Title: Unexpected
Author: DizzyDrea
Summary: Sometimes in life, it's the unexpected things that bring the greatest blessings. Slices of the life Kevin and Alexis build together.
Rating: PG-13
Spoilers: Anything's fair game
Author's Notes: I started this ages ago, and I'm only now finishing it. This story was inspired by the Chris Cagle song, What a Beautiful Day. If you've read anything at all that I've written, then you know that I love rare pairings. This story is told from Kevin's point of view, and as such, it features the Kevin/Alexis pairing rather heavily, and any other pairings only incidentally. So, be warned that if you're looking for something Beckett/Castle, this isn't it. Also, as it's Kevin/Alexis, there's the age gap issue. If that doesn't work for you, please don't feel like you have to read the story. I won't be upset if it's not your cuppa.
Disclaimer: Castle is the property of ABC, ABC Studios, Beacon Productions, Andrew Marlowe and a lot of other people who aren't me. I am doing this for fun and for practice. Mostly for fun.

~o~

Kevin Ryan glanced at his watch as he rushed down the street, aware that he was going to be late if he didn't pick up the pace. They'd had a late-breaking lead come in on their current case, and he'd told his partner that he'd meet him at the office of their potential witness. Javier Esposito was many things, but patient he was not, and Kevin knew that if he was late, he'd never hear the end of it.

He rounded the corner and ran straight into another pedestrian, his arms reaching out automatically to steady the woman before she toppled over.

"Are you okay?" he asked automatically, checking her over for damage before glancing up to give her his most sheepish smile. His breath caught in his throat. "Alexis?"

"Detective Ryan!" she exclaimed, her blue eyes sparkling back at him.

Kevin stood there, struck dumb by the sight before him. He'd always thought Alexis Castle was pretty, but the vision before him was a study in grown-up beauty. She hadn't changed much; her hair was still the color of fire, cascading long and tantalizing around her shoulders. And her smile—he remembered the dimple being adorable when she was younger, but now he could feel it cutting right through him and stealing his breath. She was dressed stylishly, as usual, with a light jacket belted around her waist and a skirt that showed just enough of her legs to be tempting.

"Is everything okay?" Alexis asked gently.

Kevin shook his head. "Yeah, sorry. I was just—nevermind. What are you doing here?"

He cringed at how stupid that sounded, but was saved from an apology by her winning smile.

"I was just on my way to meet my editor," she said. "How are you doing?"

"I'm good. Good."

Silence enveloped them as people dodged the two of them where they stood unmoving on the sidewalk. Kevin fidgeted with his suit coat and vest, frantically trying to think of something to say, but his brain was strangely absent. Finally, he blurted out the first thing he could think of.

"So, you're a writer now."

Alexis wrinkled her nose. "My dad's the writer. I'm actually working at the New York Times. Just the City desk, but it's a place to start."

"Yeah, your dad's mentioned it only about a thousand times," he said, chuckling. "He was so proud that you'd taken up writing."

"Don't remind me," she said, rolling her eyes. She turned those eyes on him, the blue going from intense to soft in an instant. "I heard about Jenny. I'm sorry."

Kevin glanced down, hitching his hands on his hips. He met her eyes, taking a deep breath against the memory. "Thanks. It's been five years now. Some days it seems like it's been less."

"Yeah, it's hard to lose people you care about," she said.

Kevin smiled his gratitude. He knew she didn't know the whole story; he'd only ever told Javier the whole thing, and he wasn't sure he was ready to talk about it yet. Selfishly, despite the subject matter, he didn't want this moment to end. He'd felt a connection to her from the moment he'd realized who it was he'd run into, and he didn't want to lose it.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his cell phone chose that moment to ring in his pocket. He fished it out and saw his partner's name staring back at him, reminding him that he had someplace he was supposed to be.

"Listen, I've gotta go," he said, reaching out to lay his hand on her arm. "Are you free for lunch tomorrow? I'd really like to continue this."

The smile Alexis gave him nearly stopped his heart. "I'd like that, Detective."

"If we're going to meet for lunch, maybe you'd better call me Kevin," he said, smiling. His phone started ringing again, and he glared at it.

"You'd better answer that, Kevin," she said, grinning. "Detective Esposito won't wait forever."

"How'd you…?"

"Who else would be calling you?" she asked, winking at him. "How about we meet right here tomorrow at 11:30? We can decide where to go from there."

"Great!" Kevin said, his smile nearly stretching off his face. "I'll see you tomorrow, then?"

"Until tomorrow," she said, smiling as she walked off.

Kevin watched her go, his heart beating nearly out of his chest. She turned briefly before she crossed the street, dropping him a smile and a wink before she disappeared into the crowd.

"Hey, you okay, bro?"

Kevin spun around, startled by the sudden appearance of his partner beside him. "Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"

"Because you didn't answer your phone," Javier said, frowning.

Kevin glanced back behind him, but Alexis had disappeared. Finally, he turned back to his partner. "C'mon. Let's get going."

Javier eyed him critically. "You sure you're alright? You didn't fall and hit your head in the shower this morning, did you?"

"I'm fine, Javi," Kevin said. "Really. Now let's go. We need to find out what this guy has to say before he changes his mind."

"If you say so," Javier said, still clearly skeptical.

They fell into step with one another, though Kevin's thoughts weren't on the witness they were going to interview. A vision in long red curls and a dimpled smile swam in his eyes, and he couldn't keep the stupid smile off his face if he'd tried.

"What's that smile for?" Javier asked.

"Nothing," Kevin said, smiling wider. "Nothing at all."

Javier just stared at him, clearly not satisfied with that explanation. "Whatever, bro."

Kevin chuckled. He knew Javier would ask again; he wasn't one for just letting things go, but for right now he was content to keep his secret. This thing with Alexis could be something, or it could be nothing at all. But, whatever it was, for the first time in a long time, he was looking forward to finding out.

~o~