Here's the next chapter – this might or might not be the last one, depending on how long it turns out. I might have to break it up into two chapters.

Disclaimer: I want you to take a wild guess.

This one's for you, Sanne!

It all went crazy from the beginning.

Alexis knew it was crazy, she knew they shouldn't have tried it, and she was going to get the biggest lecture from her dad, from Beckett, and a dramatic reenactment of all that could have gone wrong from Gram.

The first part had actually gone pretty well. Emmett had tackled the guy and proven that all those wrestling sessions with Benny came in handy. Alexis and Benny had taken the shorter guy down, knocking him out cold as planned.

But when they'd rushed up the stairs and into the hallway, they were met with the third guy. They'd suspected there would be another, but it was still a shock. That had been when Alexis realized just how stupid they were, how they were going to get hurt and she should have stopped them because she was the sensible one…

They were so lucky, so very fucking lucky. The guy was surprised, not at all expecting them, and only had time to fire the gun once in a kneejerk reaction before Emmett had hit him.

And then Benny was grabbing her arm, and pulling her along and telling her not to look, don't look, it'll be okay we have to get out of here and that was when Alexis realized that she had started screaming Emmett's name.

Now they were running. They were running past the fight, through another room and out of the apartment into the ground floor hallway of some building, and Benny was still pulling Alexis along and oh God, no, no they had to go back for Emmett…

"Just keep running, Alexis. Emmett's a big boy, he'll look after himself. We have to get to safety, get someone's attention. C'mon, Alexis." Benny was encouraging her, pulling her along and running, which was good because Alexis' head was spinning and she couldn't even think straight, never mind tell her body what to do.

They were running, running out of the lobby of the apartment building and into the street, into the light, and all that Alexis could see was Emmett, a bullet wound in his side, telling her to run.

::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Beckett got out of the cop car, pulling her gun out of its holster, her vest in place. There were only three in the kidnapping ring, but she'd brought some extra backup in case of a hostage situation. People tended to freak out when there were fifteen guys pointing guns at them instead of four.

She could feel Castle behind her, but she pushed him back. "I need you to stay here." She said, trying to keep her voice even. If there was a hostage situation she needed to have a cool head, and she didn't trust Castle's paternal instinct not to make him be reckless should that occur.

He seemed to understand, because he withdrew back into the car. "I'll be here." He said, and he was both complying and reassuring her with those three simple words.

Beckett approached the unassuming apartment building, gun at the ready, with Ryan and Esposito right behind her. She was getting ready to enter the lobby when two girls burst out.

One of the girls had short blonde hair and was pulling the other along, telling her to keep running. The girl that was being pulled along, the one who kept looking back like someone had just run over her puppy…

"Alexis!" Beckett couldn't help the shout of joy, of relief, that she gave.

Alexis turned, the wind stirring her red hair and making it whip around. Beckett felt her heart swell. Alexis realized that it was Beckett, and she tore herself away from the other girl (who must be Benny Manson) and barreled into Beckett, sobbing.

Beckett didn't think, she just reacted, wrapping Alexis in a hug and holding her tightly, stroking her hair and murmuring comforting words into her ear.

"Baby girl… sweet girl… it's okay now, Alexis, it's okay. You're all right, thank God, you're all right. Shh, it's okay, baby girl, it's okay." Beckett crooned, slowly rocking back and forth.

She had no idea how long they stood like that until Alexis pulled away, her face streaked with tears. "Emmett." She said, her voice croaking from her crying. "Benny's brother, he's still in there and he's injured…"

Beckett turned, but saw that Ryan and Esposito had taken the initiative and entered the building. They were now escorting the three perps into the squad cars, as well as having the EMT people wheel out a boy who could only be Emmett on a stretcher.

Sensing Alexis' restlessness, Beckett let go, and the girl ran over to the stretcher. Beckett followed slowly, walking up to inspect the damage. She reached them just in time to hear Emmett say,

"You never told me the cop was your mom."

Beckett froze.

Instead of denying it, Alexis turned and smiled at Beckett. "She's the next best thing." She assured Emmett.

The boy reached up a hand and stroked Alexis' cheek tenderly. "I'll be out before you know it, Shortcake, and I'm holding you to that date."

Alexis laughed, catching his hand in hers and squeezing it. "Get better." She whispered.

Then the EMTs wheeled him into the ambulance. The blond girl, Benny, was already sitting in there to escort her brother, and she waved at Alexis.

"I'll make sure they stitch him up right, Alexis, don't worry." Benny said, smiling.

The doors to the ambulance closed and it took off.

:::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::

Alexis turned away, trying not to cry at the thought of Emmett in the hospital, and Beckett put her arm around her. She felt so safe with Beckett, but more than that, she felt at home.

"Alexis!"

Dad was running towards her, wearing that ridiculous vest that said WRITER on it, the look on his face making her heart stop. Alexis could only stand there, grinning, as he ran up and enveloped her in the biggest, fiercest hug she'd ever had.

"Um, Dad? I need to breathe." Alexis tried to say, her voice muffled as her face was pressed into his chest.

He released her from the bear hug, but kept his hands firmly on her shoulders. "I am never letting you out of my sight again, Pumpkin. I'll chain you to your bed if I have to."

Beckett laughed. "Good luck with that one, Castle." She said, winking at Alexis.

Her father smiled at Beckett, and then his gaze flicked back to Alexis and he became concerned. "You aren't hurt, or anything? I saw the ambulance leaving."

"Emmett was shot." Alexis' throat threatened to close up.

"Flesh wound, didn't hit any organs or anything; the EMTs said he should be fine with minimal scarring." Beckett said.

Dad nodded. "You didn't get too bored without me, did you?" He teased.

Alexis shook her head. "I really got to know Emmett and Benny." She said. She knew that if her dad was aware of just how well she'd gotten to know Emmett, he'd kill the boy and lock her in the closet for the rest of her life.

Slipping an arm around her shoulders, her dad pulled her into a side hug. "C'mon honey, let's go home." He said. Then he glanced at Beckett. "Um, after you give your statement, I mean."

Beckett smiled warmly at him, and Alexis noticed the change in her demeanor. She seemed more… open, less closed off, less buttoned up. Alexis felt a warm glow of hope blossom inside her.

"I'll do my best to get you out of the precinct as soon as I can," Beckett said, "But you and I will have to get our asses chewed out and handed back to us by Gates first."

Her father looked uncomfortable. "Are you sure that we can't just pretend we became sick or something?" He asked, pouting.

"Yo!" Detective Esposito called to them as he strode up, Detective Ryan hurrying up behind him. They stopped and smiled warmly when they saw Alexis.

"Glad to see you're okay." Ryan said, nodding at her.

"Yeah, girlie, we've been covering their butts so they could work on bringing you home." Esposito said with mock seriousness. He winked, though, dispelling any doubt that he was joking.

"C'mon, Castle. I'm driving." Beckett said. She then looked back at Ryan and Esposito. "Are you two heading back to the 12th?"

"Yeah; but I wouldn't show up there if I were you. We told Gates that you two ended up in a minor car accident and just got discharged. She's expecting you tomorrow morning." Esposito said.

Her dad clapped the boys on the back with a wide grin, promising to give them drinks on the house at The Old Haunt if they'd join him there tonight. Beckett shook her head ruefully but a grin was creeping up her face.

As they walked towards Beckett's squad car, Alexis looped her arms through both Beckett and her father's, linking them together in a chain with her in the middle. Her dad responded immediately, giving her a quick side hug and keeping their arms linked. Beckett looked down at Alexis' face, as if unsure, then smiled and linked their arms closer.

Although her stomach was still in knots from Emmett's condition, Alexis couldn't help but feel that this was a beginning of sorts, the start of something. And when she saw the look that Beckett and Dad shared as they got into the car, she was certain of it.

Thanks so much for reading! I'll be posting the last chapter either tonight or tomorrow, so stay tuned and don't change that channel! Leave reviews by clicking on that adorable little blue link there; hey, I don't begrudge you your guilty pleasure, do I? So help me with mine and leave a review.

This chapter, along with all the others, is dedicated to my dear friend and amazing fan fiction writer Vesja. Be sure to stop by her profile and have a look-see!