62. Heavy Lifting

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Castle woke the next morning, his face smashed into Kate's pillow, while the woman herself was nowhere to be found. He buried his face deeper into her pillow, inhaling her scent for a moment before he groggily sat up. He yawned and rubbed his eyes, hearing the water running next door in the bathroom, telling him where Kate had disappeared to. For a second he considered joining her but something held him back, a foul feeling that had settled in his stomach overnight.

He felt guilty for going behind her back and even more so because she hadn't called him out on it. He grumbled at himself for not just letting it go as he crawled out of bed and made his way into the kitchen. He needed coffee, lots of coffee. Maybe it would help to clear his head.

Kate found him at the kitchen counter when she emerged from the bedroom fifteen minutes later.

"The girls still in bed?", she asked, making her way over to him.

"Yeah," Castle nodded, studying her closely and she shot him a questioning frown.

"Everything alright?", she asked, hopping onto the bar stool next to him and filling her own cup with coffee.

He looked at her for a long time before he seemed to make up his mind, "Are we alright?"

"Why shouldn't we?", she asked, but he sensed the slight hesitation in her voice.

"I just -," he stuttered, one hand running through his adorably looking bed hair, "why aren't you mad." He finally exclaimed and then watched Kate letting out a deep sigh.

"Oh, I was mad, believe me," she finally told him. "I still am a little bit."

"Kate, I -," but he didn't get any further.

"Castle, you did contact my father behind my back and then invited him over without telling me, of course I was mad at you. And if it hadn't been for our daughters, your mother and the fact that I didn't want to ruin our first Christmas together, I would have chewed your head off." She said with emphasis.

"Why didn't you later?" Castle didn't seem to be able to shut up, to quit while he was still ahead.

She sighed, "Because of George Bailey."

"I'm not sure I understand," Castle looked at her confused. What had a Christmas movie to do with any of this.

"George would have lassoed the moon and pulled it down for Mary if that had been what she wanted," Kate remembered him of a scene in the movie, "and I know you would do the same for me," she explained, looking slightly embarrassed at her revelation.

"I really thought you wanted to see your dad again," Castle nodded, still sounding miserable.

"And you weren't wrong," Kate smiled softly, her hand covering his on the kitchen counter, "I didn't realize how much until last night."

"I -," he stopped, "I thought you would never have agreed if I had suggested it and I wanted to make sure he was up for it. I didn't want you to face another disappointment," he explained.

"I know," Kate nodded, grabbing his hand more tightly. "It doesn't make it alright though, you know that right?"

He nodded, "I should have told you," he finally sighed. "I should have trusted you."

"Yes, you should have, but Castle," she waited until he looked at her, "I do understand where you're coming from. You thought I wouldn't listen, that I would have shied away from the possible disappointment and I can't say you're wrong. But yes, you have to trust me. You have to trust that I will listen to you. I know it might not always seem that way, but I do. I do listen and I trust you."

"Okay," he nodded, his eyes still wary. "I'm sorry."

She gave him a small smile, her thumb caressing the back of his hand, "I want this chance for me and my dad and without you it would have taken me so much longer to get there, to reach out to him," she spoke quietly, "and besides being mad, I'm also grateful for what you did, even though I would have preferred knowing about your plan."

His lips ticked up in a small smile, his eyes seeking hers for the truth, hoping she could really put this behind them.

"So just this once," she raised her finger at him for emphasis, "you're forgiven."

"Here, let me," Esposito took the heavy box from Lanie, shooting her a killer smile and making his way toward Kate's front door.

"How long are you going to let him wait, Lanie?" Kate muttered to her friend from behind the kitchen counter, "He's working his butt off to impress you."

Lanie shrugged, a smirk forming on her lips, "I like hard working men," she stated before she hurried after him, calling out, "let me get that door for you, Javier."

Kate grinned, shaking her head and then stepped into the living room to inspect her almost empty apartment. There were only a few boxes left to be loaded into the truck, all her furniture long gone ever since the moving company had picked them up the day before.

They had started packing right after Christmas and with Lanie's and Esposito's help they had managed to get almost everything boxed up in one day, leaving the heavy lifting to the company Castle had hired.

She studied the last boxes that needed to be carried downstairs before they would drive over to the loft and unpack everything.

"Hey Beckett, those are the last ones?" Kevin Ryan asked as he came through the door, breathing heavily as he picked up one of the remaining boxes.

"Yes, only three left," Kate confirmed, picking up another one and following him back out toward the elevator.

"Thanks by the way," she told him warmly as they rode down together, "We really appreciate your help."

Ryan shrugged, looking pleased, "Espo said there would be pizza, that's all the convincing I needed."

Kate laughed and then added a bit more seriously, "You're a good partner to him."

"We had a rough start," the young Irish man admitted, staring down at the box in his arms, "but I think we're past that."

"He respects you," Kate told him. "He told me what you did for him and he would do the same for you, any day."

He gave her a look as if the thought had never crossed his mind until now and then he smiled, "Thank you."

"Lanie and the boys already drove ahead," Castle said when he walked into her now completely empty bedroom. "Told them we would be right behind."

"Mmh," she acknowledged his words absent-mindedly, letting her gaze travel over the worn hardwood floor and the walls that had been her home for the last two years.

"You okay?" Castle asked, wrapping his arms around her from behind and feeling her lean against him with a sigh.

"Yeah, just saying goodbye," she told him,

"You don't regret it, do you?" he frowned, concern evident in his voice, "Moving in with us?"

She turned in his arms, looking up at him, "No never," she shook her head and placed a kiss against his jaw. "You know how much I love your bathtub." She grinned and pulled back, "Come on, let's go. I don't want to keep the others waiting."

She tugged him with her, grabbing her keys from the kitchen counter on their way to the door and with one last look she closed this chapter of her life, forever.

"Beckett? Where do you want this?" Esposito asked, standing in the middle of Castle's – no, their - living room and pointing at three boxes that were labelled TOYS.

"Jamie's room," Kate instructed, looking up from where she was standing with Lanie, going through a box of kitchen utilities.

"You got it," Espo nodded and got to work, signalling Ryan to take one of the other boxes, while Castle took the third.

All three men disappeared up the stairs, while Kate shoved away the box she had been looking through.

"You know what?" She looked at Lanie, "Enough. Unpacking will have to wait until I figure out what to keep and what to put into storage. I refuse to touch another box today."

"Thank God," Lanie groaned, sinking down on one of the bar stools, "I thought we'd never stop."

Kate shot her a look before she went in search of the phone to order pizza for everyone.

"You two are really cute together, you know," Lanie said when Kate joined her again in the kitchen, opening the fridge to pull out a couple of bottles of beer. "It's so obvious that Castle is head-over-heels in love with you," she sighed and Kate blushed, before handing Lanie one of the bottles.

"He's a great man," she admitted almost shyly, even though there was nothing to be embarrassed about.

Lanie nodded solemnly before she changed the topic, "By the way, where are your gorgeous daughters? I had really hoped to finally meet them," she said and took a sip of her beer.

"They're with Castle's mom until tomorrow," Kate told her, "but I'll make sure they're here next time you come over."

"I don't think I could do it," Lanie said suddenly and Kate frowned.

"Do what?"

"Be a mom and a cop and all on your own. I have no idea how you do it," Lanie replied, admiration shining in her eyes when she looked at Kate over the counter.

Kate fell silent and Lanie feared she might have overstepped until Kate spoke, "It wasn't easy, but it was worth it. Having Jamie was absolutely worth it. I can't imagine my life without her and getting to do it with Castle now, well it makes things definitely easier and more fun," she smiled while she looked at Lanie.

"I can imagine that doing it with Castle is fun," Lanie raised her eyebrows suggestively at Kate who rolled her eyes.

"Not like that," she gasped and threw a towel at her friend, who caught it just in time and gave her a knowing look. "Okay," Kate huffed, blushing in various shades of red, "that too, but it's not what I meant."

"Relax girl, I know what you mean," Lanie had mercy on her. "He seems to be a great dad."

"The best," Kate insisted, "the best. I just wished I had noticed it sooner." She added, looking down.

"Hey," Lanie reached out, placing her hand over Kate's to comfort her. She knew only little about Kate and Castle's rocky start but enough to paint a picture, "what matters is that you're here now. You might not have had the ideal start, but look at what you have now. How much you two have achieved."

"Yeah, you're right," Kate sighed just when the boys came back down the stairs, Castle first, his eyes immediately searching for her.

She gave him a smile, which blossomed when he made his way toward her, his eyes sparkling as he beamed happily back at her. Lanie was right, there was no need to dwell on the past, they had put it behind them, the misunderstandings, the mistakes, had made their peace with it and now it was time to look forward.

"All done," Castle announced, sneaking an arm around her waist and pulling her into his side. "We only need to unpack, but I guess that can wait until tomorrow."

"That's what we thought as well," Lanie said, handing a beer over to Esposito, another one to Castle and Ryan. "Kate already ordered pizza."

"Thank God, I'm starving," Ryan sighed, sitting down on the couch where Esposito and Lanie joined him, leaving Castle and Kate alone in the kitchen.

"Welcome home," Castle breathed against her neck, taking a moment to press a kiss against her temple as she turned in his arms, kissing him quickly before joining the others in the living room.

The pizza arrived and they all sat around the coffee table, handing slices to one another while Castle brought back another round of beer. He clinked his bottle against Ryan's thanking him again for his help, watching the younger man shrug and telling him, it was no big deal.

Sitting down between Ryan and Lanie, he watched the people surrounding him, his new friends, and he couldn't remember when he had ever had met a group of people he felt so comfortable around, even after such a short time. They weren't here because of his money or his fame or because they would gain something from being in his company. They were here because he and Kate had asked them to and they wanted to. He smiled. Kate had been right. This was so much better than letting the moving company handle everything. He had insisted it was no big deal for him to hire men to handle the whole move, but Kate had declined. She wanted to ask their friends to help them, said it would be more fun and he had huffed, claiming there was no fun in carrying heavy boxes around all day. But now sitting together in their living room, enjoying pizza and exchanging stories, getting to know each other a little better, especially Ryan whom he had met for the first time today - yes, it was definitely more fun.

"Hey, what are you doing New Year's Eve?" Castle asked after they had finished the pizza and had moved on to wine and scotch. An idea had formed in his head and he hoped everyone would like it.

"Work," came the answer in unison from Ryan, Espo and Lanie.

"All night?" Castle frowned, that didn't seem fair.

"Someone has to," Ryan shrugged.

"And New Year's Day?" Castle tried again.

"I'm free," Lanie replied, looking at the boys who nodded as well.

"Great," Castle exclaimed, "How about you all come over for New Year's Brunch. A little thank you, for helping us for the past two days." He looked at Kate to find a pleased look on her face and he knew he might just get rewarded for his idea later when they were alone.

"Sounds good to me, Castle," Esposito nodded, while he got up from the floor, "and on that note. I'll have to go, early shift tomorrow. What about you bro?" He looked at his partner.

"I'm with you," Ryan nodded, getting up as well.

Lanie followed their example and rather obviously slipped Esposito a piece of paper, mumbling, "Call me," into his ear before she grabbed her coat, letting Castle help her slip into it.

Castle kissed her on the cheek, letting Kate step past him to give her friend a hug and then they found themselves suddenly alone.

"That was fun," he told her, with a happy face. "We need to have them over more often, not only for heavy lifting."

Kate laughed and pressed a kiss to his jaw, "For babysitting duties then?"

"I like the way you're thinking," he chuckled, but then his face sobered, "No really they're great people."

"They are," Kate agreed, tugging him by the hand.

"Hey," he stopped her, his eyes sparkling, "we have the whole loft to ourselves tonight."

She raised her eyebrows suggestively, letting go and sauntering off into the direction of the kitchen. After all she had dreamed about this kitchen counter. She looked over her shoulder and saw Castle still standing at the door where she had left them.

"You coming, Castle?", she called for him and he didn't need to be asked twice.

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