For Castle Fanfic Monday (4/13/15)
"'They don't know that we're not allowed to use magic at home. I'm going to have a lot of fun with Dudley this summer…'"
Kate closed Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone as Alexis asked incredulously, "That's it? That's the end?" Kate nodded, and Alexis continued, "That was so good. But I'm sad that it's over."
"It was good, wasn't it?" Kate replied, setting the novel on the child's bedside table. "And we can start the second one tomorrow."
"Can't we start it tonight?" Alexis pleaded, her eyes widening hopefully.
The child had definitely inherited her father's puppy dog eyes, and Kate chuckled. "No, baby. You have school tomorrow," Kate said, rising off of Alexis' bed. She pulled back the covers and held them up, allowing space for Alexis to wiggle underneath them.
"I was hoping that you would forget that," Alexis said sorrowfully as Kate pulled the covers over her.
Kate giggled. "How could I forget? You've only reminded us about it fifty times today."
The child had spent most of the day dancing excitedly through the house, making up song after song about her excitement for starting first grade. She'd obsessively checked and double checked her school supply list all weekend, unpacked and re-packed her Care Bears backpack three times, and spent thirty minutes planning the perfect "first day of school" outfit this afternoon. Kate had never seen someone so excited to start school before.
Alexis grinned. "Yeah," she said. "But Kate, why does Dad have to take me to school? I want you to take me to school."
Kate glanced at Castle, who was sitting silently in the corner of Alexis' room. He'd had this conversation with his daughter numerous times over the past few days, and Alexis was still fighting him about it. The child was adamant that Kate walk her to school, and had even thrown a mini-tantrum when Castle initially told her that he'd be the one to walk her to school most days, not Kate.
Castle met her gaze and nodded, with a shrug of his shoulders. Might as well try, he mouthed.
Kate sighed, sitting back down on Alexis' bed. "I know your old sitter, Rachel, walked you to school every day last year," she started, reaching out to stroke the child's hair. "But that's because her school was so close to yours, so it was easy. My work is very far away from your school. And I have to be at my work at 8:00, and you don't have school until 8:30."
Alexis thought for a moment. "I go to school in SoHo…" she started.
"And I work in Lower Manhattan," Kate finished. "That's a fifteen-minute subway ride away from your school. But you do remember the deal, right? I get to walk you to school every single Friday."
Alexis' face lit up. "Oh yeah, I remember!" she exclaimed. "I'll be at school extra early on Fridays, but that's okay, 'cause I'll get to go with you." A yawn punctuated the end of her sentence, and she grinned sheepishly.
"Alright, time for bed, kiddo," Kate said, standing. "I'll see you in the morning when you wake up."
"Pinky promise?" Alexis asked, extending her little finger out to Kate.
Kate took the girl's pinky finger with her own, shaking it solemnly. "Pinky promise," she confirmed. "Goodnight, Alexis." She leaned down and gently kissed the girl's forehead, then straightened. As she turned to walk out of the room, Alexis called her name.
"I love you, Kate," the child said sweetly.
Kate's heart melted when she heard Alexis' sincere confession. The girl had never said that to her before. Kate turned back around to face Alexis, who was laying in her bed, a grin on her face.
"I love you, too, Alexis," Kate whispered, tears shimmering in her eyes.
As she walked out of the room, she caught Castle watching her, a contemplative look on his face. But he didn't say a word as she passed by him, only tearing his eyes off of her when he arrived by his daughter's side to tell her goodnight.
She'd been sitting on the couch for only a few minutes, watching a "Nebula 9" rerun on TV, when Castle walked into the living room. Generally, he sat down in the armchair, allowing her to have the couch to herself, but to Kate's surprise, he came and sat beside her tonight.
"Well, she's in bed," he started. "And you know what she said as I was telling her goodnight?" Kate shook her head.
"She apologized for 'being grumpy' about me walking her to school," Castle grinned. "She said she didn't know how far away your work was from her school, and she understood now."
"But you told her several times about the distance, and about the time differences," Kate said. "I heard you talk to her about it."
"I guess she just needed to hear it from you," Castle answered, shrugging his shoulders. He took a quick breath, as if he were going to say something else, but a funny look crossed his face, and he exhaled, turning to face the television. His eyes were focused on a point just below the screen, though, and Kate could tell that he wasn't actually watching, but thinking.
About what? she wondered, allowing her gaze to linger on him for just a moment longer before she turned back to face the television.
They sat in silence for a moment or two before Castle finally spoke again.
"You're good with her, you know," he said quietly. "I've never seen Alexis take to someone so quickly. She tells everyone that you're her best friend."
"Really? She does?" Kate asked, surprised.
"Oh, yes," Castle answered. "And I hate to admit this, but it made me jealous at first—seeing the relationship you two have, that is."
He took a deep breath. "Her mother has never really been in the picture," Castle started. "Meredith was young when we got married, and Alexis was a surprise. Meredith didn't let me be involved in the pregnancy at all, and although I did get to be in the room when Alexis was delivered, I didn't get to stay long. C-section," he added. "Combined with a tummy tuck. She was more concerned with her looks than with being a mother."
A look of sorrow crossed his face, but he continued. "Meredith stayed home with the baby while she recovered from surgery, but as soon as she was mostly healed, she took off for a vacation with friends, leaving me alone with Alexis. And it just kept happening, for several months. She'd just leave, and excuse it away, saying that she had to audition for roles, or that she was going to go 'out' with her girlfriends. I never knew how long she was going to be gone. Alexis was about a year and a half old when Meredith told me she wanted a divorce. She'd had an affair and wanted to move to Malibu."
"Oh, Castle, I'm so sorry," Kate said genuinely, reaching out to touch his arm. "I had no idea."
"It stung, but not nearly as much as the fact that she practically abandoned our daughter," Castle continued, his voice bitter. "I've raised Alexis almost entirely on my own. Meredith very rarely comes to see Alexis, and then acts like she's hurt when she realizes that Alexis hardly knows her. And to see how hurt Alexis is when she sees all of her friends with their mothers, and to have her ask me 'Dad, why doesn't my mommy love me?'—it just breaks my heart. She deserves so much better than that."
"But she has you," Kate reassured him. "And you've done a wonderful job with her. Alexis is such a sweet girl, and you're a wonderful father."
"Thank you," Castle replied, the corners of his mouth slowly beginning to turn upward. "She's always been my little girl, and we've always been so close. And when you came here almost a month ago, she took to you so quickly. It made me jealous at first, to see her bonding with someone that wasn't me. And I know that's stupid, but…"
"No, it's not stupid, Castle," Kate interrupted. "I completely understand."
Castle sighed. "I'm not jealous anymore, though," he said. "It took me a while, but I finally realized that she needs someone like you in her life. She needs a female role model—someone who can show her how to be a confident, successful woman. And you know, I know how to do a lot of things, but I have no idea how to be a woman."
Kate giggled. "I'm very glad to hear that," she murmured, lowering her eyes shyly.
Castle smiled. "I guess what I'm trying to say, Kate, is thank you," he said. "I didn't know how much Alexis was missing out on until you came to live with us. I…" He paused. "I didn't know how much I was missing out on, either. You've made our lives so much better."
Kate felt her breath catch in her throat. "That's really sweet, Castle, but it's me who should be thanking you," she answered, surprised. "I mean, you're the one who basically adopted me. If it weren't for you…" she trailed off. "I don't even want to think about where I'd be right now, if you hadn't taken me in."
"Looks like we helped each other out, then," Castle said quietly, the smile still lingering on his face.
"Yeah, I guess so," Kate agreed, grinning shyly as she ducked her head.
Castle turned back to face the television, and the two sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes, their eyes trained on the screen, but neither paying attention to the episode. Kate eventually yawned, breaking the silence, and Castle chuckled.
"You should go to bed," he suggested.
Kate glanced down at her watch. "Castle, it's only 9:30," she said with a sigh. "I don't have to go to bed… yet…" She yawned again, then glanced at Castle, who had a knowing smile on his face.
"Okay, okay," she conceded, rising from the couch. "I guess I should go to bed. I do have to be up early tomorrow."
"Me, too," Castle said. "Although I have a feeling neither of us will have to set an alarm. Miss I'm-too-excited-to-sleep will probably wake us both bright and early. By the way, which would you rather have for breakfast in the morning: happy face pancakes, or smorelettes?"
Kate wrinkled her nose when she heard the latter suggestion. "Smorelettes? Really, Castle?" she laughed. He'd introduced her to his s'more-omelet combination a couple of weeks ago, and she'd been less-than-pleased at the odd combination of flavors. Castle and Alexis both loved them, though. Like father, like daughter.
Castle raised his eyebrows. "Oh, that's right, I forgot that you don't appreciate the subtle art of the smorelette. Alright, happy face pancakes it is," he said, hanging his head in mock defeat.
Kate giggled. "Nite, Castle," she said, raising her hand in a small wave as she headed upstairs.
She settled into a bed a few minutes later, and a grin lingered on her face as she drifted off to sleep. She'd made their lives better. Without even meaning to. And it was the greatest feeling in the world.
Author's note: Thank you all so much for the views and reviews last week. I can't believe how many new readers I gained, and I hope that you'll all stick with me. Just a warning- life has suddenly become incredibly busy, and I may not get a chance to write for the next three weeks. I will do my best to have the next chapter to you before that, but it may not happen. Please be patient with me.
As always, many thanks to Cathey for her amazing beta skills, and I look forward to your reviews.