Disclaimer: Castle is not mine.
"Alexis?" Kate called up the stairs.
"Yes?" Alexis called back, emerging from her room to look at Kate.
"Do you want to watch a movie with me?" Kate asked, "your dad is in the kitchen experimenting and said that dinner would be ready in maybe two hours, so I figured I'd watch a movie to pass the time."
"Sure, what are we watching?" Alexis said with a laugh, "and what is he making?"
"God only know what he might be up to," Kate chuckled, "but I was thinking we could watch Dirty Dancing."
"Ooo, an oldy but a goody," Alexis said as confirmation. "Should we dare eat snack foods while we watch?"
"I think that might be perceived as inconsiderate, with the amount of work he is putting into dinner," Kate whispered. "Also he would probably kick us out of the kitchen if we tried."
"Yeah, you're right. This food better be good though, I'm not sure I'd be able to wait for the Chinese place down the street to deliver if he messes it up." Alexis said as she sat down next to Kate on the couch.
"I'm sure it'll be fine," Kate said pretty confidently, before adding a little louder. "Babe, you're not going to make a pregnant woman something inedible and force her to wait for take-out, are you?"
"What? I resent that." Rick said in mock annoyance, "I will have you know that this is a three Michelin star meal, according to google."
"Just remember that I'm like ten times more likely to get hangry while pregnant," Kate said, fist bumping Alexis.
"I swear, you'll love this meal." Rick said peaking his head from behind the kitchen wall, "so will you by the way." He added, pointing his spatula in Alexis' direction.
The women just laughed at successfully riling Rick up.
"Let's start the movie, before your dad gets too annoyed with us," Kate said with a laugh, pressing play.
When they were about halfway through the movie Alexis' phone beeped, causing Kate to automatically look in the direction of the noise. When she saw the coy smile and faint blush on the girls face she laughed out loud and asked, "how's the barista?"
"Am I that obvious?" Alexis said blushing even more.
"Yes, well, not only were you being very obvious," Kate said with a smirk, "but I'm also a detective. So?"
"Right, well she's fine," Alexis said, then her face went slack as she looked at Kate, terror in her eyes.
She? Well that's a twist, I've never even heard her mention that she was into girls. Quickly school your features, don't be weird, be supportive. Say something so she doesn't notice that you got shocked by this. What is appropriate?
"Yeah? That's good. Are you planning the 'very fun for us, very awkward for you' meet the parents dinner?" Kate said, pretty proud of the way she managed to sound relatively normal.
"I-, uhm, wha-," Alexis started, then finally managed, "so you're, you're ok with her being a girl?"
"Well, I won't say that I'm not shocked. Mainly because you have never mentioned girls in this capacity." Kate began, before quickly adding, "but there is no reason for anyone not to be OK with it, I'm certainly OK with it. As long as she treats you like you should be treated, and that she knows that I'm a cop and that there will be hell to pay if she hurts you." Kate smiled and side-hugged Alexis, squeezing her shoulder, the action seeming to ease the tension in Alexis' body. "Does she make you happy? Because, I promise, that's all that matter to me and your dad, we love you." Kate smiled knowingly, "and that look that I saw on your face when you got a message from her, that's what it's about. Not realizing that you're grinning at your phone like an idiot, just because they were thinking about you."
Alexis laughed at that, then looked Kate in the eye and said simply, "Thank you, Kate. I've been so nervous about telling you guys about Hayley, I just, yeah, thanks."
"You never answered my question," Kate said after a few minutes of watching the movie.
"What? Right, yeah, she makes me very happy," Alexis smiled and blushed, it was adorable.
"That's great, I'm glad. Not the question I was talking about though," Kate continued to watch the movie, while still noticing Alexis stare at her in her peripheral. "When do we get to meet her?"
"Oh, well, we had been talking about next Friday. She knows I hadn't told you guys about her being a girl. So she was very understanding every time I postponed, but now I have no reason to. You knowing is very helpful for me, because now you can help me tell dad."
On que, it seemed, Rick stepped into the living room. "Tell dad what, pumpkin?"
"Nothing," Alexis said quickly, "I'll tell you tomorrow, I just need to get something from my apartment before I tell you."
Rick looked questioningly at Kate, who just shook her head and smiled. Telling him that she would be supportive of Alexis, but that everything was all right and Alexis was safe.
"All right, pumpkin." He smiled, "as long as it's nothing dangerous or illegal." As he was turning back into the kitchen he quickly looked at his daughter, "wait, you're not pregnant are you?"
"No, dad." Kate and Alexis just looked at each other, each sporting a look of exasperation at Ricks attempt at humor.
"Sorry," Rick said with an embarrassed smile, "dinner will be ready in 30 minutes."
"Thanks, babe," Kate just laughed, there was no other response possible.
oOoOoOo
Rick had spent most of dinner trying to get Alexis to spill, not even attempting to be subtle.
"Rick, would you please stop badgering her and eat this delicious meal you spent hours making." Kate said finally, getting annoyed with the amount of stupid questions spilling out of her husband's mouth. "She's fine, everyone is fine and she will tell you everything in like 12 hours anyways. Can we just change the subject?"
"Oh, sure," Rick sounded a little weird. "Why can't she just tell me now though, I mean you know. Right?" He looked between the two women and Kate sighed.
"Dad, I just didn't want to tell you this without letting Kate prep you first," Alexis looked at Kate knowingly. "She would have managed to soften this news for you, without spilling the beans. But, the truth is." Alexis took a deep breath, seeming to calm just a little bit before speaking with purpose, "the barista is a girl, she is my girlfriend and her name is Hayley." Alexis stared at Rick, who just stared back. Eyes brimming, she wiped a stray tear that had fallen.
"I," Rick looked flustered, "I'm sorry." Rick stood up and went into the kitchen. Tears were now freely streaming down Alexis' cheeks, as she buried her face in her hands. Kate stood up to comfort the girl, before asking. "Rick, where are you going?" disappointed, that he would storm off.
"Nowhere," Rick grabbed a tissue and walked over to Alexis and handed it to her as he patted her back. Alexis took it and wiped her eyes. "I'm sorry," he repeated, "sorry that you felt I would need prepping, that I would somehow not be happy for your happiness. Alexis, sweetie, you are a bright, charming, beautiful girl, sorry young woman." A hint of his cheeky charming smile, his hands raised in defense, coming through the overly emotional speech he was delivering. "If Hayley," he glanced at Kate, who simply nodded her confirmation, "makes you as happy as you seem, then that is enough for me."
Rick wrapped his arms around his daughter, who just sobbed into his chest. "Oh, honey, I didn't know you had something weighing so heavily on you." He rubbed soothing circles on her back, "were you really this worried to tell us?"
After a few moments Alexis calmed down enough to talk, "oh, God," she breathed out a sigh, "I'm sorry, I didn't think I would have a full blown breakdown over this."
"Honey, it's fine," Kate said as she put a hand on Alexis' shoulder, "stressful situations can break even the strongest people, and for you, this was obviously very stressful, otherwise you wouldn't have put it off for so long." Alexis leaned into Kate who was now soothingly stroking down her back.
"So Friday?" Kate asked with a laugh, trying to defuse the situation. When Alexis laughed too, Rick felt it was safe to joke.
"I feel like I shouldn't leave you two alone for the duration of any movie. Even if the main characters are Baby and Johnny Castle." There was a glint in his eye, "hey what about John?"
"Well I like that the name starts with a J, But I feel like he would be teased mercilessly if he was named after someone in Dirty Dancing." Kate said, earning a nod from Alexis.
"Well, his nickname could be Jack, rather than Johnny," Rick said, obviously trying to change their minds.
"The same could be said about any name starting with a J, because then his initials will be J, A, C." Kate said, making his point moot.
"I think I know what his name should be," Rick said with a sly smile, catching Kates eye.
Kate simply nodded.
"What?" Alexis asked, looking between the two a little confused.
Still looking into each others eyes, they both said in perfect sync, "James Alexander Castle."
Comprehension dawned on Alexis and laughing she said, "so my little brother in there, is Jack Castle?"
Kate nodded as Rick smiling said, "sounds like it."
Sorry for the late update, I've been struggling with a bout of writers' block. And the two-year-old has chicken pox.
So with this being my personal jungle gym, I decided that because of their connection in season 8, that Alexis and Hayley had something special going. Specially after the moment where Alexis says that Hayley is part of the family.
I was also a little inspired by the sheer amount of love flowing in the world towards the LGBTQ community in the wake of Orlando and the Pulse attack as well as the NYC Pride.
I hope you don't mind me changing a few things about where Hayley comes from and her age and stuff. I wasn't a big fan Ricks PI storyline, but I might keep it to some extent. I haven't decided yet.
