2x10 - One Man's Treasure
When Anna Knowles left, Beckett stood in the break room, watching Castle and his daughter. This was one of the things she was glad to know about him: that he was a great father. He might be immature and annoying, but with his daughter, he was caring, understanding and always seemed to be exactly what she needed.
Just like now.
He didn't say anything, just stood up and pulled his daughter into a hug. Alexis closed her eyes and hugged him back, murmuring something that made Castle smile. Beckett busied herself with making coffee, she almost felt like an intruder in this moment between father and daughter. That was why she didn't notice Alexis coming to the break room and she almost spilled her coffee over her hands when she saw the girl.
"Oh, I'm so sorry, Detective Beckett," Alexis said as she noticed the coffee on the table.
"It's alright, Alexis," Beckett shook her head. "I was just not paying attention. Can I help you in any way?"
Alexis nodded shyly. "Well, it was just an idea, and you don't even have to say yes, I just thought…"
Beckett smiled. "It won't make it better if you keep dancing around the actual topic. Just ask me!"
"Um, dad said he'd take me out to the café with, and I quote, 'the best chocolate cake in New York', and I was wondering if you'd like to join us."
Oh, wow, that wasn't what Beckett had expected.
"Before you ask, that wasn't his idea, I just thought maybe you'd like that, and dad is paying so…", Alexis added quickly when Beckett didn't answer and that made the older woman laugh.
"Don't worry Alexis, I'd love to join you actually. This is a nice idea." She dumped her coffee cup in the sink and went out. Castle already stood there in his coat.
"I take it you're joining us, Detective?"
Beckett nodded. "Who can say no to the best chocolate cake in New York?"
Castle grinned and helped his daughter into her coat. "I knew it! You're secretly a chocoholic!"
"What a surprise, Castle, you're only getting this now?" Beckett rolled her eyes and went to fetch her jacket.
When she saw the town car waiting in front of the precinct, she was almost on her way to the garage to fetch her Crown Vic, but Alexis just pulled her inside.
"I could have driven there myself," she protested half-heartedly.
"You could have, but it's difficult to find a parking space there," Castle said as he slips in behind the two women. "It's easier that way."
Beckett sighed and leaned back. Now she couldn't even find a legit reason for not accepting a town car. The ride was silent, Alexis seemed to be a bit tired and leaned on Castle's shoulder and Beckett didn't want to interrupt, so she just sat there and stared out of the window. They arrived at the café and Beckett was surprised to find out that it was just around the corner from her apartment. "I never knew there was a café here!", she said, turning around to Castle.
He shrugged. "You should pay more attention sometimes."
They went in and found a small table for three that was just being cleared. Beckett and Alexis sat down while Castle took all their jackets and then went to the counter to order.
"You'll both love this," he promised when he came back to the table. "I've never tasted a better chocolate cake!"
Beckett hid a smirk. She was going to wait until she had actually tasted that cake but she was pretty sure it was not the best chocolate cake. There was only one, and the receipt for it was guarded by the women of the Beckett family, passed down from mother to daughter. To be honest, she hadn't made that cake in years, but it would still be better than the one in this café.
Finally, the waiter arrived with three plates and three mugs - two coffee and one hot chocolate, as far as Beckett could see it - and placed them on the table. Both Castle and Alexis immediately started eating the cake, and Alexis closed her eyes. "Dad, you were right, this is absolutely delicious!"
"Aren't you going to try it?" Castle asked Beckett, who still looked at her piece and compared it to her mother's cake. This one was bigger and looked more perfect - but that didn't mean it would taste better.
She took her fork and ate a small piece, under the suspicious eyes of the two Castles. Wow. Certainly delicious, a rich chocolatey flavor but still not too rich… But she couldn't help but notice certain things that were wrong, a tiny bit of cinnamon was missing, it was too much cocoa… Almost relieved, she smiled. Her chocolate cake was still the best.
"So?" Castle asked and Beckett looked up. She had almost forgotten that she wasn't here by herself. "Is it as good as I promised?"
Beckett raised her eyebrows. "I have to admit this is really, really good. Probably the best one you can buy in a café in New York."
"See, I told you so, this is…" He hesitated. "Wait, you said, this is the best you can buy."
"I did. Where's the problem?"
"You didn't say it was the best cake." Now he looked almost disappointed.
"Yes, because although this is amazing, there is definitely a better cake." Beckett smiled and Alexis' eyes widened. Good, the girl had understood. Time to have some fun with her father.
"So what do you say, Alexis," Beckett leaned over to the girl, "how about a girl's night next Saturday?"
Alexis looked over to her dad, then winked. "Sure, I'd love to!"
"Can I come too?"
Both women eyed Castle suspiciously, then Alexis noted, "Dad, she didn't ask you, of course you can't come!"
"Besides," Beckett added, "there are some things that can only be told to girls. That's why it's called girl's night."
He pouted, with little success which made Alexis whisper in his ear:
"Don't worry, I'll tell you all the important things anyway."
A/N: I'm a bit in a hurry, that's why you're getting a whole bunch of chapters right now without further ado... I hope you enjoy them, if you do, follow, favorite, review!
Thanks to The-KLF for editing all those chapters!
K xx