Our Best Selves - Chapter Twenty-five
She loves the loft, the feeling of warmth and family that wraps around her as soon as she steps through the door, but she has to admit that she appreciates when there's a softness – a quiet – to the house, as light begins to peek through the blinds and something new is on the horizon. It's the perfect time to reflect and recalibrate when living with four adults (plus Martha and Alexis's occasional guests) gets to be a little much, and she relishes in the quiet sometimes.
Which is why it doesn't surprise her that other members of the household do, too. She steps out of the bedroom to spy a head of dark hair in the spot she usually occupies. Alexis greets her from the window seat by the piano with a soft smile, tracking her as she pads to the kitchen.
"Did you catch a case?" Alexis asks. "It's fresh," she adds when Kate lifts the coffee carafe, intending to peer inside. "I just made it."
"Thanks. And no, no case. It's my day off. I just… kind of like it when it's early."
Alexis's smile grows. "Me too. It helps me relax, gives me time to think."
Kate nods. "Exactly. Not that–I love being here, I swear," she stumbles, lifting her shoulders to her ears. "I didn't mean it like it sounded."
The girl laughs softly, waving her off. "I know, Kate. It gets crazy around here; sometimes it's nice to have a few minutes to just be."
Her shoulders relax, but she guides her coffee mug to her lips before she speaks again. The last thing she wants to do is insinuate that she's not happy living with them.
"Would you like to sit?" Alexis offers, pointing to the other side of the window seat. "I don't mind the company."
Kate nods, padding over to the window on quiet feet, sinking down across from her boyfriend's daughter. Alexis lifts her mug, sipping slowly, encouraging Beckett to do the same.
Although they share smiles and the occasional word or two, they're content with the silence. It reminds her of growing up in a way; weekends of sitting in the living room with her parents while they relaxed and read the paper. It's nice, comforting; Rick and Alexis both seem to possess the innate ability to make her feel at ease without words, though she knows the former enjoys them quite a bit.
After a while, Alexis faces her again, looking peaceful.
"Pretty, isn't it?"
Kate tilts her head, watching sunlight ripple through the blinds. "Yeah. Yeah it is. Nice getting to see it on my own terms, too, and not because of work."
Alexis lifts her eyebrows. "I bet. You should go up to the roof sometime and watch it. One time, Dad dragged me out of bed before dawn and we went up there with a pinhole camera and saw Venus in transit."
Kate smiles. "Yeah? How was that?"
"Sleepy," Alexis laughs, glancing over her shoulder to make sure her amusement hasn't disturbed her father.
Kate follows her gaze, but Rick doesn't emerge from the bedroom. "I bet."
"But it was really cool, too. I remember he was so excited to show me."
Of that, Kate has no doubt. She's no stranger to Rick Castle's exuberance, his gentle urging and borderline impatience when he thinks they're about to misssomething amazing.
"How old were you?" she asks, tilting her head.
"Ten," Alexis answers, smiling affectionately. "I'd wanted to go to Space Camp that year, but the timing didn't work out with school letting out late because of bad weather and going on a trip with my mom, then one with Gram, then another one with my dad. So Dad set up a camp just for us. Watching the sunrise and the transit was part of it."
Her heart stutters, swelling at the thought of Castle creating a version of Space Camp for his young daughter because she wouldn't be able to go to the real thing. Yet another piece of evidence describing what an amazing father he'd been – and could be again.
"That sounds like so much fun," she murmurs, licking her lips, reining herself in. One thing at a time. "You must've had a blast."
Alexis grins. "Yeah, I did. He took me to one of those trampoline places, since we didn't have the moon gravity chair, and we sat in office chairs and spun around to pretend it was one of the other things they do. And we watched a couple of space movies and read a whole bunch of things about space history. It was fun. But that's… probably more than you wanted to know, since we were just talking about the sunrise," she adds, laughing into her hand. "Sorry."
"No, no. Don't be sorry. I did want to know. Thank you."
She does want the stories, no matter how tangential they seem. Rick and Alexis have two decades of history she's not a part of; even the smallest glimpses allow her some connection to that.
Alexis's head dips. "Okay. Then good."
Kate offers her a reassuring smile. "Good. So how were the sunrises in California?"
"Gorgeous. I saw… more than a few of them," she says, looking a little bit sheepish. "Never for Venus, though. It was in transit again right after I moved, but my mom's not really big on that stuff, so she just laughed and said she'd be sleeping in while I got up to see it."
"Well, it's not for everyone."
"Yeah, that's true," Alexis concedes, turning back to the window. "It'll be nice to do something like that again," she says, almost to herself.
"You know," Kate starts, lowering her mug to rest on her knees. She needs a refill, but Alexis looks like she has something on her mind and could use a little bit of a nudge to get started. "I moved back home for a while, too. Twice."
Alexis focuses on her again, her brow crinkling in surprise, and maybe a little bit of confusion. It does feel like a bit of a non-sequitur "You did?"
She nods. It's more complicated than that, of course. "I was in school in California when my mom was killed, so I moved home to be with my dad."
Her boyfriend's daughter slumps, radiating sympathy but unwilling to interrupt to express it.
"It was… well, it was awful. My dad had… issues dealing with his grief and I couldn't stay and watch him slip away so soon after losing my mom, so I left about a year later."
The young woman nods, looking at her hands. "That's why I left–well, a similar reason. Dad wasn't dealing well and it was just… I couldn't watch him self-destruct anymore." Alexis exhales. "It worked out for you and your dad, though, right? I mean, obviously it did, because we saw him at Christmas."
Kate nods in return. "Yeah, it did. A couple years later, I moved back home again. My dad had gotten help and there was a part of me that didn't believe it would last, but I wanted to be there with him to see if he would stick with it. It was weird at first, adjusting to one another – my dad wasn't used to having a grown daughter, and I'd gotten so used to being on my own, I didn't want his help with anything at all. We clashed more than a few times. But we got over it."
Alexis smiles. "Good. I mean, Dad and I rarely fought before, and I know he's trying not to step on my toes too hard, but he's still–"
"He's still a dad," Kate finishes for her, making a 'what can you do?' face. "Been there. You'll find your rhythm soon, if you haven't already. And then when you do find an apartment you like and you get back out on your own, it'll feel weird to not have him around constantly."
The girl nods, looking thoughtful. "That makes me feel better, actually. Thanks."
"Anytime," Kate murmurs, reaching over to pat her knee. "Don't overthink it, okay? I know what it's like to feel like the other shoe might drop, but you and your dad will be fine."
Alexis exhales, sinking back. "We will," she agrees, repeating it almost to herself. "You're right; we will."
Beckett smiles. "I am and you will."
"Thanks, Kate. And sorry about all this. Everything is good with my dad, I promise. I just woke up feeling weird, I guess."
"No apologies necessary," she insists, allowing the corner of mouth to lift. "I get it. I do the same thing sometimes. The last couple months have had a lot of changes; it's understandable to work through them at a different pace."
Alexis concedes that point. "True."
"If it makes you feel any better, one of the last times I was having a thoughtful morning, your dad and I agreed to buy a bar and move in together."
The girl tosses her head back and laughs with abandon. "Of course. Not that it isn't great that you did, but that makes a lot of sense, too."
Kate grins, unfolding from the window seat. "I'd say it worked out pretty well, though, wouldn't you?" The girl nods. "But ah, while we're talking about moving, I am sorry I'd already found someone to rent my place. Otherwise you would've been able to–"
Alexis waves her off. "You didn't know I was coming back, Kate. And you can't break those contracts without a huge fight."
"Yeah," she exhales.
The girl smiles, nudging Kate's knee with her toe. "I'll keep looking. But if I haven't found somewhere by the end of their lease, and if they decide they don't want to stay…"
"All yours," Kate promises, matching Alexis's grin. "Get you more coffee?" she offers, holding out a hand once she stands.
"Thanks," Alexis says, turning back to the window once Kate takes her mug.
She's mid-pour when Rick comes lumbering in from the bedroom, his hair still crazy with sleep despite the t-shirt and jeans he wears. "I thought I heard the sounds of fun out here. And I must say, I'm a little hurt that you didn't wake me up to let me get in on it."
Kate rolls her eyes. "I think you'll survive. Coffee?"
Her boyfriend nods without hesitation, making a detour to the window to drop a kiss on his daughter's head. "Morning, pumpkin."
Alexis smiles. "Morning, Dad. We were just talking a little bit. Did we wake you?"
If they did, he doesn't admit to it. Instead he smiles, shaking his head. "No, you didn't wake me. I got a call from the contractor at the Haunt."
"Everything okay?" Kate asks, reaching for a teaspoon to stir his coffee. She's nowhere near as skilled as he is at making a latte, but she makes a mean cup of regular joe.
Rick joins her in the kitchen, slides a hand across her back, his lips finding hers in gentle greeting.
"Morning," he says, smiling against her mouth when she presses closer. "He's checking the plumbing in the bathroom like you mentioned. They'll salvage what they can of the flooring, and if there's not enough that's fixable, they'll let us know and we can figure something out with the designer."
"Oh, that's good. And I'm sure they're going to find a leak somewhere; the way that floor looked, it wasn't a one-time spill."
His fingers curl at her hip, encouraging her to lean into him, to take a respite against him. "I just want you to know, I find it so hot when you talk about stuff like this."
Kate chuckles away the silly thrill his compliment elicits, tapping his cheek with a fingertip. "Take your coffee and let's sit. You can tell us what else the contractor said."
"And then," Alexis calls, beckoning them into the living room. Kate notices that she has abandoned the window, flopping instead on the chaise part of the couch. "You can decide what we're going to do today."
Grinning, Rick takes the mug and Kate's free hand. "I think that sounds like a perfect idea. Maybe a trip to the museum? Or perhaps some shopping?"
"Or," Beckett hums, stepping closer, "we could go to the Haunt and see for ourselves what's going on with the work."
"Why not all three?" he offers, lifting his eyebrows playfully.
He looks surprised when no argument comes, but Kate just lifts her shoulders. After all, she does have the day off.
Kate is silent when she slips back into the loft, allowing the door to latch behind her. It's ridiculously early, and waking the entire household is not part of her plan. As nice as it would be to have everyone join them, this is meant for Rick alone.
Now she just needs to ease him from sleep and get him upright. Which is probably going to be easier said than done given how far into the covers he had been burrowed when she slipped out of bed, but they're on a timetable, so she has to give it a fair shot.
Slipping into their room, she finds him facing her side of the bed, covers pulled to his ears. He's both amusing and adorable, and Kate catches a laugh in her palm before leaning over his body. Her lips touch his hair in short pecks to see if that helps him stir.
"Rick," she whispers, smoothing a hand down his side, over his arm (or what she thinks is his arm, it's hard to tell in the blanket burrito), and back to his cheek. "Wake up. I want to show you something."
He stirs, mashing his face deeper into his pillow.
"Rick," she tries again, slipping her fingers beneath the blanket to stroke his neck. "Babe, open your eyes."
Her boyfriend exhales, mumbling something about a Batarang and saving Ryan and Esposito.
"Okay, Batman," she chuckles, checking her watch. Crap; they need to move if they're going to make it outside in time. "Up and at 'em. You can get to the people of Gotham next dream."
He hums in assent, but doesn't move. Even when her lips touch his jaw, he continues to sleep like a log.
"Castle, up," she orders, planting her knee at his hips and yanking the blankets down to his waist.
Rick's eyes pop open, wild, unfocused, bleary, and it takes the brush of her hand over his chest to ease the coil of tension in his limbs.
"Kate?" he asks, bewildered. "Wha's going on? S'everything okay?"
"Hey," she breathes, pressing a kiss to his lips, bad breath be damned. "Morning. Come with me, I want to show you something."
He pushes up on his elbow, looking around in the darkness. "A case? Big one?"
She shakes her head, retreating from the mattress before he can reach for her and entice her to ditch her clothes and join him in his cocoon.
"No, but you'll like this anyway," she promises. "Just move fast, or we'll miss it."
Rick blinks, rubbing his face. "Miss what?" He's moving despite his questions, though, so she waits him out, grinning from the doorway.
"Shoes," she orders, pointing to his slippers. "I have your sweater."
He nods, absently scratching his chest. He sways a little upon getting to his feet, but doesn't rock back to the mattress, so she stays where she is, waiting for him. "What're we going to miss?" he asks.
"Hopefully nothing," she says, grinning at the tiny huff of annoyance he releases. "You'll see, Rick. Just move."
"M'moving, I'm moving." He grumbles about keeping secrets, shuffling to the bathroom. "Two minutes."
Kate exhales; they have two minutes. At least she hopes they do. The likelihood of success is already small, after all.
Castle reemerges a minute and a half later, looking a little more alert. He stops to slip his feet into his shoes, crossing to her with an outstretched hand. She hands over the promised sweater, waiting until he tugs it down over his t-shirt to take his arm and lead him to the door.
"We're going to the roof?" he asks as she leads him to the stairwell and starts to climb.
"Mhmm. There's an eclipse this morning and I'm hoping that we'll be able to see it from here," she explains, thumbing his bicep. "And if not, we can at least see the sunrise together. I took coffee and breakfast up there, too."
His lips find hers, quick and eager, little trace of his earlier sleepiness. "You are so sexy when you're being romantic. Let's go."
Kate grins, catching his hand and tugging him along. In truth, she hadn't even considered it a romantic gesture, just something she wanted to share with him, but it works.
It's brighter than she'd been hoping for by the time they get settled, and the eclipse doesn't pan out, but as the sky comes to life in pink and orange, she's not bothered. Castle doesn't seem concerned with the change in plans, either. If anything, he seems happier not to have to focus on the sun as he reclines in the chair they share, sipping his coffee, stroking his broad hand along her side.
"This is nice," he murmurs, scanning the horizon before his eyes settle on hers. There's something in his gaze that makes her tilt her head, but he doesn't elaborate, doesn't say what's on his mind, and she doesn't push.
Kate hums after a moment, touching coffee-warmed fingers to his chin, tracing the line of his jaw. "I have a confession," she whispers, watching his brow furrow in confusion. "I kind of got the idea from Alexis."
It only takes a split second for his befuddlement to fade and a laugh to spill from his lips.
"Not the picnic part," she amends. "That was mine. But we were watching the sunrise the other day, and she told me about the time you dragged her out of bed at dawn to see if you could spot Venus in transit, so I wanted to bring you up here to see what we could see."
The memory flashes in his eyes, his smile growing impossibly soft. "I love it, Kate. Thank you."
"I'm glad," she says, brushing her fingers over his lips. "Sorry we couldn't see the eclipse."
He puckers against her fingertips, dipping his head to touch his mouth to the center of her palm. "Still have a pretty good view," he murmurs, offering her a too-pleased smirk when she rolls her eyes. He thinks he's so smooth, delivering a cheesy line like that with a semi-straight face.
"Drink your coffee, Rick," she drawls, stealing a lazy kiss instead of allowing him to do just that, tasting the sweetness of cream and sugar on his tongue.
Eventually they do retreat downstairs to start their day, but not before they've had their fill of both the awakening city and each other.
A/N: Thank you all for your amazing support. I swear, one day I'll be able to say it enough.