2 chapters in one day! DOn't you guys love when people do that? ;) Anyway, this chapter is a bit short. And I know I keep sending Martha off to Paris, and the Hamptons, and spa retreats. I promise she will make an appearance soon, along with the boys at the Precinct. Enjoy & review!

It was the end of March when Rick disappeared into his office. He emerged two days later on a Tuesday afternoon, walking into the living room in a daze. Kate and Alexis were playing Clue and when Rick entered, Kate jumped up.

"Have you been in there for 2 whole days?"

Rick nodded silently. Kate turned to Alexis with a look of shock on her face as Rick ambled into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee.

"He probably finished the book," Alexis explained. "He always gets like this when he finishes a book. He disappears, then emerges a few days later."

Kate went into the kitchen and wrapped her arms around his waist. "Rick, honey? You okay?"

He nodded very slowly, then said, "Sleep. Need it."

Alexis just laughed and got up. "Kate, I'm going to go work on my homework. Wanna finish up later?"

"Sure, Alexis. I think your dad needs some help getting in bed."

Alexis nodded and headed upstairs, yelling down to her dad, "Dad, cut it out! You're scaring Kate!"

Kate looked confused. "What…?"

Rick grinned and kissed her cheek. "I'm not a zombie. Just seriously sleep and caffeine-deprived. And Kate-deprived." He leaned in for another kiss and she slapped his shoulder.

"Castle!"

He laughed and picked her up, bringing her onto the couch. The second he put her down, she started wrestling him.

"I can't believe you hid in the office for two straight days and didn't even come out once! I knew you were working, but I figured you were getting in bed late every night, and I was missing you! And that you were coming out to eat or get coffee while I was at work!"

He grinned and wiggled his eyebrows, then started to tickle her.

"Dammit, Rick! I've feeling totally ignored by you for the past – ahh! Stop it!"

She started to giggle like crazy and squirm even more. Castle stopped tickling her and kissed her face all over. She waited until he was distracted, then looped her ankles around him and flipped him so she was on top.

"Mhmmm, I'm sorry, baby," Rick said, burying his face in her neck. "I just wanted to finish the book, so I could spend the next week with you before the book tour."

Kate groaned. "I forgot about the book tour," she said, frowning and sitting up. "You're going to be gone for a month!"

He sat next to her and took her hand in his. "But the first few days will be here in the city, and then 3 weeks later you'll join me in California."

"I know," she mumbled. "I just… for some reason, I feel really emotional. I just don't want to sleep in our bed without you every night."

Rick looked surprised. "Why Kate Beckett, you sound like you are in love."

She smiled and leaned her forehead up against his. "Very much so."

He kissed her softly, and she kissed back. It was different than the hot and heavy makeouts they usually had to make up for a fight, even a small one. The gentle, loving kiss escalated, and it didn't take long for Rick to sweep Kate up in his arms and carry her to their bedroom. They kissed for a while, laying next to each other on the bed. They went slow, and thirty minutes later, Kate was lying on her back in her bra and jeans, and Rick was wearing his boxers and a white t-shirt.

"We'll Skype everyday," he promised her, kissing each the tops of her breasts. She smiled.

"And no more signing body parts?"

"Not even a hand, " he said, holding up 3 fingers. "I swear."

She bit her lip and kissed him again, running her fingers through his hair.

"You know, I haven't signed a lot of body parts since I met you."

She smiled. "Really?"

"Yep," he said proudly, stroking her cheek.

She lowered her eyelids sexily and reached into her jeans pocket, pulling out the pen she had been using earlier to mark her Clue card. She waved it in front of his face.

"Not even mine?," she asked coyly. His eyes widened and he took the pen.

"Well, anything for such a big fan…. Where would you like it?"

Kate sat up and undid her bra, tossing it on the floor. "Guess."

xxxx

Kate woke up three hours later with a pillow over her chest. She looked up in confusion at Rick, who was sitting next to her in bed, playing with his iPhone. His hair was wet and he was wearing jeans and a plaid shirt. He looked down at her and smiled.

"After our autograph session, the phone rang, and when I got back from answering, you were asleep. I didn't want to wake you."

She sat up, the pillow falling into her lap. "I fell asleep?"

He nodded and set his iPhone on his bedside table. "Yep."

Kate stood up and walked over to the mirror inside the closet. Right above her bullet wound, Rick's loopy signature in black pen was slightly smudged, but still visible. She laughed to herself. Rick came to stand behind her, putting his hands around his waist.

"You should get that tattooed there," he joked.

She shook her head. "No way. Plus, you've seen my one tattoo."

He nodded. "Yup. And that's why Alexis is never getting a tattoo."

"Awww," she said, turning around and putting her arms around his neck. "Aren't you a cute protective dad."

"Yes, I am. Which is why I put that pillow over your chest."

"She came in here?," Kate gaped, her face turning red.

"Yeah, but I had a blanket over you too," Rick said, kissing Kate's hair. "About half an hour ago, she came in to let me know that she was going to a movie and then out to dinner with some friends."

"So we have the house to ourselves?"

"Yep. Mother left for Paris early this morning, so it's just us for the next few hours."

Kate grinned and unbuttoned her jeans, kicking them off into the closet. "Well then, come here, Writer Man. If you're going to be gone for a month, I'm going need to take as much of you as I can get."

Rick laughed as she pulled him to the bed. "No complaints here."

"Good," Kate said, kissing him hungrily. Rick pulled off his shirt, and they were in the same situation they had been in a few hours before.

xxxx

Unfortunately, the end of March came quickly, and Rick's last appearance in New York was over. Kate and Alexis kissed and hugged him goodbye outside the loft, where a cab was waiting to take him to JFK so he could be in Chicago by nighttime.

"Bye, dad," Alexis said, hugging him. "Have fun!"

"I will, pumpkin," he said, kissing her hair. When it was Kate's turn, she just bit her lip and looked at the pavement. Rick pulled her into his arms and she squeezed back tightly.

"You and me, Los Angeles. 2 weeks," he whispered in her ear. She nodded. "I know… I just…. "

"I know," he said, taking her face in his hands and kissing her passionately. "I love you," he whispered to her, leaning his forehead on hers. "More than anything in the world. Always."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Always."

Alexis and Kate waved at the cab until it disappeared from sight, then Kate put her arm around Alexis's shoulder and they walked to the elevator. When they got back to the loft, Kate felt lonely. The place seemed so empty without Rick's 9-year-old-on-a-sugar-rush energy.

"Kate?," Alexis asked. "Once you realize how peaceful it is without him around, you'll be in heaven."

Kate smiled weakly and laughed. But the thing was, she didn't want peaceful anymore. She just wanted Rick, in their bed, in her arms, making her laugh with his conspiracy theories and childlike antics.

"Alexis, I have some work to do. Chinese for dinner in 2 hours?"

"Sounds good," Alexis smiled. "I'll work on my AP Literature essay."

The second Kate had closed the bedroom door behind her, she jumped onto the bed and hugged Rick's pillow to her chest. She had made the mistake of letting him walk away months ago, and once she had him back, she had been dependent on him. She grabbed her day planner out of her purse to check what day her flight to LA was, when she had a realization. She dropped the planner in horror and sunk onto her knees.

Shit.

Dun dun dun...If you've read my other stories, you may know where this is headed... guesses?