Martha and Alexis returned with dinner shortly after 6 pm. Kate had crawled out of Castle's bed about 10 minutes before they showed up. She helped Castle slowly walk to the bathroom. It was amazing to see how far he'd come in such a short amount of time. He went from dying in a park to walking, mostly unassisted, to the bathroom.

"Kate. Will you think less of me if I ask you to wait out here? A man needs some privacy."

"You don't want me by your side 24/7? Following you everywhere? Staring at you like the creeper I am?"

"Very funny. Just so you know, I never followed you into a bathroom… until we started dating."

Kate blushed thinking about the many bathrooms he had followed her into. "Well, Rick, unlike you I am perfectly capable of giving you space. Yell when you are ready to come out, ok?"

Castle noticed that she had carefully avoided turning the conversation into any sort of innuendo. She was playing it safe. Yes, she was joking with him and it felt great to have the easy banter flow between them. It made him wonder, however, when they will be able to completely open up to each other.

He didn't need to joke or talk about sex with her. He really didn't think about it as often as people assume. It was just… so them. Even from the beginning they had this amazing chemistry that would allow them to tease each other. He had been concerned when they eventually did get together that it would die down or disappear altogether. Fool! It was Kate… she is gorgeous and smart and could make him blush. In fact, it almost intensified with the familiarity of the nights they spent together. No, he didn't need to talk about sex with her. He just missed the simplicity and ease that accompanied the joking.

His mind had been stuck on this fact even after he had returned to his bed and his family was around him eating dinner.

"Dad?"

"Hmm?"

"Gram asked if you knew for certain if you were able to leave tomorrow." Alexis replied.

"Oh… um…" he looked at Kate. "Yes, I think so. I've been feeling really good."

Kate saw the faraway look and the panic in his eyes. She wasn't sure what was going on with him, and why he seemed to need her help in talking with his daughter. He had been perfectly fine until he went to the bathroom. Maybe something had happened in there… she knew she should have insisted on going in with him. Idiot!

"Well, you two sure are entertaining hosts this evening." Martha said dryly.

"Oh… sorry. I was thinking and…." Kate stumbled.

"Yeah… sorry… it's just been a long day…" Castle added.

Martha narrowed her eyes. Something was going on between them. She wasn't sure what it was because they had seemed fine before they left for dinner and it didn't appear that they were upset with each other now.

"Awkward silence." Alexis muttered.

This was not the family dinner they had imagined would take place. Kate looked toward Castle, he was always so good at keeping the conversation flowing, but he seemed to be struggling tonight. Martha looked amused by the entire situation and would probably be content to watch whatever is going on unfold. Alexis was quiet and withdrawn. So, it was up to her.

"Alexis, are you still interning with Lanie?"

"Yes."

She was going to have to work to pull answers from the girl. "How is it going?"

"It's going well. I never thought I'd end up enjoying working with dead people, but Lanie is a great teacher."

"That's great… Is this something you are interested in turning into a career?"

Alexis glanced at her dad. "Well, right now I'm pre-med. I'd always dreamed of doing pediatrics, but… maybe?"

"Really?" Castle finally piped in.

"Don't be upset, ok Dad? I just… it is important to me. I like giving a voice to the victims. I know it isn't as involved as Kate's job, but it's a way for me to give back. It's a rewarding job."

Kate glanced at Rick's face. She wasn't sure how he was going to react to this news. She felt responsible, in a way, for dragging his entire family into a world of death and destruction.

"Honey, if this is what you want to do then I am proud of you." Castle finally spoke, his voiced laced with emotion.

"Really?" Alexis mirrored her dad's previous statement.

"Yes, really. You've been working with Lanie long enough to see the good and bad sides of this job. It isn't glamorous and I would rather you not see the evil the world can do so closely, but I can't protect you forever. You are a smart girl, and I trust your judgment. I know," he glances at Kate, "how rewarding it is to help bring justice to families. It's one of the reasons I haven't left the 12th."

"Thanks, dad." Alexis said as she got up to hug her dad. She had been thinking about switching her major for some time now, but was unsure how her dad would handle the news. With Kate gone, he had become a different man, and she didn't want to add any more stress in his life.

"I met a man. He is just wonderful. The love of my life, probably." Martha nearly shouted.

"Ok…?" Castle finally sputtered out.

"I didn't want to tell you, with you being all depressed and hating life. Now that you are doing better and the good detective is home, I can finally tell you my good news! Harold and I are moving in together at the end of the month."

Castle looked at his mom. Then he looked at his daughter. They were both holding their breath, waiting for a reaction from him. It just became apparent that they had been keeping huge parts of their lives from him to spare his feelings. He felt a little ashamed that they thought he couldn't be excited for them. Mostly, though, he felt upset they had lied to him.

"Anything else you two would like to update me on?" Castle said dryly.

"I have a boyfriend." Alexis spit out so quickly he almost didn't hear.

Kate could tell he wasn't happy. She grabbed his hand and squeezed, hoping that would help calm him down.

"I don't appreciate being lied to by my own family. Did you really think I wouldn't be happy for you guys?" Castle asked.

"No, Dad. We didn't want to hurt your feelings."

"Too late for that." He mumbled.

"Castle, I think they just didn't want to rub their happiness in when you were upset…"

"Darling, don't overreact. You were miserable, and trying so hard to pretend that you weren't. We didn't think you wouldn't be happy for us, but you also didn't make it very easy on us to talk to you."

Castle had closed off when Kate had left. He desperately tried to keep his heart open for his mom and his daughter, but it appears he had done a crappy job. His mood was deteriorating by the second.

Listening to them talk about how Castle handled her rejection and departure tore Kate up. She felt guilty that she had caused his entire family to hurt. She didn't think her decisions would cause a family as close as this one to start to come apart at the seams. She dropped her hand from him, too ashamed to keep the physical connection with him.

"Overreact? Me? Never." Castle said sarcastically. "In the future, I'd appreciate not being lied to." He wanted to say more, he wanted to be upset, but what good would it do? He was going home tomorrow and he just didn't feel like fighting. When they'd leave he would lick his wounded pride, and be back to his normally self tomorrow.

"I'm sorry, Dad."

"It's fine, sweetheart."

"I'm not apologizing. Richard, you would have done the same to either one of us had the roles been reversed." Martha said. She wasn't going to let her son be upset about this nonissue.

"I would expect nothing less from you, Mother. "

Rick faked a yawn. He felt drained, more emotionally than physically, and he was ready to have his family go home. He was feeling… well, he wasn't really sure what he was feeling at the moment. He wasn't processing his emotions very well, but his control was slipping and he didn't want his family there to witness it.

"Well, Alexis my dear, I think it is time we leave your father and Katherine for the evening. Thank you, Richard, for a rather engaging meal. Sleep well, darling, and we will see you tomorrow. Make sure to call us when you have a release time ok?" Martha's last question was directed more towards Kate.

"Yes, I'll let you know what is going on as soon as we hear from the doctor tomorrow morning." Kate replied.

"Bye, Kate. Bye, Dad. Sleep well." Alexis called out on her way to the door. She had already hugged and kissed her dad goodbye.

"Goodnight, Alexis. Martha." Kate replied.

The door shut and finally left Kate and Rick alone. She turned in her chair to face him. The look on his face warned her that he wasn't in a good mood, and that he was ready for a fight.

"Castle? What's wrong?"

"What's wrong? What's wrong?! I'm so damn tired of being treated like I'm going to break! I'm not this… this… damaged man that needs to be handled."

"Rick, you were shot. I'm sorry if you feel like I'm babying you, but I'm just trying to help."

"No, you don't get it. My own daughter looked at me with such pity… Do you know what it's like to know that your daughter can't even tell you about her major life decisions because she thinks you can't handle it? Let me tell you, it feels like shit. My mom… well that isn't as much of a surprised, but it's humiliating. Even you are tiptoeing around me."

"You aren't just talking about the bullet wound." Kate sort of asked. It was more of a rhetorical question.

"You won't joke about sex with me." Rick decided he was already pretty emasculated; he might as well go all the way tonight. Apparently, he had no shame.

"What?" Kate was confused.

"Earlier… you wouldn't joke about sex with me. You haven't once made a suggestive remark or innuendo since you've been back."

"I'm not sure what to say, Castle. I don't really get why you are so upset about this."

"Because Kate! It matters! We've always been able to joke and laugh with each other. I don't want us to change so much that we can't be comfortable to talk about everything together. I don't want you to be scared to tease me. You said you loved how annoying I am, but it seems like you are too scared to call me on my bullshit. This won't work if you give me all the power, Kate. Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Rick, I didn't take your bait earlier because I was embarrassed or shy or scared what you would think. I didn't say anything because I was too busy remembering all of the ways we have used bathrooms."

Oh. Well, he didn't think he could feel like an idiot any more than he already did. He was wrong.

Kate continued. "I get what you are saying though… I think we've both been holding back. Scared that if we say something wrong then the other one will disappear."

"Yeah…"

"I think you are sexy, Rick." Kate purred.

He lifted his head up, almost giving himself whiplash. His mouth hung open as he stared at her.

Kate stood up and sauntered over to the side of his bed. She leaned in and whispered, "I can't wait to show you how much I've missed you."

Castle grunted in reply. He was too mesmerized by her closeness to really formulate a response.

"Until then, Rick," she closed his mouth with her pointer finger, "I'm totally up for teasing you… Kitten." With that, she kissed the side of check and sat back down in her chair with a chuckle.