Chapter 10

(Just goes to show you need me less than I need you.)

.

Christmas passes but her caseload doesn't get any lighter just because it's the holiday season. In fact, it gets slightly worse. They are standing in front of the espresso machine right after New Years, talking about the latest murder when Kate abruptly changes the topic.

"Josh and I had a fight."

"When?"

"A few days ago."

"Why?"

She laughs dryly. "He says we never have sex anymore."

Castle's eyebrows rise. "Sounds like a conversation I had with Gina."

"Really?"

"Mhm. Granted, we had the same conversation right before we got divorced so it just felt like a continuation."

She rolls her eyes. "So, what happened?"

"Between me and Gina? Well, she brought up some of my faults and I ended up calling her a bunch of immature names and then she stormed out."

"So, you didn't break up?"

"We've done much worse to each other." It doesn't really answer the question. He glances over at her, "What happened between you and Josh?"

"We argued before deciding that it was due to our busy schedules and we should try harder to spend more time with each other," she pauses, and then, "We weren't really serious before but… he's been spending the night at my place ever since."

Castle nods, trying not to betray any emotion. It explains why she hasn't called him lately for not murders. She's been trying to put distance between them ever since the impulsive kiss they had shared upon his return from Europe.

She's holding a coffee cup in her hand and he can tell she's nervous because she's fidgeting with the handle. There's nobody else in the room and she moves to close the door before she speaks.

"Castle?"

He senses what's coming, had known what she had wanted to tell him ever since that last time. He makes it easier on her and beats her to the punch. "You're gonna miss me." His tone is teasing but his eyes are not.

She lets out a sigh and then her whole face changes, like she's putting on an old mask. She shoots him a grin. "Don't flatter yourself, Castle."

She opens the door to leave, intercepting Esposito and the suspect he's just hauled in. The change is so abrupt: like a switch has been pulled and they're back to where they were four months ago.

Except Castle doesn't stop Kate to tell her that he had broken up with Gina weeks ago – sometime during the book tour. He had had trouble answering when she had asked why.

But, it's not hard to admit the reason now: he's just in love with somebody else.

.

"Dad?" Alexis pokes her head into his study. It's noon but she's still in her pyjamas, trying to prolong her lazy Sunday morning.

Castle is typing on his computer although it's become a day where anything he writes sounds like crap. He looks up. "Yeah, pumpkin?"

Alexis walks into the room and perches herself on his desk. "Are you okay?"

Castle smiles at his daughter. "Why does it feel like you worry about me more than I worry about you?"

"Because clearly, I'm the grown-up in this relationship."

Castle laughs genuinely for the first time in days. "No argument there."

"But seriously, dad. Do we need to go out and buy six cartons of ice-cream? Maybe do a movie marathon?"

"Sweetie, I'm fine."

Alexis looks doubtful. "You haven't been out of the house in a week. Is it because of the whole Gina situation?"

Gina had dropped by a couple of weeks ago to pick up a pair of earrings that she had left behind. She had stopped acting frosty towards Castle pretty soon after their break-up, though – as his publisher, she had to get him to make several appearances during the holiday season.

Castle knows he can't very well tell his daughter that his depression has nothing to do with the person he had been dating as it is stemming from the person he had been sleeping with on the side. He doesn't think it would set a very good example.

He changes the subject instead. "What about you? Are you okay?"

"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?"

"Sweetie, I know this must be hard on you too. I'm just sorry that I had to put you through that again." Castle is sincere in his concern of how his relationships affect Alexis' life and he knows that she knows that.

"I know how you protect me, dad," she says, "Ever since I was little, you only introduced me to girlfriends that you were serious about and I appreciated that. Besides, I'm older now. I know that people break up. You just have to find somebody you're meant to be with." Alexis suddenly gets this starry-eyed look and Castle knows that she's drifted off into thinking about her boyfriend.

"You want to call Ashley now, don't you?" he asks.

She smiles sheepishly. "Kinda." She hops off the desk and gives him a hug. "You're getting out of the house tomorrow."

Castle chuckles as he watches his daughter rush off.

He's not really surprised when another redheaded figure appears in his doorway seconds later. "Mother," he says wryly, "Were you eavesdropping?"

"Well," she lifts up a shoulder, "I haven't been getting as much information out of Alexis lately."

Castle raises his eyebrows. "You think she's hiding something from us?

Martha laughs, "Hardly. I meant she has found a new and wise confidante in that Detective Beckett."

"And you're… jealous?"

"Quite the opposite. I'm glad that Alexis has found somebody younger to talk to – I'm in a different generation."

"Ha! Try three generations."

"Tut, tut. There's no need to be specific," Martha says, "Besides, I am going to die one day and then who else is Alexis going to talk to about boys?"

"Mother, that's morbid."

"Says the man who's constantly on the lookout for more creative ways to kill people."

"Occupational hazard," he quips. "And how exactly do you know that Alexis has been talking to Beckett? She hasn't told me they've been hanging out."

"Well… I've picked up the phone once or twice by accident."

"Okay, that's eavesdropping."

"From the sounds of it, Alexis has already adopted her, if not as a surrogate mother, than certainly as a sister figure." Martha smiles, "Kate is a lovely woman, Richard, but," there's a loaded pause, "I'm sure you know that already."

Castle is annoyed that his mother is broaching the one subject he had deftly avoided for weeks. "Yes, mother," he replies sardonically, "I know how wonderful she is."

"Mhm." There's a familiar twinkle in her eyes. "And how long has it been since you started thinking she could be the love of your life?"

He doesn't even try to hide it anymore. "About two months," he answers.

"I thought so."

Castle slouches down in his chair. "Hey!" he says, when Martha turns to leave, "That's it? You're not going to tell me what to do about it?"

"I do not interfere in matters of unrequited love," she responds with a dramatic flair.

Castle rolls his eyes. "Oh, really? Since when?"

"Since I've realised that Katherine Beckett is the only woman who has given you a run for your money. The mere fact that you are still chasing her means that you really care for her. She's good for you, Richard, whether she chooses to date you or not."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence, mother."

A/N: :) Review time?