Epilogue
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Domestic Abuse can occur to anyone, by anyone. If you or someone you know needs help, please Google your local helpline xoxo
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A reminder that this leaves canon after 6x05 - Time will tell
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Alexis eyes the room painstakingly. It's smaller than her first dorm and she is going to miss the beautiful circular window that overlooked the quad below, but she is grateful to be in housing once more.
She has spent the last five weeks at the loft, at home, waiting for a vacancy to come up at Columbia, and she had finally received the news that a student was dropping out and she could have their empty bed. And while of course she feels a twinge of sadness on their behalf, she is happy that one more piece of her life's puzzle is fitting back into place.
She has used the time at home well though; with Kate's help, she had found a therapist to see, someone she trusts enough to get everything off her chest. All that had happened while being with Pi, her feelings toward her father, toward Kate; she had even explored the lingering consequences of her time in Paris. She knows that it will be an ongoing process, yet she feels she has made some positive steps in the right direction.
And when Pi had tried to contact her, she had gone straight to her Dad and Kate; had confessed to the interaction. She was honest with the pair in stating that there was a part of her that wanted to make things right with him, give it another go. At least now, she has their support and that helps her to know better, to recognize the absurdity of that thought.
Being at home again has also given her the opportunity to become closer with Kate, to return to the relationship that they had started all those years ago, and she senses as each day passes that their tentative friendship is being solidified; becoming a foundation for what she anticipates will be a strong bond between them.
Best of all is that the connection with her dad has slowly begun rebuilding itself, games of laser tag have evolved into serious late night discussions; the two of them regrouping over ridiculously large ice cream sundaes as they talked about where things might have gone wrong, and what they could have done differently. She feels that if she has to be the guinea pig, a role that comes with being the first-born, and he does have more children with Kate, then they can benefit from the lessons that they have learned from the past couple of years.
Hearing her dad's raised voice, she concentrates again on the situation at hand, and tries not to laugh, as he wriggles around on all fours, her Gram standing over him as she instructs from her position of authority.
"Really, Richard. The position of such an exquisite piece is hardly something that can be achieved on the first go."
Castle playfully thumps his head onto the piece in question, his forehead lightly hitting the rug, and Alexis covers her mouth, attempts to contain the laughter that wants to break free.
By the doorway, Kate is not as controlled and begins giggling so forcefully that she slumps to the floor, her head curled between her knees as she muffles the noise. Her whole body shakes with tremors and it only adds to the hilarity of the situation.
Her poor dad has been shifting the house warming present—initially meant for a different house—this way and that for the last twenty minutes, yet no matter what he does, Martha remains unsatisfied by its placement.
Walking to her Gram's side, Alexis links her arm, lightly bumps her body against the older redhead and states with utter certainty, "It looks perfect there, Gram."
And it does. It's where it belongs; and she is where she belongs.
Unfortunately, her dad takes mock offense to being laughed at by Kate, and starts to crawl clumsily in her direction, like a toddler that has found its way into the vodka; his movements push the rug sideways, forming large ridges across the material.
"Richard!"
Too intent on tackling his fiancée, he ignores his mother's chastising, attempts to tickle Kate in retaliation for giggling at his pain, and Alexis calls out a stop to their antics.
"Okay you two, that's enough! The two sane members of this family would like the day to remain in the G rated category!" With raised eyebrows, both women stare down at the engaged couple, and taking her advice, they detangle themselves from each other. Her dad fixes the mat to its previous position, before standing.
"You guys should get going anyway." Her words are strong; she has after all done this before, but there is still a shadow of reluctance at the thought of them leaving.
Her Gram moves in first, weathered fingers palming each cheek, and Alexis can already hear the dramatic words that are about to leave the matriarch's mouth, so she jumps in ahead of her.
"Thanks Gram. I'll see you soon."
There is a twinkle in the older woman's eyes, a slight smile tugging at her lips as she replies, "Adios, and I will see you soon, darling."
Her Gram's lips brush across her skin and she exits with a flourish of color, hands waving high over her shoulders as she strolls out the door.
Turning to her Dad, Alexis takes a deep breath, prepares herself for this farewell.
"Do you want me to do a check, Pumpkin?" Her childhood nickname has her shaking her head, and she watches as he dips as if looking under her bed.
"No, Dad. I have your number if I need a middle of the night rescue." Smiling broadly at him, Alexis' eyes flicker for a moment to Kate, including her in the statement and it is not lost on him.
"Good. Cause Kate sleeps with a gun, so day or night, just call." His badly worded pun leaves both girls groaning, and Alexis gives him a good-natured shove toward the door.
As Kate shuffles closer, Alexis makes eye contact with her dad, indicates with a nod of her head toward the exit and thankfully he understands her hint.
"I'll be waiting downstairs."
Rotating to face Kate, she's forced to stumble back as the detective lunges as her, arms wrapping fiercely around her shoulders as she whispers into the long strands of her red hair, "I'm so proud of you, Alexis."
Fighting back the swell of tears, she can only nod, her own arms squeezing tight as they hug, but as Kate pulls back, Alexis pushes the words through her constricted throat.
"Thank you, Kate. Thank you for…" Everything sounds so inadequate, yet it is all that Alexis can think of, that comes even close to being enough.
Not waiting for the end of the sentence, Kate replies, "It's okay, Alexis. That's what you do for the people you love. You fight for them. You forgive. You wipe the slate clean and try again."
Alexis comprehends her words, not just in relation to the pair of them, but what it means for Kate and her father. That the past is just that, the past, and it's what you do in the present moment that counts.
"And when I say the people that love you, I am referring to a healthy love." Kate's head wrinkles as she stares expectantly at Alexis; she knows how many of the discussions inside her shrink's office have been about the different types of love that are experienced.
Nodding she feels the odd need to start afresh and she bizarrely holds out her hand to Kate while asking, "Can we wipe the slate clean?"
As the brunette smiles down at her, she nods and grasps the outstretched hand, understanding. "Hi. I'm Kate."
Sharing a chuckle, Alexis shakes her hand and responds, "Hi. I'm Alexis. Welcome to the family."
Squinting as she steps outside, the sun, while not hot, is still enough to have her shielding her eyes as she adjusts to the brighter light, and standing still, Kate gives herself a moment to breathe it all in.
She's hardly surprised though when the quiet is disturbed as Castle embraces her from behind, his head resting in its spot on top of her shoulder, and Kate leans back into his arms.
"Everything okay?" She can hear that he is doing his best to remove the hesitancy from his tone, and to make it less enquiring as his curiosity gets the better of him, and she grins in response.
"Just being welcomed into the family, Castle."
There's a low hum that begins deep in his chest, his appreciation over her words, over the possibilities that are unfolding before them, and Kate lifts her ringed hand to lightly pat the side of his face.
"She's going to be fine, Rick."
His head turns at her words, lips brushing against the metal that symbolizes their future, that symbolizes how far they have come, and it has Kate twisting inside the bracket of his arms.
"Do we have any plans for the rest of the afternoon?" They had both been so focused on getting Alexis settled that they hadn't given any thought as to what a free afternoon could provide, but as Castle lets her go, moving so that his hand can lace with her own, he begins filling the remaining day.
"Well, I'm hungry, so I was thinking we could start going around to some of the better bakeries. Start taste testing wedding cakes. The whole two birds with one stone approach and then…"
Kate's laughter is drowned out as he continues on, bright ideas tumbling from his lips, one after the other, as she strolls beside him. She savors the feeling of his fingers squeezing their ring between them, basks in the glory of it all. The joy that comes with their future.
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I hope you enjoyed the ride!
Thank you to every person that reviewed, I know I have thanked you personally, but it really isn't enough considering how your support continues to leave me completely speechless. Xoxo
And to those that made it a favourite, and added this story to your alerts. It's really appreciated!
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Big thanks to honeyandvodka for making me make sense with all things spelling, grammar, and the encouragement to make the story more,
and to Caskett1 for reading, discussing, and spotting my goofs!
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I'm on twitter: Ky3elk :) lots of tracking my NaNoWriMo progress at the moment!
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