Esposito rolls back into the bullpen, a determined frown on his face. Ryan looks up from his paperwork as his partner stops next to his deskchair, currently occupied by Castle.
"Was she ok?" Castle asks.
Esposito's frown changes from determined to confused. "I'm not sure, bro. She could barely stand up by herself, then when we got up to her apartment, she just got straight into bed. She didn't even take her clothes off." Castle and Ryan share a look.
"Has this happened before? I don't remember her being like this."
Ryan looks pensive but Esposito shakes his head, "I don't remember her being like this either."
"Guys, you know how we all went home late last night. Did you eat when you got home?" Castle and Esposito nodded. "Yeah, me too. Castle, did you bring anything with her coffee this morning?" Castle shook his head, and heaved a sigh of realisation. "Mhm, thought not. Seems Beckett doesn't go for whole tubs of ice cream when she's stressed, she just forgets to eat anything at all."
They sit in silence for a few moments, all trying to think of what to do. "What about..." Ryan starts, "..no, that wouldn't work."
"Why don't we call Lanie? She might have an idea." Castle supplies, and Esposito is dialling before he's even finished his sentence. "And if she doesn't, she might have a spare key to Beckett's apartment, so at least we can go check on her."
"Hey Lanie, it's Esposito, I'm putting you on speaker."
"Hi Lanie," Ryan and Castle call out towards the deskphone.
"Hello boys. To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"You tell her, Castle," Ryan gives him a nod.
"Tell me what?"
"Lanie, it's about Beckett." Castle takes a breath and gets the rest out in a rush, as if he's running out of time. "She fainted in the bullpen earlier, and Espo took her home. He says she could hardly walk without his help and we don't think she's been eating properly and we're worried."
Esposito glares at him. "No, bro, you're worried, we're mildly concerned."
Ryan chips in, "We don't think she's been eating at all, Lanie."
"What do you think we should do?" Castle asks.
"Hmm... who are y'all including 'we' here?"
"Well, um..." Castle stalls slightly, looking at the other two. "I have an idea, but I don't think she's going to like it."
He's never noticed how good the morgue floor is for skidding on, but Castle nearly misses the door as he slides along on his leather soles.
"Mr Castle! What do you think this is, your own personal playground?"
"Sorry Perlmutter!" He escapes into Lanie's room as quickly as he can without slipping.
"Hey Lanie!" He flashes an exuberant grin at her and she shakes her head with a gentle chuckle.
"Hey yourself, writer boy." His shoulders droop slightly.
"Come on, Lanie, I thought we got past that already..."
"Alright, writer man... Here's her key." She holds the key out to him, the nondescript keyring disappointing him more than it probably should do. He reaches to take it from her but she snatches it out of his grasp before he can get his fingers on it. "There are rules to you getting this key." She gives him a warning look and he stands up straight, nodding solemnly and trying not to look like a ten year old who's about to be given the combination code for the cookie jar.
"Rule one: you do not make a copy of this key. Rule two: I meant it about rule one." He smiles but hides it quickly when her warning look turns into a glare. "Rule three: as soon as you have completed your plan, you come straight back here and give me this key back." Castle nods once.
"You'll have it back soon. If she goes along with it, that is." Lanie rolls her eyes in agreement.
"Mm, well, if she doesn't, she'll have me to deal with." Castle gulps and Lanie hands over the key.
Back at the loft, after grabbing pizzas for dinner with the boys at the precinct, Castle perches on a stool in the kitchen with a notepad and pen. At the top left of the page, in his distinctive block capitals, is written 'SHOPPING LIST', and to the right another header of 'OTHER STUFF'. He scratches his chin thoughtfully and stares into space.
"Using a pen, Dad? Retro..." He jumps at hearing Alexis' voice.
"I didn't think you were still awake."
She shrugs, "Studying. Got hungry. You want anything?" She opens the fridge door and looks into it for inspiration.
"I want an idea." Alexis raises her eyebrow and turns to look at him. "What's your favourite breakfast?"
If the question throws her at all, she doesn't show it. "Breakfast made by me, you, or someone else?"
"Me."
"Hmm... your smiley-face-chocolate-chip-pancakes are usually pretty good." She looks at him as if the reason he asked will present itself in his face. But it doesn't. "Does that answer your question?"
Castle stares at his notepad, narrows his eyes and nods before he starts adding items to the lists. "Yeah, thanks Pumpkin."
"Anytime, Dad," She shakes her head gently and kisses his cheek as she walks past him, picking up an apple from the fruit bowl on her way back upstairs.
A/N: I told you the next chapter would be up soon. The next one won't be so swift (an update every 12 hours is pushing it slightly!) but it will probably be tomorrow sometime. I do have my other fic to be writing too, but this one seems to be leaking out of my fingers at the moment.