After several inquiries about a second chapter to see what happens when Castle returns from his college visits, and the reaction over the article he gets from everyone, I have decided to add this to the story. It may have one more chapter, but I haven't decided. I hope you enjoy it. Gregg.

Disclaimer: I don't own, or profit from, these characters or franchise. No copyright infringement is intended.

"I don't see why you're so upset," Castle said as he and Alexis entered the loft. She had been pretty quiet, and downright prissy when she did deign to talk at all, ever since leaving the last college on their list.

Alexis dropped her luggage in a huff and turned to her father with a steely glare. "What's not to see? You deliberately made it impossible to show my face at those schools ever again!" she said in a rather loud voice. "I can just see it now. Alexis Castle, the daughter of that perpetual teenager! That's what I'll be known as! Not Alexis Castle, brilliant student and great person! Maybe I should apply to Oxford like I thought about originally!" she told him as she grabbed her things and stomped up the stairs to her room.

"Oxford?" Castle croaked. "That's in England!"

"Oh, let her pout, Darling," Martha said in her ever present dramatic style. "Besides, Richard, I know you. You did everything possible to try and make it nearly impossible for her to want to go to these other colleges so she would stay here in New York."

Castle sighed as he took a soda from the refrigerator and sat down at the island bar. "True," he admitted. "I just don't know what I'll do when she's gone," he mused sadly.

"She's growing up into a fine young lady, Richard, and that because of you," Martha said with genuine pride in her son, and also her granddaughter.

"But who will be left to help me finish growing up?" he asked, a twinkle of humor in his eyes.

"I think your Detective Beckett will gladly take care of that," Martha observed confidently.

"You're probably right," Castle smiled widely at the thought of Beckett.

"I saw your article in The New Yorker," Martha changed the subject. "Not their usual style, but very good, Dear. I'm sure you'll be hearing about it from Detective Beckett and the rest."

"They did try to dress it up a bit, but I insisted on it being printed as is," Castle admitted. "Their usual style of writing just isn't me, and I wanted the article to be in a magazine with some class and a high volume readership. When I explained what I was trying to do, they agreed."

"And I imagine a generous contribution to their financial coffers helped, too," Martha smiled knowingly.

"True," Castle grinned. He had no problem spending his money to accomplish something he felt strongly about, and he felt was genuinely important. That his best friends get the recognition they deserved was that important to him, and then some.

"Have you talked to Kate about it?" she asked.

"No," he took another drink of soda. "I figured I'd let it be a surprise. Speaking of which, she knew when our flight was getting in. I'm a bit surprised I haven't had a call yet."

"And why is that, Darling?" Martha smirked.

"Because I'm roguishly handsome, totally irresistible, and excellent company," Castle spouted what he considered his more endearing qualities, despite Kate's constant eye rolls when he pointed them out.

"And with a supremely overconfident ego to match," Martha interjected. She loved her son dearly, but she also knew he had no clue about women. He was just lucky that Kate Beckett had finally, at long last, decided to give him a chance. Maybe she could tame that ego of his. At least Martha could hope.

"Thank you, Mother," Castle deadpanned. "Just for that I will be subjecting you to all the tributes being offered on my members only fan club website."

"Oh, spare me," Martha chuckled. "I'm heading out on a date, Kiddo. Don't wait up."

Castle looked at his watch. "It's only one in the afternoon," he questioned.

"So?" Martha asked. "Just because I have a few extra miles under the hood doesn't mean I don't know how to still have fun."

Castle watched as his Mother walked out the door of the loft and sighed. "That was way too much information," he shuddered. His mind was brought back to more pleasant thoughts when his phone rang. Looking at the screen he saw that it was Esposito.

"Castle," he said as he put the phone up to his ear.

"I need your help, Bro," Esposito said without preamble.

"Anything," Castle replied. "Whatta ya need?"

"Because of that rock you got Beckett, I need to get on the stick and make some moves in the right direction with Lanie or I'm going to be turned into a permanent Eunuch, Bro," Esposito explained.

"So Beckett let you guys know, huh?" Castle grinned.

"Oh, yeah," Esposito drawled. "It took me a few hours to calm Lanie down afterwards, and since then I've been getting some not so subtle nods from Lanie in the direction of Beckett's left hand, evil glares when I show up with only flowers, chocolates, or takeout, and the really scary bit was when she slammed a cleaver down on some poor, innocent, helpless, mouthwatering country style ribs, which lost their mouthwatering appeal at that moment. I have a feeling she was visualizing the Boys, Castle, and I've been wearing a steel cup since then, Bro."

"And you want me to..." Castle trailed off.

"Help me find an engagement ring and help with financing the son-of-a-bitch!" Esposito nearly shouted. "Lanie's been talking about some two month rule! What the hell does that mean? Is it some kind of celibacy kick?"

"You spend two months salary on the engagement ring and then three months salary on the wedding ring," Castle replied, throwing in the three month bit since his first father-in-law had done that to him, much to his own horror at the time.

"Two months!" he heard Esposito shout in horror. "How the Hell can I afford that?"

"Don't worry about it," Castle tried to calm him down. "I know just the place and the financing will be done through yours truly." He rattled off the name of his jewelers and the location to a spluttering Esposito and then hung up. He grabbed his keys and his wallet, then headed to the door.

"I have to meet Esposito, Honey! Be back in a while," he called up the stairs. A moment later Alexis was at the top of the stairs.

"I'm still going to Oxford," she said simply, and then walked back to her room.

"Maybe I can bribe her with a sports car," he wondered as he walked out the door. Yep, there wasn't anything, including Oxford, that could defeat good old American Materialism which was alive and well in his daughter. Just look at her clothes closet and there was the proof.

A/N: I've made the remaining chapters of this story short, but fun, scenes that capture a variety of aspects in the aftermath of the article Castle wrote. These scenes will include at one time or another, all of the main characters. I hope you enjoyed this one. Gregg.

A/N2: As usual in many of my stories, I like to include a fair amount of humor to enhance the main storyline. The same will be true in this one, despite the serious nature of the first chapter setup.