It's three o'clock in the morning and Richard Castle is wandering around his apartment alone. He finds himself standing in what used to be his home office, the birth place of many of his best selling novels. Richard Castle hasn't written anything in over a year. He denied it was blockage shortly before Black Pawn put him on suspension. Castle doesn't care though. It was just one more thing leaving him.

Alexis started college last August. She is not far away but she choose to live on campus for a little while. Castle couldn't blame her. He had done the same thing when he was her age. Then there was Martha. She had started some class or something. She was rarely home for more than a few hours at a time.

Castle glances around the office and is amazed at the amount of pictures that had gathered in the room. His attention travels to a picture of himself with Kate. They were both covered in flour and her smile was completely radiant.

"I want to make cookies," Castle whined following Kate around the apartment.

"Castle, do you even know how to make cookies?" Kate asked gathering their plates from lunch.

"No but it can't be that hard."

"Are you talking about the ones you take out of the package and place on the cookie sheet?"

"No, I'm talking about the ones where you have to measure and mix and shape."

"Those are hard to make Castle!" Kate sputtered turning to look at him.

"Please?" Castle asked flashing her his best puppy dog eyes. Two hours later they were covered head to toe in flour and cookie batter chunks.

"I can't believe we did it," Kate stated amazed at their accomplishment as she collapsed onto a barstool. Castle looked to her and smiled. She had cookie batter on her shirt and flour smudge marks on her cheek and nose. She looked cute, he leaned in and kissed her.

"Wait right here," he whispered when they broke apart. Kate watched him disappear and return shortly with something in his hands.

"What did you get?" She asked curiously.

"A camera," Castle exclaimed in childish excitement. Kate began laughing at his exuberance. "Now smile," Castle instructed holding the camera so they'd both be in the picture.

Kate's happiness was evident then. It was always evident they were together. It is then that Castle notices the red light on his answering machine. He briskly walked over and pushed the play button. Slowly the first message begins.

"Hi Dad. I just wanted to call and say hi! I can't wait to come home for break," Alexis's voice fills the room as a smile crosses Castle's face. He misses his daughter. "Oh I have to get going. I have a few tests coming up before the semester ends. I love you and I miss you so much."

Castle presses the erase button and thinks about Christmas with Alexis. His mind wanders back to Christmas last year when everything was perfect.

"Go ahead and open it," Castle insisted handing Kate a small box. The look on her face tittered between fearful and curiosity. Finally giving in, Kate tore open the box and gasped. It wasn't what she was expecting but it was wonderful all the same.

"I had it made just for you," Castle explained as Kate took the small object out of its box. He leaned in close to her ear and whispered, "Ma maison est ta maison."

Kate smiled and held the key close to her chest. "My house is your house," She repeated.

"I want you to come over whenever," Castle smiled wrapping his arm around her shoulders. Kate smiled and rested her head on his shoulder.

Castle listens to the next message and feels his heart constrict.

"Hey, Lanie is having some guy trouble," Her voice fills the room. "Is it ok if I cancel our plans for tonight? I want to take her out for drinks. Let me know when you get this message. I love you." Click. Castle pressed the save button. He knows it's been over a year but he can't erase the message just yet. A small part of him wishes for the last three words to still be true.

Castle looks to his desk. There are two objects that make him wince. The first is the final picture he has of Kate. She had taken his Notre Dame t-shirt and slipped it on. It dwarfed her small frame but she look fabulous in it. He had gotten that t-shirt when he enrolled in their Creative Writing program and wore it on the weekends when he'd be running around.

Castle moves the picture and looks at the execrable folder. It was the copy of Johanna Beckett's case file he had made. At the time it seemed like a good idea. Castle made a copy of everything in the original case before adding his findings. Then he slipped the real case back into it's box and kept his file in his office. He had never told Kate about him looking into her mom's case or the new evidence his findings brought. It all seemed like a good idea at the time.