A/N: I never do post-eps, but... in Alexis's words, this was just going to bother me. Just a (very) quick missing scene kind of thing. One-shot.

She picked up her phone as soon as it rang, relieved to finally be at home and able to talk to him without censure. But she wasn't so off her guard that she didn't glance at the number before she accepted the call, and it wasn't Castle's. She couldn't have said that she wasn't a little disappointed, but she answered anyway. "Hello?"

"Hey, Detective Beckett," a young, nervous voice greeted her. "It's Alexis. Castle."

She smiled. So it was a Castle after all, just not the one she'd been expecting. "Hey Alexis, what's up?"

"I just wanted to… talk to you. About something."

She frowned and sat down on the edge of her couch. Alexis didn't usually call her. "Sure, any time. Everything okay?"

"Oh, yeah, everything's fine, I just…" She took a breath, starting over. "I think my dad had the impression that I was upset about the two of you being together, or something, and I just wanted to set the record straight. Did he tell you anything like that?"

"Yeah, he might've mentioned something."

She sighed. "I wasn't… happy, but it didn't have anything to do with you. It's just… moving into college, it's kind of scary, and I guess it all hit me at once, and not the way I expected it to."

"Alexis, you don't have to explain anything to me. It's fine."

"No," the girl said firmly, "it's not. I haven't always been that supportive of my dad's… relationships… but I'm actually glad that he's with you now. This might sound weird, because I know I'm not that far away, but it's different now that we're not living under the same roof, and I'm glad that he has someone else around to take care of him."

"Well… good." This was kind of a strange conversation. She really wasn't sure what she was supposed to say. What was the protocol when your boyfriend's daughter called to apologize? Was that even what she was doing?

"I know you don't need my blessing or anything," the teenager continued a little awkwardly, "but I just didn't want you to think that I hate you. Because I don't."

"I'm glad. Because I have a feeling we might be seeing each other around from time to time."

"Yeah. I have a feeling you're right." A silent beat passed. "You'll take good care of him, won't you?"

She smiled. "I'll do my very best. How's that?"

"That's pretty good. He deserves it."

She nodded, although Alexis couldn't see. "I know."

"And when he drives you crazy, you can call me."

She laughed, and so did Alexis. "Good to know." Her phone made a noise, and she took it away from her ear briefly to look at the screen. It was the call from the Castle she'd been expecting. "Your dad's beeping in," she said. "Is that all you wanted to say?"

"I think I covered it. I think my roommate's here, so I need to go anyway. Thanks for listening. That was just going to bother me."

"It's not a problem. Really. Enjoy your first night."

"I will. Bye."

"Bye."

She flashed over to her other call quickly, hoping that he hadn't hung up. "Hey, Castle," she greeted him. "How'd the goodbyes go?"

"Uh, not easy," he admitted, "but they went. Oh, and I wanted to tell you, forget what I said before. She doesn't hate you. She was just upset about her mom not being around, and it kind of came out wrong."

"I know. I just hung up with her."

"Who?" Even after just one word, she could hear the confusion in his voice.

"Alexis."

"You did? I told you not to call her."

"I didn't, she called me. She wanted to make sure I didn't have the wrong impression."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Huh. I didn't think she'd do something like that. She really is growing up."

"Well, I should think so. She's in college now. You know, you mean everything to her. I think she just wants you to be happy."

"The feeling's mutual."

"I know it is."

"You think she'll be okay?"

"Yeah. I think she'll be just fine."

"Good."

"What about you? Want me to come over?"

"Um… how about tomorrow?"

"Tomorrow," she repeated, realizing that what he wanted wasn't comfort, it was time. Time to process the fact that his daughter was gone. "Tomorrow sounds good."