So this was supposed to be a short one-shot I could write while I took a break from studying. Turned out to be a bit longer. Also, if you spot any mistakes, please let me know.

Enjoy!

Beckett walked into her boyfriend's bedroom in search of a shirt to wear. She was sure he wouldn't mind if she walked around his loft in her underwear, but she didn't want to scar his daughter. Unfortunately, today was laundry day and the clothes she had brought to the loft were in the washer. She didn't think he'd mind if she borrowed one of his shirts, so she donned one of his blue button downs and went back to the bathroom to fix her wet hair.

She had just hopped into the shower after her run. She was still used to the idea of not having to get up early for work every day. It had taken her a couple of weeks in the beginning, but then she felt more relaxed and managed to sleep in. Her suspension had flown by and now she was on her first day off since she had returned to the force. She and Rick wanted to celebrate her first week back together and so he had invited her over for the weekend.

Alexis and Martha were more than welcoming and she actually felt like she was part of their little family. At first, they wanted to keep it to themselves, but that meant that she couldn't stay at his place, because Martha and Alexis would be there and he couldn't stay at her place too often, because they would get suspicious. Eventually, it was a lot easier to just tell them.'

She thinks back to that day and almost feels her nerves again.

(…)

"Come on, they'll be happy for us, I promise," he tried to comfort her.

"Don't make promises you can't keep," she mumbled, but he didn't hear her. He had already opened the door and was ushering her inside. Martha and Alexis were sat at the kitchen island and it seemed like they were having lunch.

"Richard! Doing the walk of shame together now?" Martha greeted her son.

"Hello, Mother," Rick answered and he kissed his daughter on the top of her head. "We have to tell you something." He looked nervously at Kate. She smiled encouragingly at him and took his hand.

"We're together!" Rick exclaimed, squeezing her hand tightly in his excitement and nerves.

"Really?" Alexis squeaked and she looked at Kate for confirmation. Kate nodded and she jumped up to hug them. "Finally!"

"You didn't believe me?" Rick pouted, pretending to be upset with his daughter's lack of trust.

"C'mon, Dad," Alexis groaned. Kate noticed that Martha hadn't said much yet, but when she looked up at the actress it was obvious that she was happy for them. Her lips were curled into a subtle smile and her eyes glistened.

"Martha?" Kate asked quietly, still needing the words.

"Oh I'm happy for you two!" she said and she joined their group hug.

"You don't seem very surprised, Mother," Rick observed.

"Richard, you let the poor girl hide in your closet that morning after Alexis's graduation!" she chastised him. Kate felt her cheeks warm and when she looked up at Rick, she noticed that he was blushing too.

"You knew?" he exclaimed.

"Richard, I am a mother. Mothers know these things. Plus, you weren't doing a very good job at hiding the fact that Kate was trying to sneak out." At these words, Kate had to hide her face in his shoulder.

(…)

"Kate?" he called from his office. His voice reminded of where she was and that he was waiting for her for lunch.

"Coming!" she called back and after she double-checked her hair in the mirror she decided that it would have to do.

His eyes were glued to her as soon as she exited the bedroom. She raised her eyes in question and he just grinned and said, "I like it when you wear my clothes."

Oh, right. She was wearing his shirt… and just his shirt. "Hmm, do you?" she said cheekily.

"Very much," he said as he rounded the island and made his way to her to swoop her into his arms. She quickly kissed him and freed herself from his hold. To this, his face morphed into an adorable pout.

"Maybe I should put something else on, before Alexis or Martha come down."

"That won't be a problem," Rick said, "Alexis is studying with Ashley and Mother is god knows where."

"Okay, then I'm sure you won't mind that I stole your shirt," she grinned.

"I think you're going to have to make up for that, actually," he teased.

"Maybe later," she said. "I'm hungry. What have you concocted for lunch today?" She examined the sandwich he had set on the counter.

"Nothing special, tuna and mayo sandwich," he replied and he kissed her temple on his way to the stool next to her.

"Thanks," she said and hungrily took a bite. His tuna and mayo sandwiches were the best and this time was no exception. She grinned at him in appreciation.

"Had a good run?" he asked.

"Yeah, it was good," she smiled, but before she could elaborate there was a knock at the door. "Did you expect anyone?"

"You think I'd have reacted the way I did to what you are wearing – or better, not wearing – if I did?" he said.

"Good point." As he went to open the door, she stood behind the kitchen island so her legs were hidden from view. She didn't think it'd be important so she munched her sandwich until he was back.

"Hey, bro!" Esposito's voice boomed around the loft and she looked up in shock.

"Esposito!" Rick said, feigning enthusiasm. "What are you doing here?"

"Ryan and I thought we'd relieve you from your writing duties with a game of Madden," Espo explained. Oh god, Ryan was there too?

"So can we come in?" Ryan asked.

"Actually, now isn't really a good time," Rick tried, but Espo brushed past him.

"Come on, you weren't actually writing, were you?" he said as he came into view. Beckett ducked her head and tried to disappear against the background. Good luck with that. Esposito stopped short when he spotted her and Ryan bumped into him.

"Beckett! What… What are you doing here?" Ryan asked innocently.

Kate tried to come up with an valid excuse that put her in Castle's kitchen – in his shirt. Luckily, Rick came to the rescue. "We were just having lunch," he said.

"Yeah, I can see that," Espo said, "but why is she wearing your shirt?"

"Really? I didn't notice that!"

Kate shot Castle a look, his explanation hadn't helped. Her phone chose that moment to ring. Only, she left her phone in the bedroom. "Castle, can you get my phone?" she said. There was no way they were going to fool the boys now, but she could always tease them a little bit. "I think I left it in the bedroom."

"Yeah, be right back," Rick said and he disappeared into the bedroom. The seconds it took him to come back out were easily the most awkward she had ever experienced. Luckily, Ryan and Esposito were so dumbstruck by her presence that they hadn't asked any more questions. But they were cops, so the shock didn't last long, so as soon as Castle reappeared they were off.

"Why is your phone in his bedroom?" Ryan asked.

"And why can't you go get it yourself?" Esposito added.

Kate took her ringing phone from Castle, her dad was calling. She hit accepted and held the device by her ear. "Hey, Dad," she said. "Would you mind if I called you back in a minute?"

When she hung up, she realized that Rick had taken residence next to her and that Ryan and Esposito were still expecting answers. "Do you have some amazing story to explain all this?" she whispered to her partner.

"I do, but it's the truth, so I don't think that's going to put them off our scent," he answered.

"I don't think we have another choice," she groaned. "Okay, we'll tell them together, but I do want to be dressed for that." She had raised her voice enough for the boys to hear her on that last part and she turned to look at their gaping mouths.

"Right, your clothes are still in the washer. I can get some jeans from Alexis for you to wear?" he offered. Now neither of them was trying to hide their conversation from their flustered colleagues and Beckett took a decision.

"No, I'll get some of yours," she said and moved closer to him. She saw his pupils dilate and felt his breathing stutter. She grinned, still couldn't believe the effect she had on him. "Just get them out of here so I can actually change."

"Right," he said and he tried to extricate himself from her gaze, but her eyes flicked to his lips and back up to his eyes and he stopped and stared at her. "You really want to this with them in the room?" he whispered and he nodded towards Ryan Esposito.

She nodded, then quickly pushed up to stand on her toes and press a kiss to his lips. "Now go, I don't want them to see me dressed in hardly anything."

"Yes, ma'am," he chuckled. As he walked past her, she felt his hand on her backside. She shot him a look that was more amused that chastising and he gave her a smug smile. He walked toward the office and called out, "Thought you guys wanted to play Madden?"

The boys grabbed their chins off the floor and joined Castle in his office after some questioning looks directed at Beckett. She shrugged them off and sighed as they entered the office. Then she realized that the office could lead to the bedroom.

"Rick!" she called.

"Yeah?" He appeared in the door opening.

"Close the door to the bedroom?" she said desperately.

"Already taken care of," he winked and she smiled at her considerate boyfriend.

"Thanks," she sighed and made her way to the bedroom to find something a bit more appropriate to wear.

As she entered the room she could hear the faint voices from the room next to it. "Dude! What was that?" Espo said.

"What was what?" Kate smiled at the innocence in Rick's voice. He could hold them off for a minute, right?

"What was – Dude, she kissed you!" Ryan sounded like an excited little boy.

"What did she mean when she said that she wanted to be dressed for whatever you have to tell us?" Espo asked.

"Javi, really?" Ryan said. "She was wearing his shirt and she kissed him. You seriously want to hear the answer to that question?"

It was quiet for a moment until, "No, guess not."

Then she heard Castle say, "Give me a minute." The door opened, he slipped through it and closed it behind him quickly. "Hey," he said and his eyes raked over her figure swimming in his clothes. She was now wearing his sweatpants and she had put on a bra underneath the button down. "I'm sorry about this."

She walked into his embrace and said, "Don't worry about it, it's not your fault."

"No, but we were planning on a day together and…"

"Rick, it's fine," she told him. She loved that he was worried about this. "Besides we would have to tell them eventually, right? It does make things easier at the precinct."

"I kind of liked sneaking around," he admitted.

"We still can, if you want," she said in a hoarse voice. "Gates can't find out."

He grinned goofily at her and she couldn't help but kiss him. His arms tightened around her, pulling her closer to him. She let out a moan when his tongue touched her lips and she happily let him enter.

When they broke away for air she suddenly realized that it got awfully quiet in the room next door. "What do you think they're up to?" she whispered.

"Let's find out," Rick whispered back and he took her hand and lead her towards the door. He opened it suddenly, causing the two nosy detectives to tumble and fall through the doorframe.

"Were you guys eavesdropping?" Kate demanded as the boys scrambled to their feet.

"Don't shoot us!" Espo mocked.

"It was his idea," Ryan muttered.

"Bro!"

Beckett felt like she had just been caught making out with Daddy by the kids, which was basically what had happened.

"Guys! Really?" she exclaimed. "Why is everyone so interested in what going on between Castle and me?"

"So there is something going on between you two?" Esposito asked.

"Dude! She kissed me, is wearing my clothes, called me Rick and we're currently holding hands. Do we really need to spell it out for you?" Castle said. He sounded irritated, but when Kate turned to raise an eyebrow at him, she could see the twinkling in his eyes. He was very happy to be able to say what he just did so she squeezed his hand. She smiled up at him and he easily responded with his own beaming smile.

"Javi, I think we should come back another time for Madden," Ryan said.

"What, why?" was Esposito's indignant response.

"Because they look they might have other plans than play a videogame," Ryan explained slowly, as if Esposito was boneheaded. Beckett tore her gaze away from Castle's and looked at her uncomfortable co-workers.

"Yeah, right. We should go," Esposito said.

"I'll walk you out," Rick offered and he disappeared after them through the door. Kate sighed in relief. She was glad that they hadn't made a big deal out of it, it had just been very uncomfortable for all four of them.

When Rick returned she said, "So basically I got changed for nothing right?"

He grinned cockily when he answered, "That could be taken care of." With that he crowded her into the bedroom and closed the room behind him with his foot.