"Alexis knows I'm coming, right?"

He stops just short of the door, turns towards her with a small laugh. "Yes, she knows. She's actually pretty excited about it."

A brow raises. "Excited?"

"Yeah," he nods. "Contrary to popular belief, I don't actually bring many people back here." Women is implied, and she just stands there, unsure of what to say to that. "I don't like introducing people to Alexis if I think they're just going to disappear or if I don't feel like the friendship is going anywhere. She doesn't need the instability that comes along with that."

To say she wasn't expecting that would be an enormous understatement. What he's just said does two things to her: a part of her is flattered and taken aback that he's willing and wanting to have her meet his daughter, even with the confession that this is something he doesn't normally do, and the other part of her is terrified for the same exact reason. His kid doesn't meet many people he sees—though she realizes now that many of the "dates" plastered on page six have been strictly for publicity and the actual number of lady friends he entertains is much lower—but here she is, about to meet the girl.

What if she messes it up? What if she does something wrong and he regrets it? He feels comfortable enough, trusts her enough to do this, so she feels the responsibility now to live up to whatever it is his expectations may be.

She's not even seeing him. That's not what this is. They're friends, and she'll even go as far as to say they're really good friends, but they're not—no, they're not.

So, she reasons with herself, this is fine.

It's just a dinner with Rick and his daughter, not a meeting with the queen.

"But that doesn't explain why she's excited," she points out a minute later, after the whirlwind of thoughts have subsided.

He laughs. "Because, like I said, I don't bring too many people around. So naturally, when I do, she knows they're inherently great by default." He waggles his eyebrows. "And I might've told her a few things about you, that's all."

Her eyes widen. "Rick—"

"Not that," he assures her, a hand raised in defense. "Don't worry, I figured you wouldn't want to let that out, and it's probably best if I don't have to explain to her what strippers are just yet. I just told her that you're my friend, you're fun to be around, and you like Remy's shakes as much as she does."

She takes a breath. "Remy's shakes, huh?"

"She loves the strawberry," he informs her. "Now relax, because it's going to be fine. She'll love you." The keys jingle in his hands as he tries to find the right one. "Unless, of course, we make her wait any longer. Then I'm not to be held responsible for what she does."

Kate shakes her head, her eyes rolling as she nudges him forward. "Open the door then, don't keep your daughter waiting."

He obliges, turns the key in the lock before pushing the door open. She follows behind, waiting patiently beside him while he shoves the door shut again with his shoulder. His hands reach for the small jacket she'd thrown on last minute—she didn't actually need a jacket to go from the car to his building, but it'll be colder when she leaves—and she gives him a small smile, helps in shrugging it off and lets him hang it on the hook to her right.

"It smells amazing in here," she comments, her lips curving upwards as the aroma makes its way through the loft and right to her. "What is it?"

His eyes twinkle. "You'll find out," he says cryptically, as if it's some huge secret. She doesn't even care what it is at this point; if it smells like this, she's positive it'll be incredible. He turns around, waves in front of him in a gesture for her to take a seat, and calls up the stairs. "Alexis!"

She uses this time not to sit down, but to really get a good look at the loft. It's different in the light, she realizes. Every other time she's come over has been late at night, the rooms already covered in darkness with only hints of light coming from the kitchen. The same homey atmosphere still resides, the one she can't quite explain since she hasn't actually really spent any time in the place; it makes her feel warm inside, brings a sense of comfort wrapping around her body like a blanket.

Rick lingers near the stairs to wait for Alexis but she lets herself wander, trail into the living room just to look around. The decorations are less garish that she might've expected, though it seems just about right. It's a different experience now, taking in the surroundings without the extra baggage of being bruised and terrified—that wasn't exactly conducive to noticing the finer details.

The sound of footsteps on the stairs brings her back, has her turning around just in time to watch as a small redhead bounces off the last step and collides with Rick's legs.

"About time," Alexis says, propping a hand on her hip.

He laughs. "Have you learned no patience?"

"From you?" The girl raises a brow. "No."

Kate can't stop the laugh that creeps out at that, at the witty banter that's coming from someone so young, and a hand comes up to cover her mouth. Rick just looks at her with a smile, one she can't help but return, and then Alexis turns to face her.

"Alexis, this is Kate," Rick introduces, nodding towards her until she starts walking back towards the twosome. "Kate, this is Alexis."

Alexis looks at her for a few seconds before she grins, holds out a hand. "Hi, Kate!"

"Nice to meet you, Alexis," Kate says, taking the offered hand to shake. The kid's adorable. "Sorry you had to wait to eat."

The girl shakes her head, then turns with a pointed stare at her father. "It's okay. I already ate a few pieces of the bread sticks anyway."

"Hey! What'd you do that for, thief?"

Alexis shrugs with a smirk. "I was hungry," she says simply. "It's good, daddy."

Kate laughs at Rick's huff, watching as he sneaks up behind his daughter when she turns her head and picks her up, his fingers tickling at her sides until she's giggling and gasping for breath.

"It was good, huh?"

"Daddy, stop!" Alexis manages between laughs. "Daddy put me down!"

His tickling picks up. "What? I can't hear you!"

"I said put me down!"

He finally relents, placing her back onto her feet with a grin. "Sorry, pumpkin, I thought you said to keep going," he says innocently, tossing a wink in Kate's direction.

Alexis narrows her eyes, gives him a faux glare. She stands her ground until he starts moving towards her again, and then she squeaks, runs in the opposite direction and takes up shelter behind Kate.

"No more, dad," Alexis says, either hand placed on Kate's hips as her head pokes out from behind.

Rick laughs, stands up straighter to look at them. "You think Kate's going to shield you from me?" he asks, his eyes moving up to look at Kate, ask her a silent question. His daughter is currently attaching herself to her hips, using her as a human shield, and though the initial shock of it had her tensing she doesn't actually mind. So she gives him a smile, a small nod that it's okay.

"Yes," the girl nods, twisting her head to look up at Kate. "She won't tickle me."

"Of course not," Kate says seriously, bringing her hands down to her hips to rest on top of Alexis's. "Two against one, Rick."

He gapes. "Not fair! You can't both gang up on me," he reasons, looking down at Alexis. "You've known her for five minutes and you're already turning on dear old dad?"

Alexis grins, nods up at him, and Kate laughs. "Sorry, Rick."

"We'll see if I feed you guys now," he jokes, his voice taking on a false seriousness. "Traitors don't get any food."

The girl's hands vacate Kate's hips and she chases her father into the kitchen, her arms wrapping around his torso. "I'm sorry, daddy! I'm not a traitor!" She bats her eyelashes at him. "Can I have dinner now?"

He laughs, spinning to face her. "Well," he starts, dragging it out. "I guess so. Go put the plates on the table," he adds, nudging her towards the cabinets.

Kate joins him by the island, eyes on Alexis as she grabs the plates from the lowest shelf—with the added assist of a small stool—and makes her way into the dining room.

"How easily they turn," he laughs, and she nods in agreement. "See, that wasn't so bad, was it?"

She takes a breath before shaking her head. "No," she admits. "It wasn't bad."

Thankfully, she adds in her head. The worst is over.

She's honestly surprised by how not awful the initial meeting went, though she probably shouldn't be considering he'd told her that it would be fine, that Alexis was excited. She's been in the loft for all of ten minutes and she's already been used as a human shield by the cutest six year old she thinks she's ever seen.

Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all.

Dinner is delicious and, despite Kate's earlier worries, goes by rather smoothly.

"Seriously, Rick, you didn't actually have to make a feast," she laughs, arms gesturing to the myriad of different foods that sit on the table. Bread sticks, pasta, some kind of macaroni salad that she's not sure what it consists of only that it's amazing, and about a million other baskets and containers of things. When he asked if she wanted to get dinner she didn't think he'd have so much prepared already.

He looks over the table casually. "This is not a feast. You haven't seen a true Castle family feast," he corrects. "Ask Alexis, she knows how it gets."

Alexis hears her name and her head lifts from her plate. "It's true," she acknowledges. "Last Thanksgiving dad went overboard and we were eating turkey for a month."

"A month?"

Rick shrugs, a grin on his face. "So I might've miscalculated how many people would actually be partaking in the Thanksgiving festitivies," he shrugs. "It was delicious, though."

"Until week two," Alexis chimes in, an exaggerated shudder taking over her body. "It was too much, daddy."

He just waves a dismissive hand, stretching his leg out under the table to nudge at his daughter's foot.

"Seriously, though. When you said Alexis chose and you hoped I was adventurous this isn't what I had in mind."

"Adventurous, hungry, practically the same thing."

She huffs. "That's not even remotely accurate. And you use words for a living?"

Rick pouts but she can see the grin threatening to curve his lips and she shakes her head. Her plate is practically empty, as are both Rick and Alexis too, and she stands to bring it into the kitchen.

"You don't want more?"

Her hand instinctively goes to her stomach. "I'm tapping out. I couldn't eat any more if I wanted to."

"At least let me, then," he decides, standing to take the plate from her, waving off her protests. "You're the guest, Kate."

"A guest who is perfectly capable of walking her plate ten feet to the sink."

His head nods back towards the table. "Sit."

She sighs but obliges, taking a seat once more, and she turns her attention to the girl sitting across from her. Alexis is mature for her age, that much is obvious, and she doesn't seem to have a problem with her being here. Which, undoubtedly, makes her feel better. Sure, she and Rick are just friends, but at least now she knows that his kid doesn't hate her; it makes it easier for her to come over and visit when it's not pitch dark out.

"Do you like penguins?"

The question comes out of nowhere and catches her off guard. "I—yes, yes I do."

Alexis nods. "Good," she says, and then turns her attention back to the small bit of food she has left.

There's no other explanation, no further questions.

Kate blinks, her mouth open slightly. She hears Rick come up behind her and she turns, brows scrunched together as she beckons for him to bend down to her level. He does, and she glances between him and Alexis.

"Was that a test?"

He barks a laugh. "Did she ask you about the penguins?"

Her eyes widen as she nods. "Yes!"

"And what did you say?"

"That I like them?" she says, the statement coming out as more of a question.

"Then you passed the test."

After dinner and dessert, which was a delicious pie that she's not entirely sure she believes was home made because it was that good—it's from last night's celebration of my mother's show, he'd said—she gets roped—okay, maybe not roped, since it's not like she's being forced, but she realizes now that the big blue eyes of the smaller Castle are almost impossible to say no to—into staying and watching a movie with the two of them.

He pulls her aside shortly after Alexis mentions the movie. "You don't have to stick around, you know," he whispers, glancing towards the office where his daughter's grabbing the disc. "You're probably tired. She'll understand if you have to head home."

Kate pauses for a second, tugs her bottom lip between her teeth. He's giving her an out, she knows. It's actually kind of sweet; he knows how wary she was beforehand, probably thinks staying right now would be overdoing it all at once. He's not wrong—she is tired, the adrenaline that came from dealing with Bobby and finally ridding herself of that club finally wearing off and taking a toll on her.

Her eyes travel behind him and into the office where she can see Alexis meticulously setting up a few things, and she's pretty sure the girl has a giant blanket tucked beneath her arms.

A tiny smile creeps onto her face. He's giving her an out, but she's not entirely sure that she wants one.

"I'm fine," she says, taking a breath. "I'm sure I can stick it out for one movie."

"You're sure?"

Kate nods. "Positive," she assures him, then nudges his shoulder. "Now we should probably get in there before she starts without us."

She doesn't miss the look of happiness on his face but doesn't comment on it, just chooses to avert her eyes and shake her head, hiding her own small grin.

"Snacks first!"

Her head falls back as she groans. "Snacks? Rick, we just ate dessert."

"Like an hour ago," he corrects, raising a brow. Kate doesn't point out the obvious, that it most certainly hasn't been an hour and his estimation is so far off base. "We can't watch a movie without snacks, Kate. It's against the rules."

She snorts. "What rules?"

"The Chez Castle movie manual rules. It's actually rule number two: no movie shall be watched without the accompaniment of snacks."

She doesn't even bother hiding the eye roll as she follows him into the kitchen. "And rule number one would be?"

"No spoilers, duh." He pauses. "In the event that someone hasn't seen the movie before."

"Reasonable," she laughs.

Propping her hip against the island, she waits as he grabs a handful of completely unnecessary snacks—potato chips, m&ms, what looks like a giant bag of chocolate chips, and, of course, a large bowl of popcorn fit for at least seven people and not the mere three that are actually in attendance.

He walks towards her a few minutes later, arms overflowing, and she shakes her head as she grabs a few things from his grip to carry. She follows him into the office then, taking notice of the decorations and furniture that surrounds her. The office is one of the rooms she hasn't been in before—along with his bedroom and every room upstairs except for the bathroom.

It feels... very him, she thinks. The leather couch, the bookshelves that seems to serve as a wall, giving her a small peek into his bedroom.

"Finally!" Alexis drawls, letting herself fall back further into the couch.

Rick laughs. "Sorry, pumpkin, but we had to get snacks. You know the rules."

"No movie can be watched without snacks," the girl recites, giving her father a look before ultimately relenting and reaching for a bag of m&ms. "Next time try to get the snacks a little faster, daddy."

"I'll keep that in mind," he promises. "Now, what's on the schedule? Shrek? Harry Potter?"

Alexis shakes her head. "Nope! Shrek was last week."

He taps his head with his fingers. "Silly me, how could I forget," he muses, taking a seat in the middle of the couch, Alexis on his left. "So tell me, what'll it be?"

"The Princess Diaries!"

"Ah, little miss Mia, good choice," he appraises. "Good for you?"

Two sets of eyes are on Kate now as she continues to stand near the door. "Perfect."

"Excellent." Rick's head nods to his right, to the vacant seat on the couch, an invitation written on his face. "You can sit, or if you plan on standing for the duration of the film you might want to consider a spot with a better vantage point."

She purses her lips and he laughs, but she does move to sit down and slide into the spot beside him. One of her legs comes up and curls beneath her while the other is brought up to her chest so she can rest her arms on her knee.

Alexis's hand reaches out. "Here, Kate." She looks over to see a small blanket in the girl's hands. It's only then that she realizes Rick is also adjusting himself under one now.

"Thank you," she says, her lips curving upwards as she takes the offered blanket.

Rick turns to her with sparkling eyes and a soft smile, and she's suddenly very grateful for the dimmed lights that are hiding the blush that's rushed to her cheeks.

The spell is broken when Alexis hits play and the opening sequence with aerial shots of San Francisco—and the ever so catchy Super Girl—fills the room.

The vague feeling of someone shaking her shoulder begins to rouse her, along with the faint sounds of her name being called. But she just shifts, burrows deeper into her pillow.

"Kate."

There it is again.

"Kate," the voice comes back, and then she feels a hand on her knee. "Kate!"

Her eyes flutter open slowly, and she blinks a few times before fully realizing where she is; she's not in her bedroom, and the pillow she's been cuddling up to is absolutely not a pillow, but Rick's shoulder. She lifts her head, running a hand over her face as she tries to remember even falling asleep.

Rick's grinning down at her when she looks up. "Morning."

She's fully alert then, bolting up into a sitting position. "It's morning?!"

"No, no," he laughs, placing a hand back onto her knee to calm her. "It's not morning, I was joking."

"Daddy, that's not nice," Alexis pipes up, a hand on her hip as she puts the movie back into its case. Her attention turns to Kate. "I always tell him it's not nice to trick people when they're sleeping."

Kate laughs, a failed attempt at hiding her amusement when Rick huffs. "That's a very good piece of advice, Alexis," she says, turning to look at Rick. "You should consider taking it."

"No ganging up on me, you've already done that today," he says, pointing between the two of them. "As I was saying, it's not morning, but it is almost ten."

She groans. "How long was I asleep?"

"Take the running time of the movie and subtract about a half hour," he says finally, grinning at her sigh. "You could've just said you were tired, Kate, really."

"I was—am—tired," she admits, running a hand through her hair, "but I was also sure I'd make it through a movie. Sorry I fell asleep." She looks down. "On you, apparently."

He chuckles as he stands, moving to fold the blanket he had draped over him. "I've been told I make a pretty good pillow by this one," he says, gesturing to Alexis. "Always happy to oblige."

She just nods at that, isn't really sure what else to say because she's absolutely not going to admit that she actually enjoyed using him as a pillow right now. So instead she stands, follows his lead in folding the blanket, and then places it on top of his at the edge of the couch.

"I should get going," she says, turning to face him. "It's getting late and clearly I'm more exhausted than I thought."

"We have a guest room. You could always just stay here," he offers. "It's unsafe to operate a vehicle when you're not one hundred percent, you know."

It surprising, the offer itself, and the fact that she actually finds it tempting.

She gives a small smile. "Thank you, but I couldn't. I need to get back to my apartment," she declines.

Today turned out a lot better than she thought it would, but she can't stay. Hanging out for a few extra hours might not have been overdoing it, but spending the night most definitely would.

Rick accepts this, reluctantly, and grabs the movie to put it back onto the shelf. "If you insist. But know the offer still stands."

She nods. "I'll keep that in mind."

"And thank you," he continues, his voice softening, "for tonight, for being so sweet with Alexis. She likes you."

"Of course," Kate smiles, wonders immediately why she'd have acted any other way. "She's adorable."

Alexis comes in a few minutes later, having just gone upstairs to get changed.

"Ready for bed, pumpkin?" Rick asks as he pulls her into his side.

The girl bobs her head. "Ready!" She turns her face from his chest and looks up at him. "Daddy, can Kate come back over again?"

He looks down at his daughter, then brings his eyes to her. "If it's okay with Kate, of course," he says.

"Can you, Kate?"

Alexis has her eyes on her now, big and blue and so innocent. She really is cute. "When I have time I'd like that, Alexis," she decides, the look of pure gratitude on Rick's face not going unnoticed.

"All right, you," he says then, tickling her sides before nudging her towards the door. "Go upstairs, I'll be up in a minute to tuck you in."

She complies, bouncing through the living room as she throws a, "goodnight, Kate!" behind her.

Kate turns to Rick once Alexis has disappeared upstairs and follows him out of the office, back through the same path across the living room.

"I had fun," she speaks first, chewing on her bottom lip.

"Obviously. Nothing says fun like The Princess Diaries, Kate."

She lets out a laugh. "Clearly," she drawls. "But really, it was a nice change from ending my days at the club. So thanks."

His eyes shine back at her. "Anytime," he says as he opens the door for her, hovering there for a minute longer. "Text me when you get back so I know you didn't pass out behind the wheel and crash into a telephone pole?"

Kate rolls her eyes but nods regardless. "Promise."

He smiles back in thanks, opening the door the rest of the way until she's able to get out and throw one last wave behind her.

"Goodnight, Kate."

I apologize for the wait on this one, but this chapter ended up being more difficult than I thought it would. Thank you all for your sweet words, and I'd love to hear what you think!