Disclaimer: I do not own any character that you see here. I only play with them and send them back unharmed (mostly).
A/N: Okay, so last night's episode was quite possibly the best one in some time! I loved it! I've watched the end with Castle and Beckett in the precinct like 10 times (yes, I'm a geek). I also love Gates, even though in the beginning she was a jerk. Anyway, I am writing a post-ep for last night's episode, and this is where I say SPOILER ALERT! If you haven't watched and don't want spoilers, don't read. If you have, enjoy!
Alexis looked down at her phone for the tenth time in the last hour. She was in Italy and she was sure she was going to die before she got news from New York! Italy was one of the few places she hadn't seen (she was sure that was half the reason her dad had sent her here) and normally she'd be out exploring the city, but she just couldn't. At least, not until she knew everything was okay with Kate and her father.
When her phone finally rang a few minutes later, she jumped. Seeing Kate flash up on the display she snatched it up. "Hello? Kate?!"
"Hey, Alexis."
Alexis blinked. That was definitely Kate's voice, but she sounded so nonchalant. "Um…does Dad know you're calling me? Have you talked to him?"
Kate smiled. "Yes. I'm actually sitting on our couch in the living room."
"Yes!" Alexis cried. "I'm so glad you're okay."
"Me too, Alexis," Kate said. "Me too."
"Are you okay?" Alexis asked. "The doctor didn't do anything to you?"
"Not from lack of trying," Kate told Alexis. "But yes, physically I'm fine."
Alexis knew what Kate wasn't saying. Mentally though… "I know. It was the same way with me after my kidnapping. My dad…he actually made me go see a therapist for a little while."
"I've been to one before," Kate said. "And the idea's been batted around. All the evidence hasn't been reviewed yet so no conclusions have been reached."
"Such a detective," Alexis teased. "It did help though."
Kate chuckled, since she knew that's what Alexis was going for with her first statement. She then responded to Alexis' last statement. "Thank you."
"So…has Dad said anything about us coming home yet?" Alexis asked. Now that she knew everything was okay, she just wanted to go home. She could explore Italy some other time.
"I think he's actually talking to Martha right now," Kate informed Alexis. She knew, with him being still so shaken up, he wouldn't call his daughter. Kate respected that, but she knew Alexis needed to know what was going on too. "We'll tell you everything that happened when you get home. There is one piece of information you need to know now though."
Alexis gasped. "Dad's okay, isn't he?!"
"Yes!" Kate rushed to assure the red-head. "He's fine. While we weren't here to control him, he, uh…decided it would be a good idea to assault an unarmed man with a deadly weapon. The unarmed man then pressed charges."
Alexis rolled her eyes. "Is he calling Grams from jail? Do we need to post bail?"
At that, Kate did laugh. She remembered the last time Alexis had posted bail for her father. It was the moment she realized that even though Castle may be the most annoying man on the face of the planet, he was probably a good father. "No, the DA agreed to drop the charges…on a couple of conditions. He was very specific about the conditions too."
"Oh, no," Alexis groaned. "What does Dad have to do?"
"He has to complete 1,000 hours of community service," Kate said.
"1,000 hours!" Alexis exclaimed, unknowingly sounding just her father just hours before. "He'll be doing community service for the rest of his life!"
Kate smiled at the similarity between father and daughter. "I think that's kind of what the DA was going for."
"Of course," Alexis grumbled. "Well, what did the DA assign him to do for his community service?"
Kate let her face break out into a real smile. One of the few in the past two days. "He has to agree to consult with Detective Beckett and the 12th precinct."
"No way!" Alexis screamed. "Really!"
"Really!" Kate said, with contained excitement. "He's been unbanned!"
Alexis laughed. "And how did he react to that news?"
"He hugged Gates," Kate told Alexis. "Twice, in fact."
Alexis' mouth dropped open. "Really?"
"Well, the first time was because she thanked him for pulling a crazy, ridiculous stunt that resulted in finding me," Kate said. "She didn't really appreciate that too much. The second time though was when she told him he was unbanned and welcomed him back."
"Wow," Alexis breathed. "So, if he hadn't been there you wouldn't have been found."
"That's true…" Kate trailed off.
Alexis giggled. "If he hadn't been there, the triple killer probably wouldn't have taken you in the first place."
Kate couldn't help but laugh. "That's true, too. There's no need to tell him that though."
"Oh, for sure!" Alexis agreed. She suddenly saw Martha coming into the room. "Grams is coming in here, so I'm guessing we're leaving now. You guys promise to tell me everything that happened when we get back?"
"We, or at least I, promise," Kate assured the girl. "Of course, your dad will have to fill in some blanks, so he'll have to be on board too."
Alexis nodded. "He will be. I have blackmail material if he isn't."
Kate had to laugh again. She knew calling Alexis would be a good idea. "Sounds great."
"Listen, I'm really glad you're okay, Kate," Alexis said. She knew she had already said it once, but she just had to say it again. "Also…I love you, Kate."
Kate closed her eyes and smiled. She suddenly knew everything was going to be okay. "Oh, Alexis, I love you too."
Hanging up the phone, she tried to stifle a smile at Castle's baffled expression. He was standing in the doorway just staring at her. "Did you forget I was here?" Kate teased.
"You were talking to my daughter?" Castle questioned.
"Yeees," Kate dragged. "Did you not want me to?"
"No no," Castle assured her. "It's just…you said 'Oh, Alexis, I love you too.'"
Kate wrinkled her forehead. "I don't think I said it like that."
"I exaggerated the connotations a bit," Castle admitted. "I'm more interested in the words though."
Kate shrugged. "She said she loved me."
Castle smiled. "Yes!"
Kate laughed. He and Alexis really were more alike than he knew.
Castle quickly turned serious. He walked over to the couch and gathered her into his arms. "You are so much stronger than I could ever be."
Kate frowned. She pulled back from his arms. "What makes you say that?"
"We didn't know where you were for two days and I almost died," Castle said. "I wouldn't have survived if we didn't know where you were for two months." He pulled Kate to him again.
Kate sighed and closed her eyes. "I had faith in you. You promised me 'always' and Alexis said you never break your promises."
Castle brought his forehead down to touch hers so he could stare into her eyes. "Never. I love you."
"I love you more."
"I love you more-er."
"I love you most."
"I love you most-est."
Kate's eyes widened and she had to bite her lips to hold in the laugh that was threatening. "Really? You're a writer and you come up with more-er and most-est? Stephen King, John Grisham and James Patterson would be appalled!"
Castle put a gentle finger on her lips. "Not if my beautiful wife keeps her mouth shut."
Kate tilted her head. "Do I get a reward if I promise not to tell them?"
Castle wiggled his eyebrows. "Definitely." He replaced his finger with his mouth and teased her lips open.
Kate moaned into his mouth. Yep, she wouldn't be telling his writer companions anything if he promised more of this and she knew he would. Just like Alexis, she had blackmail material too.
Well, what did you think? I realize there wasn't a lot of Kate/Castle in it, but I just love Alexis and I wanted to see her reaction to all of this. Since we didn't see it, I made one up. Also, I know the end isn't all that great, but I made this up last night when I was lying awake and since I didn't write it down then, I forgot some of it. I hope it is okay though. Let me know? Review please and thanks for reading!