773. Chapter 773

After Little Girl Lost

Episode 1.09

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: Just ask Monkey Bunkey. I don't own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

"Castle, wake up! We need to find Babe."

Rick Castle lifted his head from the laptop it was resting on when he'd fallen asleep writing. "Okay, Babe. I've got you." He slid his arm around Kate's waist.

She pushed him away. "No, Babe Bear. I can't find him anywhere, and you know that Lilly can't get to sleep without him."

Rick yawned and stretched. As with Alexis and Monkey Bunky, their daughter Lilly couldn't get to sleep without Babe the Bear, a New York Yankee bear from Build a Bear Workshop who came complete with a Yankee's uniform from little cleats on his feet all the way up to his little baseball cap. "Did you look in her toy chest?"

Kate rolled her eyes. "Of course. That's the first place I looked."

From upstairs they heard Lilly. "Mom-eee! Where's Babe? I miss him."

Castle stood up and realized he was still dressed for bed. "Um, I just came down to write a few things before bed. I guess I fell asleep."

"Close your robe and check the guest bedrooms. She likes to play there."

Castle went upstairs and headed for the guest bedrooms. "Now where would I hide if I were a bear? As a Yankee bear, I wouldn't go to Boston. That's out."

"Be sure to look under the beds, too." Kate called to him.

Rick knelt down and looked under the bed. It was totally bearless. He stood back up. "I know. I'd hide behind the curtains. I bet I'll be able to see little cleats poking out." But when Castle looked behind the curtains, there was no bear.

"Really?" Kate said. "Admiring the view at this time of night?"

"I happen to know that Babe Bear is a big fan of Long Island Sound. He says that when he makes it to the Show, he'll buy a house out here and live."

Kate's lips twitched into a smile, in spite of herself. "How will Lilly get to sleep then?"

"She'll go to his house, of course."

Kate shook her head. "She was out by the pool when you took the trash out earlier. Check there. I'll check the kitchen."

Castle turned the outdoor lights on and went out to the swimming pool. He turned the pool light on and saw something at the deep end. Something light and dark. A bear perhaps? It was hard to tell at night and looking through eight feet of water. He looked around for something to use to get the bear out, if it was poor Babe, but saw nothing. Cursing under his breath, he took off his robe and then his boxers. He dipped a toe into the water. It was cold. He took a deep breath and dove in. He swam to the bottom and grabbed….metal? He swam to the surface and saw that he had an empty quart can of Ballantine beer. He pulled himself out of the pool just as Kate came out.

"Flashing the neighbors?" She asked.

"I thought you liked me this way."

"Not when you're supposed to be looking for Babe."

"I saw this." He held up the can." I thought it was Babe, so I dove in to rescue poor Babe. I was going to give him mouth to mouth."

Kate walked over and kissed him. "Find Babe and I'll give you all the mouth to mouth you can handle."

Castle put his hand on her ass and squeezed. "Not now." She said. "Besides, it would be too easy for me to retaliate." She pinched his bare behind. "Now go upstairs, dry off and get some clothes on."

"It's probably kids that threw the can in the pool. I heard them partying down the beach earlier. Why is there never a cop around when you need one?"

"You want cop to not be around when you need her? That can be arranged."

"Wait. That's didn't come out right." But Kate was already back inside.

Once dried and dressed, Rick went into Lilly's room.

"Do you have Babe, Daddy?" She asked at once.

Castle knelt beside her bed. "Do you really need Babe?" He asked the toddler. "You're a big girl now. You don't sleep in a crib anymore, you sleep in a big girl bed. You can sleep without Babe for a night, can't you?"

Lilly's lower lip shot out in a pout. "No. I want Babe. Where is he, Daddy?"

Castle stood back up. "I'll go find him."

He passed Kate looking through the drawers in the kitchen. "She likes to help me in the kitchen. Maybe Babe got put away with the pans or something."

"Did you check the dishwasher?"

Kate opened the dishwasher which was full of nice clean dishes, but had no bears. "I'm sure that she had Babe after we came back from town today, but check the car. In fact, check both cars."

"Right. The cars." Castle headed for the garage. He checked his car first, since that was the one they had used, and then went to Kate's first checking the front seat and then the back. But when he stuck his hand under the front seat, he felt something furry. "Got you. How did you get…." He looked down to see a lollypop with about half of the carpet stuck to it and the lollypop was stuck to him now.

Cursing he walked back to the kitchen to throw the candy away and clean his hand off. He didn't see the thumb tack until he stepped on it with his bare foot. He hopped into the kitchen, cursing and deposited the lollypop in the trash and then washed his hands.

"Castle! Don't talk like that. Do you want Lilly to hear you and start using those words?"

"I stepped on a tack. It hurts."

"Come on, I'll fix it up. "

They went to the upstairs bathroom and Kate bandaged Rick's injured foot. They went to continue their search for their missing bear.

"Kate, look at this." He whispered.

There, in her bed, was Lilly, fast asleep.

"Castle, what's that just peeking out from under the bed skirt?"

Castle leaned over to look. "It looks like it might be the end of a bear sized Yankees ball cap."

He knelt down and pulled Babe Bear from under Lilly's bed. "I know that you were hiding elsewhere and just snuck in here before we looked." He said sternly to the little bear.

"Castle, don't be nasty to Babe. He's a good bear."

Castle tucked Babe in next to Lilly. "Okay, you are a good bear."

She held out her hand. "Come on, we need to go to bed and you know I can't sleep without you."

And so Kate and Lilly slept well that night, guarded by those who loved them.