A/N: Here we are again Enjoy!

IV
Castle's Apartment
Alexis, Kate & Castle

Kate lay snuggled under a goose down comforter and in between Egyptian cotton sheets. It had been a long day and she should be dead tired but her mind still reeled over the night's events. Her thoughts raced through her work day and only slowed down when she began to ponder her interactions with Castle. She tried to analyze what had happened. As always her emotions clouded her perspective. She found herself replaying their kisses over and over in her head. She cursed herself of acting like a schoolgirl. They were just kisses, but they seemed overly vivid in her thoughts. They had been extraordinary kisses, but she should still be able to maintain her perspective on the situation. She was shocked at the disarray that she had found Richard's mental state in. He had always been larger than life, a rock in the tempestuous storm of life as a cop. She had felt safe opening up to the man after only a few weeks of knowing him. She had known Will for almost six months before she would even acknowledge her tragedy. She had told herself that she has show him her darkness so that he could better understand her motivation's thus he could write Nikki Heat with a better grasp on Kate's thought process.. In her more truthful moments she knew that she wanted Richard to know about her, to care about her and now he had told her that he did care. Here she was, in bed in Castle's guest room, feeling entirely too comfortable. Beside her racing thoughts, she did not have any of the anxiety that she knew that she should be feeling. What if he came into her room and slid into bed with her. Would she protest? Would she accept him with open and anxious arms? Even in the most mundane of matters it seemed that Richard Castle drove her crazy. Her musings were interrupted by a soft knock.

"Kate" came a soft whisper from Alexis.

Kate was simultaneously relived and disappointed that it was not Richard.

"I'm awake Alexis, you can come in."

Her young friend slipped into the room on bare feet and padded to the foot of the bed. The soft light from the lights out in the hall showed Kate that Alexis was in distress. Beckett felt her heart go out to the teen. She carried the weight of being Richard Castle's daughter with such ease and poise that it was very easy to forget that she was just a young girl, with a teenager's insecurities and hormones. Beckett sat up in bed.

"What's wrong sweetie?"

At the word 'sweetie' Alexis's will seemed to crumble and she threw herself into the waiting arms of her friend. Kate wrapped her arms around the weeping teen and comforted her as best she could. Beckett felt a mixture of emotions, she was scared that she would not be able to help Alexis with whatever problems she was currently wrestling with, but she also felt love for the young women who entered her life as Castle's daughter and was now a close friend. Kate waited for initial storm of weeping to pass. At last Alexis regained control of her emotions.

"Sorry." Alexis said while pulling a tissue out to wipe her eyes.

"You have nothing to feel sorry for Alexis. I'm glad that I can be here for you. What can I help you with?"

"Can you help my dad?"

"I don't know how much anybody can help your dad. The doctors were able to heal his body, but there is not much anybody can do to help him come to grips with being shot. The mind has to heal itself."

"He seems better since you have been here tonight."

"Thanks Lexi, but I don't know if that is because he really feels better or because he doesn't want me to see how bad he feels."

"Why would he want to hide? He cares about you. I mean, about most things he is brutally honest."

"As much as I hate to say it, your father is a very complicated person. He is very protective with the people he cares about the most. Not showing his pain is in his somewhat twisted way of protecting us."

"Protecting us from what?" Alexis asked.

"I think he feels that you and I would be scared to know just how bad he feels."

"That's just stupid."

"Yeah, well, he is Richard Castle" Kate opined. "You know, I get the feeling that there is something else bothering you as well."

"How? Never mind, I can see that I am not going to be able to get anything past you. It's Owen. There is this really beautiful girl at school that decided she wanted Owen so she lied to him in order to get him to notice her."

"Did she say something about you?" Kate was furious. She felt very protective of Alexis and very mad that someone had hurt her.

"No she just said that they had gone to camp together and that she had a crush on him ever since. I found out that she had never gone to camp, but by that time it was too late and Owen was already gone."

"Honey, if Owen can be swayed by such a lame story, then he is not worth the tears."

"But it hurts" Alexis cried

"Oh I know, it hurts like hell but you will get through it. When I was just about your age there was this guy in my school that I was so in love with. Eric Johnson, he was very popular…."

"You're not going to tell me you were the shy girl are you, 'cause I am not going to buy that. " Alexis interjected.

"No, I was on the Volleyball team and he was running Cross Country, but the point is that I had the hots for the guy. We hung out at school together and had gone on a few dates, and when I thought that he was going to ask me to go to Prom, he told me that 'we needed to see other people.' It turned out that he had been asked to the Prom by the Captain of the Cheerleading Squad."

"So you stayed home and did not go to the Prom?" Alexis asked.

"No, but I felt miserable for a couple of weeks and then I got asked to the Prom by Gideon Marshall, a very hunky Drum Major. What I am trying to say is that after enough time had gone by for me to get over the breakup; I began to think very fondly of Eric. Your first Love can be very special and although you don't think so now, you will get over Owen and find someone else. Owen may regret his decision and try to make it up to you, but I don't know if you should accept him back if he does."

"What ever happened to Eric and Gideon?" Alexis inquired.

"Well, Gideon and I dated up until we graduated High School and we have stayed in touch with each other, ever since He eventually got married to my roommate from my freshman year at college."

"Wow that must have sucked.'

"No it didn't. I was the one that introduced them to each other. Gideon and I had become really good friend during high school but we knew that we weren't made for each other. I was happy for the both of them, as matter of fact I was both Best Man and Maid of Honor."

"How is that possible?" asked a very puzzled Alexis

"It was a very small Oceanside wedding. I was the only attendant. It was a very beautiful ceremony." Kate said wistfully.

"And what happened to Eric"

Kate sighed "He and his Prom date were killed in a drunk driving accident."

"Oh My God, That could have been you!"

"Yes it could have been. It probably would have been. I don't think that at that point and time I would have worried about his getting drunk. Not what you want a police office to admit I know, but there it is."

"You weren't a cop then…. Did that tear up?" Alexis asked.

"Yeah, it really tore the whole high school up. It took awhile but I did get over the quilt. For a time I felt sort of charmed. Like an angel was looking out for me."

Alexis let out a small cry and hugged Kate tighter.

"Alexis, what is wrong?" Kate asked worriedly.

"This is the type of conversation I always pictured having with my mother."

Kate was overwhelmed. The flood of emotions whirled through her mind. At that moment Kate felt, for perhaps the first time, the stirrings of her maternal instinct. A lump formed in her throat and tears brimmed in her eyes. She also felt panic. She had never really considered what it would be like to have a daughter so she was taken unaware by the feelings that stirred within her. She was also guilt ridden because it felt to her like she was usurping Meredith's place.

"Alexis I am sure your mother would love for you to talk to her about this."

"It's okay Kate. I love my Mom very much, but I just can't talk to her about stuff like this. I know she cares, but she is just not equipped to handle these types of things. I have tried to talk about my problems with her, but I just don't think she can deal with anybody else's drama. I love her, I really do, but I just don't feel that close to her." Alexis explained.

"But you have friends at school you can talk to, right.'

"Yeah, but none of them have the perspective to help."

"So what you are saying is I'm old……"

The two friends both paused as they heard a muffled cry. Kate made a move to get up and go to see Castle, but Alexis held her back.

"Give him a couple of minutes." Alexis requested. "He is going to want time to compose himself before he will want to see you..

"What?"

"Trust me; I have been through this before. He'll get all upset if you go in there before he has had a chance to calm down. …. Thank you so much for being here for us. It means a lot to me and I am sure it does to Dad too."

Alexis gave her a firm hug and moved to the door. She gave a brief smile to Kate.

"He is out on the couch now, so it should be okay." Alexis said as she slipped out and down to her room.

Kate got up and slipped into the robe that Castle had provided for her use. When he had produced the Robe and some sleepwear that fit her she had felt a pang of jealousy. It was only his sad and tired expression that has stilled her tongue. She slipped out of the guest room and moved to the top of the stairs. She regarded him as he sat on the overstuffed couch in front of the gas fire. He had apparently been teasing her or he had decided not to run around his house nude because he was wearing a tee shirt and pajama pants as he lounged by the fire. She move down beside him and looked at the haggard expression on his face.

"You look like hell, Richard."

"Thank you for the kind words, Kate"

Kate sat down beside Castle and drew her feet up under her. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder as she moved close to rest her head on his chest. Silence reign as the two try to compose their tumultuous thoughts.

"If we do this, you'll want to keep it out of the office, I suppose?" Castle said at last.

"I can't see it being any other way." Kate replied

"You know that we are not going to be able to keep it a secret."

"I am sure that Esposito and Ryan already suspect."

"I'm not talking about them, I'm talking about everybody. The gossip rags have already put us in bed together, so to speak and it is just going to get worse." Rick lamented.

"I guess that it'-s inevitable." Kate replied

"I could mitigate things by showing up with another woman on my arm when I go to parties and the like, but I would prefer not doing that. I told you that I have a one woman rule. Besides I would rather proud to have you on my arm."

"I am having a hard enough time being you inspiration. I don't know if I can handle girlfriend."

"Girlfriend, I like the sound of that. But since you are a women shouldn't it be Womenfriend?"

"Can't you ever be serious?" Kate reached over and playfully slapped his right shoulder. She remembered his gunshot and lifted her head off the left side of his chest..

He gently pushed her head back onto his chest. "My wound is healing fine. It is actually feels very comforting to have you there." Rick squeezed her tightly.

"So we have agreed to go slow?'

"We have been going positive glacial so far. I hope you don't mean that we go slower. 'cause if you are then we will be old and gray before we even go out on a date."

"No I just mean, we are going to start shacking up and having wild sex parties anytime soon."

"So you are saying eventually we get to have wild sex parties, … at some point in the future? Really?"

"No, I just mean that I am not moving in anytime soon" Kate explained

"You are welcome to stay here anytime you want, either in the guest room or MY room." He paused. "I want it all with you Kate. I want you in my life, my home, my bed, all of it. I'll try to contain my enthusiasm but my impulse control is severely lacking."

"Don't I know it. I'm happy that you feel that way Richard, that you want me here but I don't think me being thrust into your family life is very fair to Alexis. I care about her too much to intrude."

"You know, it has just occurred to me, the only woman I have ever brought home was Gina, the blood sucking harpy. Man, my track record sucks…. Anyway I think Alexis cares for you about as much as I do."

"I care for her too, but I don't want her to feel like she has to compete for you attention."

"Hey we're going slow. We're going slow. It's not like I am going to start demanding that Alexis call you Mom. What she calls you is between to two of you. Just so long as it's not Mommy Dearest, I'll be happy."

"I just want her to be comfortable around me."

"And she's not comfortable now?" Castle asked

"No she is, but we are going slow, remember?"

"Yeah, Yeah, Slow, how about coming by for Breakfast, mornings?"

"Breakfast?" she asked

"Yeah, Breakfast, you know the most important meal of the day? My apartment is not that far out of your way to the precinct. Coffee and Omelets or maybe a muffins, or juice, we could start the day together. If we have a case I can ride in with you, if not then you can go in and I can stay and write your alter ego." He was pensive for a moment. "You won't get jealous of Nikki will you?"

Kate laughed. "I think I can deal with her."

"That's good"

They sat in a lazy silence until they both succumbed to sleep and stayed curled up together until Alexis woke them in the morning.

A/N: I am getting to the Plot I swear......... Eventually :