Disclaimer: I own nothing and no one.

If you have read, reviewed, alerted or just snickered at the title in passing, thank you for playing with me. OH and I would like to request the invention (if they don't already exist) of talking Lanie bobble heads. I think we could all use a daily dose of reality in her dulcet tones, when we tap her on the head and hear "You may not see it, but I do." (oh we see it Lanie) "Girl, Imma smack you." (yes please do) and "If you keep holding that stuff in you're gonna get an ulcer." (exactly). I could list oh so many more but without further ado…the end!

Chapter Five.

Fight or Flight.

Castle pushes the door open silently, not entirely sure if he should duck and cover as he enters his home. It's Kate after all, fiery and often scary Detective Beckett with the gun. But the room is filled with quiet talking, no yelling, no screaming and he walks in in confusion.

The four women sit around his kitchen counter. Kate's back to him as she looks to Lanie. He is about to speak and make himself known when he meets Lanie's eye over the top of Kate's head and he falls silent.

The tiny M.E smiles before she drops her gaze to Kate and speaks, her questions rocking Castle to the core.

"Do you feel the same? Do you love him?"

Castle feels his heart beat erratically against the walls of his chest. He can't bear it again, the accidental omission and pain she causes when she denies it. This time made so much worse as it's witnessed by their friend, his mother and his child. But Castle finds himself frozen to the spot. The internal fear overshadowed by the tiny spark of hope that still lingers.

Then Kate shakes her head, and his world spirals. His mouth hangs open and again as he makes to speak he is interrupted.

There is something new in her voice when she answers, lifting her tone and his heart at the same time "Of course I do Lanie."

He can't breathe.

His lungs have vanished and there is no air in the room. He stands motionless and stunned with his mouth open wide, seeking the oxygen that will allow this all to settle and be real.

She just said...out loud she just said...

"Perfect timing Castle." Lanie grins at him, alerting the other women to his presence and he finally sucks in a deep breath, watching as Kate flinches.

"Lanie that's not funny..." Kate grumbles, her voice dark and threatening as she grips tight to the seat and spins. He takes a step back as she speaks, bumping the door and forcing it closed with a soft but sufficiently audible click.

He meets her eyes as she mumbles "oh god" and it takes everything he has, everything in him just to breathe normally and remain upright. To not launch himself at her full tilt and seek answers.

He can't break her gaze, the heated pull of her eyes as she swivels slowly in her chair to face him, blinking rapidly.

There is something back in his eyes, something Kate has missed seeing for the last few weeks. It's there now, a tiny, dim spark behind his pupils, and she wants it brighter. Kate needs to make it brighter, to fix things and if this is the problem that has settled between them, then she can do it.

She can fix it.

Kate stands up from her chair, not entirely sure of the next move, but she knows it's hers to make. She can feel the words pounding in her chest, the ones she wants to yell at him in a joyful rush, the ones that leak from her heart and burn bright in every smile. The words that echo through every lingering look they share, she can feel them so intensely as she finally opens her mouth.

But they are not the words she speaks.

"I...I'm sorry." She says quietly, because she is. Not for needing time and not for healing but for hurting him, so much unnecessary pain, and she is sorry for that.

The last thing she ever meant to do was give him reason to doubt her, even as she stole his trust, and she takes those first few tentative steps towards him. There has been too much space between lately and she can remedy that now, but she freezes in her tracks when he starts to talk...to Lanie.

"Did you..." His eyes flick briefly to Kate's, the dim spark still there but edged with conflict, worry...and something she can't define. He stares at her a moment longer before he looks back to Lanie and continues "did you tell her?" Castle barks the rest of the sentence glaring between his mother and Lanie.

Mainly Lanie.

"Of course not." Lanie scoffs, folding her arms and rolling her eyes "What do you take me for?"

"Tell me what?" Kate asks in a distinctly darker voice than she has used all evening, looking back and forth between them, her eyes narrowing. There is a thread of fear, trepidation tugging through her chest. Like she should know what's coming and already be prepared, but everything is clouded and she just can't quite...reach the conclusion she should.

Castle sighs, taking a second to bury the memory of her voice and the confession that echoes in his head.

She loves him, of course she does, that's what she said.

Of course.

As if it could never be doubted.

But for how long?

Knowing that in a few minutes everything will change Castle moves towards her, dropping his coat and his keys as he does. "We need to talk." He states quietly, his voice authoritative, strong and calm, and it's misleading because he's not. Internally he is in total free-fall.

He stops just in front of her and reaches for Kate's arm, fingers aimed for the crook of her elbow, to lead, to guide. But as he gets within touching distance he pulls back, unsure.

It would feel like cheating, like taking advantage of her confession, to curl his fingers over her wrist and pull her with him. But as his hand drops Kate steps into him, her eyes wide as she lays her hand over his arm, lifting her face to look at him expectantly "Yeah, we really do."

Castle takes it as the invitation it is, to draw her away from the rest of them and head into his office. His eyes find Lanie's across the loft as he pushes the door shut behind them, and he nods.

"Halle-freaking-lujah!" Lanie mutters under her breath when the couple are out of sight. She won't interfere...well anymore than she already has, but she keeps her narrowed gaze on Martha. The woman has been known to do more than a little interrupting of her own and Lanie refuses to let that happen again.

It doesn't take long, the reaction she was expecting, clipped tones and raised voices seeping out from the enclosed room. She's not dumb, in her heart of hearts Lanie knows that Kate is not dumb, but she is...emotionally challenged and any second now she expects her to storm out of the office and into the night.

Nope, not happening. Kate may be able to take down men three times her size, but Lanie Parish is no pushover and she is prepared to jump the woman and force her to stay if she has to...But she really hopes she doesn't have to.

When the voices get louder and more forceful, carrying in from the other room, Lanie catches Alexis's eye and nods as the girl mimes making herself scarce. She gives her a reassuring wink, watching as she mounts the stairs. Alexis shakes her head but she smiles, acknowledging they're all in for a long night.

The girl has excellent timing clearly, because the minute she is out of sight there is a loud thudding crash as the office door is flung wide and Kate and Castle stalk back into the room, Kate's voice raised as she continues to yell, oblivious to the other women as she vents her anger "...and you've been working on the case, well of course you have." Kate turns waving her arm as she growls "You think you're some sort of..."

Unable to find the word she starts to gesticulate wildly but when nothing comes to her, Kate reaches for the half full glass of noxious looking green cocktail. She ignores Castles grimace when she raises the glass to her lips and knocks back the remainder of her drink.

She slams it down viciously on the countertop before she turns on him and yells "Invincible ninja!"

Lanie bites her lip to keep from laughing, wondering if Kate realises she's just given him a weird backhanded sort of compliment.

"I do not think I am an invincible ninja." Castle yells back sounding disgusted, his eyebrows shooting high, before dropping as he glares.

"Jackass." Kate growls as she narrows her eyes even more and moves towards him fast, so fast Castle barely has time to back up before she barrels into him "...Looking for some weird thrill." She continues, following him as he backs away. "Acting the spy." She waggles her fingers.

Lanie turns following them, giving up all pretence of not watching. She's earned this, hell they all have and she can feel something...important is approaching. And even if it's not, anything is better than awkward silences and pained waiting and...eugh.

"If you love me" She yells pushing him into the wall, her finger poking him hard in the chest, "then stop parading around with blonde tramps."

Lanie grips tight to the chair, her eyes as wide as they will go and she mentally cheers "Go Kate, claim that man." And there needs to be a little claiming on her side, some possessiveness, not just jealousy.

Kate pokes him hard again. "Stop looking into my mom's case Castle," She barks "I mean it, before you get yourself shot." She pokes him again, harder this time and Lanie winces on his behalf.

"OW!"

"Kidnapped." Kate yells as she pokes again.

"Oowww." Castle takes another step backwards as she follows him.

"Or blown up you idiot." She punctuates the words with one final harsh jab to his chest letting out her frustration and anger.

"Ow Kate jeeze." Castle rubs hard at the no doubt brilliantly bruised skin oh his chest as he glares at her. He captures her finger, the one she still aims at his chest, and casts it aside before he speaks.

"I did it for you Kate," He yells as she steps back, "Because you wanted closure. To keep you safe..."

"What good is me safe if you're dead?" Kate spins, her arms wide "Because if you don't stop..."

"You know I'll stop if you want me to." He growls, interrupting as his voice drops dangerously low "Stop investigating, whatever it takes, but me loving you isn't really the issue here."

He stops her pacing dead with the statement, "What is the issue?" Kate asks, tilting her head to watch him as her hands fall from their poking stance, one darting up to tussle through her hair, as if she is trying to shake it free of the frustration.

Lanie wants to spin on the spot, maybe dance in a circle, because they are actually talking. Yelling and screaming and poking, but talking none the less. Clearing the air.

About freaking time.

"Balls in your court Kate." He says quietly, still rubbing at his chest. Castle lets out a long breath, raising his head to stare her down "It's never been if I love you...the issue is whether or not you're ready to love m..."

"That is not an issue." She growls "You think I would react like this if I didn't love you?" and Lanie watches as Kate steps further into Castle's space. Forcing him backwards again until he is leaning against the wall. "Idiot." She murmurs gently as she fists her hands in the collar of his shirt, raising onto her toes, pressing her lips hard and fast to his to drown out any more doubt.

How Lanie doesn't leap to her feet and cheer is beyond her. She clamps her hand over her mouth to stop the noises that want to escape and she stares longer than she should. But she doesn't care, she feels like she's earned this kiss almost as much as they have.

Standing on the sidelines and cheering them on, forcing them together, scheming and...Lanie finally averts her eyes when Castle's hand strays low and Kate moans. She will cross boundaries and invade personal space, but Lanie is quite certain there are some things she really doesn't need to see.

Probably time to make her exit anyway, but as she moves to gather her things the pair draw apart and she can't help but stare again.

Just a quick peek.

They are both complete morons, but they are so cute.

They are both slightly giddy with it as they separate. Nonsensical and glassy eyed, and Lanie knows this topic is something the two of them will have to revisit. No doubt a bone of contention cropping up repeatedly in the next few months, but it's a start.

A step forwards...at last.

"Kate what the hell have you been drinking?" Castle asks, a rush of words as he hums softly, smiling when he pulls away, his fingers still sliding through her hair.

"I...Nothing," She responds, a little shocked "well some weird green…thing your mom made to loosen me up." She laughs at the look on his face, her cheeks pinking up as she leans into him "...why?"

"You just..." He grins at her sheepishly, sighing, his free hand rising from her hip to cup her face "you don't taste like you." His thumb runs slowly along her cheek as he holds her close.

Lanie rolls her eyes as they start to get mushy, sensing that this is definitely her cue to leave. They are going to be sickeningly adorable...when they aren't trying to kill each other or driving themselves (and everyone else) crazy. Lanie smiles as she slips her coat on, but at least they'll be happy...hopefully.

And if not, Lanie grins wickedly at Martha, who smiles in response, yeah there are ways and means if things start to go south...

"You know?" Martha whispers quietly to Lanie "those cocktails that loosened her up?" She winks dramatically as she tips another glass down the sink, "non-alcoholic."

Lanie laughs, thinking that sometimes all you need is a great hefty shove and a little bit of misdirection to give you the courage you lack.

She glances over at her friends, Kate's body still pinning Castle's to the wall as she runs her thumb along his bottom lip. There is a glorious smile across her friends face, and clearly it's infectious because there is a matching one shining back at her from Castle.

Lanie starts walking towards the door perfectly content to leave them to it but basking in the awe and joy that floods her friend's voice when she continues to speak quietly.

"One undercover kiss over a year ago and you remember what it tastes like when you kiss me?"

Castle nods emphatically as he draws her back in, his arms pulling her close and his mouth hovering over Kate's.

Both completely unaware as Lanie stops dead. Her mouth opens wide before she slams it shut and turns on the spot raising her hand as she barks at the dumb-asses she calls friends.

Screw no interruptions.

"WHAT undercover kiss?"

THE END.

A/N: I'm dubbing whatever that noxious green foe cocktail was that Martha invented the 'Hallelujah Lanie'. GAH I do love that woman.