Chapter 3
Castle admits that the short break is just what he needed. As usual, Beckett was right. He smiles at how well she knows him.
On his way back into Alexis' room, he's surprised to see his mother sitting in the hall.
"Mother? Why are you out here?" he asks, sitting in the chair next to her.
Martha just smiles and nods towards the closed door.
"I didn't want to interrupt. You know how private Katherine is about her feelings. It took years for her to get used to me hugging her. I just wanted to give her this time with Alexis. She needed it. They both do."
Castle gives her a confused look.
"What do you mean by that? Beckett and Alexis have always gotten along just fine."
"Oh, Richard," Martha sighs, shaking her head. For such a skilled, insightful writer, her son never ceases to amaze her with how oblivious he is about the women in his life.
"Seriously, Mother. I don't understand what you're trying to say. I never knew there were problems between Alexis and Beckett. Why wouldn't either of them tell me?"
"I wouldn't say there were 'problems' between them. They were ... polite," Martha finally says after a few seconds to find the right word. "They got along for your sake. But I sensed a distance. They both had their guards up."
Castle thinks about how things have been the past year he's been dating Beckett and wonders if what his mother is saying could be true.
"Beckett was worried what Alexis thought when she found out we'd starting dating," he remembers. "It was actually the first question she asked when I told her Alexis knew. She was nervous."
"I think this is a confusing time for Katherine. Becoming a mother figure to a girl who's about the same age she was when she lost her own mother," Martha continues. "But it's so clear she adores Alexis. Richard, you should have seen her when you and Alexis were in Paris. That woman was a nervous wreck, not only worrying about you, but about Alexis too. She loves her more than she realizes."
Still thrown by the conversation, Castle walks to the door and peeks through the window. And it seems like his mother is right. Beckett is sitting protectively next to Alexis, guarding his daughter like a mother bear guards her cub. The sight of them together like that touches his heart. And once again, he can't help but feel like they're becoming a family. He'll have to think about taking the next step to making this family thing permanent. He never thought Beckett was ready before. But now, things seemed to have changed. Maybe she's ready for the happily ever after. With one last glance, he goes back over to his mother.
"How about I treat you to dinner in the oh so lovely cafeteria downstairs. I hear they have an excellent chicken salad."
She just smiles and nods, standing to take his hand. Castle has nothing to worry about with Beckett standing guard. His baby is in good hands.
It's been a long couple days, between the kidnapping and now this, and the stress of it all begins to catch up with Beckett. Fatigue starts to hit her pretty hard. She lays her head on the bed next to where she's holding Alexis' hand. Without really thinking, she starts to hum one of the songs her own mother used to sing to her when she was sick. She's just starting to drift off to sleep when she feels a tug on her hand.
Sitting up, she looks around to see if Castle has returned. But she's still alone with just Alexis. She starts humming her song again, this time adding words on her favorite part. But the singing also halts when she notices Alexis start to move her eyes. Beckett can only gasp as the younger woman blinks owlishly.
"Don't stop," Alexis croaks slowly. "It's a pretty song."
"Alexis? Sweetie, can you hear me?"
Alexis just moans, but it's more than she's done since she first collapsed. Beckett reaches for the nurse's call button to get someone in there immediately. Alexis looks as if she's about to drift off again.
"No, Honey. Don't go back to sleep. You've been asleep for way too long."
Alexis turns a glazed, confused stare towards Beckett.
"I was sleep?"
"You're going to be okay now," Beckett smiles, squeezing her hand. "The doctor is going to come check you out, but I'm sure you're going to be just fine."
The nurse comes in and goes straight to her patient, a big smile on her face.
"Well, well, well. Look who's awake now. How are you feeling, Darlin'?"
Beckett can't help but smile along with the cheerful woman. She doesn't remember having such a personable nurse when she was in the hospital after her shooting. But she's glad the kind woman is here for Alexis.
"She just woke up," Beckett explains.
"That's a good sign." The nurse busies herself with a quick exam, jotting down all the relevant vital signs. "But we knew the good doctor would fix you right as rain, Sugar. And right as rain you are. I'm just going to go get the doctor. He'll check you over and I'm sure you'll be out of here in no time. I bet you'll be glad to get her home, Mom."
Beckett is so surprised at the nurse's assumption she's Alexis' mother that she doesn't say anything until the woman is halfway to the door.
"No, I'm not … " Beckett tries to correct her, but the sound of the closing interrupts her. It's too late. The woman is gone.
"Sorry about that," Beckett blushes. "I guess she saw me in here with you and thought ..."
Again Beckett is interrupted, this time by the opening of the door and Castle rushing inside.
"Why didn't you tell me she was awake?" he asks, out of breath from the mad dash into the room and also from excitement. "I just ran into the nurse outside and she told me."
"She just woke up, I swear," Beckett smiles. But her smile fades into confusion when she feels Alexis grab her hand, almost as if in fear.
"Is this the doctor?" Alexis asks shyly, causing everyone in the room to stop in their tracks.
Beckett and Castle give panicked looks to each other before staring at Alexis as if she had a third eye.
"Mom? Who is this? What's going on?" Alexis sees the panic on their faces and starts to get upset too.
Beckett jumps out her seat and steps back, not knowing what to do. She's relieved when Castle seems to gather his wits and manages to paste a smile on his face.
"Alexis, Baby. It's me. It's your dad. Don't you know me?"
She frowns, and turns to Beckett for verification.
"Mom?"
"That's not your mom," Castle answers her. "But she is a friend."
"But …" Tears and confusion fill Alexis' eyes and Beckett can't stand it any longer. She moves to take her place back at the girl's side.
"Hey, calm down. It's okay," Beckett soothes her. "Remember what I said to you when you woke up? You're going to be fine."
Alexis grabs her hand like it's a lifeline. She squeezes her eyes shut, forcing the tears to spill down her cheeks.
"Why don't I feel okay?" she cries.
"Alexis look at me," Beckett says firmly, having to get her attention. She looks her squarely in the eyes. "What did I tell you when you woke up? Didn't I say everything was going to be okay? Trust me, okay? Everything is going to be fine. You're going to be fine. We're going to get through this together."
"You won't leave me?"
"I promise," Beckett assures her, pressing a kiss on the girl's forehead. "Your dad, either. We're both here for you."
Taking her cue from Beckett, Alexis glances in Castle's direction and tentatively reaches her hand out for him.
The doctor picks that moment to come in.
"How is my star patient?" he asks, not noticing the awkwardness in the room.
"Having some confusion," Castle explains, causing the doctor's brow to furrow.
"Hmm, let's check you out then, Miss Castle. If I can have everyone else clear out …"
"No!" Alexis nearly yells, her grip on Beckett's hand tightening. "Can my mo- … I mean, can she stay?"
"Not this time," the doctor says gently. "But this will just be a quick exam and they can come right back in."
"We'll be right outside," Beckett promises.
Reluctantly, Alexis nods and lets go of Beckett's hand. Beckett and Castle step outside the room to let the doctor work.
"What happened in there?" Martha asks when she notices the looks on their faces, fear growing like a cold lump in the pit of her stomach. "Is Alexis..."
"She's fine, Martha," Beckett tries to assure her.
"In a manner of speaking," Castle sighs dejectedly. "She's not my little girl. I'm a stranger to her."
