AN: I am aware that this chapter is rather on the short side. It just seemed like a fitting place to end it though. Besides, it's about quality not quantity ;) That said, another update will inevitably be up shortly. To my readers & reviewers, I adore you all. Thank you for your continued support!

Chapter Twenty-Five

She gasped a breath, her jaw dropping open and choked out a strangled –

"Uh."

She found herself nodding, forgetting the girl couldn't see her. "Yeah. Yeah, Alexis, that sounds good," she quietly admitted. Alexis let out a sigh from the breath she didn't quite know she was holding.

"Thank you," she added, relief spilling out from her in waves.

"I'll be there soon, Alexis. Just, don't tell your Dad yet, okay?" Beckett was worried about asking the girl that, she just wanted it to be unexpected. To really knock him off his feet and all that. It reminded her of her conversation earlier with Lanie in the hospital, he shouldn't be surprised. But considering her behaviour this afternoon she doubted he would be anything but surprised. It was okay, though, she knew it would be a good surprise. The kind of surprise that meant they could both finally unwind and actually get some sleep tonight.

"Sure," Alexis replied, albeit a little puzzled but not really caring enough to question it. So long as the detective was coming, it should all work out in the long run. She just had to keep her Dad entertained a little while longer, and with the ice-cream and movie she had planned, that shouldn't be difficult. Besides, when it came down to it, she wanted some alone time with her Dad. Excluding that, she wanted him to actually sleep tonight and she knew that as a result of his obvious infatuation with Beckett he would only do that if he could see that she was safe. It was a small price to pay for the loss of some quality family time. Although she wasn't quite fully ready to acknowledge it, Martha's defence of Beckett in the hospital the night before seemed fitting, she really was becoming like family. Alexis knew it was going to take her a little while to get used to that, her Dad was hers after all, and he had been for a long time now.

As she chewed over the masses of thoughts running through her mind, she made her way back downstairs to find her Dad clutching his phone rather helplessly, movie choice remaining unselected.

"Dad, movie?" she reminded him gently.

"Right. Any preferences?" he responded rather half-heartedly. He looked somewhat dejected, turning his phone over and over in the palm of his hand. Martha nudged him towards the DVDs and ushered Alexis into the kitchen.

"Your father is waiting on a call from Detective Beckett," she whispered when they were out of earshot. "He called her a few minutes ago and barely got a hello out before she had to take another call. She said she'd call him back, and well, as I said, he's waiting, and not very patiently I might add," she grimaced at her granddaughter. Alexis blushed and Martha regarded her quizzically.

"That other call, that was me," she admitted, biting the inside of her cheek, somewhat embarrassed. "I invited Beckett over. Figured they'd both get more sleep that way."

"Oh darling, that's excellent," Martha grinned with flourish.

"You think?" Alexis replied reluctantly.

"Of course, your father's in a state. She's the only one who's going to have any chance of getting through to him and with this man on the loose, our building's more secure than hers. Remember that break in scene from Heat Wave we most certainly don't want that becoming a reality now do we," she mused, excitement clouding her tone. It was a win-win situation as far as she was concerned, it was about time Richard and his dear detective settled down. No more of this tiptoeing around one another. She considered what she could do to the spare room to make it unsleepable and force Beckett into her son's bed. Burning it down? Perhaps that was taking things to the extreme just a tad. Nevertheless, she could subtly nudge them in the right direction. She returned to living room, after winking at Alexis who was busy preparing bowls of ice-cream, to ensure that Richard choose nice romantic movie to watch, just to set the scene. She briefly considered lighting candles around the room, then flashed back to her burning down the spare bedroom idea and changed her mind. She did, however, have the tenacity to switch off the main light as she sat down, leaving a much wider space next to her son this time.

X-X-X-X-X-X

Beckett turned to Lanie who was regarding her with a smirk, her eyes playful, her expression teasing.

"So, that was Alexis," she began, ignoring the growing, I-told-you-so grin that was blooming on her best friend's face. "Apparently Castle's having a hard time dealing with it all and is going to go rogue and try solve the case. Seems when that inevitably happens, I'm the only one who can stop him."

"Ah-huh," Lanie grinned. "Shocker."

"I'll see you tomorrow then," Beckett hugged her friend tightly. "Thanks," she whispered in her ear as she let her go, getting to her feet.

"Do you know what I'm really curious about," Lanie said to herself as her friend retreated from hearing distance. "Did writer boy set up his adorable daughter to call or did she come up with that all by herself?" The waitress walking by regarded her with a weird glare. "Talk to yourself public just once and people think you're crazy," Lanie muttered under her breath as she left a tip and made her way from the diner. "I do it all the time in the morgue and no one judges me there," she added glibly, stepping out into the night air.

X-X-X-X-X-X

Beckett called Castle back as she was around the corner from the loft.

"Hey," she smiled into the phone.

"Hey you," he replied softly.

"Dad," Alexis moaned in the background.

"Just a sec, Beckett," he whispered. She heard muffled clattering before the background noise dulled completely. "Sorry, we just started a movie. Apparently I was ruining it by answering my phone in a good part, and had to retreat to my secluded bedroom," the inflection on the last part was completely intentional. Beckett fought the urge to grin. Two could play at that game.

"Sounds cosy," her voice was low, teasing.

"Oh, it is. Wouldn't you like to know? My bed, Beckett, seriously, it's like heaven it's so soft," he matched her, happy to play their usual game of back and forth banter.

"Oh, Castle, I know," she sighed.

"You. What?" he gasped, his joking tone slipping. She couldn't contain the giggle.

"I was in your room last night, looking for you," she emphasized the last part, licking her lips seductively, even though he couldn't see her. It was instinct to tease him.

"You're killing me," he replied, his voice dropping to barely above a whisper.

"Just ask Alexis," she added casually.

"Alexis?" he squeaked. "Oh, the mood is most totally gone now, Beckett,' he groaned. She laughed in response. A knock on the door disrupted him from forming an appropriate comeback. "C'mon," he cried in frustration, knowing full well that Alexis and his mother were not going to be inclined to move away from the sofa to open to door, they were engaged too intently in the movie.

"Was that your door, Castle?" Beckett asked innocently.

"Yes," he let out a frustrated sigh. Whoever the hell was calling at this hour, after the day he'd just had was well and truly in for it. Knowing his luck, it was going to be Dunnings or a gentleman caller for his mother. He wasn't sure which was worse. He was sure that he wanted nothing to do with either.

"You should probably answer it," she hinted.

"I guess," he responded with an eye-roll, running his fingers through his hair. "Hang on a second, okay. Whoever it is, I'll get rid of them quick," he begrudgingly threw the door open, his jaw dropping. Kate Beckett was leaning into his door frame, her phone held loosely by her ear and a relieved grin on her face.

"It's too bad the mood is gone, Castle," she threw him a sultry wink, just for good measure. He was suddenly insanely nervous. His knees were likely to buckle any second. She nudged her way past his frozen form and into the loft.