Oh cartographical: you are the Nutella to my toast.

This episode gave me problems. I fixed them by changing one thing: in this version, Alexis IS going to the Hamptons for Memorial Day weekend (I mean, seriously, a high school summer program starting in May? I don't think so.). She'll head for Princeton afterwards.

This chapter starts right after that second day, when Beckett leaves the precinct with Demming after staring wistfully at Castle's empty chair because Esposito basically just told her Oh, BTW, Castle Is, Like, Pathetically In Love With You And That's Why He's Been Hanging Around For Two Years.

And you know, if you finish it within the next month, that's cool. It's a bit on the long side.

That's what she s-

Sorry. Moving on.

Chapter 22: 2x24, A Deadly Game

The guy's done enough research to write fifty books.

Tom takes her to dinner at the little Italian place nearby. Kate picks at her food. She feels off. There's an uncomfortable tightness in her chest and a slow, dull throb in her head, and she doesn't really have an appetite.

After dinner, he's about to call a cab when she puts a hand on his arm. "Tom – look, can we call it a night? I'm not feeling so well."

He blinks in concern. "You okay? You were really quiet in there."

"Fine. I just want to go home and get some rest."

He lets her go because he's a nice guy. He's a really nice guy. Kate clenches her fists in her jacket pockets as she walks into her dreary little sublet alone. Tom's nice. Isn't he?

So nice.

She pulls on comfortable clothes and curls up in front of the TV for a bit. She's half-asleep when she hears a knock at her door. She opens it to find someone she definitely wasn't expecting.

"Alexis?"

The girl looks a little uncertain, her cheeks pink as she twists her hands. "Hi, Detective."

"Please, come in." Kate ushers her inside, shuts the door, and is about to offer her something to drink – water? slightly sour orange juice from the depths of her fridge? – when Alexis pipes up again.

"I'm sorry to just walk in like this, but I wasn't sure, and I didn't tell Dad I was coming – "

"It's okay, Alexis. You're welcome here. What's up?"

"Dad asked me if I'd be okay with him inviting you to come out to the Hamptons with us for the weekend."

"Oh." It hadn't even occurred to Kate. She'd been thinking of this as just another transparent attempt to get in her pants. But he asked his daughter. Something warm flutters inside her. "Alexis, I didn't – it's not – "

Alexis smiles a little shyly. "Look, I know you're probably thinking he's, you know, just making a move. But really, it would be great if you came with us. It's really pretty out there. And you work so much harder than any of us do. You deserve a chance to just sleep in and lie on the beach for a while."

Kate weighs the idea silently. Alexis makes it sound idyllic. She knows the Hamptons are a little paradise. And Castle's probably got a beautiful place.

(And her initial reaction, when Castle asked her, wasn't I don't want to. It was I shouldn't.)

Alexis must read her pause as hesitation, because the girl starts talking again, hurriedly. "I mean. You can do pretty much whatever. And I didn't mean – I mean, it's not like he's doing it out of pity. My friends come out there all the time. It wouldn't be, you know, weird or anything. It'd be nice to have you there, especially since Gram's not coming."

Kate ducks her head, smiles. "It really does sound nice."

"We have a pool. And Dad's really good at grilling. And he likes letting marshmallows go up in flames, but he will cook them right if you ask him to."

Kate's about to answer, but then there's another knock at her front door. Seriously, what is going on?

But she opens it to find –

"Castle?"

He smiles. "Hi, Beckett. Sorry to bother you – "

She can't help that her lips quirk into a smile. "Apparently you need to get in line."

Alexis pokes her head around Kate's arm and grins bashfully up at him. "Hi Dad."

"Alexis?" He blinks in surprise, looking down at his daughter, then back up at her. "Uh – hi, honey. I didn't realize – "

"Your daughter came to invite me out to the Hamptons with you this weekend," Kate informs him, setting her hand on the girl's shoulder.

"But I already invited you."

"She was being nice."

"I'm nice! Are you saying I'm not nice?" He pouts, and Kate can't help but laugh.

"Sorry, Dad. I'm just too adorable." Alexis beams at him. "I outrank you."

"Fair enough. Though be advised, you get that cuteness from me, child of mine." He tugs her into a hug, then turns back to Kate. "So, Beckett. You've been wheedled by two of us now. Is the power of the united Castles drawing you in yet?"

Kate can't help but grin. "Are there any more Castles coming here to persuade me to go with you? Your mother? Distant cousins? Ancestors rising from the grave?"

Castle huffs indignantly. "I resent that. We Castles and Rodgers are a zombie-free clan."

Alexis pokes him in the side. "Dad. You told me I had a zombie great-great-grandmother who would chase me down and eat me if I didn't brush my teeth every night."

"Alexis, I want you to understand that I've told you many, many lies over the years." He ruffles her hair affectionately, and then returns to his pleading expression. "What do you say, Beckett? A weekend of almost-legal fireworks and s'mores and helping Alexis keep me out of trouble?"

The look that crosses over her face confuses him. It's – almost like a flicker of – is it resignation?

And so he's not really prepared for it when she smiles and says, "Okay."

(But he's certainly not going to complain.)

His phone rings, and he winces (way to ruin a moment, stupid phone) and pulls it out. It's Gina. He's in a good mood, though. "Sorry – hi, Gina. Yeah, I'm sorry. Thanks. Yeah. Oh, no, that's no problem. Look, can I call you back in a bit? Thanks."

He tucks his phone back into his pocket and beams at the woman who's going to come to his summer home. He is absurdly excited. The beach is romantic, after all. And…he's been interested in her for a long, long time now. Maybe he's finally going to convince her he's worth the risk.

Kate's not sure exactly why she said yes.

(That's a lie.)

Okay, she knows. But it's a combination of reasons. It's not – it's not like she's using it to escape anything.

And she knew, the moment she opened her mouth to say yes, that there was something she would have to do before she set foot in Castle's summer home. Something unpleasant.

Poor Tom.

(Did he ever really have a chance?)

She feels bad. She does. Tom puts up a nominal fight, but he knows it's no use; her mind is made up. She feels a little bad. He's a nice guy. And…well, maybe in another life, it might've worked out.

Kate parks her car in front of the house ("small mansion" is more accurate, really), checks the address for a third time (it's still correct), and after a few deep breaths, she gets out of the car (quite stalling, Kate).

She drove up alone. Castle was keen to leave early, make sure the house was open when she got there. She'd had a few things to finish up anyway. And this way, she had a silent drive to quietly wonder just what might happen this weekend.

The front door swings open and Castle comes out smiling, Alexis at his heels. "Good! You made it."

"Yeah." Kate feels useless. She doesn't even have pockets to put her hands in, and for some reason, it's really bothering her. Especially since Castle's not saying anything. He's staring. Just staring. "What?" She folds her arms self-consciously. What is he –

"Nothing. Just – you're wearing a dress."

"So?" Kate looks down. It's a basic sundress, quite plain, not unlike what Alexis is wearing. Nothing scandalous. What's his fascination?

"Sorry." He seems to snap out of whatever it was. "I just – you don't wear a lot of dresses, is all."

The dress gets enough of a reaction that she's somewhat prepared for the first time he sees her in a bathing suit.

Kate has a daring, tiny little red bikini that turns heads. She very consciously did not bring it. She brought her other suit, a fairly simple green one-piece that covers quite a bit more skin and won't make poor Alexis uncomfortable.

Of course, the simple fact that she's not wearing a shirt is enough to ensure that the moment she appears beside the pool, he turns, sees her, and blinks. Her cheeks get warm and it's definitely not from the sun.

While Castle gapes at her and she tries very hard not to stare at his bare chest and low-slung swim trunks, Alexis (bless her) mercifully appears with a beach ball and manages to dissipate the sudden tension that Kate still isn't quite sure how to handle.

He's walking past Kate's bedroom when he overhears her talking on her phone and starts shamelessly eavesdropping.

It must be Lanie – he chuckles and is about to walk away when suddenly her voice gets softer. "Yeah, I know. Tom's nice. But he just wasn't the one, okay? He wasn't what I was looking for."

He stares at the door.

She broke up with Demming. She's single.

And she's here.

He slips back downstairs with hope bubbling up in his chest.

The two of them go for a walk together that night, and in the soft glow of the fading sunset, they don't kiss.

Castle doesn't understand. Aren't they supposed to kiss? Wasn't that the perfect opportunity? There were stars and there was moonlight on the ocean. What more could he get, trained dolphins?

Well – she's probably tired from the trip. He can't grudge it. Besides, she's here till Monday morning. He's got time.

(Oooooooh, maybe it'll rain. He can work with rain. That's romantic too. That's something Rook would do.)

It doesn't rain the next night, so on the sandy beach behind the house, the three of them light a fire and make s'mores. So he understands her not kissing him. The depths of passion (and tongue) he's expecting might be awkward in front of his daughter.

But then Alexis goes inside to call a friend, leaving the two of them alone again. And in the flickering glow of the firelight, Kate continues to not kiss him. Oh, she smiles, and she laughs, and she swats his arm when he streaks melted chocolate across her cheek. But though he swears he sees her eyes flick down to his mouth (his heart stutters in his chest), she doesn't lean in, curl her hand in his shirt, catch his lips with hers, slip her tongue into his mouth, tasting sweet like chocolate –

She just bites her lip, eyes dancing as she smiles that mysterious, shy smile at him, the smile full of secrets. The one that keeps him hoping against hope that maybe this time she'll stop not kissing him.

But she just brushes her hand over his, the soft touch electric over his skin, sending a shock through him.

"Good night, Castle."

She stands and goes inside, and the soft look in her eyes, the smile hovering over her lips as she looks back at him – it's almost as good as a kiss.

(Almost.)

Sunday's quiet. It's cooler, cloudy, misty and rain-ish, so Castle grudgingly agrees to postpone the fireworks. Kate still can't find it in herself to mind, though. She sleeps in till 8 (unheard of), Alexis makes pancakes, and the three of them spend the day talking, reading and watching Disney movies.

After a late lunch of entirely too much pizza, Kate finds herself curled up on the couch. They're watching Aladdin. On her right, Alexis is looking back and forth between the movie and The Hunger Games open on her lap. On her left, Castle is slumped against the cushions, asleep, head tipped back, snoring lightly. His arm is draped over the back of the couch, and his fingers just barely brush the back of her neck, sending soft shivers down her spine when his hand twitches.

When did she start snuggling with the Castles during rainy day movies?

(And when did it start feeling comfortable?)

Alexis reaches behind Kate and thwacks her father in the face with a pillow to stop his snoring. He wakes with a snort, growls, grabs his own pillow and returns fire. Kate gets caught in the middle, covering her face as both Castles attempt to use her as a human shield.

While Aladdin and Jasmine sing A Whole New World onscreen, Kate confiscates all pillows, sternly glares the errant Castles into penitent submission, and tries very hard not to read into the line Tell me, Princess, now when did you last let your heart decide?

Monday morning, Castle peels himself out of bed at 5:41am because Kate's a morning person, and she's leaving today. And – well, there's no more moonlight to be had, so he'll try for sunrise. Sunrise is good too. Maybe the softer side of Rook could come out. The romantic. She needs to be eased into it. A sunrise kiss is sweet, gentle. A prelude to more. Rook would agree. The dawning of a new relationship. The slow, inevitable progression from the darkness of loneliness to the steady, spreading glow of Oh son of a bitch, seriously, Rick, that's just pathetic.

But Beckett, morning person though she is, does not appear from her room until the soft rosy-golden sunrise has given way to utterly boring daylight. He's disgusted with the sun's failure to accommodate his plans. He's also tired. 5:41 is really damn early to wake up and not get kissed.

"Morning, Castle."

"Morning." He can't really stay grumpy, though. Not when Beckett is padding barefoot through his kitchen in a white t-shirt and shorts, smiling, eyes bright. He's been watching carefully all weekend; the shadows under her eyes have faded, leaving her glowing and relaxed. She needed this vacation.

(Even if she's spent it ignoring chance after chance to kiss him senseless.)

He hands her a cup of coffee, making sure his fingers brush hers gently. She rewards him with a dazzling smile, a soft flush in her cheeks. "Thanks."

"You want some breakfast?"

"That'd be great, thanks."

Alexis comes shuffling in wearing her pajamas and yawning. "Hi, Dad. Hi Kate."

"Good morning, Alexis." Kate pours her a glass of orange juice. "You're up early for a holiday."

(Is it bad that he's really, really into this little family tableau they've been creating all weekend? For some reason, the sight of Kate shuffling, relaxed and barefoot in his house is appealing in a way he'd never considered.)

"Didn't want to miss you leaving. When are you heading out?"

Kate shrugs. "After breakfast. I'm not in a huge hurry."

Castle busies himself preparing waffles, half-listening to his ladies (not that he would ever incur Beckett's wrath by saying that last bit out loud), and he wonders if there's any hope left for a kiss. Late morning isn't romantic. It's not raining, there are no rainbows, she's leaving so there's no chance for a beach walk, and he didn't even bring any Sinatra to set the mood. He could have sworn she was about to take the plunge and pull him in for a kiss a dozen times in the past few days. What stopped her?

He pours batter into the iron and it strikes him so suddenly he almost drops the bowl: is she waiting for me to do it?

It makes perfect sense. The first gesture was asking her to come here in the first place. She said yes. Idiot, Rick. It's your turn now.

Besides – he looks back at her, the sunlight throwing gold over her hair, her eyes bright, her smile genuine. She's impossibly beautiful. When has Kate Beckett ever had to make the first move?

Breakfast is pleasant. His ladies chat amicably, Alexis confiscates the syrup after telling him Dad, stop, that's way too much, and Castle doesn't really notice, because he's racking his brains trying to find any scraps of possible romance he can scrounge together for a kiss worthy of Jameson Rook's rugged creator.

He's on a deadline, here. This is an emergency.

She carries her suitcase to the front hall herself, ignoring his pleas to let him do it, she's a guest ("Wouldn't want you to hurt your delicate writer's hands, Castle."). So much for the manly display of strength.

She's leaving.

Castle finally decides there's going to be no moonlight and he can't really do anything about that because this is his last chance. So he abandons all hopes of romance and depth and perfection. He kisses her with no preamble at 10:37am in the hallway beside his kitchen. It's pathetic and unworthy of a novel, but at this point, he's desperate. He has absolutely no game when it comes to her. He is a fumbling, adoring mess for Kate Beckett, but he doesn't care because she doesn't seem to mind (she is letting him kiss her).

He backs her up against the wall, cradles her face between his hands, kisses her slow and cautious. The tart taste of orange juice is still on her lips, the sweetness of maple syrup, and he takes his time, teases her with the gentlest possible nips and caresses before finally kissing her thoroughly.

She kisses him back without hesitation, her arms coming around his neck, her body coming flush against his. Her hands slide into his hair and then her tongue is curling against his and oh, screw stars and rain and moonlight and dolphins, this is all he wants.

(Well…not all…)

"Castle – " she finally manages to evade his eager mouth long enough to speak – "you're going to have to stop."

"No." He huffs petulantly and kisses her again before she can argue. He doesn't want her to go, because he has spent only three minutes of his life being allowed to kiss Kate Beckett and it is not remotely enough (three minutes of his life isn't even close to all of it), and so long as she stays put, well, he can keep kissing her, right?

"I have to leave."

"No."

"Castle."

"I don't want you to leave," he mumbles, kissing the corner of her mouth.

"I'm sorry." She sighs, leaning her forehead briefly on his shoulder. He runs a gentle hand over her shoulder. "I can't – "

"It's okay." He kisses her again because really, there's no reason not to. "You have days off coming up?"

She nods. "In two weeks, I get a couple."

"Come back then. If you want to."

When she finally goes to leave, he's resigned to just hugging her chastely as Alexis watches. But then Kate surprises him. She pulls him in and plants a kiss on his mouth before he realizes it.

When she pulls away and he looks back, Alexis is blushing furiously, but she sticks her chin out boldly. "So – are you two – "

Castle looks back at Kate. It's her call.

She reads the question in his eyes, smiles shyly, tucks her hair behind her ear. "Um. I think so."

After Alexis goes to Princeton, he's on a deadline for Naked Heat (still hasn't told Kate the title) and ends up swamped. He powers through a working draft, in between phone meetings with Black Pawn and Gina, who are all delighted that their bad-boy author is suddenly buckling down and turning in chapters ahead of schedule. He's pleased with it, but he wants it done. He wants the book out of his way. He wants to go back to Manhattan and see her again. Because he's relatively sure that once he does, he's not going to have a spare thought to waste on the fake Kate Beckett.

She calls him one night when she's off work and he's sitting on his deck, editing. "Detective. To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"Nothing in particular. Just wanted to make sure you're staying out of trouble." It's playful, but he hears something in her voice, something faintly wistful. Something he doesn't usually hear. Something…something he's listening for now.

"No trouble to be found." He pauses for a second. "I miss you."

There's a long moment, and he can see her sitting alone in her quiet apartment, curled up on her couch, TV muted, staring wistfully out the windows. "I miss you too."

The next night, Kate gets back to her place, hits the couch with a heavy sigh, rubs her face. Work is okay. It's fine. It's just – quiet. Really, really quiet. Ryan and Esposito have studiously not said anything, for which she's thankful, but this morning she did catch Ryan straightening Castle's chair beside her desk.

There's a knock at her door.

Even as she gets up, she knows. She knows exactly who it is.

Her breathing is suddenly shallow and her hands are a little unsteady as she unlocks the door.

The minute it's open, Castle's arms are around her, his mouth is on hers, and she's wondering how she managed a week without this.

He eventually lets her go. "Hey," he whispers. "Um. I brought you these."

He holds up a cluster of roses and her face gets warm. "That's really sweet." She takes the bouquet, rubs a petal gently between her fingers. "Why'd you come back?"

He reaches up, brushes her hair back from her face. "I'd hate to spend the summer without you."