**Set sometime in the future. Kate is helping Lanie sort through boxes so she can move in with Esposito. Kate and Castle are dating.**

"Hey Lanie? What about these boxes in the back of the closet?

Lanie entered the room with 2 beer bottles. She takes a drink from one, and hands the other to Kate. Kate stands up and dusts herself off. She wipes her forehead and takes a drink.

"Thanks Lanie."

"No problem. Thanks for taking part of your day off to help me."

Kate glances at her watch – taking note of the time. "I've got another hour or so before I have to head out."

"What? You got a hot date or something?

"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." Kate replied, smiling.

"Where is he taking you tonight?"

"I have no idea, Lanie. He won't tell me!"

"That man is full of surprises, isn't he?

"He sure is, Lanie. I can't believe we're really together."

"You and Castle belong together, girl. I'm just glad you finally let him catch you."

"Me too, Lanie."

Kate put down her beer, and pulled two boxes from the back of the closet. They were both marked BOOKS and covered in dust. She passed one to Lanie, and opened both of them with the utility knife she had pulled from her pocket. Stifling a cough, she opened her box.

"God, Lanie. This is filled with college textbooks. Do you keep everything?

Kate pulled a couple of books from the box and read the titles. They were definitely textbooks. Some of them were medical, and some were not. Digging further, she found some novels, and magazines.

"Comso, Glamour, Seventeen?"

Kate laughed as she leafed through the pages. Lanie grabbed a few as well, and they giggled over pictures of hairstyles.

"I can't believe we ever dressed like that!" Kate said, tossing the magazines into the RECYCLE pile.

Lanie gasped as she pulled more magazines from the box.

"Oh my God, I forgot I had these. " She said, cradling the books.

Lanie's eyes turned devious as she smiled at Kate. She flipped the magazine over so Kate could read the title.

"Playgirl?" Kate said with wide eyes.

"Uh-huh."

Lanie started turning pages and looked at Kate.

"So, is Castle Playgirl material? " she asked.

Kate blushed at the question.

"Lanie!"

"Well, is he worthy of a centerfold?"

Kate lowered her eyes and kept working. She muttered something that Lanie couldn't hear.

"What?"

"I said, I don't know."

"You mean to tell me, that even after all this time, you haven't slept with Castle?"

"Yes, Lanie. That's exactly what I'm saying.

"Girl, Imma smack you."

"God, Lanie! Trust me, I want to. It's just that he wants to wait. He said he wants to make it really special for us."

"So you've talked about it?"

"Yes. We've talked about it. He has this amazing weekend away planned for us soon."

Lanie leaned over and gave Kate a hug. She was still flipping through one of the magazines.

"There's some fine male specimens in these pages. You wanna peek?"

Kate laughed as Lanie spouted off names.

"Victor Webster, Keith Urban, Brad Pitt…"

"Oh my God!"

"What?"

"Richard Castle"

Lanie held up the magazine cover for her friend to see. Clear as day – was the name in black and white."