Author's Note: Thanks for the reviews! All right so there was a lot of confusion in the last chapter so this is what (in my mind) had happened. The guys ran into Castle someday, somewhere (after the engagement) and started talking to him (they all avoid talking of work: books, homicides, etc...); they just talked about men stuff and everything. Then (like Alexis and Kate) they agree to do it again (just keep it a secret from family and friends). So they do and Castle asks them to be his groomsmen at the end of the meet. Out of guilt, they agree, but then they feel guilty for doing so anyway and decide not to tell Beckett about it. So, that's what happened. Does it make any sense? Practically its they feel bad for Castle so they agree to be his groomsmen, but they feel like they're betraying Beckett so they don't tell her. They then try to figure out a way of getting out of it, but they can't, so that's it.
By the way, who said anything about Castle being the baby-daddy? :) Also you all should know that Kate is very good at keeping a secret that she doesn't want to get out (especially from the paparazzi). So, I hope that clears up everything. :) I'm thinking that this will be a happily ever after story. Just these first few chapters aren't too happy though, but they will get better!
By the way, this story is set mid-August.
Chapter Three:
Beckett arrived outside the building that was her daughter's school a few minutes late. She mentally cursed the guy in front of her who drove worse than her grandfather did when he was still alive. Kate jumped from her car and rushed into the now empty elementary school where Arianna attended pre-school. "Ms. Beckett," the older woman said as she walked into the classroom. Arianna was sitting in her desk waiting patiently and Kate couldn't help but think that she did not pick that up from her father. Actually she wondered where she got that from because she wasn't too patient either.
Arianna's teacher, Mrs. Brady, had a dislike for the fact that the detective was a detective and the fact that she had a kid and wasn't married and made no move to hide that, but Kate accepted that in stride and forced a smile in the woman's direction. "Hello, Mrs. Brady, I'm sorry I'm late; the traffic was horrible."
"Isn't it always?" The woman, who sat in her desk, removed her huge, round glasses that she had probably bought in at least the eighties.
Kate bit back the urge to show the woman what was horrible as she turned her attention to her daughter, who was deeply involved in a book. Kate smiled proudly at the young girl. Most the people in her class couldn't read a single word, but Arianna was begging her mother to buy her chapter books, which Beckett did.
"Hey, sweetie," Kate walked over to her child's desk and swatted beside it patted her arm which successfully interrupted her daughter's reverie.
"Mom!" the girl exclaimed excitedly ignoring the fact that she was one of the last children to be picked up for the day. She hurriedly put her bookmark in her book and dropped it onto her desk before throwing her arms over her mother's neck and wrapping her in a tight hug. "You're here!"
Kate was chuckling slightly when the girl released her. "I am," she agreed, "and I have the rest of the day off. What do you want to do?"
"Really? That's so cool!"
The detective tried to ignore the reason she had taken the rest of the day off as she replied to her excited daughter. "Yep, so I was thinking about going home and making chocolate chip cookies before popping in a movie. What do you think?"
"Can I pick the movie?"
"Always."
"And can we eat the chocolate cookies while watching the movie?"
"Only if it's not too close to supper by the time they're done." Kate promised. After all, it was only twelve-thirty and Arianna had just eaten lunch about thirty minutes earlier. They would probably have enough time before dinner if they hurried to get home because Kate was planning on making chicken pockets for the two and it took a while to get the ingredients together and cook them. The cookies took about forty-five minutes to cook. They were almost as bad as making a cake from scratch.
"Awesome!" Ari hugged her mom again. Once the hug ended, Ari jumped up and grabbed her things from the desk and made her way to the door. Standing at the door, she turned back to the now standing Kate before asking with a raised eyebrow with reminded Kate so much of herself, "Coming?"
"Geez," Kate murmured to herself. "When did I become the tag along in this relationship?" She asked while thinking about the many times when she had done the same thing to Castle. Kate glanced at Mrs. Brady, who hid a smile once she saw the detective was looking. Was she smiling at us? Kate wondered momentarily. "Goodbye, Mrs. Brady."
"Bye, Katherine," the gray-haired woman spoke. Kate bit back an eye roll as she followed her daughter out the door. After the many times that she had told the woman to call her 'Kate', she called her Katherine.
"Mom," Arianna whined in front of Kate at the detective's slow pace. Kate smiled and started to jog to catch up to her kid. Once they were side-by-side, Arianna took off at a full speed run down the long walkway that led to the room. Laughing, the thoughts about the day's events were long forgotten, Kate rushed after her daughter.
"Want to race?" Arianna called to her; her long brown hair cascading behind her as she ran.
Kate looked to her daughter with faux confusion. "Aren't we already?"
"Winner gets an ice cream sundae."
"What about the loser?"
Arianna smirked. "Banana split."
"Ooh," Kate spoke while slowing down to a walk. She loved banana splits. The younger brunette laughed at her mother as she reached their car. Once they were in the car, Arianna in the back in her car seat and Kate in the driver's seat, Kate spoke again, "Want to take a rain check on the ice cream?"
Arianna nodded enthusiastically. "Much rather have Grandma's chocolate chip cookies."
Kate smiled and she mentally agreed. She loved her mother's recipe for chocolate cookies and had told Arianna a story of her mother and her making the same cookies earlier that year. That led to a conversation about where her mother was. Kate had told her that she was up in heaven with the angels and Arianna had frowned before asking how the angels got her when Arianna never even got the chance to meet her. Beckett hid tears beneath her smile and had honestly replied I don't know.
-oOo-
That afternoon after Kate had slid the cookie pan into the over, she examined them. They both had cookie dough, flour, and many other ingredients smeared on both their clothes. Kate made a face. Those were going to be hard to get out. Kate had sent Arianna to get clean clothes on and pick out a movie, while Kate loaded the dish washer and cleaned up her kitchen.
"I found one." Arianna spoke while walking into the kitchen.
Kate slid the bottom row back into its place before shutting the door to the dishwasher. Kate turned it on before asking, "What is it?"
Ari blushed and held up the movie behind her back. "Lion King."
"Again?" she joked.
The four year old stared at the ground. "I like it."
"I know." Kate smiled. "All right, go put it in while I change." Kate walked into her bedroom before changing into a pair of black mid-thigh shorts and matching it with a long, baggy, blue plaid shirt and a gray tank-top.
"Mom!" she heard Ari shout from down the hall. "Your phone is ringing."
"I'm coming," she said running down the hall. She knew Esposito would be the only one who had guts to call her and she wasn't in the mood for him right then. She momentarily caught a look of worry on her daughter's face before it disappeared as the movie previews came on. "What do you want, Esposito?" She demanded angrily.
"Kate?" a female voice came on.
Kate blinked in surprise. "Alexis? Oh, I'm sorry; I thought you were someone else." She turned and walked into the kitchen ignoring the feeling of her daughter's eyes on her back.
"I know, you thought I was Esposito. You sounded pretty angry. Is this a bad time?"
"Oh, no, I actually have the rest of the day off to be honest."
"Really? Then could we meet later for supper or something?" Alexis asked innocently and Kate's eyes shot to the living room where her daughter giggled at the previews. "Do you have company? I'm sorry; I shouldn't have called. It was just really good to see you this morning."
"I…" Kate thought of how to answer that question. "Can I call you back in a few, please?"
Alexis' voice sounded hopeful, "Sure! That'd be great."
Beckett hung up her phone and then stared at it for a few minutes while thinking of what she was going to do. She didn't want to disappoint Alexis, but she had already told Arianna of her plans for supper. Plus, she just couldn't let Arianna stay with Elise again especially after waking her up in the middle of the night last night. What could she do? Unless, she could invite Alexis over to her house for dinner, but then she'd have to explain Arianna, and how was she going to do that? But...
Yes, she finally decided. If it was all right with Arianna she would invite Alexis over to their apartment for supper. At that moment, Arianna chose to walk into the kitchen where Beckett was. "Who is Alexis?"
"She's…" Beckett paused, unsure of how to answer that question. The daughter of a friend seemed too impersonal. Like a daughter was true, but she wasn't sure how Ari would take that information. So she just settled on, "a friend."
"I haven't heard you mention her before."
"An old friend," Kate murmured as she added mentally, that isn't too old, but she'll figure that out soon enough. "Would you mind having a guest for dinner?"
The girl shrugged, "Sure."
"Thanks!" the relieved detective said, wrapping the girl in a hug. "Now, go start the movie. I've got to call Alexis back. I'll be there soon."
Kate hit the recent calls button before dialing Alexis back. "Hey, Alexis, what do you think about having dinner at my place. Do you like chicken pockets?"
So, next up Alexis meets Arianna. What do you think will happen? Please review! :)