The Auction: Chapter 2

Castle looked at himself in the mirror. He straightened his tie for what seemed the thousandth time. He never remembered being this nervous for any of his other dates before, so why was he now?

Kate. Beckett.

Castle thought the name over in his mind. He was still surprised that she had actually agreed to go out on a date with him-he couldn't get over the fact that she had said yes and the way she did it as well. He was still apprehensive about how she would take it when the whole precinct found out about the date, but he decided not to worry about that until it happened. Not only that, but Kate didn't seem too worried about it, hell, she had an excuse ready if it came to that.

The day had gone along quite nicely as well. They found the killer they were after and were able to put him behind bars for good. Kate had then decided that they could all take a break and he was able to take her out for lunch. She had begged him to tell her where they were going that evening for the date, but refused. He said he wanted to surprise her and that's what made him most nervous. What if she didn't like the date he had planned? What if she wanted to do something else? So many 'What if's' came to his mind, but he put them to the back of his brain for now.

He hoped that tonight would go perfect and according to plan. He had spent the entire day working everything out, receiving mysterious phone calls throughout the day that Beckett had eyed him about. He just smiled his charming smile, and then stepped into one of the enclosed rooms in the precinct.

The boys had not said anything about the other night. Castle figured that either they didn't hear about him and Beckett were going on a date or they were wise enough to keep quiet about it so she wouldn't shoot them. Castle didn't mind the teasing, but he understand why Beckett didn't like it. Whenever she came into the precinct, she was all work and no play. Ok, well maybe she had a little more play than he would have thought-he had to admit that there would probably be more flirting going around once they went on their date. He just couldn't stop himself at times.

"Hey dad!" Alexis said popping up beside him the full body length mirror. "Big date?" she asked looking up at him in the mirror.

"Yup." He said giving his tie was last straightening before backing up. "It doesn't seem like I can get this right." He untied the tie and began to try to tie it again.

"Here." She said stepping in front of him and taking the tie in her hands.

"Grams told you, didn't she?" he said as she looped the tie through one of the holes.

"Yup." She said pulling the tie through and giving it one last shake, making sure it was straight. "Honestly, I was kind of surprised that she went along with your plan."

"Me too." He said looking at her. "Normally she discards my ideas, but lately they've proven to be quite useful." He told her smirking.

"Oh, I bet." Alexis said playing along with her dad. "I've heard some of the crazy stories you tell at home, who knows what you come up with at the precinct."

"I'll admit, some of them are quite out there." He said fixing the couple of hairs that were out of place at the top of his head. "But most of them at least have some fact to them."

"Dad, they call it fiction writing for a reason. Most of it is false. For instance, a girl being stabbed in the back and then put in the pool and yet no blood is found around her? Seriously?"

Castle frowned for a bit, thinking. "Alright, I give up. You win." She leaned into him, looking at them both out of the mirror.

"I hope you have fun tonight." Alexis said after a while.

"Me too, sweetie."

"Detective Beckett seems really nice."

"I agree." He told her continuing to look at her through the mirror.

"I just…" Alexis wasn't exactly sure how to put it. "I don't want to sound too much like a parent, that is your job you know." She said smiling at him.

"Alexis, anything you say I will take to heart. If it wasn't for you I probably be as tame as I am today-if you can call this tame." He told her laughing. "Anyways, just tell me whatever you want. You know our rules, always be honest, no matter what."

She leaned in to him, giving him a tighter hug. "Just think if it was just you and grams."

Castle shook his head. "I don't even want to think about that."

Alexis turned away from the mirror to look at her dad. A serious complexion covered her facial expressions. "I don't want you to get hurt again."

"Hurt? Me? Nahh…" he told her trying to wave it off.

"You may think that Detective Beckett is the only one who keeps her personal life guarded, or whatever you call it in those books of yours. But what you may not realize is that you do too. And you have good reasons for it. I just…I think that Detective Beckett would be really good for you and she wouldn't do anything to hurt you. Not on purpose anyway."

"Thanks, pumpkin." He told her wrapping her up in a hug. "I don't know what I did to raise such a mature, young adult. But I must've done something right." He said, his head resting on the top of hers.

"You've always been there for me and shown me how honesty is the best key. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself, you are an amazing dad and I couldn't ask for a better one."

Castle hugged her even tighter. "Alright, what did I do to deserve all this?" he asked jokingly, straining to keep his voice at a normal level so she wouldn't know how much what she said meant to him and how emotional he was getting. "Your birthday isn't for a couple of months, so…"

She laughed, backing up a little to look at his face. "It's not for anything special. It's just because you're a great dad and you should hear it more often. I love you, dad."

"I love you too." He told her wrapping her into a side hug. "Now, what do you say we go see what gram's is up to? It's been way too quiet down there and it's starting to worry me."

"I was just about to suggest the same thing." She said, laughing.

They walked downstairs together laughing .

"Must you two be so loud? I have to learn these lines for an audition tonight." Martha's voice scolded them.

Rick glanced over to see her sitting at the table-a glass of wine in one hand and a script in the other. He walked over to the refrigerator to get himself something to drink as Alexis went to sit by her grandmother.

"We couldn't help it." Alexis told her, bouncing with excitement. "Dad's getting ready to leave for his date with Beckett tonight."

"You mean that girl was serious when she made that bet for you last night? I thought it was all for show." Martha told then added under her breath as she took a drink, "She has no idea what she's getting herself into."

"I can still hear you, mother." Rick said taking out a beer from the fridge. "And just to clarify to everyone, she did agree to go on a date and no she was not intoxicated."

They both laughed at that. "I knew you two would get together eventually." Alexis commented. "We all did. We just weren't sure when."

Rick popped open the lid to his drink and took a huge gulp. "Honey, I haven't seen you this nervous in God knows when." Martha said placing her hand upon his on the countertop.

"Yeah, well she's really important to me and I don't want to screw this up." He told her, wiping his lips off with the back of his hand.

"You won't screw this up, dad." Alexis said, supporting him. "Just be your regular charming self."

"Oh, don't tell him that. That will make her run away screaming." Martha said, as she turned back to look at the script.

"It's not the wisest thing to insult a man when you're living in his house. Free of rent, I might add." Rick told her.

"You know I'm just playing." Martha said waving him off. "Listen to Alexis, just be yourself, have fun and make her laugh."

Rick frowned at that, "Make her laugh?"

"Well I'm assuming she wants to have fun now, doesn't she? Where are you taking her anyways?"

"Mother, if I told you that I'd be afraid you'd show up. Besides, it's a surprise."

"Me? Show up? When have I ever done a thing like that?" she asked acting appalled at the suggestion.

"You mean not counting last night?" Rick asked her, eyebrow raised. "Anyways, I want to keep it a surprise in case it ends up a total flop."

"I'm sure that whatever you're cooking up, Kate will love it." Martha told him, not bothering to look up from her script. "Have you seen the way that girl looks at you?"

"No…" Rick said hesitantly.

"It's so obvious that you both like each other, yet you two seem to be completely obvious about it. I swear they could make a tv show out of the both of you."

Rick laughed at that. "Well we already have a book, so why not?" He threw away his beer and checked his watch. "I'm off! Don't wait up for me. Alexis, you know it's a school night so be in bed by twelve."

"I'll be in bed by ten, dad." She said laughing as he came around the counter to give her a hug.

He kissed the top her head, then leaned in to give Martha kiss on the cheek as well. "Good luck with your play, mother. Break a leg, as they say. And I'll see you later tonight…?"

"Actually, darling, some of the actresses and I are going out after our auditions so I will not be making it back tonight."

"Alright, be safe. Don't do anything I wouldn't do."

"Might not want to say that-that still gives me a lot of freedom, you know."

Rick paused in the process of putting his jacket on. "Never thought about that. You have a point." He slipped his jacket the rest of the way on and grabbed his keys which were by the door. "See you ladies later!" he called opening the door.

"Bye! Have fun!" Both of them said at the same time.

Rick gave them one last wave before closing the door and making his way towards the elevator. If what his mother said was true about Beckett liking him, then he hoped that her true feelings would come out tonight because he knew that without a doubt, his would and he hoped they could take that fearful leap together.