Chapter 8
(Alexis decides her dad is dating the wrong person.)
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When Kate arrives on that first day, Alexis doesn't know how to act around her. She's always thought that Kate was kind of awesome, especially because she's able to put up with her dad's antics day in and day out when nobody else but her and her Grams has ever had that distinction. Still, Alexis had thought of Kate as more of a role model.
By the end of that first day, though, she starts to think that Kate would be a cool friend to have around (Kate introduces her to John Hughes' classics and belts out Taylor Swift with her when they play Rock Band, making her swear that she would never tell her dad) and by the morning of the second, Kate's almost like the sister she's never had.
Granted, a large reason for their virtually instantaneous bonding is due to the fact that Alexis realises very quickly how little she can manage by herself with two broken arms.
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It's Monday morning and Kate has already called to tell her school that she wouldn't be there – the cast on her left arm only covers a part of her palm so Alexis is still able to use her hand, (something she is extremely grateful for), but she's still too sore to grip a pen and take notes all day.
Since Alexis would be staying home, Kate had also called the precinct to tell them that she couldn't work for the third day in a row.
"I'm sorry for using up all your sick days," says Alexis while determinedly trying to cut up her pancake with the edge of her fork.
"You're not," says Kate "I've never used any of them before so I have plenty saved up – besides, I've never had more fun being sick in my life." She smiles. "So, what do you want to do today?"
Alexis suddenly remembers something she had been thinking about last night in bed. "You want to help me surprise my dad?" she asks.
"What did you have in mind?"
"We should decorate the house for the holidays!" Alexis says excitedly. "Normally, my dad and I do it right after Thanksgiving but he was so busy getting ready and packing for Europe that we never got around to it. He said that he would make it up to me when he got back but since you're here, we should just make a day of it!" Kate had looked hesitant when Alexis had first started talking but now that Alexis sees her warming up to the idea, she decides to add for emphasis, "It'll be super fun, I swear."
Kate laughs. "You sound exactly like your dad when he's trying to convince me."
Alexis grins, "Does it work?"
Kate answers with a grin of her own, "Fine. Let's do it."
"Awesomeness!" She leaps off of her stool to give Kate a side hug before grabbing a piece of paper to start making a list.
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It turns out Alexis isn't as helpful as she normally is and she ends up directing most of the time but Kate doesn't seem to mind.
First, Kate drives them to a Christmas tree farm and the two of them get one of the guys working there to help them bring the giant 8 ½ foot tree back to the loft even though they don't deliver. It hadn't been that hard to convince him since he had totally been hitting on Kate.
Alexis tells Kate that they don't have to buy any ornaments because her and her dad have been making and collecting decorations since she had been old enough to use scissors but they do end up purchasing an obscene amount of candy canes, Christmas confections, and sparkly lights. Alexis does get slightly concerned when Kate climbs the ladder in order to string aforementioned lights from the ceiling and put up the star on the tree, reminding Kate that she's not really able to hold the ladder very steady and she doesn't want both of them to be in a cast.
When they finish, the loft looks like a Winter Wonderland and Alexis is giddy with pride and accomplishment. Kate makes them hot cocoa and they lie underneath the tree in order to watch the lights twinkle above them.
"Hey, Kate?"
"Yeah?"
"What do you usually do for Christmas?" Alexis had spent all day telling Kate about the traditions that she and her dad have but Kate hadn't shared any of her own.
When Kate doesn't answer immediately, Alexis turns her head to look at her and sees the sadness on her face. Alexis sits up, afraid that she has done something wrong. "Kate," she says anxiously, "Are you okay? You don't have to tell me if you don't want to. I'm sorry, I was just curious…"
Kate sits up and shakes her head like she's clearing her mind. "No, it's fine. I was just remembering."
Alexis nods, unsure of what to say next.
Kate turns to look at her and Alexis is glad when she breaks the silence for them. "When I was little, it was always the first of December that meant the start of the holidays for me. My dad and I would go choose a tree and then my mom would join us in decorating it. I had a lot of homemade ornaments, too," Kate fingers the purple popsicle reindeer Alexis had made when she was five. "I was allowed to open one present on Christmas Eve and then when I got older, the three of us would stay up and open all of our presents right after midnight when it was technically Christmas Day." Kate smiles at the memory but it looks bittersweet to Alexis. "Christmas was always my mom's favourite holiday."
Alexis recalls what her dad had told her about Kate's mom and she suddenly realises why Kate had been reluctant to help her decorate that morning and why she looks sad now.
"I can't remember the last time I decorated my house… usually my dad will call me on Christmas day but I'm always working so we don't really celebrate." Kate ends her story with a shrug.
Alexis scoots closer to Kate's side. "I'm going to give you a hug now, okay?"
Kate only hesitates a little before hugging her back. "Alexis, I think you just might be the sweetest kid I've ever known," she says and Alexis thinks she sounds happier. After a minute, Kate pulls away, "C'mon, it's late. And we both have to wake up early tomorrow."
"Oh yeah," Alexis says, pushing herself up. "It kind of feels like the weekend."
She and Kate make their way upstairs. She needs help changing but they've both stopped feeling awkward about it, especially after that first night when they had somehow gotten her t-shirt stuck around her head and they had both laughed so hard that it had taken them fifteen minutes just to get her pyjamas on.
Kate is brushing out the tangles in her hair when Alexis has another one of her brilliant ideas. "Kate, you should come over and celebrate Christmas with us!" she says.
"Not that I don't appreciate the invitation, Alexis, but you probably want to ask your dad about that first. Won't you be celebrating with…"
"…Gina," Alexis finishes Kate's thought. "And you'll probably be with your boyfriend, right?"
"It'll be a normal Christmas," Kate says, not really answering her question.
Alexis suddenly finds herself wishing that Kate were the one her dad is dating and then immediately feels bad for hypothetically breaking up two relationships. She doesn't notice that Kate has gotten off her bed and is at the door until she hears her say, "Good night, Alexis."
She slips under her covers. "Until tomorrow, Kate."
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The next day, Josh shows up at the precinct to invite Kate to a quick lunch. Since she's been cancelling on him for the past three days, she willingly agrees.
"So, how's Castle's daughter?" he asks after they've ordered.
Kate had told him the situation but, just by reading Josh's face, she can tell that he's not as "fine" about it as he had seemed to be on the phone. "She's better. She went back to school today."
Josh nods. "Remind me again why you had to stay with her?"
"I told you. Castle's out of the country and her grandmother had some sort of theatre thing to go to in California."
"Doesn't Castle have a girlfriend?"
"She went with him."
"And out of all of the friends that he obviously has, you have to be the one to look after his daughter for the week?"
Kate knows there are a lot of reasons why Castle wouldn't leave Alexis in the care of just anyone but she doesn't feel like it would help the situation if she were to explain it to Josh. Since she doesn't want to be defensive, she goes on the offensive. "Do you have a problem with that?" she asks him.
"Would it matter if I did?"
"No, not really."
"Then, there's really nothing to say, is there?"
Their food arrives and she changes the subject.
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By the end of the week, Kate realises that Alexis is absolutely capable of acting like a real teenager. Alexis has taken to joining her at the precinct after school because she can't participate in any of her usual extra-curriculars. The boys have started to refer to her exclusively as Little Castle and they've even decorated her casts although Kate would have preferred them spending their energy on the unsolved murder.
"This sucks." Alexis is sitting cross-legged in the chair usually occupied by Castle.
Kate's gotten used to Alexis chattering on beside her as she does her paperwork, in fact, she's a lot like Castle that way. "What does?" she asks, though not really paying rapt attention.
"I just realised that I can't practice my violin until this stupid arm heals. That's like, six weeks! My technique is gonna go down the drain."
Kate looks over at her. "Why don't you concentrate on what you can do right now," she jabs her pen at the open textbook, "Like your calculus homework."
"Alexis doesn't need somebody to tell her to do homework," comes a voice behind them, "Where is my real daughter and what have you done with her?"
Kate whirls around.
"Dad!" Alexis leaps into Castle's arms. "What're you doing here? I thought you were coming home tomorrow!"
"Change of plans. Not even the Queen of England could keep me from getting home to see my unduly injured daughter." Castle finally catches Kate's eye, "Hi, Beckett."
"Hey," she responds, "How was your trip?"
"Oh, you know, the usual. A lot of schmoozing and signing of body parts."
Alexis rolls her eyes and Castle grins, "Picked up some of Beckett's habits, have you?"
"Kate was awesome. In fact, I think she may have taken better care of me than you," Alexis teases. Castle pretends to be offended and Alexis grins, "She doesn't concoct weird home remedies and then actually forces me to try them."
"Hey, peanut butter goes with everything."
Alexis suddenly furrows her brows, "Dad, how did you know I was here?"
"Because I'm brilliant and I've clearly got some detective skills…"
Castle doesn't get to finish his story before Esposito interrupts him, "He asked me on Twitter."
Alexis suddenly looks at Kate, "You're still staying over tonight, right?"
Kate's eyes widen. "Am I?"
"Well, Grams doesn't get home until tomorrow night."
"Right…" Kate glances over at Castle who merely shrugs. "I guess I am, then."
Alexis smiles. "Great!"
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Castle and Alexis leave first since Kate still had a bit of work to do. A half-hour after they leave, Kate's phone buzzes and she laughs at the sheer amount of exclamation marks in Alexis' text: KATE! HE LOVED IT! :) SURPRISE WAS A SUCCESS!.
It's followed up by another: Come home, soon, 'k?
A/N: Again, cutting this off because it's getting kinda lengthy but the next chapter will continue on from this – I wouldn't be so evil as to not show what happens when Beckett and Castle are together. In the same house. With beds.
For those who are squirmy about infidelity: Castle's relationship status gets explained in two chapters and Kate's the one after that… I remain steadfast in my opinion that brain chemistry makes people do crazy things and love's not always perfectly simple….
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