Castle was in the kitchen making pancakes, Beckett was sitting on one of the barstools secretly pouting next to Alexis. There was no joy this morning, no happiness, not even any humor to be found in the Castle household this morning.
"I just don't understand," Alexis finally said.
Castle flipped a pancake without any of his normal flourish. "I don't either," he said flatly. "Just, why?"
Kate didn't say anything. It was her day off, Alexis didn't have school today, and Castle had just finished his last couple chapters of his latest Heat book, meaning he also had the day off. Secretly, she was just as upset as Castle and Alexis that Zayn had left One Direction. She'd never let them know that, though, or she'd never live it down.
Trying not to give away her emotions, she simply said, "He probably just didn't like the fame like the others' did. I can relate." Castle glared at her and Alexis let her head fall on her hands folded on the counter. "Okay, you guys," Kate tried, poking Alexis' thigh, "we cannot waste my only day off this week mourning over the fact that One Direction is now. . .going in two directions." It was too easy. The others groaned.
Castle brought a huge stack of pancakes over to his girls and plopped two down on each of their plates before picking up the can of whipped cream. "Come on, Beckett," Castle blurted. "I know you love One Direction! You sing to every one of their songs in the car, sometimes in the shower, and I know you think Harry Styles is cute. I see the way you look at the posters in the mall."
Sighing in defeat, "Fine," she gritted through her teeth. "I'm kind of bummed; their music is catchy and I don't know if it'll be the same now that he's gone." She rested her check on her fist and let out another sigh. Alexis was looking at her in knowing pity.
Castle put whipped cream on his pancakes, then Kate's pancakes, and finally Alexis' pancakes, giving his daughter a little extra as she waggled her fingers at the can. Though the food is ready for the devouring, no one moves. Then, true to form, Castle upturns the can of whipped cream and sprays some in his mouth. Without having to think about it, Alexis opens her mouth and Castle baby birds her some whipped cream. Kate just looks at him like a little girl would. He's about to baby bird himself some more when he catches his wife's eye.
"Baby bird?" he asks, offering her the can. Alexis looks at Beckett expectantly.
Beckett doesn't say anything, just opens her mouth. "Poor baby," he says a little sarcastically as he feeds her the whipped cream she needs to help her through her grief.
The three of them stay like that for a few minutes more before deciding to move on with their respective days, finishing breakfast and going to the movies.