It was December fourteenth. Beckett and Castle had been engaged for exactly two months and they hadn't told a soul, save for Alexis. They thought about giving in and telling Martha but the night they'd decided to do so she'd taken them out to dinner to celebrate her own news - the lead role in the stage adaptation of Waking Ned Devine, which was set to become one of the best comedies of the stage since The Producers and so she would be more than plenty occupied with rehearsals for the months leading up to the wedding. Beckett knew from experience that her future mother-in-law - and wasn't that quite the notion to wrap her head around - wouldn't notice a military parade going through the loft unless the grand marshal was shouting 'places, everyone'; the secret wold remain a secret.

'You stare at that file any harder, boss and I'm going to start thinking you're hiding a girl's equivalent of a dirty magazine inside.'

The only part of Beckett that moved were her eyes, which roamed up to Ryan watching her intently from his desk, turquoise eyes glistening with amusement. Because theirs faced each other, it was impossible to guess he was looking anywhere else.. 'Can I help you, Detective?'

'Lab results on our vic. You called it. Preston Whitman was indeed riding the white horse, but in a withdrawal phase at the time of his death.'

'Which means his dealer was probably telling the truth.'

'Hey, even the pushers have their moments of usefulness.' Picking up his stress egg, Ryan rolled in his palms. 'You seem edgy. Anything you want to share with the class?'

Esposito heard the tail of the conversation as he grabbed his coat off the back of his chair, buttoned it before he tugged his knit watch-cap over his smooth pate. 'It's the fourteenth right? Alexis gets home tonight, it's why Castle wasn't here today. He's getting something ready for his little birdie coming back to the nest.'

'You know,' Beckett commented casually as Esposito walked past her desk to leave for the day, 'I just bet that when you and Meredeth start making babies, you're going to wind up with nothing but daughters and they're all going to fall in love with men just like Castle. Or worse, just like you.'

'No cookies tomorrow for you.'

Beckett wrinkled her nose in a smile. 'I'll survive. Enjoy your night, Javier.'

'Thanks, Kate.'

Ryan pouted a little. 'He gets to go home, why don't I?'

'Because your wife's working nights, Dell is with your parents and you don't wanna go home alone,' Beckett reminded him, using his own words verbatum as to why he would be staying two hours past end of shift on overtime. The trick worked as Ryan muttered a little, held out his hand for the files. 'Get outta here, you crazy kid.'

Ryan was only two years older than her, but he called Detective Molina in Robbery 'kid', a man three days his junior so Beckett took no offense to it. Instead she tossed him the file, swung her coat to her shoulders. 'Oh, and like any woman, I don't need dirty magazines. A good imagination is enough.'

With a saucy laugh Beckett strolled for the elevator; the moment the doors closed she dialed Castle's cell. Because she was alone, she pulled her chain from under her blouse and fiddled with the ring. 'I'm on my way to the garage, you ready?

'Almost. I'm just finishing up at the loft.'

'Castle!'

On the other end of the phone, Castle's voice was cheerfully defensive. 'Trust me, Detective, you will forgive me when you see what I've got set up.'

'Fine. Be downstairs waiting for me. I mean it. I better see you chatting with the doorman.'

'Bossy yet compromising. You'll make a great wife.'


'What flight number is hers again?'

'She's on KLM 0103 from Rotterdam.'

'Why's she coming from the Netherlands?'

Castle gave Beckett's shoulder a squeeze. 'She and a few friends went to Amsterdam after exams. Just hope if she went to the Hotel Nederlander, she mentioned my name for excellent room service.'

'She probably stayed with other non-money bags friends in a hostel.'

'Oh, Katie, Katie, Katie.' Castle kissed her cheek. 'It's not a B&B, it's a cabaret, of the clothing-optional sort.'

'Then room service is-'

'A very creative metaphor. Look, look! There she is!'

Beckett's pondering of how he could go from completely horny-teenager to excited daddy in the space of a single sentence was cut short when she saw Alexis. Her red hair was in Heidi-braids under a toque in virulent yellow purple and orange. She carried a leather mailman's bag over her shoulder along with her purse and tugged her suitcase along behind her. She looked the same, like Alexis, and yet there was a worldliness about her now. It was in the eyes; having been nineteen once and an exchange student as well, Beckett had seen the look in the ones she saw in the mirror.

She was still a Castle alright, though, as she reached the end of the ramp and leaped into her father's arms, letting her suitcase clatter to the floor. 'Dad!'

'How's my little girl?'

'Exhausted. I left Rotterdam at seven this morning local time, and our layover in Iceland was an hour longer because they found loose belts in one of the engines when they did the inspection.'

'I'd rather have you later than in pieces in the Atlantic.'

Alexis grinned, then turned to Beckett . 'I have so many stories for you!'

'None for me?' Castle looked a little put out.

'Something tells me that if you heard any of them you'd lock her in her room,' Beckett smiled as she gave Alexis a warm embrace. 'Am I right?'

'No.' But Alexis did pink in the cheeks a little. 'Maybe. Anyways, you guys are the ones with the story! Fill me in!'

They loaded Alexis' luggage in the trunk of the Crown Vic, and Alexis chattered like a monkey the entire ride back to the loft as they filled her in on the details they'd decided on - the Friday night of the July Fourth holiday weekend, they would be married right on the beach of their Hamptons house with Alexis being the only wedding party.

'Mostly, Lex, we're thinking of Lanie and Dave. They hadn't exactly planned to have a baby and-'

'You feel like concentrating on your own happiness when your friend is going through a life-changing event would be a be

'Smart girl.' Beckett flashed her a grin in the review mirror. However flight he appeared to be, Castle had raised a very perceptive young woman.

'I'm studying to be a shrink, reading people is in the job description.'

Castle grinned as he twisted from the front seat. 'Now about those stories...'

'Dad, do you tell me everything about your private life?'

'No, but-'

'Do you think that's a good thing or a bad thing?'

'Okay, is this a pre-shrink shrink trick?'

'You tell me.'

When Alexis just blinked at him, Castle bit his fist in frustration. 'Dammit. Okay, just no inside jokes at the breakfast table, alright?'


R&R&Enjoy.