I think this could be my longest chapter yet :)
Please excuse any mistakes in spelling or grammar, I've got so much homework recently that the only time I have a chance to write is when I'm meant to be in bed asleep so I've been doing a lot of typing in the dark.
Hope you like chapter 10 :)
The case hadn't taken long at all to solve. They had found prints at the scene and had quickly come up with a viable suspect. Beckett and Castle had gone and picked him up, leaving Ryan and Esposito to deal with the detective from robbery. Kate had been right, it wasn't Demming, but neither of them had really wanted to stick around since the man was Demming's partner, so they had beat a hasty retreat and had beaten the boys into going and getting their suspect.
By the time they had gotten back and put their suspect in interrogation, the robbery detective had left. The ballistics had come through, and unfortunately the gun wasn't on record, although they had let the uniforms with a search warrant for their suspects apartment, and since he wasn't all that smart they expected o find it there.
In interrogation the suspect, whose name was John Collins, had confessed after only a little work from the detective and her partner. He had said that he hadn't wanted to kill the man; he had just wanted the money, so he had shot him in the leg to show he was serious, but O'Neill hadn't wanted to be quiet so Collins had been forced to kill him.
Beckett had read him his rights and the writer and detective had watched as uniforms had lead him away to be processed and held until his trail.
Currently the two of them were taking down what little they had put on the board, and because Beckett had left them to deal with the robbery guy, who it seemed had a problem with her team, she had told Esposito and Ryan that she would do the paper work. They had smiled and then had quickly made themselves scarce, in case she changed her mind. Castle had obviously stayed behind and was putting the last photo in the case box. The two of them hadn't really had a moment alone since telling Alexis that they were now officially together, the case had progressed quickly and anytime they had spent away from the precinct they had spent in their own apartments sleeping.
Knowing that Beckett had paper work to do he turned to her and said, "So can I watch you do paper work or is that still creepy?"
She gave him a smile that lit up the room, a smile that Rick would try everyday to see it was so beautiful, "It's not creepy anymore, or at least not as creepy as it was, so you can stay if you want but you've hardly seen Alexis since we told her about us," at this she dropped her voice, just in case someone came into the bull pen and overheard, "I'm sure she had questions about us and everything."
He nodded, "You sure you don't want me to stay?"
"Go and see your daughter Castle."
He smiled and stood up. Grabbing his coat and putting it on he started to walk towards the lift but he quickly turned around and came back to stand behind Beckett. Leaning over her shoulder he whispered in her ear, "Put you're coming round Kate, as soon as you're done here, we can order in and just relax this evening." He gave her a soft kiss on the cheek then turned and walked back to the lift, not waiting for his answer.
Kate watched him go, then glanced quickly around the bull pen, thankful that nobody seemed to notice what had just happened between her and Rick. As she turned back to her paperwork she realised that it probably wasn't all that weird seeing Castle invade her personal space, he had done it since day one after all. She smiled and started on the paperwork that came from closing a case.
Rick got home and as soon as he had walked into the loft and shut the door he had gone up to Alexis' room, knowing that if she was home that was where she would be. He opened the door to her room and waited for her to finish what she was doing and turn to him. He waited for less than a minute then Alexis put down her pen and turned to face her father.
"Hey Dad," she stood up and gave him a hug, "How's the case going?"
He hugged her back, "All done, Kate's just doing the paper work, she decided she owed the boys so she's doing all of it."
"What did the boys do that got them out of paper work?" Alexis asked, as she let go and led her father down the stairs and into the lounge.
He sat on the sofa, "Took care of Demming's new partner while Beckett and I went and picked up the suspect."
Alexis raised her eyebrow at him, doing a decent impression of Kate. Rick smiled then said, "Demming is Kate's ex, and he doesn't really like me, and it seems his partner felt the same if what Ryan and Esposito said is anything to go by."
Alexis nodded, "How come you're home, I would have thought you would have stayed and 'help' with the paper work."
"Kate basically kicked me out, told me to spend some time with you," he realised how that sounded and quickly added, "Not that I need to be told to spend time with my amazing daughter."
Alexis smiled and shook her head, "Good save Dad."
"I thought so too." He paused then said, "So Kate said you'd have questions, her words were you'd have questions about us and stuff."
Alexis thought for a moment then shrugged, "I only have one," she paused and then holding her father's gaze asked, "Does she make you happy?"
He looked at his daughter, proud of how amazing and unselfish she was, and smiled, "She makes me nearly as happy as you do pumpkin."
Alexis smiled, she could see in her father's eyes that he was telling her the truth and he was happier than she had seen him in a long long time. "I'm glad Dad, you deserve to be happy and after everything Kate had been through so does she."
Castle gave his daughter a smile that was full of love and then pulled her into an engulfing hug. "You are amazing Alexis Castle," he said into her hair, "And I don't know what I did to deserve such an amazing and considerate daughter."