Alexis sat at her desk, twiddling her pencil around between her fingers. She could hear her fifth grade teacher rustling papers at her desk in front of her, but was too nervous to look up. She wasn't entirely sure why her teacher had insisted on calling her father. She hadn't done anything wrong. Alexis was pulled from her thoughts when the door behind her opened, she didn't need to turn to know it was her father, and judging by his footfalls he was worried.

"Alexis! Are you alright?" His tone only confirmed her prior thoughts, he was indeed worried, it wasn't a regular occurrence a teacher called him saying that they needed to talk.

"I'm fine." She pecked her father's cheek before he stood to greet Alexis' teacher.

"Ms. Beckett." He calls smoothly, still a hint of worry in his voice.

"Mr. Castle." Her teacher's voice was curt, but kind. She motioned for him to follow her. "I just wanted you to see this, and question you about it." She moved back behind her desk, pulling a paper from a pile and handing it to him. She glanced back to see Alexis watching with her curious blue eyes, trying to see what Kate handed him.

Castle read the paper front and back in under a minute and looked up to Kate with same eyes his daughter was giving her only moments ago. "Am I supposed to interpret this or something?"

"No. Mr. Castle-"

"Please call me Rick."

"Mr. Castle, I'm worried about why Alexis would write such a horrific story, with such specific details about death."

"May I ask, what was the assignment?" He still clutched the paper.

"A fiction piece."

"That's it?"

"Isn't that enough for a fifth grader to learn about the differences between writing styles?"

"True. Well have you asked Alexis?"

"I-"

"Alexis, come here for a second." Castle had turned around in his chair and called to his daughter, who now looked even more nervous. "Don't worry you're not in trouble, I just want to ask you a question." He held out his arms and his daughter moved into them. He lifted her up and placed her gracefully on his knee. Pulling the paper back toward him from where he placed it on the desk. "Alexis what inspired you to write this for your assignment?"

Alexis shrugged, looking at her feet. Kate sat in silence.

"Alexis please tell me. Ms. Beckett here is very worried. I promise you won't be in trouble." He glanced at Kate, she gave a small nod.

"I saw your layout for your next book. I changed a little of it, like people and times." She whispered still staring intently at her feet. "I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, Pumpkin. I thought I had put all that away. I'm sorry. But you can always ask me for help, you know that, right?"

Kate watched silently still as Castle took a hold of the situation. Alexis nodded slowly. After a moment of silence Kate spoke again.

"Alexis would mind giving me and your dad a moment, please?" Again Alexis nodded and moved off Castle's lap and back to her desk.

"Mr. Castle-"

"I thought I told you to call me Rick." He smiles at her, leaning forward on the desk. "You have gorgeous eyes."

Kate ignored his comments and continued on, inwardly blushing. "Mr. Castle, I'm still worried that Alexis has regular access to this knowledge."

"She usually doesn't, I just simply forgot to put my work away. I'm a writer, my desk is messy." He shrugs. "Now if you will please excuse me, I did promise to take her out for ice cream after school." With that he stood, glancing around her desk as she stood as well.

Extending her hand, she smiled. "Thank you for coming in to talk about this."

"No problem." As he turned to walk away, toward Alexis, who already had her backpack on her shoulder he turned back to her with his charming little crooked smile. "It is always nice to meet a fan." With that Rick Castle and Alexis Castle walked swiftly from the classroom, leaving Kate Beckett flustered.

Before the door could swing completely closed she called out, "How-" cutting herself short. She whirled around to see her copy of "Flowers For Your Grave" sitting atop her bag. She could feel the blush rise in her cheeks as she packed it away and grabbed her keys, turning out the light, she left, going the opposite way as the Castles.