Here we were, laying in the couch, watching tv. Me with my head on his chest, not really sure on how we got into this position. He had offered me a hug and I had gladly accepted the comforting gesture. Then we had just ended up slowly and carefully gliding down into a laying position with half my body on top of him. The time was probably really late now but none of us mentioned it, to be honest we didn't really talk anyway. Just kind of cuddled, for comfort of course. At least that's what I tried to tell myself it was, but deep down in my heart I couldn't help but feel satisfied with feeling his body against mine. It felt right and I could hear his heart beat in unison with mine. I had never believed those statements in books, never really thought it was possible for two hearts to beat as one but... I could swear our hearts did just that as we laid there.
"You asleep?" he whispered quiet, not wanting to wake me up if I was.
That's when I realized I had let my eyes drop, so I opened them and lifted my head a little to be able to meet his eyes.
"No, you want to sleep? You want me to go? I should go" I said and started to raise but before I even could lift more than an inch he had pulled me down again with the arm he had wrapped around my waist.
"No! I mean... we could at least finish watch this movie" he suggested.
I eyed the tv and saw that 'Pitch Perfect' was on, half of the movie had already played out. So I decided it wouldn't hurt just to lay here a bit longer.
"Okay, but let me know the second you want me off, I don't want you to not be able to breath because of me" I mumbled and he agreed.
"Sure, but just so you know, I don't mind you on top of me" I saw his eyes widen as he heard himself, "I didn't mean... I... not..." I chuckled and shook my head.
"Relax, I understood what you meant" I said before I laid my head on his chest again, feeling my eyes slowly close again.
He let go off the breath he had started to hold when he had let out the weird confession. Or not really weird since I didn't quite mind laying like this either. My eyes closed soon enough and I focused on listening to the sound from the movie and the sound of his heartbeats and breathing. It calmed me down so fast that I didn't have a chance against the sleep that hit me. But just the second before I was in too deep I swear I could feel his lips gently move in my hair.
"I can't believe you actually tried to find his number!" I complained as I once again found Lanie trying to get me to say I had a crush on the man.
"You can't expect me not to, hello!? You need to meet him again and ask him out or get him to ask you out!" she stated and I groaned. "Oh come on Kate! You were deep in depression before you read his books, and it wasn't until you started reading them that you started to get life in those cheeks again! You should definitely try talk to him again" she continued to torture me.
She knew why I had been depressed, and she knew how I got out of it and out of my obsession of finding my mom's murderer. His books had helped me more than I thought books were even possible to help anyone. Which was probably why I couldn't stop blushing every damn time I was thinking about him and the fact that I had met him not that long ago. His books had become like therapy for me and it had led t me not needing go to real therapy once I decided to let go of my dark obsession. I had also decided to help my dad out of his, and together we had made it. He was no longer an alcoholic and I hadn't touched my mother's case in almost a year.
"Fine, I will stop dragging on about this, as long as you promise me to not let it go completely" she said and I gave her a confused face.
"What do you mean?" I narrowed narrowed my eyes at her.
"Don't let him go, don't let this feeling you have when you read his books disappear, because if you one day meet him I think you should at least remember how he saved you when me, Kevin nor Javi could" she explained and I let out a sigh.
"Okay, fine, I promise to never forget about him nor the gratefulness I feel towards him and his words" I promised.
I heard giggles from somewhere in front of me and I couldn't really place them, were they a part of my dream or for real? Was I on my way to wake up? And why did my head rise and fell in soft motions? I tried to find the right muscles to open my eyes but it was harder than I thought, sleep still having a hard grip on me not willing to let me go just yet.
"Let's save this" a giggling kid voice said and before I could recognize it or react I heard a camera sound go off.
I opened my eyes and right in front of me stood a redheaded 5 year old with a 3 year old brunette at her side holding a phone in a way that told me they were taking pictures. Alexis and Molly had wide smirks plastered on their faces and I felt confusion go through my mind. I started to lift my head and that's when I realized what they were giggling about. I was still laying on top of Castle! We had fallen asleep like this!
"Girls, why don't you go take out what you want for breakfast?" I quickly made up an excuse to shoo them away.
"Why are you sleeping with my dad?" Alexis asked with a smirk on her face.
"I-I... just, go figure out what you want to eat and I'll wake up your dad" I heard my voice tremble but tried to ignore it, tried to sound confident.
"Ookaay" Alexis said with that smirk still plastered on her face before she took Molly's hand and they both went towards the kitchen.
"Oh font" I sighed as I laid back my head into his chest, hiding my blushing face.
I took a deep breath not realizing it would lead to me smelling him but once it did I couldn't help but take in another breath while my nose was in his chest. He smelled so good! I hadn't ever smelled anyone this good before! Focus Kate! I told myself and lifted my head again to look at him. He was still sound asleep, almost as if he had nothing to worry about because he was right where he wanted to be.
"Castle" I said low letting my hand travel across his chest to wake him up, "time to open your eyes."
I saw him wrinkle his forehead and his arm around my waist hugged me tighter.
"Five more minutes" he mumbled really low, if I hadn't been so close to him I wouldn't have heard what he had said.
"No, you need to let me go. Castle, we shouldn't be laying like this" I pretty much thought out loud without thinking first.
That's when he suddenly opened his eyes wide and looked down on me.
"Wh-at?" he looked confused as he probably tried to understand what was happening, just like I had just moments ago. "Oh" he mumbled as he let his arm loosen around me so that I could lift up my body from his.
I sat up on my knees on his right side, and it looked like he tilted his head a bit while looking up at me. I felt my cheeks get warm from his gaze, he was probably still in a sleepy haze 'cause there could be no way he actually meant to look at me that way. I wanted to get out of this awkward situation so I didn't think twice before I put my left leg over him not realizing I was straddling him until I felt his body against mine. I immediately froze and looked at him with wide eyes, meeting a mirror-like expression. Then I heard small footsteps and before I knew it I heard the same giggle as I had heard only a few minutes before.
"Kate and daddy, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G" Alexis teased and I quickly jumped off him and the couch to stand up and look at the girls.
"No, Alexis, it's nothing like that, I was just trying to get off the couch" I explained and she smirked at me.
"Yeah yeah yeah, wait till Lanie hears about this" she mocked and I gasped.
"Don't you dare mention this to Lanie! And when did you start to sound just like her?" I questioned and she just shrugged her shoulders with a smile on her lips before she laughed at my reaction.
"Who's Lanie?" Castle asked from behind me and I looked at him.
"No one" I replied short and turned back to the girls, "none of you will tell anyone about Castle being here, understood? Otherwise they might take Alexis away from here and no one wants that, right?" I warned and Alexis's smirk immediately disappeared.
"Oh no, don't let them take me away from here" she said, suddenly seeming scared to death as she ran into my legs to hug me tight.
"I promise!" Molly bursted out at the sight of Alexis's reaction.
I was shocked by their immediate reaction but was glad I didn't have to threaten any more about this.
"Don't worry pumpkin, we won't let that happen" Castle said from behind us and when I looked at him he sat on his knees in front of Alexis.
Alexis looked at him and quickly wrapped one of her arms around him too, hugging us both.
"Anyone hungry?" I asked, I couldn't take the worry I felt from Alexis's small body.
Everyone agreed seconds after I had opened my mouth and we all set off to the kitchen, taking in the sight of all the food Alexis and Molly had most randomly picked out from the fridge that could be considered breakfast. I couldn't help but chuckle at the sight of all the food on the table and I tousled Alexis's hair as she stood beside me.
"Great work kiddos" I said and tousled Molly's hair as well.
They both giggled and we sat down to eat. As we ate I felt one certain person glancing at me a little now and then during the whole breakfast. I was trying to give him a questioning look but every time I did he just looked away before our eyes could meet. I decided I would need to ask him what it was about later on, when we were alone. Without curious ears listening.
"So, do you need to go to work today?" Alexis asked carefully and I bit my lip.
"Yes pumpkin, but since I guess Molly will have to stay at the precinct you could join as well" I suggested, "that way Molly has someone to play with and so do you."
I smiled at her as I saw her eyes shine up at the words leaving my lips. Then, only a few seconds after her giant smile, it disappeared as she looked at her father.
"But wait, does dad have to leave?" she asked and I looked at him.
In his turn he was looking down, probably not really wanting to answer that question. And to be completely honest, neither did I but I knew it was up to me. Castle couldn't say anything since he didn't know what he was allowed to say, I was the one in charge right now.
"Alexis, he'll have to leave yes but..." I saw Castle look up at me, "he'll come back."
He smiled at me with eyes filled of gratefulness. Alexis immediately cheered and Molly pitched in without really knowing what was going on, at least I guessed she had no idea.
"You two marsch up and change out of your pjs, I'll text Espo that we're going to come as soon as we can" I told the girls to end the commotion.
They obeyed kindly, leaving the table with a thank you before they set off to the stairs. I raised and started to clean up after us, to my surprise Castle instantly joined me and helped with everything.
"Soo" I started, "why didn't you wake me up to send me into bed?" I asked carefully.
He gave me a glance before he took a breath and answered.
"You were sound asleep, I didn't want to disturb you" he said but I could sense there was another reason he didn't want to tell me.
It almost looked like it was something he didn't want to tell me because he was embarrassed about it, which of course only made me more curious and it filled my need to know.
"And?" I pushed, wanting to know what was hiding inside that brain of his.