AN: So no, this isn't another installment of the Perfect Days one-shots (it's coming soon, I swear, but the idea I had has expanded massively, and I'm still deciding what to do next, so hang tight!) This particular story is a mildly AU fluff-filled family/friendship fic. LOADS of Kate/Alexis, with a couple of romantic moments.

I hope you enjoy this story, as well as Til Death Do Us Part which is just a few short hours away!

IBYL
xo

Disclaimer: I don't own them.

Kate let herself into her home and smiled, looking at the wide expanse of the loft. She'd officially moved in with Rick and Alexis just over a week ago. Rick had found out that her lease was ending and asked her to move in. It felt fast, but as he pointed out – he'd seen her at her best and worst already. Alexis always joked that they'd been together for four years, not two months, and Kate conceded the point. Despite how quickly things were changing, she wanted to come to home to the Castles every night.

She dropped her bag by the door, removing her gun and badge and locking them in the safe. She knew that Rick wouldn't be home yet – he'd had back-to-back meetings for the entire day, but she'd spotted Alexis's stuff lying around, and assumed the girl was upstairs, studying diligently. She started up the stairs to say hello, but immediately began running up them when she heard a muffled sob. Kate knocked on the door softly.

"Lex, it's me." She said, and she heard a cough. "Can I come in?"

"Yeah." Came the mumbled reply, and she opened the door to see Alexis curled up at the top of her bed, head in her knees. Kate sat down next to her and pulled her into a hug, rubbing her shoulder.

"Sweetie. What's wrong?" She murmured, and Alexis looked up with red-rimmed eyes.

"Just everything." She whispered sadly.

"You're going to need to narrow it down for me." Kate said, before Alexis picked up a sheet of paper, handing it to Kate. Kate read it quickly, before glancing up at Alexis, silently asking her to explain. "I didn't even get my second choice. I picked Stanford, I got rejected. I picked Brown, I got rejected. I study so hard, Kate. I've worked my ass off to get into the school of my choice, and my two choices don't freaking want me!" She said angrily, before she pushed her head into the crook of Kate's neck, sobbing again. Kate traced patterns on the girl's back with her fingers, letting her get the emotion out. When the sobs calmed down, Kate pulled away, looking Alexis in the eye.

"I know you don't believe me right now, but this isn't the end of it? Yes, you didn't get accepted by Stanford or Brown. But you've applied for dozens of incredible schools all over the country. You're an amazing kid, Lex, and a great student. And it sucks that the schools you're interested in aren't interested in you. But maybe… maybe it's fate. You'll get accepted somewhere incredible, meet a whole heap of amazing people, and live a brilliant life." Kate said.

"Fate, huh? Dad once told me you didn't believe in fate." Alexis said, and Kate sighed.

"Yeah, I did tell him that."

"You just asked me to believe in something you don't believe in." Lex pointed out.

"Hey, I said I DID tell him that. But what you've got to remember, kiddo – it's easy for someone with my job to get a little jaded, to think there is no magic in the world, that fate doesn't exist."

"What changed? You still have your job, you still deal with senseless death every day." Alexis said, and Kate smiled a little.

"You're going to hate me for being so cheesy, but you and your dad changed that. You guys, you gave me a family again, a life again. Your dad and I met so randomly that I can't help but think that it was fate." She said, and Alexis pulled a face before smiling a little at Kate.

"So you're telling me that getting rejected by the colleges I wanted to go to will find me the love of my life?" Alexis teased, and Kate tickled her, pleased to see the young girl she knew and loved.

"God, no. But, you might find something you never imagined you'd find. That's the beauty of things not going your way." When Alexis's briefly-recovered confidence faltered, Kate's heart broke a little for her. Rejection sucked. "Here's what we're going to do. I'm going downstairs to get the ice-cream and two spoons. We're going to sit up here, and stuff ourselves, and I'll give you exactly an hour to get the tears out of your system. Then we're moving on, because you're a fantastic young woman and those schools don't know what they're missing." Kate smiled, pressing a soft kiss to the girl's hair and leaving the room to grab the promised ice-cream.

When she returned to the room, Alexis had tucked herself under the covers, leaving a space for Kate as well. Kate handed over the ice-cream before sliding into the bed, setting herself next to Alexis and wrapping an arm around her waist.

"Alright kiddo, time starts now." Kate said softly, and Alexis settled on her chest as Kate toyed with her hair softly.

XXX

They fell asleep together. Kate was exhausted after her day at the precinct, and Alexis was simply exhausted. Kate only roused from sleep when she heard the front door click. She gently shook the girl next to her.

"Hey sweetness, I think your dad is home." She said, and Alexis yawned.

"I'm going to go clean myself up a bit. You going to say hi?" She asked.

"Yeah, but I won't tell him anything if you don't want me to." Kate said, but Alexis shook her head.

"You can tell him. I'm going to jump in the shower quickly and then I'll come see him to show him for real that I'm fine." She said, and Kate smiled, pressing a kiss to her forehead.

"Sounds like a plan. What do you want to eat?"

"Something Italian? Pasta, Pizza?" She asked, and Kate smiled.

"I'm on it." She said, before leaving the room and heading downstairs.

When she stepped off the stairs, she saw Rick at the breakfast bar, checking the mail. She tiptoed over and wrapped her arms around his waist, pressing a kiss to his back before he spun in her grasp.

"Hey, gorgeous. I was wondering where you were." He said, kissing her soundly. "You taste like chocolate." He murmured, kissing her again. When they pulled away from each other, she smiled.

"I was up with Alexis. We needed ice-cream – her, more than me." She said gently, and Rick's grin faltered.

"Why did she need ice-cream?" He asked, clearly concerned.

"She heard from Brown." She said with a shrug, and Rick's face fell.

"Oh, no. Little letter?"

"Yeah, she got the little letter." Kate said. "Before you ask, she's okay. I got home a bit early, she cried to me for a while, we talked and we ate ice-cream. I think she's feeling better."

"And you were still up there?" He asked, and she knew he wouldn't be convinced his daughter was okay until she walked down the stairs to greet him for herself.

"We fell asleep together, but she's awake and in the shower now. She's requested Italian for dinner, by the way." She said, and he nodded.

"I know what she likes. We'll order in, have a family movie night?" He asked, and she smiled.
"Sounds like the perfect cure, Rick." She heard the water shut off upstairs and grabbed the takeout menu from his hand. "Go talk to your baby, Rick. I've got this." She kissed him and led him towards the stairs, before heading for the phone.

When she returned from ordering, Rick and Alexis were in the lounge room. She wandered over and Alexis jumped up from the couch and pulled her into a hug.

"Hey, Kate? Thank you. For you know, talking me through the end of the world." She said with a shy laugh, and Kate smiled.

"Anytime, sweetness." She said, and Alexis hugged her tight once again before pulling her to the couch. She looked up at Rick who mouthed 'thank you' over his daughter's head. Kate nodded with a smile, before losing herself in easy conversation with the beautiful redhead next to her.

XXX

Alexis had excused herself after the movie, kissing both adults goodnight, but not before whispering one last thank you to Kate. Kate couldn't resist wrapping the young girl in a hug.

"Hey, kiddo? I love you." Kate whispered, and Alexis beamed.

"I love you too." She whispered back, before kissing her dad and walking up the stairs with a small spring in her step. Kate smiled and squealed as Rick pulled her back to the couch, settling her on his lap. He hugged her close to his chest.

"Kate. Thank you."

"I think you should all stop thanking me for caring about you. You're my family, Rick. You, Alexis and Martha are family. I'm never going to stop trying my best to help you." She murmured, kissing him softly. His eyes lit up when she pulled away, and he shifted her to the couch.

"Hold that thought." He said, placing a kiss on her forehead before running away. He came back only a few seconds later to find laying out on the couch, taking up the entire space.

"Hey, you snooze you lose." She teased, and he laughed, before settling on the floor beside her. They were silent for a minute before Rick turned back to face the woman of his life.

"Hey, Kate?" He said, and she turned to face him.

"Hmm, yeah?" She asked in response, and he grinned.

"Marry me?" He asked, pulling a ring box from his pocket and flipping the lid open to reveal a stunning diamond ring, understated and absolutely made for her.

"Seriously?" She asked, sitting bolt upright. When he nodded, she smiled. "Yes, Rick, of course I'll marry you!" She said with a beaming smile as he pulled her to the floor to kiss him. When they broke apart, Rick took the opportunity to slide the ring onto her finger. She smiled. It fit perfectly, of course.

"You just made me the happiest man alive." He said softly, and she kissed him, before taking a moment to look at the ring.

"God, it's gorgeous, Rick."

"I'm glad you like it. I know it looks quite small but I wanted you to feel comfortable wearing it everywhere." He said sheepishly, and she smiled.

"It's perfect, Rick." She said, and he pulled her into a kiss.

"We're getting married." He murmured against her lips, and she smiled dreamily.

"We're getting married." She affirmed, before kissing him again.

Cue "awwwww's"! I'd love to know what you thought :)