Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop

"Mom!"

The thing that hit the side of her bed before climbing up onto her back had to be her daughter. Instead of continuing across the bed, Al sat on the small of Kate's back, leaning down to wrap her arms around her mother's neck. "Mom! Wake up!"

"No," Kate moaned, burying her head into her pillow. "Five more minutes, Al."

Abandoning Kate, Al tumbled over into the valley of the bed, throwing herself onto Castle's side. Kate heard the "oof" from Rick as Al jumped onto him. She rolled over, watching as Al sat on his chest, hands framing his face, wiggling his head from side to side.

"Rick, wake Mom up!" she demanded as soon as Castle's eyes peeked open.

"Mmm…" he hummed, looking over at Kate for a moment. "Why?"

Al crossed her arms, frowning. "Cause."

Closing his eyes again, Castle picked Al up around the waist and deposited her back between him and Kate. "Go to sleep, Al."

Kate barely stifled the giggle before Al reattached herself to her back. "Mom! It's my birthday!"

"Oh, is that today?" Kate sighed. "I knew something important was going on. Totally slipped my mind."

"But… but baseball…"

The look of pure heartbreak on the girl's face had Kate breaking into a smile, shifting to tickle Al's sides. "Kidding! Of course we're going to baseball tonight. School first, though."

"Don't wanna," Al managed to gasp out between fits of laughter. "Skip school!"

"Not gonna happen, kid. Up we get," Kate said, dumping Al on the side of the bed, giving her a nudge toward the door. "Go brush your teeth. We'll get breakfast started."

Al groaned but still disappeared out of the bedroom. As soon as the girl was around the corner, Castle tugged Kate over so she was sprawled over his chest. He reached up, brushing her hair away from her face, giving the strands a pull as their lips met.

"Morning," he whispered, running his fingers along her hairline.

Curling her hand around the back of his neck, Kate lowered her lips to his again. "Morning. Need to go make breakfast for the birthday girl."

"Is she really six?"

Kate tilted her head, scooting away from him. "What type of question is that?" she asked, searching her drawers for the oversized hoodie to fight off the morning chill. "Of course she's six. I have very clear memories of this day six years ago." Mostly of laying in the hospital bed with her dad at her side, exhausted from a labor that lasted into the early morning.

"No, I meant, what time? Got to be official, you know," he said, propping his head up on his hand.

"Trust me, it's official. Now get out of bed so you can help make waffles."

He lingered in her bed, watching as she went to heat up the waffle maker, start making the batter. The whole thing was surreal. Waking up with her next to him, Al running in to jump into bed, then Kate off to make breakfast before getting Al off to school.

And he wanted that. Every day. Not just the days when they were too tired to call a car service or a cab to drive him back to his apartment.

Asking her to move in with him crossed his mind as he got up, socked feet curling against the rug Kate had put down once the weather really hit freezing. Later, he told himself. When it wasn't Al's birthday and they weren't going to spend the entire day together and go to a Yankees game that night. The tension if she said 'no' would not make the night go smoothly for Al. But soon. He wanted, needed, to ask her soon.

The kitchen smelled of raspberries and coffee. Kate was humming softly as she poured batter into the waffle press, licking the bit of tan liquid off of her thumb. "How many do you want?" she asked, reaching up for two mugs.

"I got that," he said, taking the cups and sneaking the pot of coffee from in front of her. "And just one."

"Al'll have orange juice in her…"

"Red cup," he cut in, grinning when Kate narrowed her eyes in his direction. "I know." Castle took the girl's red plastic cup, the one with the white flowers on the sides, pushed the milk and diet soda out of the way in the fridge, and poured out the orange juice.

He handed Kate her mug, placing Al's at her spot at the table. When he turned around, he heard Al's feet in the hallway. "Quick," he whispered, jogging over to Kate again, setting his mug on the counter behind her. "One last one before she shows up."

"We're not hiding from my-"

Castle cut her off with a warm kiss, one flavored by the coffee she had just sipped at. The little moan she let out as he nipped at her lower lip made him want to boost her up onto the counter and see what other noises he could draw from her. But Al was running over so Castle stepped back, fingers trailing off her hip.

"Waffles? Yay!" she shouted as she sat down.

"You bet," Kate said, her hand squeezing his wrist as she maneuvered the waffle from the iron. "And guess what else we have."

"Whipped cream?"

She brandishes the can from the fridge and Al screamed with delight. "What type of birthday would it be without whipped cream?"

"Yes!"

Kate sprayed the chilled topping onto the waffle, added rainbow sprinkles, and brought it over to Al with a fork. "Enjoy, birthday girl," she said, kissing Al's cheek.

Castle had poured out another serving of batter into the iron, closing it, and turning around to watch as Kate returned to the kitchen. "Save some of that whipped cream, Kate," he murmured into her ear, feeling the shiver that ran up her body.

"You're impossible," she muttered, taking a sip of her coffee as they waited for the waffle to finish. "Don't you have a book to promote or a chapter to write or something?"

"My day's clear. I'm all yours."

Nudging him aside, Kate took the second waffle out, sliding it over to him. "Well I'm not going into work today so you can come out and help me find a present of her," she said quietly, starting in on the third waffle.

"Happy to aid the NYPD in any way possible. Though you should know that my mother can't make the game but has commanded me to give Al the present she left at my place. Maybe after the shopping trip you can drop me off there and I'll get a car service to bring us to the game?"

"Not a limo," Kate warned, pointing the fork at his face. "Don't care if it's her birthday, we are not showing up at the stadium in a limo."

"Deal. Your waffle's burning," he said, cutting into his after pouring maple syrup over the one he had on his plate. When Kate saved the slightly-burnt breakfast, Castle held out his plate. "Trade?"

Kate shook her head. "It's fine. Al, you nearly done?"

Whipped cream lined her mouth, dotted with pink and yellow and green sprinkles, Al said, "Done! School then baseball?"

"School then baseball," Kate confirmed, taking Al's empty plate off the table. "Drink your orange juice then go get your backpack. We'll drop you off at school."

Al slurped down the juice, put the cup on the table with a snap, then ran off toward her room for her school supplies. Castle collected the cup, placed it in the sink next to the girl's plate, and took another bite of his waffle.

"Any idea what you're going to get her?" he asked.

Kate shrugged. "No idea. Something usually hits me when I go look around. Why?"

"I've had something stashed away for a while," he said. "Just want to make sure we don't get the same thing because how embarrassing for you would that be?"

She gave him a shove on his shoulder. "For me?"

"Well, yes. You'd be the one getting the present last so you'd be the one with the shame placed on your shoulders." He dodged the next attack, carrying his plate with him.

"Need to give me a hint at least!"

"Ah, ah, ah," he responded, tapping her nose lightly with the tip of his fork. "Use those detective skills, Beckett. You'll need to figure it out yourself."

Playing dirty, she sidled up against him, her body a long, warm line against his back. She wrapped her arms around his waist, hands inching up to his pectorals as she rested her chin on his shoulder. "Please, Rick. Just a teeny, tiny hint?"

Swallowing hard, Castle shook his head. "Nope. On your own." He ducked out of her hold, heading back toward the bedroom. "Come on and get dressed, Kate. Got to get Al to school."

They dressed quickly because Al was chanting in the living room, "School then game," over and over. As soon as they re-emerged, dressed in jeans, he in a button down, her in a warm brown sweater, Al jumped to her feet and skidded over to the door. "Rick, coming to baseball?"

"Of course, kid."

"Best birthday ever."

"Too slow," Al muttered, bouncing on her toes next to the door.

Kate grabbed her purse, checking the side pocket to make sure her off-duty piece was tucked there along with her badge. Not planning on busting drunk game-goers' asses but better safe than sorry. "Sorry, kid. We'll still get there with plenty of time."

Al tugged her baseball hat down over her face, growling a little under her breath. "Don't want to wait."

"Six year olds have patience, Alexandra. Plus, Rick's picking us and he hasn't called yet so…"

The phone on the kitchen counter vibrated and Al pounced on it, hitting 'answer' without looking at the ID. "Hi. Oh, hi, Rick!"

Kate sighed, shaking her head as the girl babbled about how slow Mom was and how excited she was about baseball. While Al chattered, Kate double-checked the contents of her purse for her wallet and the tickets for the game. "Come on, kid," she said, helping Al into her coat since she refused to put the phone down. Kate resettled the cap, white with navy pinstripes, on Al's head before herding her out of the apartment.

"Coming," Al said, bopping along down the hallway to the elevator, brown ponytail hitting her back every step. In the elevator, she handed Kate's phone back with a smile

The car was nondescript, something Kate appreciated since taking a limo to a game was ludicrous. Castle got out, opening the back door for them with a bow toward Al. "Your carriage, my ladies," he said with a wink toward Kate.

After Al slid into the backseat, Castle leaned over the door to press a kiss to Kate's cheek. "Don't you look beautiful tonight?"

"It'll be even more beautiful if the Yankees kick the butts of the Sox," she returned.

"Ah. One of those hardcore fans. Tell me, Kate, did you paint your chest?"

Her glare was the only response before she pulled the door closed behind her. She could hear him chuckling as he got into the passenger seat.

The driver dropped the three of them off outside of the Hard Rock Café, as close to Gate 6 as he could get with the traffic pre-game. Kate had to run after Al as she started bounding away from the car. Castle nudged Kate away, scooping Al up onto his shoulders so that she was towering over the crowds, able to see everything.

"What seats do we have?" he asked, following Kate's lead as she walks toward the entrance.

She turned, glanced up at her daughter, hands resting on Castle's head as she watches the other people from under the rim of her Yankees hat. "We're Section 205," she said, digging into the depths of her purse for the envelope with their tickets. "Uh, Row 8."

The place was chaotic once they passed through security and the ticket counter. Kate was glad that Castle had Al securely on his shoulders – less of a chance of her getting lost in the bustle – as they wove through the crowd to the right toward their section. She kept her purse against her side, aware of pickpockets that hung out in the areas right inside the gates.

"Mom, ice cream!" Al said, pointing at the cart with Carvel ice cream cones just outside of Section 207.

"Later, kid. Food first, then ice cream."

Section 205 was packed – right in line with homerun balls – but Castle managed to find their row, claiming three seats next to one another. He lowered Al into the middle seat after brushing off the kernels of popcorn someone had left there during the last game.

"Don't lose your hat," he warned, straightening the cap before sitting down to Al's right. "Might forget which team you're rooting for."

"I 'member," Al said fiercely. "Red Sox are stupid."

There was a ripple of laughter from around them, a few heads turning back to see who had spoken, but Al was already too busy sticking her tongue out at Castle to be bothered with the strangers. Kate watched as Castle subtly draped his arm over the back of Al's chair, protecting her but also allowing himself access to Kate's shoulder, rubbing the fabric of her jacket over her skin.

The sun was still out, barely, so Kate shed the mossy green windbreaker, rolling it up to stuff into her purse. Knowing her hair would tangle in the wind and probably end up in someone's nachos or beer, she scraped it back into a ponytail with the elastic around her wrist.

"You want food, Al, so you can have ice cream a little later?" she asked.

Al was observing the field, some of the players warming up on the sides of the diamond. "Uh-huh."

"Hot dog?"

"Yes, please. With ketchup."

Kate tweaked the visor of the baseball hat. "Will do, ma'am. What about you, Rick? Want anything?"

While Al's eyes were locked on the players, Castle's were busy charting a course of Kate's body. The sneakers and dark jeans were nothing new but the jersey, white with the Yankees's pinstripes, was cut so close to her body that it skimmed her curves as if it was made for her. There was the barest hint of cleavage, not enough to scream for attention but just enough to make Castle drool a little.

"Hey? Rick?" she said, waving a hand in front of his face. "Back to earth, space cadet."

"Uh… What were you asking?"

Kate laughed, the sound heard even over the roar of the people filling the stadium. "Dinner. What do you want?"

"Hot dog's fine. Relish, mustard." He shifted, reaching for his back pocket, until Kate slapped at his arm.

"No. I've got dinner, you get ice cream and popcorn later. Al, stay with Rick, okay?"

The girl nodded absentmindedly, leaning forward in her seat, her feet still not touching the cement floor.

Kate fought her way back onto the concourse, knowing there was a hot dog stand nearby. There was a line – everyone wanted food before the game started – but she was willing to wait the ten minutes until she was able to balance the three hot dogs and two bottles of water in her hands and get back to their seats.

Al was trying to explain the game to Castle who was playing dumb. "Then, then they run to the plates."

"Bases," Kate corrected, handing Castle his food and one of the waters. "Those are bases."

"Food!" Al said, abandoning the account of baseball.

Kate sat down, ripping some of the foil off of the hot dog so that Al wouldn't bite into it, and handed it to the girl. "Careful. It's hot still."

She still supervised as Al plowed through the hot dog, ketchup smeared on her cheeks and nose by the time Al crumbled up the foil to hand to Kate. "Done!"

Castle leaned over, wiped his napkin over Al's nose and face to get the ketchup off. "Ice cream later once the game starts. Need you to keep me updated on what's going on." His fingers caught the sleeve of Kate's jersey, gave it a tug. "Play-by-play, you know."

"You're silly," Al said, scooting back into the chair. "It's baseball. It's easy."

During the sixth inning, Castle ducked out to get them ice cream from the cart. The Sox were winning and from the groans being emitted by the Becketts, they needed to be cheered up. Ice cream was a surefire way to get someone back into the spirit of the game.

Kate smiled at him as he inched out of the row, her hand brushing his knee as he walked by. "She'll usually have an ice cream sandwich, vanilla. And a chocolate sundae."

He got back just as the Yankees finally, *finally*, got a home run. "Celebration ice cream instead of mourning ice cream. Much better," he said, handing Kate the sundae before shimming his way to Al's other side. "And an ice cream sandwich for you, kid."

Al ate slowly, nibbling at the cookies before working on the vanilla soft-serve smushed between the two wafers.

"She's getting sleepy," Kate whispered behind Al's head, holding a spoonful of vanilla ice cream and chocolate syrup out for Castle. "She'll be out by the time the game's over."

Sure enough, a few innings later, Al was slumped in her seat, feet dangling over the ground now littered with their neighbors' peanut shells and an empty beer can. Her hat was barely still on her head, her ponytail through the loop on the back the only thing holding it in place. Al's face was smashed up against Castle's side, the little puddle of drool invisible against the black t-shirt he was wearing.

"Let's get her out of here before the game ends," Castle suggested, finishing off the last of his cone. "I'll call the car service, have them meet up back at Gate 6."

Kate pulled her jacket back on, gathered up their trash as Castle took Al up into his arms, holding her against his chest. The girl's arms wrapped around his neck as she sighed, snuggling deeper into the hold.

"Game over?" Al mumbled sleepily.

"Game over," Kate confirmed, running a hand over Al's back.

"We win?"

"Of course we won, kid. Go to sleep."

The concourse was calmer. People were rushing for last-minute snacks or souvenirs while Castle cleared a path for Kate to follow toward the exit. The same black car was waiting outside across the street, the lights flashing when the driver saw them.

"You take the front seat," he said, his hand against the small of Kate's back. "I'll keep her asleep in the back until we drop you off."

Before getting in, Kate pressed a kiss to his lips, one that tasted of sugar and chocolate and strawberry from his cone. "Stay." When she let her heels hit the pavement again, she smiled. "Stay the night again."

As Al snuffled against his neck in her sleep, Castle smiled softly back at her. "Okay. Okay."

And as the fans from inside the stadium behind them cheered for another run, Castle felt his own heart cheer from within his chest and wondered how the sound didn't wake Al up.

Maybe asking them to move in with him wasn't such a far-shot after all.