Disclaimer: The wording is mine but the characters aren't

Last chapter. Hope you enjoyed it. Please review.

OOOOOOOOO

That night he looked at the small bruises on either side of his kneecap and wondered if he was strange for smiling at them.

…

OOOOOOOOO

48.

She turned when he had only made it a few steps off the elevator. She had been listening for the chime since she came in an hour ago. She had given up trying to tell herself she was ridiculous after she spent the night curled around 'his' pillow. When she heard his familiar steps she couldn't restrain her smile. His stretched across his face too, deepening his laugh lines.

"Good morning," he handed the cup off to her.

"Thanks," she raised it in a little salute and took a sip immediately.

"Sure," he sat himself down, still beaming at her.

"You're early," she noted. Not that she was complaining.

"I was afraid you'd take a run at Celia without me," he said, craning his neck to look around the still quiet bullpen. "Where are Esposito and Ryan?"

"Taking Celia down to booking." She kept her face still as she stated it offhand.
"What? Already?" His face transformed into shocked disappointment. If she ever stole candy from a baby, she was pretty sure that kid would look like Castle did right now.

"Don't pout." She wouldn't want him to cry.

"I'm not," he whined.

She just raised her eyebrow.

He sighed and dismissed it with a wave of his hand. "So?"

"Celia confessed last night."

"Oh," he huffed. "Is that going to be enough?" He perked up hopefully.

"That's not all we found this morning." She teased him. Appeal to his sense of mystery.

"Do tell." He did look intrigued. He really was easy.

"We got a hit on the photos we sent out and found the hotel Celia and Daniels were using."

"And were they there the night of the murder?"

"Oh yeah." She gave a superior smile. "For about ten minutes."

Castle's eyebrows lifted together.

"The proprietor confirmed it. Daniels arrived and paid for the room in cash at 9.30 but was still in the office when our Vic saw him. He had followed Daniels to the hotel after he heard Daniels was cheating on Stacy."

"Our Vic was a rat."

"More like Carrik's eyes and ears."

"Still a rat."

"So our Vic confronted Daniels when Celia walked in."

"Salacious." His eyes were twinkling.

She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Shutting up."

She gave a put-upon sigh but continued. "Daniels paid for the room, but he never used it. He was at Stacy and Steven's room by 10, but we've got Celia on a couple of traffic cams."

"In a hurry, was she?" Castle asked.

"She wanted to beat our Vic back to Carrik."

"So would I," he muttered.

She tilted her head questioningly.

"No witnesses."

"Apparently. Anyway, our Vic headed to the shop thinking that's where Carrik would be, but he was at the bar with his bottle."

"So Celia found our Vic at the shop," Castle surmised.

"And took a pipe to him," she sighed. "According to her, she just wanted to warn him what would happen if he ever went to Carrik. She didn't count on his ribs still being weak from an accident a few years back. Lanie thinks they snapped and punctured his lungs after only a couple of swings."

"Celia probably didn't even know she had killed him."

"If she did she would have been stupid to leave the body at the shop," Kate agreed.

"So?"

"Manslaughter for co-operation," Kate sighed, leaning back into her chair.

"And the case is closed," he sounded triumphant.

"Well," she corrected him. "Not quite," she eyed her paperwork meaningfully.

"Paperwork doesn't count."

"Gates might disagree with you."

Castle looked around suddenly cautious. "She said anything yet?"

"She's not in yet."
"So she hasn't listened to the recordings?"

"No, and Ryan was editing them when I came in this morning for the actual evidence."

"I am never buying that man a pink sprinkle doughnut again," Castle breathed in relief.

"I'm going to hold you to that," Ryan called as they stepped off the elevator.

Castle just grinned at him.

Kate rolled her eyes and made for the break room as Ryan and Esposito walked past on their way to their stations. She wasn't surprised to feel him at her side.

"So have I told you about the bruises I found on my knee last night?"

She allowed an indulgent smile. "No." She had marked him.

"Well now I have."

She just shook her head and took a sip of the coffee she had brought with her.

"So if we don't get a body, you have the night off, right?"

"That would depend."

"On what?"

"Are you going to let me get my paperwork done?"

"You make it sound like I'm some sort of distraction."

She just stared at him.

"Yeah…No, hey. I'm useful. I can forge your signature and I can dictate. I also get food and coffee and I annoy the boys."

"You just play with them," she corrected him.

"If you tell me what you want for dinner tonight, I can go shopping and you can flirt with carpal-tunnel to your heart's desire. I'm calling in one of the dinners you owe me."

She smiled. "I'd like that."

A foolish grin started to cross his face.

"Oh and Castle, don't think I've forgotten what you owe me."

He looked affronted. "I don't owe you. I won that game fair and square."

"And I'm good for them. Seven dinners," she assured him, a little irked he was so willing to let her out of the rest. Talk about sending a girl the wrong messages.

"So you'll come?"

"I said I would."

The grin stretched again and she felt her own lips twitching despite her unease.

"Right, what do you want?"

"To eat," she told him bluntly. "And it can't be takeout."

He nodded, bouncing a little on his toes and turned for the door.

He was so excited to cook for her, she was tempted to let it slide but she knew if she didn't deal with it now she never would.

"I'm keeping your tab open, and you owe me," she informed him.

She watched as he stopped and turned to her, a little hopeful, a little scared. She pushed away the irrational jealousy that he could be so open. If only she could do that, she had a feeling they would have found each other a lot sooner. Everything would be easier.

"You are?"
"I am."

"And when am I supposed to pay those debts off?"

She shrugged with nonchalance she didn't feel. "Whenever you want."

"So I just to walk up to you," he moved to face her directly. "Hold you," he took her chin in his palm and stroked her cheek with his thumb.

She looked up at him, knowing her face was red, but daring him to run away now. Her heart wasn't racing but she was suddenly aware of each heavy beat, feeling it shake her chest.

"And kiss you?" the end of his question was a whisper of air across her lips.

She didn't bother to swallow, but let her voice reach him shaky and rough. "That's pretty much how it goes."

She couldn't tell him everything yet and she couldn't offer him the invitation she wanted, but she was going to try and move forward with what she had now.

"Good to know."

She expected heat but when he pulled her closer, he captured her mouth slowly. He was unhurried and she reveled with the knowledge he didn't feel the need to rush. He was exploring with the knowledge that this wouldn't be their last time. He pressed in close then retreated both pulling on her lips and barely grazing them, leaving them tender to any movement.

She submitted to the onslaught and he pulled away before she could rally herself to participate.

"Just like that?" he breathed, his forehead resting against hers.

"Just like that," she felt the smile stretch into a full, toothy beam. "But in future, try not to collect when the Captain is watching."

Castle's head whipped to the door where the woman had stopped dead on her way to her office, briefcase still in hand.

Kate laughed at the twin expressions they wore and he looked back at her apprehensively.

She took his chin between her hands and dedicated herself to mapping out the inside of his mouth, investigating the spots she found that had him groaning and going straight back for confirmation. It was meant to be a thank you from her to him but he couldn't help but give back to her.

When the tremble in her knees overrode the onslaught she permitted herself one last caress and slid her mouth away from his. She dropped her forehead to the cradle of his neck and concentrated on breathing, her lips resting lightly against his neck.

"That's our incentive."

Thank you.

Really.