"Okay, Castle? Do you think you're- I don't know- overreacting a little? She is Alexis' mother, after all- is it such a bad thing that she's here?" Why Kate has to be so logical is beyond him, and he looks at her, softening a little.

"I guess?"

"It's late, and I'm on an early tomorrow- let's just go to bed. We'll call Alexis first thing in the morning, make sure Meredith is getting her off to school okay, okay?"

He lets Kate lead him to the bedroom, but sleep is hard to come by. He debates calling the hotel and asking to be put through to Meredith's room, but lets it go, staring at the ceiling for another hour or so before sleep claims him.


Kate slips out early the next morning. Rick appears to be in a deep sleep and she doesn't want to wake him. She's back on a surveillance detail before she can protest, at Montgomery's instruction. Ugh. She texts Castle from the car while she and L.T. drink coffee and watch a doorway. At least she gets to do this in plain clothes. She actually doesn't mind the uniform, but she's over it. She figures she just has to hold out until she makes detective, and then- well, then she'll have to go shopping, for real, because a collection of jackets and heels won't cut it when she actually needs pants and shirts.

Castle calls her when she's on her way home at three. "Are you coming over later?"

She sighs. She's kind of torn. "Honestly? I miss my apartment. I wish you guys could just come here."

"Really?" There's surprise in his voice. Is he surprised that she sometimes prefers her more humble apartment to his loft? Considering the size of most Manhattan apartments, his is kind of obscene, so on paper it's by far the better apartment. Or does he think she'd rather be left alone? She's no extrovert (unlike Castle, the world was built for extroverts like Castle) but she finds herself more and more comfortable with both Castle and Alexis.

"Really," she tells him. She guesses he'll turn her down, and more likely than not she'll end up going around to his place.

"No," he asks again. "Are you really serious that you want us at your place, Beckett? Because Alexis has been asking for another sleepover but I keep putting her off, telling her you won't want to be invaded."

Really? I would love for both of you to come and stay over, if you think Alexis would really be okay with sleeping on the couch again?"

"I think she'd love to. We'll come over after I collect her from her violin lesson."

Kate smiles. "Then maybe I'll even pick up some food on my way home. I guess I have to feed you guys too, right?"

Castle laughs. "We can order in if you prefer."

"No- I'll get something." Kate shakes her head at herself. If she'd been asked to predict what she'd been doing in three months time back in January, being this domestic would have been the last thing she would have thought of. "Hey." She thinks of something else she wants to ask before they hang up. "Did you talk to Meredith and Alexis before Alexis went to school?"

"I did. They were fine- I guess I was worried for no reason," he tells her, and Kate grins. She kind of loves that he's such an amazing father. Likes, she tells herself in her head. She likes that he's an amazing father. Love is- too much. She's not there yet, she tells herself. On that slightly unsteady and panicky thought she hangs up.


The phone rings, jerks her awake. Figures. She thought she'd take a super quick nap before Castle and Alexis came over, but she's managed to fall into a deep sleep, just to be pulled right back out of it. She fumbles on her nightstand, spilling her water glass as she reaches for the phone. "Shit." She answers without looking at the caller ID, it has to be the precinct because she's not expecting Castle for another hour. "Beckett."

"Kate. Kate!" There's a panic in his voice that she's never heard before. It's raw, grief filled.

"Castle?"

"Kate, oh God, Kate, I don't know where she is!"

"Slow down. Castle. Rick. Slow down. You're scaring me. You don't know where who is?" And before he can answer, she knows, of course she knows, her brain catches up with the sick feeling in her stomach.

"Alexis," Castle whispers. "Alexis and Meredith are missing."


Castle had gone to collect Alexis from school at three, intending to take her straight to her violin class before going to Kate's. He'd even packed an overnight bag for her. He'd kind of figured that Kate's apartment was off limits- so she'd let Alexis stay the night he was in hospital, sure, but he'd always thought of that as an anomaly, and figured that when Kate went home to her own place, she did it because she wanted time apart. He wasn't stupid- he knew that he was more of a people person than most people, and everything about Kate screamed that she liked privacy. He'd been struggling with the balance, to be honest, because sometimes he wondered if he wasn't smothering her a little. But, if she wanted him- and his daughter- in her apartment, then that meant she was in this, really in, right?

He had waited at the entrance to Alexis' school where he always waited, and watched the students trail out. He'd spotted most of Alexis' classmates, but Alexis wasn't there laughing with Paige, and she wasn't chasing after Lucy. She wasn't with Tara either, and when most of the kids had filed out- most into waiting cars, he's one of the only ones who walks to the school, he'd entered the school grounds, climbing the stairs past the flagpole with trepidation.

His daughter had never had a detention before, but that was his first thought. He had no idea how the morning had played out. In fact, he hasn't been able to remember a time where Meredith ever took Alexis to school before. Alexis is a bright kid, she should be able handle the interruption to her routine, but she has a tendency to take everything to heart and act out when her Mom is introduced as a variable. Actually, since they stepped foot on the plane at JFK Rick had been waiting for the other shoe to drop, expected a tantrum or a flash of temper. But apart from exhaustion, and the occasional (not so occasional) complaints about missing Kate, Alexis had been perfect. So, just maybe, Alexis had been kept back in class, but even as he ran the scenario through in his head it sat wrong with him. He pays a fortune for tuition at Marlowe Prep, and if Alexis had been kept after class he'd have received a phone call by now. The security at the school is one of the things that drew him to it.

As he'd entered Alexis' classroom, he'd really realised. Something was very, very wrong. Alexis' teacher had been there alone at her desk, grading papers, and she'd glanced up at him in confusion. "Mr. Castle. Is everything okay?"

"Uh- Ms. Parker- do you know where my daughter is?"

She had looked up from her grading properly then, putting her pen down as she spoke. "Your wife- ex-wife- collected Alexis earlier. I'm sorry- I was under the impression she'd phoned you."

"Oh." Rick had shaken his head. Damn Meredith to hell. "No, she didn't." He'd sigh. It wasn't the teacher's fault, Meredith had the same parental rights as he did, and she was entitled to pick Alexis up too. But- earlier? "Sorry," he'd started again. "Earlier- when?"

"Before lunch. She said there was an emergency." Ms. Parker had shaken her head. "I'm sorry. If I'd realised you didn't know, I would have called you."

Rick had waved it off. "Not too worry. Thank you. I'll call her." As far as the supposed emergency was concerned, he wasn't really worried. Because taking Alexis out of school on a whim would totally be Meredith's style. But he was pissed, to say the least. He dialled Meredith- it was a good thing his contacts synced when he switched his SIM to the new phone, because he didn't know her cell number by heart- but the call went straight to voicemail. He didn't leave a message, just hung up and tried again- and again. And again. Fuck.


When Rick arrives at Kate's apartment, it's obvious that he's freaking the fuck out. Kate's half tempted to offer him a drink, just a shot, before she remembers that she only had tequila here, and that she had tipped it down the sink.

Now she's sitting on her couch, and they're going around in circles. "I'm sure they're fine," she tells him again, only to look up and see he's wearing a hole in her floor with his pacing. If he would just stay still for a moment, they could discuss this, come up with a plan-

"Call the hospitals again," he tells her.

Kate shakes her head. "I've done that. I've spoken to the precinct- they've checked the hospital. They've got people looking, they've got it covered."

"Well- call again?" He's desperate, actually wringing his hands together, and Kate sighs. He's not listening. "Why did she check out of her hotel?"

In truth, Kate's frantic too, but she pushes her fears down. She's seen way too much as a police officer, and if she goes through the more dire scenarios with Castle she'll freak out too, and she can't, she just can't, she needs to stay strong, keep it together for the both of them, and for Alexis too. Because, shit, if she needs Alexis back this badly, what is Rick going through, being separated from his little girl like this? The thoughts make her head spin, and she struggles to come up with a more palatable idea than any of the horror stories dancing through her mind. "Could she be flying back to L.A.?"

Castle shakes his head. "No. No, surely not. Why would she- I mean- she doesn't actually want custody of Alexis- oh God. What if she's changed her mind? What if she wants custody of Alexis now? But why- She can't- I need- should I speak to my lawyer?"

"Slow down." Kate stands up again and looks at her watch. She wants Castle to slow down, but she needs time to speed up, to rush them through this. There's going to be a logical explanation, and they're going to find it- she just hopes it's sooner rather than later. They have to get Alexis back, and soon.

And finally- finally- Rick's phone buzzes, and he leaps on it. "Meredith? Meredith?"

Kate can tell Meredith is talking, but she can't hear what the woman is saying. But she can see Castle's face, and he looks like he's about to explode. "You're where?" he yells, loudly enough to disturb her neighbours, she thinks. And then, more quietly, but with a frightening measure of venom in his voice- "What the fuck are you doing with my daughter in Paris?"