Authors Note: Once again I thank you for your reviews! This chapter is a long one and also the last one! I hope you all enjoy it.

Chapter 10

By the time Sunday had arrived, Kate had worked herself into a state of nervous agitation. When she finally dragged herself from her bed that morning, giving up on the sleep that was eluding her, she decided that a run would clear her mind. An hour and a half later she returned home with her mind just as cluttered as it had been when she left. She tried watching TV, hoping to find something that would occupy her attention but once again she found her thoughts lingering and settling upon the thought of the reunion that was to take place that night.

She hated the way her mind worked, wished she could be one of those people who didn't have every bad moment of their past on a constant loop in the recesses of their brain. She didn't want to think about the last time she had seen Savannah Collier, she didn't want to remember the sharp tone of her voice that had always been gentle when speaking to her. She didn't want to remember the sound of the door slamming behind her and she didn't want to remember the tears she had cried as she had driven away. She shook her head as if by doing so she could dislodge the memories from her brain. She had to do something, she had to keep busy or she'd drive herself crazy, so she began with the laundry and then worked her way up to cleaning the entire apartment. Three times she picked up her phone and tapped out a message to Castle, telling him that she wasn't going, but each time she deleted it before hitting send.

As she held the phone in her hand for the fourth time, intending to write the message once again, the screen lit up with a message from him.

"Are you still up for seeing your grandmother tonight?" he had written.

She agonized over the answer, knowing that she had to say yes but wishing she could say no.

"Are you alright?" Castle asked when she hadn't responded to his first message.

"I'm fine, and I'm still on for tonight," she replied.

"I'll be there to get you a little after 5."

"Okay," she told him.

She sighed and put the phone back on the coffee table. It was a done deal now; she was going to face her grandmother for the first time in eleven years. Amongst the anxiety lingered the feeling of anticipation, she had missed her over the years, missed their bond and the link to her mother but she wasn't sure she could overcome the feelings she had about their last encounter. She looked down at her watch, 12:44 it read. She had about four hours to get over it…at least to the point where it would only be the faintest whisper in the back of her head.

By the time Castle arrived at her door she was dressed in a black skirt and a long sleeved dark green top.

"Are you ready?" he asked as he stepped inside her door.

"No," she stated as she waved a hairbrush in the air "I can't decide what to do with my hair."

"Leave it down," he told her.

"Why?"

"Because I like it down and besides this is a private dinner with your grandmother, not a cocktail party."

She smiled slightly and laid the brush on the stand only to begin tugging on the hem of her shirt.

He laughed softly and reached out and pulled her fingers away from the material of her shirt.

"Stop fussing, she already knows that you're beautiful, you don't have to go through all of this trouble."

"I don't know if I can do this, Castle," she said quietly as she moved around the living room, picking up her keys and phone and shoving them into her purse.

"Yes you can, you're just nervous but once we get there you'll be fine."

"Keep telling me that," Kate told him as she moved towards the door.

"She's probably nervous too," he replied as he followed her out into the hallway.

She nodded slightly in agreement as they took the elevator downstairs.

"We're taking the Ferrari?" she asked when they stepped outside the building.

"I wanted you to arrive in style," he answered with a grin as he opened the passenger side door for her.

"Her neighbors will love this," Kate stated as she got into the car.

He laughed, "Just think, it'll make a good story for her to share."

"Yeah, the prodigal granddaughter returns home in a red Ferrari with a millionaire author at her side."

Castle smiled, "Hey, that's the stuff harlequin novels and lifetime movies are made of," he told her before shutting her door and hurrying around the car to the drivers side. She fell silent as they pulled away from her building and he turned on the radio figuring it would be best not to pressure her for conversation.

Kate watched as the noise and brightness of the city gave away to quiet tree lined neighborhoods, but her mind wasn't on the passing scenery. She cast a quick glance at Castle, thankful that he realized her need for silence. As he made the turn that carried them into familiar territory she expected to be overwhelmed with the bad thoughts that had plagued her throughout the day but they never came, instead they were replaced with all of the good things about her grandmother, all of the sweet memories they had shared that had been locked away in the back of her memory like antique linens in an old hope chest.

It overwhelmed her, this strong remembrance of her childhood, of the second most important woman that had been in her life. Savannah Collier had loved her children and grandchildren fiercely, and during the summer she liked nothing more than for her house to be overrun with her grandchildren. Kate could remember lazy sun drenched summer days that she had spent in her grandparents home, of time spent running these streets with cousins and neighborhood friends, she could almost hear the way her grandmother's voice had sounded when she would call them into the house for lunch or dinner. There was always a radio playing in the kitchen, and she always served the peanut butter and jelly sandwiches with the crusts already cut off, and there were always cold glasses of cherry kool-aid and cookie jars full of homemade treats. The air in the house always held the scent of Chanel no.5, which Savannah had once declared the classiest thing a woman could wear. She could recall the nights she had stayed over, in the room that had once belonged to her mother, the soft hands of her grandmother as she tucked the heirloom quilt around her shoulders and the feather light kiss across her forehead. She could still hear the quiet lullabies that had been hummed as she drifted to sleep and she could remember the comfort that was to be found in the arms of Savannah during those sometimes chaotic teenage days when it seemed as though Johanna Beckett just didn't understand.

Her throat tightened and she squeezed her eyes shut to keep the tears at bay. She felt the weight of Castle's hand as it covered her own. She curled her fingers around his and gripped his hand gently before he carefully pulled it away and placed it back on the steering wheel.

She took a deep breath, trying desperately to regain control of her emotions.

"Kate," he spoke.

Her eyes fluttered open and she realized the car had stopped.

"We're here." he said quietly and she felt the lump growing in her throat.

"I don't know what to say to her, Castle." she whispered as her gaze collided with his.

He took her hand and offered her an encouraging smile. "You can start of with 'hi, grandma'."

"Is it really that simple?" she asked as her eyes flicked to the house through the car window.

He nodded, "I think it is, but if you don't like that approach you could go the little red riding hood way and start of with, 'Grandma, what big eyes you have'."

The statement elicited a small laugh from her and he smiled at her, glad that he had been able to relieve some of the tension she had been feeling.

"My grandmother doesn't have big eyes," she replied.

Castle laughed, "Then go with option one."

He opened the door and got out of the car and walked around to Kate's side and opened the door for her since she made no move to get out.

"Everything will be fine," he told her as she unhooked her seatbelt and forced herself out of the seat.

She smiled at him, grateful that he had taken her hand, and followed him the walk and onto the porch. He knocked on the door and Savannah called for them to come in.

Kate took a deep breath as he opened the screen door and led her through the open doorway. The scent of Savannah's signature Sunday dinner hit her first followed by scent of the highly regarded Chanel No. 5. Her grandmother's voice beckoned them into the living room.

"I told you she would come," Castle announced as they stepped into the woman's view point.

Savannah Collier was seated on the white sofa, facing the doorway that they had stepped through. She smiled and tears filled her eyes as her gaze flew to the face of her granddaughter.

Castle squeezed Kate's hand, urging her to say something.

"Hi, Grandma," she said softly using the opening line he had given her in the car.

"Please sit down," Savannah stated her voice thick with emotion. "Dinner will keep for a few minutes."

Castle let go of her hand and sat down in the chair leaving her no choice but to sit down beside her grandmother.

The two women stared at each other for a long moment before Savannah reached out a hand to Kate and cupped her face.

Kate's eyes closed remembering the familiar gesture and she leaned into the feel of her grandmother's soft hand.

"Oh Katie," Savannah cried as she pulled her into a tight embrace.

"I'm so sorry," she stated as Kate's arms wrapped around her, "I'm so sorry."

"I'm sorry too," Castle heard Kate whisper.

He watched quietly as Savannah held onto to Kate, running her fingers through her hair and making her apologies and pleas for forgiveness.

"I forgive you," he heard Kate say and he didn't have to see her face to know she was crying.

He began to feel awkward watching the scene before him and he stood from the chair and made his way around the room examining the framed photos that were sat around. He found Kate's senior photo sitting among others whom he assumed were her cousins. He then turned his attention to the mantel and picked up a photo that caught his attention. He easily picked out Johanna Beckett and knew without a doubt that the girl standing next to her was Kate, a moment of further observation led him to identify the third person in the photo as Savannah but his eyes lingered on a fourth person, an older woman, who shared the same features of the three women standing next to her.

"That's my great grandmother Marie," Kate's voice whispered breaking through his thoughts.

He smiled at her, "Everything alright?" he asked as he returned the photo the mantel.

She nodded, "We're fine."

"Good," he said as he looked to the sofa and locked eyes with Savannah. "I wasn't trying to be nosy," he told her. "I just can't resist looking for childhood photos of her."

She laughed, "That's alright Rick, I don't mind, I'm pretty fond of that photo on the mantel and I enjoy showing it off, there's four generations in the photo."

"And they're all beautiful," he replied.

Savannah nodded in agreement and turned her attention to Kate. "I hope you still like my fried chicken, Katie, it's been so long since I had a reason to fix my usual Sunday dinner that I just couldn't resist."

"Sounds good to me," she answered with a smile as she offered a hand to her grandmother to help her stand.

"Home cooking will come as a treat to her," Castle couldn't resist saying. "Most of Kate's meals come from Styrofoam containers."

Kate shot him a look as they moved towards the kitchen, "He neglects to tell you that half of those meals are bought and provided by him," she told her grandmother.

"I know how it is," Savannah said as she led them into the kitchen where the food was being kept warm on the stove. "You young people want to eat on the go instead of having a decent meal."

"That's how it is sometimes," Kate answered.

Savannah smiled and then turned thoughtful, "I guess I should ask you if it's still alright to call you Katie, or do you prefer to be called Kate now?"

"You can call me Katie," she replied. "I don't mind."

"Do I get to call you Katie?" Castle asked.

"No," she said with a smile, "You can stick to Kate."

She saw the mischievous sparkle in his blue eyes and knew he was thinking of taking that comment in an entirely different direction.

"Don't go there," she warned as she handed him the bowl of potatoes to carry.

"Go where?" he teased.

"You know where," she told him as she gathered up the plate of biscuits.

"What's the problem?" Savannah asked a hint of amusement in her voice.

"Your granddaughter thinks I have a dirty mind," he stated.

Savannah laughed and picked up the platter of chicken, "Well do you?"

Kate laughed and he saw the joy reflected in Savannah's eyes at the sound.

"I'm not confirming nor denying that rumor," he told her with a grin.

They carried the food to the table and once it was situated, Castle pulled out Savannah's chair for her and then did the same for Kate before taking his place next to her.

Savannah beamed at him, "You know if I was a few decades younger, I'd snap you up."

Kate scoffed as she filled her plate and Castle couldn't resist teasing her.

"Careful," he told Savannah, "Kate gets jealous when other women pay attention to me."

"Is that right?" her grandmother answered a sly smile on her lips.

"No, it isn't right at all," Kate stated.

"Trust me, it's true."

"Stop it," Kate told him, "Or I'm going to hurt you."

He laughed at her, "It's alright, Kate, I don't mind if you want me all to yourself."

She bit her lip and her cheeks flushed. She knew he was referring to her confession from the counseling session.

"If that's what you want to tell yourself," she replied.

"It's what I know," he remarked smugly.

She rolled her eyes and turned to her grandmother, "If you want him you can have him."

Savannah chuckled lightly as she poured gravy onto her potatoes, "I don't think he'd like that, he seems to be attached to you and besides I have a feeling you'd miss him."

"Yeah, I wouldn't want you crying into your pillow every night, pining away for me," Castle told Kate.

"See what I have to put up with," Kate said to her grandmother.

"But you like it," she replied.

Kate laughed, "What makes you say that?"

"I can tell."

"How?"

"Your eyes, Katie, your eyes always give you away and then there's that smile on your face."

Kate squirmed slightly in her seat; apparently her grandmother was still able to read her like a book.

"You like me," Castle whispered loudly in her ear making her laugh and smack him lightly in the shoulder.

"I think I already admitted that," she answered a blush spreading across her cheeks.

"I think Ashley may be right," Savannah stated. "I think she does have a crush on you, Rick."

"Oh my god," Kate stated as Castle laughed.

"You two are cute together," Savannah said as she watched them.

Kate's face couldn't get any redder. They hadn't been there long and already her grandmother was voicing the same opinion of half the people they knew.

Castle smiled at the old woman, "We've been told that before."

Savannah laughed and there was a mischievous sparkle in her eye, "You know I wouldn't mind having a great grandchild."

Kate's fork clattered against the plate and Castle's hand froze as he reached for a biscuit.

Savannah chuckled at their shocked expressions, "Well you can't blame me can you? I mean look at the two of you, you would have a beautiful child."

"No doubt about that," Castle replied as he regained his composure.

"You have great grandchildren," Kate said once she had found her voice.

"I know that," she replied, "And don't get me wrong I love Miranda and Sophie but they're just like Penelope."

Kate grimaced as she thought of her cousin, "God help us all."

"I don't know where Lauren went wrong with that girl," Savannah stated.

Kate shrugged and swallowed the bite of food she had taken, "Mom always wondered where you went wrong with Lauren."

"I didn't go wrong with Lauren," she answered, "genetics failed her."

Castle nearly choked on his food and Kate patted his back as she laughed.

"My mom and Aunt Lauren were polar opposites," she explained to him.

He nodded in understanding not wanting to break the flow of their conversation.

"Lauren got that sour disposition and haughty attitude from your grandfather's side of the family," Savannah declared.

Kate grinned, "Great Aunt Miriam."

The old woman smiled, "You remember."

"Who could forget?" Kate asked

"Can you believe the old bat is still alive?" Savannah asked causing Castle's eyes to snap to the woman's face.

She chuckled at his expression, "I know what you're thinking, Rick."

"You do?"

"Yes, you're thinking I don't have much room to talk in calling someone an old bat when I'm no spring chicken myself."

He shook his head, "I wasn't thinking that at all."

She laughed, "I don't believe him, do you, Katie?"

Kate gave him a mischievous smile, "Hardly ever," she declared.

Castle shot her a look of mock indignation.

"You'd understand if you knew Miriam," Savannah told him.

"I'm not surprised she's still around," Kate said going back to her grandmother's original statement "God doesn't want to put up with her and the devil doesn't want the competition."

"Kate!" Castle exclaimed in shock while Savannah laughed and raised her glass.

"Amen to that, honey," she stated.

Kate laughed and he could tell that she was much more relaxed now then she had been in the car.

"I am surprised though that I've never had to arrest anyone for strangling her," she told her grandmother.

"I wouldn't arrest someone for strangling Miriam; I'd give them a medal and consider it a public service."

They all laughed together and Castle couldn't keep himself from asking, "What is the deal with Aunt Miriam?"

"She's my grandfather's sister and let's just say she's never been known for her kindness," Kate told him.

"She never thought I was good enough for her brother," Savannah supplied.

"Ah, one of those," Castle stated and both women nodded.

"And there's a lot of rules to follow if you go to her house," Kate remembered.

"Like what?"

"Like everyone has to take their shoes off at the door, children aren't allowed to sit on the furniture they have to sit on the floor, kids aren't to speak unless spoken to and you're not to pet her cat."

"Why aren't kids allowed on the furniture?"

"Because she feels that children are grubby, with the exception of her own of course," Savannah answered.

"She sounds like a lot of fun," Castle stated.

"Oh yeah, lots of fun," Kate replied.

"Katie learned the hard way about petting the cat."

"Did you get bit?" he asked her.

"No, I got my fingers smacked by Miriam," she answered. "I was eight and sitting on the floor of course and the cat came up to me and I couldn't resist petting it."

"And she smacked you for it?" he said incredulously.

"Yeah, she didn't like her cat being petted by anyone other than herself."

"That's crazy."

"That's Aunt Miriam," she replied as if it was the only explanation required.

"Don't worry, Rick, I smacked her back," Savannah stated proudly.

He chuckled as he tried to picture it in his mind, "How did she like getting her fingers smacked?"

"Oh, I didn't smack her fingers dear," she answered.

He looked at Kate with a puzzled expression. "She smacked her face," she told him with a laugh.

"You didn't!" he exclaimed.

"I did," the old woman answered pride written all over her face. "I'd been waiting 35 years for the chance to hit that old bat and when she smacked Katie, I knew the day had come."

"Good for you," Castle declared with a smile.

"It was one of the highlights of my life," she told him.

"Well mom didn't think too much of having to pull you two part when it escalated into a full blown brawl," Kate said.

Savannah laughed, "She got over it once I told her what started it."

"Wasn't she there when it happened?" Castle asked.

Kate shook her head, "No, she had gone out to the car to get something and by the time she came back all hell had broken lose."

"Well Miriam had it coming," Savannah said in her defense. "The cat didn't mind you petting it so why should she? I swear that woman shouldn't been locked up somewhere years ago."

"I'm starting to think your childhood was as traumatic as mine," Castle said to Kate.

She grinned, "All this time you've been thinking that you cornered the market on family dysfunction without even realizing what was hanging in my family tree."

"I know, this great!" he exclaimed.

She laughed and noticed the gleam in his eye that usually indicated a new plot line for Nikki.

"Why do I have a feeling that Nikki is going to run into a few dysfunctional relatives?"

"You know me too well," he replied with a sly smile.

"If you write about Miriam make her ugly," Savannah requested.

"Grandma!"

"Well an ugly disposition deserves an ugly face," she responded.

Castle laughed, "I'll give her a big nose and some warts."

Savannah nodded "That sounds good."

"And I'll have Rook kidnap her cat," he added.

Kate laughed, "That should be interesting."

"Any other suggestions?" he asked.

"Yes," Savannah told him. "If you write about me knock a few years off my age and make my hair its natural color."

"You got it."

Savannah smiled at Kate, "Look at this Katie, I'm having input on a future bestselling novel."

"You sure it's going to be a best seller?" she teased.

"Of course, how could it not be when it's about you?"

"You know a lot of things in those books are fiction," Kate declared.

Savannah chuckled, "Rick tried to convince me of that too."

"And you don't believe us?" she asked.

"I'm not entirely convinced, especially now that I've seen the two of you together."

"Well it's the truth," Kate told her.

There was silence for a moment and then Savannah turned her attention back to Castle.

"If the two of you do decide to give me a great grandchild, I'd rather not read about the process in one of your books, Rick."

Kate closed her eyes and told herself that smacking her head off the table until she was unconscious wasn't an option. She allowed her eyes to flicker open so she could glance at her partner who seemed to be struggling to form a response.

"I'll keep that in mind," he replied finally and then added, "And from now on you will get special copies of the Nikki Heat books that will be marked with which passages you should skip."

"I'd appreciate that," Savannah said with a wink.

"Can I get that same deal?" Kate asked.

"Nope."

"Why not?"

He grinned suggestively, "I want you to get the full picture."

Kate said nothing in response but her cheeks grew red once more. The rest of the meal passed in much of the same fashion and once Kate had helped her grandmother load the dishwasher they retreated back to the living room. Savannah settled down in her chair leaving the sofa for Kate and Rick.

"How is your father, Katie?" she asked once they were all comfortable.

"He's fine, he's away on a hunting trip with his friends this week," she answered.

"I was glad to hear that he had overcome his troubles," Savannah remarked.

Kate looked at her in confusion, wondering how she knew that her father had overcome his demons.

"Ashley told me," the old woman stated.

"Ashley should get a job with the F.B.I," Castle remarked, "She'd make a great informant for them."

"I'll pass that suggestion along to her the next time I talk to her," Kate said.

"She wasn't trying to betray your trust," Savannah said quickly. "She just knew how much I worried about you and she was always looking to ease my mind."

Kate smiled softly, "It's alright; I know she wasn't doing it to hurt me."

"I always liked Jim and I wish I could have been more of a help to both of you."

Kate nodded, "Its okay, you were hurt too."

"I miss her," Savannah said quietly. "Everyday I miss her; it doesn't ever seem to get any easier."

"I know I miss her too," Kate said softly as she felt tears pricking her eyes.

"I know you do sweetheart," her grandmother answered.

Castle's hand covered hers and she was glad that he was there beside her, lending her his support.

They sat in heavy silence for a moment, feeling the grief for the woman who should've still been with them but had been stolen away. Finally Savannah blinked away the tears in her own eyes and cleared her throat. A change of subject was apparently in order and she turned to the man sitting next to her granddaughter.

"Your mother is Martha Rodgers isn't it?" she asked.

"That's what she tells me," he answered hoping the light joke would ease the tension for Kate.

She smiled at him and squeezed his hand in response.

"I adore her work," Savannah stated. "I've enjoyed every show I've saw her in."

"I'll pass that on to her," he replied. "She'll be glad to hear that."

"She seems like a lovely person," Savannah remarked.

"She is," Kate answered. "Martha is one of the sweetest people I've ever met."

"You've gotten to know her?" Savannah asked.

Kate nodded, "Yeah, she's great and so is Rick's daughter Alexis."

Savannah took in the smile on Castle's face and the way he looked at Kate. There was no doubt in her mind that the writer was in love with her granddaughter, and she wouldn't be afraid to bet that her granddaughter was just as in love with him rather she wanted to admit it to herself or not.

"I'm glad Katie has found you and your family, Rick, I can see she's happy and obviously you and your family are good for her."

He smiled, "We're glad we found her too."

That flutter in her heart was making itself known again and Kate lowered her eyes to the floor, knowing that if she didn't he'd see the love for him reflected in them. She could hear Castle and her grandmother speaking to each other but she wasn't sure what they were talking about as she was too absorbed in trying to regain control of her feelings. She felt him squeeze her hand and she brought her focus back to her grandmother just as the woman moved to address her again.

"Do you enjoy your work, Katie?" she asked.

Kate tensed momentarily, "Yes, I like my job."

"From what I've read in the newspapers I'd say you're very good at it."

"She's the best," Castle remarked.

"I'm proud of you, Katie," Savannah said softly.

Kate's eyes rose to meet her grandmother's gaze and a smile slid across her lips, "Thank you, grandma that means a lot to me."

Savannah nodded and something undistinguishable flicked across her face.

"You scared the hell out of me last May when I opened the newspaper and read that you had been shot," Savannah said her tone quivering with emotion.

Kate paled and Castle's stomach turned and he was sure his face was probably as white as Kate's.

"I was so scared for you Katie."

"I scared a lot of people," Kate whispered as she clutched Castle's hand.

"I was calling Ashley every hour asking if she had heard anything from your father and when she told me that you were going to make it, I was never so relieved in all of my life. I wanted to come to you when you got out of the hospital and I had Ashley ask your father if he thought it would be okay if I came to see you but he told her that I should wait because you weren't in a good place in your mind and you had already pushed away everyone who mattered to you with the exception of him."

"He never told me any of this," Kate answered.

"I had Ashley tell him not to say anything; I didn't want to upset you further especially when you were keeping yourself at a distance from everyone."

Kate nodded, "I understand; it was probably for the best. Dad was right, I was in a bad place," she said before squeezing Castle's hand and forcing his attention to her face as she looked at him. "And I regret the way I pushed away the people I needed and wanted the most."

He gave her a slight nod in understanding and his thumb rubbed across the skin of her hand.

"You're alright now?" Savannah asked. "You're fully healed?"

"I'm fine," she told her. "There was no permanent damage done."

"Thank god for that," her grandmother stated visibly relieved by Kate's answer.

"I do, every night," Castle said quietly.

Savannah caught his gaze, "I'm sure you do, Rick."

They took a moment to collect themselves once more and the conversation that picked up was of a lighter nature until it was time for them to leave.

Savannah walked them to the door, her hand gripping Kate's arm.

"You'll come back, won't you?" she asked.

Kate smiled, "Of course I will."

"And you'll call?" she asked.

"Yes, I'll call," she replied.

"Here's her number," Castle said as he handed Savannah a slip of paper.

Kate laughed, "Aren't you on the ball tonight."

"I try to be," he told her before stepping back once more to allow the women to say their goodnights.

Savannah pulled her into a hug and then whispered something in her ear that Castle couldn't make out.

"I'll keep that in mind," she told her grandmother as she kissed her cheek.

"Keep what in mind?" he asked.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Kate said.

"You tease."

Savannah laughed and then caught him by surprise by embracing him also.

"You take care of her, Rick."

"I will," he promised. "Although she doesn't make it easy."

"She never did," Savannah told him, "But I think you can handle her."

Kate rolled her eyes, "Don't be too sure about that."

Savannah gave him a knowing look, "She knows I'm right."

He grinned "She won't ever admit it."

"Probably not," she agreed. "Thank you for bringing her to me."

"My pleasure."

"You come back too," she told him. "The house is lively with the two of you around."

"We'll be back," he told her before pushing open the door and stepping out onto the porch.

Savannah hugged Kate once more, clinging to her tightly.

"I love you, Katie," she whispered.

"I love you, too."

"Don't forget to call."

"I won't."

"And I want to see you soon," Savannah demanded.

Kate smiled, "You will."

One last squeeze and Savannah let her go and she joined Castle on the porch and allowed him to lead her to the car.

The ride back to her apartment was quiet but not tension filled as the earlier ride had been.

He followed her up to her apartment and stood inside the door, not wanting to say goodnight but knowing that it was coming.

"I've been thinking," he said suddenly as he caught a glimpse of the ring on her finger.

She laughed, "That's always dangerous."

He smirked, "You're so funny."

She shrugged, "I can't let you have all the fun, now can I?"

"Do you want to hear what I've been thinking of or not?" he asked as he tried to hold a straight face.

She sighed as though the decision was weighing upon her mind, "Oh I suppose I can humor you and say yes," she teased.

He laughed, "I was thinking that since we're work married our families should get to know each other."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you, me, your dad, my mother, Alexis and your grandmother, we should have a big family dinner."

"Like we're a modern day Brady Bunch?" she asked.

"We are way cooler than the Brady Bunch," Castle replied.

She laughed, "We'll see."

"What did your grandmother whisper in your ear before we left?" he asked, the curiosity getting the best of him.

Kate's eyes gleamed with amusement, "Is it really any of your business?"

A wicked smile appeared on his face, "Was it about me?"

There was something different in the way that she smiled at him when he made the statement and his breath caught as she stepped closer to him.

"Isn't it always about you, Rick?" she asked her voice low and slightly teasing.

He breathed in the scent of cherries and struggled to keep his hands to himself as she invaded his personal space.

"I don't know you tell me," he said quietly.

She grinned as she thought about what her grandmother had whispered in her ear and she made up her mind to follow the woman's advice and she swore to herself that she wouldn't regret it.

He was about to speak when she laid her fingertips against the line of his jaw and brought her lips to his. She kissed him long and slowly like she had been wanting to do for so long.

The stunned expression on his face when she pulled away was enough to make her laugh lightly.

"She told me that the least I could do after all the trouble you went through to bring us back together was to kiss you goodnight."

"I really like your grandmother," he stated as he tried to compose himself.

She reached for the door knob and turned it opening the door for him. "Goodnight, Rick."

"Goodnight!" he exclaimed with a quick glance at his watch, "It's only a little after ten, the night is still young."

"Back to work tomorrow," she stated as she held the door open.

He looked at her, "Do you really think that I'm going to be able to go home and go to sleep now?" he asked.

She shrugged, "How is that my problem?"

"Because it's your fault."

"So now I'm supposed to entertain you?"

His eyes twinkled and that mischievous grin appeared on his lips.

"Forget it," Kate told him with a laugh. "I'm not making any dreams come true tonight."

"You already have," he replied.

"Then I've filled my quota for the week."

"So maybe next week?" he teased.

"Goodbye, Castle."

"No, wait, maybe I have more troubles to share with you."

"No you don't."

"I could make some up."

She laughed, "I'll pass."

"You want to tell me about any more of your relatives? Anyone else you're hoping to reconnect with?"

"No," she said gesturing toward the open door.

He thought for a moment and then smiled, "I could tell you a story."

Her brow rose and she was unsuccessful at keeping the smile from her face, "What kind of story?"

"Well you know I told you about our work wedding and the reception but I haven't told you about the honeymoon or the plane ride home."

Kate laughed and pushed the door shut, "Alright, Castle, tell me a story," she said as she moved towards the sofa with him following behind her.

He sat down next to her and looked at her for a long moment.

"What?" she asked.

"I was just thinking."

"Again?"

He laughed, "Yeah, I was thinking that I'm glad I was troubled this week, it turned out to be pretty fun."

Kate patted his hand and nodded, "We have had a good time this week, and thanks for what you did for me with my grandmother."

"I'm just glad it didn't blow up in my face."

"Me too."

Their gazes looked and lingered on each other for an intense moment until finally she said, "Are you going to tell me that story?"

"Right," he answered. "Let's start with the wedding night."

"Oh god."

"No, that part comes later," he said.

She slapped him in the chest. "Ow!" he cried.

"Tell the damn story or I'm going to throw you out," she told him.

"Fine then," he said. "I'll tell you the story, collect my kiss and go."

"Excuse me?" she said, "What do you mean collect your kiss? You're lucky you got the one I gave you."

"But you see, your grandmother said to kiss me goodnight and since we aren't saying goodnight yet that first kiss was more like a prelude to the main event."

"You're incorrigible."

He laughed and began his tale making her giggle as much as he had that day at Remy's and when the story was over she walked him to the door and they stood there saying nothing until he put his hands on her waist and pulled her close.

She shook her head slightly as she smiled and then she let him kiss her goodnight.

Castle savored the moment, drawing it out as long as possible and then he broke away from her and brushed a stray lock of hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear, allowing his fingers to trail along her cheek for a second.

"Until tomorrow, Kate," he whispered.

"Until tomorrow," she answered.

He turned away from her and walked out the door and he heard the click of the lock behind him. He knew that by the time he handed her a cup of coffee the next morning, the spell that she had been under would be broken and they'd act as though nothing had changed or happened. They wouldn't talk about it, because that was how it was between them but at least now he had a little more hope that it may happen again…after all his life was bound to be troubled again sooner or later and when that time came he'd whisk her away to Remy's and maybe they would have a repeat of the week that they had just shared.