AN: Whoops! I really didn't intend to make you guys wait this long for this chapter but with last monday's episode and thoughts of the season finale bouncing around in my head, it was hard to focus on this...

I do NOT own Castle!

Both males stared at each other from opposite sides of the door frame, each momentarily lost in their thoughts.

Castle was slightly irritated that Kate would invite Demming over but it only took a few seconds to realize that she had either forgotten about him coming over or didn't invite him at all, since he was pretty sure she wasn't dressed for company. Then again neither was he considering he was wearing sweat pants and a white muscle shirt.

Demming, on the other hand, had no idea what to think. Here was Castle, answering Kate's door like he owned the place and not to mention he didn't look like he was just stopping by for a visit. Unless of course, he liked to visit people in sweat pants.

Castle was very tempted to just shut the door in his face, but that would be too childish. Not to mention he knew Demming would probably just ring the door bell again and again until Kate got curious and came to see what was going on. So instead, even though he really, really didn't want to, he invited him in with a dejected sigh.

"Beckett is in the living room, right over there."

Castle moved back and gestured him inside, waiting impatiently for Demming to go through the doorway.

Demming was very surprised that he was letting him come in. He had honestly expected the door to be shut in his face and he even had his foot ready to stop the door from shutting when he did. He hesitated for a moment but, his curiosity got the better of him and he cautiously stepped past Castle and into the large apartment.

Huge. Was all he could think as he took in the size of the apartment. Demming could practically feel Castle smirking behind him but before he could question him, they both heard laughter coming from the living room. Deciding to ignore Castle for now, he walked forward until he was in the living room looking at Kate.

Kate was spread out on her stomach in the middle of the living room floor, surrounded by hundreds of papers and what looked like the makings of an experiment. She was having an animated discussion with the red head that was also lying in the middle of the floor with her.

Castle came up from behind Demming to lean against the couch. Demming looked back and forth between Kate and Castle, while Castle looked at the two on the floor with a soft expression on his face.

Being extremely confused and more than slightly irritated Demming decided it was time to announce his presence.

"Beckett? What the hell is going on here?"

At the sound of his voice, Kate jumped up from her place on the floor as if she had been shot.

"Demming? What are you doing here?"

Kate glanced over at Castle who was glancing between her and Demming, while Demming was watching the two of them. All was silent for a few minutes before Alexis spoke up from her spot on the floor, addressing her dad.

"Schlemming?"

"Schlemming." He confirmed with a nod.

"What am I doing here? I am here to see you since you have been so busy with that case we haven't gotten to see each other this past week but I see that was a mistake now, since you are obviously still busy."

She flinched a bit at his slightly angry tone. "It's not what you think…"

"Not what I think? Well, you're probably right about that since I don't even know what to think! I show up at your place and find Castle here and obviously he isn't just visiting since you two are not dressed for company. And who is this?" He gestured towards Alexis. "Your daughter? What else haven't you told me, Kate?"

Kate started walking toward Demming but it was Castle who spoke up first.

"Actually… This is my apartment and that's my daughter, Alexis."

Kate glared at Castle and he unconsciously took a step back from the force of her glare while Demming stared at him incredulously before turning back to Kate.

"Really? So, you came over here willingly?"

Cursing Castle and his big mouth, Kate grabbed Demming's arm and practically hauled him out of the apartment, slamming the door shut behind them.

Before the door was even shut good, Castle was already heading over to the door, fully intending to eavesdrop on their conversation, until Alexis grabbed him and forced him to take up Kate's place on the floor with her.

"Well then, since Kate is too busy to help me with my Biology homework, guess who gets to help me now?"

Castle looked longingly at the door once more before resigning himself to helping his daughter.

///////

Once safely out of the apartment, Kate repeated what she told him earlier.

"It's not what you think."

"Then what is it, Kate? Tell me what's going on here."

She leaned on the wall next to him and looked him straight in the eyes as she explained to him.

"About two weeks before we met in the gym, a psychopath blew up my apartment. We were running ourselves ragged trying to catch that guy, so Castle offered to let me stay at his place for a while but even after we caught that guy it was just one case after another. Even when I had a day off, I was so tired that I haven't had time to look for a new apartment yet."

She drew in a deep breath after finishing her ramble, and then watched his reaction.

He looked at her, searching her eyes for the truth.

"Okay, even though that sounds a little farfetched, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt."

She smiled gratefully at him, glad that he didn't blow the whole thing out of proportion but her smile slid right off her face with his next words.

"If, you move in with me instead. Even if it's only until you find a new place."

She didn't even stop to consider it before she was shaking her head.

"No, I can't."

"Why not? Or was that whole story just a lie and you are actually sleeping with him?"

By now, Kate was starting to get frustrated with him. Why couldn't he see that there was nothing going on between her and Castle? Demming was the one she wanted to be with, or at least that's what she was leading herself to believe but right now? He was acting way too immature about this whole thing.

"Look, you are an extremely nice guy and all, but we have only known each other for like what? A month? I just can't move in with you like that."

He raised an eyebrow at her. "Yet, you will stay with Castle?"

"I've known Castle for a year and honestly I know him better than I do you."

"So what you are saying is that you trust him more than you do me?"

She was silent for a few minutes, knowing that her answer would either make or break them. But, in the end, she couldn't bring herself to lie for the sake of their obviously not very stable relationship.

"Yes, I trust him more than I do you."

Kate watched as he seemed to deflate. All the anger and irritation from earlier just slipped right out of him at her admission.

"Well, I guess that's it then isn't it? If you can't trust me, it would be hard to keep this… whatever we have going, wouldn't it?"

She gave him a small smile as an idea came to mind. "I'm sorry… But, if you want, I have a friend that you might like to meet. She's a lot like me. Just more fun."

"Does she have a shadow hanging possessively around her?" He smirked as she blushed a little.

"No, no shadows."

"Well then, I'd like to give it a try."

He pulled out his cell phone and gave it to her so she could put in the number of her friend. Once she got through putting Madison's info in she handed it back to him then leaned in to place a gentle kiss on his cheek. They said their goodbyes and Demming headed out of the building feeling a little depressed but resolved to call this Madison as soon as possible.

Kate watched him leave, but instead of being sad like she thought she was only relieved. She turned around and quickly opened the door and was only slightly surprised when Castle, who had been leaning on the door trying to hear their conversation, fell out of the apartment.

He looked sheepishly up at her while she looked down at him with an annoyed but amused expression.

"Alright, how much did you hear?"

He was just about to open his mouth when a horrified yell came from the direction of the stairs.

"Dad! What are you doing! You are supposed to be watching the experiment!"

The three of them turned towards the living room as they started to hear a bubbling/rumbling sound. It was Castle who voiced their thoughts.

"Oh boy."

There was a loud pop then a splashing sound and both females turned to Castle, speaking simultaneously.

"We are so not cleaning that up."

Kate was back to her normal self and Schlemming was gone. All was back to normal in Castle's castle.

One hour later

Lanie had just finished up the last of her autopsies for the day, and was heading out the door when her phone rang. Since she already had it in her hand she didn't bother checking the caller ID and instead just brought it up to her ear.

"Parish."

"Lanie." She was using that tone. The tone that means someone is about to pay dearly for whatever they had done.

Oh damn. How the hell did she find out it was me?

Sooooo... Not sure if they were making too big of a deal about what they were wearing or not but I needed a way to make Demming see that they were comfortable around each other.

I feel better now that I got Demming out of the way... Now... if only he would go away in the real series...

Ok yes technically this was supposed to take place before "Overkill" but I couldn't resist the whole "Schlemming" thing.

Yes thats it for this story folks. I can't really go on from here and while I was entertaining the idea of having this as a like side story to a bigger story I kind of gave that up since it would just turn into a story about Kate staying at Castle's and I am sure there are already plenty of those out there.

Review? Please? They make me very very very happy and when I am happy you get more stories.