~XOXOX~

Jamie was the first to find her voice as she came running towards Rick to pull on one of his legs, "Yes, please."

He was still in shock as he kept staring at Kate and from the look he found on her face he could tell she hadn't really meant to ask him. He wanted to stay, he really did but not if it meant it would turn all awkward between them again.

He looked down at his daughter, still tugging on his jeans and back up to Kate's panicked face, "I don't know, Sweetie." He crouched down, levelling his eyes with hers, "It's getting kind of late." He could tell she was disappointed, to be honest he was too, he really would love to stay. But he lifted his eyes back up to Kate, telling her silently it was her decision.

She took a shallow breath, what had she been thinking? It was too much, she couldn't – but then she saw Jamie, how she clang to his arm while Rick was still kneeling on the floor next to her. Her daughter wanted him to stay and this was about Jamie after all, so she plucked up all of her courage and just got the next words out, "It's nothing fancy, but you're welcome to stay."

She could read the unspoken question in his eyes, was she sure? No, she wasn't, not at all, yet she nodded. "Come on you two," she forced a smile on her lips, "you can set the table together."

Father and daughter worked hand in hand, Castle making sure he only handed Jamie items to carry to the table she could manage on her own, napkins and well, that was about it. But with every plate and every glass that was set on the table Kate's heart slowed down a bit, her nerves calming as well. It would be alright, she could do this.

But then she stopped dead in her tracks as she carried the vegetables over into the living room, the table set for three and she suddenly realized it was the very first time she saw it like this.

Castle noticed her hesitation and after making sure Jamie was safe in her highchair he walked over, taking the bowl of vegetables out of her hands, "Kate?"

She looked at him, not knowing what to say and the concern in his eyes was almost too much, how did he do it? How did he seem to be able to see right through her?

"If this is too much," he spoke softly so Jamie wouldn't hear him, "you just say the word and I'm out of here. It's really okay." And just when he thought she would take him up on the offer, he felt her hand warm and sure on his arm, confidence returning to her features as she spoke her next words.

"No, please stay."

He simply nodded, taking the vegetables to the table and waiting for Kate to join them.

Kate watched them during dinner, saw how Castle helped Jamie with her meat, cutting everything for her into pieces, making sure she had everything she needed. Her daughter all the while babbling about everything and nothing and the sparkle in Castle's eyes whenever he looked over at her was enough to keep her mantra going. She could do this.

"This is really good," Castle smiled at her after his second bite. Nothing fancy as she had said, but to him it was better than the most expensive meal he had ever been served in New York's best restaurants.

At the end of dinner Kate had been able to relax, though there hasn't been much conversation going on between them. Yet Kate had smiled at Castle's stories he purely told for Jamie's entertainment and slowly she'd started to realize this whole thing wasn't as frightening as she thought it would be. It was actually nice to have someone over for dinner, it was nice to have him here. He didn't fill up everything with his presence, sucked in the air to breathe like she had feared, instead he just fit in.

Kate thought he would try to stay after dinner, but after Castle had helped to clear the table he had hugged Jamie goodbye once more and walked to the front door, having Kate follow him.

"I promised Alexis to be home tonight to watch a movie with her," he explained as he put on his shoes, which were still wet and squeaked with every step he made.

She smiled at that, "Well I hope you two will have fun."

"Yeah thanks," he stood in front of her, suddenly nervous again, "and thanks for today, Kate."

She just shrugged, her smile lingering as Jamie ran into her side holding onto her leg. And then it quickly vanished as he leant towards her, placing the softest kiss on her cheek, "Give me a call?" He asked not waiting for her answer. He knew she would. He winked at Jamie once more and then closed the front door behind him, leaving Kate stunned and speechless in her hallway.

He came bouncing through his front door, his mother raising a sceptical eyebrow upon his cheery arrival.

"Someone is in a good mood," she observed, putting the magazine aside she had been reading, waiting for her son to sit down next to her. "You're home later than I expected," she stated, giving him an expectant look.

"Well we spent the afternoon at Kate's place because of the rain and then she invited me to stay for dinner," he looked like a five year old on Christmas Eve, happiness seeping out of every pore of his body.

"Richard, that is wonderful." Martha gaped in surprise. "I'm so happy everything went well."

"Yeah," he nodded. "It was a great day and it's only to get better. Where's Alexis?"

"I'm here Dad!" Alexis exclaimed from the top of the stairs and for a second Castle feared she had overheard their conversation, but she came running towards him, jumping into his lap without asking any questions of where he had been.

"Can we order pizza?" she asked instead and Castle nodded though he was not hungry at all.

"Sure Pumpkin. What do you want?"

"Mushrooms and pineapple," she started.

"Ewww, pineapple," Castle scrunched up his nose.

"I love pineapple," Alexis pouted, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"You sure you're my daughter?" He smirked, starting to tickle her.

"Dad!" she shrieked, trying to get away from him by wriggling herself out of his arms.

He finally let go of her, "Get the phone, pineapple monster," he laughed before turning to his mother, "Are you staying?"

"If you want me to," she smiled looking at Alexis who came running back with the phone.

"Yes, please grams."

"Alright, alright, but no pineapple for me either," Martha laughed, pulling her granddaughter close while her son reached for the phone and called the pizza delivery.

And so they sat in front of the TV half an hour later, Mary Poppins playing while they chewed on their food. Even Castle managed to eat all of his pizza despite the dinner he had already eaten at Kate's.

After they were all finished, Alexis cuddled into her dad's side, his hand coming to run over her head, her small arms sneaking around his waist, "Dad, you smell strange," she suddenly said, pushing herself up and sniffing at his shirt.

"What? I stink?" Castle sat up a bit straighter, trying to get a sniff of his clothes as well.

"No, but your clothes smell different," his daughter stated giving him an inquiring look.

"Ahhh," he was at a loss of words. Kate must have put one of those little refreshers into the dryer with his clothes. He usually did not use those. "I was at Macy's and you know one of those feisty girls of the perfume department attacked me with her fragrance."

Fortunately for him Alexis seemed to be satisfied with his answer, cuddling back into his side. His mother though shot him a knowing look, she knew quite well that it was not the smell of perfume that was clinging to him.

'Later' he mouthed over Alexis head, focussing back on the movie. His mother would love the story about him wearing maternity pants.

By the end of the movie Alexis was half asleep in Castle's lap. He carefully tried to pick her up but she rose and yawned, "Movie over?" She asked drowsily.

"Yes Pumpkin," he chuckled. "Mary Poppins is on her way again and you're off to bed."

"Okay," she mumbled, burying her face into his neck.

"Say goodnight to your grams," he held her over to his mother so Alexis could give her grandmother a kiss and then stood up from the couch.

"I love family nights," Alexis said before closing her eyes, "all of us together."

Castle lifted his eyes to find his mother's, knowing there was someone missing in this family, but his mother just shook her head, a small smile on her lips. Soon, she told him without having to say the words. Soon.

Kate tucked Jamie in that night, after reading her a story and her daughter telling her how much fun she'd had with Rick.

"Mommy?" Jamie snuggled into her pillow, not quite asleep yet, opening her eyes once more to look at her mother with her big blue eyes.

"Yes, Baby Bird?" Kate leant closer, her fingers running through her daughter's hair.

"I like Rick," she mumbled as if she wasn't sure she was allowed to say it out loud. And how could she, the only man she knew around her mother was Royce. And even Royce never came home to their apartment to play with her. No wonder she was confused about how this new man fitted into her life. For the first time Kate started to doubt she had made the right decision by not telling Jamie who Castle really was. How was her daughter supposed to understand why he was suddenly in their lives?

"That's okay, Sweetie." Kate said, deciding that right now was definitely not the right time to tell Jamie that Rick was her father. Not without him, she had promised and she was intend on keeping her promise. And maybe, if she was completely honest with herself, she was scared to do it alone.

The little girl nodded, lifting hopeful eyes to her mother.

"It's more than okay Jamie. And it's okay if you want to play with him," Kate added.

"Mommy like Rick?"

Oh. How was she supposed to answer that? Was there even an answer to that?

"Yes, mommy likes him too," she heard herself say before she knew it and then she surprised herself a little bit more, realizing it was true. She did like him.

"Okay," Jamie mumbled before she closed her eyes, falling asleep quickly, a happy smile on her face.

Kate sat at her side a while longer. She liked him. Now when did that happen?

~XOXOX~