Kate spends less and less time in her actual bedroom upstairs, and spending every night in his bed becomes a pattern, a routine they fall into seamlessly. It's been two months and waking up next to him is still as comforting as it was that first night, that overwhelming sense of warmth and security all wrapped into one far too satisfying to pass up.
Alexis asks about it one afternoon, just as they're sitting in the living room with a bowl of watermelon split between the three of them.
"You don't live upstairs anymore?"
Kate blinks, her mouth opening as she looks at the girl. "Well, no," she starts. "I still live upstairs. I just... Castle?"
"Kate's room is still upstairs, Pumpkin. You know how we're dating, right?"
Alexis nods. "Yeah."
"Well, when couples are dating—older couples, something you won't have to worry about for a long time," he adds on, shrugging at Kate's nudge and hushed Castle, "they spend more time together, and sharing a bed at night is one of the ways they do that."
"So you're sharing a bed at night but Kate's room is still upstairs? Like when I used to get nightmares and I'd sleep in your bed?"
He laughs. "Kind of," he says. "But without the nightmares."
"Oh, okay," Alexis decides, accepting the explanation. "I don't blame you, Kate, his bed is really comfy."
Kate has to stifle a snort. "You're definitely right about that."
And with that, Alexis jumps off of the couch, grabbing her adult coloring book—"I want real designs to color in, dad, not just Disney princesses," she'd said—and sprinting up the stairs.
"That was... unexpected," she says, turning to him a few seconds later. One leg is tucked comfortably beneath her body, the other curled up into her chest.
He nods. "I'd say," he breathes, leaning over to put the bowl back onto the table. "As smart as she is for her age, she's still blissfully ignorant about the finer details of relationships and for that I am extremely grateful."
Kate huffs out a laugh. "Don't worry, Castle, you've got at least a few years until she'll learn of the deep dark secrets," she teases, brushing a hand over his knee as she watches his pained expression. "It'll be fine."
"I need more than a few years."
"Sorry, can't guarantee that. But wouldn't you rather she hear it from you and not someone at school?"
"I'd rather she not hear it at all," he whines.
"Castle."
He sighs. "I know, I know. You're right, it's probably best that she hears it from me." His eyes find hers. "Unless it'd be best coming from another girl. You know, girl to girl, woman to woman."
Kate grins, shaking her head. "Tell you what, when the time comes, I'll help you out."
"Seriously?"
"Of course," she shrugs. "Obviously an eight year old doesn't need to know about this, but in a few years it'll be good. It's important to get the right information." When she lifts her head, she's met with a complete look of awe. "What?"
"In a few years?"
What—oh.
"Yeah, Castle."
His arm slides around her shoulders. "You think you'll still be putting up with me in a few years?"
She laughs. "I had planned on it, yeah."
His smile widens, eyes locked on hers in a look of pure affection as his hands come to cup her jaw, fingers trailing over the soft skin of her cheek. He dips down, slanting his lips over hers in a soft but passionate kiss, his forehead resting against hers, noses brushing when they finally pull apart.
"I love you, you know," he breathes, and she freezes, heart hammering in her chest, every nerve ending lit on fire. She starts to pull back, but his hands grip at her shoulders, holding her in place. "Don't. You don't have to say anything, okay? I just needed you to know. I love you so much, Kate."
She pulls her bottom lip between her teeth, chewing on the skin as she takes a deep breath.
He loves her.
His eyes are still on her, growing more concerned the longer she stays silent. "I didn't just freak you out, did I? You're not about to run for the hills?"
A smile creeps onto her face as she shakes her head, a small laugh escaping. "No," she promises, lacing their fingers together. "Not running for the hills, not freaked out. Promise. Just... surprised."
"Surprised?"
"I didn't expect that, you know?" she says, letting her back fall against the couch cushion.
"You're extraordinary, Kate. You're wonderful with Alexis, you put up with me," he adds with a laugh. "You've come so far since I first met you, and that's only the tip of it."
She smirks. "Just the tip, right?"
"Katherine Beckett, I never," he gapes, fingers traveling down to tickle at her sides until she's squirming against him, hands furiously trying to push him away.
"Technically, you have," she manages between breaths as she calms down, the smile still on her face.
Castle's mouth drops, a low groan forming in his throat. "I can't argue with you there," he laughs. "I'm glad you're not freaked out."
"Me either. And Castle, I—"
He shakes his head. "No, you don't have to say anything yet. I didn't say it to get something in return, okay?"
She nods, deciding to just twist until she's in a better position to melt into his body, her head resting comfortably on his chest.
"I know you didn't," she says a few seconds later. "But you should know the feeling's mutual."
Feeling his breathing hitch, she lets her fingers trail along his forearm.
"Yeah?" he says softly.
"Yeah," she confirms. "I love you too, Castle. More than I ever realized I could."
Instead of a reply, he just tightens his hold on her, his fingers running through her hair, creating a soothing repetition that has her body calming down and her eyes falling closed.
"I'm gonna fall asleep on you if you keep that up."
He chuckles, the vibrations reverberating throughout her body. "I'm okay with that. Always willing to be your pillow."
She hums, snuggling in closer then, her ear pressed just over his heart, the rhythm of its beating playing like a lullaby. His fingers continue to trail from her forehead all the way down to the ends of her hair, and her eyelids grow heavier with each passing second.
She wakes to a small weight on her chest and something wet tickling at her chin. Her head flops to the side, eyes slowly peeling open, and she realizes that she's no longer on the couch, curled into Castle's side. She's in his bed, lying on top of his blankets.
"Castle, what—"
Expecting to see him at her side, an arm draped across her chest and providing the weight she feels, she turns her head, but he's not there.
Instead, she's face to face with bright blue eyes blinking at her, tiny paws kneading at her collarbone. A rough tongue darts out, licking at her jaw as its owner moves forward, falling backwards when Kate sits up against the headboard.
Her mouth drops open, a smile forming across her lips as she lets out a chuckle. Pepper climbs eagerly up onto her chest again, claws digging into the fabric of her shirt, resisting when she tries to pull her off. She cradles the kitten to her body, fingers rubbing between her eyes as she carefully swings her legs out of the bed, padding out of the room, through the office, and into the living room where Castle's sitting on the couch, his laptop balanced on his knees.
"Castle?"
He looks up, a grin on his face. "I see you found your friend."
"She found me," she corrects, cuddling the furry friend in question. "Started licking at my jaw and I thought it was you."
Castle laughs, closing his laptop and placing it onto the cushion next to him before he stands, striding the few feet to her. One hand curls around her bicep and the other on her shoulder as he leans down for a kiss.
"Could've been me," he says lowly, sending a wave of heat through her body.
She rolls her eyes. "Castle, seriously, what's she doing here?" Her eyes cut down to the kitten, who's finally calmed down and is lying comfortably in her arms, her tiny body resting in the crook of Kate's elbow.
"I went to pick her up while you were napping."
"Why?"
"Because I saw how attached you got when we went the other week, and I wanted it to be a nice surprise," he says, smiling. "Plus, I think that one's just as attached to you."
Pepper's nudging her tiny head against Kate's hand, purring contentedly with each stroke of her fingers between the ears.
"We don't have any supplies," she points out, but Castle just gestures to the island. There's a bag of litter sitting in a litter box, and at least three bags of food and toys beside it. "Of course you've already bought it all."
He steps forward, reaching out to pet the kitten. "You're happy, right?"
She laughs. "Of course," she assures him with a nod. "Thank you."
"Hey, we could use a little one around here." Her eyes snap to his, wide and surprised, and he laughs, shaking his head, a comforting hand reaching out to rest at her elbow. "I meant Pepper, a little furry one," he clarifies. "Not that I wouldn't want..."
"Castle."
"I know," he says. "I know. We're nowhere near ready for that yet, but I'm not going to lie and say I don't want it someday."
She takes a deep breath, chewing on her bottom lip. "Wow."
"Is it that shocking?"
"I mean—I guess not, no. It's just... a lot." Pausing, she looks up at him. "Really?"
He smiles. "Don't worry, I'm not suggesting we start right now. But yeah, really," he nods. "I've pictured it, I'll admit. A little girl with my hair and your gorgeous eyes, all energy and full of resilience."
Bowing her head, she lets her hair fall into her face, covering the slight blush that creeps up. This is terrifying, talk of a baby—someday—and knowing he's imagined it, straight down to the eyes and hair, the personality. But what's even more terrifying, she thinks, is that shes's pictured it too.
A little boy, though, with soft brown curls and bright blue eyes to match his father's.
He's right, that they're nowhere near being ready for a baby. She's nowhere near ready to be a mother, not even remotely; she's not even twenty two, she's got—they've got—plenty of time.
"Sounds like a handful," she jokes, eyes on the kitten that's begun to knead on her palms. Kate smiles, rubbing her back, an apology for ignoring her petting duty while she got lost in thought.
"You bet. But worth it," he says. "Always is."
"If we get one as wonderful as Alexis, then I don't doubt it."
He laughs. "She really is pretty great."
"Where is she, anyway?" she asks, looking around the living room but catching no sight of the girl. "Does she know you just brought home a kitten?"
"Ah, she does not. But she's upstairs." He moves, walking to the bottom of the staircase, bracing a hand on the railing as he calls up. "Alexis! Come down here, please!"
There's rustling above them and then she's bouncing down the steps, a question dying on the tip of her tongue the second she looks out and sees Kate standing there with a kitten in her arms. Her eyes light up, mouth dropping open, and she runs, jumping off the last step and sliding across the floor until she practically slams into Kate's legs, tiny arms wrapped around her body.
"Kate! You're holding a kitten!"
Kate chuckles. "I am," she says, looking down, hunching over so the girl can get a better look at the kitten. "This is Pepper."
Alexis reaches out gently, eyes sparkling as she pets the kitten's back. Pepper twists in Kate's arms, turning around to look at the source of new contact, and she must approve of the girl's petting because she settles back down.
"She likes you," Kate comments, smiling down at Alexis.
"Daddy, she likes me!"
Castle grins. "What's not to like, Pumpkin?" he says, ruffling the girl's hair. "Pepper here is very sweet."
"Whose is she?" Alexis asks, looking up at her father.
"She's Kate's."
Alexis turns to Kate. "She's yours?! Does that mean she gets to stay here?" She turns to Castle again. "Daddy, does this mean Pepper stays here?"
Kate laughs. "Yup, Pepper's going to live here from now on. We've got her a bed and food and everything," she says, pointing behind Alexis to the pile of kitten products still sitting on the island.
"Really?" The girl shifts on her feet, eyes darting between Kate and Castle, falling down to the kitten, and then coming back up to the adults. "Dad, really? You're not joking?"
"We're not joking," he says, laughing at the excitement. "You've got to help with her, okay?"
Alexis nods eagerly. "Yes! I'll help clean up after her, and I'll play with her every day. Can I hold her?"
"Sure," Kate says, nodding. "Don't squeeze too tight, though. Gently."
The pure concentration on Alexis's face as Kate transfers the kitten into her arms is almost laughable, her tongue peeking out and face completely serious as she takes hold of the ball of fur, cuddling her tiny body against her chest. She walks off into the living room, taking a seat on the couch, Pepper purring in her lap.
"That's sweet."
Castle nods. "You picked a good one, Kate."
"Hmm?"
"Pepper," he says. "You got attached to a good one. Some kittens are vicious."
She quirks a brow. "Vicious?"
"Absolutely vicious. They'll chew off your arm if you even try to pet them. Chew it off, Kate. You'll just try to give a nice pet and you'll be pulling away a bloody stump where your arm used to be."
Kate huffs a laugh, shaking her head. "You're ridiculous."
"It's not ridiculous when it's true!"
"Whatever you say," she says, stalking away from him and heading towards the kitchen. "You want a snack, or are you just going to sit there and sulk about vicious kittens of times past?"
He mumbles under his breath, and she's pretty sure she makes out something that sounds a bit like, "you won't be laughing when you need a bionic arm."
"Let's go out."
She hums. "Go out where?"
"The park, a restaurant, for a walk," he shrugs. "Let's just get out of the loft."
"What about Alexis? Pepper?"
He smiles. "Alexis can come, and Pepper will be fine here for a few hours at the most. She'll probably be napping anyway. I'll tell you, Kate, that kitten really like to sleep."
Kate laughs. "Well she is still a kitten, you know. Resting is a big part of their daily activities."
"I know," he sighs dramatically. "I just want her to play with me."
"Aw, are you feeling rejected? Don't worry, I'm sure it's not you," she teases, rubbing his arm. "She'll play with you when we get back from wherever we're going, okay? I'm sure she'll be awake by then."
"I sure hope so. Now, what do you feel like doing?"
She shakes her head. "I don't know, Castle, you're the one who suggested going out," she reminds. "Didn't you have something in mind?"
He shrugs. "Not really," he admits. "I just figured it'd be nice to get out for a while. It's so beautiful out, we shouldn't waste it inside all day."
"I can't argue with you there."
"Okay, so our options are... a movie?"
Scrunching her nose up, she shakes her head again. "I don't think there's much playing right now. Besides, you want to get out, not go sit in a stuffy theater for two and a half hours."
"Good point. A restaurant? It can be an outdoor one, sit on the patios instead of inside. Like one of those grills."
She hums. "Always a good choice. It's still early, though, so what do we do before dinner?"
"Hmm. We've already gone skating," he says, and she nods. Not that she wouldn't go again if he really wanted to, but it's too nice out to spend time inside of a giant ice box since all of the outdoor rinks have been shut down for the summer. "How about..."
"How about we ask Alexis if there's anything she wants to do?"
Castle grins, snapping his fingers. "You're so smart, you know that?"
"So I've been told," she drawls.
"Alexis," he calls, turning to where the girl's sitting indian style on the floor, Pepper nipping at her hands when she teases her. "What do you say we go out for a few hours?"
"And do what?" the girl asks. "Who?"
He chuckles. "You, me, and Kate, silly. Who else would it be?"
"Wanted to make sure Kate was coming, dad," she shrugs, looking up at him. Kate's smile softens then, her heart swelling in her chest. This kid. "Where are we going?"
"That's what we wanted to ask you," Kate chimes in, walking into the room and taking a seat on the couch, just above Alexis. "We're going to go out to eat later, but is there anything that you want to do in the meantime?"
Alexis thinks about it, a hand coming to rest at her chin. "Anything?"
"Within reason, Pumpkin," Castle laughs.
"Can we go to the Statue of Liberty?" she asks, but then her eyes widen and she shakes her head. "No, no! Can we go to the zoo?"
Kate stifles her laughter. How did she go from the Statue of Liberty to the zoo? The two aren't exactly similar.
"I think we can handle the zoo," Castle says after a few seconds of pretending to ponder. He looks to her. "What do you say, Kate? You up for a trip to the zoo?"
She grins. "Definitely."
Alexis beams, happily jumping up from her spot on the floor to run upstairs and get ready. They try to tell her what she's wearing is fine, but she insists that this is what she's wearing around the loft, she can't wear this to the zoo because it's not zoo appropriate. Though, maybe it is best she doesn't wear a sundress and flip flops; there's sure to be a lot of walking happening in the next few hours.
She knows from experience that flip flops are not the choice footwear for extended periods of walking.
"Has she ever been to the Statue of Liberty?" Kate asks, curious as to why that was the first thing Alexis thought of. Castle shakes his head. "Not even on a school trip?"
"Surprisingly, no," he says. "But we'll handle the zoo today, take her to the Statue of Liberty some other time if she still wants to." His eyes light up. "We can even get those hats!"
She laughs. "What hats?"
"You know, the crown hats! They're green, and—okay, so they're not really hats, so much as... I don't know what they'd be considered, really? They have a hole where your face goes, and then the crown sits on top of your head and it's the same one that the statue has. It's like you're the statue," he explains excitedly, arms gesturing wildly as he tries to paint the picture for her.
"Sounds exactly like something you'd wear proudly."
"I would," he says confidently. "And then we can go up to the top, go up to the crown and look down at the water below. It'll be so cool, Kate."
Her head shakes, an arm patting him on the back. "Let's focus on getting through the zoo for now, yeah?"
So, apparently there will be three more chapters after this (including the epilogue). I wanted to add a few things last minute and what was supposed to be one chapter ended up being 7k, so it's split between this and the next one. Thank you all for your incredible comments, and I hope you enjoy this one as well.