I think you all might like this a bit better ~
Javi and Kevin drove from the Hamptons back into the city. Javi had given up trying to get Kevin to talk in the car, but he'd be darned if he was going to drop him off at his apartment without getting a few words in about the sticky situation they found themselves in.
He found a bar that wasn't The Old Haunt and parked, "Let's go."
"This isn't my building," Kevin glanced up at the unfamiliar building.
"You and me need to talk," Javi motioned between the two of them and then the bar. "Come on. You're buying me a pint."
"Am I now?" Kevin smirked as he got out of the car. "Alright. Guess it's the least I can do for the ride home."
"Damn right."
The pair bellied up to the bar and ordered their beers, waiting until they each had a few sips in them before Javi got to the meat of the discussion. "So how long have you and Alexis been fooling around behind everyone's back?"
"Don't put it like that," Kevin shook his head. "It's not a seedy affair, Javi."
"I'm not trying to imply it is," Javi responded. "I'm trying to be respectful, but you owe me the same courtesy. We're partners, Bro. Why the heck didn't you tell me?"
"What would you have said to me if I did?"
"I would have first made sure you two knew what you were doing, and not in the 'how the parts fit kind of way'. I'd have made sure you knew what kind of mess you two were creating for all of us," Javi replied. "She's Castle's daughter, Man."
"I know who her father is, Javier," Kevin shook his head. "That's part of why she didn't want to give this a shot. She knew what it could do to the friendship we all have if things went sideways with her and me. Do you know how long it took me to get her to give me an honest shot?"
"My first question is why did you want a shot?" Javi asked. "I'm not going to tell you how to grieve, but I do need to remind you. Jenny died just over a year ago. That seems pretty quick."
"She wouldn't want me to pass up a chance at being happy again, no matter when it came," Kevin said quietly.
"Jenny was a great woman that way," Javi smiled slightly. "Second question, how long has this been going on?"
"A few months," Kevin admitted. "We took it slow. We were going to tell you guys this week."
"A few months!" Javi exclaimed, "Yet you gave no indication whatsoever to me, your partner and best friend. That's a bad move in my book."
"If I told you there was someone, then you'd want to know who, and if you knew who, the next time you and I had a fight, out comes 'At least I'm not sleeping with Castle's kid'."
"You know me better than that," Javi scowled at him, "If you're happy, then I'm happy for you, but you had best grovel at Castle's feet until he forgives you, which might take a while."
Kevin sighed, "I get it. He didn't find out in the best way, but am I really so bad of a choice?"
"Look at this from Castle's side of things," Javi suggested, "You're several years older than her. You're a widower with a young child. You are a good guy, but you're also one of his best friends. A friend doesn't date the daughter of the other friend without permission."
"Do you think he would've given it?"
"After a considerable amount of begging he might have," Javi responded after a moment of thought, "We'll never know though because you didn't have the decency to ask."
"I'm a jerk. Message received," Kevin rolled his eyes.
"You're not a jerk," Javi replied, "You just made some questionable choices. When Castle calms down, he'll agree with me."
"I just hope it doesn't take the predicted decade," Kevin sighed.
"It may be sooner if Kate and him start popping out more kids," Javi chuckled.
"Yeah, I don't see Beckett doing that just to help me out," Kevin shook his head.
"Probably not," Javi snorted, "If I were you, I'd starting thinking of ways to butter Castle up."
"I'm more worried about Alexis right now. She's mad but at the same time, I know how much her dad's opinion means to her."
"Those two are the tightest father/daughter duo I've ever known," Javi replied, "Of course she'll want his approval. Remember what happened with that one dude she dated a few years ago, the weirdo who liked bees? Castle never warmed up to him, and soon she sent him packing."
"Pi was an idiot," Kevin shook his head remembering some of Alexis's stories about the other man.
"Whose name is Pi anyways," Javi asked, "Wonder what happened to him."
"With any luck, he met someone else obsessed with saving the bees, and they're currently decorating their hive somewhere far away."
"You sound a bit jealous, Bro," Javi snorted.
"Yeah, well, I think I'm allowed to be jealous when it comes to other guys who touched Alexis."
"Last question, and then I'll let this entire situation go," Javi replied, "You two are being safe, right?"
"Yes, we're being very safe."
"Good," Javi finished off his beer, "Want another?"
"No, I have limits. Getting drunk is not the answer to this situation."
"Good to hear you've learned your lesson," Javi motioned for the tab to be given to his partner to pay up.
Kevin smiled and dug out his wallet to give the bartender money.
"Come on," Javi patted his back, "I'll get you home."
"Thanks, Man."
-d-d-d-d-d-
Kate opened the door to the loft and was surprised to see her stepdaughter sitting on the floor in front of the coffee table with a bottle of wine, two glasses, and ice cream with two spoons sticking out.
"What did Kevin do?" Kate asked.
"Oh no, it wasn't Kevin. It was that man you insisted on marrying."
"Castle? What did he do?" Kate snatched up a tub of ice cream and plopped herself down next to Alexis, "I thought he was writing in the Hamptons."
"Guess where Kevin and I went to have a quiet weekend just the two of us," Alexis looked at her. "When you're done with that, guess what Kevin and I were doing when Dad walked into my room without knocking."
"Oh no!" Kate gasped and then quickly reached for a glass of wine to wash down her surprise.
"Yeah," Alexis slipped in a large bite of her ice cream.
"Where is he?"
"Dad or Kevin? They might be having fist fight out in the Hamptons for all I know."
Kate reached for her phone with the intention of dialing her husband when she saw she'd missed several calls and texts from him. "Damn, I forgot I silenced my phone during dinner with my dad."
"You better call him back. I have a feeling he's stranded."
"I will in a bit," Kate set the phone aside, "My first priority is you."
"He completely overreacted," Alexis took another bite from her ice cream.
"How undressed were you and Kevin?"
Alexis blushed furiously, "That's not the point."
"That answers that question," Kate took another drink from her glass, "How bad did he react?"
"I have a feeling that if Javi hadn't been present, Dad would be looking for a place to hide Kevin's body."
"You had to expect he'd be a bit mad when he found out about the two of you," Kate stated.
"Mad, yes," Alexis nodded, "Hurt, yes. I did not expect him to fly off the handle and tell me I was too young to take on a widower with a kid. Me. I've been more mature than him since I was six."
"I know you don't want to hear this, but he did raise some valid points. Kevin is older than you, and he did lose his wife not long ago," Kate stated.
"Why does everyone keep saying that?" Alexis growled.
"Because you need to know this could go bad," Kate said gently, trying to coax Alexis out of her anger just a little.
"I know this could go bad. That's why I didn't want to get involved in the first place," Alexis admitted.
"But you did," Kate replied, "You have to prepare yourself. Yes, you love him, and he might love you..."
"Yes, he does," Alexis interrupted, "He told me so."
"That's wonderful," Kate smiled, "But..."
"I hate buts," Alexis frowned.
"But it might be too soon for him," Kate finished.
"Too soon for him or too much of a commitment for me?" Alexis said quietly.
"Maybe both," Kate replied, "I know you're attached to Sarah Grace, and she clearly adores you. Is it possible you've transferred your feelings for Sarah Grace to her father?"
"No," Alexis shook her head. "No matter how much I love that little girl, there is no way I'd ever start something with Kevin unless it was him I wanted and not just to remain in Sarah Grace's life."
"Good," Kate replied, "You both deserve true happiness."
"What do I do, Kate?" Alexis asked, "Dad's opinion means a lot to me."
"I know it does," Kate nodded. "Maybe you and Kevin should take a break from each other for a little while; just until your dad calms down."
"What? No," Alexis shook her head, "That's ridiculous. It could take weeks or months for him to calm down."
"Just give your dad some time," Kate advised. "I'm saying stop seeing Kevin all together. Just slow it down."
"What if Dad never gets over it?" Alexis felt the tears welling in her eyes, "What do I do then?"
"That's up to you," Kate shook her head. "But I think he'll come around."
"What makes you so sure?"
"Because deep down he knows that if he doesn't, you'll always love him a little less for making you choose."
"I couldn't ever," Alexis gasped, "He's my dad."
"How mad are you at him right now?"
"Pretty mad," Alexis took another drink from her glass, "He treated me like a child."
"So, imagine him being afraid that you'll always be a little mad at him. That's why I think he'll come around."
"I hope so," Alexis replied, "God, I really messed this up, Kate."
"It's okay, Bud. Things will work out."
"You better call Dad," Alexis pointed out.
"If he is stranded, he'll have to spend the night. I had a couple glasses of wine with my dad, and now this," Kate held up her glass, "I'd rather not take the chance."
"Well, call him anyway. I'm sure he wants to vent about his incredibly ungrateful daughter and his backstabbing friend."
"You going to be okay?" Kate asked.
"Yeah. Since Dad won't be here, I'll crash in my old room. I should call Kevin and make sure he got home okay."
"Yeah, you should," Kate rose to her feet and dialed her husband before stepping into the bedroom.
Kate dialed her husband and waited.
"Are you okay?" he asked in greeting.
"And hello to you," Kate smiled.
"I've been calling and texting you for a couple of hours," Rick replied, "It's not like you to ignore me."
"My ringer was off. I'm sorry," Kate said. "So, what's up?"
"Don't even pretend you don't know what's going on," he growled, "If I know my daughter, she's at our place right now eating ice cream, drinking wine and watching a chick flick."
"No chick flick," Kate amended, "At least not yet. You didn't even knock?"
"She was visiting her mother in California. Why would I knock when it was a trespasser?" Rick replied, "Lucky for them Javi left his gun at home."
"How nasty did you get with Kevin? Did you bring up Jenny? Give me an estimate of how long I'm going to have to ban you from the precinct."
"Probably a month," Rick sighed, "I wasn't prepared for what I walked in on."
"How long until you and Kevin can be in the same room together without you having the urge to put your fist through his face?"
"Longer," Rick said. "He was naked with my daughter, Kate. Tell me what your dad would've done."
"That's really not important, Castle," Kate replied, "You need to make this right with your daughter. She's very upset right now."
"How do you think I feel?"
"How do you feel?" she asked.
"Betrayed," Rick replied, "By both my daughter and one of my best friends."
"Rick, neither of them set out to betray you. They just didn't want to make a big deal of things until they were sure it was serious."
"It looked entirely too serious to me," he grumbled.
"Babe, you need to relax," Kate said. "I can't come get you tonight. Why don't you order pizza and just veg out?"
"You're going to make me stew here in Kevin and Alexis's filth until the morning?" he exclaimed.
"That's over the top, even for you," Kate chided him.
"The whole house is tainted," Castle grumbled.
"Then I guess you might as well call a realtor while you're there," Kate suggested, "I've had too much wine to come get you tonight."
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?"
"You mean the fight you and your daughter are having? No, I am not."
"I should call Mother," Rick sighed, "Let her know what's going on."
"Consider those words," Kate advised. "Have you ever been able to hide anything from Martha? What makes you think Alexis even tried?"
"Good point," Rick sighed a second time, "She's probably known this entire time."
"Probably," Kate agreed.
"I should go," Rick stated, "I have a pizza to order and sheets to burn."
"Just don't burn down the house," Kate cautioned him.
"Yes, Dear," Rick nodded. "I know how attached you are to this place."
"I am, but so are you. Love you."
"I love you, too," Rick replied, "Take care of my daughter."
"Always," Kate smiled.
Kate ended the call and quickly changed into some comfortable pajamas.
She emerged from her room just in time to see the opening credits from You've Got Mail on the screen.
"Did Kevin get home alright?" Kate asked while glanced at the buffet of junk food on the coffee table Alexis had dug out for the occasion.
"Yeah," Alexis nodded. "He said I shouldn't have any more wine. I'm slurring my words."
"How many glasses did you have before I got here?" Kate asked.
"I don't know," Alexis frowned. "I think I'm a little drunk."
"No more wine for you then," Kate corked the bottle and returned it to the fridge, "Focus on the junk food. It will soak up some of the alcohol."
"How'd Dad sound?"
"He's upset, just like you," Kate replied.
"Is he plotting Kevin's untimely death?"
"Perhaps on paper," Kate snorted, "He'd never do such in real life."
"Are you sure about that?" Alexis's eyes looked sad. "He was so angry, Kate."
"I know my husband," Kate assured her, "He's not capable of physical violence unless they threaten him or someone he loves."
"Okay," Alexis nodded and then leaned her head on Kate's shoulder, "I hate chick flicks."
"Then why are we watching one?" Kate laughed.
"Seemed appropriate," Alexis smiled.
"Pass the chips," Kate requested, "Let's get this junk food party started."
"Okay," Alexis handed her a bowl of chips and took some for herself.
-d-d-d-d-d-
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