She rolls over in bed, onto her side, groaning. She blinks, as she stares at the red digits of an alarm clock sitting on her bedside stand. The clock shouts at her, telling her that it is exactly, 3:58, A.M. She pushes aside the covers, and sits up. Her feet hit the floor, and she moves into a standing position. Her bare feet smack on the hardwood floor as she makes her way to the noise responsible for interrupting her sleep on her day off.

She stops at the door, and peers out the peephole. She expects to see Castle's face on the other side of the door despite the fact that he's promised to give her the day to herself. The face she finds on the other side of the door is not the one that she is expecting. She reaches up, and unlocks the dead bolt. She grabs the door handle, and twists the lock. She pulls the door open.

"What are you doing here on my doorstep at four o'clock in the morning? What's going on?"

The person standing in front of her looks up at her, with a red face, and red eyes. She's been crying, clearly for some time now. Tears stream down her face stinging her cheeks in the process. She stares at Kate, saying nothing. She wears a pair of pajama bottoms, and a hoodie.

"Alexis, what's wrong?"

Finally Alexis breaks her silence, "Everything."

"Come in," Kate insists.

Alexis enters the apartment, and Kate closes, and locks the door behind her. Kate leads her towards the living room. She points to the couch.

"Sorry for the mess. Have a seat."

Alexis takes a seat on the couch. Kate finds a spot on the arm of the couch to sit. She looks at the nineteen year old sitting before her. Alexis' hair is pulled off her face in a braid.

"Alexis what are you doing in D.C. at four o'clock in the morning on a Saturday?"

"I... I didn't know where else to go."

"Does your dad know that you're here?"

"No. Please don't tell him that I'm here."

"Alexis how did you get here?"

"I drove."

"You drove? It's nearly a four hour drive."

"I know," she sniffles.

"You could have called."

"I am so sorry that I woke you up. I know that today is your day off, and I am sure that you were planning on sleeping in. I ruined that. I'm sorry, I just didn't know who else to talk to."

"Alexis are you okay?"

She shrugs, "I don't know."

"What happened?"

"This is all my fault."

"Alexis what is your fault? Tell me what happened. Whatever it is I will try to help you fix it, okay?"

Alexis' lips draw into a line. She takes a deep breath. She wipes the tears from her face, "You can't."

Kate stares at the nineteen year old child in front of her. She remembers being that age. She remembers how every little thing felt like the end of the world.

"You came to me for a reason," Kate points out.

"He is going to hate me. He is going to hate me. I don't know what to do. How am I supposed to..." she rambles.

"Alexis slow down. Take a deep breath. I need you to tell me what is wrong, okay?"

"Everything," she exhales.

"Everything? Can you be a little more specific?"

"My whole life," Alexis explains.

"What makes you say that?"

"Because it's true."

"Did you tell anyone where you were going?"

"No. I just got in the car, and drove. I didn't know where else to go."

"Your dad is going to be worried about you."

"I moved back into the dorms," she reminds Kate, "he won't know the difference."

"Why did you drive here in the middle of the night? What is wrong? Are you in trouble? Did you get arrested? Do you have a warrant out for your arrest?"

She shakes her head, "It's not that. I didn't break the law."

"Then whatever it is can't be that bad," Beckett tries to reason with her.

"It's worse than that," Alexis argues.

"Why do you think that I can help you?"

"I'm not here because I think that you can help me."

"Why are you here?"

"Because I couldn't talk to anyone else."

"What about your dad?"

"Especially him."

"Why not?"

"My entire life I have been the good kid. I have done everything that I was supposed to do. I have been a good student, a good daughter, a good person. I have always been the responsible kid. He is going to hate me for this. He is going to be so disappointed."

Kate's eyes fall on Alexis' face. Alexis doesn't make eye contact. She stares at the floor. Beckett's heart skips a beat as she thinks of the possibilities.

"Alexis I don't think there is anything you could do that would make him disappointed in you."

"There is only one thing," she admits, her eyes rising to meet Kate's glance.

"Are you telling me that..." Kate can't finish the sentence due to the total improbability of the situation.

Alexis swallows hard, "I'm pregnant."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Tests can be wrong."

"I went to the doctor earlier today."

"Oh."

Alexis reaches into the pocket of her hoodie. She pulls out a folded piece of paper. She hands it to Beckett. Kate unfolds the paper, and stares at the black and white image.

"As much as I want it to be untrue I can't ignore proof. Kate I am nineteen years old. I am not this person. I don't make mistakes like this. I always make smart choices. I have to finish college, and go to grad school. I am supposed to make something of my life. I was valedictorian. This isn't how my life is supposed to go. I don't want to give up everything that I have worked for my entire life, for one mistake. It's not fair. I don't want this to define who I am, who I become."

"So don't let it."

"I'm scared."

Kate looks down at the picture in her hands, then to the girl on her couch. She vacates her seat on the arm of the couch. Tears trail down Alexis' cheeks. She takes a seat next to her on the couch, and wraps her arms around her.