Disclaimer: I do not own anything Castle

~*~ Part 1 ~*~

Castle was whistling as he unlocked his door; he hung his coat in the closet, smiling to himself. He and Kate had just closed a case and he just loved the look in her eyes as they started to spin theory together. The sun was shining through the windows of the quiet apartment and it drew his attention to a note on the table.

Daddy

Ashley says he still loves me and wants me to spend New Years with him so I have gone down to be with him.

Alexis

Castle picked up his phone and called Kate. As soon as she picked up he said "Help me!"

"Castle?"

"Alexis ran off to be with Ashley."

"Ummm... I don't know what to say here."

"Sorry, I just have no one else to talk to. Never mind, sorry I bothered you."

"Castle, it's alright of course you can talk to me. Tell me what happened."

"I came home this afternoon and there was a note on the table from Alexis that said she had gone to be with Ashley. She is in such a fragile state of mind right now and I don't want anything more to happen to her. Will you come with me?"

"What? Where?"

"To LA. I need to go down there just in case."

"Castle if she is old enough to go down there to be with her boyfriend then I don't think she needs you."

"She doesn't think that she needs me either but what if she does and I am here?"

"Castle, this is part of her whole issue she is probably dealing with right now. As much as it hurts, she doesn't want you, she wants to take her life in her own hands. She will figure it out and come back to you. Don't worry. Anyways, isn't Meredith there – she can keep an eye on her."

"She's in Montana."

"Ok..."

"What if I take a trip down to check on Heat Wave?"

"Castle, I'm not sure it is such a great idea."

"Come with me, we'll check on the movie and I can be there for Alexis."

"I can't just leave work."

"Yes you can, Espo and Ryan are doing overtime now so Ryan can have time for his honeymoon."

"Castle..."

"I get you on the company card so you don't have to worry about the cost."

"Castle..."

"Please, she means so much to me."

Kate tried one last time, "What about Martha?"

"She is doing the Jungle book. Kate, Alexis looks up to you and you know what it was like to be a teenage girl."

"Castle I am really sorry but I can't just up and leave now. You shouldn't go either. Let Alexis get there and talk to Ashley. Give her time to work this out for herself, she will be on her own soon enough."

"But she isn't on her own yet..."

"Wait a little while and let her call you – then if she needs you then you can go to LA."

"That does make some sense..."

"Yes it does, doesn't it?" she said teasingly to bring the conversation to some lighter ground. "Why don't you send her off a text when her flight gets in to ease your mind that she is safe?"

"I will, thanks Kate. Really, I love you for this."

"That's all it takes Castle? I would have given you some advice like this a long time ago, "she said tongue in cheek but with her heart feeling like it was about to explode out of her chest. "I'll talk to you in a bit, ok?"

"Sure," Castle replied somewhat distractedly and he hung up the phone. That little offhand comment that he loved her, he let it slip out so meaninglessly. No, not meaninglessly, he meant it more than ever in that moment. He was just so comfortable with that feeling now that it was something that he felt he should just say all the time. Something had changed in Kate as well. She was more comfortable in her own skin and that wall she was talking about was coming down as well.

A/N : Let me know what you think - I myself am not sure with how I have started this.