I do not have much experience with big cities, such as New York, so I am taking this story on a different path; one that I know more considering where I live. Castle and Beckett are going on a road trip to a small town in, shall you say, corn fields and nature. Bear with me if this isn't your kind of story, please. I promise it will get good later down the road!

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, anything you don't notice are figments of my imagination.

This chapter is dedicated to LeAnn, because she is awesome and one of my new best friends.

Love you!

"Are you done yettt?" Castle wined to Kate. It had been a slow day, but what made it even slower was the anticipation Castle was feeling. About four months ago, Castle took Beckett on a vacation of his choice. Granted, they both enjoyed it, but now Kate had planned a week long getaway for both her and Rick. She had many personal days saved up and she had the perfect plan.

One week ago, Kate informed Rick that they would be taking a trip; a trip of her choice. He was so very excited, like a little child the night, or week, before Christmas. But now that the day was upon them to leave, he was so excited that he was now at a level of annoyance.

"Castle, you are a grown man. Would you stop acting like a child? Yes, I am almost finished. Now just go play Angry Birds or get some coffee or something. Just, let me get this paperwork finished so that we can head to your place. Okay?" Kate said, her voice conveying that he was getting to be on her last nerve.

"Okay!" he piped, clearly not receiving the message that he was starting to really bother Detective Beckett. Normally, he knew better than to rush her, especially when she was tired and irritable.

As Castle made his way to the break room, Beckett took a moment to just look at him. She let the feeling, that feeling she had not yet say to him, coarse through her veins. That feeling brought a smile to her face, but she turned back toward her paperwork and started to rush herself to finish it.

Castle plopped down onto the break room couch, I-phone in hand with Angry Birds flying across the screen. He had left the door open, now giving him a perfect view of his beautiful, hard-working, girlfriend who was now scribbling onto paperwork hastily in order to complete it. Slowly, his hands dropped into his lap along with the long-forgotten game on the phone and he just stared. Every time he looked at her, every single little glance, he was reminded of how lucky he was to have her in his life. When he did this, which he often did, his mind went blank. Every other thought that inhabited his brain at that moment disappeared and were replaced with memories of their night together, or dreams of their future he so desperately wanted to have with her. He wanted it all with her, marriage, children, and forever. Rick knew she wasn't ready to hear that, but he knew that he would have that with her, even if it took every ounce of power he had to make it happen. But for now, he would settle on going on this little surprise trip she had in store for him.

Almost one hour later, Beckett closed down her computer, put away her files and pens, and grabbed her things. She looked into the break room, only to find a sleeping Castle. He was sitting upright, head tilted back, and hands in his lap along with the discarded phone. Making her way to him, she glanced around. Barely anyone was left in the station. Kate made her way into the break room, shutting the door and partially shutting the blinds to allow them some privacy. He was out. She jostled his leg softly, whispering his name. That only earned her a shifting of his head in the opposite direction. Kate sat down next to Castle and gently ran her right hand through his hair, once, twice, three times before he slowly was awaken. He let out a sigh of contentment, loving the feel of her hand in his hair. Beckett leaned down and pressed a small kiss to his lips. Before he could deepen the kiss, Kate broke away.

"Good morning, or should I say good evening? Ready to go?" Kate asked, excitement leaking through her own voice.

"Yeah, um, just let me, um wait. Where are we going again?" Castle mused. He tried to sound sleepy and confused, but in all honesty, he just really wanted to know where they were headed.

"Nice try Castle." Beckett replied, swatting his arm lightly. "Now up! Up, up, up!" Beckett said as she hopped off the couch, signaling Castle that it was time for his sleepy butt to get off the couch so that they could go and have some fun!

"Since when are you peppy in the mornings?" Castle inquired, dragging himself off the couch.

"Since its, I don't know," Beckett said glancing down at her watch, "4:00 pm and we still have bags to get and a long drive ahead of us."

Twenty minutes later, Rick was unlocking the door to his loft with Kate standing behind him. The door swung open with Kate and Rick making their way into the loft. After kicking off their shoes, Kate took both of Castle's hand in her own. With both Rick and Kate wearing socks, Beckett slid them a small ways from the door playfully.

"Alright Castle, let's play a game." Beckett offered. Castle gave her a questioning glance, silently inquiring what the game exactly was. "It's called 'How fast can Rick pack his bag'. You have 15 minutes. Time starts in 3-2-1. Go!"

At that, Rick made a mad dash to his room. He stumbled over a piece of furniture but quickly recovered and continued his sprint to his room. As he disappeared around the corner of his office, she heard a loud crashing noise followed by a "I'm okay!".

And Kate just smiled. He was such a child sometimes and she loved that about him. As he was packing she stood near the door, her bag by her side, crossed her arms, tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear and absent-mindedly stared at the ground. Kate Beckett was picturing her future with this wonderful man-child. In her mind, she conjured up pictures of lazy weekends with Rick and their children racing down the halls. She pictured a life with him as her husband and as a father, not only to Alexis, but to their own children. Different images flashed through her mind, and without her knowing, ten minutes had already gone by.

Castle emerged from his office with a single bag, feeling quite proud of himself for packing with five minutes left to spare. He paused, and just looked at the sight before him. She looked so at peace, so loving and content in whatever little world her head was in. He wanted to know her thoughts, but he wouldn't pry. If she wanted to tell him, she would. He made his way to her and sat his bag down beside hers. With this, she snapped out of her little fantasy world, that would hopefully become a reality.

"Hey, you ready? That was fast. Maybe you will get a reward." Kate stated, with no real intentions on giving him a prize of sorts.

"As my prize can I finally know where we are going? Or are you kidnapping me?" Castle asked hopefully, but instead Kate replied with, "No prize Castle. Isn't a vacation with me good enough?"

She had a point there. A point that he would not argue with her because having her was a prize. She was his most valuable reward for four years of hard work. But he did not consider that four years work, he considered them a series of steps that made their relationship as strong as it is now. He would not change a single one of those steps.