"Kate." he whispers into her ear on his shoulder "Kate? Wake up. It's late. You've been sleeping for a while."
He puts his finger on her lips as she starts to yawn and groan. "Shhhh... Alexis is still asleep." he says quietly while looking over at the sleeping form of his daughter wrapped in a blanket leaning on the arm of the couch.
Whispering back at him "Rick, do you want me to help you get her to bed?"
"I'll get her up in a second. Why don't you get ready for bed and I'll wake her." he says softly and coming around the couch. As Kate turns on a light and turns off the TV she hears a scream and a thud.
While Kate was tending to other things in the room Rick squatted down at the head of the couch and gently shook Alexis "Hey sleepy head, time to wake up." he says as her eyes snap open and her fist connects with his cheek throwing him backwards onto the floor and bumping his head on the coffee table as she screams "NO! DON'T TOUCH ME! LEAVE ME ALONE!"
Kate, reacting quickly, runs to the hysterical girl and tries to shake her and hold her arms at the same time "Alexis! You're home! Everything is alright, you're safe! You're okay, you're home on the couch. It's me Kate, your dad is here too." as the young girl begins to focus on the woman in front of her and the shock wears off.
"Oh my god dad! I'm so sorry!" Alexis begins to cry and shake in terror about what just happened.
"It's okay Alexis, it's okay, you didn't hurt him." Kate coos trying to hug the terrified girl.
Struggling to regain his balance he tries to appease her at the same time "Hey Pumpkin, I'm okay! Don't worry! I've done worse to myself. I'm fine, really."
Shaking in terror and horror with her blue eyes as wide as hub-caps the girl is clutching the woman and her breathing is ragged and fast. "What just happened?" she asks in a small terrified and confused voice.
"You're okay. Everything is alright. You're safe." she reassures the confused girl as Martha comes running down the stairs panicked.
"What is going on down here?" Martha demands.
"Rick, take care of her." Kate says quickly as she concentrates on Alexis.
"Mother, it's okay." he says going to her "Alexis had a... bad reaction to being woken up. She's better now. She's going to be scared for a little bit." he says as she begins to cry for her granddaughter.
"What just happened to me?" Alexis sobs looking at Kate.
"Alexis, look at me. Shh... It's okay, look at me. Good. You're alright, what you just had happen to you was from your experiences." she tells the girl then she whispers "I've done it too but luckily mostly at home alone."
"My god, I can't believe I did that." and then after a beat, focusing on Kate "You've done it?"
"Yes, in my case, it's PTSD, I still have little flashbacks but they're a lot better now." Kate offers quietly.
"Hey Pumpkin." Rick says crouching down next to his daughter and putting a hand on her arm.
"Dad, I'm so sorry." she says wrapping him in a tight hug as she starts to cry again.
"I know sweetie. Everything is okay. Really." he says soothing her hair while she cries into his shoulder.
"But..." she starts.
"Pumpkin. Did you intend to hurt me?" he asks her.
Horrified she pulls back "Dad! NO! Of course not!"
"Then don't get upset. I know you didn't mean it and it was an accident. Don't apologize for it." he says with that smile that he reserves for the women he loves.
"Alexis?" Martha calls from nearby.
"Grams?" she responds as her father helps her up from the couch and she runs over to her grandmother.
"Are you okay now my dear?" she asks wrapping the girl in a tight hug.
"A bit. I can't believe I did that. I was so terrified. I didn't know where I was." she says into her grandmother's embrace.
"I know dear. We're all here for you." she says carding the girls hair with her free hand while tears streak their faces.
Softly Alexis calls out "Hey Dad?"
"Yes Pumpkin?" he answers from the kitchen while pouring her a glass of water.
"I guess the decision has been made for me. I think I need some help." Alexis says loosening her grip on her grandmother and taking a couple of deep breaths with a shaky half-smile.
"That's okay. We'll take good care of you. We'll make sure you get help." he reassures her handing her a glass of water.
"Yes we will my dear." her grandmother agrees. "Whatever it takes."
"Alexis, as much as you hate what just happened to you, it's actually normal. It happens to a lot of people who are in stressful situations like that. Don't feel alone." Kate offers. "Castle, why don't I head to my place and let you folks spend some time together." she says standing and turning towards the front closet.
"No Kate, you shouldn't leave." the young girl says apologetically "I didn't mean to make you leave."
"Alexis, you're not making me leave, you need your family." Kate explains with a gentle smile.
"I know. Stay. Please."
"Okay. I will if you want."
"Thanks Kate. Grams, I'm sorry."
"Oh my dear Alexis, please don't apologize." Martha says, the agony of her granddaughter's guilt written all over her face and breaking her heart.
"Alexis? Do you feel the adrenalin still in your system?" Kate asks.
"Um... Yes. I think so. My hands are shaking and I feel jumpy." she says stepping back from Martha.
"Okay, why don't you and your dad change into some warm sweats and go out for a brisk walk around the block a few times. You both need to walk around a bit to burn up some energy and wind down from what just happened." Kate suggests.
"I'm not sure..." Alexis starts.
"Sounds like a great idea!" Castle announces like he's been invited to the circus. "Let's go Pumpkin! Meet you back here in two minutes okay?" obviously trying to be upbeat and cheery for his daughter.
"Kate, would you mind going with me? I'm sorry dad." she asks reluctantly.
Without hesitation, Kate accepts "Not at all! Let me get some sneakers on. Your dad can clean up after the movie and everything." then in an exaggerated conspiratorial voice she adds "He probably jumped at the chance to avoid doing the housework."
"Of course I don't mind and no I wasn't trying to avoid the housework." Rick says smiling.
"Thanks. Let me change and get some sneakers on." Alexis says as she walks up the stairs.
"Kate? You sure?" Castle asks her when Alexis is out of ear shot.
"Of course I am. It's okay Rick." she responds "Anyway, you've got to look after your mother." she says as she gets her sneakers from the front closet and puts them on.
"Mother? Are you alright now?" He asks going over to her.
"Oh Richard, our baby." she cries.
"It's okay mother, she's in the best of hands. Tomorrow morning we'll start getting professionals involved. Kate is right, I'm going to do a couple of family sessions with Alexis too." he says consoling her.
The actress, quickly schools her façade as the young redhead comes down from her room. "Alexis, do you have your phone with you?" she asks calmly.
"Yes Grams, right here." she says touching it in her pocket.
"You ready to go there kiddo?" Kate asks lightly.
"Yes. Let's go. Dad, no avoiding it, clean up!" she says a bit more cheerily.
Kate opens the door to leave with her and sees the slight pause Alexis has when passing the threshold of her home. She reassures Alexis by putting her hand on the girl's back to let her know she's with her.
Their unspoken communications so well attuned that Castle can see in Beckett's actions and the glance she gives him as she closes the door, an explanation and message about what just happened.
"Richard, I'm so scared for her." Martha says as she starts to weep again as the door closes behind the two women.
"So am I mother but I know that Kate loves her and they can communicate. I'm so glad Kate talked to her already. I think that this is going to be a bumpy road but I feel confident that Alexis can come through it."
"I certainly hope so. I hope the bastards that did this paid for it, this poor girl did nothing to deserve such a curse." Martha says as she makes her way to the kitchen for some water.
"Mother." Castle says softly not looking at her.
"Yes Richard?" she responds turning to look at him.
Now somber and pained he looks at her, horrible darkness written all over his features. In a hushed voice he says "Mother, I watched them die. I saw them blown up by a small bomb. Their blood and guts splattered across walls, floor and ceiling. They suffered, it hurt and they got what they deserved and Alexis will overcome this nightmare and grow from it." the shadows in his eyes show his mother just how much of the slaughter he witnessed.
"Oh my boy, are you alright?" she asks, now shocked and concerned for her son's welfare.
"My gauge for that is directly tied to that little girl." he says pointing in the direction of the doorway "If she's doing well then I am. Until she's happy, there's nothing that can stand in my way to help her and nothing that will make me feel better." he says squeezing his eyes shut to fight back another urge to cry for his baby.
"It's alright Richard, like you said, she will overcome it all." she says pulling him into a motherly embrace.
"Thank you mother, thank you for everything." after a short pause punctuated with small sobs he continues "As much as I want to wail and cleanse my soul, we need to clean up and give her as much of a feeling of normalcy as we can or at least that's what I think." he says regaining his composure. "I'll start doing some cleaning up here to burn off some of that energy myself."
"I'll help you." Martha offers as she starts to gather up popcorn leftovers and other such things. "Richard, how do we go about finding someone to help her?"
"Kate has resources at the department and friends who work in the SVU, they will have suggestions since they deal with this type of trauma all the time. Don't forget the time Alexis saved her friend Kim from that jerk that spiked her drink. The SVU people will remember Alexis and will be glad to help her. I know that Doctor Parish, Lanie will do what she can to help so we're not lacking in that area. As a matter of fact, Lanie is taking Alexis out tomorrow to do something Kate described as 'life-affirming'. By noon tomorrow she'll have her first appointment booked as will I. I need to know what to do to help her through this. The only thing between her and..." his voice cracks as his throat tightens abruptly "her..." he takes another sudden deep stuttering breath "and... her... well-being is time. The one thing we have to remember is patience."
