She knew the moment that Beckett walked into her classroom there was a real possibility that her farther may not come home that night. She heard Beckett say.
"Can I borrow Alexis?" and then she remembered sitting in the headmasters office and facing Beckett's soft face, she could clearly see the tear tracks that were marked down the elder woman's cheeks, she couldn't feel her own tears though. She couldn't feel herself shake when Beckett said things like "critical condition" "Stab wounds" "you should prepare yourself."
Alexis liked to think that she was very perceptive but she never realised that Beckett had taken her out of school as her classmates watched on, sombre. They knew that something had happened. Alexis couldn't hear the whine of the police car as the sirens blasted through the air, making cars move out of the way. She couldn't feel the car shudder as it skidded to a stop outside the hospital. She could just feel her heart slowing, her brain pacing and any sense of reality leave.
Alexis sat down across from her father's bed, her grandma was outside talking to the paramedics and Beckett sat next to Alexis.
"What happened?" Beckett didn't say anything, contemplating what to tell her.
"It was a case… Castle was just stood there…. The perp he…. He antagonised him, recognised him from his books. At first he didn't… uh do anything but the perp brought up you" Alexis sucked in a breath, Beckett wanted to wrap her up in her arms and soothe all of her fears away but if she stopped her story she would never finish it.
"You went to Castle's book signing last week and uh well the perp seemed to be quite fond of you and Castle saw red. He got into a fight I tried to pry him away but he was overcome with rage. I called for backup but I didn't see the knife before it was in him. I'm sorry Alexis."
The rest of the day blurred for the teen, she had yet to show any emotion and had spent most of the day reminiscing. Her grandmother had brought her food, it had been left uneaten as she was too upset to eat. Alexis knew that she had a lot of people that cared about her, her mother, grandmother hell even some of the precinct knew her but they would never compare to him. The man that had raised her into a smart, well behaved and loving individual. The man that kissed her scrapes and bruises. Who held her as she cried for her mother and blew off book signings and dates to come and watch any plays, dances or cheerleading performances she had. This was the man that she trusted more than anything and he was the one person she would without a doubt kill and die for. She was her father and she didn't know how to live without him. With that in mind she grabbed his hands.
"Hey dad, I don't know if you can hear me but I hope you do. Beckett says you got hurt because someone was antagonising you, I really wish you didn't. You should know that I will always be safe, despite any creeps and weirdoes because you will always be there to protect me" a lone tear was rolling down her face.
"You know I always thought the hardest parts to being your daughter would be watching you crash and burn but I was wrong. The worst thing is watching you slowly die in front of me." The tears were speeding up now.
"You know If you wake up I will make you proud, I'll do everything to make sure you are happy and I'll even lose the laser tag battle" the tears were flowing thick and heavy now as she poured her heart out.
"I love you dad I love you so, so much and…. And if you love me you'll wake up" she began shaking as her emotions began to work. Greif, shock and her terror set in
"I love you, please don't leave me daddy" and then she broke down sobbing on the floor as the man who raised her withered away.