Remember Fagin? Remember that adorable baby egg in this episode? I just loved Fagin. So very much.

This chapter does not include him, though.

Sorry.

Carry on.

(Carto, I call this my peace offering for whining pathetically until you finally posted Vortex. To quote your own words from Fractured: "I've always thought that blatant, pathetic desperation was one of my more endearing qualities.")

Chapter 10: 2x06, Vampire Weekend

You wanna bite me? You buy me dinner.

Hmm. Morlock…Morgan Lockerby…looks like the same person. Kate leans in to take a closer look. The resemblance is unmistakable; there's no way this –

"You smell like cherries."

What?

The sudden rush of self-conscious heat that swirls through her cheeks throws her for a second, and without thinking, she turns to him. But their faces are already so close, so very close, that before she knows it, they're touching, her lips brushing against his.

She freezes, not thinking, not moving, unable to do anything, because this is Rick Castle and she's had a crush on him for years and it was an accident but his mouth, his mouth – he's actually kissing her – her heart races and her blood pressure skyrockets as she feels his hand coming to the back of her neck, holding her there, keeping her close. Her face gets hot, the blush in her cheeks burning. Oh God. They're kissing. She's kissing Richard Ca-

"Holy crap. Are you two actually kissing?"

She gasps, looks up to find Ryan and Esposito in the doorway, gaping. Shit. Shit. What did they just do?

In a brief moment of clarity, she knows that she is not going to escape this with dignity.

"No."

"Yes," Castle says at the same time. Damn it, Castle. You're not helping. She glares at him. He ignores it. Shocker.

Esposito folds his arms. "I don't know, Ryan. Looked like a kiss to me."

"Absolutely a kiss." Ryan nods, face scrunched in mock-seriousness. "There was definite lip contact. We both witnessed it."

"Yep, Mom and Dad were making out. But the real question is, was there tongue?"

"All right, you guys. Cut it out." She can't fight the blush on her face, or ignore that ridiculously attractive butter-won't-melt smile on Castle's mouth. Damn it. "It was an accident."

Ryan actually snorts. "Riiiiiiight. An accident."

"What, your mouth slipped?" Esposito drawls sarcastically.

Beckett glares at the boys, but it's no use. They just grin toothily back at her. She brushes her hair back, trying to regain some appearance of calm. "What'd you get a hit on?"

Esposito, who is not even trying to hide his smile, hands over the file from forensics. Castle reaches for it, but Kate snatches it out of his hands, irritated, because she's flustered and they know it and she hates that.

The stake in Crow's heart has Lockerby's prints on it. But Lockerby's virtually untraceable. Kate sighs, flipping through the report. "Of course, if he's mentally disturbed, are we going to get any information if we do find him?"

Esposito grins. "Who knows, Beckett? Maybe you could kiss it out of him."

She shoots Esposito a deathglare as Ryan chuckles, but neither seems to care. And Castle, damn him, has the nerve to grin at her, like a little boy who just stole the last piece of candy from the jar. That self-satisfied mouth – that warm, soft mouth –

Kate. Stop it.

"A little professionalism, please, gentlemen?" It manages to shut up the boys, and even Castle seems to catch on that she'd rather he stop flaunting their (completely accidental) liplock. He dives back into the comic, looking for clues as to Lockerby's whereabouts. Finally. At least someone here can be a damn adult.

He points to a sketch. "Here. Recognize that corner?"

She does. Her police mind kicks into full gear: this might be a good lead. She stoops, examines the drawing. The details are meticulous and perfectly captured; she can read the graffiti, easily catch the unique features of the –

"Whoa, careful, Beckett. Don't get too close, now. Wouldn't want your mouth to slip again," Esposito warns her.

"She's just investigating," Castle grins. "As thoroughly as necessary."

She glares daggers at Castle, who looks smugly pleased with himself. The boys are laughing at his little joke, and Beckett grumbles, because she absolutely does not want to deal with this. She narrows her eyes, sees the self-satisfied mischief in his face, and with her free hand, she latches onto his ear, digging her nails into his earlobe, relishing the pained yelp he lets out as he paws desperately at his ear, trying to get free. "Ow! Ow, Beckett! Apples! Apples!"

"Do not test my patience. Any. More. Do I make myself clear?" she breathes, enunciating every word as perfectly as possible.

He whimpers something that sounds close enough to yes ma'am to satisfy her, so she lets go, heading for her desk to grab her keys. They've got a vampire to find.

Esposito stays to tease Castle about something, but Ryan tags along at her heels, stuffing his hands in his pockets awkwardly, catching up as she pauses at her desk. "Hey Beckett?"

"Yeah?"

"Just because you and Dad are fighting doesn't mean you don't love us anymore, right?"

She grits her teeth and sighs heavily.

This is going to be a long day.