrest.

He threw a smile to each of his girls, momentarily grateful for each person seated in his SUV, as he pulled out into traffic and headed back to the loft.

AN: Please comment, like, and review.