So here's my #CastleFanficMonday story, based off of a tumblr prompt which I've placed at the bottom of the fic.

Many, many thanks to jstar1382 and nikkibeckettcsm for encouraging me, letting me talk things out, and generally being awesome. This fic probably wouldn't have been written if not for them.

Take The Stairs

A Caskett AU

"Wait, wait! Can you just –"

The metal doors slid shut, effectively cutting off both her entry and her next words.

"Hold the elevator," Kate Beckett finished lamely, pulling her cargo back to make sure the inconsiderate jerk hadn't closed the door on it. Thankfully, everything seemed to be okay, no nicks or scratches, and the occupants of the stroller slept on.

Thank God. The last thing she needed was to juggle two screaming, startled kids while some ass made it difficult for her to get them home. She just hoped said ass wasn't moving their crap just to the second floor. For their sake, not hers. If they were, she might have to get her gun.

She wished she could take the stairs, but carting the thirty-pound stroller and two fifteen pound children up to the fourth floor on foot was absolutely not going to happen. Instead she was stuck on the ground floor, checking her watch and hoping she'd manage to have enough time to shower before her kids awoke from their naps. Otherwise she'd be meeting her father with ineffectively dry-shampooed hair and a hearty reapplication of deodorant.

Of course, that was all assuming she even got back up to her apartment to get either of those items. At the rate she was going, she'd be turning right back around and walking the seventeen blocks as is.

That would convince her dad that she was okay, definitely.

Jim meant well, but each time she brought the twins to see him, her father offered her old room and his office as potential spaces for them, along with suggesting that he retire to be a full-time grandpa. Each time she turned him down, citing the stress it would put on both his recovery and his recent return to doing work he enjoyed. He was finally getting back on track; they didn't need to rock the boat too much. It was a sweet offer, but she'd told herself she could handle her job and take care of her kids without being a burden on her recently-sober father, and she intended to stick to it.

Her kids weren't a mistake, and she would never think of them that way, but they were also her responsibility. She would let her father help, of course, but their care was on her primarily. No one else. It was something she needed to do on her own.

So far she was doing pretty well, all things considered. Her captain cut her a lot of slack, she had a roof over her head, they never went hungry, and even if she never found their dad, her kids would be okay.

Keeping it from the guy had never been the plan, but when she called his number and it had been out of service, but there wasn't much else she could do. All she had was his first name and the defunct number he'd scribbled hastily on a crappy bar napkin. Plus, putting out a BOLO for a 6'2"ish, brown haired, blue-eyed male supposedly named Rick because he'd knocked her up after they slept together in Atlantic City probably would've been considered an abuse of power. She'd considered it, briefly, but ultimately decided against even attempting it. Instead, she'd called a few more times, just in case, put out some off-the-books feelers with the bartenders who'd been working the night she was there, and settled herself into the awe-inspiring, terrifying job of having a baby.

And then, of course, it turned out to be twins. Kate could thank her mother's family for that; her grandmother had been a twin, and her great great aunts had been twins, too. Twins had made it all the more terrifying. Instead of being able to keep it to herself for a little while, she'd had to tell Montgomery, and he'd benched her immediately. Desk duty quickly turned into total bed rest until the babies arrived at thirty-five weeks.

Since then, she hadn't even had time to try finding 'Rick' again. Maybe she would give it one more shot once Eli and Anna were older, or at least sleeping through the night with true regularity. Maybe once she could think again, once things settled even more with her dad, then she'd try one last ti –

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I tried to reach the button, but there was a couch in the way. I swear I didn't mean to shut the doors on yo – Kate?"

That voice. She knew that voice. She'd had dreams – unfairly erotic dreams – about that voice for most of her pregnancy. Hell, she still had those dreams in the rare moments when she was able to sleep.

Shit, had she somehow summoned him here just by thinking about him? Doubtful, otherwise where the hell had he been when she was in labor?

"Ri-Rick?" she stammered, her brow furrowing. "What are you doing here?"

"I… live here. I mean, now I live here. My daughter and I are moving in."

Her stomach clenched. His daughter? He hadn't told her he had a daughter. Maybe she was the reason why he'd given Kate a bogus number; no reason to have a one night stand calling when you have a full life at home.

"Oh, well… welcome… to the neighborhood. I need to go…" Her already tired muscles coiled to push the stroller over the elevator threshold, only to have him – Rick –block her path.

"You… had a baby?"

She opened her mouth to reply, to deny it or suggest the kids were a friend's or a sister he didn't need to know was nonexistent, but no sound came out. She'd tried to contact him because she wanted him to know, he'd deserved to know. Even if he… even if nothing came of it, now was her chance to tell him.

"Yeah. Yeah I did. Two, actually," she murmured, moving the stroller canopy back so he could see her son – their son – too.

Rick gawked, confusion and curiosity warring in his eyes.

"Eight months. Twins are usually early," she added, helping him out by confirming it. No reason to make him do mental math.

"I – we –"

The angry buzz of the elevator alarm cut off whatever he might've been trying to say. She could only cringe and hope that the twins managed to sleep through the noise. Anna might be the finicky sleeper of the pair, but if the alarm didn't stop soon, there was no way either of them would remain asleep.

Beckett pressed into the elevator, past her… friend… and smacked the button for her floor, hoping giving it an order would shut the damn thing up. Rick managed to follow her somehow, grabbing the first thing off his waiting pile of stuff and diving back into the car just as the doors closed.

"Two ki – Kate, why didn't you call?"

"Why didn't you give me a number that worked?" she snapped, yanking her eyes away from the incrementing LED panel to stare at him.

At least he wasn't asking the expected first question – if she was sure they were his. It helped not having to swear that their night wasn't just one round in a hoedown full of "grab the nearest dick and do-si-do" for her.

He sputtered. "What? Of course it worked. I haven't changed my number in six years."

Instead of answering, she fished her own cell phone out of the bulging diaper bag, pulling up the contact she'd created for him, sparse though it was.

"Here," she said, pressing the call button to let him hear for himself and thrusting the phone in his direction. Maybe it would connect in the moving tin can.

Bending, she brushed her fingertip over Anna's cheek, willing her agitated child to slip back into slumber.

Even from a foot away, she could hear the familiar "we're sorry, your call cannot be completed as dialed," message. But instead of looking smug, or even nonchalant, Rick looked stunned. Like he truly hadn't known he'd given her a bogus phone number.

"I am so, so sorry. I have no idea why –" he paused, eyebrows knotting. "That's not my number."

Kate didn't bother asking him to follow her when the elevator stopped; he was already hot on her heels as she pushed the stroller down the hall, the phone clenched in one hand, dinky box in the other.

"That's the number you left me," she murmured, trying not to sound accusing.

His head shook vigorously. "No, no, that's not my number. Mine ends in 3748, not 3798."

"Well, that's what the napkin said. After a while I figured you'd given me a wrong number because you hadn't wanted to hear from me at all. Let alone for something like this." She was trying to give him the benefit of the doubt because she worked around liars, cheats, and murderers, and Rick was displaying none of those traits. But that didn't mean she would let him off the hook immediately; he'd still given her a wrong number.

"No!" He gaped. "Kate, no. I wanted to see you again, I really wanted to see you again. And when you didn't call I –"

"Dad? Are you talking instead of moving again?"

Rick jumped, spinning to face a lithe, flame-haired girl. She was standing in a doorway two doors down and across from Kate's apartment, tapping her foot expectantly. The girl had Rick's eyes – the same deep, expressive blue eyes the twins had been born with – she had to be his daughter. His other daughter; his first daughter.

"Hey, pumpkin. Yes… no. Not really, no. See, I have a box in my hand."

The girl just sighed and Kate had to purse her lips together to contain her mirth. Well it was clear who called the shots in that house.

"May I please go downstairs and help bring things up? Daddy, you said it was safe. That's why we moved here. But you're so slow and I can't unpack until I have all the boxes."

"Okay, okay, in a second. C'mere first, I want you to meet a friend of mine. I didn't even know she lived her until I accidentally kicked her off the elevator." Rick beckoned, offering a soft "seven going on forty" to Kate.

Seven or not, she found herself squaring her shoulders and fixing her disheveled hair as the girl bounded into her father's side. Good job, Detective Beckett, intimidated by a child.

"Kate, this is Alexis, the world's youngest, smartest taskmaster. Alexis, this is my friend Kate, and…" he trailed off as he remembered he didn't even know his own kids' names.

"Sleepy boy in the back is Eli, and miss squirmy is Anna." She picked up the slack, swallowing hard at the embarrassed melancholy on his face. Focusing on the redhead instead, she smiled. "Nice to meet you, Alexis. I think you'll like it here. It's already a safe building and I'm a cop, so I help make it safer."

"That's so cool."

Alexis's giggle clued her in that the breathy exclamation hadn't come from her, but her father instead. He thought that was cool? Really?

"That's good, because our last place wasn't that safe, and it worried Dad. So after he got his book deal, we decided to move."

Book deal, huh? Her eyes cut to Rick again, finding him watching her. Who even was this guy? And why did that simple look make her stomach flutter so hard?

"It's a long story," he murmured, squeezing his daughter as he answered her unspoken question. "Would you like to come in? I can offer you a couch in the middle of an empty room and some tap water from plastic cups. We could… talk more?"

"I can't – we can't," she denied softly, watching the almost hopeful look fade from his eyes. "We're meeting my dad in a little bit, and I'm already running late. He's probably about to call to find out if everything's okay. But," she paused, sucking in a breath and pushing her hair behind her ears. "Maybe when we get back, we could order a pizza and hang out? My place? I have real glassware and even plates?"

Alexis bobbed between them, agreeing on her father's behalf. "Pizza sounds great, Kate. But oh, now we have to get to work so we'll be done in time. Mush, Daddy."

Rick laughed, almost sounding light again. "Take this box inside, honey, and then we'll both grab more from downstairs." He rubbed his kid's shoulder quickly, making the hand-off when she agreed.

Dutifully, the girl disappeared into their new apartment, leaving two fidgeting adults behind.

"Eli and Anna?"

"Yeah, they uh, it felt right. I didn't know what you might've liked… but they felt right." Licking her lips, she glanced away. She wasn't trying to guilt him, but it was the truth.

He seemed to understand that, thankfully. "They're gorgeous. Both the names and the name owners."

"Thanks," she huffed a small laugh. His awkwardness was cute, really cute. "They're deceptively peaceful right now; just wait until later when they're awa –"

Her father's ring tone cut off the rest of her thought. Yeah, that was his "just checking on you" call.

"Oh, uh, this is yours." Rick handed her phone back, smiling sheepishly. "Sorry, I've been hogging it."

"No problem… hang on." Dipping her head, she answered the phone.

Her conversation with her father was brief. It turned out that both of them were running late, which meant she could actually indulge in a shower if naptime continued for a little longer. Thank goodness for small mercies.

Rick smiled easily when she turned her attention back to him. "I should let you go. Give you a chance to relax before you have to leave again."

"Yeah," she agreed, almost reluctant to turn away. "I really, really need to wash my hair before they wake up. But we'll get pizza later and we can talk?"

"I'd like that."

She would, too.

"Kay, well uh, why don't you give me your actual number in case knocking on your door doesn't work, and I'll call you when we get home?" She offered him her cell again, watching him fumble to edit his contact with his large thumbs on the tiny flip phone keyboard.

"Yeah! Of course, of course. And I'm… I don't even know what happened, if I was just too tired and my handwriting sucked on that napkin, or what, but I am so, so sorry, Kate."

"Rocked your world so hard you couldn't remember your own phone number, huh?" she murmured, feeling the urge to banish his guilt. It wouldn't change anything, and if they were going to talk, they needed to start actually saying something useful.

He looked up then, eyes wide at the innuendo. Oh, she… he wasn't expecting her to flirt with him was he? Maybe she shouldn't be, but it seemed to pull him out of his head.

"We'll talk about it later," she promised, dragging her teeth over her bottom lip. "And they should be awake then, too. You can meet them for real."

Her phone landed heavily against her palm as they shared an almost-easy smile.

"Sounds great."

"Great," she echoed, fishing her keys out of her pocket. "Then I'll see you later."

"See you," he agreed, stepping back just as Alexis darted across the hall again, declaring it time to bring up another load from downstairs.

His distraction was all she needed to break the spell, to turn around and unlock the door, escaping inside with the stroller before he even looked back. The twins slept on, oblivious to the man they'd just left, oblivious to her pounding heart and spinning head.

How the hell had that just happened?

—

She couldn't decide if 'later' had taken too long to arrive, or if it'd crept up on her too quickly. Her visit with her father went well. He'd brought more presents for the kids, and seemed excited about making plans to go to the cabin for a few days soon. He hadn't even pushed her to think about staying with him again, which was a blessing. She still hated turning him down, even twenty-plus tries later.

The story of her encounter with Rick had been on the tip of her tongue the whole time, but she hadn't told him. It wasn't a good time to bring up the fact that her baby daddy was apparently going to be living down the hall from her. Not that she really thought there would ever be a great time to mention that to her Dad.

Now she was back at home, pacing her apartment under the supervision of her children, contemplating breaking the plans she'd made just a few hours ago. Rick seemed great; he'd seemed great that night in the bar, too, and then she hadn't even known his last name to contact him to tell him he was going to be a father. He even seemed like a good father, but a seven year old was a lot different than an infant, twin infants.

But she'd wanted a chance for months. For herself and for her kids, and now she had it. She had to take it, didn't she? Even if nothing came of it, she had to take the risk.

"I have to call, don't I?" she asked the twins, lips curving with Anna's squeak. "I'm assuming that's a yes, isn't it?"

Eli echoed his sister's noise, rattling his toys with sure hands.

Kate dropped to her knees in front of their bouncers, touching their little fingers gently. They smacked at her hands contentedly, cackling when the motion rocked their bodies.

"I did kind of promise pizza." She sighed, dropping her head. "It would be awful of me to make his daughter fend for herself tonight, wouldn't it?"

The twins giggled again, apparently enjoying her moral dilemma.

"I'm talking about your sister, you know. And Rick's your daddy. Alexis and Rick," she hummed lifting her head to meet twin inquisitive gazes. "Okay, okay, okay. I'll call him. And then I'll call for pizza."

Smiles broke over their faces. Yeah, she understood now. They were relatively indifferent to the concepts of daddy or sister, but pizza? The little pieces she gave them alongside their mushy veggies every once in a while? That they liked.

Wiping a line of drool off her son's chin, Kate stood. Pulling her phone off the table, she considered Rick's entry once more. Had it really been something as simple as one damn number? She still had the napkin somewhere, she would have to find it and see, even if it was just to show him.

"Hello?"

Relief expanded in her belly. Fuck, she'd actually been nervous that her call would end the same way it always had.

"Hey, it's uh, it's Kate. From across the hall? Well, across the hall and down a couple." Well done, Beckett, very smooth. That greeting could've only been better if she'd added "mother of two of your three kids."

"Kate, hey." Warmth spread through her at the relief in his voice. "How um, how'd your afternoon go?"

"Good, I mean, it went pretty well. So I was calling about –"

Twin pairs of teething keys landed at her feet, no doubt a pointed commentary on her fumbling approach to an adult conversation.

"Listen, Kate," Rick interrupted quietly, sounding like he wasn't doing much better than she was. "I understand if you want to postpone or… otherwise take a rain check."

"No! No, no." Well she did, kind of, but she wouldn't. Not with her children, their children, swiping at each other's bouncer toys in amusement, oblivious to the fact that their father was going to be living down the hall from them. Not with the way he'd already pulled her in again, the thing between them crackling with charge just like it had the night they met. "I just… was calling to ask what Alexis likes on her pizza. And what you like, too."

It felt a little inane not to know what the father of her children liked on his pizza. Then again, he didn't know what she liked on hers, either.

He was already talking again, something about eclectic tastes and bringing over coupons if she wanted to wait a few minutes to order.

"I, ah, sure. Yeah, sure. Come over when you're ready?"

"Be there as soon as we're done with this box."

"Kay." Her hand shook a little as she hung up. That could've gone better, but hell, it could've been worse. "Okay, monsters, we need to get you both into clean diapers and maybe dry shirts, too." They'd been drooling so much lately. The book said it was probably teething, but knowing that didn't help her laundry situation.

Changing them together was nearly impossible, but she'd managed to get a system down. One baby stayed in the bouncer while the other was on the changing mat. As soon as they were clean and dry, back into the bouncer they went and her second victim was plucked for the unpleasant task.

She would have to take them out in a few minutes, though, before a little bouncing became a little puking. The last thing she needed was for one of them – Anna – to vomit on Alexis as soon as they met. No, she'd move them to the playpen after she relieved herself and changed her own shirt.

Maybe she'd even have time to restore some semblance of order to the living room before Rick and Alexis walked over.

Hah, fat chance of that. Disorder was the permanent state of the room that functioned as her workspace, a play space, the living space, and most of the time an eating space as well. Fifteen minutes wouldn't change that.

Still, she did her best, clearing the toys from the walkway and dumping them in the designated (and ever observed) play area. It didn't make a big difference, but it helped her feel better.

Thankfully, the twins seemed content to watch her, squeaking at each other around the corners of the soft books her dad had given them. They weren't always fans of being confined to baby jail, so she mentally called it a win on her way to answer the door.

"Hi Kate! Here are the coupons for pizza! Thanks for having us, we have nooo food."

Oh, he'd let Alexis take the lead. That was… maybe smart. She could fake a brave face for the girl.

"Anytime, Alexis," she murmured, stepping back to let both father and daughter enter the apartment. Alexis beamed, eyes locking on the babies.

"Oh, they're so cuuute. Hiii babies. Can I play with them?" She was already on her knees outside the playpen, talking to Eli.

"Have at it," Kate replied needlessly, closing the door behind Rick. "I'll take them out in a second. Baby jail was mostly to keep them out of trouble while I cleaned up and let you in."

Rick chuckled beside her, rubbing his neck. "Baby jail?"

Flushing, she looked at her hands. "Yeah, I uh. They hate it most of the time, and they cry like they're being locked up for life. Kind of like some of the people I've put away. So… baby jail."

He laughed again. "You really are a cop, huh?"

"Yeah, Rick, I really am."

"That is so cool."

Blush stained her cheeks.

"Can I get you anything? A glass of wine? A soda?"

"Water?" he asked, turning soft eyes to her. She could feel him reigning in the urge to go to the kids; he didn't want to overstep, that much was obvious.

"Sure. Make yourselves comfortable. I'll be back."

"Thanks, Kate," he murmured, gaze landing on the twins again.

She had a feeling they wouldn't get much serious talking done with young ears in the room, but for a first evening together, maybe that was okay. Maybe they could keep it light tonight and figure their lives out another time.

It didn't take her long in the kitchen and she returned to find both Rick and Alexis on their knees beside the playpen. Crap, she'd… she should've let him hold his kids first, before she tried to play hostess.

"Here," she offered, lowering the glasses to the coffee table with an ease born of two summers spent waitressing. "Let's get them out of there. Eli, Anna, come see me. I want you to meet our friends."

Getting them out of the playpen from this angle strained her back, but she sucked it up. Kissing her son and then her daughter, she offered them both to their father.

"Rick, this is Eli, and this is Anna."

The babies went to him easily, almost instinctively, but Kate had no idea if it was because they knew he was a dad. or because they knew he was their dad.

"Daddy, they like you."

Rick smiled, but Kate could see the effort it took him. His eyes were damp and she could see his Adam's apple bob heavily as he swallowed his emotions. His chest heaved a little bit before he was able to speak. He'd felt it, she knew. He'd felt that immediate surge of adoration. Instant love.

"And I like them, pumpkin."

Alexis turned to her. "Can I hold them, too?"

Kate smiled quickly, pushing her own feelings away for the time being. "Sure, but first I think you and I should order our dinner. Come help me?" She held out a hand to the girl, ready to give Rick a moment alone with her kids. His kids, too.

Out of the corner of her eye, she saw his head dip in gratitude, and the low rumble of whatever he might be telling the twins followed her into the kitchen.

—

Somehow, an evening of pizza and introductions turned into a movie night as well. Alexis had been the one to ask, her bright blue eyes turned hopefully on Kate. She'd been unable to do anything but agree. She'd even watched from her open doorway as the girl darted back to her own apartment to grab her pajamas and the DVD while Rick played an endless game of peekaboo with the twins.

Alexis had fallen asleep midway through the movie and the twins weren't far behind her. The white noise helped them relax.

Unfortunately, it did nothing to soothe the two pensive adults on the couch.

Finally, Rick cleared his throat.

"They're gorgeous."

"Thanks," she murmured, ducking her head. "They're a handful, but they've been good for me and I just try to be good for them."

"You are. And you do look happier –" Off her look, he added, "than you did the night we met, I mean."

Exhaling, she couldn't help but agree. They'd met after a really bad week; fighting with her dad about his drinking, fighting with smarmy lawyers who wanted to keep murderers on the streets, fighting with herself about the case she'd finally put away. She'd driven to Atlantic City on a whim, just needing to get out of her head for a little while.

"I am," she agreed, pushing the past away to focus on the warm, snuggly body in her arms. "Though I'll admit, some days are harder than others."

"There are always days like that with kids," he replied sagely, glancing down at the baby in his arms. "Is it just you? No uh, no overprotective cop boyfriend who has it out for me?"

Her laugh startled the child in her arms, but a soft kiss to her brow settled her well enough. "I'm a cop and I have twins. What do you think?"

"Hey, I'm just asking."

"No, no overprotective, burly cop boyfriend waiting to kick your ass, Rick. It's just me and my dad. My mom… died. Anna's named after her in a way."

Rick's nod was thoughtful. "It's a beautiful name. I didn't know her, of course, but I think your mom would be proud."

"Thanks," she repeated. She'd heard that before, but from Rick it didn't feel like an empty platitude.

Taking a moment, she watched him slide his thumb over Eli's fingers. Sometimes it still blew her away how small they were.

"So," she hummed, getting his attention again. "Book deal? Are you a writer or something?" It was her turn to learn about him.

He chuckled. "Or something. I um, that morning in Atlantic City, I had to meet a guy to ask him questions for book research. I wrote a book about a year before you and I met, but it was … kind of a flop. When I decided to try again, I wanted to make it authentic, so I found a guy who would talk to me. That was why I had to leave that morning. With his help, and a lot of help from a few others, I finished the book and found a publisher who was willing to take the chance on me."

Well, huh. That explained a lot about him, actually. A lot about the way he'd observed people – her – and the way he'd been able to figure out what made her tick so quickly.

"What was your first one?"

"Hmm?"

"Your first book, tell me about it?"

She listened thoughtfully, watching the line of his jaw as he spoke. There was just something about the way his mouth formed his words, the way he crafted the story.

"Can I read it?" she asked when his voice petered out.

"You want to?" He looked almost speechless, shifting Eli against his chest. The baby sighed, relaxing into his father even further.

"Sure. It can't be that terrible can it?" she teased, canting toward him a little bit.

Rick laughed. "Depends which critic you ask."

Her stomach lurched. He needed to stop that, stop laughing that dry, sexy chuckle. Dipping her head, she released a breath.

"Well, I'd like to read it, both of them. If I can."

"Sure. Sure, Kate. I'll bring you a copy of the first one tomorrow. I can bring my rough draft of the second book over if you want to read that, otherwise it'll have to wait until my editor gets it back to me."

"I can wait," she promised, watching his cheeks darken with embarrassed delight. "I'm not sure how long it'll take me to even read one. I don't exactly get a lot of time to sit and hold a book…"

"I remember that from when Alexis was little."

"Is it just you?" she asked, echoing his words from earlier. "Just you and Alexis?"

"Pretty much. Just me, Alexis, and my flighty, slightly crazy mother."

"What about her mom?" She nodded in his daughter's direction.

"My ex lives in Malibu. She doesn't visit very often."

"Oh." So they're both doing this on their own, aren't they?

The silence that settled between them was surprisingly comfortable, but Rick only lasted a few minutes before he broke it.

"Kate," he started, shifting Eli onto his shoulder. Her body oriented toward him as soon as he twisted to face her, pulled in easily. "Would you go out with me?"

It was probably the last thing she'd expected to hear, but somehow she managed not to gawk too badly.

"You… want to?"

"I wanted to over a year ago. I wanted to as soon as I saw it was you downstairs."

Her cheeks flushed at his admission. "You know I'm not trying to force you into anything, right? I just wanted you to know about them."

Reaching out, she brushed her fingers over Eli's foot just to see his little toes curl against Rick's arm. Her companion smiled easily, doing the same for Anna.

"I know, Kate. But I want to know them, and I want to know you."

God, he'd said something similar that night, hadn't he? As he pressed her against the door to her hotel room, mouth forging a devastating path down her neck and his hips rolling against hers. He'd wanted to know her, wanted to know what made her moan and beg, wanted to know what made her cry out. He'd wanted her.

Clearing her throat and willing the rush of arousal away, she nodded. "Why don't we start with dinner, then, and we can go from there?"

Their eyes met again, his earnest and hopeful, hers no doubt dark with her memories. They both smiled at what they saw.

"I'd like that," he promised.

"Good. I'll um, I'll ask my dad if he can babysit. I can ask if he can watch Alexis, too, if you'd like."

"That'd be great. My mother's in the process of opening another play, so I have no idea how much time she'll have."

"Great. I'll do that then."

"Great."

His eagerness only made her smile widen. "Great. And in the meantime, I think we skipped a step or two." She stuck out her hand, fingers wiggling in the space between them. "Kate Beckett, nice to meet you."

His broad fingers curled around hers, his grip firm but not painful, not limiting.

"Rick Castle. The pleasure is all mine."

A/N: nikkibeckettcsm is trying incredibly hard to convince me to continue this, so while I'm marking this as complete for now, don't be surprised if you see more from these two again. :) - Now being continued! ;)

Prompt: Totally AU CASTLE | They a one night stand all those years ago, she got pregnant and didn't tell him (from some reason), now she moved into his building what the hell is she going to do? (she didn't know when she moved there) {C/B ,happy ending please, she kept the babies, she had twins}