A/N: The 'Time Ripple' from earlier was premature. It was meant for... a soon to be written chapter. Sorry. (I have way too much fun with them!)

"Beckett!" Castle jumped up and down on one leg, trying to pull on his shoe before his pants were buttoned.

"What?" The gorgeous detective emerged from the bathroom, looking cool and collected...Like she always did.

"We are... late." He finally pulled his shoe on, buttoning his shirt quickly as he stared at her

"And whose fault is that?"

The writer frowned. "That's beside the point." He finally blinked at her, his eyes narrowing. "Why are you not frantic? Ryan called over two hours ago..."

"...And then he called back and told me they already had the prime suspect in custody. Espo is handling the interrogation."

"So..." Castle let go of his pants, smiling at Beckett's laughter when they pooled around his ankles. "We don't need to be anywhere?"

"Not right now." She confirmed. "Unless... you have important business elsewhere."

She laughed out loud when the writer tackled her, pushing her back onto the bed and inserting a thigh between her legs.

Kate groaned, grinding her hips against him as she opened her mouth to breath him in. He tasted like berries and coffee and she molded herself against him as her mouth opened wider; greeting his tongue with incredible enthusiasm.

"Do we have time?" He panted and then shook his head. "Screw that, it doesn't matter if we have time..."

He pulled down the straps of her shirt rapidly; tearing it off and tossing it aside before doing the same with her bra. When he reached for her jeans, Kate's hands came up to cup his face; kissing him deeply and slowing the pace.

Castle pulled back. "Do you... do you want me to stop?"

"Oh, hell no." She grinned against his lips. "I just want to make it last as long as possible..."

The writer looked down at her. "I love you." He whispered. "Yesterday, today, tomorrow... It doesn't matter. I love you."

"I love you too."

Rick gripped her hips tightly, pulling her against him even as his fingers wormed between them and undid the buttons on her jeans. He pulled them down her legs, grateful she had yet to don on a pair of her hundreds of high heeled boots. When she was naked beneath him, he hooked his thumbs into his own boxers, grinning when she slapped his hands away and pulled them down herself.

When there was nothing between them but skin, Kate dragged her nails down his chest, leaving long red trails in her wake. "How did this happen?" She whispered. "How did you go from someone that annoyed the hell out of me to... this?"

Castle looked at her sarcastically. "You're powerless to resist me, you always have been."

"Really?" She grinned. "Do you remember when we first met? I kind of thought you were an ass."

"I know you pretended you thought that, but come on... we're together now... you can admit it. You fell for me the first moment you saw me."

"No I didn't."

"Please... you did."

"You believe that, don't you?"

"It's true."

Kate shook her head, trying not to laugh. "What's true... is that I love you." She splayed her fingers along his jaw. "Does anything else really matter?"

"Not unless you're keeping score... then I would say I was definitely ahead-" He grunted when Beckett shifted, putting pressure on a very sensitive area. "But I digress..."

"I figured you would."

Castle grinned, grinding against her and loving the way her eyes rolled back in her head. He started down her chest; licking the skin between her breasts and thinking there could be no more perfect aphrodisiac.

Until her hands wound into his hair; pulling it tight... using it to pull him up her body.

"Castle..." Her voice was a hoarse whisper, sending a thrill down his spine as he felt himself harden even more against her thigh. "I want you inside me." She took hold of him, pulling him to her; burying the head of his shaft inside of her as she groaned.

"Jesus." Rick surged against her, thrusting himself into her deeply before pulling almost all the way out. "Kate..."

"No." She gasped, her nails digging into his ass. "Don't care." She bit him on the neck, hard. "Just you..." She wrapped her legs around his ass, using them to pull him in deeper. "Just you..."

And he gave in; burying himself in her over and over and letting himself fall.

She was perfect...

...and all he wanted was her.

Kate wandered out from the bedroom; a sated, happy smile on her face. Heading to the kitchen, she filled the kettle for the second time that day and slid it on to the burner. She pulled Castle's french press from the cupboard and grabbed a bag of coffee, smirking when she saw his picture on it. "A Brewing Storm?" She grinned wildly. "The man has no shame."

She heard a door open and froze; watching anxiously as Tab and Alexis came down the stairs. She tried to decide if it would be better to duck under the counter or to run, and finally chose to stand perfectly still.

What the hell... Alexis might be like a T-Rex.

And so she watched... trying not to laugh happily when Alexis cupped the younger girls cheek and brought their lips together sweetly.

"So..." Tabrett breathed when they broke apart, resting her forehead against Alexis'. "I'll see you in an hour?"

"Yeah." The redhead grinned so broadly Beckett thought her face would split in two.

The Australian flushed a lovely shade of pink and ducked her head before leaving; pulling the door closed behind her.

Kate watched Little Castle lean against the frame and knew... no matter what they called each other, this girl would be her daughter. "Hey."

Alexis jumped. "Oh... hey."

"So..." Becket held out a steaming cup of coffee, smiling when the redhead took it and not feeling guilty in the least. The girl had bigger issues on her plate. "Things seem... interesting."

Alexis laughed, burying her hands in her hair. "Interesting would be an understatement."

"I can understand that." Kate gripped the younger woman's shoulders tightly. "You can tell me whatever you need to tell me, Alexis. I would never share anything you didn't want me too. And I will never judge you."

"She's funny." The redhead blushed. "And sweet. And so... so very soft. And she smells so good, all the time... not just on a date..."

Kate tried not to grin. "Men sometimes forget the basics."

"But not my dad."

"No." She smiled broadly. "Not your dad."

Alexis took a long drink from her cup, studying the detective closely. "Is it so different?" She whispered. "Isn't it just supposed to be about love?"

Beckett took a deep breath. "It's supposed to be. It should be." She cupped the younger woman's cheek. "You can make it that way. I saw you... with her. You... care for her."

"I do."

"Then don't let narrow-minded jack holes take that away." Kate pulled her into a hug. "The tide is changing. DOMA is all but dead. Just believe... and know that your father and I... we will be here every step of the way. No matter what you decide is right for you."

Alexis melted into the older woman; finally giving in to what she had wanted to do since the older woman entered her life.

Accept her... as a Mom.

Yes this is was an homage to 'Still'.