Kate stared at the tall building that was towering over her from across the street with wide eyes, impressed if not intimidated. The private high school was made of bricks and wooden panels, had an iron gate masking the front door but that left part of the school yard visible to anyone. Its luscious trees and grass clashed with its environment, especially considering they were only a few blocks north of Time Square.

Checking her phone again as she got inside, frowning at the time, Kate waited patiently as a security guard inspected her badge, letting her go immediately with a polite smile. Another short encounter with a secretary and Kate was on her way to the far end of the building to find Castle's daughter, trying to not let worry overcome her.

The secretary that had called her an hour before had asked if she could come over because Alexis wasn't feeling well and needed to be picked up so, knowing Castle had interviews all day and that Martha was in the Hamptons for the week, Kate had accepted right away.

It had taken longer because she had been across town on a case, and traffic had been hell to deal with but she had finally made it. Beckett tried to walk quietly as to not bring more attention to her than necessary, but the five inches stilettos she had decided to wear this morning weren't helping, she groused. At least she could congratulate herself for putting on dark grey slacks and a thick but soft deep purple turtleneck instead of the jeans and leather jacket she had chosen at first. Completed with a paler grey knee length cardigan and her loose blondish curls framing her face, she would look like a respectable business woman if her NYPD badge weren't showing on her left hip, while her gun was safely tucked in its holster to avoid being stared at in fear.

Kate took a deep breath when she reached Alexis' class, wondering why the girl hadn't been in the infirmary instead. Cecily, the secretary she had talked to had informed her that the teenager was feverish but had chosen to remain in her classroom until she could leave.

Hoping the class she was about to disturb wasn't too important, Beckett knocked and waited. A woman in her fifties, wearing a dark plaid pant suit greeted her and by the look she gave her, she knew her arrival had been expected. The detective followed the teacher inside but remained on the side of the door, her eyes expertly screening the surprisingly small classroom until she spotted Alexis.

The girl was even paler than usual but still managed to shot a small but happy grin at the detective when she saw her. There were only about twelve students in the room and they were all trying to stare at Kate without being caught, but they were all failing. The professor was staring as much as the students, curiosity stretching their faces, but Kate didn't care.

She watched as Alexis put her books together and into her bag, noting that her moves were slower than usual. Reacting on instinct Beckett walked over to the desk and closed the bag before grabbing the rest of the books that didn't fit in it. "You're ready to go?"

Alexis only nodded and barely argue when Kate took her bag and book from her, worrying the woman even more.

After a quick detour to the lockers they were on their way to the loft. The teenager had been quiet during the short drive, answering Kate's questions with clipped words or grunts.

"You're sure you don't want me to call your dad? They'll let me talk to him if I play the police card." Kate finally offered once they were home. She was hiding it well but this was all starting to freak her out a little. She had no experience with sick kids, toddlers or teenagers and she wasn't sure how to handle the situation.

Alexis picked up her discomfort and stopped a few inches short of the detective, her tired face lifting to meet her gaze. "It's fine, detec- Kate," She said and corrected herself quickly, "Thanks a lot for coming and get me, but I'm okay. I must be coming down with a cold or something, I'll just go and lie down for a bit until my dad comes home. You can go if you want, I'll be fine."

"What? No, I'm not leaving you Alexis, not when you're like that. I'll stay down here if you want privacy but I am not leaving you alone."

A small grateful smile graced Alexis's lips at that. "Really?"

"Of course, silly." Kate retorted with the steadiest smile she could muster. She suddenly remembered something her mother used to do when she was sick and, hopeful she remembered right, gently came and to rest her hand on the teenager's forehead before cupping her cheeks, her thumbs stroking them lightly. "You're warm but you don't seem to be running a fever anymore. Do you want to go to bed, or snuggle up on the couch? Or maybe take a bath or a shower? Are you hungry, or thirsty?"

Alexis chuckled at the questions fired by the other woman, amused. "Breathe, Kate."

"Sorry. I'm not really good at this, am I?" Kate sighed with a sheepish smile.

Alexis smiled before wincing when she coughed. "You're perfectly fine, don't worry. Will you stay with me if I bunk on the couch? We could watch a movie together?"

The teenager's grin grew wider when Beckett nodded and put her hands on her shoulders. "Of course. Why don't you go get changed and I'll make some tea? Unless you're hungry?"

"Tea's fine. Thanks Kate, you're really sweet, you know." Kate was startled when Alexis hugged her, but she quickly hugged her back, relieved to be on the girl's good side again. "You're pretty great yourself, sweetie. Now go change."

"Yes, ma'am. Pick a movie?"

Warm mugs of green tea with honey, bottles of water and various fruits were on the coffee table, and Jumanji was paused on the tv screen by the time the teenager came back downstairs, and she shot Beckett a surprised look when she saw the pillow and blankets on the couch. "Wow, you thought of everything."

"You too, it seems." The detective pointed at the colorful fleece throw the ginger head girl was holding. "You get settled and I'll go and put those back in the closet." Kate was about to reach for the blankets but Alexis stopped her, grabbing the woman's wrist. "No, more is better."

"You're sure?"

The look of uncertainty in the detective's eyes tugged at Alexis's heart and she begun to really understand her father's need to make the woman's life better. She deserved better than to live a life anchored in doubt, pain and fear. "Absolutely sure."

To prove her point, Alexis gestured for Kate to sit and then took place next to her, closer than the older woman would have thought. To cover her surprise Kate reached for the mugs and handed Alexis one once she was comfortable. "Thanks."

"I love this movie, good choice Kate."

"Thanks. It was my favorite movie when I was a kid. Robin Williams is great in that one."

"I agree. Hey, you're sure it's okay for you to stay? Don't you have a case to work on?"

Beckett shook her head dismissively. "I told Esposito to take charge of the case and took the rest of the day off. It's a pretty ease case anyway, it'll get solved in no time. It's completely fine, Alexis, I promise. Now drink."

"Mmm, this is good." Alexis smiled and licked her lips in appreciation after taking a sip of the tea. "I love green tea but my dad and grams hate it, go figure."

"Yeah well, it's their loss, and it also means more for us." Kate ushered with a wink, happy that Alexis liked it.

Both settled comfortably on the couch and watched the movie quietly, exchanging random words here and there, both enjoying each other's company. Kate grinned inside when the teenager slumped against her, tired and the cold symptoms finally catching up with her. "Alexis...maybe you should go to bed? You'd be more comfortable."

"Mmm, no." Alexis's hand roamed around until she found the previously discarded pillow. The girl sluggishly opened an eye and dropped the pillow over Kate's lap and made herself comfortable, burying under the pile of blankets.

Kate froze, her arm in the air. Her eyes glanced between the screen and the girl, having not a clue what to do. She suddenly found pretty ironic that she could face down 200 lbs men and make them cowered with a glare, but an innocent teenage girl seeking comfort rendered defenceless. No, scratch that. Alexis Rodgers was anything but innocent, because she was Castle's daughter.

This was ridiculous, Beckett thought. Right now the last thing Alexis was probably thinking about was how complicated things were between the detective and her dad, she chided herself.

She had promised her therapist she'd try harder and push herself out of her comfort zone. She had actually made Dr. Burke laugh when she had told him about the coffee countdown, and blushed as he congratulated her about going through with it. And that he hoped she was going to milk that deal for its worth and use it as a way to get closer to Castle.

But, as she watched the girl on her lap, Kate realized that Castle wasn't the only person she needed to pay more effort into their relationship. She had always liked Alexis and, despite the man's constant comments about how his daughter looked up to her, she knew he wasn't just saying that to try and win her over. She had talked with the teenager enough times to see that Alexis did care about her, even though things had been strained between them lately.

Hoping she was doing the right thing, Kate slowly lowered her arm until it hovered over Alexis's shoulder and, hesitantly, softly ran a hand through the girl's ginger locks, just like her mother used to do it whenever she was sick or feeling down.

Kate stopped after a few minutes, thinking the girl had fallen asleep but a low groan told her otherwise. "Don't stop."

"Sorry, I thought you were sleeping." Kate went back to her task but instead settled on the girl's arm, stroking it slowly. "Is this okay?"

"Mmm, yes."

"Kate?" Alexis asked after a short while, her eyes on the movie but not really watching.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry."

Kate stilled her hand, surprised. "About what?"

"About that time, at the bank? I was a bitch that day, but I didn't mean to, I'm sorry."

"Alexis, you don't have to apologize, you were going through a lot that day."

Alexis shifted so she was lying on her back, facing Kate. "Kate, I-I know how much you care about my dad and that you'll always do everything you can to protect him. Grams told me about interrupting you guys that day."

"Oh. Um..." Kate's mind was spinning. Were they really going to have that discussion now?

"You don't have to explain, I was just pointing out that maybe, you care about my dad more than you think you do."

"I... I do, but things with your dad, they're kind of complicated right now."

Alexis glanced up, delighted. "But you like him, like, more than like him? I swear I won't tell him anything."

"Alexis..."

"Are you at least trying? I know you've been through a lot but my dad, he's been waiting for so long, so if you like him too, why-"

"I think this is a conversation that needs to be done between your dad and I but yeah, I am trying, Alexis. That I can promise you."

Alexis locked eyes with the detective to see the truth in her eyes. "But you're trying? Like with the whole coffee thing?"

Kate grinned even as her stomach was knotted painfully from the girl's third degree. "Yeah, like the whole coffee thing. You know about that?"

"Yep. And it makes my dad so happy, and so giddy, it's been a while since I've seen him like that." Alexis admitted with a sad smile.

Kate only nodded, not trusting her voice. She wasn't that oblivious to the writer's swinging moods lately, knowing she was the one to blame for them. "I'm really trying, sweetie."

"Fair enough. Kate?"

"Yeah?"

"For the record, I really like you. I'm glad my dad found you."

Once again Kate was at a loss for words and, to top it all, she could feel tears gathering in her eyes. She wasn't used to this anymore. Even with her dad around she had lost the true meaning of family long ago, but Castle and his family had sneaked their way to her heart, and they were holding on tight. But to have Alexis by her side, talking to her as if she already considered her as her mother-in-law, or a big sister at least had inadvertedly tore down a piece of Kate's wall.

"I'm glad he found me too." She echoed the girl's word and, on an impulse, leaned down a pressed her lips on the teenager's forehead. "You should try and sleep, your father should be here soon.

True to her words, Castle made its way into the loft about two hours later. He didn't make any sound in case his daughter was still asleep in the living room. He had gotten a couple of texts from Kate during the afternoon but his cell phone being off, he only had gotten them on his way back home.

The tv was on but the sound was low, almost mute. Some kind of documentary was playing, but that was not what he was interested in. What he wanted to see was the two forms on the couch, one deeply asleep while the other dozed peacefully.

Never in his craziest dreams would he have dared imagine this: Katherine Beckett asleep half-sitting on his couch, her head buried in the armrest while his daughter slept with her head on her lap. They looked so...normal, like he dreamed his family to be.

He couldn't resist pulling out his phone and snapping a few pictures of the two, acting as quick as he could before it woke Beckett up. He saved them and planned on sending them to his mother later, but right now he needed to check on his daughter.

Kneeling down by her side, Castle checked for signs of fever, frowning when he thought she was warmer than usual. He took notes of the mugs, food and Advil on the table and, once again, his heart swelled under the torrent of emotions overwhelming him. Of course it was at that moment that Kate decided to wake up, her eyes widening slightly at the sight of Castle next to them. "Hey."

"Hey. I got your text, I am so sorry I didn't get it sooner. What happened?" He pointed at Alexis but his eyes were locked on the still sleepy detective. "Her school called me because they couldn't reach you. Alexis wasn't feeling well so I went to pick her up and brought her back here and we watched movies. Or sleep, apparently." She considered distractedly as she yawned and tried to move.

Castle was on his feet a second later, his hands coming under the pillow to hold his daughter while Beckett slowly pulled herself away from the couch. Castle's hands brushing against her leg when he reached for his daughter's head sent goosebumps down Kate's legs before spreading to her whole body, her eyes closing on their own accord. "You okay?"

Kate's eyes snapped back open when she felt the man's hand on hers, his eyes shining as he stared at her. "Yeah." She didn't have time to add anything else before she was gently dragged into the kitchen and engulfed into Castle's strong arms.

Maybe it was because she was tired, or because her talk with Alexis had left her emotionally charged but Kate found herself melting into the man's arms, hugging him back without hesitation.

Saying that Castle was surprised would have been an understatement as he felt the detective's arms around him. He had a hunch something had happened between her and his daughter but he didn't ask. They'd let him in when they'd be ready. "Thank you, for taking care of her."

"She pretty much took care of herself, I just offered tea and my lap." Kate smiled in his shoulder before pulling back slowly. "I should go, now that you're here."

"Are you sure? I can whip something up and we can talk about my boring day. I missed you today." Castle whispered the last part and pouted, bringing a blush and a small smile to Kate's face.

"I told Esposito I'd come to the precinct to help with paperwork and then um, I have an appointment later."

Castle didn't need to ask to know what kind of appointment she was referring to. "I'll see you tomorrow then? With my coffee?" He asked with a wiggle of his eyebrow.

"Of course," Kate agreed with a soft roll of eyes. "Coffee number 63 will be on my desk and waiting for you."

"You know that's not the number we had agreed on, Katherine."

Kate laughed as she walked to the front door and put on her shoes and cardigan before turning to the writer, a smirk on her face. "You will get the number I give you, Castle."

"Fine." He conceded and smiled at the woman, bringing her into another hug. "Thank you, again. You're really sweet, you know that?"

Kate smiled at Castle's words, echoing Alexis'. This time she did blush when he leaned forward and kissed her on the cheek, wishing he had went for her lips instead. "You have no idea."

"See you tomorrow, Rick."

The detective left, leaving a gawking writer to stand goofily by the door, wondering if he had dreamed all of it.

He couldn't wait for tomorrow.

As promised, a tall mocha was waiting for him when he made his way through the bullpen and to Beckett's desk. There were a few jokes about her taking care of Alexis the day before, but nothing about her departing words to him as she left the night before.

Castle was sipping his last drop of coffee twenty minutes later when peals of laughter coming from Esposito and Ryan startled him. He stared at them, confused, until he noticed from the corner of his eye the smirk Kate was failing to hide. "What?"

"Smooth, bro. Really. Do you want us to give you a room, or...?" Esposito laughed and walked away before Beckett lost her good mood and shoot him.

Ryan followed, but not without putting one last jab into the writer's curious gaze. "Looks like you finally got what you wanted, man." Castle stared at Ryan's back until his eyes widened comically and turned to Kate, who was staring back at him with an odd glint in her eyes.

Castle's eyes narrowed and, on a sudden hunch, raised the cup of coffee above his head and gasped. There, on the bottom, the numbers six and nine were written in bold crayon. He snapped his head back toward Kate but she was already standing next to him and he shivered when he felt her warmth breath down his ear. "Be careful what you're wishing for, Ricky."

Updates should be more regular from now on since I am finally done with school, yay. Thanks a lot for reading/reviewing and so on, it's really appreciated!