Alexis was helping her dad clean up after everyone had left that evening, Kate was in the guest room taking a well earned rest after a long day.
"Do you think Kate had a good day today Dad?"
"I think she did thanks to you guys." he kissed the top of his daughters head.
"Good." she smiled "I really like Kate, I'm so glad she is getting better."
"So am I sweetheart." he took down some balloons.
"Dad."
"Yes?"
"Is she going to be safe now?"
"She will be now, Alexis there is plenty of people looking out for her and being away from the city for a while will be even better for her."
"Good." she smiled. "I think i might go to bed it's been a long day, nite dad, will you still be here in the morning?"
"Sure we aren't planning to go too soon."
"Ok ill see you both then." she kissed him on the cheek and went upstairs.
Kate flicked through tv channels with the remote as she lay in bed...she wasn't sleeping, closing her eyes brought back memories. She got up and looked at the books stacked in the bookshelf, she ran her finger along them looking at different titles.
"Hi Kate." Alexis said leaning in on the doorway.
"Oh hey Alexis."
"Can't sleep huh."
"Something like that." she smiled
Alexis pushed off from the doorway and came into the room, "I know I have probably said this before but I am so happy you are ok."
"Thanks Alexis, I'm happy to be out of the hospital it may have been close on 4 weeks in there but it seemed so much longer."
"I bet it did...um Kate." she sat on the bed
"Yeh." Kate sat down next to her slowly, she sometimes forgot she had just had a major operation and if she moved too quick she felt it.
"You like my dad right...and he likes you."
"Yes." Kate said wondering where this was going
"Well i just want to say that I am happy that you both know that now...because with me going away soon I was worried about dad being alone...he acts like he is cool about me leaving soon but deep down I know if he could put himself between me and that door and never let me leave, he would."
"I think that's pretty much like any parent Alexis, I know how my dad reacted when I went off to uni and I know I felt exactly the same way you did."
"How did your dad deal with it."
"Pretty well I think, with Mum gone I think he did extreemly well, I rang him everyday for the first three weeks asking the same questions of course...so in the end it was him that said Kate, once a week is fine, it's time to let go and move on with our lives, that's what you are doing Alexis...happens to all of us."
Alexis smiled. "So you are moving on with Dad?" she twisted both her hands together.
"Yeh, yeh i think so." she smiled and looked beyond Alexis to see Castle now standing in the doorway with a grin on his face."Hey." she smiled. Alexis turned her head.
"Sorry dad just having a little one on one with Kate."
"Probably something I am going to get to see around here more often." he said. "Or should I say like to see more often."
"Well I guess I will head to bed, I was on the way when I saw the light in here still on." Alexis looked back at Kate and stood up. "Thank you." she kissed her on the side of the face which surprised Kate.
"It's ok, sleep well."
Kate smiled at Rick who sat down beside her.
"How are you feeling?" he said
"Everything but tired, which is really strange."
"Wait until everything catches up you will sleep for days." he moved a piece of stray hair from her face and tucked it behind her ear with a smile.
"Well lucky we are going to the Hamptons then, I like going to sleep listening to the sound of the ocean."
"Is there anything I can get for you?"
"No I'm okay thank you...but there is one thing that I just realised not long ago which I didn't really give a thought to up until now."
"Whats that?"
"Well I mean, in the hospital there was nurses to help me do things like get changed and cleaned up everyday, now that I think of it...there isn't, I mean I can do most of it myself taking it easy but some things I do need a hand with, like getting in and out of clothes...meaning I think someone will have to help me."
"Okay Kate, do you want me to step up and help you with that, I promise I won't look...much."
She smiled, "I'm okay with it if you are...I mean I know we have admitted how we feel towards eachother and in any other curcumstance all this could be romantic but it's not going to be for a while."
"Kate I am fine with that, I'm here to help you get better first, we have the rest of our lives for everything else."
She thought..."Rest of our lives huh?"
"Yep how does it sound."
"I could get used to that." she leaned forward and kissed him. Rick moved his left hand to touch her, forgetting it was the sore side. "Ouch ouch left arm!" she said.
"Sorry sorry. No hands." he held it up and moved it away as they kissed again.