"Morning Perlmutter," Kate greeted the grumpy ME who glanced up in surprise. Lanie and Esposito were still on their honeymoon, so for next couple of weeks the homicide division of the 12th precinct would have the privilege of working with the delightful Dr. Perlmutter.
It was going to be bliss.
He huffed. "Well, well, well. Look who finally decided to grace us with her presence. Welcome back, Beckett. Had enough of playing house with Castle?" He said with a smile, an actual smile. Or maybe rather a smirk.
Perlmutter rarely smiled.
He was always a bit of a douche, but, at least he was an excellent Medical Examiner.
Kate only rolled her eyes and gave him a tight-lipped smile. "No. Why? You miss me?" She shot back.
"Didn't even know you were gone," he replied, his eyes laughing. Even the grumpy ME couldn't deny it – they all had missed her, the 12th precinct's finest (and most attractive) homicide detective.
Most even missed her shadow, her partner. Perlmutter was not one of them.
"I'm glad to see you so excited about having me back, thanks," she shot back sarcastically. He only shook his head and tried not to smile. He went back to examining the body and Kate's attention became fixed on the victim, a young girl in her twenties. She couldn't help but think about Alexis and about calling her the moment she got the opportunity.
Detective Kate Beckett steeled herself and took a breath, putting her armor in place.
She was ready to do this again.
"Alright. What do you have for me?"
[][][]
But they were going to surprise Mommy with lunch later on.
He was snapped out of his thoughts when a small blur of human limbs launched into the adjacent swing next to them, startling Lizzy.
"Momma!" A young boy of about four with way too much energy and dark spiky hair yelled as he pushed off the ground and started to propel himself forward. "Watch how high I can goes!" He was all vigorous concentration, complete with his tongue peeking out of his mouth and a cutely furrowed brow as he moved back and forth, trying to go higher. Lizzy leaned forward to watch, her little mouth open, totally in awe of the heights the boy was able to achieve.
He was a friggin' rock star.
"Joshua! Get back here!" The boy's mother yelled, jogging towards the swings and looking completely haggard. Rick watched in amusement as the short, petite Soccer Mom-type quietly scolded her son for running off like that. She grabbed his arm and pulled the whining and protesting youngster off the swing.
"But I wanna swing, Mommy!" He all but sobbed, trying to get out of her grasp and getting very close to throwing a tantrum.
"I said no. We're going home now," she hissed, red in the face from exertion and anger. She became aware of Rick and Lizzy and shot the writer an apologetic and sheepish smile. He returned a lopsided one and gave her a slight nod. With that, Joshua and his mother walked off, more like he was dragged away by her.
Rick just shook his head in amusement, suddenly very thankful that he had a daughter and not a mini Rick Castle running around. Now, that kid would be the personification of a sugar rush. Well, Kate had on occasion said that she wouldn't mind having a little Rick running around. He could just imagine it. A boy to wrestle with, to play video games with, to do manly stuff with. He loves his girls – they're the best – but he's kinda outnumbered and having a boy-
Whoa. Hold up. The baby factory is closed for production. For now. Well, at least for the next few years. Hopefully not too long, because he would like Lizzy to have someone to play with and just to see Kate pregnant again because she's never been more beautiful-
O-kay. Time to go. Damn, his wife hasn't been back at work for more than four hours and he's already daydreaming about another baby.
Sheesh. He's such a girl.
Lizzy clapped her small hands and grinned at him, complete with about four baby teeth. She was too cute for her own good and had Daddy wrapped around her little finger.
Not that he minded. On the contrary.
He smiled at his adorable daughter, the spitting image of her mother, except for her eyes.
That was all him.
He adjusted her pink cap and tapped her lightly on the nose, making the little girl giggle even more. Rick lifted her out of the swing, cursing the way his knees popped when he stood up. He was getting old. It was depressing.
"C'mon, Sweet Pea." He hugged and kissed her before glancing at his watch. "Time to go and surprise Mommy."
Rick was so enamored by the babbling little human being in his arms that he didn't notice the woman in the shadows watching him like a hawk, snapping pictures of them, of his daughter.
She had been doing this for more than three weeks already because-
she and Richard Castle belonged together.
He was the love of her life. She just knew it. Knew it when they locked eyes, the way he talked with her about the book, the way he smiled at her when he signed his name.
There was only one problem, one obstacle.
Kate Beckett.
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Especially when the suspect was about to break.
The thirty-something man who was confident and cocky and all talk when they started about fifteen minutes ago had been reduced to a sweating, nervous wreck.
He was about to confess. She could feel-
"I- I want a lawyer. I'm not saying anything further. I- I'm done talking with you, Detective."
Shit.
"Fine. You do that, Tate, because believe me, you're gonna need a lawyer, a very good one." With that, she turned and left, shutting the door with a little more force than needed.
Damn.
"So?" Montgomery inquired when she emerged.
"He lawyered up. But I think we got him on DNA." Kate sighed and pulled a hand through her hair, feeling the beginnings of a headache at the base of her skull.
Great.
"Alright, good. Keep me posted, Beckett," the captain said, walking off. He came to a stop and turned back to her. "And Detective?"
Kate's brow furrowed. "Yes Sir?"
He smiled. "I'm glad to have you back."
She returned a small one herself. "It's good to be back." Even though she missed her baby terribly. She glanced at her watch, deciding whether to go for lunch or just to-
"Hey, Castle! Long time no see."
Kate whipped around, surprised and delighted to see her handsome and grinning husband greet all the familiar faces. Their daughter – her baby girl – was glancing around curiously at everyone who was cooing over her like a bunch of aunts and uncles. Kate smiled, beaming and bright, her heart breaking open with affection and softness and tenderness. All the things that she had to put away when she put on that badge and holstered her gun.
Apparently all it took for her to become a puddle of mush was a pudgy, smiling little baby. Apparently that was all it took for a whole precinct full of tough cops to go all mushy and soft.
It was adorable seeing tough, manly cops making funny faces to entertain an almost one-year old.
When Rick spotted her, his grin widened, eyes twinkling. She loved that, loved him for being such a sweetheart. He walked towards his wife, Lizzy in her pram holding out her arms for Mommy, her little hands opening and closing with impatience, with need.
She wanted her mom.
Kate laughed, her chest feeling lighter at the sight of her daughter. "Hey baby," she said softly, lifting her baby out of the pram. Lizzy surprised her by wrapping her small arms around Kate's neck and burrowing into her mother.
Well, at least Kate wasn't the only one who was experiencing a little bit of separation anxiety.
She glanced at Rick, unable to shake off her smile. "What are you doing here?"
He stepped forward and kissed her in greeting, a soft hello. She loved those kisses. "We wanted to surprise you for lunch," he said with a shrug. "It's kinda lonely without you."
Oh, he was looking at her with those adorable puppy-dog eyes.
"I miss you too," she said softly, squeezing his hand before releasing it. She turned and walked off to the break room, carrying her daughter with her husband following, greeting people as he went.
She felt all warm and fuzzy; the frustration of not getting a confession a thing of the past. "So what did you get? Please tell me it's Chinese. I'm starving!"
He grinned and pulled out the bag from her favourite Chinese take-away. "Why do you ever doubt me, Detective?"
"Oh, Richard Castle, I love you," she breathed, adjusting her hold on Lizzy.
He chuckled and started to take out their food as well as Lizzy's lunch. "Right back at you, Mrs. Castle." They sat down as they have done so many times before in the years gone by.
"So, tell me, how's the case going?"
Always partners.
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It was past seven when she walked through the door, tired but satisfied. They got their man. He had slipped up with disposing his bloody clothes and the murder weapon.
The savvy lawyer couldn't save him.
Kate removed her jacket and kicked off her shoes, her brow furrowing at the absence of her husband and daughter.
"Rick?"
She made her way upstairs and heard the low rumblings of his rich voice. She stopped at the nursery, the door slightly ajar. She quietly peeked inside, seeing the outline of his figure, his broad shoulders in the dim light. Her chest felt tight as she watched, listened to soothing voice of her husband. She loved listening to him, listening to him being a father to their daughter. She loves it when he's being a smart-ass, all twinkly eyes and amused smiles and dirty innuendo. Everything about him. Every role he fulfills. When he's being a nine-year-old on a sugar-rush or her favourite author or a man who would recreate the world in order to protect her, their family.
But she loves him the most when he's being a father, when he gently brushes a large hand over their baby's small skull like he's doing right now, when his face softens in affection whenever he sees his girls, the way he wants to carry their burdens.
They way he gives them the world.
She wanted to be part of that, wanted to bask in the warmth of his love. Everyday, always.
"Hey," Kate said softly, stepping inside, her toes curling against the soft fabric of the carpet.
Rick turned at the sound of her voice and smiled. "Hey," he greeted, his face decorated with gentleness, tender and beautiful.
Her heart pounded as she watched him; his blue eyes warm embers, his mouth her fire, his arms her resting place, his body her home. It suddenly hit her - how much she loved him. How much she was hopelessly in love with him, this man.
The father of her child.
She swallowed and stepped towards where he was sitting in the rocking chair, a children's book open in his lap. A Dr. Suess book. Kate wasn't sure whether it was one he bought especially for Lizzy or whether it was one of his own. She wouldn't be surprised if it was the latter. He was essentially a little boy trapped in a grown man's body.
Well, not always...
"She asleep?" Kate asked, peering into the crib where Lizzy was lying. Long, dark lashes were feathered against her soft, pale skin; her curly hair fell over her forehead and around her cheeks; her pretty, pink mouth was slightly open as she breathed.
She was beautiful.
Rick wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and pulled her down into his lap, holding her close and resting his chin on her shoulder. For a few minutes they sat in silence, just watching their daughter sleep.
"You tired?" He asked after a while, planting a kiss against her hair.
"Mm, not too much." Kate relaxed further into him and sighed. Another few moments passed. "I missed you guys today," she murmured.
He laughed quietly, kissing her cheek. "Same here, Mrs. Castle."
She turned to face him, quirking an eyebrow. "What? Not Detective now?"
He smiled and shook his head, cupping the back of her head. "No. Not here. Here you are Lizzy's mom." He pulled her towards him, kissing her softly, briefly, delicately. Like waiting for a flower to open up. "And my wife." He kissed her again, a little longer, a little more insistent. When he pulled back, Kate saw that unmistakable Castle glint in his eyes. "And my really, really hot sex-kitten."
She slapped a hand against his chest, fighting the smile tugging at her lips. "You're not getting lucky tonight, Castle."
Of course he was.
She got up and kissed her daughter goodnight. Rick followed her, murmuring a sweet goodnight to his baby girl and switched off the light as they went.
"Oh come on, Babe." He wrapped his arms around her from behind once they were out of the nursery, walking them (rather awkwardly) towards their bedroom. "I haven't seen you all day."
She grinned. "Liar. You brought me lunch."
He flipped them around, crowding her against the door. "Yeah, but I wanted to do so, so much more," he said against her skin, placing hot, wet open-mouthed kisses in her neck.
She slowly dragged a long leg up, wrapping it around his one and pressing her hips against him insistently. He growled in response and attacked the buttons of her shirt with gusto.
She loved it when he got impatient.
"Well, I'm here now, Mr. Castle. And I'm all yours."
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If I could trace the lines that ran
Between your smile and your sleight of hand
I would guess that you put something up my sleeve
Now every time I see your face the bells ring in a far-off place
We can find each other this way I believe
Title and lyrics at the end is from the beautiful Josh Ritter song, "Come and find me".
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