Thanks to everyone who read, favorited, reviewed the first chapter. It was a real Christmas present!

I hope you'll enjoy this second chapter!

Kate took Rick's hand and led him to the table where Esposito, Ryan, Jenny and Lanie were, movement coming back to the crowd in the Old Haunt little by little.

"Wow, that was quite a show you put on there girl. What's gotten into you?" Lanie asked, handing Kate and Rick the drinks they had ordered for them.

"What, it was just a kiss." She shrugged, sitting down close to Rick, one of his hands migrating on her thigh.

"Well, if 'just a kiss' is like that, I wouldn't want to see you get carried away." Esposito laughed. "You ok writer-boy?"

"Yeah, I'm great. I was just … surprised the say the least." He answered, looking lovingly at Kate. "No more hiding."

"No more hiding." She confirmed, smiling at him. "It's time to start living for real."

The evening went on and to everyone's surprise, the Captain didn't come to see them. She stayed with her husband and the Chief of Detectives.

"Your party is attracting the good crowd, Rick." Kate said, looking at the group of NYPD officials in a corner.

"Well, I put a note on the fridge in the break room saying that everyone was welcome, so everyone is welcome. But I have to admit, I didn't expect her to show up. You sure you're ok with her being here?"

"Yeah, don't worry." Kate said, kissing his cheek quickly. "Even Iron Gates has the right to celebrate the New Year." She said, smiling.

O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O

A few minutes before midnight, everyone had gathered on the dance floor and was dancing 2012 away. When the countdown started, Kate, who had been dancing with Esposito, turned to Rick. He had also ditched his dance partner, Kate didn't even know who she was, and he was walking towards her. They met just as the clock stroke 12 and got lost in each other. This was their first New Year together and it was perfect. They broke apart only when air became an absolute necessity. As they were going to start kissing again, Lanie decided to intervene.

"Hey ho, move writer boy. I need to wish happy New Year to my girl." She said, moving between the two of them and hugging Kate.

After a dance or two, the group was back at their table, talking and laughing. The laughing stopped suddenly when they noticed Victoria Gates walk to their table.

"Good evening detectives, Dr. Parish, Mr Castle. And happy New Year to you all. Detective Beckett, I'll need to see you in my office first thing when you come back from your week off. Now, good night to you all." She said before leaving the bar, her husband waiting for her by the stairs. The group of friends were brought out of their shock when someone broke a glass.

"Well, I think it could have been worse." Rick said, putting his arm around Kate's shoulders and bringing her further in his side.

"At least I still have the week free." she sighed, letting her head fall on Rick's shoulder.

"Don't worry about that, I'll make sure you don't think about it. I planned some … distraction for you this week." he whispered in her ear, making her blush.

Just as she was going to reply, Alexis appeared at the table.

"Hey guys! Happy New Year!"

"Hey Pumpkin! What are you doing here, didn't you have a party?" Rick asked, getting up and hugging her.

"Yeah, but it was not so good, everyone was completely drunk before midnight. So we decided to go on Time Square to see the ball drop and come down here after. You don't mind, do you?"

"Of course we don't mind Alexis." Kate said, "Come on, sit down. Who is your friend here?" she asked, looking at the boy still holding Alexis's hand.

"Oh, this is Max. He's my … boyfriend." she answered, looking at him with a smile.

"Nice to meet you Max." Rick said, shaking his hand. "This is Kate, she's a homicide detective, so are Javier and Kevin here, and Lanie works in a morgue so don't think for an instant that you'll get away with it if you hurt my daughter." he warned.

"Dad!" Alexis said.

"Ok, Ricky, time to take me dancing don't you think?" Kate intervened pushing Rick to the dance floor with her.

"What do you think you were doing back there?" she asked as they started dancing to a slow song.

"What? I'm just trying to protect my daughter." he said.

"She doesn't need protection Rick, she was not in any danger."

"But that boy …"

"Seems perfectly fine to me. Did you see how he looks at her? He's completely in adoration, I don't think you need to worry about him."

"But she's my little girl!" Rick whined.

"She's 19 Rick, you need to let her live a little. If you just embarrass her every time, she'll just stop coming to you. And you don't want that do you?"

"No." he answered, pouting.

"Then you'd better go and apologize to the poor boy, he seemed terrify." Kate laughed, kissing him sweetly as the song ended and they walked to their table.

After a while, after her father had apologized and realized Max was not so bad talking to, Alexis sat next to Kate.

"Hey Kate, do you think we could … talk for a minute? Away from Dad." she asked quietly.

"Sure, come with me." Kate said, leading the young woman to an isolated booth in a corner, hidden from the table they had just left. "Ok, we should be good here. What do you want to talk to me about?"

"Well, tonight, I … I'm staying at Max's and his parents won't be there and …"

"He's not pressuring you, is he?" Kate asked, searching for Max in the room, ready to kill him.

"No, not at all. He's really sweet. But … I don't know, I kind of want to do it … oh my God this is so embarrassing!" Alexis said, hiding her face in her hands.

"Hey, it's normal Alexis. And even if it's embarrassing, that shouldn't stop you from talking about it, to me or to your father." Kate reassured her.

"Oh no, not to Dad. I don't plan on him finding out I'm not a virgin anymore until I tell him I'm pregnant. He would …"

"Freak out? Yes, probably. It's his job, as your father, to freak out for that. It can't be worse than my dad anyway." Kate smiled. "It really wasn't pretty. My mother had to literally drag him out of my room. Well, it may have also been because the boy was still in my bed and scared to death."

"I can't imagine what Dad would do if that happened."

"Don't worry about your Dad. Let me handle him. Just think about yourself."

"But I … I never did it and …"

"And Max already has experience?" Kate finished for her. "Don't worry about that. Just think about what you're feeling. If you want it to happen, let it happen, and let him guide you. But make sure he listens to what you want. If you don't want to do it, or if you change your mind suddenly and he still tries to do it, you call me right away. I'll be there in a few minutes and make him fear the police for the rest of his life. Just make sure you use protection."

"Thank you Kate. Really. It's really nice of you to talk to me. I just … I can't really talk to Gram about it. It would be … very weird and probably more than embarrassing."

"It's ok Alexis. You can come and talk to me whenever you want. About anything. You know that right?"

"Yeah. Thanks anyway. Now I think I'm going to rescue Max from Dad. Too much too soon will probably make him run away." Alexis laughed, getting up.

As the two girls were walking back to their table, Rick met with them.

"Here you are! I was starting to worry. Where did you disappear?" He asked, hugging both his girls.

"We were just talking over there." Kate said.

"What about?" Rick asked once Alexis had left to join Max.

"Girl stuff. Don't worry Castle, your daughter is a big girl and a very intelligent one. Now, how about you take me home? I seem to recall you telling me about some distractions for my week off. Do you think we can get started on that sonner?"

So, what did you think of this chapter?