A/N: First of all, let me thank all of you who have taken the time to favourite/follow this story. Also I really appreciate people leaving reviews as I'm sure I can use the feedback. To the anon reviewer with the comment re:location of bedroom in the loft - That was an intentional difference from the show, the reasons for which I hope are clearly explained in this chapter. Sad News, Kids: this is a shorter chapter. I thought it was going to be a monster like that last one, but...it isn't. On the upside, there'll be a new Castle family member in the next chapter so... that's something? Right?

Disclaimer: I don't own Castle, Just taking a few characters out to play.

Finally I feel I should let everyone know I don't have a beta, so any mistakes are my own.

Jim and Martha are the first to arrive, nearly running into each other as they both approach the doors to the building that houses Castle's loft. It's an easy ice breaker, a source of laughter as they ride the elevator up. Inside, they present the dishes they've both prepared - Jim, his usual crowd pleasing corn casserole; Martha, a broccoli concoction that went over surprisingly well last time she babysat Emily - before accepting the drinks Kate offers them. Emily appears at the bottom of the stairs, twirling and giggling as her grandparents admire her dress. There's a round of laughter as the girl pulls on a length of skirt, successfully showing everyone her new grownup socks. Kate shoots Alexis an impressed smile, the girl responding with a satisfied shrug before accompanying Kate to a corner of the kitchen.

"How'd you manage that?"

"It's a sister thing, I suppose. I told her that since she's going to be a big sister soon, she should start dressing like one, and before I knew it she was on the floor trying to find where to put her feet."

"Well," Kate laughs, "I'll have to remember to let you dress her come Christmas time."

"Deal," Alexis nods, rearranging her dessert on a tray.

Watching the redhead carefully, Kate pauses a moment, tries to make it sound as casual as possible. "So. Your Dad says Pi was working from home today?"

"Yeah," she nods, lets out a sigh. "Before you ask, I don't know why. He just hasn't really been into the family stuff lately."

Kate gives a small nod, clears her throat as she glances around, makes sure no one will over hear. "Has therapy been helping any?"

Alexis shrugs, turns to face her stepmother. "Sort of. We've only been going a couple weeks so the whole process is still a little awkward, but I've got a good feeling about it."

Pi arrives minutes before dinner is served bearing a plate of stuffed mushrooms that has Castle forcing a smile as he finds room on the table for them. He long ago accepted - to some degree, at least - Pi's lasting presence in his daughter's life, but every time he arrives to a dinner with some new fruitarian treat Castle cringes. He knows he'll hear about it later if he doesn't at least taste Pi's offering and simply the look of the mushrooms with their dark green filling has his stomach turning.

"Here we are!" Castle announces, settling the turkey in the last bare space on the table. The group passes dishes in what has become a well rehearsed dance until everyone has a full plate in front of them.

"Hey, Mrs. C, you didn't get any mushrooms," Pi observes, holding the tray out in Kate's direction.

"Oh, I'm so sorry Pi, you know how I love trying your fruitarian creations but this baby is just not into mushrooms," she says with a sigh and an affectionate hand on her belly. "Maybe next year," she smiles.

Rick watches from his spot at the head of the table, shooting his wife a not so subtle glare. He waits until everyone else is engrossed in conversation before leaning over her way. "I don't appreciate you using our child to get out things."

Kate laughs along with the rest of the group when Martha gets to the punchline of her latest audition story before turning ever so slightly to her husband. "You're just jealous," she whispers with a grin. When he scowls in reply she gives him a sympathetic look. "Maybe if you drown them in gravy?"

A series of groans are emitted as the Castle family retires to the living area.

"Never in my years have I eaten so much turkey," Martha sighs, stretching out in a chair. "I swear, this meal gets better every year."

Castle laughs, joining Kate at one end of the sofa. "Jim, how attached are you to the remains of that corn casserole? I happen to know it's even better reheated as a midnight snack."

Jim huffs out a laugh, raises his palms in surrender. "It's all yours Rick."

"Excellent," Castle sighs, wiggling his eyebrows at his wife. "How you doing over there?"

Groaning, Kate shifts as she tries to find a comfortable position. "Well, thanks to your mother and her broccoli," she begins, shooting her mother-in-law a half-hearted scowl, "I now have both a real baby and a food baby in my belly." When the crowd laughs she shakes her head. "Seriously though, I have no idea how I'm going to get up those stairs to go to bed. Why'd we move up there again?"

"Because you wanted to be closer to Emily's nursery and by the time I convinced you we could move back downstairs you were pregnant again."

"Mmmm this is true…"

"Plus, the room down here makes for an exquisite guest suite," Martha grins. "I don't suppose I could call dibs on that one for Christmas this year yet, could I?"

Alexis laughs. "Sorry Grams, 'beat you to it."

"Stay in my room!" Emily cheers, leaping off her grandfather's lap in favour of sitting with her grandmother. "We can have supper party!"

Beaming at her younger granddaughter, Martha nods. "I think you mean slumber party, and that would be lovely."

"Daddy, I need more bed for Grams."

The group can do nothing but chuckle as Castle promises to work something out. Alexis watches as Pi politely smiles and nods, checks the time on his phone. She rolls her eyes, turns her focus to where her sister has moved to sit between her parents, chattering about how she's sure the baby is a little sister, but if it's a brother she 'sposes that's okay too.

"I hate to be the first to leave but I'm afraid it's about time for me to head on out," Jim says with a sigh. "It's been a long week at the office and the turkey is not helping matters."

"Oh, okay Dad, here I'll walk you out," Kate begins, legs swinging as she tries to right herself from where she's sunken into the cushions of the couch.

Grinning, Jim shakes his head. "I don't think so, Katie." He plants a kiss on his daughter's brow, even as she frowns. "I'll see you for lunch next week though. Alexis, Pi, need a ride?"

Alexis smiles, grateful for the offer, before groaning inwardly as Pi all but jumps out of his chair.

"Thanks, Mister B, that would be great," Pi tells him, already halfway to the door to collect his coat.

Taking a deep breath, Alexis puts on a happy face, makes the rounds. Martha rises out of her chair, plants a loud, dramatic kiss on either cheek. Castle is equally enthusiastic, lifting his daughter off her feet in a squeezing hug that has them both chuckling. Emily stands on the sofa, throwing her arms around her sister, howling with laughter as Alexis twirls them twice before settling the girl back in her seat.

"I think maybe we should skip the lifting this year," Kate tells her with a wink.

"If you say so," Alexis shrugs, smiling as she accepts a hug from Kate in her seated position before joining Pi and Jim at the door.

The group has just barely heard the ding of the elevator when Castle drops the leftover mushrooms in the kitchen trash can with a resounding thud.

Alexis counts the stairs to her apartment as she climbs them, reminds herself to take cleansing breaths, keep her cool at least until they get inside. Pi trails behind, tossing his keys from one hand to the other. Reaching their door Alexis steps aside, lets Pi do the honour before following him in, being sure to lock and chain the door behind her.

She can't get into this right now, she tells herself, so instead she shuts herself in the washroom. Runs the faucet, splashes her face, frowns into the mirror at her raccoon eyes and vows never to buy mascara in a hurry again. Sighing, she sets about removing her make up, figures she was going to have to do that sometime tonight anyway.

When she emerges she finds Pi in the kitchen - already changed into his pyjama pants - and guzzling juice straight from the carton.

"I have a question," she blurts, slumping into a chair at their kitchen table.

Pi offers a grunt in return, taking the seat across from her, juice still in hand.

"What do you have against my family?" She watches, cuts him off when she can tell he's about to deny it. "It must be something. You refused to come with me to Beckett's birthday dinner, you did come tonight," she concedes when she can see he's about to point that out, but quickly changes her tone. "You did come tonight, but you showed up barely in time for dinner, and then checked your phone the entire time like you couldn't wait to get out of there."

Pi turns his head side to side, rubs at a sore muscle in his neck as he rolls his eyes. "I'm not big on the family stuff, you know that."

Alexis is already shaking her head. She knows that despite his apparent happy-go-lucky attitude, he did struggle a couple years ago with the realization that her father wasn't as easily charmed as he'd hoped. That said, she also knows he's since found a common ground with her father in the form of taste in movies and this hasn't been an issue in years. She tells him so, expresses her disappointment in their early departure from her father's thanksgiving gathering.

He nods, apologizes, though he doesn't offer a further explanation. Tired, they both agree to bring it up in their next therapy session.

It's less than what she'd like, because what she'd like is to be a part of a relationship where family and holidays and friday nights are simple, but she'll take it. It's a step, she knows, and hopes it's a step towards where she wants them to be.

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