A/N: More than half of the needed 50.000 words is done. I am sill overwhelmed by your constant alerts, follows, favs and reviews as well as private messages you send me. This is seriously amazing - you've motivated me and the first of two essays is done, too. Just because you support this story, so congratulate yourself on that ;-)

Why is Ellis working with 3XK ... you'll have to be a little more patient, that'll be explained laaaaater :-) Enjoy :-)

Chapter 14 - Surprises

"And may I say, you look very pretty tonight?"

She blushed.

"Oh yeah?" she teased, running her fingers up and down his muscular arms. They embraced.

"Just help me, Castle. Get through all of this" she whispered and Castle could tell she was not only thinking about the upcoming dinner. She was, in fact, talking about everything they had agreed on doing. To be more open with each other. To allow little secrets, on the other hand. To accept each other's flaws and weaknesses. To offer help to make them a strength. To peel the onion. To uncover the depths of each other's soul. To sacrifice things for the other.

"I will, always" he responded against her hair.

The dinner started around 9 pm when Alexis finally made her way to the loft. Traffic had been crazy and some of her fellow students had gathered travel advice - some had already requested help with their packing. It had slowed Alexis down significantly. They sat around the big and roomy table and the waiter Martha hired was busy mixing the first round of drinks for them.

Castle didn't wanna press Kate into talking to Alexis about the private events that took place during the last couple of days but he found she wasn't hiding her engagement ring all too well. It was still nestled against the silky fabric of her dark violet blouse. Martha shot him a look that said 'she's not hiding it very well' and if Kate noticed, she didn't react.

It was Alexis, who eventually broke the silence.

"I know this is kinda odd coming from me" she started, looking insecure all of the sudden "but is there something you guys wanna talk to me about?"

Castle, who was occupied with receiving his white wine, almost let the delicate glass slip through his fingers. Kenny, the young waiter, shot him a disapproving look. Now he was being scolded by a boy in his twenties who was probably still wet behind his ears? Really?

Martha straightened her posture, leaning in. She, too, was eager to find out. Granted, there had been the cryptic insinuation by her son earlier that day. Not to mention the all too creepy faked wedding invitation. Still, they hadn't come totally clean with her. And here they were, confronted with the only other person left on the planet Richard could not lie to. And didn't want to.

Kate played with a strand of her hair. It was her gesture for flirting and for very uncomfortable situations. Still, who was she kidding? She needed to come clean with Alexis before the girl flew off to Costa Rica. If she was honest to herself, she shouldn't find it uncomfortable at all. She sat in the midst of her new family and she could become an official member of it if she was able to just open her mouth and speak!

"I am not good at expressing myself" she started, her voice quiet and tense "I've never been and I am just getting started opening up. To all of you, I guess."

Castle shot her an encouraging look and Martha's eyes already started to fill with tears. 'What a melodramatic she can be sometimes' Castle thought.

"We've a lot of hard work ahead of us. I learned that the hard way" she looked at Castle, her eyes full of apology "but I was never one to give up."

"That is most certain, dear" said Martha. Alexis, too, looked at her and genuinely nudged Kate's arm, encouraging her to go on. The sensitive redhead understood how difficult the speech must be for her father's girlfriend.

"I learned ... we learned ... that we have to challenge ourselves constantly. Life challenges us and people do, too" Castle flinched. Kate squeezed his thigh.

"We've agreed on trying this together a little over a year ago and it's been a great run. We've decided we want even more" she added, almost quoting his exact words from the swing set. Alexis sensed where the monologue was headed and a smile slowly spread on her face.

When Kate was shot at Roy Montgomery's funeral and they had rushed her off to the hospital, a part of her father died when she was brought into the ER. The dark months that followed when she had retreated into her father's cabin were very visible recollections for Alexis. His brooding mood. Sometimes not seeing him for days when inspiration struck him and he just wrote for 36 hours straight. Him forgetting to shower. Him not caring for showers at all. Her shoving him into his bathroom because she couldn't stand the moping mess that he had been any longer.

When Kate returned to the city and they started working together again Alexis had asked him if she made him happy. He had said yes. She had pressed if this was enough. He had said it was 'for now'.

She hadn't seen him as gloriously happy with anyone else before. The past year had made up for all the other situations they had found themselves in. Alexis was happy for her dad. And for Kate, too. They both deserved happiness.

"Soooo?" asked Alexis, now beaming. Kate touched the engagement ring on her necklace and Alexis gasped.

"So we are getting married ..." Kate slowly said and added "someday."

Alexis quickly got up and went around the table to wrap Kate in a tight hug. Martha patted her son's arm and smiled knowingly. Castle got up to find himself wrapped in a tight squeeze by his daughter the moment he stood. He was relieved Alexis took the news so well. After all, she had seen the best and the worst Kate could do to him.

"I hope you don't mind me asking" the younger redhead said when she had detangled her arms from her father's tight grip "but why are you not wearing it ... um ... where you'd normally wear it?

Kate blushed. She couldn't properly explain her hesitation to herself, how was she supposed to explain it to Alexis?

"You just wanna be sure?" Alexis asked.

'Is that it? Do I just wanna be entirely sure?' Kate thought. She knew there were no guarantees. She knew there was no one out there making the promise that they would live happily ever after. But if it wasn't with him, then it couldn't be with anyone else. She simply new it. She should never have allowed a job offer doubt the man she loved. Stupid. Stupid, stupid, stupid.

"No ... I ... I am sure." Kate whispers. Castle looked at her, suddenly all excited. His eyes sparkled with hope, pride and joy. She was there, right next to him. And she was sure. His joking self came to life.

"Why don't you put it on when we're at home. And at work, you hide it. That way we can have some fun with Ryan and Esposito!"

"Oh Richard!"

"Daaaaad!"

"Castle!"

"Can we try to run the numbers again?" asked Ryan, his eyes tired.

"Yo, why don't we call it a night?" Esposito contradicted "You look super tired man, and I bet Jenny would love to see you come home before midnight."

"You could be right about that" Ryan mumbled.

"So go, we have it covered."

Ryan 'uampfed' and shuffled out of the room to grab his jacket and leave. That left Esposito and Tori Ellis.

"So, we know it is our friend Tyson" Esposito stated, all businesslike "and we know he's left us a little riddle with the numbers. All we need to do is find out what they say."

Tori rubbed her eyes, pretending to be exhausted as well. In truth, she wasn't tired at all. However, she knew that she couldn't credibly point the detective at the correct solution tonight. Either, because the plan said otherwise and because she wanted to remain credible to the detectives and to their superiors. So she pretended to suppress a yawn.

"Yo, you look tired, too. Why don't we wrap this up and get a fresh start tomorrow?" Esposito asked.

"Sounds pretty good to me" Ellis responded, gathering her belongings which she's brought down in the meantime.

Esposito, whose cell phone had lit up with a message, looked at her and said "Imma ... head out, gotta get going..."

"Alright" Ellis smirked "I'll find the way out."

As soon as Esposito was out of sight, she took out her burner phone and typed a message:

"They know it's you. Didn't figure out the message. As planned."

His response is quick, as always: "Perfect. You're doing well. 395"

She snapped her phone shut and headed out of the precinct. Her night had just begun.

Later that night when Kate was nestled against Castle's broad chest, her hand ordained with the sparkling engagement ring, she felt the urge to apologize again.

"I shouldn't have kept secrets" Kate mirrored her words from the swing set once again.

"I shouldn't have ever kept secrets from you. Sometimes I should have found the courage to walk up to you and say 'You're right, I'm jealous. And I like you.' I cannot actually believe I never had the guts to do it."

"Oh, so you admit that you had a crush on me when we met?"

Kate looks at him, disapprovingly.

"You're doing it again, Castle!"

"Doing what?"

"Distracting me with a witty comment. Didn't we agree on maintaining the mood, if it is serious? Even if it is just for a bit?" she begged.

"Yeah ... yeah, we did, I'm sorry" he apologized.

"Well, I should have been more open. I wanted someone to dive in with together, and I knew quite early that this someone was you. Not Will, not Demming, not Josh .. you we're right to confront me with that, back then. I fled into relationships with men I didn't love and ended them because they didn't mean enough for me. Well..."

"Well...?"

"You did. I ended things with all of them. For you. I know that now. I even wanted to go to the Hamptons with you that one summer and then you showed up with Gina" Kate said, a bitter tone in her voice.

"You did? Kate, I had no idea?!"

"See, I should have just told you. And I didn't."

"You did, now!" he responded, gently caressing her arm "We're here. We're good. Whatever happens, we'll do it together. Right?"

"Right" she smiled and snuggled even closer to him.

"That ring looks pretty on you" he mumbled into her ear, sending electric waves through her body.

"Yeah, you know what, Castle?"

"Yeah?" he hummed, pressing soft kisses along her neck.

"I wonder when the boys are gonna find out."

"I don't care" he groaned and attacked her throat with his mouth, quickly flipped her over and had her panting in no time.

"Right now I am more interested in this."

"Castle?"

"Mhhh?"

"What did Gates want?"

A/N: Don't worry, we'll continue the murder investigation soon but I felt this needed to be done. I couldn't let Alexis go to Costa Rica without her knowing. I hope you've enjoyed this somewhat calmer chapter. Reviews are golden :-) If you manage to get the review count to 100, the next chapter will be online today, too. So, up to you guys ;-) xoxo