"Dad?" Alexis called as she walked downstairs, a red dufflebag slung over her shoulder. "Oh great father of mine?" she called again, walking in to the kitchen. She sighed as she looked around at the empty loft. Rolling her lips together, she took her phone off the counter, opening up the message from her dad that it said she had. She locked her phone, sliding it in her back pocket and grabbing her keys off the counter before picking up the red suitcase that was by the door and walking quickly outside.

She opened the back door of her car, tossing her bag inside before quickly walking around to the drivers side and climbing in her normal seat. She drove for about five minutes before she pulled up in front of the familiar building. She grabbed her keys and locked her car before quickly walking inside.

When she got inside and to the area she was headed, she looked to her left and saw her dad there.

"Dad. I thought you were taking me to the airport?" she asked him slightly annoyed. She was super excited to go to this teaching workshop this week even though it was in California and was a week long and she wouldn't be able to see anyone. She wanted her dad to take her, he told her he would, and here he was, at the precinct.

"I was... and I am but Kate got this case and said I could help.. and you read my message." he said a pleading look in his eyes.

Alexis sighed, crossing her arms over her chest. "I get that your pissed at me, Dad. I've told you a lot of things that really show how much I've grown up these past few years But seriously, Dad. I don't think you really want to take me. I don't think you want me to go."
"No, Alexis. I don't. But it isn't just to this workshop, I don't want you to go period. You're talking about moving out, you've got this fantastic job that shows you can do it yourself. You're growing up to fast."

"Can we talk about this another time? I really can't right now. My flight leaves in an hour and I'm not even on my way."

"Fine. Do you still want me to take you?"

"No, I'll drive myself." She nodded once, running her hand through her hair.

"Are you sure?" he asked her, slightly disappointed.

"Yes, I am sure. Stay here and work on this case." She told him, giving him a hug. "Tell everyone to have a good week for me, okay?"

"Why don't you come tell them yourself. I'm sure Kate and Ryan would be really mad if you didn't tell them goodbye in person." Alexis smiled to herself as she pulled out of her dad's grasp.

"Yeah, alright." she said as he lead her all the way in.

"Hey, Alexis. You guys leaving?" Kate asked her, setting a folder down on her desk.

Alexis nodded, a small smile on her face. "Yeah. My flight leaves in an hour or so."

"I hope you have a good trip." Detective Beckett told the redhead before giving her a quick hug.

"It should be good." Alexis replied with a chuckle.

"Ryan just went to get some financial records for our vic, he should be here any minute, if you want to wait.." Beckett said with a slight shrug.

Alexis sighed, brushing her hair behind her ear. She bit the inside of her lip and checked the time on her phone.

"I really can't wait much longer."

"Yeah, she needs to catch her flight." Castle said in as sweet a voice as he could manage.

Beckett rolled her eyes while Alexis sighed again. She checked the time once again. "Okay, I really have to go now. I'll see you guys on Sunday." She told them, giving her Dad a quick hug and heading out of the room.

Alexis grabbed her carry-on bag and walked as fast as she could off her plane and over to baggage claim where she would be meeting her dad. While she was gone, her Dad has used the spare key to her car (that she got when she had lost her keys so many times) and picked her car up from the airport parking lot so that he could pick her up.

When she got there, she looked around not seeing her dad. She pulled her phone out of her bag when she felt someone tap her on her left shoulder. She turned around and a wide smile came across her face. She threw her arms around his neck and he gave her a tight hug.

"Where's my dad?" she asked into his shoulder.

"He's getting Coffee with Beckett." Ryan told her. She looked up at him and smiled. "Why are you here? I thought you had to work.."

"Beckett told me I should come." he shrugged. "I wasn't going to object to seeing you."

Alexis kissed him on the cheek and smiled. "You know she's really supportive of this whole thing."

"What bag's yours?" Kevin asked her.

"It's red. I'll get it. It might be a minute or two, though so I'm going to call my Dad."

Ryan nodded and Alexis pulled her phone out of her pocket.

"Hello father. Where might you be?" she said in a childish tone.

"I be walking. Where you be?" Alexis chuckled before replying.

"I be standing where I said I would meet you."

"Well, I be there in about.. twenty seconds." and then she heard silence. She put her phone in her pocket and sighed. "My dad is such a dork." she said with a chuckle.

"Hey! I heard that." Castle said from behind her.

"Well, good." Alexis said giving him a hug.

After they got her luggage, Alexis, Kate, Castle and Ryan walked out to her Dad's car.

"Why did you bring your car.. it isn't very practical for the cold weather.." Alexis said putting her bags inside.

"My car is freaking awesome, young one."

"So, Alexis, how was the workshop?" Kate asked when they were on their way back to the loft.

"It was..." Alexis paused trying to think of the right word. "pretty awesome."

"You didn't run into Meredith, did you?" Castle looked at her threw the mirror.

"I actually did, I saw her walking with some guy in the park while I was walking back from lunch with one of the other girls. She smiled at me and that was it. Not even a wave." Alexis said with a shrug.

"She didn't even say hi?" Kate said with a shocked tone.

"Nope." Alexis stated flatly.

After a comfortable silence for the rest of the ride home, Alexis was relieved to finally be home. She tossed her bags by the door with a smile.

"Oh, your friend Faye said that she wanted to stop by later.." Castle glanced at his watch "and by later I mean like twenty minutes." Alexis nodded.

"Alright, is she bringing Abigale?" she asked grabbing a bottle of water from the fridge.

"Uh, I don't actually know.."

"Well, I have to go and get my paperwork done now." Kevin said with a smile.

"Kay. Thanks for coming." Alexis replied with a smile.

"No problem. I'll call you later sometime." He gave her a kiss on the cheek and walked out. Alexis nodded and smiled slightly.

"I'm gonna go start some of my laundry.." she said quietly and slowly started walking up the stairs. Before she got upstaris, she heard Detective Beckett start talking to Castle.

"I'm glad you're trying to be supportive of Alexis and Ryan even though I know how much you don't like them being together."
Alexis stopped as soon as she would be out of sight and listened to what her Dad was going to respond, even though she knew she probably shouldn't be.
"Well, I guess I want Alexis to be happy." She heard him reply with a slight sigh. A smile came across her face as she quietly made her way up to her room. It wasn't until she was allt he way upstairs that she forgot she left her bag downstairs.

Authors note: Kinda short, and even though it seems like more of a filler chapter, it isn't. We're just about to the climax of the story, and this chapter is leading right into it. In case you all were wondering, These are the months the chapters are taking place in:
Chapters 1 and 2- End of August/Early September
Chapter 3, 4 and 5 - Mid September
Chapter 6 - Early/Mid October
Chapter 7 - Middle of November
and Chapter 8 - End of November

I love to hear from you guys ! Reviews make my day! I'm gonna start trying to reply to reviews now. I'm thinking any alert-ers, favoritor-ers, and reviewers I get this chapter get a little sneak peek into next chapter? One of the above works! Just a little something to let me know that ya'll are still interested in this story.

Love you all, Macie (: