Just a random little fluffy piece for all of you "Fluffsters" out there. Another sleepy theme ;)

I don't own the characters.

Enjoy!

Castle was sitting on the couch in the break room eating pretzels from the vending machine. His feet were up on the table in front of him. Kate came in and sat down beside him and put her feet up beside his, and reached into the bag and took out a handful and started nibbling on them.

"This is turning into the never ending case from Hell. I'm so tired I can't even see straight."

"I think this is the most food we've eaten all day, too. Did the guys leave?"

In between bites she answered "Yeah, road trip to pick up a suspect."

They sat in silence for a few minutes just eating the pretzels.

"Are you ready to go?"

She laid her head on the back of the couch and let out a sigh. "Yeah."

He chuckled and said, "You know if we don't get up and leave now, we might fall asleep here on this couch and you know Ryan and Esposito will find us here in the morning and it will be all over the precinct that we slept together."

She looked over at him and smiled and shook her head and rolled her eyes at him. He stood up and reached a hand out to her, she looked up at him hesitantly and accepted his hand and he pulled her up, letting go of it as he walked toward the door. They stopped at her desk and he grabbed her jacket off the back of her chair and helped her into it. She pulled her bag out of the bottom drawer and slung it over her shoulder. They walked towards the elevator together and once inside she leaned her head back.

When they were outside he hailed a cab and she slid in beside him, resting her head on the back of the seat, but before long it ended up on his shoulder and she was asleep before the cab pulled up to her apartment.

He whispered into her ear, "Kate?"

He got no response. He tried a little louder "Hey, Sleeping Beauty?"

This time he got a very groggy, "Yeah?"

"You need to get out of the cab."

"Sleeping Beauty has to be kissed in order to wake up."

"Yeah, well I've been told it's probably not in my best interest to kiss girls who carry guns."

"Good point, Castle."

"We're at your apartment."

"Hmmmm"

He leaned over her and very lightly kissed her on the lips. Her eyes barely fluttered and she said, "Castle?"

Yes, Kate?"

"Did you just kiss me?"

"Yes. Yes I did"

"Ummm, OK, I thought I was dreaming."

He chuckled. "Do you dream of me often?"

"Hmmmm, maybe."

He smiled, he was enjoying this. "Kate?"

"Yeah?"

"We're at your apartment; you need to get out of the cab."

He reached into his wallet and paid the cabbie and then reached for Kate's hands and pulled gently on her, she slowly climbed out of the cab and he leaned her up against him and got her to start walking with him. His arm was firmly around her waist and hers was rather loosely around his, her head resting in the crook of his arm. Somehow he managed to get her into her elevator and upstairs. When they got to her door, she leaned up against it, head back, eyes closed.

Kate?"

"Yeah, Castle?"

"Where are your keys?"

"Ummmm, pocket."

He waited for her to hand them to him but when it looked like that wasn't going to happen any time soon he reached over and slid his hand into her jacket pocket, she was awake instantly slapping his hand away. "Nice try, Castle." She put her hand into her pocket and rummaged around and pulled out a set of keys and handed them to him.

He looked at them, there had to be at least a dozen keys on the ring. He tried a few with no luck and through process of elimination he finally opened the door. He took her hand and led her inside. She kicked off her shoes and pulled off her jacket and tossed it on the back of a chair and then went over to the couch and curled up on one end.

Castle shut the door and went over to Kate and hesitated just leaving her there. He knew she would sleep better in her own bed, but he was pretty sure he wasn't going to be able to get her in there.

Kate?"

"Yeah?"

"You'll sleep much better in your own bed."

"OK, I'll go in a minute."

"No, in a minute you will be unconscious, and then you will wake up cranky and sore and I will have to listen to you complain all day tomorrow."

She chuckled. "You think you know me…."

"Here's the plan Sleeping Beauty, you either get up and go into your room on your own or I start undressing you and take you in there myself, and I can't be held responsible for my actions if I have to see you….."

"Castle?" She said as she put her hand out to him.

"Yes?" he replied as he took her hand thinking she needed help getting up but she pulled on his hand until his face was in front of hers and she said "Shut. The. Hell. Up."

He laughed but didn't say anything, he tried to let go of her hand but she held on tight so he pulled her up, she stood up and still holding his hand she led him towards her room and said, "Come on, Prince Charming."

"Where are we going?"

"To bed."

He stopped short. "Ummm, together?"

"Yes, together but not 'together' together. The guys will be back in just a few hours and we'll have to go back to the precinct, you might as well just stay here and you're about a foot too tall for my couch."

She pulled him along and left him beside the bed as she went into the bathroom and got ready for bed. Still somewhat stunned he removed his clothes except for his t-shirt and boxers and climbed under the covers. She came out wearing a loose t-shirt and a pair of leggings; she climbed under the covers on her side of the bed and turned out the light.

Neither of them said anything for a few minutes, Castle actually thought she had fallen asleep, but when he turned to look at her she was lying there with her eyes open, one arm draped across her forehead.

"So, let me get this straight, you want to sleep with me but not sleep with me?"

She let out a sigh. "Yes, Castle that's right."

"So, can I assume that you are not attracted to me?"

She laughed. "Attraction has nothing to do with it."

"Well, actually, yes it usually has a lot to do with it."

She laughed and said "Sex would just make things awkward…..and complicated."

"No, I'm not thinking it would…be either."

"What if it didn't work out?"

"OK, Debbie Downer, what if it did?"

She turned and looked at him and then looked away and said very quietly, "I'm not ready to take that risk yet, Castle."

He started to say something and she put her hand up and said, "No, don't. Please?" He took her hand and laced his fingers through hers and pulled it up to his lips and kissed it and said "OK."

She looked over at him and whispered quietly "Thank you."

He squeezed her hand tight and she let go and rolled over onto her side with her back to him. He scooted over toward her not touching her with his body but left his hand on her waist on top of the covers and she fell asleep.

He lay there for a few minutes contemplating what was said and not said and had a feeling of contentment and understanding that soothed him to sleep.

Thanks again for all of you who are reading and re-reading and especially for all the reviews and favorites. It makes me very happy. I have a second chapter started for this, along with a few other stories that have been started but are going nowhere at the moment.