A/N: A very short chapter, but it just didn't quite fit with the previous one or the next one and I really couldn't leave it out and didn't want to force it to stretch beyond what it is... So, with a huge thank you to my lovely reviewers, here is Chapter 5! New Year's Eve! :D

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Alexis had never been more looking forward to her father's New Year's Eve party. They had assembled a great collection of characters for the party, mostly ranging from her friends to friends from the 12th to Martha's acting groups, with a few of Castle's writing associates thrown in there to liven it up.

Alexis rummaged through her jewelry box to find a pair of diamond stud earrings to wear that wouldn't draw attention away from her pendant. On her wrist she wore a woven bracelet from Pi; they had actually been getting along a lot better now that she was in her father's loft and not back at their apartment. Her dress had also taken some careful planning, she didn't want to be overly formal, but she definitely wanted to look like she was putting in more effort than if she were just hitting the shops with her friends. She'd ended up choosing a three-quarter length dark grey dress with a light grey lace scoop neck top and ¾ length sleeves as well. The pendant set perfectly with her skin tone and the grey tones of her dress brought out the same aquamarine in her eyes as the tiny gems. A blush rose to her cheeks as she looked in the mirror, realizing that Ryan had gotten the color comparison exactly right.

"You ready, Lex?" Pi asked, knocking gently on the door frame, peeking into her bathroom.

"Yeah, just about," she responded, turning around and giving him a gentle smile.

"Wow," he said, directly meeting her eyes after he'd let his own trail up her body. "You look amazing."

"Thanks," she said, blushing. She gestured to the clean button-down shirt and slacks. "You look great too!"

"I'm a very lucky guy to have you on my arm tonight," he winked at her, extending his elbow for her to take. He probably meant it as a gesture of mockery towards the "evil upper class", but she still appreciated the effort he was putting in.

The party was already starting to get underway when the young pair made their way downstairs. All of the couches in the main living area had been moved into Castle's writing office to make a dance floor. The counter was filled with various snacks and punches, still with some non-alcoholic options available. Guests were starting to arrive in a slow, but steady stream.

Alexis grabbed a glass of punch and greeted everyone she knew before she finally saw Paige and Taylor come in, fully bedazzled, though lacking Taylor's new boyfriend.

"Hey!" Alexis hugged both girls happily and they also exchanged hugs with Pi. "Where's Brian?"

"Don't even get me started," Taylor rolled her eyes. "He told me last night that he had family obligations come up. Man, I thought that was what Christmas was for. New Year's Eve is for friends and parties."

"What a terrible excuse!" Alexis exclaimed in sympathy. "No one saves that for last minute."

"Awful," Paige sighed. "I told you he was going to be nothing but bad news. Probably making out with that hot bartender chick from the club."

"Whatever, I don't need his lame ass anyway," Taylor replied, clearly already having had a couple drinks before coming over.

"No way, what you need is an older man," Paige responded matter-of-factly. "They have experience. And money."

"Is that what you're going for now?" Alexis asked, turning to Paige as the girl herself had started scanning the room.

"Mm, my roommate's new boyfriend is 43. She gets flowers at least twice per week and new jewels. Plus, girls, let me tell you, the sounds that come from her room when he stays over…," Paige let her voice trail off significantly. "Speaking of jewelry though, is that from your dad? Or do you have a sidepiece?"

"Ha. Ha. It's from a friend, he got some heirlooms and thought I would like it," Alexis responded, touching the pendant gently.

"It is gorgeous," Taylor sighed reverently as she focused her attention on it.

"Oh yeah," Paige agreed readily before turning her attention to look behind her friends. "Also, speaking of gorgeous, who is that cutie?"

"Which one?" Taylor and Alexis both asked as they turned to see a group of people from the 12th precinct walk in to the loft.

"Mm, short, blue eyes, brown hair, sexy smile," Paige described, fixing her eyes on one of the detectives. Alexis blushed at the description, somehow already knowing who she was referencing before she could see him. Yep, there was Ryan, in the middle of the group, an adorable half smile on his face in response to something Esposito had just said.

"Oh boy," Alexis sighed. "That's Detective Ryan. Don't even think about him, his fiancée just left him a couple months ago."

Paige raised her eyebrows at Alexis. "Perfect time to pounce, girl, or have I taught you nothing?"

"Well, at least let him get through the door and start drinking," Taylor replied, sensing Alexis's sudden tension and grabbing Paige's arm to lead her over to the drink options at the counter.

"Fine, fine, plenty of time to dance with pretty boy later," Paige relented, smirking at Alexis's blush. "You've got a thing for him, don't you?"

"No!" Alexis denied. "We're just friends."

"Mmhmm, that's what they all say," Paige winked. Alexis blushed and tried to lead her friends to less a dangerous conversation.

As the music started and the party got into full swing, the dance space filled quickly with people, all happily on their way to being drunk. Alexis made her way through several partners, starting out with her dad, then moving to Pi, another detective she'd worked with when interning with Lanie at the morgue, and then she drank down some water before feeling a gentle tap on her shoulder.

"Hey Kevin," she smiled at him as she turned around.

"May I have the next dance?" Ryan asked, gallantly holding out his hand with a bow. She giggled and felt the need to curtsey before accepting and putting her hand in his. "You are stunning, by the way."

"Thank you," she said, her hand moving to his shoulder as his other hand moved to her waist. She was a little startled to realize that the short heels she'd chosen to wear for the night put her at almost exactly his height. "You look great too, all clean shaven."

"I'm always clean shaven," he replied, a little taken aback.

"I know, I was referencing a movie," Alexis teased.

"Ah, When Harry Met Sally," Ryan eyes brightened with realization after a moment.

"Yeah, we watched it last night," Alexis chuckled. "And, see? You are the first person tonight that I can dance cheek to cheek with."

Alexis pressed her cheek against his, feeling the slight tightening of his skin as he grinned and let out a snort.

"Alright then, in keeping with recreating the scene from a fantastic movie," he started suggestively, then let his voice trail away as he readjusted his grip on her to wrap one arm slighter lower on her back and fold his other arm in to hold her hand tighter to their bodies. Alexis grinned, changing her own hand on his shoulder to wrap her whole arm over his shoulder, her nose practically touching his ear.

The chatter from the rest of the party seemed to melt away as they danced; it was nice, to feel his breathing against her, the softness of his cheek against her own. It was really nice. She closed her eyes for a moment, letting herself forget that they were in her father's loft, with her boyfriend wandering around somewhere, the 11-year age difference between them, and the fact that her father would likely maim Ryan if he suspected anything…

"Any New Year's resolutions?" Ryan's voice carried quietly to her ear, forcing her eyes to open and her to keep in mind in the present, where they were and who they were.

"Yeah," she replied, also lowering her voice so she didn't shout directly into his ear. "I need to go back to being honest with my dad. The only way he's going to see me as an adult is if we both just start acting like adults."

"That sounds like a good resolution," Ryan replied, she could feel his face relax a little and she knew he could feel her smiling in return. "What about you?"

"Mainly, I think, just starting over fresh. Not let my baggage become actual baggage," Ryan sighed a little with his response.

"A valiant effort," she replied. "But we all have baggage. The right woman won't care."

"Mmm," Ryan was saved from having to respond further by someone's shout that the countdown for the ball to drop was starting. Alexis pulled away from Ryan's cheek to look around and locate Pi; he was standing over by the counter with Paige and Taylor next to him. He raised the cup in his hand to her and smiled before turning back to her friends. She smiled back at him and turned back to Ryan as they joined in with the counting.

"7!"

"6!"

"5!"

"4!"

"3!"

"2!"

"1!"

Noise was coming from all directions, people shouting, blowing party kazoos. Out of the corner of her eye, Alexis could see most of the couples on the dance floor kissing. She hesitated only slightly before leaning in towards Ryan. He saw her movement and immediately responded, moving in to let his lips easily brush against hers. Her breath caught ever so slightly at the feel of his warm, surprisingly soft lips. It was the sweetest kiss she'd ever had. Even more sweet than her first kiss with Owen, which had been hesitant; this one with Kevin was thoughtful, gently testing a boundary but oh so careful about not pushing it to a breaking point. He pulled away just enough to end the kiss, but not enough that she couldn't still feel his breath on her face. She opened her eyes to meet his, so blue, both brighter and darker than she'd ever seen them. As the crowd jostled them, they both seemed to realize how closely and tightly they were still holding on to each other. Kevin cleared his throat and stepped away.

"Happy New Year, Alexis," he said, voice somehow both deliciously rough and heartbreakingly gentle at the same time. Before Alexis could get the words out to reply to him, she was thrown into the crowd of people kissing cheeks and cheering the New Year, Kevin had disappeared.