Chapter 34 –Waiting for You

Disclaimer – not mine.

Castle hit speed dial on his phone. How lazy was he?

"How lazy are you?"

"Pretty lazy, now that we have established that do you have a few minutes to talk?"

"Be right down." Alexis plopped herself into the chair beside her Dad before the call even disconnected.

Castle looked at Alexis with a mixture of pride and fear. He wasn't positive how the conversation would go and he knew that Alexis would always be his number one.

"I need to know that if things work out with Kate you approve."

"You've never asked my opinion before, what makes you ask now?"

"I'd like you to feel comfortable with her here. Part of our family."

Little Castle's eyes grew larger than life, her Dad was starting to worry her. "Married okay or family dinner okay?"

Castle stuttered and stammered "Whoa! Married? Ah no, I haven't proven to be too successful with marriage."

"Then what?"

"Dating and you know…" His voice drifted off and he averted his eyes. Was Castle really about to ask his almost adult daughter if he was allowed to have his maybe possibly, sometime in the future girlfriend sleepover? Castle didn't even like the sound of 'girlfriend' in this head, Kate Beckett is so much more than a girlfriend, she's his air.

Alexis totally knew where her Dad was headed with his 'talk.' He wanted permission to have Kate stay over at the loft. "No, I don't know. Explain."

Castle caught the merriment in her eyes "You know what I am talking about."

Alexis continued to play dumb. "No, not really." It was really fun to watch her Dad squirm.

"Playing hard ball? Fine. If, no when Kate and I work things out I would like her to feel welcome in our home. Morning, noon or night. Are you comfortable with that?"

"Why are you asking?"

Castle scrubbed his hands across his face "You matter, your opinion matters and…"

"Kate matters." Alexis had finished her father's sentence. She saw the honesty in his eyes as he responded with a whisper of a "Yes."

Alexis stood up and ruffled her Dad's hair "Well then go and get her."

Alexis held back that she was jealous of Kate. Perhaps not jealous of Kate herself so much as jealous of the way in which her Dad put Kate's life above his own.

He matters too.

Kate's apartment door was blocked by a large box. It irritated her to no end that her neighbors signed for packages and then dumped them on her doorstep. Didn't the very fact that the delivery required a signature indicate that whatever was inside might be valuable? Oh no, not to Kate's Mensa member neighbors. They were happier to abandon her deliveries in the hall rather than wait for her crazy schedule to allow her to claim a delivery at a reasonable hour.

Shaking her head Kate carefully tucked the package under her arm and carried it inside. First thing she noticed was that the paper was simple but elegant. Although large, the box was deceivingly light. A little grin played on her lips as she placed it on the kitchen island, what had he done? Every girl liked unexpected gifts.

Kate headed to her bedroom, slipped into sweats and pulled his Green Hornet T-Shirt on over her head. A she slid the shirt past her nose, Kate inhaled deeply. Yep, the shirt still smelled like him, but more of a mixture of her and him.

Upon her return to the kitchen she poured herself a glass of water. She wasn't even thirsty. The need for water was a flimsy excuse to examine the box. Kate delicately ran her fingers across the embossed return address. Giving it a careful look she noticed it was only an address, no store name. Yet, the paper looked vaguely familiar.

Kate tried to resist the box calling her name, she caved and set her glass aside, carefully picking up the box. She held it to her ear as she gave it a little shake, it didn't sound breakable. She already knew it was light weight.

Next Kate gave the box a little sniff and ruled out baked goods. Of course not, Rick wouldn't have said it could keep if it was edible.

Kate chided herself, it was nearly midnight and she was investigating a package like a kid who found a stash of holiday presents. Kate moved the box to the dining room, out of sight out of mind.

She snuggled into the couch with a book. Kate thought she was reading, after all she kept turning the pages. Yet, it was impossible to concentrate with that package in the next room. It was staring at her - double dog daring her to open it. Just a quick peak, surely she could open it and reseal it without anyone noticing. A fringe benefit of all her years spent chasing criminals covering their tracks, she had learned a trick or two.

Without giving it another thought Kate ran to her bathroom grabbed a razor, she circled back past her desk grabbing the tape. She bent over the table, skillfully slit open the tape and removed the paper with care - instantly recognizing the logo on the box.

Kate couldn't help but flash back to the last time she had worn a Herve Leger, looks like it made a lasting impression on Mr. Castle. Good. But why?

For the first time in a long time Kate didn't care about the 'why.' She loved Herve and was dying to look. Sure some felt the bandage dress had come and gone – but Herve knew how to make a woman look sexy. Kate stood staring at the dress box for a few more minutes, silently fighting with herself over the pros and cons of taking the final step of lifting off the lid.

Kate knew she had '…one chance, one opportunity…' – to peep in the box. She also knew that if she didn't take a look she would be up all night fighting with herself over which one it could be.

Was it the short metallic one which had an edge of danger? The one described as tough but glamorous, which would hide the scar from the bullet? Or was it a sequined one that screamed 'hello I'm here.' Or was it the racy red long dress with the scoop neck slit to the thigh with the racer back? Kate loved the red one in the window on 5th Avenue. She even thought about trying it on just for fun, but it was cut deep in the front. Kate wasn't sure if she was ready to share her scar.

She quickly pulled the lid off, only to be stopped by the envelope taped to the tissue paper. Rick's unmistakable scrawl had written 'Kate' across the front. The 'why' was looking her straight in the eye.

Kate plucked the envelope from its resting place. Oh good it wasn't glued shut. Her fingers dipped inside, pulling out the note. Her heart began to race. It was a printed invite to the prescreening of 'Heat Wave.' But it was the handwritten note at the bottom that she had to read twice -

Kate-

To quote the unstoppable Katherine Hepburn -

'Love is nothing to do with what you are expecting to get –

only with what you are expecting to give, which is everything.'

Pick you up at 5.

xoxo Rick

Kate fiddled with the card, unsure of what to do next. His note had thrown her off her game.

Kate abandoned her investigation, headed to her bedroom and threw herself on her bed and began to sob.

Rick couldn't possibly have known she was named after her mother's Hollywood hero Katherine Hepburn. Kate's mom admired how Katherine Hepburn was fiercely independent, headstrong, and a risk taker. Her mother had been equally intrigued by the dichotomy between the publicly tough woman and the devotion she privately held for Spencer Tracy. Perhaps it was because her mother was exactly the same. Johanna Beckett was tough as nails but lived by the very quote that was written on the card clutched in Kate's hands, she gave without expecting anything in return.

Just like Rick.

Castle checked the time for the last time, it was just after one in the morning and he hadn't heard from Kate. Was she working late? Was his gift locked up in some random neighbor's apartment? Did she open it? Was the note too much? Did she hate the dress?

Didn't she knew he would be going crazy with wonder?

To hell with it – he was calling her…

Wiping the tears from her face Kate knew she had to do something. Rick deserved something in return. Kate could just picture him sitting at home wondering if his gift had arrived. If it was safe.

Snatching her phone off her dresser Kate headed to her closet. She began examining her shoes and selected 3 pairs. The common element was that they were all…. - well as Richard Castle would most likely describe them 'kinda slutty.'

She laughed out loud thinking about when he had first described 'Nikki Heat' to her as 'kinda slutty'. Kate had toyed with slamming on the car brakes and tossing him out into oncoming traffic and now, well now, all she wanted to do was tease him.

Kate placed the first pair beside a copy of 'Heat Wave' on the white marble bathroom floor and took a picture with her phone. She repeated the process for each pair. And before she lost her confidence she sent each picture to Rick.

The pictures were followed up by a one little text: What shoes should I have on at 5?

A nano second after hitting send Kate regretted it. She and Rick hadn't even agreed on how/if they should move forward and she was teasing him with pictures of sexy shoes.

Kate jumped when the phone in her hand started ringing, of course it was him. He couldn't just answer with a text? She tried to play it cool and honed in on her business voice, "Beckett here."

Laughter tumbled out of his mouth. Castle knew she was trying to compose herself with the 'Beckett here.' As if she didn't know who was calling, he let out a few more belly laughs, laughs filled with relief that she wasn't mad, before squeaking out "You peaked."

Like a defiant child she spat out "Did not."

"Really?" A smile danced on Castle's face "because I can hear you rolling your eyes."

Kate clamped her eyes shut to avoid his x-ray vision, choked down a smile in an attempt to remain stern and replied "Only read the card."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Why?"

"Waiting for you."