A/N: oh god, did we all survive Veritas? I watched it twice just this morning, cried like a baby - new favourite episode! SO glad you all seemed to like the way Kate handled things! Now for a little sisterly chat..
Despite what Castle had just admitted to her, Kate still had a hint of a smile on her lips as she walked back into her apartment. Glancing around, she saw Charlie on the couch, a huge grin on her face as she talked on the phone - three guesses who she was talking to. Charlie heard Kate close the front door behind her and said her goodbyes, seemingly desperate to talk to Kate.
"Hey! You've been gone all day!"
"I know," Kate smiled, she really had had a great day with Castle and Alexis. "Was that Ethan on the phone?"
"Yessss," Charlie replied, a huge grin still on her face, obviously bursting to tell Kate the details. Kate sat down next to her, still in Castle's shirt and Alexis' leggings.
"Okay, spill," Kate said, putting Charlie out of her misery.
Charlie was about to tell everything when she actually took note of Kate and the look on her face. "Hey, you okay?" She asked, "and why are you wearing Castle's clothes? Oh my god, did you-"
"Woah woah woah, slow down cowboy. No, we didn't..you know," she was doing it again, avoiding the word sex. Dammit, Castle was right. "We didn't sleep together. Well, we slept together but we didn't sleep together."
"Kate, I have no idea which way round that's meant to be.."
"We didn't have sex, okay?" Kate admitted.
"Okay, so now that thats clear," Charlie said, adding the typical Beckett eye roll. "What's got you looking like someone stole your last Oreo? Was it because you wanted to have se-"
"Charlotte," Kate warned, "shut up. My mood has nothing to do with sex, or lack thereof with Castle, okay?"
Charlie teased and joked but she knew when to stop. "Okay, sorry. So what's up?"
"He uh..admitted he hadn't been completely honest with me.."
"Okay.." Charlie said, waiting for Beckett into expand.
"He um, he's been keeping some sort of deal..with a friend of Montgomery's - you know my old Captain?" Charlie nodded. "He said that he'd been stopping me from looking into moms case because there's a file that will implicate whoever's behind this and basically if this file stays hidden then I stay safe. Apparently the deal was made after I was shot..and Castle has kept it a secret all this time."
"Sounds like he was just trying to protect you.." Charlie said. To her, it didn't sound overly wrong, she knew how Castle felt about her sister and it only seemed right that he'd want to try and protect her. But she also knew Kate, knew how she'd feel about it.
"Yeah, he was. But I don't need protecting, Charlie, I'm not a child."
"I know you're not and he knows you're not," she explained patiently, "but he loves you."
"I know he does..but I just wish he'd told me.."
"Just like you should have told him about me and about remembering your shooting?"
"Who's side are you on?" Kate exclaimed. She knew Charlie was right but she just needed a bit of TLC right now.
"I'm not on anybody's side, Kate," Charlie said, "you've made mistakes and from the sounds of things so has he, but at least you're both trying to work through them."
"Well he should have told me before I jumped into bed with him!" Kate shouted and she suddenly realised what her problem was - it wasn't that he hadn't told her because once he had explained she knew he was right, but it was that he had kept it from her when they'd made a huge leap in their previously platonic relationship.
"I thought you said you didn't-"
"No, we didn't," Kate sighed, "but I spent the night in bed with him and we er, kissed and cuddled," she blushed and Charlie laughed.
"Jeez Kate, you're not 15, nothing to be embarrassed about! And we've gone into a hell of a lot more detail before.."
"I know but this is Castle, he's my best friend and I guess I'm just feeling a bit weird about what's going on right now."
"Which is?"
"I don't know," Kate whined. "We were sort of talking about it when he brought up his secret.."
"And you ran?"
"No!" Kate replied quickly, "I mean yeah, I left, but I said I understood why he'd done it and that I'd see him Monday, I just need a day or two to let it sink in. But why didn't he tell me before we made that step?"
"Oh I don't know, Kate," Charlie replied sarcastically, "maybe because the woman of his dreams is finally opening up and letting him in that his secret suddenly seemed a hell of a lot less significant."
"Oh shut up," Kate grumbled. "Ugh you're probably right and I know he only did it because he cares about me..and I'm going to try my best to move past it so we can actually get around to-"
"The sex," Charlie grinned.
"Okay, that's like the fourth time you've mentioned it since I got home, so come on, I'm going to get us a glass of wine and then I want to know all about your night with Ethan!"
Kate woke early on Sunday morning, the sunlight streaming in through the windows. She'd slept well, staying up another hour or so with Charlie as she gave very explicit details of her night with Ethan, seriously, Kate had done her fair share of experimenting but some of the things Charlie had got up to had made her blush.
After a good nights sleep, Kate could see things more clearly. Castle had been right to keep it from her for some reasons, she would have run straight at them and probably got herself killed. She didn't need protecting but she knew Castle, he was a big softy at heart and he wouldn't give up the opportunity to look out for her. Rolling over she grinned into her pillow. She was a pile of mush, a big lovesick fool and it was all because of the stupid writer that had wormed his way into her life.
She practically jumped out of bed and into the shower, emerging half an hour later. Bounding into the kitchen, Charlie shot her a filthy look over her coffee.
"Why, may I ask, are you dancing around like a four year old on christmas morning?"
"It's a good day," Kate shrugged.
"Is it?" Charlie grumbled, going back to her coffee.
"'Course it is, it's sunny, it's still the weekend, I'm not on call and I'm in love!"
"Okay, so who are you and what have you done with my sister?"
"Oh haha very funny," Kate said, rolling her eyes and pouring herself some coffee.
"I just kinda realised it when I woke up..yeah he messed up and I know I did too. But I don't care what he did, it's not important anymore, he forgave me so I can forgive him, he knew what he should have done and I do too so what's there to be miserable about?"
Despite her mood and the early hour, Charlie couldn't help but grin at her sisters enthusiasm, she'd never seen her like this. "So, you gonna go see him today?"
"I..um no?" Kate said, "I mean, I said I'd see him tomorrow so I guess I can wait." Even as she said it she knew she didn't want to wait.
"Call him, Kate," Charlie laughed, "go out for coffee or lunch or something."
Kate thought about it for all of half a minute before grabbing her phone and calling him.
"Beckett?" He answered groggily. Crap, he was still in bed. "We got a body?"
"Uh no.." She said. "God, I'm sorry Castle, I've been up like an hour, I didn't think about the fact that you might still be in bed.."
"Don't worry 'bout it," he said, "'m up now. What's up?"
"I was um.,wondering if you wanted to meet for breakfast today? Or lunch..or..you know, what I'm sure you have plans, don't-"
"Hey hey, I don't have plans! Breakfast sounds good, I can meet you in a hour?"
"Great!" Kate grinned as they arranged where to meet.
"See," Charlie said as Kate put the phone down, "told you."
"Yes yes, you were right and you're the best sister ever and I love you."
"God, you're gonna have to fall in love more often if this is what you're like!"
"Nope, I'm done now, he's stuck with me forever!" She called out, bounding back into her bedroom to do something with her hair.
Castle was still dazed and sleepy as he put his cell back down on the bedside table. Did that really just happen? He grinned, yes, yes it did. He hadn't been expecting to hear from Kate today, he was just hoping to turn up at the precinct in the morning and that she would be okay with him..he never in a million years would have thought she'd call and arrange a breakfast date. Holy crap he was going on a date with Kate Beckett!
Realising he only had an hour, he hopped out of bed and got himself in the shower, before pulling out jeans and a clean shirt to wear. Heading out into the kitchen, he saw Alexis was up already, studying in the kitchen.
"Morning Pumpkin, you're up and working hard early for a Sunday!" He said, kissing her forehead.
"Exams are nearly here dad, gotta make sure I pass! Why are you in such a good mood anyway?"
"Because I, my dear daughter, am going on a date with Beckett this morning!"
"Oh," Alexis said, frowning. "But after yesterday..I thought.."
"She stayed over Friday night and we talked. And then you got home and she stayed..and then we talked again last night, I uh, had some things I had to admit.."
"Dad," Alexis whined. What, his kid didn't whine? "I like Kate.."
"I know you do, Pumpkin, and I do too. A hell of a lot. But both of us have made mistakes but now we're working through them."
"Good..just don't screw it up, okay?"
"I won't, Pumpkin, not with her," he smiled. He was glad Alexis liked Kate, made everything so much easier.
"'Kay, now go, I'm supposed to be studying!"
"You sure you're mine?" Castle muttered as he got his cell and wallet. "I'll see you later, you wanna do something this afternoon?"
"Is that your way of asking if you can spend the day with her?" Alexis asked, onto him in an instant.
"Uh..yeah?" Castle replied sheepishly.
"Go be with her," Alexis grinned, "but bring her back here if you feel like it, I won't mind."
"Bye, Pumpkin," Castle chuckled as he left to meet Kate. He couldn't remember being this happy, not since the day Alexis was born - and they weren't even together yet.
A/N: quick question: how many of you are against this going M? I'm happy to keep it T rated and do separate album versions if that's what people want? If it does go M, it will only be a part of a chapter, and not every chapter..just to keep it realistic :) let me know!
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