Kate looked over at Castle, who was sitting in his customary chair, trying to stay awake. She smiled weakly as she realized just how exhausted she was too. The past several days had been a blur of crime scenes, morgue visits and interviews. They had been pushed to the breaking point and had triumphed, catching the killer and finally getting a confession. Now, as the sun started peeking through the windows across the bullpen, Kate was trying to finish the reports scattered across her desk.

She hit the save button on her computer and sat back in her chair. She looked again at Castle, who had lost his battle and had closed his eyes, his head lolling to the side. She had suggested he go home hours ago, but he had refused, claiming that he needed to help with the paperwork. Kate had agreed, wanting him to stay, but realizing that he hadn't completed a report in all the time he had been her partner.

She reached out her hand, wanting to touch him, but stopped just short of his fingers. She looked around the room, wishing they were somewhere else where she could touch him freely. After the emotional rollercoaster of the past few days, she has a burning desire to escape with him to somewhere quiet and peaceful.

"Are you telling me that you have been here all night?" She heard the captain's voice behind her. She pulled her hand back, hopefully slowly enough that it was not obvious.

"Yes, Sir." She turned. "Just finished my reports."

"Well, good but, in the interest of saving the overtime, I am going to order you to go home and not come back before Monday." The Captain looked over at Castle, asleep, with a subtle string of drool stretched between his open mouth and the top of the desk. "And take him with you."

"Yes, Sir" she smiled. When they were once again alone, she reached out to him again, this time touching his cheek. "Castle." She said softly.

Castle jumped and sat up suddenly. "Mob hit!" He said in a startled voice.

"What?" She tried not to smile.

"CIA assassin?" He met her gaze, smiling as he remembered that the case was solved. "One of these days it will actually be one and then all of your skepticism will seem foolish."

"I promise to give you full credit." She smiled in spite of herself. "Come on, Castle. Let's get out of here."

"Really?" He watched her stand up and collect her belongings.

"You can stay here if you want." She headed for the elevator. "But I'm planning on eating something, then lounging around for the next three days." She looked over her shoulder, her eyes meeting his. "Wanna come?"

He was out of his chair and at her side in a flash. "I'm an expert lounger."

"I seem to recall hearing that about you." They stepped into the elevator.

"I could give you some pointers." He slid closer until their shoulders were touching.

"I'm counting on it." She said in a sultry voice as the elevator doors closed.

"So," Kate said as they sat in the diner on the corner near his building. "What is my first lesson in lounging?"

"Can't wait to get started, huh?" He took her hand and caressed it gently. "OK. Lesson number one." He crossed to her side of the table and slid in next to her. "It is very similar to something my mother taught me in acting class when I was a kid." His eyes burned into hers.

"And what is that?" Her voice was breathy.

He leaned in until she could feel his breath on her lips. "Lesson number one." He whispered. "Relax into the moment." He kissed her tenderly, his hands softly resting on her cheeks. "Breathe deeply from your core." He said against her mouth as he took a deep breath. Her hands grasped his lapels firmly as she opened her mouth to meet his. "And when you exhale…" his breath against her neck made her shiver. "Feel your tension disappear." He whispered, tracing a finger very lightly from behind her ear, along her throat and finally across her collarbone.

Kate closed her eyes and held her breath as goose bumps arose across her body. She took a shuddering breath and released it slowly. She rested her head against the back of the booth as Castle nuzzled her neck.

"Are you relaxing into the moment?" He asked as he snuck a little nip to her neck.

"Oh, yeah." She nodded slowly. "Your mother is a genius."

Someone dropped a plate, making them both jump, then laugh. "Do you think they're trying to tell us to get a room?" He smiled as he sat up straight.

Kate laughed out loud. "I think so."

"Your room or mine?" He said as he pulled out his wallet and laid money on the table.

Kate knew he was joking, at least a little, but she felt a rush of heat course through her body at the thought of continuing where they had just left off. She watched him for a moment, building up the courage to say, "Yours is closer."

His head whipped around so fast, she thought he might have whiplash. "That's true."

"Alexis?"

He looked at his watch. "School."

"Martha?"

"Meeting her contractor at the acting school."

Neither spoke for a long moment.

"So what is lesson two in lounging?" Kate asked as he stood and took her hand. She stood and kept his hand as they left the diner.

"You're really going to like lesson two."

"Oh?"

He nodded and leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Massage."

"Ah." She felt another flash of warmth. "Teach on…"

They walked towards his building.