The last day of their weekend away way was spend sleeping in, lazing around and packing. After leaving Jim's place, Kate and Ricked talked some more about the moving in that was to take place the next weekend.
"Are you sure you're not working? I can do it by myself and well … it's not like Alexis was Mr Muscle …"
"Hey" she protested, lifting her head from her book
"I'd prefer to have you with me for the big moving day" Rick continued as if nothing happened, looking at Kate.
"You still hadn't figured out the weekend working pattern, have you?" Kate laughed.
"Not really, usually I just … don't go to the precinct on the weekends"
"Yeah, I noticed" Kate said, "so, let me explain something. One weekend you are completely off, the next you're on call, and the third weekend you work, that's quite simple."
"And when you have a week off like now, you just slide the pattern?"
"Yeah right, every time someone takes a week off, you change the pattern for the whole division" Kate laughed.
"You were supposed to work this weekend?"
"Yes"
"So you're completely off next weekend"
"Wow Dad, maybe I'm not the brightest one in the family after all" Alexis said sounding completely serious.
"Anyway …" Rick continued, sending a glare to his daughter in the review mirror "… since you're off, it means the guys are off …"
"It's almost too much at a time" Alexis said, taking her head in her hands as if she was getting a headache
"Hey, do you really want to have your birthday party in the basement?"
"Sorry" Alexis said, going back to her book
"So, as I was saying" Rick said, looking briefly at Kate before focusing on the road in front of him, "maybe we could get them to help us move all your stuff. I would be like … a revenge."
"A revenge for what exactly?"
"For trying to push us together the whole time since I walked into the precinct, for helping you make me believe I was cursed, for betting against us and making me think I would have to wear a dress to the precinct, for making money on our backs for whatever bet they can find about us … do you really need me to go on?"
"I think I have the general idea" Kate laughed "and I think it's a great idea. But we won't tell them what we need them for, otherwise, they'll never show. I think … we should tell them tomorrow that we want to do something the whole group of us without telling them what. Knowing the boys, they won't be able to resist. We tell them to come at … let's say 9 on Saturday morning at my place and, well, once they are there, they can't really say no, do they?"
"I love your twisted mind Detective Beckett" Rick smirked
"I know you do" Kate answered, putting a hand on his thigh
"Hey guys, there's still an innocent child in the car."
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
When Kate got back to the loft on Tuesday night, she knew that she had forgotten something. When she saw Alexis and a group of her friends sitting in the living room, she remembered.
"Hey Kate! What are you doing here?" Alexis asked when she saw her.
"I … I'm sorry I completely forgot about tonight. Don't worry, I'll be out of here before you know it" she said, almost running to the bedroom to change and put her gun away. "Where is your Dad?"
"He left to meet you at Remi's … about thirty minutes ago"
"Oh God, I totally forgot" Kate said before closing the bedroom door.
She reappeared five minutes later in more summer-friendly clothes. She texted Rick that she was on her was while looking for the good pair of shoes. She almost crashed in a wall doing so. One she finally had everything she needed, she left the loft in a hurry, wising the girls a good evening before closing the door. She was waiting for the elevator when she heard the group of girls laugh.
She arrived at the dinner and found Rick looking miserable in his booth.
"I'm so so so so so so sorry Rick. I completely forgot" Kate said, kissing him quickly before sitting next to him.
"You know I could have gone out with three gorgeous women while I was waiting for you?"
"Really?"
"Yes, they all asked me what such a handsome man as me was doing here alone"
"Well … maybe I will just have to make it up to you later then" Kate said seductively, putting a hand on his knee under the table.
"How?" Rick asked
"However you want" she whispered in his ear
"I like that thought very much Miss Beckett. So, why did you forget me here?"
"I did not just forget you, I forgot everything about tonight. When I went back to the loft and saw Alexis and her friends it just came back. So I change really quick and here I am, completely yours for the night Mr Castle"
"How were the girls" he asked, deliberately not thinking about the last part of her answer.
"They were fine I guess. They were laughing when I left."
"Laughing about what?"
"I don't know, certainly me. I almost had a really close encounter with one off your walls on my way out. And that's your fault."
"Why?"
"Because I was texting you!"
"I always said that women couldn't do two things at a time … APPLES APPLES"
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
Since Alexis and her friends didn't have class on Wednesday morning, Rick had allowed them to have a sleepover on the day of her birthday. But he had been thrown out of his apartment as soon as the plan was made. Not that he minded too much. He had sworn to Alexis not to come back before at least midnight and so now he was having his first real date with the love of his life. He hadn't even noticed before tonight that he had not taken her out properly since they had gotten together. When they got out of the dinner, they walked for a bit, making the most of the warm evening. He couldn't take his eyes of Kate. She didn't wear anything particularly date-related but to him, she couldn't be more beautiful. She was wearing a deep purple sleeveless form-hugging T-shirt and grey jeans. He was still wondering how he had been so lucky as to be chosen by her when she stopped walking.
"What?" he asked
"Well, if you stopped staring at me for a while, you'll notice that if we want to make it to the movies on time we have to go now" she laughed, watching him get out of his "trance".
"I don't really want to go to the movies any more, I prefer looking at you" he said, taking her by the waist and pulling her to him "I was thinking … maybe we could go to your place. Make the most of the bed that hasn't seen you in over a week …" he smirked
"I thought we were on our first date?" Kate asked, resting her head on his shoulder.
"We are"
"Well, I'll have you know Mister Castle that I never sleep with a guy on a first date, and sometimes I don't even kiss them" she teased
"Maybe, but you and me … it's special. Usual rules don't apply"
"Well … you're right. I kissed you AND slept with you even before our first date" she laughed against his neck.
He took her head in his hands and started kissing her. What started out as loving and innocent quickly turned into a hot and passionate kiss, hardly decent for the public area they were in. They were interrupted by the flash of what must have been a camera. Kate felt Rick tense immediately in her arms. She knew that he was afraid of her reaction, he was waiting for her to freak out and run away. But she was not going to. Not anymore. Not ever again. She kissed him once again before backing away from him.
"I think we're going to be in the paper tomorrow" she whispered, a smile playing on her face.
The look on Rick's face was unbelievable. It had some love, relief, lust, joy, wonder … everything mixed in a wonderful smile. He looked quickly at his watch. It was almost midnight.
"Let's get you home, you perfect woman" Rick said, putting an arm around her shoulders and starting to walk again.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
When they arrived to the loft, the girls were still gossiping in the living room, each of the rolled up in a sleeping bag on the floor. They looked up to them when they passed by on the way the their room.
"Hey guys, how was your date?" Alexis asked.
"Great" Kate smiled, taking Rick's hand and pulling him towards the bedroom
"Oh, and don't freak out when you see the paper tomorrow ok, we know. They have to learn how to take good pictures without a flash though …"
"Rick, come on" Kate said pulling on his arm more forcefully "let's go to bed, I have to go to work in like six hours!"
"Good night girls" Rick said before being literally grabbed by Kate who closed the door behind them.
Alexis turned back to her friends to see all of them looking at her.
"What?" she asked
"They're just perfect together" one of her friends stated
"I know" Alexis smiled, laying back down on the floor.
Hey everyone ! just to let you know, the updates migh get a bit more irregular from now on (but i'll do my best I swear) because i'm preparing for the exam to become an English teacher here in France so I have to work ... A LOT !
next chapter: moving day !