#resist

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Marco won't go.

It's something like relief, the feeling that combs its fingers through her body. A chill and then a giving way, as if to sleep. "You'll stay the night then," Rick says and it's not an offer, and they all know it.

"Dad," Alexis chides. Her cheeks are pink.

"I will," Marco answers, shrugging with long-held agreement. He gives Alexis a look as if for permission, then faces both of them, Rick and Kate. "Already am, really."

Castle doesn't say anything to that, and a faint sliver of unease goes across Marco's face. But Kate grasps Marco by the arm, squeezing. "We know. Is this your way of making it official, then?"

Marco's turn to blush pink, and Alexis steps into his back, bumping her nose and forehead to the planes of the man's shoulders. Their eyes meet over and around the man and Alexis isn't blushing any longer. "Official, sure." She's looking at her father now. "He won't join, Dad. Ever."

"I said the same," Castle sighs, rubbing the back of his neck. Kate half turns to him, censure on her lips that she doesn't speak, not looking at him. He shakes off his own little funk and grins instead. "Well, good. Officially. You'll stick close tonight, though, in case-"

"Um," Alexis interrupts, slides around Marco to put herself between them and him. "Officially, he's moving in, guys. Not just sticking around tonight."

Lily, from her nest near the door must be listening in like crazy, because she gives a little gasp and tumbles out of bed. Runs to them. "Marco, Marco, Marco-"

The man stumbles to catch her, but he does, drawing Lily up into his arms. "I guess you're okay with that, squirt?"

"I'm okay, I'm more than okay," Lily breathes, squeezing him around the neck. She turns in Marco's arms and waves to Rick, as if shooing him. "Go have a date, Daddy. Marco and Lex will baby-sit me."

Castle grunts, shooting Kate a dark look. But she's oddly delighted. "A date," she muses, leaning in to kiss Lily's cheek. "I think I like the sound of that. But you were supposed to be in bed, bug."

"I can go back," she says, almost imperious. "Marco will take me."

"Hmm," Alexis says, lifting an eyebrow. She shares a look with Kate that makes them both smile, but Marco is already carrying the queen back to her litter.

Castle watches, a hand at the back of his neck, as if arrested between frustration and adoration. Kate pats his back, scratching lightly until he looks at her. "Already done," she tells him. "She's been half in love with Marco since he brought us to you. Marco gave her back her daddy, so."

Castle's face flushes, and his hand goes to his neck, to the scar.

Alexis is watching them, not Marco putting Lily back to bed. "So have I," she offers. "Half in love with him since he came to get us." She has a shrug but she's smiling. "And I know you have to do this, but he can't. He's not made for it like you guys are."

"Made for it," Kate echoes, tasting ash on her tongue as she stares at Alexis. All those old obstacles rise up like ghosts, clammy.

"To risk," Alexis clarifies, shooting a look to her father and then back to Kate. "It's not a judgment or - it's what makes you special." She flushes but keeps going, but her eyes are on Kate, the whole time, just on Kate. "We stay home. You guys... do."

Castle rubs his throat but instead of looking to Lily, to their daughter being put to bed by someone else (and Kate feels that, keenly), he looks at her. He looks at Kate. "We do." He clears his throat, that old habit of strain and scars. "I guess it's a date. Beckett?"

Why does she feel elated?

Kate turns her back on Alexis, presses her body to Castle's until he embraces her in return. His lips against her ear, his heart beating somewhere in her throat. She needs him, she needs him. She needs this to be real.

"It's a date," she answers.

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