Chapter 10: Awkwardness

Kate knocks softly on the red-head's door, "Alexis, I want to talk to you."

"I don't want to talk," the teenager calls through the door.

She opens the door anyway, "Why not?"

Alexis looks up from her book, "Dad sent you up here, didn't he?"

"No, I wanted to come talk to you."

"I have nothing to say."

"Fine, I'll talk then," Kate closes the door and leans against the girl's desk. "I know this is probably awkward for you. I know it would be awkward for me to see my dad kissing another woman. And I'm in no way trying to take your mother's place, Alexis; I would never want to do that, and I'm sorry if it seemed that way to you."

"Kate, this isn't your fault. I'm not mad at you, and I know that you would never try to take my mother's place, especially after your own experience in losing your mother."

"Okay… so what are you angry about then?"

"Dad. He gets angry every time I kiss a guy. And I've only kissed two guys. What's the big deal? I'm not sleeping with them. And that shouldn't really matter anyway because I'm almost eighteen and I can make my own decisions. Besides, I bet he can't even count how many women he's been with."

"Well, you're probably right about the last part. But he's worried about you because he cares; he doesn't want to see you get hurt." Kate smiles, "You know, my dad would always freak out about me kissing guys too. But I'm pretty sure he had more reason to be worried than your dad does."

"So… it's normal? I mean, Ashley's parents never freak out on us, and they're a lot more… modest than Dad is," Alexis sits up and pats the bed beside her.

The detective comes to sit down, "Well, girls generally are weaker and easier to take advantage of, and he just wants to make sure that won't happen to you. Ashley's parents really only have to worry about him; your Dad worries not only about you but also about all those crazy guys out there that could potentially hurt you. Following me around probably doesn't help with the worrying."

"It just gets kind of annoying. But I guess he's allowed to be since he has to do two parents' worth of worrying."

"I'll make you a deal: you don't make out with your boyfriends outside the door for your father to find you, and your father and I won't kiss in front of you."

"It's not that I don't like you guys kissing; I know that you guys are meant to be together. But… I know what kissing leads to. And you're both adults and all so it's perfectly acceptable but it's just… awkward to think about you and Dad like that."

"I'll try to keep your dad in line then."

The teenager smiles, "And I'll try not to give him a reason to freak out about me. But I mean… if you guys want to kiss, it's okay with me. Just… please don't start making out in front of me. Tell me to go somewhere or something so I don't have to see it."

"I think we can do that. So… do you want me to send your dad up so you can talk to him? Or do you want me to talk to him?"

"Um… can you talk to him? For now, at least. My book was just getting exciting before you came in, and I really want to know what happens. I'll come and talk to him in a bit, but… just let him know I'm not angry anymore."

"Sure."

"Are you feeling any better today?"

"The headache's gotten a lot better; I still need the medication in order to relieve the pain so I can concentrate on anything, but hopefully it'll be gone in a few more days."

Alexis nods, "So are you leaving tomorrow?"

"I haven't really talked to your father about that yet. I'm going in to work, but I don't know about afterwards. We aren't really together like that yet so…"

"Well, I like having you here so if that makes it any difference in your decision…"

Kate smiles, "Thanks. And if you ever need anyone to talk to about… anything at all, I'm here."

"Thanks."

"Beckett," Castle yells up the stairs.

"Guess I'd better go before he comes to investigate." When she reaches the top of the stairs, she sees Ryan and Esposito just inside the door. "Hey, what are you guys doing here?"

"It's our weekly videogame party," Ryan smiles. She raises an eyebrow. "Actually, we came to see how you were doing and to update you on the case."

"And?"

"We've talked to everyone related to the case; they all have solid alibis for both break-ins," Esposito informs her.

"That's all you guys have done the past two days? Run down alibis?"

"No, we got security footage from the precinct, obtained images of the two guys that stole everything. But they have masks on so they weren't particularly helpful."

"My place has cameras in the elevator and the lobby."

"We got them. And… the two guys took their masks off in the elevator after attacking you."

"You got a clear shot of their faces?" she asks, nodding to the folder Ryan is holding.

"Yep. Didn't recognize them so we ran them through all the databases and got nothing," he pulls out a photograph and shows it to them.

She studies the photograph. Castle peers over her shoulder, "Hey, I saw those guys." Everyone turns to him. "They were just leaving your building as my taxi was pulling up."

Kate takes a moment to contemplate this before turning back to the detectives, "So what are you doing now?"

"Going back to the original case. If we find who killed Sara Moore, we'll find the guys that attacked you," Esposito reasons.

"Good. I'll be back tomorrow morning to help."

"Don't you have to go in to the doctor to make sure you don't have lasting brain damage?"

"Not for a couple days. And with any luck, he'll give me a note for Montgomery so I can go back in the field."

"One other thing before we go," Ryan smirks and holds up a newspaper.

She grabs it before Castle can and studies the photo of the two of them in the park, then reads the accompanying paragraphs about their relationship. Once she is done, she looks up at them, "Go ahead and say it."

"Say what?" Esposito asks, pretending to be innocent.

"I know you guys have something to say about this."

"Not really. We just wanted to say that it's about time," Ryan smiles.

"And congratulations," his partner adds. "So… we'll see you tomorrow. And be warned, everyone at the precinct has seen this. They were thinking about getting a poster of it made to hang in the break room."

Castle shuts the door behind them and turns to her, "Sorry."

"It's not your fault."

A/N: Sorry for not updating yesterday... kind of forgot. Anyway, I guess everyone is now aware of their relationship. Don't have much time. Have to go to zoology. I can't wait; only three more days and it's over. Until the final next week. So... I will try to remember to update Friday. Please keep reviewing. Thanks.