Disclaimer: Had I owned these characters, I would not be dying to know what happens in JUST OVER A WEEK!

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«And then we might need to talk invites. I mean, the design could be so much. I always like having a card formed as something, like pumpkins or witch hats. Still, that's kind of standard, you know? People use that all the time and I want to do something a little more original. I don't know what else to do, but just something else, you know? Or what do you think?" No answer. "Kate?" Still nothing. "Kate? Hello? Earth to Kate?"

"Hm?" Kate looked up at him, for the first time registering her name. Her eyes told him she had just been far away.

"Honey, are you okay?" He asked gently.

"Yeah, 'm fine"

"No, you're not. What's wrong?" She diverted her eyes, looking down at her hands resting in her lap. "Come on, Kate. Tell me."

There was a silence, before she gently started talking. "Do you think I did the right thing?"

"What do you mean?" A frown appeared at Rick's face.

"With my father. Do you think I did the right thing?" The guilt and doubt in her face broke his heart.

"Yeah, it's a hard situation, but I think you did what had to be done. It might not be pretty, but it was necessary." He reasoned for her, wanting her to feel better, desperate to make the situation easier on her.

"I wasn't too hard on him?"

"Noooo" He shook his head quite determined. "No, Honey, you did the right thing. It was the best for him… and the best for you. You couldn't keep going like that. If he knows what's good for him, and for you, he will do something with his problem. You can't put your life on hold just because your father has a problem. That's not fair to you. As a father, I can be pretty certain when I say no father would want his daughter to suffer like that. Seeing your reaction to this, I can see how much you love him. I am positive he loves you just as much. Just give him time."

His speech had made her eyes tear up. The way he described her feelings and doubts, and then managed to reassure her just like that, was amazing. How he did it, she had no idea. She just knew that he had a way of understanding her, like really understanding her. Although it scared her, she also liked that he was able to do just that.

"I'm sorry, you're right. I shouldn't bother you with my messy thinking." She tried shrugging it off.

"Hey, you could bother me anytime, okay?" She could see his honesty in his eyes. Her voice felt like it was thick with emotion, so she just nodded. God, get yourself together, woman!

"So" she cleared her voice, "what was that you said about designs for our invitations?" Rick sensed her desperate need for a change of subject, and, as always, he dropped it. Then he thought about what she just said.

The smug grin she got back told her she had said something she really shouldn't have. "What?"

"No, nothing", yet the way his mouth twisted up in a smile told a different story.

"What, Castle?" Oh, last name. That was probably not good.

Shrugging his shoulders, he tried to sound casual. "Well, just, you know. I don't have to wonder about how to sign the cards."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, since you just admitted it is our invites, I'm guessing you won't oppose to me using both our names on it." The smug grin on his face makes her hit him with the back of her hand, but she still can't stop the blush from spreading along her neck.

"So, what about food and drinks?"

XXXXX

This was so not a good idea. Well, it was a good idea, but that was just what it was; a good idea. Like, in theory. Kate could not for the life of her figure out why she had said yes to this. For one, she was not a big fan of crowds. For a New Yorker she was surprisingly uncomfortable with this many people in one room. Especially when she was supposed to play host. Kind of. Thank God, Rick was being his usual amazing and charming self, because she was failing on a completely new level when it came to her hosting abilities. Not that she had been a star host before. This was just the first time she considered hiding out in a closet somewhere.

Secondly, her over extravagant, crazy boyfriend had been over the moon with excitement for the costumes. Kate wasn't such a big fan of them, to be honest. She felt that they were a lie, like putting on somebody else would hide the real you, and Kate knew that facades could stop you from living your life. Therefore, she didn't particularly like the idea of dressing up. However, when she saw the childish glee in Rick's eyes when he explained to her that costumes were mandatory, there was no way she could deny him that. His suggestions, on the other hand, she had no problem turning down.

At his first proposal, she almost hit him in the back of his head for even thinking it. There was not a chance in hell she would ever let him dress them up like Adam and Eve. It was bad enough they had to do the whole couple costume thing. Now they had to do naked costumes too? No way. She wouldn't do Tarzan and Jane either. Still too primitive for her. When she turned down his suggestions for both Antony and Cleopatra and Batman and Cat woman for being too customary, he had started whining. He said she was just coming up with stupid excuses, even though she could hear it in his voice that he did actually agreed with her. That was when he surprised her though. He suggested F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, which she actually liked. She would be a woman who actually made a career for herself, she didn't have to be half naked and it was kind of original. Sure, the costumes would be a bit hard to guess, but Rick just shrugged it off as part of the fun, and she agreed.

Now, though, among all the party guests, she had trouble relaxing. Her father had taken Rick up on his offer for a rehab center, but she had not heard from him since and frankly, it was starting to freak her out a bit. Why hadn't she heard from him? Where they not allowed talking to people? To let family know how they were doing? Had she been too harsh on him? Did he even want to talk to her anymore? She was driving herself mad, and even though she knew that, she still couldn't stop it. Rick had tried calming her, and it had helped a little, but with the party and everything else, he had been busy. She knew she should be able to get control herself, but letting him calm her down was just easier. Wow, talk about independence…

The party tonight made her feel even more alone, outside of Rick's life. He knew everyone and they knew him, but some of them hadn't even noticed her name on the invite. The few that had, didn't exactly put their best effort into acknowledging her. Not that Kate needed all the attention or anything, but still, it would have been nice to have someone to talk to.

No later than she though the words, someone came up beside her.

"Great party, I must say." Kate looked at the tall blonde dressed as a slutty angel beside her. The girl was watching the crowd, taking a sip of what looked like it could be a stiff vodka martini.

"Thanks. Rick did all the work; he's an amazing party planner." Kate couldn't keep the admiration out of her voice.

"Oh, so you're Kate?" The girl gave her what Kate thought to be an envious look.

"Yeah, that's me." The fake smile the brunette plastered on didn't seem to bother the blonde.

"I'm Candy. You know, you got yourself quite the deal here. Rich, handsome, known for his, uhm, shall we say bedroom activities?" Candy (God, what a stupid name) gave Kate a grin. "Only downside being his daughter, of course, but I guess nobody is perfect, right? And he's still rich, so I guess you better hold on for a while." Kate could not believe this woman. She was practically saying to Kate's face that she was a gold digger, and saying Alexis was a downside and a problem.

"Well, I love Rick and Alexis too, for that matter." Kate said matter-of-factly.

The blonde arced one eyebrow at that comment. "Keep telling yourself that, honey." There was a lot of bullshit Kate Beckett could take, but tonight she had had her limit.

"Oh, Alexis is the sweetest kid ever. Not that you would ever get to know that, 'cause there is no way I'm letting her anywhere near you." Kate took a few unwavering steps away, before turning back. "Oh, and by the way, those rumors about the bedroom are completely true, not that it's any of your business." Then she turned and walked away.

Okay, that was overreacting. Yes, Blondie had called her a gold digger, and complained about Alexis, but Kate still shouldn't have reacted the way she did. Her need to protect Alexis just went overboard. And all this stuff with her father was still up in the air, making her lose hours of sleep every night. It was hard not to react the way she did. God, she needed to find Rick before she bit someone else's head off.

Just then, a hand grabbed her elbow, swinging her around. "There you are, beautiful. I have been looking for you all night."

"You only left me, like, an hour ago."

"It felt like a lifetime."

"Oh, that, Mr. Castle, is just sappy and unoriginal."

"Well, Miss Beckett, see what you bring out in me?" He teased.

"I make you unoriginal?" She gave him a stern look.

"That's not, I mean- I meant-"

"God, you're easy." Laughing, she rolled her eyes.

"So, how are you enjoying the party so far?" His inquiring look made his blue eyes shine.

She shrugged her shoulders. "It's okay, better now that you're here." The smug smile on his face told her she shouldn't have said that. Yet, she couldn't make herself regret it.

"You know, there are some other people I would like to introduce my wonderful girlfriend to."

"What, the mayor wasn't enough?" She arched one brow.

"Nope, I can never get enough of showing you off. I mean look at you!" He exclaimed, gesturing towards her body. "You're like a model, or a Greek goddess. How can I not want to show you off?" His words made her blush, and she bent her head down. He took her hand, and pulled her over to a group of people.

"Kate, I would like to introduce you to some friends of mine from the publishing business. This is Mrs. Eleanor Traynor," he gestured to an older looking woman (in what seemed like an extremely expensive looking 1700-century dress) while giving the woman a charming smile, "William Boyle," gesturing to an older looking guy, which hair had started to gray at the temples and costume matched the Traynor lady, "and Patrick Donovan." He was a younger man, tall, blonde and your typical handsome guy. "They are all a part of Black Pawn Publishing. Everyone, this is Kate Beckett, my girlfriend." He sounded so proud, introducing her. Kate couldn't help but smile.

The woman named Eleanor looked surprised. "Oh, Richard, darling, I thought she was your nanny or something. You know, she looks so young." The way she only addressed Rick annoyed Kate a bit, but she didn't let it show. "How old is she?"

Kate answered her before Rick had a chance. "I'm twenty one, Mrs. Traynor." She tried giving the woman her best smile, even though she was a bit mad. The older woman looked at her with a criticizing facial expression, as if she clearly thought she was too young for Rick.

"Oh well, nice to meet you, Miss Beckett." Mrs. Traynor tried to keep her face neutral, but a small grimace escaped anyway. "If you excuse us, I see someone we should really say hello to." She grabbed the Boyle person, and pulled him with her.

"I'm sorry about that; you would think a woman in her position would be better handling crowds." Patrick looked at her, an excusing expression on his face. Kate gave him half a smile for his attempt to lighten her mood. Still, there wasn't much he could do about it. She was just beyond done with this party.

"Excuse us, would you, Patrick?" Rick said, pulling her over to a more secluded corner of the house.

"I'm sorry, Rick. I really should make more of an effort. I'm being a killjoy here." Kate huffed.

"No, no." Rick shook his head, pulling her into his arms for a warm embrace. "It's my fault, really. Who throws a big party in the middle of a family crisis anyway? And the way Mrs. Traynor behaved was just rude. Not your fault, any of it."

Kate sighed. "Yeah, but it's my family going through the crisis here, Rick. No need for me to stop your fun because of it."

"Oh, Kate. Don't you see? You ARE family, and therefore, by extension, your dad is family. It was thoughtless of me to still plan this." The way his apology sounded so heartfelt made her shiver.

"You have nothing to be sorry for, Rick." She smiled at him.

"You are extraordinary, you know that?"

She smiled at him. "You're pretty great yourself."

He leaned down to her, gently placing his lips to hers. Closing her eyes, she leaned into the kiss, enjoying the taste of him. Yeah, he definitely didn't have anything to apologize for.

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A/N: Well, kind of a filler, this one… I didn't know what to do with the characters because I didn't want to do too much of a time jump to the next chapter, so I hope this is okay. Let me know if it's any good.