Disclaimer: The wording is mine but the characters aren't

Well, that's most of the hard stuff out of the way for now.

Thanks for the reviews, they're really heartening.

OOOOOOOOO

"Is it bad that I kind of hoped at the time that you were getting the same flack that I was?"

She smiled a little. "Partners in crime?"

"Something like that. Do you have a spare toothbrush?"

"What would you do if I said no?"

"I'd just let you deal with my morning breath tomorrow."

OOOOOOOOO

"This isn't going to work."

She didn't worry about waking him up, from the way he was breathing there was no way he had fallen asleep.

"She had to cuff our left hands together, didn't she?"

"Probably knew we would never last 24 hours if we couldn't use our right hands. Especially at work."

"Castle?"

"Shut up?"

"No." she snorted. "Can we swap pillows? I like my pillow."

"But this one smells good," he whined. He seemed to have perked up a little.

"It's mine. I already have to sleep on the other side of the bed, so give me back my pillow."

"No." He really sounded like a child.

"Castle."

"Fine." He sighed and she felt the move as he levered himself up and slid the pillow out. He took hold of it in his right hand and tried to toss it over to her but in the dark it ended up smacking her in the face.

"Castle!"

"Sorry!"

She took her spare pillow and deliberately smacked him with it. One to his legs so he squirmed up to defend himself and then another to his now raised and defenseless head.

"Beckett!" He couldn't disguise the laugh. "Not fair!"

She laughed.

"You think that's funny, huh?" he continued. "You should just be glad this jacket is tight enough across the shoulders that I can't bust out and kick your ass."

Her eyes slammed shut. Did he really have to remind her of how well that jacket fit him when they were lying in her bed, breathless from laughing?

"As if," she managed. He sounded so happy. If he had a tail it would be wagging.

She wondered in a pillow fight with her was on the list of Beckett-fantasies he would bring up every so often.

"Don't doubt me," he warned her. "Alexis is always the pillow-fight champion at her sleep-overs and she learned from a master."

"I have a feeling you're not talking about Martha."

"And mess up her hair? Are you kidding?"

"Noted."

They tried to settle back down. The warmth of him was bathing one side of her, she had her pillow back and it was more comfortable but it smelled of Castle. His warmth and his scent were too relaxing. She felt that if she just curled up to him she could sleep for a week. In the privacy of her own mind, she could admit that she liked this.

"Still awake?" he asked.

"Barely," she admitted.

She never slept on her back let alone in leather, but as his hand crept around hers and draw them closer to his side, she felt herself concentrating on how content she was.

Could it be that easy one day?

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Wow. She crashed fast. That pillow must really be something.

Though he was surprised and a little sad to see how dark the circles under her eyes were when she took the concealer off. She hadn't been sleeping. Mind you, this case had been running them ragged for the last few days.

He couldn't wear makeup to the precinct without jeopardizing his masculinity any more than he already had, so he was almost grateful for the case. That way he could explain the circles he knew had been forming under his own eyes. He was relieved he had managed to avoid talking about it tonight because he wasn't sure he had the strength left to go back there again – especially not with Kate.

Why haven't you talked to her? Kate had asked. Why hadn't he, Mr. Mom, talked to his daughter when she so obviously needed someone to talk to? Kate had no idea how much he hated that Alexis had never even tried. She was too perceptive sometimes. She knew her father wasn't as happy-go-lucky as he projected himself to be. She knew that day in the cemetery had knocked him. The day in the hospital had knocked him and the summer had broken him.

But Kate didn't know that. Tonight though she had started to put the pieces together.

In a perfect world, she would offer to get over it together. But he couldn't do that, he had to stay strong for her. Because it wasn't a perfect world.

And if he couldn't even let Alexis see him broken and let them heal together, how was he supposed to help Kate?

The city lights came in through a high window and gave him just enough light to see her face. The light hung gently on the sharp lines. Her nose and her cheek bones.

She looked a lot younger and peaceful in sleep.

Gentle.

He wanted to get his hands on the people who had been responsible for taking that away from her. He wanted to get the cross hairs off her back and the weight off his own. Everyday he didn't tell her about the dark board in his office the weight got heavier. Today it had almost crushed him. She had been open with him, even after he had exploded at her.

He knew it was hard, even painful for her but she did it.

And his appreciation of her increased tenfold even as guilt coiled low in him.

One day he wanted to tell her. To help her and to let her help him because he was pretty sure at the moment she was the only one who could help him.

But she didn't remember that day.

And she was still dealing with enough without adding any more guilt to her burden.

She was a mess after she talked to Lanie that first time. And that was even after she had put herself together as much as she could.

And when she found out about what had happened the days after she walked back into his life, she would run back out of it. Mr. Smith. Could there be a worse name?

Trust.

He didn't trust her not to run. He didn't trust himself enough to have the strength to stop her.

And the cuffs were cutting in.

But she was on to him now and she would be able to tell in the morning if he hadn't slept. He hoped that having her so close would keep the dreams away.

He was watching her. Strange how she had gotten so used to it that she could tell without looking.

From the feel of the mattress and the warmth against her side she figured he had moved on to his side, probably to spare his left arm and shoulder being over his chest all night.

A light pull behind her ear almost made her open eyes, thinking he had realised she was awake. But she kept them closed and her breath even and the rhythmic tugging continued. He was playing with her hair. He probably had a lock and was playing with it between his fingers.

The simple intimacy caught at her and she couldn't deny herself a quick look to see if she was right.

By the time her eyes adapted to the light he had noticed her eyes were open and he had frozen. Under the shock he looked scared and sad. And there was a lock of her hair tangled around his knuckles. She was surprised how much she wanted that.

She gave him a sleepy blink and rolled on her side to match him.

His breath caught as she moved closer rather than moving away. She took their left hands and moved them up to rest just over where his heartbeat was easiest to feel. Using them, she pushed him lightly onto his back and pulled herself closer and tucked herself snuggly in against his side.

He was tense with shock but she didn't move away, just allowed herself this moment and breathed deeply. After a few seconds she felt the arm she had cuddled against move from between them. Her eyes flickered open, thinking he was pulling away from her but he just looped it behind her.

He was inviting closer and she raised her head taking the offer happily and letting his arm support her head while she pillowed her head on his chest just below his shoulder.

His jacket material was surprisingly soft against her cheek.

"Sleep, Castle."