Bring Her Home

Chapter 1

he ran toward her and carried her and put her on his shoulders to sit on the back of his neck, her legs dangling on either side of his shoulders. She laughed and fisted his hair in her hands and said "Daddy, you have really soft hair!" and she chuckled sweetly. "I know sweety, your mom loves it too. That's why you were made" immediately he heard Alexis's voice "DAD!" and the little girl on his shoulders laughed too, completely oblivious to the reason, but yet so humoured by her father's silliness.

15 minutes later, Alexis was setting up the table for dinner, and castle was just getting done with cooking. Joanne was on the couch scribbling something in her notebook, when the lock on the front door turned, and in came Mrs Castle. Alexis squealed and ran to her and Kate pulled her into her embrace, holding on so tight to each other… Castle watched from a few feet away… the smile on Kate's face was beautiful. She seemed genuinely happy to hold Alexis after so long.

"God! Now this is something I missed a lot while you were gone" Alexis pulled back a little and smirked "what, dad didn't give you a good Castle bear hug lately?" she then stopped for a sec and continued "forget it, I don't wanna hear the answer to that." Kate put her arm around Alexis shoulder and led her in. mostly so that Alexis wouldn't catch her cheeks reddening at the thought of a passionate hug from her husband, the kind she's shared with him ever too often.

She looked over at him and saw him smiling proudly and all she wanted to do at that moment was go over to him and wipe of that smirk from his lips with hers. But another squeal from a jumping little girl on the couch caught her attention. "Mommy! Mommy! I'm here!" her arms outstretched for her mommy to come get her.

Kate all but flew to her young one and caressed her close to her heart; she breathed the scent of her baby in and sighed in contentment. This was the cream to the coffee of life; this little angel in her arms was what made coming home after a tiring day at work all worth it. Holding her baby there in the living room of their home was her favourite moment of the day. She then kissed her little forehead and said "mommy's here now.. Why don't you go get yourself set for dinner and I'll come feed you ok". Joanne nodded and then ran to her daddy's arms when Kate put her down. She watched castle lift her up and put her in her high chair at the table, she walked to the bedroom to get changed and freshen up for dinner with her family.
Yup. Family. Her family. And she'd never want it any other way.

Richard Castle had never imagined his life to turn out the way it had. Here he was, Father of two beautiful girls, one of which is the fruit of his love for an extraordinarily amazing woman, Detective Katherine Beckett, Kate. His Kate.

He looked at Alexis, who was now seated across her little sister, making small talk with her. He laughed at his own pun. And Alexis glared at him. He quietened and waved his hand at her. He then moved toward his bedroom in search of said extraordinarily amazing woman. He saw her coming out of the bathroom dabbing her face with a towel, wearing a blue t-shirt that loosely hung on her body reaching her thighs and slacks that covered her legs well. She looked comfortable, her face rid of the unnecessary make up she used every day to highlight her beauty, her hair tied up in a messy bun with a few curls falling out to tickle her ski at her neck. Oh that neck… She was, as he said before, beautiful.

And when she looked up at him and saw him staring she smirked and said "it never gets old does it? Your staring habits, how many times do I have to tell you castle, its creepy."
he stepd closer to her and replied "im surprised your not used to it by now. It's difficult not to stare at you… it's been years and yet I find it hard to believe that anyone could be this beautiful"
he was in her personal space now, and she didn't mind one bit. She loved the proximity. The warmth he radiated was soothing. Sometimes she wondered if they could one day try putting the heater off and see if his warmth was enough to keep her feeling warm. But she pushed that thought aside for a day when it was just the two of them at home.