One year earlier….
Letting out a heavy sigh Kate ran a hand through her hair and fell into her chair. Then slowly looking up at her computer screen she let out an audible gasp when she saw the picture of a picture of herself modeling tennis aparell staring her down like a long lost cousin.
Esposito, "Looking good detective Beckett."
Beckett, "How did you guys?"
Ryan, "Were detectives."
Esposito, "Called your dad."
Kate felt her checks turn red from embarrassment and anger when she saw the smug looks plastered on her partners' faces.
"OK. OK. You guys had your fun. I was 17 and I thought modeling would be an easier way to make money than waitressing," She huffed strutting towards Ryan and Esposito.
"Righhhht…" Esposito smirked.
"It was one summer. No big deal." She started to turn around before a mental picture of Rick Castle's smug grin appeared in her head, "And if you tell Castle about this I will kill you."
Unmoved, they stared Kate straight in the eye and shrugged off her threats.
Returning to her desk Kate quickly deleted the picture from her hard drive and prayed that Castle would never find out about her dalliance in modeling.
Castle Loft
"Good morning Pumpkin." Castle chirped as he made his way into the kitchen, "Are you doing homework? For heavens sake Alexis it's winter break!"
"It's extra credit." The young Castle responded not looking up from computer.
"Extra credit? Why in God's name would YOU need extra credit?" Castle sighed coming around the counter and placing his hands on her shoulders, "Don't you already have 200% in all your classes?"
"It's just in case something happens." Alexis argued, "I have to keep my grades up if I want to attend Princeton."
"Fine. Fine." He responded pulling up a chair so he could see what she was doing, "So what is this ridiculous extra credit you have to complete over break?"
"It's for art." She began to explain moving the computer so he could see what was on the screen; "We are studying the history of trends so Ms. Edwards wants us to research clothing from a specific hobby, sports, or other activity."
"Hmmm…" Castle responded raising his eyebrows, "What topic did you choose?"
"Tennis." She shrugged.
"You mean the sport that I spent hundreds of dollars on lessons and equipment just to have you quit 6 months later?" He asked.
"Yeah." She admitted, "But the history of tennis apparel goes back more than 500 hundred years!"
"I guess that's a lot of research to go through." He said surveying the eclectic mix of tennis players on the computer screen, "Hey, click on that picture."
"Dad. That is just another Addidas or K-Swiss commercial." Alexis rolled her eyes.
"Just click on it. The girl looks familiar." Castle said.
Clicking on the picture of a brown haired model dressed in a white skirt and green shirt both Castles' jaws hit the counter. "That almost looks like Detective Beckett." Alexis said squinting her eyes.
"Yes, it does." A smirk forming on Castle's face, "Can you print that please?"
"Dad… I know what you are going to do." She raised her eyebrows; "I am not going to be an accomplice in some hair-brain plan to embarrass her."
"If you don't print it I will take your computer away and there will be no extra credit!" He exclaimed backing into the office.
"This is not going to end up well for anyone." Alexis shook her head as she pressed the print button.
The 12th Precinct
"Well good morning gentlemen." Castle chirped as he made his way into the bullpen carrying two cups of coffee and a bear claw.
"Geeze Castle. You're in a good mood today." Esposito said, "Did you have a good night or something?" The detective winked.
"Actually, it was the morning which has me in such a cheery mood." He grinned.
"Wow, must have been some girl." Ryan said.
"Yes Detective Ryan, she is quite the girl." Castle responded getting comfortable in his designated chair, "Hey is Beckett in yet?"
"Yeah. I think she's down talking to Lanie though." Esposito nodded.
Right at that moment the three men heard the sound of the elevator doors opening and looked up to see Beckett striding to her desk.
"Ahhh, nice of you to finally join us Castle." She quipped sitting down and fishing her daily bear claw out of a bag.
"Well, you know… no "real job" means I can come and go as a so please." He responded.
Studying her partner's face Kate could tell something was up and she wasn't really sure if she wanted to know. "Castle, you've got that smug look on your face and I'm almost afraid to ask what is on your mind."
"Oh so much detective. Sooo much." He smirked sitting up in the chair, "Would you like me to enlighten you?"
"There's no point in saying no because it never stopped you before." She chuckled.
"As you wish." Castle cleared his throat before describing the morning's events, "So you know my over achieving daughter."
"Yeah." Kate said not bothering to look up from a file.
"Well for some reason she feels the need to complete a extra credit assignment for her art class despite the fact that it is break and she already has the highest grade in the class." He continued."
"Seriously Castle… get to the point." She said sounding a touch annoyed.
"OK, OK. I'm getting there." He reassured her, "Anyway, the project is to research a trend which has dramatically changed over time and she chose tennis apparel to study."
Kate had a sick feeling as she listened to Castle ramble on because there was no real reason for him to discuss Alexis' schoolwork with her and he had a particularly devious look plastered on his face.
"As I watched her scroll through pictures I noticed an imagine of a very leggy, and VERY CUTE brunette dressed in an adorable white skirt and green shirt waving a racquet over her head."
"OH SHIT!" she thought.
"This particular model looked so familiar that I had Alexis enlarge the photo and this is what we found." Castle pulled the picture of Kate out of his inside pocket and waited for a response that never came, "Oh detective I've got some questions for you."
Kate knew at the sight of Castle's overtly smug face that this new insight into her past was going to be nothing but trouble.