Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

Prompt #38: Child - She really found his immaturity kind of endearing. Annoying, but cute.

Words: 468

"Please?"

Oh, God help me please, Kate prayed as she stared at a pair of impossibly baby blues. She had always been a sucker for those blue eyes.

"Pleeeeeeeease?"

She swallowed when their power was turned on to the max. "Really? You're giving me the puppy-dog stare?"

"Is it working?"

"Not even a little bit," she lied. "I've had years to build up a resistance to it."

"Pleeeeeeease?"

"No way." It was rare that Richard Castle was able to successfully put the mojo on her. But it didn't mean that it didn't affect her just the same. She'd stand firm this time. She wouldn't falter. She wouldn't -

"Pleeeeeeeease?" he tried again, leaning closer and lowering his voice to add, "I'll make it worth your while."

"That's not fair."

"Fair is a relative term," Castle replied. "I've learned enough about you to know that when I want to ask for something, I should be ready to haggle."

Kate shook her head. "Not happening, no matter how tempting that sounds."

"Which brings me to my second lesson learned. When that fails, bring backup."

She grinned cockily. "Really? What, you gonna get Esposito and Ryan in your corner?"

"Nah, they're not my backup." Now Castle was the one grinning. "Like I'd ever bring men into a child's battle." He raised his voice. "Sarah, now!"

Said backup raced to her father's side and unleashed her own baby blue puppy-dog eyes. "Please, Mommy?" she begged. "Pleeeeeeeeeease? I wanna goooooo."

Aw crap, I'm outnumbered. Kate flashed a glare at her husband. "Oh, that's just dirty. Getting our daughter to play on your side."

"Safety in numbers," Castle replied.

"You're so immature."

"So I've been told."

Sarah interrupted the conversation by climbing into her mother's lap and asking, "So, can we go to Disney World for my birthday, Mommy?"

"Yeah Mommy," Castle said with a smirk, knowing that he had her, "can we?"

Unable to crush her daughter's dreams, Kate sighed and caved in. "Sure sweetie, we can go."

"Yay!" Sarah threw her arms around Kate's neck and hugged her tightly. "Thank you, Mommy! Thank you!" She pressed a kiss to her mother's cheek and hopped off her lap to lead her father back to the break room, happy as a puppy with a new toy to chew.

Kate heard Esposito chuckle behind her. "You're really a sucker for those baby blue eyes, aren't ya?"

"You try denying a five-year-old a trip to the Magical Kingdom," Kate fired back challengingly. "Ryan can back me up on this. It's tougher than you think."

"Talking about Sarah or Castle?"

Her tone was weary, but fond. "Take your pick."

Awww, a little Castle! So cute.

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