I am so glad so many are enjoying this series. I am enjoying writing these tales
Richard Castle has just finished cooking breakfast for his crew. This morning he has prepared oatmeal with raisins and cinnamon for his toddler. Pancakes for his red headed college daughter and a plate of fruit for his beautiful wife and an omelet for himself.
He hears his daughter coming down the stairs. It is a sound that is hard to miss since Jimmy is close on her heels calling out for his big sister to wait up for him.
As the two reach the bottom of the stairs Jimmy is running to try and catch up with Alexis "Wait sissy. Wait for me. You can run faster than me. Your legs go longer than mine do"
"Well it won't be long before you can run faster too" Alexis responds
"Daddy. Tell sissy to slow down" Jimmy runs to the table where all their meals are set "She gets places before I do"
"I think you both need to slow down "Castle responds "but Lexi is taller and older. When you get taller and older, I bet you will keep up with her"
"I want to do that now" he climbs into his booster chair and takes his spoon and takes a bite of his oatmeal "Yummy, daddy. This is deshilous"
"I am glad you like it little man" Rick laughs to himself every time his son tries to say some big word. The boy loves to try to keep up with mommy and daddy, but right now it is futile
Castle sets down the plate of pancakes for his daughter, then turns to get his plate and Kate's from the serving bar. Just as he sets them on the table is wife exits the bedroom door
"Hey gorgeous"
Kate smiles as she walks up behind her two kids. She leans down and kisses Jimmy on the head and places a kiss to Alexis' cheek. As She moves around the table to her husband he feels the pride of having this woman in his life. Kate loves his daughter as if she were her own and together they created little Jimmy
When she reaches her husband, she wraps her arms around his neck and gives him a long slow kiss "Good morning handsome"
"EWWW!" Jimmy says again looking at his parents "Stop kissing!"
"Like I told you, I can kiss your mother all I want" Castle tells his son
Kate leans into Rick's ear "As long as you don't tell him what else you do to me that room over there" looking at the bedroom door
"I do to you? I think that is a two way street, lady"
Kate lets out a soft hum
Alexis looks up from her chair "Can you two just contain yourselves? You act like you just got married and are on your honeymoon"
Kate whispers into his ear again "I do feel like we just got married"
Castle pulls back looking at Kate thinking 'Did this really happen? Did I marry a woman who is smart, beautiful, extremely intelligent…and super sexy and romantic?'
Kate sees the look in his eyes that he is thinking about them "What?"
"I love you Kate"
"Back at ya" she kisses him again quickly and sits down for breakfast
"So Kate, how is it going at the station? I mean how are you liking being a captain and all that?" Alexis asks
"It IS different. I mean, not only am I a captain but they created a special crime command that I get to oversee"
"Yeah and she got to pick her own lead team" Castel interjects
"I bet Captain Gates was not happy that you took her two best detectives to be part of your group, Ryan and Esposito"
"She understood. I mean, after all, we had worked as a team for years, and we have been good at what we did. She said she understood why I picked them"
Alexis continues "So what type cases are you handling?"
"When the commissioner decides he wants us or we can pick any case as long as it is the area of the weird ones"
Castle interjects "That is what your mother likes. The weird ones"
Kate looks at her husband "Is that why I married you. I like the weird ones?"
That earns her a smirk from her guy
"So Castle are you going into the university today? When do you get started?"
"I have to go do some paperwork, get my photo Id, get assigned an office and classroom. See the schedule…that kind of stuff"
"You get your own office? You must really be special" Kate comments
"Thank you" Castle responds "I don't start teaching until next Monday. My class is from 10:00 to 11:30 Monday and Wednesday"
"So dad…you are a college…oh excuse me. A UNIVERSITY Professor now"
"It would seem so…at least for the next twelve weeks anyway. Wait! Who knows? I might get asked to come back and do another class…then continue teaching long term…then I become tenured…"
"Don't hold your breath big guy" Kate comments "You are only there for one twelve week class. I doubt that they will be a lot more. I am sure creative writing is not in high demand at that particular university"
"Yeah Dad. I have seen a lot of quest professors come and go. They are usually not asked in for the long haul. Just for a special class or two"
"You both are spoiled sports. You know that?"
By this time everyone has finished eating and Castle begins putting away the dishes Kate's phone chirps. She looks at the screen "Talk about a weird one…"
Castle rushes back beside his wife "What is it?" he asks like a pre-teen kid wanting to see something gross
"A murder?" she has a question in her voice "A really weird murder and the team is getting this one"
"WHAT? WHAT?" Castle is trying to look over Kate's shoulder to see the screen
She looks aback at her husband "I am not describing this in front of the children"
Castle whispers to Kate "Then tell me in private" and he pulls Kate away from the table
She is reading her phone "A woman was found in the pressure cooker over at 'Southern Fried Favorites'"
"That is the chicken place that serves the Cajun fried chicken"
"That is the one"
"Oh man! I wanted to try that place, but now I am not so sure"
"Why castle?"
"I'm afraid that if I ordered a leg what I might get"
Beckett slaps Castle on the arm "That is why I didn't want to say anything in front of the children"
"OK. Good point. Can I come along?"
"I have a case…you have paperwork" She puckers her lips and sucking in air "OOOh"
"But I want to go"
"You said you had to go to the school. So go do that and text me when you are finished and I might let you join us"
"OK" He replies dejectedly
Kate goes back to the table and leans in and gives her son a kiss "Love you"
"Love you mommy"
Kate then gives Alexis a kiss on her head "love you too, Lex"
"Have a good day, mom"
Beckett stops cold and looks back at Alexis then up to Castle. He just raises his eyebrows and smiles at the name that Alexis just used on Kate
Beckett gets her bag and heads out the door
Alexis stands up from the table "today you go to school, little brother" looking at Jimmy
"Sissy, will you take me?"
"You know I will. Get your stuff"
The younger Castle rushes up the stairs to get his bag
"Lexie, you gave Beckett quite a shock calling her mom"
"Dad. You know as well as I do that she has been the closest thing to a mother that I have had since she came into our lives"
"I know, but to call her by that name just made her day"
Alexis looks at the door "I know"
A three year old is rushing back down the stairs "Ready sissy…let's go" he runs to the door
"I just hope I can keep up with him" the two siblings are gone in a flash leaving Castle alone. He looks around the loft and smiles
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\
The halls of a university just cry out over the reason they exist.
Learning
Castle is impressed by the grandeur yet simplicity of the corridors between the street and the administration wing. He steps into the main reception area where he is greeted by a young man. Probably a student working to earn a few dollars
"May I help you sir?"
"Yes. I am Richard Castle and I have an appointment with Dr. Sellers"
"Yes, Mr. Castle. Please have a seat and I will get Dr. Seller's assistant to come help you"
Castle steps over to a row of comfortable chairs and waits. But his wait is very short as another young lady comes over to him. She seems a student herself
"Mr. Castle, I am Misty. I am Dr. Sellers' assistant. Please follow me, the doctor is expecting you" Castle follows the young woman down a corridor that ends in a set of large double doors that lead into a spacious office with a large executive desk near the outside windows. The walls are covered with bookcases and filled with books
An attractive tall well-proportioned woman steps to the door to greet Castle. She is wearing a business appropriate three piece outfit. A jacket over her blouse and her skirt is a little short being about 6 inches above the knee, but Castle knows that in some places it is not uncommon for such attire to be accepted
Mr. Castle" she holds out her hand to shake then turns to her assistant "Thank you Misty. You can take your break now"
She then turns to Castle "It's Rick. Right? May I call you Rick?"
"Yes of course Dr. Sellers" as he shakes her offered hand
"The name is Margaret but you call me Marge. My friends all call me Marge"
"OK Dr.,,,Marge"
She points toward a couch located in front of some of the bookcases leaving a corridor "Please have a seat"
"Thank you" Castle sits on the divan. He is followed a minute later by her but, only after she has taken off her jacket and hangs it on the back of her chair.
It is now evident why she is wearing a jacket. Her blouse is sheer. In fact almost totally see thru. He can even tell the color and style of her bra
She sits down at the other end of the couch
She crosses her legs and turns to face him making it very easy for him to see a lot more than just her bra
She makes a comment "You need to know that I am a giant fan of your work. I have all of the Derrick Storm and the Nikki
heat books"
"Thanks" he responds
"I am so glad you have accepted our offer to joins us and I hope your time here will be enjoyable for both of us"