AN: haha, I just realized the title of chapter three rhymes with the title of the story, I feel so smart. :) feel free to review, I've been bummed out this week because not only is there no NEW episode of Castle tonight, but there's no episode, period. Reviews would cheer me up!
Five o' clock rolled around, and for once, Kate Beckett was leaving work on time. Naturally this fact did not go unnoticed.
"Yo, Becks!"
Kate sighed as she rolled her eyes. "Yeah Esposito?"
"You do know it's only five, right?"
"Yeah, quitting time."
Ryan laughed. "What did Castle put in your coffee?"
For once, Kate had no witty comeback, she settled for rolling her eyes. "Is it that weird that I'm leaving work on time?"
"Yeah,"
"Well, not unless you have a reason," Ryan mused.
"You got a hot date tonight?" Esposito winked. "Possibly a certain favorite writer of yours? One who you waited in line to get an autograph from a few years back?"
Kate dropped her purse, her face glowing bright red. Esposito and Ryan had been teasing her about being a Castle fan ever since the copycat case, but the autograph? How the hell had they found that out? Nobody knew, well, Lanie knew, but she'd never tell. She'd never do that to Kate. How could they have found out? She kept the hard cover special edition book in it's case, wrapped in a blanket, in a box, in her closet. "Who told you about that?"
"We shall not disclose our sources." Ryan held up his hands defensively.
Kate stepped forward, grabbing his ear in her left hand, Esposito's in the the other. "Tell me,"
"Okay, okay," Ryan winced.
"Tell me," she growled.
"Apples," Esposito muttered.
She twisted harder.
"It was Sorenson," he gasped, twisting out of her grasp. "Jesus Beckett, you should use your torture methods when suspects don't speak." He rubbed his ear gingerly.
Kate dropped Ryan's ear immediately, too shocked to keep up the battle.
"Ouch,"
She didn't feel too bad about their injuries, besides, she was rarely physically violent against Ryan and Esposito, just verbally.
"Beckett—"
"—Not a word of this to Castle." She glared.
"What about Little Castle?" Esposito asked, glancing over her shoulder.
Kate whirled around. Alexis was standing about ten feet away from the bickering detectives. She had changed out of her school uniform, and her hair thrown back in a messy bun with a few lose strands falling around her face.
"Alexis?" she squeaked.
"Sorry," the teen's words poured out in a rush—a nervous habit of hers. "I should have called and let you know I was here, but I wasn't sure if you'd be able to talk, I figured just walking in would be easier."
"How long have you been here?"
"A little too long," she bit her lip. "Long enough to be confused, and long enough to know something my dad doesn't know—"
"Hey, Alexis, what are you doing here?" Speak of the devil...
Kate sighed, resisting the urge to bang her head against a wall. Things just kept getting better and better.
"Gram wanted me to tell you that she's staying home tonight," Alexis stepped in immediately, leaving no signs of the previous conversation. "because of the blown fuse, rehearsals for tonight have been canceled, so you two will be able to have family 'bonding time.'"
Kate was impressed, that kind of on the spot thinking was a skill that some detectives lacked, people who were twice, even three time Alexis's age.
Rick rolled his eyes, however he smirked at his daughter's use of air quotes. "Oh joy, a whole night of show tunes, all courtesy of the one-woman-show."
Alexis laughed. "You know you love her,"
"I never said I didn't...weren't you two supposed to have left?"
Kate glanced at the clock 5:30, how had that happened? "We were just leaving,"
Castle nodded and glanced at his daughter. "It's a school night, don't come home before eleven."
Alexis laughed. "Dad,"
"Okay, you drive a hard bargain twelve thirty, in bed at one,
"Dad!"
"Sorry, that's my final offer, take it or leave it."
"I'll have her home before ten." Kate promised.
"I'll be in bed ten minutes after that, teeth brushed, backpack put hung up, homework put away."
"Your backpack is already hung up,"
Alexis smiled, taking a step forward and hugging her dad. "You know me so well," she kissed him on the cheek. "Love you,"
"Love you too—oh, do you need money?"
"Remember when you had me duct tape you to that chair—"
"You still have the money?"
"Yeah,"
He sighed pulling out his wallet and emptying it out into her hand. "If you spend less then half," he warned threateningly.
"You'll sell my text books at a pawn shop, I know, I know."
"Is he serious?" Esposito muttered.
"Yup," the two responded simultaneously.
"He did it last year...."