AN: Why hello there. Here's my first ever Castle fic. Fun fact: i've been referring to this fic in my head as 'Not What I Had In Mind', mostly because I sat down intending to write something for another fandom, and this is what came out. This story is Alexis-centric, but as a Caskett shipper I've been sprinkling in little Caskett cookies (sounds gross...) so those will be around for anyone looking for them. That said, this is not a Caskett fic, so if the cookies aren't enough for you, this probably isn't the story for you.

Setting is post-season 6 episode 10 as that's when I'm writing it, so spoilers up until that point are fair game.

Disclaimer: I Do Not own Castle. I've written my letter to Santa, and Castle was of course on it, but I don't have a chimney and let's face it, with great power comes great responsibility, and I don't think I'm ready for that one. So, in the meantime, I'm borrowing, taking a few characters out to play, and only taking the credit for the storyline.

She's been in the restaurant for all of five minutes when her phone buzzes against her hip. With a sigh, Kate tugs it from her purse. Though the caller ID tells her it's Lanie's cell, she knows it won't be the medical examiner's voice that greets her.

"You're supposed to be in bed," she says, simply.

"Momma, when home?"

"Soon, Beautiful. I promise."

"When soon?"

She gives a small smile at the echo of her husband's tone in her daughter's voice. "After Alexis and I eat dinner."

There's a long suffering sigh on the other end of the phone. "Long?"

Glancing around the restaurant she catches sight of the redhead, gives a quick wave out of habit even though they sit in the same table every time. They'd discovered it while they were planning her and Castle's wedding, three and a half years ago. "Not too long, but I'll make you a deal: if you agree to be a good girl and go to bed now, I'll let you sleep in my and Daddy's bed."

"Really?"

"Really."

"Lub you," she says simply, and Kate has a feeling her daughter is already halfway to the bed before Lanie gets the phone to her ear.

"Hey Kate, I'm so sorry she just-"

"Lanie, it's fine. I told her she could sleep in my room for the night so go ahead and put her in there."

"Alright sweetie, if you're sure. Have a good dinner."

"Emily?" Alexis hedges a guess.

"Who else?" Kate says with a grin, rising from her chair meet Alexis in what amounts to an awkward side-hug. "Sorry," she apologizes, though she can't stop beaming, "seems the only hugs I can actually pull off these days are sloppy toddler-style side-hugs."

Alexis smiles, shakes her head as she shrugs off her coat before hanging it on the outside of their booth. With a nod towards Kate's midsection, her smile turns to a well meaning smirk. "Not that you don't look amazing, but don't you still have another couple months to go?"

Kate chuckles and rolls her eyes. "Ten weeks, to be exact. That is, if I don't explode first."

Alexis returns a laugh. "Dad still on his traditional mid-pregnancy book tour?"

"Mmhmm," Kate says with a grin. She's not sure it qualifies as a tradition if it's only happened twice, but he did do this last time. Well, to be fair, she may have called Paula in a fit of hormones and requested her husband be sent on a quick tour because she needed him out of her increasingly cramped personal bubble before she used her homicide knowledge for evil. "Nine days sounded great at the time, but I'm definitely ready for him to come home."

"Tomorrow?"

"Day after," the detective explains quickly, watching as Alexis settles in on the other side of the table, searching for any of indication of what has warranted this last minute girls only dinner. "How's Pi?"

"Busy," she answers simply, flipping open the familiar menu in front of her. "He leaves on Friday for that Eco-conference in Portland, so he'll be there for two weeks."

"Not joining him this year?"

"Between school and work I just can't swing it."

Kate nods, though she gets the feeling there's more to it than that. "I'm going to need garlic bread," she announces.

"You say that like we don't usually get that," laughs Alexis, closing her menu. "I'm thinking it's a fajita night."

"Oh! I forgot they had those here…" Kate mutters, flipping back through her menu. "No," she says after a moment's pause, "I'll stick with the chicken wrap. Been wanting one for days."

As if on cue, their server stops by for their orders, quickly returning to deliver their drinks.

"So Lanie is babysitting?"

Kate grins. "She and Javi. She's been insisting for weeks now that her maternal instincts have already kicked in so I may have used that to my advantage."

"I can't believe those two are having a baby," Alexis says with a smile.

"Neither can I," she laughs. The couple had been a never ending fountain of surprises in the last two years, from what looked to everyone as a hasty decision to buy an apartment together, to the 3am long distance call Kate received informing her they'd tied the knot in Vegas. She supposes, given their recent history, she shouldn't have been so surprised four months ago when she'd found an apparently calm - yet strangely demanding - Lanie at her door, drugstore bag in hand, requesting she send Castle out of the loft for an hour while she used their bathroom. "I swear, Espo just sits around the precinct waiting for someone to ask him about it so he can whip out that collection of sonogram shots he keeps on his phone."

"So cute," Alexis muses, turning quiet as she sips her glass of water. She takes a few soothing breaths, tries to steel her resolve so she can say what she needs to. She's thankful as always for Kate's detective skills as her father's third wife - and her own dear friend - patiently waits her out. "Pi asked me to marry him."

The words don't match Alexis' mournful tone of voice and it makes Kate cringe inwardly. Still, she schools her features, gives a small nod. "That's a big step," she comments, mentally notes that there is no ring on the younger woman's finger. "What did you say?"

Alexis sighs, gaze wandering around the restaurant before finding it's way back to Kate. "That I had to think about it."

"It is a big decision…" Kate begins, giving a small smile at the glare Alexis gives her. "Alright, talk to me."

She shrugs. "It's just, I don't know. Things have been… different between Pi and I lately, and I just wonder…"

"If his proposal has more to do with fixing the way things are than actually wanting to get married?"

Alexis nods. "I know, it sounds crazy. I mean, we've been together for over four years now, and in my head it seems logical. I'm 23 years old, we've been living together for about as long as we've been a couple, he's well educated and has a good career…"

"But…" Kate prompts.

"But," Alexis says, simply.

Kate thanks their server when their food arrives, can't help but take a bite out of a large, crusty chunk of garlic bread before turning her attention back to Alexis. "Alexis, do you want to marry Pi?"

"I… not with the way things are right now," she whispers, picking at her own plate of food. Between small bites of food she explains their current situation - the tension, the distance. Explains that it's not so much that they argue, they just don't seem to be on the same page at the moment and mentions she's considered couple's therapy, though she's yet to pitch that idea to Pi.

Kate takes it all in, shakes her head violently when Alexis begins to backtrack, saying therapy is probably a silly idea since they are, after all, really just dating. "Alexis, couple's therapy isn't just for old married couples. If you're not happy, it might be worth a shot."

The redhead sighs. "And what if it doesn't help?"

"Then it doesn't. As someone who has been to therapy - granted never as a part of a couple - I can tell you it's not a cure-all. But, if you're willing to honestly put in the work, it can help you find some sense of clarity," she advises, pausing as she takes in the nervous look in her dinner date's eyes.

"Even if that clarity involves breaking up?" It's half question, half statement as Alexis completes Kate's thought. "So, you're telling me to try therapy?"

The detective sighs, shakes her head. "No, I'm saying it can be helpful. I can't tell you what to do here, Alexis. You're smart, you'll make the right choice for you."

Kate watches as Alexis gives a small nod, a tentative smile. "Thank you," she says quietly.

"Anytime."

Alexis blows out a breath, fiddles with the fork on the table in front of her. "I guess that just leaves one more thing to discuss." As Kate raises an eyebrow in question, Alexis shoots her a lighthearted smile. "What to have for dessert."

Alexis returns home to a quiet apartment. It's not long after 10pm, but she imagines Pi is already asleep. As his current project at work requires waking before the sun, he's usually in bed early in the evening. It works well, she tells people, because she typically uses her evenings for quiet study time anyway. Truthfully, the silence nags her. Plays in her mind on repeat and quiet study tends to turn to a head full of questions and not a single answer. She's wrapped up in thought as she hangs her coat on it's hook by the door before moving further into the apartment. As she drops her purse haphazardly on the sofa - the one they'd accepted as a housewarming gift from her father in order to replace their squishy futon when they moved into a slightly bigger place - a rustle from the next room catches her attention and she nearly jumps.

"Hey, you're home," Pi's voice is a little gravely, hair mussed and she can tell he just woke up.

"Hey. Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you," she begins.

He's shaking his head, unruly curls bouncing every which way as he joins her in the living area. "You didn't." When she shoots him a disbelieving look he smiles. "Well, it's not so bad. I had planned on staying up until you got back anyway but it would seem my eyes had other ideas. No matter, I've got the day off tomorrow so what do you think, movie night?"

Alexis gives a soft smile but shakes her head. They've got some talking to do first.

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