Kate woke the next morning to a warm sensation between her legs, almost like she was peeing…that would not be good. As she drifted back into consciousness, though, she realized that she wasn't peeing: it was something much more pleasant. Her suspicions were confirmed when she finally woke all the way up and looked down. There, face between her legs, was her husband, working her over with his tongue like it was his job.

"Gooooooood morning," she drawled, smiling lazily as she simply enjoyed the feeling of being eaten out. She felt Rick chuckle around her.

A few hours later (once the favor was returned, etc.), the couple made their way down to the beach. Rick rubbed Kate down with sunscreen and they spent equal amounts of time laying around, frolicking in the water, and playing in the sand like children. By dinner time, they were ready to be indoors for a while, so they decided on a restaurant in an aquarium. The food was amazing, the wine even better, and the dessert was almost as good as the sex they had on the balcony of their suite.

The next and final few days of their honeymoon passed in a similar fashion: the would wake up (the only alarm clocks being their hormones), see the city, do something fun (like swim with dolphins and manta rays), eat dinner, occasionally have drinks, frequently have mind-blowing sex, ending by falling asleep naked in each others' arms. Eventually, that Sunday morning rolled around and their vacation was over.

"So," Rick began as he played with a strand of her hair, "back to the real world then, huh?" They were lying [naked] in bed after a lovely round of morning sex—they really were like horny teenagers…

Kate's face scrunched up a little in displeasure. "Yeah, guess so. I have to be back to work on Wednesday." Smiling just a little, she added, "I gave myself a few days to recover from the honeymoon."

Chuckling, Rick gently tugged the strand of hair between his fingers. "Smart woman."

"Rick?" Kate asked, rolling toward him so she didn't have to crane her neck to see him.

"Yeah?" he asked, his brow furrowed with concern.

Kate paused, trying to decide how to word this question. "What are we going to do about housing?"

The way she asked it was so hesitant, it brought a smile to his face. "Well, I know that you love your apartment and you know that I live with my mother and daughter. Of course, this is up to you, but I was thinking maybe you could move in with us?" Kate's face didn't change: she still looked concerned, maybe a little confused.

Rick powered on. "We can keep your apartment throughout the experiment just in case," his stomach dropped at the thought, "but I just think it would be easier than having to move all three of us to another apartment."

She considered him for a moment, which he apparently took to mean that she didn't like the idea because he interrupted her silence with, "I'm mostly just thinking of Alexis. I mean, if we moved, who knows if she'd be in the same school district? And she loves her school. I totally wouldn't care to move if it was just me, but—"

"Rick," she interrupted, "that's okay. I'll move in with you. I don't want to uproot Alexis or your mother any more than I already have. I want to make this as easy as possible for all of us, and I agree with you. There's no need for four people to move when there only needs to be one person moving." He beamed at her, kissing her softly on the lips.

"Besides," she continued, "your place is closer to the precinct, if I'm not mistaken."

He smiled at her again. "I do believe you're right."

XXXXXXXXXX

The plane landed on a slightly damp runway back in New York City. Most of the people getting off the plane looked refreshed, tanned, and a little chilly. The Castles were no different. They collected their luggage and made their way to meet the greeting party. Rick's hand gripped Kate's tightly as he scanned the crowd looking for his readheads, which he only found because he heard his little readhead squeal from across the gate.

"Daddy!" she yelled as she wove through the crowd and rammed into him, arms slung around his waist.

"Ohhhhh, I missed you, Pumpkin," he said, swiveling Alexis from side to side as Martha greeted Kate with a kiss on the cheek. Honestly, she would have been content to watch Rick and Alexis together; the sight of him being a father melted her a little.

Once Rick and Alexis were satisfied with their greeting, Martha moved to hug her son and Alexis hugged Kate, asking about the trip.

Kate smiled at the younger woman and said warmly, "Oh, it was wonderful! Thank you for asking. How was a week away from your father?"

"Hey!" she heard Rick exclaim as Alexis laughed. Kate shrugged innocently at him and linked her arm through Alexis's as they made their way outside. The two continued to talk about the trip (well, parts of it anyway…) until there was a lull in the conversation.

"I've got a question for you," Kate said to Alexis.

"What's that?" Alexis asked, turning her full attention to Kate. Rick and Martha were close behind, observing the two together.

Kate smiled softly at the teen, a little nervous about what her reaction might be. "Would you want to have sort of a girls' day with me tomorrow? I don't work again until Wednesday and you don't have school just yet so I thought we could spend some time together."

The small pit of fear in Kate's stomach might as well have been a little baby bunny. Alexis beamed at her. "Of course! That sounds great, Kate." Kate beamed back and the two started planning their day: mani-pedis, lunch, and a movie, ending with ice cream in the park.

While all the details were being hashed out, Martha looked to Rick and said in a low voice, "Don't let this one get away, Richard."

Rick smiled at Kate, warmth in his heart, and said, "I think you're right."

Once Kate and Alexis were done planning, Kate looked across her husband to his mother. "Martha, if you don't have any plans for Tuesday, I was thinking you and I could also have a girls' day. You know, so you can give me the dirt on Castle, here," she said with a wink.

"Castle?" He asked her.

She shrugged and smiled mischievously at him. "What can I say? I'm in a good mood."

He chuckled and put his arm around his mother. "Okay then, Beckett." The redheads smiled sweetly.

XXXXXXXXXX

The day came for Alexis and Kate's girls' day. Kate was a little nervous, but Alexis was excited, bouncing around the loft where boxes of Kate's stuff had yet to be unpacked. Castle said he would take care of it for her. She would let him.

As Alexis and Kate sat with their feet soaking, Kate began what she assumed would be a difficult conversation. "So, Alexis," the girl looked over to her hazily, basking in the warmth of the water and the massage from the chair. "What questions do you have for me?"

When Alexis didn't answer, actually looked confused, Kate continued. "I mean, I'm a complete stranger who married your father. You must want to know about me. I want you to feel comfortable with me, so ask away."

Considering her for a moment, Alexis began. "Where are you from?"

"Here, in New York. Born and raised."

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Nope, just me."

"I've met your dad, but what about your mom?"

That gave Kate pause. She glanced down at her feet and Alexis apparently picked up on the hesitation. "I'm sorry. You don't have to answer if you don't want to."

"No, that's okay," Kate replied, finally finding her voice. "My parents met in law school and married shortly after graduation." There was a nostalgic smile spreading across Kate's face. "Three years later, they had me. I had wonderful parents, Alexis." Alexis offered a sad smile. "My father was supportive and kind, my mother was energetic with a passion for life. She died when I was nineteen."

Alexis's face contorted into one of pain, feeling deeply for this woman she barely knew. "Kate, I'm so sorry. That's terrible."

Smiling sadly, fighting back the tears, Kate swallowed the lump in her throat and continued. "That's why I reacted the way I did at the wedding. I want you to know it had nothing to do with me being scared or upset that I was marrying your dad." Pause. "My mom loved his books, and after she died, I read them to feel closer to her. They became very important to me and seeing your dad at the end of that aisle just threw me for a loop. I ran out so I could collect myself."

Alexis took her hand from the bowl of water and placed it in Kate's bowl, wrapping her pruny hand around Kate's and squeezing gently. "I understand, Kate. That must have been hard."

"Hard? Yes, but also worth it. Alexis, I care about your father very much and I'm excited to see where our relationship goes. I just want you to know that you are a part of this as much as he and I are. You are also very important to me and I want you to feel comfortable with me."

Smiling, Alexis moved her hand back to her own bowl. "For what it's worth, I'm glad it was you that walked down that aisle."

They spent the rest of the day getting to know one another, laughing, eating, sharing secrets and stories, and feeling more and more like a family and even a little like friends.