I edited this fic to remove all of the old author's notes, since I rambled a LOT when I first wrote this, over two years ago. I apologize if FF says it's updated, because there's nothing new in this story.

Also, I got an overwhelming amount of support from everyone on this fic (more than I'd EVER expected to receive), so thank you all for that!

-Gina

It was a dull day, to say the least. No calls came in, alerting them of body drops, and any left-over paperwork, from the day before, was finished by around noonish, so everyone just relaxed in the bullpen, passing the time before they could call it a day, and go home. Castle, Beckett, Ryan, Esposito, Lanie... Even Gates was so bored, she decided to join the group, figuring time would go quicker if she had company.

After ordering two pizzas to split amongst them, one pepperoni, and one with extra cheese, they decided to play poker with a bag of M&M's, Castle and Beckett eventually winning most of them, with Gates closely behind. She, unsurprisingly to any of them, had an excellent poker face. They also realized throughout the game that she could actually be really fun, when she wasn't being their tough boss. The "Iron Gates" nickname was a little harsh, as she was refreshingly nice, and didn't deserve that nickname. Much like a teacher who is much too strict, but at the same time, you would visit them years after you've left their class, simply because you enjoyed talking to them when they weren't teaching.

"This is getting kind of boring, you guys," Esposito sighed, after he lost his final piece of candy.

"You're just mad because you didn't win, Bro," Ryan replied, "but I'm up for a different game. We still have a little over an hour to kill, before we can leave."

"We could always up the ante, and play strip poker," Castle smirked.

"NO," the three women replied, Beckett slapping him upside the head.

"Ow! Fine," he said, rubbing the back of his head, "then someone else think of a different game."

Lanie's eyes lit up slightly as she thought of a game they could play. She had discussed this idea before, with Javier and Kevin, trying to come up with SOME way to trick Castle and Beckett into somehow getting together... Or at least a tinybit closer together than they already were. She was tired of them dancing around each other, so she decided to take things into her own hands. "How about Truth or Dare?"

Kate glared at Lanie, Ryan and Espo smirked, and Rick choked on the water he'd just taken a sip of. They all knew instantly where this was headed; what Lanie was thinking. Gates maintained completely normal, holding onto that poker face from before. She wasn't stupid, and had noticed the extreme chemistry between Beckett and Castle. She, herself, was getting tired of them not getting together, and she had only known them for around half a year. She could only imagine how tired everyone else was of seeing their unresolved sexual tension. But for now, she pretended she didn't know a thing. It was easier to observe them that way, when they worked.

Ryan and Esposito agreed to it, followed by Castle and then Gates. All eyes turned to Kate, and waited for her answer.

"Oh, what the hell, I'm in," she replied, figuring that she could let loose, and have more fun doing this than she had in poker, even though she kicked ass in that game.

"Alright, awesome. We should get into a circle that's not surrounding a desk," Castle said.

Everyone slid their chairs into a clear area, away from all of the desks. They sat in a circle. Castle next to Kate, followed by Javi, Lanie, Kevin, and finally Gates, and the game began.

"Who wants to go first?" Lanie asked.

"Wait, shouldn't we put some boundaries on the questions? Or the dares?" Kate questioned, suddenly very cautious of the things that could happen in a game of Truth or Dare.

"Come on, detective, live a little. Have some fun," Gates replied, causing jaws to drop, not believing that those words were uttered from their captain, of all people. "Don't worry. We can drop the whole boss/employee relationship, for now, and be friends, who can joke around and just relax."

"Um, okay..." Kate said, slowly, and way too nervous to just relax.

"I guess I'll ask first. Ryan, Truth or Dare?" Espo asked.

"Truth."

"What was your least favorite wedding present?"

"Jenny's cousin got us a toaster. I mean, talk about cliché, right?"

"Ha, definitely," Rick replied, "at least think of something original. Okay, Ryan, your turn."

"Alrighty, hmm...," he pondered for a moment, "Lanie, Truth or Dare."

"Dare," she smiled, confidently.

"Okay. I dare you to rap some of 'Baby Got Back'."

Lanie did a spectacular job of rapping most of the song, before she gave up and asked if that was enough. They all laughed, applauding, and then bounced a few more truths and dares around, to Gates, Esposito, and then Castle. It was his turn to ask a question.

"Kate. Truth or Dare?

Her heart clenched when he used her first name. It always did, though she'd never let him know that. Not in a million years. She cleared her throat, and answered, "Truth." She was too afraid of what he'd dare her to do.

"When did you break up with Demming? You never told me when..."

Kate's eyes grew wide, clearly not expecting such a tough question from Rick... But then again, he had no idea what had happened. "I, um... I broke up with him... Right before you went to the Hamptons... With Gina," she stammered out, the last part sounding slightly angry, and slightly upset. "I was gonna tell you, back then, but, well..." she trailed off.

Now Rick's eyes grew wide. "Oh, shit," he said, rubbing his hands over his face. "Look, Kate, I didn't realize that-"

"Rick, it's okay," she cut him off, "you didn't know. It's in the past, forgotten. I wouldn't have let you win the bet when you came back, if I didn't forgive you. Needless to say, I was still hurt, and slightly pissed, but we worked through it, and I got over it."

"You let me win the bet?" he replied, smiling, and astonished.

"Yeah, I did. It wasn't your fault, and I couldn't hold a grude forever," she smiled back at him, getting lost in his eyes.

"Ahem," Espo cleared his throat, "Can we get back to the game now?" He asked, interrupting their infamous "eye-sex".

"Uh, yeah. Yeah..." Kate replied, shaking her head, to clear the trance-like state she was in just moments ago.

They continued the game for another ten minutes, Kate getting chosen again, this time, by Lanie. She decided to choose dare.

"I dare you to kiss Castle."

Well, that was a very straight-forward dare, Kate thought, Maybe I SHOULD have chosen truth, again, after all. She decided it was worth a shot to see if she could change her dare to a truth. "I change my mind. Double truth?"

"Oh, honey, you do NOT want me asking you the truth I want to ask you," Lanie replied, sending a signal to Kate, with her eyes, telling her what exactly she would ask Kate to come clean about. Kate had told Lanie about Rick's "I love you,"and Kate was quickly regretting confiding in her friend. She wasn't ready for the truth to come out, especially not in a silly little game of truth or dare.

"You wouldn't," Kate half-whispered, in a slightly angry, slightly scared tone.

Lanie just raised an eyebrow, as if to say "Try me".

"Fine, I'll kiss him," she replied, much to Castle's surprise.

"Really?" he asked, failing miserably to maintain his cool.

"Yeah, sure, why not?" she smiled slightly.

Leaning forward, she rested her hand on his cheek, and slowly moved in, her eyes flickering down to his lips, just as he discreetly wet them with his tongue. They shut their eyes as she finally closing the distance between them, sealing her mouth to his in a searing kiss. It was hot, and passionate, but it was also filled with so much love. Both of them felt it, the rest of the group completely forgotten by them, once again.

A few moments later, Kate felt his tongue tracing her bottom lip, and she opened her mouth, welcoming him to join her in a battle for dominance.