A/N- I want to thank everyone for their reviews. This chapter is a bit out there, but still believable within context of my AU universe...

Walking into the loft late that afternoon, Castle could tell that there was something wrong. It was quiet except for the sound of his mother slamming cabinet doors in the kitchen. Castle knew immediately that it was his mother. When she saw that the happy couple was home, she stopped what she was doing and said, "Hello you two! Did you have a nice honeymoon?"

Kate smiled brightly and said, "It was amazing Martha. Thank you for watching Alexis for us."

Martha shrugged it off and said, "Anything to spend more time with my granddaughter. I can't wait until the baby gets here. She will be spoiled rotten also. At least if I have anything to say about it."

Her words sounded happy, but there was something in her tone that made Castle look at his mother and raise his eyebrows. She shook her head and mouthed silently, "Later."

After talking with Martha for a few more minutes, Kate gave her a hug and then kissed Castle softly and told him, "I'm going to go lay down. Riding in the car is tiring."

Castle laughed and when Kate was out of earshot, asked, "Okay, what's going on?"

Martha honestly didn't know how to tell her son what had happened earlier that day. She knew that he would hit the roof and she wasn't looking forward to telling him. So, she told said, "First, you have to promise that you won't get upset."

"I think can promise that."

Martha shook her head, "I wouldn't be so sure of that Richard."

"Okay. You are starting to scare me mother. Is everything alright with Alexis?"

Martha sighed and told him, "She's fine. Now.."

Castle narrowed his eyebrows and asked, "What happened?"

"Meredith happened."

"What? Meredith showed up here? When? Why didn't you call me?"

He had a thousand questions and Martha knew it. So, she told him, "She showed up here this morning. I could tell that she had been drinking. She smelled like a brewery and..."

"Mother..."

"Right, right. Get to the point. Well, I wouldn't let her in so she started screaming at the top of her lungs about how she had a right to see her daughter and that she wasn't leaving until I let her in. Not only did she wake Alexis up, but she made such a fuss that the neighbors ended up calling the police. Meredith went on and on about how you had kidnapped her daughter."

"She what? That bitch... How dare she? I... How did you get them to leave?"

"I called your lawyer and he brought a copy of the custody agreement. I don't think he was too happy about how early it was."

Castle shook his head, "With the money I pay him it doesn't matter. Did Meredith leave?"

"Eventually, but the damage had already been done."

"What do you mean?"

Martha sighed, "Alexis heard everything. Then Meredith saw her. Before I could stop her she rushed over and picked her up. Started kissing her and telling her how her mommy loved her and that she was going to take her to California and away from you."

Castle closed his eyes and asked, "What?!"

"Alexis started crying and hitting Meredith. She told Meredith that she wasn't her mommy. That her mommy and daddy were in the Hamptons. Meredith tried to tell her that she was wrong and Meredith tried to walk out the door with her."

"She what?!"

"The police officers had to threaten her with arrest. She finally left, but promised that she would be back."

Castle ran his hand through his hair and shook his head, "Why is she showing up now? After all these years. Why didn't you call me mother?"

"I tried, but your phone went to voicemail. Your wedding to Kate made headlines everywhere. And the fact that she is pregnant is also big news. I mean, you are a best selling author and very well known. Meredith said that you don't need two children. That Kate won't want her getting in the way of the new baby. That Kate won't want her anymore. So she said that she wants Alexis back."

"Does she think that Alexis is a puppy? That she won't remember what she did to her?"

Alexis made her way downstairs when she heard her father's raised voice. She could tell that he was upset. She wondered if he was upset at her and would send her to live with her real mother. Her scary mother. She ran into Kate and her father's room and found Kate laying on the bed.

Kate could feel a pair of eyes staring at her. When she opened her eyes, she saw Alexis staring at her. She could tell that something was wrong with the little girl. When she saw her bottom lip tremble, Kate whispered, "What's wrong sweetpea?"

Alexis climbed into bed beside her and buried her head in Kate's chest. Kate could feel the sobs wracking the little girls body. Kate held her tightly and kissed the top of her head. She had no idea what was going on, but something had obviously upset the little girl.

Kate finally asked again, "Did you have a bad dream?"

Alexis shook her head, "My other mommy was here today... She said..."

Kate closed her eyes. Meredith. Shit...She finally asked, "What did she say?"

"She said that she was going to take me back to live with her in California. That you and daddy didn't want me anymore because of your baby and..."

At hearing Alexis' heartbroken words, Kate saw red. She wanted to find the other woman and tear her hair out. One strand at a time. Why would she say those things to her? Much less tell Alexis that Kate didn't want her. Meredith didn't know her. Didn't know how much she loved Alexis. Kate kissed the top of her head and told her, "That isn't true Alexis. Your father and I love you very, very much."

"But I'm not yours... I..."

Alexis was so much like her father that Kate had to smile. She finally told her, "Do you love me any less because I'm not your real mommy?"

Alexis shook her head, "No. I love you lots."

"And I love you. You and your father are the best thing to happen to me in a long, long time Alexis. I couldn't imagine my life without you. You or your father."

"She said that she was going to take me away from daddy. I don't want to go anywhere with her. Please don't make me go with her."

Whatever Meredith had said to, or in front of Alexis had scared the little girl badly. Kate kissed her and whispered, "You aren't going anywhere sweetpea. I can promise you that."

"Will you protect me?"

Kate felt like crying for Alexis. She shouldn't be worrying about needing protection. She should be worrying about school and her friends. Not if someone was going to take her away from the father that loved her. So, she nodded and told her, "You can count on it."

"I love you mommy."

Kate smiled at the little girls words, "I love you to sweetpea. Do you want to sleep here with me?"

Feeling her nod, Kate put her arms around her and held her close. After a few moments, she could tell that the little girl was fast asleep. Kate kissed the top of her head and whispered, "I will always keep you safe Alexis. Always."

Kate fell asleep shortly afterwards. That was how Castle found them when he went in to talk to his wife. Seeing them curled up in bed together made his heart do flip flops. He smiled and got into bed behind Kate. Not bothering to even take his clothes off. He put an arm around Kate's waist and it came to rest on the hand she was using to hold Alexis. Soon, he was fast asleep also.

Martha had been expecting her son and daughter-in-law to come out to the kitchen together. When they didn't, she went looking for them. Seeing the three people she loved curled up in bed together made her heart do crazy things. She had always known that Kate was good for her son and granddaughter, but seeing the protective way she held little Alexis, gave her positive proof. She knew that Kate would do anything to protect Alexis. She shut the bedroom door and went out to the living room to sit and think about the days events.

She knew why Meredith had shown up there that morning. She wanted money and she knew that the easiest way to get it from her son was to threaten to take Alexis from him. Martha was damned if she would let her son give that gold digging bitch another dime of his money. No, she had walked out of their lives all those years ago and she would be damned if she was going to let her walk back in and hurt her granddaughter and son once again.

She had nearly destroyed them once. She would be damned if she would let her do it again. Meredith had given up all rights to her daughter once. It was time to remind her of the terms of their divorce. Terms that she had violated. So, she smiled and picked up the phone to call her former daughter-in-law to set up a meeting. A meeting to remind her that no one crossed Martha or her family...