Chapter 20 – Going Home

Just a reminder – I still don't own them.

They headed out the door, pausing as Kate handed the bouncer a key, in exchange for her gun. Castle recognized it as the gun she kept tucked in her bed at home. Kate caught him inspecting the gun as she slipped it into her purse. "No guns in the bar. Permit or not. Part of the journey is feeling comfortable with your back to the door, without a gun" she paused for a moment "it takes some getting used to."

Castle met her eyes and held her gaze "I am sure it does."

The cold night air was suddenly brittle to the face. Each pulled their scarfs tighter as they stood staring each other. "I have another question about tonight."

Kate huffed out a light laugh "Just one?"

Castle eyes twinkled, she knew him so well. "Well two, for now."

He had too many. Castle hesitated to ask, she felt the need to prompt him "Yes?"

"How did you find this place? I thought I knew every secret bar in the city."

"Dr. Burke and Ben did a tour together in Kandahar. Ben retired and needed a hobby."

"Hobby?" His eyebrows scrunched together. "Some hobby."

"Ben served twenty years in the Navy as a chaplain, 6 combat tours. The bar is his personal chapel." Kate slipped her arm through his, they began to stroll. Kate knew he had more questions, he never had just one question. "You have one more question before you use up you're the quota for the evening." She wanted to move on from talk of the bar. Do something to clear her mind of the emotional heaviness of the evening.

"What prompted you to invite me tonight?" He saw the hesitation on her face and pulled her close.

"I wanted you to experience it, to know that if I said I had to go out. That I needed to be some place, you would know it was this place I was going." Her voice trailed off and then started again "So you wouldn't worry there was someone else. That this, the bar/the guys, is about me keeping my sanity, not about me NOT wanting to be with you."

With his eyes Castle said he understood. Castle reached across her and took her guitar. She let him take it. He knew it was a sign they were going home together. The question was whose home?

Kate read the indecision on his face on what direction to head. "How about Date #2? I could use a good movie. Your TV is much better than mine and my movie collection is nonexistent. Plus we seem to have mastered Date #3 down."

A child like smile emerged surfaced on lips "You're coming to my place? Date #2 it is." He had underestimated her. He hadn't thought she would be ready for his place. After all he did have Mother and Alexis at home.

She smirked at him and reached up to kiss the cold night air from his lips "One condition."

As their tongues wrestled he replied "Anything."

"You have a spare toothbrush?"