Exculpatory

Chapter seventeen

That day they went to Coney Island. Kate hadn't really thought they'd spend the whole day together, hadn't planned on falling asleep and staying over, but since they were there and honestly neither her or Elisabeth wanted to leave the Castles. Castle and Kate didn't get to be alone until they got to the amusement park, so she never got a chance to let him know she heard his advice to her kid. Once they got to the park though Alexis was quick to ask if Elisabeth and her could run off on their own, when Castle had pouted and saying he thought she had meant it when she said he was the 'cool dad'. Alexis had just laughed and said she loved him, kissed his cheek before giving an expecting and questioning look towards Kate who just laughed at his frown. She'd nodded and told them to keep their phones on them at all times, she wanted them to be able to contact each other if needed. She also told them to be safe, and call if anything seemed off. She wasn't as reluctant to let them go as she knew Alexis was more mature than her father, besides she had let them go shopping before so she couldn't exactly deny them this. After her peanut kissing her cheek the two girls were off, running towards the first roller coaster they'd laid their eyes on. Kate followed the redhead and brunette with her eyes until they got out of sight before turning to the man beside her, who's eyes had been trained on the kids as well.

"I thought I was the cool dad," he muttered and she couldn't help but laugh again, gently nudging his shoulder with hers as they started walking further into the park.

"Well, even if you're not you're a great one, even to my kid," she let it slip out, not sure what it really meant but wanting him to know she wanted him there for her. Because he really had been a great dad to her even if he hadn't acted as though he was hers.

He gave her a questioning look, his eyebrows high, "What do you mean?"

She bit her lip, smiling at the memory of the morning. "I heard you two this morning. How you told her about it not really mattering who her father is as long as she's got other people around her." Sighing she added with a small frown of her lips, "I totally forgot you knew how she felt. I'm sorry I didn't... it must've been hard for you hearing me just ignoring all the ways I could've found out who he was when your mom actually had no way of knowing."

He shook his head, "I've come to peace with not knowing. Besides, like I told her, I can pretend he's anything I want. The reason he left my mom after their one night could've been because he's a spy and the world needed him in order not to blow up, James Bond style," he winked at her with that childish glimpse he always had in his eyes when he made up stories.

"Still, I should've thought of that before," she let her hand brush his as they walked and to her small surprise he immediately snatched her hand to tangle his fingers with her. "Anyway, thanks for giving her some of your peace."

He smiled at her and pulled her with him so they stood out of the way for people wanting to pass by. The second they stood still his free hand cupped her face and kissed her, spreading a warmth to her face as she blushed because... they were in public. And she had never allowed herself to be this open, this exposed. It was such a new feeling, freedom, and of course she kissed him back. His lips always so gentle and exciting, spreading electricity through her veins and filling her belly with butterflies. They pulled away and she giggled, she actually giggled. She hadn't done that since... well, since she was a kid.

"Always," he smiled, and then he got a big grin spreading across his face, his childishness returning. "Ooh, and when do you want to go on the date? When's your next day off?" he asked excitedly.

"Uhm, my next complete day off will be Sunday next week unless there's a body drop," his excitement was carefully passing over and into her. Her whole being bubbly with the exciting fact that he wanted to take her out on a date, a real date.