A/N: Long time no see! I'm still writing, but I've been dealing with RL and just not having any ideas. I was looking at my WIPs and came across this one. I'm not sure why I haven't posted it sooner, maybe because I was having trouble finding a title. Not sure I really like what I came up with title-wise, but it works. This is set in Season 5, sometime after Significant Others.

I hope you enjoy!

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A Conversation In The Park

"Hey, Detective…um, Kate…could we talk?"

Kate Beckett lifted her eyes from the book she was reading into the worried bright blue eyes of her partner's daughter. The young woman had come home from the dorms for the weekend on Friday evening, and had uncharacteristically spent most of Saturday morning in her bedroom.

Kate had been afraid it was because of her, and was considering heading back to her own place to give Alexis time with her dad.

But the tentative, almost pleading tone changed her mind. She wanted to show Alexis that she was in this with her father and this could be a start.

"Sure, what's up?"

The sound of computer keys clicking made Alexis jump and look over to Castle's office.

"Could we go somewhere else?" Alexis asked, her attention flitting back to Kate. "I didn't know he was here, I thought maybe he'd run out to get coffee or something since you're not together…"

Kate wanted to make a joke at first about how she and Castle really weren't joined at the hip – it just seemed like it, but then she saw Alexis' face.

Interesting, Kate thought. She doesn't want her dad to know about this. Which probably meant that he should be privy to whatever this was, but the girl had come to her.

"Sure," she replied, setting her book on the coffee table and standing. "I'll tell your dad we're heading out?"

"Um…"

"Don't want him freaking out when he realizes everybody's gone, right?"

It didn't quite bring Alexis back to herself, but some of the panic left her eyes and she smiled.

"Yeah, he'd be calling out the cavalry."

"Or at least Ryan and Esposito," Kate said, trying for a laugh.

"Heh…"

Well, she got one – sort of.

Kate moved to the office and stuck her head in.

"Hey, Castle, Alexis and I are going for coffee, do you want me to bring back your usual?"

A somewhat bleary-eyed Castle looked up.

"Wha-? You can't leave without kissing me goodbye!"

It was annoying how endearing that pout was.

Rolling her eyes, Kate entered the office and gave him a noisy smack on the cheek.

"Oh, no you don't," Rick pulled her into his lap and kissed her thoroughly.

"Castle!" Kate screeched. "Alexis is waiting!"

"And I really don't need to be any more traumatized!" Alexis called from the living room.

Rick smirked as he let Kate up. She gave him her best glare (which wasn't particularly potent given what he had just done) and stalked to the door.

"My usual will be fine, Kate."

A little concerned at Alexis' lack of reaction to her father's antics – other than the traumatized comment, but no eye rolling or laughing, Kate grabbed her jacket and followed her out the door.

XXXXXX

Alexis insisted on buying and so Kate stood at the back of the shop out of the way. To her surprise, Alexis brought two to-go cups.

"I thought maybe we could go to the park?" she asked. "I feel like I need to pace."

Okay, now Kate was getting concerned. She'd never known Castle's daughter to be this cryptic. Whatever this was, it was serious.

"Alexis…" she began.

"I'm sorry, Kate, I'm still psyching myself up to even talk about it."

"Okay, lead the way."

If the girl needed time to gather herself, Kate was going to give it to her. She had an inkling of what this could be, and in all honesty it terrified her that Alexis would come to her about it.

Pray for simple boy trouble, Kate.

Once they arrived at the park, Kate naturally gravitated towards the swings. Sure, it was the place she and Castle had found for that serious discussion last year, but they did need a place to sit (well, she did, and Alexis couldn't pace the whole time, right?) And maybe the movement of the swings would get the young woman to calm down some.

Alexis smiled as Kate sat and started her swing swaying a little.

"Isn't this yours and Dad's 'place'?" she asked in a slightly teasing tone, relaxing just a little, and sitting herself. "Dad told me about how you came here to talk."

"Yeah, we came here to hash some things out when I came back after I'd healed enough to work," Kate replied. "I also came here the night of your graduation to think about what I wanted and needed in my life after getting thrown off that building. I decided it was your dad, and I went straight to him."

Alexis looked thoughtful.

"Wasn't it raining that evening?"

"Downpour. I showed up at the loft looking like a drowned rat." Kate laughed a little. "Your dad had every right to toss me out on my ass. I'm so grateful he didn't."

Alexis nodded and looked out over the playground in front of the swings. There were a couple of kids climbing the monkey bars, their mothers or nannies watching them closely, but it wasn't at all crowded.

Kate noticed the faraway look in her partner's daughter's eyes.

"But we're not here to talk about me, are we?"

Alexis turned to face her – though still not looking at her – the swing twisting side to side.

"No…"

"Alexis, I'm honored that you came to me, and I'll try to help in any way I can, but if it's serious, shouldn't you tell your dad?"

Alexis stood and began to pace, moving back and forth fast enough that Kate was almost afraid she'd dig a ditch before long.

Wait a second. 'More traumatized?' Could Alexis have meant more than just the over-the-top kiss Castle gave? She hadn't seen it, hadn't come into the room, did 'more' mean she was already traumatized?

Still, Kate waited. Alexis will get there when she gets there.

Suddenly the redhead stopped, and clenched her stomach.

"Oh, God!"

She ran to a small copse of trees, dropping her cup of coffee along the way. Kate heard retching and closed her eyes. While it wasn't necessarily confirmation, it justified her suspicions.

Kate pulled a bottle of water from her purse, knowing Alexis would want to rinse her mouth out.

"Hey, you okay?" she asked as she rounded the trees.

Tears were rolling down Alexis' face as she gratefully took the bottle and took a swig, swirling the water in her mouth and spitting it out.

"Thanks. I'm sorry, Kate."

"Don't be sorry, honey. Come on, let's find a bench. I'm sure the swings didn't help things just now."

"The pacing didn't either."

The two women walked slowly away from the playground until they found a bench with no one around.

After a few minutes of silence while they both sat, Kate decided to begin. If she's wrong, she's wrong, but somebody needed to start.

"So, how long have you known?"

Alexis turned to face Kate with a stricken look, then smiled self-deprecatingly.

"Detective, huh?"

Kate shrugged.

"Something like that."

The teenager looked down and scuffed her foot along the ground.

"I skipped last month," she answered, still not looking at Beckett. "I didn't even think about it until I was checking my stash before I went to the store last week. I had more than I thought I should, and realized…"

She broke off.

"So you bought a test instead?" Kate asked.

"I bought three."

"And?" Kate tilted her head toward the girl.

"I took the first one immediately after I got back to the dorm, and it was positive. I waited until yesterday morning to take the second and…" she paused. "It was still positive."

Alexis lifted her head and Kate saw her eyes were glistening.

"I freaked out. I knew I had to tell someone, but I didn't know who. I mean, yeah, I need to tell Max, but we used a condom, what if he doesn't think it's his?"

She was back up and pacing, albeit much more slowly than before.

"And Dad? How can I tell him? He hasn't even met Max! And Mom?"

She sat back down.

"So, I came to you. I'm sorry."

Kate took a deep breath.

"Don't you dare be sorry, Alexis. Again, I am beyond honored that you came to me – that you trust me – with something so… major in your life. But I don't know that I can give you good advice. I haven't been in this situation. Have you seen a doctor?"

"No, I know I should, but… Do you think Lanie…? No that's dumb, wrong kind of doctor."

"No, Alexis, it's not dumb," Kate interjected. "Wanting to see someone you know isn't dumb. At the very least, Lanie could get you pointed in the right direction, and there's always Planned Parenthood, but I can't tell you what to do. This all has to be your decision. But I think you do need to tell your parents."

"Dad is going to freak."

Kate smiled. He certainly will.

"And Mom will go ballistic. Not because I'm too young to be a mother, but because she's too young to be a grandmother."

That made Kate stiffen a bit. She had enjoyed her time with Meredith, and messing with Castle was always a joy, but the little dig about how the woman had never really known Rick had brought back some of Kate's insecurities. And now this.

Yes, the whole situation's different, but Kate couldn't imagine not going to her mother immediately after finding out something so momentous – her father maybe – but not her mother. And she couldn't conceive of her mother complaining about impending grandmotherhood.

Without seeming like she was interrogating (she hoped) Kate asked a question.

"So, what do you think happened? Are you on any other birth control?"

"No, just condoms, but both of us are adamant about it." Alexis blushed. She'd instigated the discussion, but it was still embarrassing to talk about her sex life to her dad's girlfriend no less. "It wasn't our first time, and Max has even stopped when he realized he was out."

"So, you don't think he stealthed you?"

Okay, that sounded like interrogation, calm down Beckett.

Alexis turned thoughtful.

"No, I don't," she replied. "I've heard of guys doing that – the assholes."

Kate smiled at that.

"And I've even heard of guys daring other guys to do it, but even if Max was dared, I really don't think he'd do that to me."

Alexis turned pensive and looked at the ground.

"But what if he did?" she asked in a voice so low, Kate had to strain to hear it.

"I mean," Alexis continued, "I suppose he could have insisted on having them because I did, to make me complacent, but he's never once asked to go without, and I don't understand why he – or anybody – would do that, and if he did, what happens now and…"

"Alexis!" Kate interrupted. The girl did tend to go off on a tangent when she was emotional.

"Sweetie don't panic – I know, that sounds impossible right now, but we can work this out. I'm willing to give Max the benefit of the doubt. Your first reaction is that he didn't, so let's go with that for now. Have you made an appointment with your gynecologist?

"No," Alexis dragged the word out. "I don't want my dad to find out and I'm on his insurance and I'm sure they'll call him."

"Your doctor can't call him, Alexis," Kate assured her. "You're 19 and HIPAA applies."

She bit her lip. She wanted to help Rick's daughter, but what she was about to suggest meant deliberately hiding something important from him.

"You need to tell your father, Alexis," she began, holding up her hand to stop the girl's protest. "But let's get you to the doctor first. If you'd like, I can call my OB/GYN and set you up with an appointment. You can pay out of pocket, or I will if you want."

"No, I'll pay for it, of course I'll pay for it," Alexis broke in. "Is your doctor taking new patients?"

Kate pulled her phone out of her pocket.

"As a matter of fact, she is." She put the phone to her ear and waited for the ring.

"Could you tell them it's for Alexis Harper?"

Kate clicked off, looking at her boyfriend's daughter quizzically.

"You don't want to use your last name?" she asked.

"HIPAA or not, these things can get out, and you know how tabloids are, if they don't peg me as Richard Castle's daughter, they might – " she shuddered. "They might say I'm his wife… He and Paula have kept me out of the limelight, but I've been to several book launches," she paused and both women grinned at their first meeting.

"If I have a different name, the vultures might be less likely to put two and two together."

Kate nodded at the good point and dialed the number again.

A few minutes later, she clicked off.

"All right, you're all set. Fortunately, Dr. Horne had an appointment available next week. Tuesday morning 10:00. I'm sorry, I should have asked, do you have a class then?"

"No, Tuesdays my classes don't start until 1:00."

"Perfect, I can take an early lunch, it's a paperwork day, so your dad won't be coming in. Unless you don't want me to come along…"

"No, I do!" Alexis exclaimed. "I mean, I'd really appreciate it if you came. I'm going to be a nervous wreck as it is."

Kate nodded.

"And after the appointment…?"

"Decide who to tell first."

Alexis smiled at Kate's puzzled look.

"Well, like you said, I need to tell my parents – plural. It's a matter of telling the one here, and taking the brunt of the freak out, or trying to play it a little safer by making a phone call to the one across the country. I can handle being yelled at from 3000 miles away, but seeing Dad's disappointed face, I just…"

"I'm sure he'll simply pull you into one of his patented bear hugs, and support you in whatever you decide."

Alexis' smile faded a little.

"What?" asked Kate.

"I haven't said the word out loud. Not after the first test, or the second. I feel like I need to. Just to make it real."

"I'm listening."

"Kate… I'm pregnant."

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A/N2: I'm marking this as complete. There's potential for another chapter, but at this point I like it as a one shot. I'd love to hear what you think!