782A/N: Today's offering for As The Story Goes was prompted by amtepe on tumblr: Kate telling Jim she's with Castle (sometime post 4x23).
If we're going by canon timeline, this is set post-Secret's Safe With Me, but pre-Murder He Wrote, but it can also function as a tad AU in timeline and work just after Kate goes back to work.
A Late Brunch
It wasn't that his daughter was never late. With her job, it happened. He wasn't always on time either, especially not on court days. Usually she remembered to text him to let him know she would be longer than expected, though. They both did. Neither of them wanted to remember how it felt to wait for someone, only to have their lives torn apart when they never arrived. Which was why he was honestly starting to worry when, half an hour after their agreed meeting time, she still wasn't there, and hadn't reached out to tell him when she would be.
"Sorry! Sorry, sorry, sorry. I'm sorry I'm late."
His finger paused mid-text as Katie came skidding alongside their usual booth, looking for all the world like she'd just rolled out of bed and run through a car wash instead of taking time for a shower on the way to the diner.
"Sorry, Dad. I'm so sorry." She was already hugging him when he made it to his feet. His arms banded around her tightly, a little too tightly, but she just squeezed him in response.
"That's okay, I was just sending you a text to check on you." He kissed her cheek gently, taking a beat to shut his eyes and be thankful that everything seemed to be okay.
"I know, I'm sorry. I overslept and I almost forgot my phone. I had to go back for it," she explained breathlessly. "I really thought I'd be here sooner, that's why I didn't call."
She dropped a kiss on his cheek. He'd missed this. After losing Johanna and nearly losing him to his grief, his daughter's affection had been guarded, careful. For years, she hugged him with reservation, as if she expected him to be gone when she opened her eyes. Then she made the break in Johanna's case and her hugs grew tighter, more frequent. Her smiles came more easily, too, easing his own worries just a little more.
"You're fine, Katie. Sit, you look like you need coffee."
"Oh God, tell me about it."
He smiled as she laughed at herself. Late or not, his daughter looked happier than he'd seen her in a long time.
"Is work keeping you busy?" He'd been out of the country for a few weeks, negotiating a new contract for one of his clients, and email just didn't cut it when it came to catching up with his daughter.
To his surprise, Katie's cheeks flushed a pink he hadn't seen in years. Not since she was a budding teenager and his wife used to tell him not to say a word to embarrass her.
"Work is… Well, I had some time off, but now I'm back and it's been nonstop."
Time off? She hadn't mentioned that in her emails.
"Time off?"
She sighed, fiddling with the paper placemat in front of her. "I was suspended, Dad."
"Suspended? What happened?" He knew he was frowning when she frowned too.
Instead of answering, though, her hand snaked out for his coffee cup. She'd always hated the way he drank his coffee and the face she made after a hearty sip this time was no exception, but it made for a good stalling technique and they both knew it.
"I got caught up in a case and I made a bad call. Gates had no choice but to suspend me. But now I'm back."
"Your mom's case?" he asked softly, leaning forward to touch her fingertips. She nodded almost imperceptibly.
"And mine," she confirmed, causing his throat to tighten at the possibilities. Before he could speak, though, she squeezed his hand, sitting up to accept her own cup of coffee and tailor it to something she deemed tolerable. He watched her movements carefully, smiling tightly when she lifted her head again and soldiered on, "But I've put them both away for now. Not forever, but for now, it's better this way."
He nodded in agreement, the band around his chest loosening just a little. "I think so, too. And it's good to see you looking relaxed after taking time off, instead of bored out of your mind," he murmured, trying to steer the conversation to different territory. Away from the darkness of the case, away from the pain of the previous summer, hell the previous decade.
But ah, there was the blush again. Interesting.
"I've definitely not been bored," she started, narrowing her eyes at him and sipping her coffee again. "I caught up on my reading… watched some TV."
He nodded in understanding, waiting for her to continue.
"Spent some time with Castle," she added finally, trying to sound as innocent as possible.
Oh really? Well it was about time. "I see."
She rolled her eyes just like her mother. And Johanna had always wondered where it came from. Hah.
"Don't gloat, Dad."
He schooled his expression. "Who's gloating? I'm just glad things are working out."
"And if you get up and start dancing, I'm going home," she retorted, grinning underneath the bite of her words.
"Damn, I have to cancel the jig then."
That earned him a giggle. An honest to God giggle like he hadn't heard since the nights she and Johanna would conspire against him to force a truce out of him for the sake of keeping the peace in their headstrong little family.
"Funny. But just… it's good. New, but good." Her smile agreed with her words. "But don't tell anyone, okay? Martha and Alexis know, but they kind of have to know… but nobody else besides you. Please?"
"Katie," he called, easing through her rapid-fire explanation. "I won't tell anyone about you and Rick. I promise. I'm just happy you're happy."
And just like that, the soft, happy smile was back on her face. "Thanks, Dad." She deflated just a little, making him think she'd been waiting to get that off her chest, pushing a still-damp strand of hair behind her ear. "So, have you ordered yet?"
"No, just the coffee. I was waiting for you."
She smiled again, nodding. "Good. Let's do that, then. I'm starving."
"I bet." He sipped his coffee carefully, washing her face flush even darker than before.
"Dad!"
"From rushing, Katie." Now he was smirking. She was normally so unflappable; this would be fun. "What were you talking about?"
He had to admit he'd earned the balled up package of sugar she hurled his way.
"I hate you both," she muttered. "You and Castle. He makes me late and you mock me."
"Sure you do, Sweetheart." Maybe he didn't need to know the last part, but she was on a roll.
"Yeah I do, both of you."
He was confident she didn't hate either of them, really.