Okay so let me start my story with a bit of thanks:

Thank you BensonNYPD for setting up this whole secret Santa exchange please do it again next year! And also thanks to Annie Mous the recipient of this secret Santa story because I had so much fun writing for the requests you submitted I hope I did your ideas justice. One last thank you to anyone else who may read this for taking the time to enjoy a bit Casketty fun with me. Have a very merry Christmas everybody!

"C'mon Beckett, let me take you out for a drink," Castle whined, "We can celebrate a closed case and an upcoming holiday all in one!" They had just closed a particularly difficult case involving the murder of three young girls and being as close to Christmas as it was Gates at given them all the following week off. It was an unexpectedly kind gesture and Castle had begun to think perhaps there was a heart in her after all. Castle was snapped out of his thoughts by the expression on Kate's face and the way her lips had started to form the beginnings of a "No." He cut her off before she could say it. "Esposito and Lanie will be there, and Ryan and Jenny plan to swing by."

She looked up at the puppy dog face he was giving her and allowed herself to give in and smile, "Alright Castle," she said, "One drink."

Three drinks later the six of them were still seated in their favorite booth. Jenny and Lanie had begun to get a bit tipsy but the rest of them, who held their alcohol very well were still of sound mind. They were actually enjoying their evening so much so that not one of them noticed when a familiar face who had obviously had quite a few more drinks than them walked up to the bar and sat down on a stool. In fact no one noticed the drunken man until Kate walked up to the counter to ask Brian to bring them another round of drinks.

"Kate?" the drunken stranger slurred.

"Josh?" Kate looked at him incredulous, "What are you doing here?"

"Could ask you same thing," He mumbled, "'s not a cop bar."

"I'm friends with the owner," she answered curtly, "and you need to get in a cab and go home now."

Her concern and annoyance for her drunk ex was interrupted by Castle, "Hey Beckett what's taking so long with the drinks?" He stopped when he saw Josh and their eyes met anger evident on both their faces.

"This is the owner?" Josh almost yelled as he glanced between them, "Yeah it is. I can see it written all over your face."

If possible Kate blushed a deeper red as she turned to Castle, "I'm sorry Castle."

"You're sorry?" Castle and Josh answered at the same time. Castle's tone was incredulous while Josh's was just plain angry, unfortunately Josh was the one who continued, "You stupid bitch," he fumed and in the corner of her eye Kate saw Castle's hands ball into fists, "I bet we weren't even split up for a week before you ran to him. I can't believe I bought your crap about not having the kind of relationship you want. I fell for it when all you really wanted was him. I thought you were smarter than that. He's just using you, he'll parade you around to book parties and show you off to his rich friends and then he'll dump you. He'll throw you away like yesterday's trash and let me tell you that it won't be me you are going to come crying to. No, Kate. You will be alone. And you know what? After what you did you deserve it." And that was what it took for Castle to hit him. And hit him again and again. Every punch Dr. Motorcycle Boy threw was deflected with expert skill. Josh was going down.

Or at least he was until Beckett interrupted, "Castle!" He saw that look in her eyes and stopped. He told Brian to call him a cab and add their table's bill to his tab, he wouldn't be back in tonight. When Brian nodded in understanding, Castle began to lead the good doctor out the door.

Beckett could do nothing but stand there frozen as Esposito called to Castle, "Wow man you were really holding back last time huh?"

Castle just answered softly and with sadness, "He was right last time." Then he exited the bar and helped the doctor into the waiting cab and began to walk home.

"Castle wait!" she called but it was too late. She watched him go with a heavy heart before turning to Ryan and Esposito to ask, "What do you mean last time?" Ryan gulped and she saw a glance being exchanged between him and Esposito. She rested her hands on her hips and decided to ask again. "What do you mean last time? And why on earth did Castle say that Josh was right?"

Ryan sighed, giving in to her interrogation, he began to recount the story of the fight between the two men while Beckett was in the hospital. He gave a detailed description of what Josh had said to Castle then how he had thrown the first punch. "Castle only threw one punch back. I always thought they just stopped when your dad broke up the fight but given what Castle said tonight maybe we were wrong." Ryan stopped and allowed that to sink in before adding, "He was pretty torn up after it but we thought it was just everything that was going on. We take it for granted sometimes that he's not actually a cop."

"I," Beckett started before slumping down in the booth. Lanie even through her drunken haze noticed that her friend needed space and pulled Esposito out of the booth and said her goodbyes. Ryan and Jenny followed suit. Kate now alone with her thoughts sauntered to the bar and ordered a vodka tonic from the bartender.

Castle can't possibly think I blame him for my shooting can he? Kate thought, he can't really think that. He didn't pull that trigger, hell he even tried to jump in front of the bullet for me. He told me… he told me I was going to get myself killed and … I didn't listen. She paused her thoughts to order another drink before retreating once again into the confines of her own mind. She once again allowed herself to think of Castle and the big mess of things she had made.

What seemed to Kate like only a drink later, Brian was in front of her trying to get her attention, "Detective? That is your sixth and last vodka tonic. Mr. Castle wouldn't want you in any danger so I insist that you call someone to pick you up."

Kate pulled out her phone and realized that Brian was right she was very drunk. She couldn't even properly use her phone since the letters on the screen were all blurred. Out of instinct she dialed Castle's number only to hear ringing coming from inside the booth. He had left his phone. Of course, she thought as she pocketed it and began dialing another number. She wasn't even sure exactly who she was calling until the voice on the other end answered.

"Hello?"

"Alexis?" Kate asked recognizing the young girl's voice. Was that really the number she called?

"Detective Beckett? Are you okay?" Alexis asked concern evident in her tone.

"I'm fine Alexis," Kate lied, "Just had one too many drinks."

Alexis of course saw right through her. "Detective tell me where you are. I'm coming to get you."

Kate sighed, that girl was just like her father. Oh well better to just go along with it. "I'm at the Old Haunt.

"Okay detective don't go anywhere, I'll be there in ten minutes." Kate heard car keys jumbling and then the line click. She sighed, was she really going to let an eighteen year old come pick her up because she was drunk? Yep. This was a new kind of low for Kate Beckett.

She laid her head down on the counter and what seemed to her like minutes later the door opened. "Detective Beckett," Alexis called.

Kate carefully stood and began stumbling towards the door, before she knew it Alexis was at her side steadying the detective. "Thanks Alexis," she mumbled.

"No problem detective."

"Alexis honey," Kate slurred, "after this you can call me Kate." Even through drunken eyes she thought she saw Alexis smile. Alexis helped Kate into the car and drove her to her apartment.

Kate Beckett woke up in her own bed the next morning with absolutely no recollection of how she had gotten there. The last thing she could remember was being at the Old Haunt with Castle….and Josh. Oh God. Slowly the events of the night began to come back to her. Alexis had brought her back to her apartment and oh God. A drunken Kate had allowed an eighteen year old take care of her! Alexis had helped Kate into her pajamas and given her Tylenol. The poor girl had tied Kate's hair back as she spent hours by the toilet vomiting.

Kate paused and wondered where Alexis was. She stumbled out of her room disoriented by the sudden bright sunlight. Alexis was in the kitchen already dressed in what looked like a different outfit from yesterday. Kate could see the remnants of a makeshift bed on the couch and Alexis was making coffee. Kate slid onto the stool at the counter and Alexis handed her a cup of coffee. She stood in silence waiting for an explanation from the detective.

Kate sighed not ready to give the explanation Alexis wanted, instead she asked, "Does your dad know you're here Alexis?" Silently she hoped the answer was no.

She breathed a sigh of relief as Alexis answered, "No. He thinks I'm at Paige's house." Kate looked at her skeptically, "I told him it was a girl thing and he chose not to get involved. Don't worry, Paige knows to cover for me if dad calls her house." Alexis seemed proud of herself which only caused Kate to feel horribly guilty.

"I didn't want you to lie to your dad for me."

"It's alright Kate," the red head smiled, "Normally I would hate it, but I think that we both know in the long run he would be glad I was here with you."

Kate laughed, "In my state last night, I almost called him. Thank God he left his phone behind in the booth and I called you instead." She paused for a moment, "Thank you by the way I shouldn't have asked you to do that."

"It's okay detective."

"Alexis, really call me Kate." She said almost sternly. Alexis smiled and then began cleaning up her 'bed' from the couch. "And Alexis," Kate said, "You didn't need to sleep on the couch. I have a guest room."

"I didn't want you to have to worry about that. Plus," she added sheepishly, "I wasn't sure if I was supposed to stay."

"Alexis you are always welcome here," Kate said and then bit her lip, "But I would appreciate it if you wouldn't tell your father about this."

"Of course not," Alexis started but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.

Kate opened the door and found Castle's face behind it. "Kate," he said stepping inside, "I'm so sorry about last night. I shouldn't have," he paused. "Alexis? What are you doing here?" Oh crap, Kate thought, how is she going to explain this?

"Hey dad," Alexis said, "Kate called me as I was leaving Paige's and said you had left your phone at the bar. Since I wasn't too far away I stopped by to pick it up." Alexis' story was told with expert calm, so much so that it scared Kate. "When I came by to get the phone Kate invited me in for coffee." She grabbed her car keys, "I was actually just about to leave." Alexis shuffled out the door leaving a stunned Kate to deal with Castle.

"Kate the reason I came was, I need to apologize for how I reacted last night. It wasn't fair of me to be like that," he paused as he saw Alexis' overnight bag. Kate followed his line of sight and mentally slapped herself.

"Castle I," she started.

He held his hand up to stop her, "Tell me why both you and Alexis lied to me." The look of hurt and betrayal was poorly disguised on his face. She knew that she had to tell him the truth.

And she was never going to live it down.

YAY done! Again thank you everybody and Merry Christmas! Annie Mous- I apologize for how long it took me to post this. Hopefully it was worth it and you enjoy your Christmas gift.

Until next time (and happy holidays) ~Cate