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-d-d-d-d-

Alexis opened another box and sighed. Still no luck. She knew her old toys had to be somewhere in the storage unit of the basement in her father's building.

"Who's in here?" her father must have heard her rustling when he entered.

"It's me, Dad," Alexis called.

"Alexis, what are you doing down here?" Rick pushed boxes around until he found her.

"I'm looking for some of my old toys. I want to take them with me."

"Take them where?" he began looking through the boxes she'd already gone through for the treasure he'd come to retrieve.

"To Detective Ryan's," Alexis said. "I was going to give them to Sarah Grace."

"Alexis, I'm very proud of you for getting Kevin sober, but you can't be there for him every day. Why are you doing this?"

"Because I could've been that little girl," Alexis said. "If Mom had raised me, I would've been."

"You know I never would have let that happen," he kissed her forehead.

"I know," Alexis smiled, "I'm not going to let it happen either."

"Alexis, you can't save someone who doesn't want to be saved," Castle responded, "Kevin…Detective Ryan is going through a difficult time. He just lost his wife."

"His daughter lost her mother. She should be able to count on the one parent she still has."

"Do you have any idea what you're in for?" Rick folded his arms in front of his chest.

"Right about now I'm guessing Kevin's discovering I cleaned out his liquor cabinet, and he's likely cursing the day I was born," Alexis smiled.

"Be careful, Alexis," he cautioned her.

"I will, Dad," Alexis nodded as her phone rang. She held it eye level and smirked. "It's Ryan. I wonder what he wants."

"If he gives you any real trouble, you send him my way," Rick went back to looking through the boxes for his notebook.

Alexis smiled as she answered her phone, "Hello?"

"Alexis Harper Castle, what the hell did you do with my liquor cabinet?" Kevin hissed, "How the hell did you even get past the lock?"

"Dad knew a few good thieves," Alexis said calmly. "He learned, and I paid attention. It was a fun father-daughter bonding activity."

"Who the heck do you think you are, dumping all my alcohol down the drain?" he snarled.

"Who said I dumped it down the drain?" Alexis opened another box to continue her search.

"Then where the hell did it go?"

"Gram needed some liquor for a party she's hosting for her students," Alexis said, "I figured it shouldn't go to waste."

"If you want to come over and take my daughter to the park or the museum, that's fine with me, but keep your hands off my stuff, which includes my alcohol."

"You need a different way to release your misery. Drinking is out. I will repeatedly search your home for alcohol and I will toss any I find. Javi has orders to search your desk at work and to keep a breathalyzer handy."

Kevin ended the call abruptly.

"Have a good day," Alexis clicked her phone off and stuffed it in the pocket of her jeans.

"Is that part about Espo true?" Castle asked.

"Yes," Alexis nodded.

"Is this what you're looking for?" Rick pushed a box towards his daughter.

Alexis opened the box and smiled, "Thanks, Dad."

"Do you really want to give up your childhood possessions?" he asked.

"Just a few of them," Alexis said. "I figure Sarah Grace could use them as a distraction while Kevin gets his act together."

"How long do you plan to do this?"

"As long as I have to," Alexis said. "I didn't know Jenny well, but I know she wouldn't want this for Kevin."

"You're right about that," he kissed her forehead and continued to rifle through the boxes.

"What are you looking for, Dad?" Alexis asked.

"A notebook," he responded, "I had a storyline for Derek Storm I ditched. I thought maybe Nikki Heat might want to tackle it."

"You want help?" Alexis looked around at the boxes.

"No, you go on. I'm sure there's a little girl waiting for you."

"And her pissed off father," Alexis snickered, "I'll be home later."

"Okay," Castle smiled. "Good luck."

"Thanks, Daddy," Alexis smiled as she left.

Rick spent nearly an hour before he found what he'd been looking for.

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"Don't you need him, Lexis?"

"No, Sweetie. He told me he wants to make you feel better."

"I think it's working," Sarah Grace hugged the monkey tight.

"Good," Alexis smiled. "If you want to rename him, you can. I just called him Bananas because I knew that's what monkeys liked to eat."

"I like bananas," Sarah Grace smiled before throwing her arms around Alexis's legs to hug her, "Thank you, Lexis."

"You're welcome," Alexis bent over to hug the little girl. "I'll tell you something else. Bananas is great at keeping secrets."

"He is?" Sarah Grace looked to Alexis with wide eyes.

"I used to tell him everything, and he never told anyone."

"Maybe I'll try," Sarah Grace whispered a secret into the stuffed monkey's ear.

"While you and Bananas get to know each other, I am going to get out some stuff to make cookies."

"What kind?" Sarah Grace asked.

"I was thinking about chocolate chip."

"Yummy," Sarah Grace replied, "Can we put some bananas in them for Bananas?"

"Absolutely," Alexis nodded. "Let's go."

Sarah Grace agreed and followed Alexis into the kitchen, making sure Bananas was tucked safely under her arm.

-d-d-d-

Kevin entered his apartment to the delicious smell of chocolate baking.

Alexis was pulling a baking sheet from the oven full of freshly baked cookies. Sarah Grace was parked on a nearby chair eagerly awaiting the okay to taste the results. She'd been warned off after the first batch came out of the oven because they were still too hot.

"Is it time yet, Lexis?"

"A few more minutes, Peanut,"

"They look really yummy," Sarah Grace stated while still hugging her monkey tight.

"They will be just as yummy a few degrees cooler so a certain little somebody doesn't burn her tongue."

"Hi, Sweetheart," Kevin greeted his daughter with a smile and a kiss to her forehead.

"Hi, Daddy," Sarah Grace smiled at him.

"Who's your friend?" Kevin noticed the monkey in her arms.

"Bananas," Sarah Grace turned the monkey so Kevin could be introduced properly, "Lexis gave him to me. He's good at keeping secrets. Lexis told me so. I already told him one, and he's kept it all afternoon."

"He won't even tell me, and I was his friend first," Alexis shook her head.

"What kind of secrets are you telling the monkey?" Kevin knelt next to her.

"Nuh-uh, Daddy," Sarah Grace shook her head. "Not telling."

Kevin smiled and rose to his feet, snatching a cookie to consume in the process, "What kind of cookies are we baking?"

"Chocolate chip with banana extract," Alexis smiled.

"Taste good," Kevin took his first bite.

"Can I have one now, Lexis?" Sarah Grace asked.

"Yes, Peanut. Now you can have one."

Sarah Grace quickly snatched the biggest one she could find and took her first bite, coating her lips and cheeks with chocolate in the process. "They're yummy."

Alexis giggled and grabbed a washcloth, "You're a mess, Miss."

Sarah Grace giggled along while Alexis cleaned her up and then took another bite.

"There's a meatloaf in the oven. It's almost ready," Alexis told Kevin. "As soon as I get Sarah Grace cleaned up and in bed, I'll leave."

"You don't have to rush out on my account," Kevin replied, "I'm sorry I blew up on you earlier."

Alexis shrugged, "Don't flatter yourself. You yelling at me is nothing new."

"I realize I've been doing a lot of it. I'll try to stop," Kevin stated.

"Okay," Alexis nodded. "Sarah Grace, do you want applesauce with meatloaf?"

"No," Sarah Grace shook her head from side to side, "Another cookie, please."

"Dinner first," Kevin said.

"Is it ready yet?" she asked, "I'm hungry, and so is Bananas."

"Go wash up," Alexis said. "It'll be on the table when you're back."

Sarah Grace jumped off the chair, sticking the landing, and then ran off to do as she was told.

"The meatloaf smells Italian," Kevin's nose sniffed out.

"Old family recipe," Alexis pulled the pan out of the oven. "It's stuffed meatloaf. You make it and then make it into a square. Then you spread mozzarella cheese over it before you roll it up like a jelly roll."

"Sounds good," Kevin replied.

"We've always liked it."

"Castle teach you to make it?" he asked.

"Yeah," Alexis nodded.

"Kate always says he's a good cook," Kevin noted.

"Yeah, he's a great cook. He had to be. Gram's cooking runs hot and cold."

"Sounds about right," he snorted.

"Anyway, your dinner is ready, and since you're not drunk, you can take care of putting Sarah Grace to bed tonight. I think she'd like that. I'm heading out."

"Alexis, stay through dinner," Kevin requested.

"You and Sarah Grace need some time alone which doesn't include me."

"How about after dinner?" he countered, "She likes having you here."

"I thought you'd be thrilled to get rid of me."

"I'm trying to apologize," Kevin replied, "You're not making it easy."

"I don't need your apology," Alexis snapped at him, "I need you to get yourself together and take care of your daughter."

"All ready to eat," Sarah Grace appeared with her hands held up as proof she'd washed up, "Bananas is all clean too."

"Good," Alexis said. "So, after I get you all set, I'm gonna go home. I'll see you tomorrow."

"No," Sarah Grace shook her head. "Stay and eat with us, Lexis."

"I should go home," Alexis replied.

"No, eat here," Sarah Grace insisted.

"Sweetie," Alexis started.

"Please, Lexis," Sarah Grace wrapped her arms around Alexis's waist.

"How do I say no to that?" Alexis smiled.

"You don't," Kevin shook his head.

Knowing she'd gotten her way, Sarah Grace cheered and then climbed into her chair in preparation for the meal.

"This is good," Kevin commented after his first few bites as a way to break the awkward silence which had engulfed the room since they'd sat down.

"Thank you," Alexis smiled.

"What do you think, Sweetheart?" Kevin poked Sarah Grace in the stomach.

"I like the cheese," Sarah Grace smiled.

"Yes, cheese is yummy at any age," Alexis replied.

"You like anything else, Sweetheart?"

"The applesauce," Sarah Grace smiled.

"It is good," Kevin agreed, "Is it homemade?"

"I'm good, I'm not that good," Alexis smiled.

"How about trying the vegetable on your plate," Kevin suggested to his daughter.

"It's corn," Alexis encouraged Sarah Grace. "I promise you'll like it."

Sarah Grace looked skeptical but gave it a try.

"Well?" Alexis prodded.

"It's good," Sarah Grace announced after a few moments.

"See? Not all vegetables taste like feet."

"Like broccoli," Sarah Grace groaned.

"Exactly," Alexis nodded.

"Broccoli is yucky," Sarah Grace told her father.

"I completely agree, but the corn is delicious. Tastes like it came directly off the cob," Kevin smiled.

Sarah Grace nodded and spooned in another bite of corn.

Dinner was a slow affair. Kevin wondered if his daughter was drawing out the process for as long as possible so Alexis wouldn't leave.

"Don't go, Lexis," Sarah Grace hugged her around the legs when it was time for Alexis to leave.

"I have to, Sweetie. It's almost my bedtime," Alexis smiled.

"We could have a sleepover here," Sarah Grace suggested.

"Not tonight, okay? I don't have any clothes here. Another day, I promise."

"Okay," Sarah Grace frowned.

"You call me tomorrow when you wake up, okay? We'll figure out something fun to do."

"Can we go to the zoo?" Sarah Grace asked.

"It's supposed to rain tomorrow, but maybe this weekend, okay?"

"Okay," Sarah Grace agreed, "I want to see the monkeys, and we can bring Daddy."

"If he wants to come, he can."

"Will you come, Daddy?" Sarah Grace turned to bat her lashes in her father's direction.

"Sure," Kevin smiled.

"Yay!" Sarah Grace cheered triumphantly.

"See you soon, okay, Sweetie?" Alexis gave Sarah Grace a hug and sent her off to bed before looking at Kevin. "I have one condition for you coming to the zoo."

"What is your condition?" Kevin inquired.

"You are to be 100%, stone cold, preacher on a Sunday, sober."

"I'll do my best," Kevin nodded.

"She needs you, Kevin," Alexis added.

"I know that."

"Then act like it," Alexis told him.

"I'm trying," Kevin responded.

"Try harder," Alexis said before she left.

Kevin turned towards Sarah Grace's bedroom. Just before he entered, he heard Sarah Grace talking to her new stuffed friend, talking about how much more she liked her daddy now that he didn't smell funny all the time. The words were like a punch in the gut.

He scanned the hallway, and his gaze fell on a picture of Jenny.

"I'll do better, Jenny," Kevin vowed as he looked towards the heavens.