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Alexis had just texted her dad that she was on the 9:12 leaving Penn Station and expected to arrive in the Hamptons at 11:55, wondering if he and Kate were still sleeping, but knowing one or both of them would be there to meet her train. All the years of getting up early for school had made Alexis into a morning person. She wasn't as reliant on coffee to be functional in the mornings as her dad and Kate, and even Gram, were, but she had stopped off for a chai tea on her way to catch the train.

She was busy sipping on her tea and reviewing the next chapter of notes for Kevin's sergeant's exam so she could make more flash cards when she heard a familiar voice ask, "Is this seat taken?"

She looked up from the papers in her lap to the smiling face of Javier Esposito, dressed in denim shorts, an NYPD t-shirt, and flip-flops, a battered duffel bag slung over one shoulder. "Javier!" she exclaimed, delighted. "You made it!"

Javier stowed his duffel bag in the overhead compartment, then sank down in the seat across from Alexis. "It was close. Ryan and Jenny were apologizing all over the place because by the time we got everything and everybody loaded, there wasn't room for me to ride up with them, but I told them not to worry, I was already taking the train." He leaned back in his seat, crossing one ankle over his knee. "You promised Ryan no studying this weekend," he reminded her, a hint of teasing in his voice and his eyes.

"And I am a woman of my word," she replied. "I was just getting a jump on the next chapter." At his teasing look she said, "I know, I know. But a lifetime of being a serious student, when the most serious years of school for me are coming up, is one habit I'm not about to break. When I was in high school, I used to take homework to my dad's book launch parties. I was doing homework at the party the night he and Kate met."

"Dedication is important," Javier agreed, all traces of teasing gone from his face and voice. "But this weekend is a long-overdue, well-deserved break. for all of us."

"Yes, it is," Alexis agreed.

"We've been so busy with helping Ryan study, and me with work and you with school, we haven't had a chance to just talk in a while. How are you doing? Really?" he asked her as the train started to roll out of the station.

"I haven't had a nightmare or a panic attack in a whole week," Alexis said proudly.

"That's wonderful!" Javier exclaimed. "Heard from any law schools yet?"

"NYU and St. John's both accepted me, and Fordham wait-listed me," Alexis replied flatly.

"Try not to sound so excited," Javier deadpanned.

"I just really want to stay at Columbia for law school, and I don't know if they're going to accept me or not," Alexis said.

"They haven't said no yet," Javier reminded her.

"I know," Alexis said. "I just haven't wanted anything this much in a really, really long time."

"Have a little faith, Alexis," he said seriously. "Columbia would be insane not to accept you. I truly believe you're gonna get in."

"I hope you're right," Alexis said, her face clouding at the possibility of being rejected by the law school she most wanted to attend.

Javier nudged her foot lightly with his. "Holiday weekend, remember? No worrying about anything allowed."

Alexis smiled. "By order of Detective Esposito," she said.

"And don't you forget it," he said mock sternly.

She laughed shortly. "Thank you," she said.

"Anytime," he replied. "So, what are we gonna be doing this weekend?"

"Well, we'll be having a cookout and fireworks on the 4th," Alexis said. "The rest of it, I don't know, because we've never had everybody up for the 4th before."

"Do you feel like we're intruding?" Javier asked.

"No," Alexis replied honestly. "It was fine when it was just Dad and me, or Dad and Gram and me. But then Kate became part of our family, and she brought her dad, and Kate and Dad both brought you and the Ryans and Dr. Parish into it. Maybe it's because I was an only child, but I like having this bigger family. And I'm glad that I'm getting to be friends with all of you in my own right, not just because you're Kate's and Dad's friends."

"I'm glad too," Javier said. "I was an only child myself. It can be pretty lonely sometimes." Alexis nodded her agreement. "But over the years, my family has grown too. Ryan and your dad are the brothers I never had, Jenny's my nice sister, Sarah Grace and Nick are my godchildren and my niece and nephew, and Beckett's my kickass sister that I'll still always watch out for no matter what. Not that Beckett's not nice," he added hastily.

"I know what you meant," Alexis assured him. Then she asked, "So what does that make me?"

Javier thought about it for a moment as he and Alexis looked at each other. "A good friend who's becoming a better friend all the time," Javier replied honestly.

"That's exactly how I feel about you, Javier," Alexis said.

The miles sped by out the train window as Alexis and Javier talked and laughed about her summer classes and the cases he and Ryan were catching at work and things to do in the Hamptons, since Javier had only previously been to the beach house for Beckett and Castle's wedding-that-wasn't. They were indeed good friends who were becoming better friends all the time. But would friendship be the extent of their relationship...or, perhaps, at the right time, was something more waiting for them, waiting to take them by surprise?


The first arrival at the Hamptons house was Jim Beckett, around ten AM. "Dad!" Kate exclaimed happily, giving her dad a big hug and a kiss on the cheek. Jim hugged his daughter back. Kate stepped back and then said apologetically, "Uh oh, I didn't get you all sweaty too, did I? I just finished my physical therapy for the day." Her face was flushed, her hair pulled back in a messy ponytail, and the front of her t-shirt was sweat-soaked.

"It wouldn't matter to me if you did," Jim replied honestly. "You look wonderful, Katie."

"I'm feeling really good these days," Kate said. Then she called over her shoulder, "Rick, my dad's here!"

Castle entered from the kitchen, chugging from a bottle of water. He had already done his physical therapy and had just finished his respiratory therapy. When he removed the bottle from his mouth, he took a slow, deep breath, held it for a few seconds, exhaled, then said, "Hi, Jim. Good to see you."

"And you, Rick," Jim replied, taking Rick's outstretched hand and pulling him into a one-armed hug.

"You didn't overdo it back there, did you?" Kate asked Rick worriedly.

"No," Rick said. "I think it's just the heat. The humidity's already brutal."

"I'll crank up the air conditioning on my way upstairs," Kate replied. She kissed Rick's cheek, then said, "If you two will excuse me, I'm going to get cleaned up. I'll just be a few minutes."

After Kate had headed upstairs, Jim said, "Katie looks better than I've seen her look in years, and I think you have a lot to do with that, Rick."

"We're a team," Rick replied. "Kate and I are getting each other through all this." Going through it with her firsthand this time, and now having some concrete idea of what it must have been like for her years ago when she was recovering from being shot at Montgomery's funeral all by herself, made Rick's heart ache to think of how much more difficult it had to be for Kate alone after the first shooting.

"It's a lot different than it was last time, that's for sure," Jim said. "And thank God for that."

"Kate and I were thinking you'd like the room at the west end of the hall," Rick said, banishing the dark thoughts of Kate recovering from her first shooting alone, those months they had had no contact at all but not an hour had gone by without him thinking about her, wondering how she was doing, worrying if she was going to be okay. "My mother and Alexis have permanent rooms here, of course, and since Ryan and Jenny are bringing the kids, we're giving them the guest suite in the East Wing. You can have your pick from the rooms that are left if the west end of the hall isn't to your liking, but that room has a view of the ocean and more privacy than any other room but ours. As long as Esposito doesn't mind, we'll put him in the East Wing with the Ryans, and Lanie and Alan can have the room across from my mother."

"Sounds great," Jim said. "Let me just take my bag upstairs, and I'll be right back." Jim returned, finding Rick in the living room, finishing his bottle of water.

"Is the room to your liking?" Rick asked, standing up.

"It's fine, thank you, Rick," Jim said. "Sit down. You just got done with therapy."

Rick smiled sheepishly. "Not that I'm in really bad shape, but Kate's in better shape than me. I'm thinking I need to start jogging with her or something."

Jim and Rick sat down across from each other. "You've been following her around for eight years. She could probably tolerate you coming along on a jog."

"And I'll follow her for the rest of my life," Rick said. "I don't know if she'd want me along when she jogs, but it's a thought."

"While we have a minute alone, Rick, I want to thank you," Jim said. At Rick's questioning look, Jim elaborated. "I want to thank you for opening Katie up to the world again. I'd given up hope of that ever happening after we lost Johanna, but you changed all that. I'll never be able to thank you enough for making my daughter so happy and getting her to embrace life and happiness again."

"It is my privilege and my pleasure," Rick replied. "But it's also a two-way street, Jim. Kate does the same thing for me. She makes me work to be the best version of myself every day, because she deserves the best."

"I agree," Jim said, smiling wistfully because Katie and Rick reminded him so much of himself and Johanna.

Kate entered the living room then, fresh from the shower, her still damp hair pulled back in a sleek ponytail. She sat down next to Rick, resting her hand on top of his hand on his lap. "Is your room okay, Dad?" she asked.

"It's fine," Jim assured her. "Looks like I'm the first one here."

The sound of a car pulling up outside and two car doors slamming got everyone's attention. "Not anymore," she said. Jim followed Kate and Rick to the front door, which Kate opened to reveal Lanie and Alan standing and staring up at the house.

"Wow," Alan said as he took in the house for the first time. "Wow."

"Mmm-hmm," Lanie replied.

Kate shaded her eyes with her hand and then called, "Are you two gonna stand out there admiring the exterior of the house all day, or get in here where we have air conditioning and food and drinks?"

Lanie squeezed Alan's hand before rushing forward and engulfing Kate in a big hug, which Kate returned. Lanie drew back and said, "You look so good, Kate! And the sex ban is still on?"

"Lanie!" Kate exclaimed, her voice a couple of octaves higher than normal as she jerked her chin in the direction of her father, standing behind and to the right of her.

Rick coughed to cover his laugh, and was met with twin glares from Kate and Lanie. Jim Beckett looked amused. "Hello, Mr. Beckett. I didn't see you back there," Lanie said, chagrined.

"It's nice to see you again, Lanie," Jim said.

Alan approached then, balancing three suitcases, one his, the other two Lanie's. "You have a really nice place here," he said. "Thanks for the invite."

"Well, you're with Lanie now," Rick said. "That makes you part of the family."

"Castle," Lanie said warningly.

"What?" Rick asked innocently. "What do you think I'm going to do, Lanie? Embarrass you?"

Now Alan laughed and was met with the twin glares of Lanie and Kate. "Oh, come on, honey," Alan said, giving Lanie a big smile, his eyes twinkling. "You don't embarrass easily."

"He knows you well," Kate said to Lanie in an undertone.

"Have you ever been to the Hamptons before, Alan?" Rick asked, trying not to sound too eager for a change in subject.

"Does seeing Weekend at Bernie's count?" Alan replied. "Because otherwise, no."

"No it is, then," Rick said. "Come on in. Let me take one of those bags for you, Alan."

"Are you sure?" Alan asked cautiously.

"It'll be good practice," Rick replied. He took the suitcase in Alan's right hand, hefted it experimentally, and then nodded once, satisfied. "The range-of-motion exercises may be boring, but they're working!" he exclaimed triumphantly.

Kate smiled as Rick followed her dad into the house, and Alan hurried after him. Remaining outside with Lanie for a moment, Kate said, "Could you do me a favor and please not talk about sex this weekend? My dad's here, after all...and Alexis will be here by this afternoon."

"As I recall, Alexis was in the morgue when you and Writer Boy were having that argument about that CIA woman when bodies kept disappearing on us and heard you tell Castle to sleep with whoever he wanted to, the more the merrier," Lanie reminded her.

"Yeah, well, I was jealous," Kate said. "And I was trying to get myself together so I could be with Rick. It wasn't one of my finest moments. Besides, you know that what happens between Rick and me in that area of our lives stays between Rick and me."

"To my eternal disappointment," Lanie said, slinging an arm around Kate's shoulders as they headed into the house.

"I haven't noticed you talking about booty calls or giving details about Alan," Kate pointed out.

Lanie shook her head with a smile. "You can take the detective out of the precinct," she said, "but you can't stop her from investigating."

"You know it. Now, why aren't you talking about you and Alan in that way?" Kate persisted. Before Lanie could answer, Kate continued, "I'll tell you why: because it's just between the two of you. You're in love with him, Lanie. He's your Castle. You said so yourself. And when that's the kind of love you're in, you don't discuss your life in the bedroom with anyone but him."

"Well, don't go buying bride magazines and looking for matron-of-honor dresses," Lanie warned Kate.

"I know. You never want to get married," Kate replied, closing the front door behind them.

A long, pregnant pause ensued before Lanie quietly said, "Actually, I've been rethinking my stance on that lately."

Kate looked at Lanie, shocked. Lanie was the only person Kate knew who was more anti-marriage than she herself had once been. Of course, that was before Castle, so Kate knew better than anyone how the right man could change your views on marriage a decade or more after you had sworn it off and decided it was not for you. "Don't you dare say a word to anyone about it, Kate," Lanie continued firmly. "I'm thinking. That's all."

"I won't say a word, I promise," Kate said. "But can I say one thing, to you? Lanie, this is big."

"You're tellin' me!" Lanie exclaimed.

"She's telling you what?" Lanie and Kate both started when Rick and Alan returned then. It was Alan who had asked the question.

"Kate was telling me it's a beautiful day and we should get outside," Lanie replied. "We can unpack later."

"Good thing I brought this down, then," Alan said, holding up a bottle of sunscreen.

Lanie smiled and grabbed Alan's other hand. "How about a walk on the beach?" she asked him.

"You read my mind," he replied with a smile. "Excuse us."

"What time are you planning lunch?" Lanie asked.

Rick and Kate exchanged a glance. "We're still waiting on Alexis, the Ryans, Esposito, and Mother, who probably won't arrive before tonight, since she loves to make an entrance," Rick said.

"If you're not back by the time we're ready to have lunch, we'll send out a search party," Kate said cheekily.

"Ha ha," Lanie replied, but her eyes were dancing.

Alan chuckled and gently tugged on Lanie's hand in his. "Let's go take that walk," she said.

After Lanie and Alan had headed outside, Rick said, "I'm gonna go take a quick shower myself." He checked his watch. "I should have just enough time to clean up before I have to go and meet Alexis's train."

"Are you okay?" Kate asked seriously.

Rick flexed the bicep on his recovering arm. "Getting stronger all the time," he said. "The respiratory therapy is the tougher part, but I'm improving there too. At least, that's what Janine said before we left to come up here." He kissed Kate's forehead. "Try not to worry so much."

"Comes with the territory when you love someone this much, Castle," Kate informed him. "But as long as you're sure you're okay..."

"I am," he assured her, catching her chin in his hand to look deeply into her eyes for a long moment. Once he saw that by the change in the look in her own eyes that Kate was reassured, he smiled. She returned his smile, gently stroked his jaw line with her thumb, and then he headed upstairs to the shower.

When Kate turned back towards the kitchen, she saw her father standing just inside the living room, his thumbs tucked in the pockets of his khakis, watching her with a wistful smile on his face. "I really wasn't eavesdropping," he said. "But I couldn't help seeing and overhearing. You're so much like your mom, Katie, that sometimes I forget that there are aspects of me in you too."

Kate looked at her dad. "What do you mean, exactly?" she asked.

"Well, you're a hard charger, and that definitely comes from Johanna," he said. "Although you have taken it to extremes that even she didn't, and I'm proud of you for that...and she would be too."

Kate swallowed hard at the direct comparison to her mother. "I know," she said softly.

"But just now, seeing how concerned you are about Rick...boy, did that bring back a lot of memories of myself," Jim continued, strolling into the room and stopping at his daughter's side. "Of course, there were times she was concerned about me too. Like you told Rick, it comes with the territory when you love someone so much," Jim continued. "Rick's a good man, Katie. I couldn't have chosen better for you if I had picked him out myself."

"He's the best thing that ever happened to me, no doubt about it," Kate agreed.

"It just really makes me happy to see you so happy," Jim said. "No one in the world deserves it more than you do."

"I think you might be slightly biased," Kate said with a smile.

Jim smiled back at her. "Paternal privilege," he replied, "honed by a lifetime of knowing how brilliant and intelligent and incredible and brave my daughter is."

"I'm familiar with the type," Kate said, not able to keep the smile off her face. She knew how much Rick wanted, as he put it, "a mini-Beckett," and for all of her teasing about how he really needed to have a long chat with her dad about what she was like as a teenager, and as much as she herself wanted a mini-Castle, 9-year-old-on-a-sugar-rush tendencies and all, she didn't have any doubts that, girls or boys or some of each, Rick would be just as proud of their future children as he had always been of Alexis.

"Then you understand the exceptions made by and for proud fathers," Jim said.

"Yes," Kate replied. Then she hugged Jim. "I love you, Dad."

Jim was surprised, but he was also grateful that Kate couldn't see his face as he hugged her back, since his eyes were wet, though there was no mistaking that he was choked up when he softly answered her, "I love you too, Katie."

Rick came downstairs then, his hair wet from the shower. Kate released her father with a squeeze to his shoulder, and Rick said, "I just got a text from Alexis. She's due at the station in half an hour, so I'm heading out to pick her up."

"Okay, I'll wait here for Espo and Ryan and Jenny and the kids," Kate said. Rick stepped forward and they shared a quick kiss before he checked his pockets and, satisfied that he had his phone and his keys, headed out to the train station to pick up Alexis.

After Rick's departure, Kate linked her arm through her father's. "So," she said, "are you going to start preparing to teach your class at Columbia soon?"

"I am," Jim replied as they headed out to the deck. "I'm looking forward to it. Has Alexis heard back from Columbia Law School yet?"

"Not yet," Kate said. "That's the school she really wants. NYU and St. John's have accepted her. Fordham wait-listed her. But she really wants Columbia. I hope she gets it."

"So do I," Jim said as he settled himself in a chair on the deck in the shade. Kate settled herself in the chair next to his.

"So, tell me more about your class," Kate said.

And Jim proceeded to do so, very animatedly and excitedly, as father and daughter basked in the simple pleasure of each other's company.


Rick was practically bouncing up and down on the balls of his feet as he stood on the platform, watching Alexis's train pull into the station. She had assured him that she was fine with all the guests for the long holiday weekend, but he wanted to ask her one more time just to make absolutely sure. He knew there would be a concert in town tonight, and he thought about suggesting she go, just so she wasn't stuck with him and Kate and all their friends for the whole weekend. He was wondering idly if any of Alexis's friends from past summers were in the Hamptons this weekend when people began pouring off the train.

Rick spotted Alexis almost instantly, her messenger bag slung over one shoulder, her head turned over her opposite shoulder, laughing at something the person behind her must have said or done.

He was surprised when Alexis stepped off the train onto the platform, immediately followed by Javier Esposito, who was laughing too, a battered duffel bag slung over his shoulder and a suitcase Rick recognized as Alexis's in his other hand.

"Alexis!" Rick called.

She turned away from Esposito, still laughing, and her face lit up even more brightly when she spotted him. "Dad!" she exclaimed happily. She went rushing over to him, Esposito lagging behind her, and threw her arms around her father in an enthusiastic hug, which Rick returned.

"Esposito," Rick greeted Espo after he and Alexis ended their hug. "I thought you were riding up with Ryan and Jenny and the kids?"

"So did I," Esposito replied, "but by the time we got everything and everybody loaded up, there wasn't any room for me. You'd be amazed how much equipment two little kids need for one long weekend away from home. I wasn't sure we were going to get it all in Ryan's sister's SUV. So I took the train up, and it turned out Alexis was on the same train."

"Are Kevin and Jenny and the kids here yet?" Alexis asked.

"Not yet," Rick replied, as they headed for the car, Esposito still carrying Alexis's suitcase along with his own duffel bag. "Neither is your grandmother."

"Well, you know Gram," Alexis said fondly. "She'll probably breeze in in the middle of dinner tonight, making a grand entrance with some story about running into Barbra Streisand and James Brolin, or Liza Minnelli, or Meryl Streep on the island."

"Anything is possible with her," Rick agreed. They had reached the car, and he opened the trunk and took Alexis's suitcase from Esposito.

"I told Javier I was perfectly capable of carrying my own suitcase, but he insisted he would get it," Alexis said, with a Beckett-worthy eyeroll.

After Esposito had put his duffel in the trunk, and Rick had closed the trunk lid, they all got in the car, Rick driving, Alexis in the front passenger seat, and Esposito in the back.

"So are Lanie and her new guy at your house?" Espo asked as they drove back to the house.

"Yeah," Rick said. He caught Espo's eye in the rearview mirror. "This isn't going to be awkward for you, is it, Esposito? You could have brought somebody up."

"There isn't anybody," Esposito replied, meeting Castle's gaze squarely in the mirror. "And no, it's not going to be awkward. Lanie and I were on and off—mostly off—for a long time, and we agreed ages ago that what we had...it wasn't like you and Beckett, or Ryan and Jenny. And neither one of us is willing to settle for less than that."

Before Castle could reply, a honking horn attracted their attention. "It's Kevin and Jenny and the kids!" Alexis exclaimed, rolling down her window and waving at them, since they were in the next lane, their car right next to Castle's.

Ryan rolled down his window, and they could all hear Jenny telling Sarah Grace, "We're almost there, sweetheart. Then you can build a sandcastle on the beach with Daddy."

"YAY!" Sarah Grace cheered.

Ryan grinned and gave a little wave. "We're gonna have a great weekend!" he declared.

Rick looked at Alexis beside him, and thought of Kate back at the house, with her dad and Lanie and Alan, and Esposito and the Ryans with him and Alexis, and his mother sure to be there by tonight. "We sure are," Rick said aloud softly, grinning himself.