Lightning Flashes – Chapter Five


She arrives at his door early, both out of a desire to see him for a little while before he has to head to his event and so she can make sure she knows everything she needs to know for the night. There's no small part of her that's wondering what the hell she'd been thinking when she had agreed to do this, but she won't back out. She can't.

She'd put up a brave face when he asked – and again when he followed up a few days later – but she is absolutely terrified to be on her own with Alexis for the night. What if something happens? What if Alexis is unhappy the whole time? What if she–

"Kate, hey, you know you don't have to knock," Castle says as soon as he opens the door. He's already dressed, though his tie is missing, and his cuffs are unbuttoned. But he's wearing pants, which is an improvement over previous times she has come to his place prior to one of his events.

"Yeah, but I'll keep doing it," she answers, closing the door behind her. "You don't need me letting myself in whenever I want."

"Sure I do. Because if you let yourself in, then I don't have to get up," he quips. He grins even wider when she rolls her eyes.

"You should be getting ready to leave, not sitting around."

He laughs. "I'm getting ready to get ready to leave," he says, sounding no more concerned with his half-assed preparations than he would be about what to watch on TV.

"Of course you are." She shakes her head, mostly with affection. Rick grins, his eyes sparkling with amusement; yeah, he knows exactly what he's doing, the wise ass.

"Come get a drink and relax, Kate," he insists. "I've got time. I won't be late enough to embarrass myself, just late enough to make people miss me."

She laughs, following him into the kitchen. "Is that your strategy?"

"That is always my strategy," he says, reaching for a bottle of wine and holding out a hand for the glasses she retrieves. "Besides, Paula will find me if I screw around for too long. She's a bloodhound like that."

"Well sometimes you need a handler, Ricky," she quips, doing her best to mimic his agent's voice.

He grins, pouring a generous glass of wine for her.

"You're sure you don't mind me having this?" she asks once he hands it over, waiting a beat before taking a tiny sip. Rick blinks, his face blanking in confusion.

"Why would I mind?"

"Because I'm watching Alexis?"

"And you can't have a glass of wine because you're doing that?" he asks, chuckling at her nod. "Kate, ignoring the fact that more than half of my nannies growing up wore eau de fuzzy navel and I still turned out fine, I have no worries that you having a glass or two – or even three – of wine will do anything to hurt Alexis. You would never let that happen."

She tilts her head, basking in the confidence he has in her. "Even with–"

"Especially with that," he assures moving closer to her. She exhales, leaning into the arm he slips around her shoulders. "You're not your father, Kate," he adds, pressing his cheek to her temple. There's no judgement or mockery in his voice, just understanding and compassion for her concerns.

"You're one of the only people I trust with her," he continues. "You and my mother, especially given the debacle with the babysitter. I trust you with her whether you're drinking wine or water because I know you."

Kate nods. "Okay, as long as you're sure."

"I am. Besides, I also know you can hold your alcohol far better than I can, and I've not exactly refrained from having a drink since Alexis came to me."

She laughs, shaking her head. "Yeah, you've been such a frat boy lately." She sips her wine again.

"Um, excuse me, I-"

"Don't finish that thought, Rick. Whatever it is, don't finish it."

He laughs, pulling away and sipping from his own wine glass. "It wasn't going to be anything awful."

"Just inappropriate as always," she teases. "So where is Alexis, anyway?"

She knows the baby isn't in the swing because she'd looked around when she'd first stepped inside, but Alexis also isn't on a blanket by the couch or curled in a sling against Rick's chest, which leaves very few options.

"Bassinette in my bedroom. She fell asleep while I was changing. Which… probably means she'll be up in a little while and need her night bottle." He winces. "Sorry, I shouldn't have let her sleep so long."

"Don't be sorry. I'm here to watch her and take care of her, and that includes when she's awake." She tilts her head. "If she's sleeping now, will that get her off her sleep schedule?"

"What sleep schedule?" he quips. "She sleeps when she wants, no matter how hard I try to regulate it."

"You'll get there. And I'll try to keep her on some kind of schedule tonight."

He grins, touching his chest. "I knew you would."

She offers an exaggerated eyeroll. "I see how it is. It's all 'loosen up, Kate, don't be so rigid, Kate,' until you want me to be the one to get your kid on a schedule."

Her friend laughs, deep and easy. "That sounds about right. In my defense, out of the two of us, you are the one who actually has a schedule you have to follow every day, I just kind of make it all up as I go."

He has a point there. She grins, sipping her wine and watching him do the same. After a few minutes, he exhales.

"I should finish getting ready."

She waves him off. "Go on. I'll be fine in here. I'm going to just grab a snack and sit and read while Alexis is still asleep."

He nods, offering her a top off of her wine. She does one better, taking the bottle from him and sending him toward his bedroom before helping herself.

"So, Paula will be there?" she asks a few minutes later, listening to him putter around his room as she calls to him. "She decided not to turn you loose alone on the party this time?"

Rick laughs from his bedroom, which only makes her wince guiltily for having asked the question. He's not the crazy partier he used to be, and it isn't fair to give him the third degree. Even if – especially if – she's only doing it because of the annoyance that flashes at the thought of his shameless flirt act. But she's glad he's put some of that to the side – he's better than that and they both know it – and she doesn't want him returning to that.

"Paula's keeping me in line, Kate. Don't worry, I won't be besmirching my good name tonight."

She snorts. "Well, thank god for that. You don't have much left to besmirch."

He doesn't reply but a few minutes later, she hears the rumble of his voice, his words indistinct. She wonders if that means Alexis is awake, if he's just holding a conversation with his sleeping daughter, or if he's on the phone with his agent who's wondering where the hell he is.

Kate sips her wine, waiting for him to pick up their conversation again or hear if she's needed in the other room. If Alexis is still asleep, she'll probably be up after Rick leaves. Getting the bottles and diapers and toys ready now will save a lot of fumbling when that happens. She'll be able to focus on holding Alexis and comforting her if need be.

She jumps up from the couch, moving back into the kitchen to check on the formula supply and make sure that there are clean bottles.

"You don't need to do that, Kate," Rick says a few minutes later as she's wrist deep in dish water. She twists, finding him holding Alexis against his shoulder. The girl looks half-asleep still, but she doesn't seem to be upset at being moved from the bassinette.

"I just wanted to make sure everything's ready for her," she explains.

"There were bottles in the cabinet," he says, kissing Alexis's head. "You didn't need to wash more."

"Oh." She looks down at the sink. "I didn't even think to look. I just saw these on the counter and decided… sorry about that."

He shakes his head. "You're doing me a favor, Kate. Don't apologize. Thank you for doing that; there aren't that many in the cabinet anyway and this'll help keep me from doing dishes at three in the morning when I do run out."

She smiles, knowing he isn't just placating her. "You're welcome. Let me just finish this up and then I'll take her so you can go."

"Don't rush," he says, swaying. "I've still got a little wiggle room."

Despite his assurances, she completes the chores quickly, asking him for a reminder of the formula mixture while she dries her hands. "I can make a batch of extra formula and put the bottles in the fridge," she says, waving him off before he can abdicate her of that responsibility, too.

He smiles, rattling off the ratio for her. "Thank you for doing that. I wrote all the instructions on an index card and put that on the formula cannister a few weeks ago in case you forget. I forgot too many times in the middle of the night and that was the best solution I could come up with."

Beckett laughs. "Good thinking. You're getting pretty good at this dad thing, you know that?"

Rick grins, touching his lips to Alexis's hair. "Yeah, I know." He sounds cocky but she sees the genuine pleasure her compliment has elicited, the hint of color that touches his cheeks.

Kate moves closer, brushing her hand over the curve of his elbow. "You're so modest, Castle," she teases, playing along anyway.

"Oh, absolutely. But really, I'm just taking some of my strategies from when I get a little too involved in my writing."

"You do that?" she asks, tongue planted firmly in her cheek. "Write, I mean."

"Funny," he drawls. "Yes, I do that."

"I know," she promises rubbing his arm. "And you're good at that, too."

Rick preens a little bit. "Thanks. But now I should probably hand my child to you and go be good at my job some more."

"Kay, give her here," she says, holding out her arms for Alexis. "Hi, sweetheart," she coos when Alexis exhales, patting Kate's chest. "Yes, hi. I missed you too. We're going to have fun tonight while Daddy plays with his pretentious book people."

She grins at Castle's offended scoff, swaying with the baby.

"They're not pretentious," he insists, checking his pockets for his things. "Okay, some of them are, but this crew is pretty easy-going; not too crazy, not too stuffy. It shouldn't be bad."

"Uh huh. Don't do anything to make it more exciting, Rick. Your bare ass does not need to make it onto the internet – again."

He grins. "Hah, I knew you'd googled me, Beckett. Just remember, if you ever want to see the real thing, all you need to do is ask."

"Go away," she orders, hoping he's distracted enough not to see her gaze flit down his body. "Stop offering yourself up to any woman around."

"Not just any woman," he swears, smirking.

She points to the door, waving Alexis's hand after a second. "Leave us alone."

Castle laughs, waving goodbye. "I'm going, I'm going."

"See you later," she says, lifting Alexis's hand to her mouth when the door slips shut. "And now it's just you and me, Alexis. Whatcha think? Are we going to be okay tonight?"

The girl in her arms squeaks, offering a gummy version of a smile that Kate returns.

"Yeah, I think so too. Let's go play on your mat, how's that? We'll have some tummy time and learn some stuff until it's time for you to eat. It'll be great. How was your nap, huh?"

Alexis babbles in return, leaving Kate to deduce the meanings of each squeak and squeal. She thinks that the nap was satisfactory at least, if not downright enjoyable.

"Okay, Miss Castle, let's see about this play mat of yours," she says, carrying Alexis into the living room.


Long after Alexis has drifted off for the night in a clean diaper and dryer-warmed onesie, her belly full of formula, Kate moves back to the couch in Castle's living room with one of his books. Rick hates when she spends time on his older novels, always groaning and whining about how he has better work for her to choose from, but she has a special place in her heart for his earlier books. Yes, they're different and he has matured – as a writer – over the years but there's something endearing about the less-polished version of his talent.

Tonight, she's making her way through Kissed and Killed again, settling into the cushions with the book open on her legs. A quick glance at the baby monitor tells her Alexis is fine – the girl's breathing comes through the speaker deep and even. After giving herself a moment to listen, Kate smiles and turns back to the book, letting her eyes make lazy trails down the page.

Everything falls away as she immerses herself in the world Rick has created. She can hear his voice in every word, but not in a way that distracts from the story; it's more that pieces of his heart and soul can be found in the characters, giving them life.

Somewhere after the fourth chapter the book slips from her fingers, landing on her chest where she lets it stay, lets the weight calm the stutter of her heart. Alexis sleeps on, her quiet snores clear over the monitor. Satisfied that the only other sound she hears is the hum of the fridge, the drop of ice cubes into the bin, Kate drifts off.


Alexis's cry shatters the peace, jolting Kate off the couch and launching her halfway up the stairs before it registers what she's doing. Her steps stutter at that, but she doesn't trip or stumble and she makes it to Alexis's nursery unscathed.

"Hey, sweetheart," Kate breathes, lifting Alexis from the crib and holding her to her shoulder. "What's wrong?"

Her lips touch Alexis's temple, finding her skin cool. "Let's check that diaper of yours and see if you need to be changed."

Alexis isn't mollified by the assertion that her troubles will be over after a diaper change, but Kate manages to get the wet diaper off the girl and a new one on without significant drama.

"Is that better?" she asks, drawing Alexis from the changing table and onto her shoulder. The girl's cries have quieted into whines, so she knows they're at least on the right track. "Yeah, I think it is. Now let's just relax and get you back to sleep."

After Rick's account of what happened the last time Alexis was with a babysitter, she's been dreading the moment the girl might start to cry. Unlike that incident, however, Alexis settles without much fuss, going slack in Kate's arms just a few minutes later. She breathes a hearty sigh of relief, staying where she is until her own eyelids begin to drift shut again. Thankfully, Alexis doesn't stir as she goes back into the crib.

She nearly jumps out of her skin when the door swings open on her way downstairs. As it is, she has to grip the handrail to avoid missing a step and tumbling down the rest of the stairs.

"Jeez, Castle!" she hisses once she realizes she doesn't need to make a mad dash for her gun in the safe. "You scared me. I didn't think you'd be back yet – what are you doing back?"

Rick yawns. "The canapé was a little lacking tonight, so I figured why not leave early."

She snorts. "Well, obviously; you poor thing, being fed lackluster canapé. How can I help you cope?"

"Well," he starts, lifting his eyes skyward. Going for innocent, no doubt. "If you're not in a hurry to go…I wouldn't say no to a grilled cheese?"

Kate laughs. "A grilled cheese, huh?"

"They're just so good when you make them," he says, his voice a breathy wheedle. "Please?"

Kate eyes him. "What do I get out of this? Besides a grilled cheese sandwich I have to make for myself."

"My love and admiration?"

She snickers. "Uh huh. What else?"

"Wine?"

"Already have that. Next?"

He groans. "I'll bring you groceries, so you don't have to go shopping this weekend?"

She grins. "Deal."

Rick phews. "Okay. I'm going to change my clothes, check on Alexis, and then I'll help."

"'Kay," she agrees, nudging his arm with her elbow on her way past him.

"Kate?" he calls, offering her a genuine, soft smile when she turns around. "Thank you. For everything."

Kate bites her lip. This is probably her favorite part of nights like this: when he returns from his events and the act falls away; when he turns to her to help him come back to earth.

"Make sure you buy milk when you shop, Rick."

His chuckle sends a zing through her body, right down to her toes. "You got it."


It's been a while, I know. Thank you for being enthusiastic about this story, hopefully even through such a long wait. I appreciate you all and I hope you enjoyed this chapter and that you'll continue to stick with me and this story as it unfolds.

Until next chapter!