This story is completely AU. So everything you already know about these characters and this show is wrong. I'm basically borrowing these characters for my own version of their love story.

Is a disclaimer necessary? If I were Milmar you all would get every Caskett wish you ever wanted! :)

Chapter 6

As Castle and Alexis approached Kate's door he reminded her to be kind to Kate and not to talk her head off too much. Alexis was a talker and Castle enjoyed hearing her verbalize what was going on in that 4-year-old mind of hers. Alexis was a sweetheart, and as kind as they come as far as four year olds were concerned. She was rather outgoing, which Castle concluded was a combination of her actress mother. Rick knocked on the door and took Alexis hand into his own as they wait for Kate to answer.

She pulled the door open and her eyes locked with his, bringing a smile to both of their faces.

"Hey Castle…" Kate said as she looked down towards Alexis, smile only growing as she noticed the little girl bundled up in a hat, scarf, and a huge bubble jacket. "and little Castle" she said giving Alexis a wink.

"Hi Kate" Alexis piped up first.

Rick and Kate let out simultaneous chuckles as they watched Alexis wave her hand back and forth.

Alexis let out a sigh and the smile left her face. She yanked on Ricks arm as she looked up towards him.

"Daddy stop laughing at me, you always laugh at me." The little girl said with a hint of frustration in her voice.

"I'm sorry baby, you're just so cute I can't help it."

She yanked his arm again. "I'm not a baby, daddy. I am four now." She said in a serious tone.

"I know, I know. I wasn't calling you a baby. It's a term of endearment, and just so you know, you will always be my baby girl." He told her, giving her arm a little tug back.

Alexis sighed and looked back up at Kate, releasing her fathers hand and extending it out to Kate.

"I'm Alexis, I know we met before but I never got to tell you my name. I'm his.." she pointed up to her father. "number one girl, right daddy." She said.

Rick looked down at her and gave her a smile. "always." He replied.

Taking her dads hand again and leaning into his side Alexis made eye contact with Kate, "Are you ready to go, Kate?"

"Just let me grab my coat." Kate replied, leaving them at the door to grab her coat and purse.

As soon as they got to Monkey Joes, Alexis tore her shoes off and ran to the ball pit. Kate's eyes were glued to Alexis and she couldn't stop watching her. It didn't go unnoticed by Rick who couldn't stop watching Kate's eyes follow Alexis through the ball pit.

"She's something else isn't she?" Rick said, not taking his eyes from Kate. She immediately looked over at him, taking her focus off of Alexis.

"I didn't think she could get any cuter, but I think she just proved me wrong."

"Yeah, I can tell that she has already stolen your attention from me." He gave her a small shoulder bump from where he sat next to her.

"Am I not giving you enough attention?" Kate teased, looking up to meet his eyes "or are you just not good at sharing?"

"I was an only child, can you really blame me for being a bad sharer? Plus that little red headed devil steals all the attention, all the time. I'm starting to resent her a little." He jokingly said.

"Not to pry, and you really don't have to answer any questions that you don't want to, I understand that you probably like to keep some things pretty private, but what is the deal with her mother?"

"She isn't around much. She lives in California, an actress, well that's what she calls it." He half heartedly laughed, seeming to get a little uncomfortable with the question.

"Sorry, like I said you don't have to answer my questions if you don't want to." Kate threw her hand on his knee letting him know that she wasn't trying to make him feel uncomfortable.

He looked at her and gave her a smile, covering her hand on his knee. "Kate, I don't have anything to hide. I trust you, and I want you to trust me.." he intertwined their fingers and pulled her hand more into his lap, not letting go.

"Were you ever married to her mother?" Kate couldn't help but ask more about Alexis mother, she was curious, and if he didn't mind answering then she didn't mind asking.

"Briefly… When she found out she was pregnant. We had only been dating a few months. I loved her, but we rushed into everything because we wanted to bring her into the world as a family, well I did. A little after Alexis' first birthday I came home and caught her in bed with her director. I saw it as a quick way out, I mean, she never really showed any real interest in Alexis. I don't think she really felt comfortable as a parent, so she left most of it to me. Since then it's just been me and her, on our own."

"Well, you've done a great job."

"Thanks." He said squeezing her hand a little tighter.

After a while Rick caught Alexis rubbing her eyes inside the ball pit so he went to get her. Kate couldn't help but swoon a little bit at the sight of him with Alexis. She was much to young to be a parent, but she admired how good he was at it. Alexis eventually let him pick her up and he swung her over his hip. She nuzzled into his kneck and laid her head on his shoulder. Castle walked back over to Kate, extending his hand for her to take. They all loaded back up in the town car and buckled in. Once they started driving Castle looked toward Kate who was looking out the window.

"Something on your mind?" he asked.

She shifted silently and looked up at him. "Yeah, you." She replied with a shy smile.

"Me, huh? I'm right here though."

"Yeah, but you're still on my mind. At the risk of sounding a little crazy I won't tell you exactly what's on my mind, but I just want you to know that the last few days have been exactly what I needed."

"Yeah, me too."

The car ride was short to Kate's apartment but Alexis found a way to fall asleep before they arrived. Rick couldn't leave Alexis to walk Kate up to her apartment, but he did walk her to the front of her building. Before she had the chance to say anything he grabbed a hold of one of her hand and pulled her in his direction. His hand left hers and ran up her arm and over her shoulder stopping at her neck and pulling her in for a kiss that literally took her breath away. She opened her mouth allowing him to slide his tongue in briefly and before he pulled away she softly bit his lip. When her eyes opened he had a cocky grin on his face.

"Stop looking so smug." She said, shoving at his shoulder a bit.

"You have a crush on me, don't you?" he replied, pulling her back to his body.

"So what if I do? Is that a problem for you?" she placed her hands on both of his shoulders and pushed him away playfully. He stumbled back and gave her a wink.

"No problem here." He said throwing his hands up over his shoulders in surrender.

"Good!"

"I'll call you." he yelled out as he climbed back into the town car.

Kate entered her apartment and collapsed on the couch. She pulled her phone out of her purse and realized she had a few text messages. The first two from Josh.

I tried calling, but no answer. I have a few of your things that you left at my apartment, you can come get them or I can bring them by. Let me know.

The second one read.

I know you don't want to talk to me, but you don't have to ignore me all together Kate, grow up.

She typed up a text to him before checking her others. Simply stating that she hadn't checked her phone in a few hours and she would let him know when she could drop by and get her things.

She then looked at her other message.

Gina didn't really seem too enthusiastic about you pursuing him on your own, but she can't really stop you from doing it.

Kate wondered why Gina would care at all. She wasn't having to pay Kate to do exactly what she wanted her to do in the first place. Shouldn't she be happy about that? Shouldn't she be relieved that Kate wasn't trying to use him. She agreed with Myra though, Gina couldn't stop her from seeing him on her own terms so she would just have to learn to deal with it. Kate sent a text to Myra, thanking her for talking to Gina about the situation, and leaving it at that.

Over the next two days Kate didn't hear a single word from Castle. She had given him a little space, thinking that he might feel as if things were moving too fast. But as the afternoon of the second day came she started to get a little nervous. He had told her that he would call her after he dropped her at her building. It had been two days though and she didn't know if maybe he had changed his mind? But, he had kissed her right before he left. Surely he wouldn't have kissed her, like that, and then decided that he wasn't interested, right? After going back and forth in her mind about it she decided that maybe she should call him, so she dialed his number.

"Hello?"

"Rick…. hi."

"I am so sorry," already beginning to apologize before she even had a chance to show any concern over his lack of communication. "Things have been so hectic, I haven't had much time to breathe. I am so sorry I haven't called, or text, I could have at least sent you a text."

"Castle, its fine, I was just worried about whether you were still alive or not." She teased and let out a low chuckle.

"I'm still alive, and you're still on my mind."

"Obviously I'm not on your mind much or you would have called, like you said you would. I mean who kisses a girl like that and tells her he'll call and then just.. doesn't?" the irritation was showing in her voice. Why was she irritated, why did she even care that much. He didn't owe her anything.

"I know, I know. I am sorry and I've been so busy. Look, let me make it up to you. Come over for dinner tonight and we can watch a movie together after I put Alexis to bed. Please." He was apologetic, and he sounded like he meant it.

For anyone else Kate probably would have made up an excuse or lied about having other plans just to blow him off for forgetting about her for the past two days, but for him she couldn't. She wanted to see him, and she wanted to cuddle up next to him on the couch. Maybe even kiss him again.

"I don't know Castle, I might…"

he interrupted "Kate, be serious, you don't have anything else that you 'might' be doing. Don't be stubborn, come over tonight, I'll fix dinner and we can spend a little time together. I leave tomorrow for a few days anyway. I'd love to see you before I go, and maybe get a kiss to last me a few more days."

He did want to kiss her, and that made her feel a thousand things at once. How did he do it, how was he so good at making her feel so important already. Especially after he had put her off for the last two days.

"I'll come for dinner, but I'm not making any promises over whether or not you'll get a good night kiss. I mean I don't know what I'd do if I got to kiss you, and then you just forgot about me again." She was being playful now, but truth be told she couldn't wait to kiss him again.

"There is no forgetting those lips, Kate Beckett. I wont be forgetting them for a while. I'm sorry, and I'll show you just how sorry I am tonight by making you the best dinner you've ever had. I'll text you the address, and be here around 6."

"I can't wait." She was trying to remain calm, and not sound too excited about getting to see him. Thank God he couldn't see the smile that she had on her face or feel her heart beating fast in her chest.

She hung up the phone and went straight to her room to get ready. She needed to find something to wear to impress him.

Still sick, and I failed my math midterm today. All around not the best day so this might be a little bit of a crappy chapter. I do have a little tiny bit of angst coming up but it will be resolved quickly. I don't want to push them together too fast, but it becomes hard to keep things slow as far as storyline goes.