A/N: Let's pretend that it wasn't super late in the night when they got back to Castle's after her apartment exploded.

"I'm speaking of course, about Special Agent Jordan Shaw."

Beckett rolls her eyes, throwing the dishtowel at Castle, and watches as it hits him square in the face. Typical Castle, infuriating her, but somehow taking the weight of the case off of her mind. She welcomes it, her heart lighter as the humor distracts her from the long and frustrating day they've had.

She's still wired, the explosion a never ending ringing in her ears, a constant reminder that she is technically homeless, that her possessions are gone - flames and smoke destroying years of the life she built. The thought drags her down again, pulling her down into panic mode and she shakes her head to ignore the anchor.

She contemplates sleeping, but it's not that late and the option of being alone is not appealing at all right now. Her brain is crowded with thoughts as it is, all fighting to be heard. She fears the darkness and silence will consume her, make her unable to fall asleep anyway.

Putting it out of her mind for an hour or so longer seems the better choice.

They sit for a few minutes longer, quiet and still, content with the silence.

Castle's place is nice, every time she comes here she takes a little moment to study something new. It's inviting and warm, expensive but not in a standoffish way, always making her at ease and welcome. The family that lives here is a perk as well.

This time however, studying his place is drawing her thoughts back to her apartment. Or lack thereof. Everything she needs to get done now that she doesn't have a home is scrambling across her mind and little things like buying new sheets seem like climbing Mount Everest. It took her extensive searching to find a place that she loves and she can't even begin to think of how much worse it will be this time around.

This is so not putting it out of her mind.

"So, Castle, what would you be normally doing on a night like this?" she asks, needing a conversation to keep her from drowning under her apartment worries.

"You mean on a night with explosions and criminal chases?" he teases with a smile, as he folds and unfolds the dishtowel mindlessly.

"Okay, fair point. Let's pretend this is a regular night at the Castle household," she agrees, leaning back into her chair as she waits for his answer.

"Ah, well, if I'm not writing, then maybe watch a movie, play video games. Or if Alexis is around I might play a game with her," he replies, sitting up straighter, his eyes bright as he mentions his daughter.

She perks up. Games. She needs a distraction. "Oh yeah? What games?"

"If we're feeling up to it, we play laser tag, as you may remember," he answers, grinning, and she huffs. Oh yes, she remembers. One of the few times she had appreciated his childish side in the beginning - his role as a father always makes her soften towards him.

"Or we have a variety of card games, video games, and board games," he continues.

Kate ponders his answer - she doesn't really play games anymore and now she has all the options. She played so many games growing up - despite not having siblings - her parents made the effort to have family nights when they could. Playing monopoly with two lawyers always proved entertaining.

"Why... did you want to play something?" Castle pries.

"Yeah, that could be... fun," she murmurs, nervous as she runs her hands along the edge of the table. It's silly, but she's not one to initiate things with Castle, let alone playing games. "I mean, only if you wanted to. I don't feel like going to bed just yet, and I- uh- wouldn't mind a distraction from today's events?" Her eyes dart down, she feels vulnerable, a side she doesn't show often.

"Which game would you like to play?"

She looks up and he's smiling at her, wide and excited and it washes her insecurities away - of course he wants to play games with her.

"A board game maybe? What do you have?"

"Ah, let's see. Monopoly, Clue, The Game of Life… We had Candy Land, but we lost the board, so can't really play that. Oh, we could play twister!"

He waggles his eyebrows at that and she gives him her glare, then scrunches her face as she thinks.

"Property buying so does not appeal to me at the moment, so maybe Clue?"

"So property buying is out the question, but murder is fine?" he laughs.

"Well, at least I know I'm good at that. The solving of murders."

"I'll have you know Beckett, I play a mean game of Clue, you are in for some heavy competition." He raises an eyebrow and stands, walking over to his office.

She laughs, lightness filling her body already. "Ok, Castle, bring it on."

Castle walks out of his office holding Clue and sets it down on the coffee table in the living room, beckoning her over with an eager wave. She stands with a smile, but her muscles complain - the dive into her tub really did a number on her. Her ankle is bandaged tight but she was running hard on it earlier, and the tendons strain as she walks over.

By the time she's settled, his previously bright face is now plastered with a pout and she cocks her head, brow furrowed as she waits.

"You need three players for Clue," he explains, and she nods slowly, thinking of what other game she might want to play. "I'll get Alexis."

Before Beckett could even suggest they just play something else, he stands and runs up the stairs to get his daughter. She presses her fingers to her smile as she watches him take the stairs two at a time, amusement swirling in her gut. It's late, but not too late, and Kate figures Alexis will probably be awake, but isn't sure if she will be all that enthusiastic.

Castle comes bounding down the stairs two minutes later with a happy Alexis following closely. Ok, she doesn't appear annoyed at being dragged into their game.

"Dad says we're playing Clue?" Alexis asks Kate as she makes her way closer, Castle's hands are on her shoulders, pushing his daughter forward into the living room.

"Yeah, but if you don't want to, we can play another game, I just didn't get a chance to suggest that to your dad before he ran off," she says, glaring at Castle.

Castle opens his mouth to rebut as they sit down on the floor but Alexis cuts him off with a slap to his shoulder. "No it's fine, I love Clue! And I think we could all use some fun after today."

Alexis is cheery and Kate could hug her. She looks over at Castle beaming at his daughter and she can't help the warmth that unfurls within her.

"Okay, sounds good to me," she says, and sits up to help Castle with the setup of the game.

"Which characters do you two normally play as?" Beckett questions as she shuffles the remaining cards, dealing them out for the three players.

"Dad is always Professor Plum, claims he is the smartest character of the group," Alexis laughs. "And I'm usually Mrs. Peacock, but I'll change it up sometimes. Grams likes to be Colonel Mustard if she plays."

Kate laughs and moves their pieces to the starting position. Of course Castle would pick the 'smartest', probably thinks it helps him win. She picks up the red piece for herself and puts it in the correct square.

"Miss Scarlet?" Castle asks, raising one eyebrow.

"Yeah, what's wrong with that?"

"Nothing… It's just, Miss Scarlet was always the... sexiest out of all the characters. You picked a good one, that's all."

"Dad," Alexis chides, and Kate huffs.

"She may be the sexy one Castle, but she could take Professor Plum in a fight any day," she smirks.

"Well if you ever want to reenact that fight, red dress and all, I will be happy to wear a Plum-colored suit."

Kate just rolls her eyes as the corners of her lips turn up. Miss Scarlet was sexy, but she was also confident and she took no crap from anyone. Kate always enjoyed her the most.

Okay... she was reading too much into these characters. Something Castle would do - she hasn't even been here a night and she's thinking like him. She shakes her head and brushes it off, steeling herself as she prepares to kick Castle's ass at this game.

It helps that Miss Scarlet always goes first.

"Professor Plum, in the Library with the Rope." Beckett reaches for the pieces with confidence to place them in her room of choice.

"You're accusing me?!" Castle gasps, hand grasping his chest, eyes wide in what she hopes is not real shock.

"Yes. This is what the game is Castle, I thought you'd played it before," she teases, and notions with her hand for Castle to show her one of his cards.

"Yes, I have, but still. Harsh. And please, I would never murder anyone with a rope, there are far better ways of killing someone than that."

"And I may just use one on you if you don't show me one of your cards," she says, exasperated, as she fans out her cards ready for Castle to show her his.

"Sorry Beckett, I've got none."

"Alexis?"

"None here either."

Yes. She just needs one more guess and she has this. The rush of the game is getting to her, tingles of anticipation in her veins. Much easier than solving real murders and she is actually having fun playing with the two Castles. Alexis had proved a worthy opponent and enjoyable to play with, often ganging up on Castle with Kate. Castle liked to be dramatic with his accusations, making up scenes and theories as to why these people had turned to murder - more over-dramatic than the movie and books.

Despite her apartment being a wreck, despite the killer still not being caught, she had a smile on her face, her body loose and languid, content to stay here and not retreat just yet.

"I accuse Mr. Green, in the Library, with the Dagger."

Wait. What?

Beckett snaps her head up from her score sheet. Damn. He has it. She has none of those cards and that combination was her next guess.

She scowls at him as he grabs the envelope holding the three cards in the middle of the board. He takes his time, building the suspense, and is her heart actually beating faster right now? Slowly he lifts the flap of the envelope. Alexis doesn't seem phased by this process, almost uninterested, so Beckett concludes it must be a regular performance. She's leaning forward, they are sitting adjacent to each other so she doesn't have to lean far. She gets closer into his space but he shoves lightly on her shoulder to push her back.

How can someone delight and annoy her all at the same time?

"Castle, hurry up!" she urges him along, not having the patience that Alexis possesses.

That speeds him up because he starts taking out the cards. He looks at them, looks back at Beckett and Alexis, and then back to the cards.

"Well?"

Castle jumps to his feet with a whoosh of air and Beckett startles.

"I win!" Castle yells, pumping his fist in the air.

Alexis is laughing and Beckett has to grin, but covers her mouth with her hand to try and contain it. His enjoyment is contagious though and she can't help the sparks of pleasure that zip through her just from watching him be happy. He proved very competitive the whole game so this doesn't come as a surprise. She almost doesn't want to know what he'd be like if he lost. Next time she needs to win just to prove she can beat him.

Wait, next time?

No, this is a one-time thing, staying over at Castle's. She is having fun, but she is not going to start coming over for family games night.

Still, she's joyous and light, it's been awhile since she's had this much fun, laughed this much. She continues watching as he does a victory dance, rolls her eyes and looks over to Alexis to find a similar expression on her face.

Castle settles, sits back down on the floor. He's grinning though, wide, and it lights up her heart, and she smiles softly back at him.

"So can you concede that I am better at solving murders than you?"

"What? No!" she exclaims, snatching the cards from his hands. "This," she says, gesturing to the board, "is not solving murders and you know it."

"I'm just kidding, Beckett," he reconciles. "Besides we work best as a team, so next time we should play on the same side," he jokes, but a hint of seriousness drifts through his eyes as he raises his eyebrows at her.

Next time. He's thinking it too, and oh, damn, she isn't opposed to the idea. Well maybe it wouldn't hurt to play with him one more time.

Play games with him. Games, that's all. Just so she can win.

"Yeah, that could be fun," she says, biting her lip, suppressing the subtle glee that's simmering in her heart. "As long as you don't bring Shaw in to assist."

They sit at opposite ends of the couch, sipping wine in the silent lull that envelops the apartment. Alexis had retreated to bed while Castle and Beckett packed away the board game, their bodies flirting as they collected the cards and tokens. Castle had offered her a drink, to which she had agreed, not ready to leave his company just yet.

"So," Kate says, her voice loud against the quiet. "How long do you think it will be before I find another apartment?" It's meant to be light, finding humor in her dark situation, but her voice wavers, her fears bubbling at the surface.

"In New York? Could be difficult," he muses.

Castle shifts, turns his body towards her, his eyes serious and determined. "You know you are always welcome to stay here as long as you like."

Her stomach churns at the turn the conversation has taken and she sucks in a shaky breath. She could stay. But it's dangerous - she would get too comfortable, and she's not sure she would want to leave.

Both the apartment and Castle.

"Thank you Castle, but uh- I need to have my own space and get back on my feet as quickly as possible." She mirrors Castle's positioning, facing him and curling her knees up onto the couch, her toes wiggling between the cushions.

He nods, but disappointment traces his eyes, and she can't help feeling the same, her heart clenching with guilt.

"Ugh, that apartment was rent controlled and in such a nice spot," she groans, leaning her head to rest on the couch as she closes her eyes, wills her anxieties to leave.

"There's gonna be other nice ones Beckett, you'll find something even better, I'm sure," he comforts, so sure of his statement, and she wishes she could be too.

"I'll have to get a short term furnished apartment while I look for a new one, and replace all of my furniture and clothes." She sighs. "Oh, God there is so much to do."

She turns her body, stretching her legs back to the floor and leans so her elbows are on her thighs and her head in her hands. It's hit her now, harder than before. How much she has to do, how much she's lost. All from a stupid obsessive murderer. So many of her belongings are destroyed, so many books, some items that were her mother's.

She feels tears pool, breathes through the pain of losing things of her mom's. Her heart aches, all of the drama from today crushing down on her, and she pushes her hand into her chest to try and stop it. Tears track down her face, and she swipes at her cheek. She hates that she's crying in front of Castle, squeezes her eyes tight to stop the tears and block everything out.

Castle shuffles up the couch, and she's greeted with the warmth of his body as he sits next to her, thighs resting against each other. She freezes, the touch of his body making her stupid heartbeat rapid, and like so often, she pushes her feelings away.

She still hasn't opened her eyes, but he rests his hand on her upper back, not moving, just... comforting. It works too, a distraction to focus on other than her mess of a life.

"Hey, you okay?" he asks so soft, concern lacing his voice.

Beckett sniffs and smiles into her palms. Oh, sweet Castle. "Yeah, I just-" she struggles, voice cracking, and damn, come on Kate, get a hold of yourself.

Castle's hand starts sweeping side to side across her shoulder blades, his touch light, but her body crackles, warmth emanating from his hand and soothing her crumbling emotions.

"It's just-" she tries again, "a bit overwhelming, with the case, and the apartment and… everything." Her voice is shaky, but she's no longer crying, so that's a step forward.

Castle doesn't say anything, but his movements across her back become more confident, long sweeps that has her aching to never leave his loft. She doesn't even want him to stop, his simple movements grounding her, making her feel safe.

Kate takes a rattling breath in, her head still in her hands, soaking up everything that he's offering, building her courage back up.

"I was so scared Castle, when I heard your voice and then the recording. The explosion was so loud, and it was so hot in there," she murmurs, quiet and timid, and once she's spoken the words it comes back to her, the fear, the flames. The way her heart was in her throat and that she had been sure it was over for her.

"Kate," he whispers, shock and guilt all wrapped up into her first name, something he so rarely uses.

His body tenses, like he wants to reach out and hold her. Instead he settles for moving his hand up to her neck and softly circling the exposed skin. Oh, wow, that feels good. And sore. Her neck is stiff, usually is on a good day, but the explosion had it twinging from sharp movements. His fingers swirl, loop, caress the skin there, digger deeper occasionally to loosen the knots that have formed there. Yeah, it's helping.

"I can't believe I don't have more injuries," she thinks out loud, because really, a banged up ankle and few bruises and cuts, is nothing. She's lucky. All thanks to Castle.

A tiny moan passes through her lips when he digs in deep at the base of her neck. She shifts forward, dips her head down a little further, giving him permission to keep going, expand the massage. He moves his hand down her spine, skims his finger around her vertebrae, sending sparks through her entire system. He then splays his palm wide and starts massaging around her shoulder blades. His hand is strong, sure, and she's wondering if she's ever felt this good in her life.

Hesitantly she moves her eyes to look at his, and she can see the worry on his face for her. He looks guilty, like this whole thing is his fault. No, she needs to put a stop to that.

"Castle, I can't thank you enough for figuring it out and calling me in time," she says, sitting up straight so she can face him properly. His hand stills, but doesn't leave its position, and a pang of disappointment shoots through her from the end of his massage.

"No, Beckett, I should have realized earlier, it was barely in time, I just-"

"Hey, no. Castle, shh. You gave me enough time to dive into the tub, so you are the reason I'm not worse off. Okay? Don't blame yourself. Please." She holds eye contact with him for a moment and then blinks and looks down, wiping a few stray tears from her cheeks.

"This was stupid, sorry, I didn't mean to get all emotional on you," she laughs, shaking her head at herself.

"It's ok, Kate, you can feel free to get emotional around me all the time, I live with two women, I'm used to it," he jokes, the mood lighter - what Castle's best at.

"Like you're not just as emotional."

"Probably more sometimes."

She shoots him a smile but it falters as his thumb starts moving gently across her shoulder. They don't usually do this much touching. His hand is strong and comforting and she can't seem to want to remove it.

Taking a risk, Beckett moves her head to rest on his arm that's stretched across the back the couch. He tenses, his bicep twitching under the back of her head, but she feels his arm relax again moments later once she doesn't move. His arm is… large, strong, and her stomach goes fuzzy as they relax into the position.

"Thank you, Castle, for making me laugh tonight. I... had fun playing with you and Alexis," she murmurs.

"Well, my daughter and I are available at any time for any cheering up needs you may have. We own a lot of games."

Her eyes crinkle as she smiles in thanks, and turns her head, her cheek now lying flat across his arm. Kate yawns against his skin, her body succumbing to the late hour. "I should go to bed, we've got a big day tomorrow," she states, reluctant as she lifts her head from the warmth of him.

"Hey," Castle murmurs, before she can stand up.

"Hmm?"

"I know you said you didn't want to, but if you need to stay here, or if you need any help with apartment hunting, or moving- I'm here okay?"

Kate smiles and turns her body back to his. Instead of replying she wraps her arms around his neck and squeezes softly. She feels his arms snake around to hug her lower back and pull her in tighter. She buries her face into his neck and feels his nose against her hair, and it's now static throughout her body, buzzing as breathes in the proximity. They stay like that, holding each other, Beckett taking the comfort she needs from his strong grasp.

His friendship and their partnership is so important to her, more than she ever anticipated. Her nose pressed into his neck is making her mind wander into dangerous territory, fantasies of the future creeping in.

She loosens her grip on him and eases back to look into his eyes. His awestruck look surprises her, like he never thought she would initiate a hug. He would have been right if it wasn't for this catastrophe of a day. They stare at each other for a moment longer, until it gets too intense, and Kate drops her eyes. She squeezes his shoulders in thanks and stands up from the couch before she does something stupid like kiss him.

"Goodnight, Castle." She smiles and turns to walk to the stairs.

"Goodnight, Miss Scarlet."

A/N: Thank you for reading :) Thanks girls for the beta

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