I think this is personally one of my favorite chapters, dunno really why :P Enjoy!

Vicky and Alex

- here goes a line break but my stupid phone doesn't let me put it -

Kate hadn't told him where they were going. She just had come to his tent very early that morning and ordered him to follow her and they had been walking since then. Rick didn't have a clue where he was, instead just following Beckett like a lost puppy. She was not lost. She knew perfectly well where they were going. She had amazing orientation skills, something that had always impressed Castle.

They stopped in front of the remnants of a stone wall. Kate climbed the wall with no problem and stared down at Castle, her eyes taunting him to follow. He had no desire to climb the meter and half meter high wall. Ever since Meredith died he couldn't do anything else other than sleep and eat. Richard knew that Meredith was not the love of his life, but she had occupied a place in his heart. She had been a good friend, and an excellent lover. More importantly, she had left him with a child.

"I don't have all day," Kate said offering him a hand. Castle reached for it, watching the muscles in her arm tense as she pulled him up. Once Castle was by her side, she jumped down onto the other side of the wall, landing neatly and grinning up at him. "Come on, Castle."

Four or five meters behind the wall there was a clearing between the trees. The sunbeams passed between the trees' almost naked branches and lit up a small creek. The sound of the running water was accompanied by a bird's sweet song and the gentle rustle of the undergrowth as the forest creatures stirred. Richard breathed in.

"I found this place when my mom was killed," Kate explained quietly, jamming her sword in the ground with the hilt up.

"It's been my sanctuary since then." She took her boots off and dipped her toes in the water, testing the temperature before submerging them completely.

Beckett tapped the place next to her, inviting Castle to sit by her. Following her example, Castle took his own boots off languidly and flopped down next to her.

"It's beautiful," Rick let out as he watched the water flow in between his toes, and through the small gap between his and Kate's calves.

"Rick," she broke the silence after a while. "I know Meredith's death has been hard on you, but you have a daughter to take care of; she's already lost her mother, she can't lose her father as well."

After his daughter's birth he had held his baby for a while, until Meredith died. Then one of the happiest days of his life had turned black. He had left the baby at Lanie's tent and hadn't come back to pick her up - he hadn't even named her. He had returned to their – to his – tent and drank wine until he passed out. He didn't even know if someone was breastfeeding. He only knew she was alive because he could hear her cry from his tent. His daughter was better off with the healer than with him anyway. Everyone was better off without him. That was why it was better if he was alone.

He looked at her, his eyes still puffy from crying and haunted by pain. He blinked twice before replying.

"I don't know what to do," the spy whispered, fighting back the tears in his eyes. "I'm alone, and I don't know what do to."

A single tear escaped his eyes and ran down his cheek. He felt so weak, so unmanly. His father would be ashamed of him.

"Oh, Castle," Kate gently wiped his tear away with the roughened pad of her thumb. "You are not alone. You have the Merry Men, you have me." She smiled softly at him. "We are family. As long as you are a part of our family, you are never alone."

Castle brought her close to him in a hug and held her tightly. No one had ever been this kind to him. No one had ever welcomed him and cared for him like the Merry Men had. As he inhaled the cherry scent of Beckett's hair he came to a realization and made a decision. Even if he had sworn loyalty to the Sheriff's men, he had never been part of that family. His family were the Outlaws, here is where he belonged. And here was were his loyalties would not, could not betray Beckett or the Merry Men, he would not bring Beckett to the King.

Just like his daughter's birth had marked the end of Meredith's life, it had marked a new start to his. He had been given a second chance and he was going to make the best of it.

He freed Beckett from his tight hug, but she didn't let go of him. Her arms were still around his back and her chin still rested on his shoulder. After a while she broke the embrace and looked into his eyes.

"Ok, first things first," she said while they pulled their footwear on. "We need to name your daughter."

Castle stood up first and offered a hand to help her. Kate reached for it. She was so light, he could pull her up without much effort. After Kate was standing in front of him, their gazes locked, hands still held in the other's grasp. They were raising his kid together. She cared so much for him that she'd raise other woman's child. He trusted her so much that he was allowing her to raise his new-born.

"It has to be something meaningful," he said, still staring at her. She raised an eyebrow. "The name, it has to be meaningful," he explained. "Katherine means pure, Richard means powerful - I want her to have a name that symbolizes something."

"What about Alexis?" she suggested as they started walking back the way they'd come.

"Alexis..." Richard stopped in front of the wall to think about it.

"It means helper." Kate climbed the wall and Rick followed her with no problem this time. They paused for a moment at the top.

"Alexis," he mused out loud. "The helper."

She would help him to find a new purpose, to become a better person. Yes, that name fit her well.

"I like it," Richard stated.

"Good, then let's go and bring Alexis home."

"Home?"

"I thought it would be good if I stayed with you for a while." Suddenly she was unsure of her decision. She hadn't thought much about how Castle would react to the idea of her taking up residence in his tent. "To keep an eye on both of you."

"Ok," he shrugged. "I just don't think Josh would like that.

Josh. She cursed internally. Of course Josh wouldn't like the fact that she was going to move in with Castle for a while. Why didn't she think about that before? Maybe it was because Rick needed her. Yes, this was the right decision. And she'd deal with Josh later.