Hey everyone! This is just a (very) short one shot that came to me after last night's episode. I hope you like it. :)

Meredith had been gone for a few hours and the kitchen in the loft was buzzing with activity. Castle was making, well, he was making a mess, but, as he assured Kate, it was all in the name of breakfast for dinner. And it was almost ready.

Using a dish towel to wipe up some spilled pancake batter on the counter and then draping it back over his shoulder, Castle stepped away from the stove. "I should go wake Alexis up, see if she's hungry."

"I'll do it, you finish up here," Kate said, standing from the stool she'd been perched on observing the cook at work. And with that, she was on her way upstairs.

Getting no response when she knocked softly on Alexis's door, Beckett slowly pushed it open, revealing a dark room. Alexis was curled up with her back to the door, blankets pulled almost completely over her head, sound asleep.

Hesitant, Kate perched on the edge of the girl's bed and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Alexis?"

The girls shaped lump in the bed shifted slightly and pulled the blankets up higher. Kate smiled.

She tried again. "Alexis, honey, are you hungry?"

"Mom," Alexis groaned, peeking out from under her quilt, eyes half open, "I thought you went to Paris?" She clearly wasn't very happy.

Kate bit her lip and removed her hand from Alexis's shoulder. "I'm not your mom, Lex. She did go to Paris."

Rolling over and finally meeting the older woman's eyes, Alexis flushed a little in embarrassment. "Oh. Sorry."

Kate grinned. "Don't worry about it. I just came up to see if you were hungry. Your dad's been making a mess of the kitchen. He says it's breakfast for dinner and he made all your favorites. We can make you a tray if you don't feel up to coming down."

Sitting up, Alexis replied, "Nah, I'll come down in a minute. It sounds good and I just slept for," she glanced at the clock on her nightstand, "four hours anyway."

Kate stood and made for the door. "Sounds like a plan, I'll tell your dad."

"And Kate-? Alexis called as the detective was leaving the room.

Turning, the woman replied, "Yeah?"

"For the record, I'd much rather have you around. Meredith's my mom, but she can be… a bit much sometimes. Most of the time, actually," the girl finished with a grimace.

Kate chuckled. "I noticed. And thank you. That means a lot. You know, if you ever need anything… not just if you're sick…" Beckett trailed off.

Getting out of bed and joining the older woman at the door, Alexis smiled, "Yeah, I know. Let's go eat."