Title: Detectives and dust bunnies
Author: Cindy Ryan
Category: Friendship Ryan/Alexis
Spoilers/Timeline: Set between the Fifth bullet and a rose for everafter
Author's notes: This is my first attempt at a Castle fic so I'm sending the first two parts out to see if there's any interest. I do need a better title if anyone has any suggestions. This hasn't been beta'd so all mistakes are mine. :)

Alexis Castle hadn't thought she'd enjoy working at the prescient as much as she did. She found herself looking forward to the three days a understood now why her father spent so much time there. Despite the obvious of his attraction to Kate Beckett the other detectives were just as nice.
They all worked hard and were dedicated.
Cared about one another.

That Tuesday because of final exams Alexis had to rearrange her schedule so she was at the police station in the morning instead of the afternoon.
She'd adopted her father's habit of bringing the detectives food and she'd received a wide smile from Detective Ryan when she'd remembered what kind of bagel he liked and how he took his coffee.
Now two hours later standing in the property room Alexis found herself still thinking about that smile. Not to mention the blue eyes.

Shaking her head Alexis busied herself with the remainder of her 'to-do' list for the day. She had just a half an hour left before she had to leave for school. The category of inventory she was cataloging that week was almost finished. She just had the top shelf to sift through.
Alexis had left that for last because frankly she was a little scared to see what was up there.
She couldn't imagine what had gotten tossed up there and forgotten.
Collecting piles of dust for years…..decades.

Alexis put her clipboard down on the desk. She put her ipod to the next song and turned the volume up.
Finding the small stepladder on the opposite side of the room Alexis wheeled it over to the end of the row of shelves. She began to climb up only to find once she reached the top shelf it wasn't tall enough.

"Great."

With a glance at her watch Alexis saw her window of opportunity to get this done today was rapidly disappearing. Carefully the teen placed a foot on the next shelf up from the step ladder.
Alexis reached for her next handhold and her grip didn't hold.
A startled scream escaped her lips as she fell.

A takeout menu in one hand Kevin Ryan made his way towards the property room. He circled with a pen what people usually ordered. The young detective had just turned a corner when he heard a scream.
Breaking into a run Kevin barreled into the property room in time to see Alexis fall. Instincts kicked in and he raced forward catching the teen just before she hit the ground.

"You okay?"Ryan asked with concern as he shifted his grip.

Embarrassment captured her voice and Alexis could only nod.

Kevin looked at the stepladder and kicked it out of the way. "Can't believe you were using that rickety thing. I'll find something better."

Finding a chair Kevin gently set Alexis down. Her not saying anything was worrying him.

"You sure you're okay?"Ryan asked as he briefly placed a hand on her right cheek.

"Yes, thank you."

"Promise me next time you'll ask for help."

Alexis smiled. "I will."

Ryan returned her smile. "Good."

A throat clearing caused both of them to jump. Richard Castle stood in the doorway a long black overcoat in one hand.

"Am I interrupting something?"

"No, Dad….."Alexis began as she pushed herself off the desk. "I was just finishing things up."

Kevin held up the takeout menu. "I came to see if she wanted to order anything."

Castle looked from one to the other and back again. "Alexis, thought I'd drop you at school and we'd grab a quick lunch."

Alexis quickly grabbed her coat and purse. "Sounds good."

The three moved toward the hallway.

"Good luck on your final."Ryan commented as they walked into the bullpen.

"Thanks…see you Friday."Alexis replied with a smile.

"I'll bring the bagels."

"Deal."

"What's with you?" Esposito asked as Ryan returned to his desk.

"What?"

"You never bring food."

"I do too."

"Name the last time."

"Chinese."

"Beckett."

"Mexican."

"Captain."

Kevin shrugged as he sat down and picked up a file. "She's a nice kid…nobody else wants to do that inventory somebody should reward her."

"Think she wants chocolate?"

"She's a woman isn't she?"

"Point."