A/N: Sorry for the late update. I had a really busy week, with my internship, unintentional interviews/auditions, and random commutes. I'll try to get the next one up by Wednesday again, but I don't know if I'll be able to write it before then. I appreciate all the love I'm recieveing for this story though so thank you! I hope y'alls like this chapter. :)

Chapter 8

"Dad! I'm so glad you picked up. Grams said not to call you—quite frankly, I'm surprised she didn't call you herself—and it's not that big a deal but I thought you should know, and I know you're on your date so that's why Gram said not to call you but I think this is important and I'm sorry if I'm—"

"Honey, slow down. Alexis, what's happened?"

On the other end of the line, Rodgers heard his daughter take a calming breath before she replied, "Gram broke her leg."

"Wait, what? How?"

"Don't worry, Dad, she's fine. It wasn't that serious, but I thought you should know. I know you're on that date you were really excited about but I didn't want you to come home and see Gram with her cast then feel guilty for not knowing. I'm just telling you so you know what's up. It's really not that serious and I can manage things here until you get back."

"No, Alexis, I'm coming home now."

"But Dad—"

"No, Alexis, I'll be home soon. I'll talk to you then."

Rodgers promptly hung up his phone and would have run right out of the restaurant had not a hand clamped over his, halting his progress. Looking up, he stared into the concerned eyes of the woman who had occupied his mind all day, yet who was instantly forgotten the moment his daughter called.

"Alex, is everything okay?"

The way her sincere worry shone through those beautiful hazel eyes, Rodgers felt his staccato heart slowly resume a more normal palpitation.

"Talk to me Alex. What's wrong?"

"My mother. She broke her leg?" It came out as a question. Even though his daughter assured him there was nothing to worry about, how could he not? His always indestructible mother was facing a mortality he didn't want to acknowledge, no matter how slight this circumstance was.

"Is she okay? Where is she?"

"I think she's at home? I don't know, my daughter didn't tell me much."

"Okay, then home we'll go. If she's not there, then we'll check out the local hospital."

At Rodger's slight nod, Kate took it upon herself to wave over the waiter, telling him they'll take their dessert to go. After ordering the first dessert that looked appealing to her, she asked for two of that to go and the check. Rodgers managed to pull himself together just in time to beat Kate to the check when it came to their table, along with the desserts neatly wrapped and ready for transportation.

Before too long, Rodgers found himself sitting in the passenger seat—how on earth did he end up in the passenger seat of his own car?—as Kate drove them back to his loft. Not that he was complaining though because aside from the soft instructions he gave her to find his loft, he was pretty much left to his own thoughts. He would've started questioning his situation and gone crazy—did he really just get a phone call, from his daughter, on an important date, telling him his mother broke her leg? what were the odds?—had he not felt Kate's hand reach across the console and softly place itself above his on his thigh.

"Don't worry, Alex. Everything will be fine."

Kate pulled into the garage beneath a nondescript building and turned to the man who stayed pretty silent for the majority of the ride back to his place. The moment Alex took that phone call (from his daughter, she believed?), Kate saw a whole other person from the charming literature professor who'd been slowly wooing her with his words and animated personality. The person she saw was a serious man committed to his family life and she had to admit, as horrible as this situation is, it illustrated this side of him to her, and she was becoming more and more attracted to this stranger she met not half a week ago.

Looking down at their joined hands—it felt so natural with his palm cradled in hers—she gave his hand one last squeeze before reluctantly letting go. Had she really held his hand all through that car ride?

"Come on, Alex. We're here, I think." She gave him a comforting smile when he glanced up. Quietly, she slipped out of the car and walked around over to his door to hand him back his keys. "Thanks for letting me drive."

She hadn't intended on taking the wheel (literally and figuratively) but the lost look in his eyes was too reminiscent of the families she faced on the job. So she did what she did best, take control of the situation to get the necessary solutions.

They stood in Alex's garage for a moment when he exited his car—her not knowing what to do from here and him not wanting to detain her unnecessarily.

"Thank you for driving me, Kate. I'm sorry, let me call you a cab; I appreciate you being with me this long but you don't have to stay."

"No Alex. I'll leave if you want me to but I'd like to stay if you'll let me. Besides, have you ever dealt with leg fractures before?"

"Not really. I've written enough about broken bones though."

"Written about?"

"Oh you know, as a university professor and all; we publish a lot of papers." Alex seemed a little flustered by the question but she didn't really understand why. It made sense for a university professor to publish a lot of papers—she didn't know a literature professor would need to write about broken bones—but there doesn't seem to be anything odd about what he said though. But the way he was fidgeting made her almost want to doubt her logic until she decided to just chalk it up to nerves for his mother instead.

"Well, writing about leg fractures is different from actually dealing with one. Trust me, as a cop, I know a thing or two about broken bones. Your mother lives with you right? You'll probably need some help moving her to her bed and stuff if her leg is wrapped up in a giant cast."

Alex seemed to agree to her suggestion because his expression softened as he looked her in the eyes. "Thank you Kate. I don't know what I'd do without you."

"Hey, don't worry about it," she said as she turned to walk towards what looks like an elevator out of his garage. "You coming?"

The moment Kate stepped into Alex's loft, her jaw almost dropped to the ground right there in his open foyer. His home was so open, like his casual friendly demeanor, but stylishly furnished, like his immaculate dress. How does a university professor make enough to afford this place?

"Wow, I think I chose the wrong profession."

"Ahaha, I do some other work on the side," Alex deferred.

"What other work lets you live in a place like this?"

Alex just gave her an enigmatic smile before he turned towards the side stairs and shouted up, "Mother, are you up there?"

A groan sounded out somewhere in the opposite direction, however, over by the lounge area past the kitchen.

"Alexander, can't you let your mother take a nap?" spoke the red-head who sat up from her napping position on the couch. "Honestly, I told that daughter of yours not to call. I'm alright, see?"

Upon turning to half glare at her son (though secretly she was glad he came home) her eyes were drawn to the woman by his side. "Oh? And is this the lovely lady you couldn't stop talking about all afternoon?"

"Mother!"

"Oh hush, kiddo. What are you doing standing all the way over there by the door? Bring the girl over already!"

Alex seemed a little hesitant, more out of embarrassment than anything, but he obliged his mother anyways. That didn't stop him from whispering in Kate's ear a warning about how flamboyant yet comfortable his mother can get within a few minutes of meeting someone. Kate just chuckled as he ushered her towards the couch and around to the armchair adjacent to it.

"Hi, my name is Kate."

"Yes, I know, that's the name I heard all day long. Though I doubt my son would've told you mine. Nice to meet you darling; the name is Martha. How's my son treating you?"

"Wait, the Martha Rodgers?"

"Oh a Broadway fan? Nice to hear I have one." It sounded to Kate like Martha emphasized the "I" in her last statement but Kate felt like she was missing something, like the punchline to an inside joke. Before she could think about it any further though, Martha breezed on with her comments. "Don't let this one go, Alexander."

"I wouldn't dream of it," Alex replied and Kate found herself blushing a bit at his rapt response. "But enough of this interrogation of Kate. Mother, how's your leg?"

"Pft. I told Alexis not to worry about it. The doctor said it was a 'hairline fracture'? Something or other, but nothing to fret over. I just have to keep this cast on for a few weeks while it heals."

Alex let out a sigh of relief as his mother continued to explain how she simply slipped while rehearsing a play; he, of course, had to tease her back about the irony of literally "breaking a leg," after he got over his concerns and realized she really was alright. Kate observed their interactions and felt calmed by their easy relationship and soft banter, reminding her of her own relationship with her late mother. Thankfully, Kate didn't have to reflect on that for long as she looked up as she heard another set of feet join them.

"Hey Dad! I didn't hear you come in. You didn't have to come home; everything's fine, see—"

The younger redhead stopped abruptly when she made eye contact with Kate, and shyly whispered her greetings. "Hi. You must be Detective Beckett. My dad has told me so much about you. I'm sorry to have interrupted your date."

"Oh, don't worry about it. And it's just Kate. I'm not on duty right now," Kate smiled warmly back at her, hoping to make a good impression. Who knew that she'd already be meeting the family on the first date? But they were very accommodating; even if the focus was supposed to be on Martha and her leg, Kate found herself laughing along with many of their jokes and teaming up with Alexis to tease Alex. They seemed to just accept and welcome her into their little niche.

When Martha yawned for the second time in as many minutes, Alex suggested that they call it a night. Alexis volunteered to help her father carry her grandmother up the stairs but Kate would have none of that; she was the trained officer and she knew more than a thing or two more about first aid and care. So at Kate's suggestion, Alex sent his daughter up to her room first, bidding her a good night with a kiss to her temple and a hug before he redirected his attention towards his mother. It took them a few tries but they managed to find a comfortable position for all three of them to make their way up the staircase. Kate decided to leave Alex alone with his mother after they tucked her in and wandered back down the staircase to give them some privacy.

Kate wasn't sure where she should wait, if she even should, but leaving without saying good bye felt way too rude. So she lingered around the kitchen area for a bit before walking back to the lounge area upon spying the forgotten dessert they had brought home with them. Kate lifted the bag and was about to walk back to the kitchen to place its contents in Alex's fridge when something caught her eye. There were some mail and documents under the bag and the image of a black pawn stuck out to her on the edge of one of the envelopes. Somewhere in the back of her mind, that image seemed vaguely familiar but before she could investigate further, she heard Alex walk back down the stairs. Forgetting the envelope, she abandoned her curiosity for the more rewarding mystery heading her way: Alexander Rodgers.

"You like that girl don't you?" Martha asked after Kate had excused herself from the room, leaving her alone with her son.

"Yeah, I do. A lot. She's a mystery."

"Alexander, she's a detective."

His mother didn't say anything further, but Alex knew what she was implying. He hadn't intended on telling his mother about the mix up with him and Richard Castle, and the murder that he's a suspect for, but in his excitement earlier in the day, he found himself spilling his guts to his mother.

"I know, mother. I know."

Martha gave him a long look, making some silent assessment he couldn't decrypt, before pulling the covers up and shooing him out of the room. "Well, if you like that girl so much, what are you still doing here in my room while she's waiting for you downstairs? Leave me alone to my beauty sleep."

Even if Alex wanted to continue his conversation with his mother, she was already closing her eyes and feigning sleep. So silently, he made his way out of her room and down the stairs to his waiting detective. She was standing by his kitchen counter with the bag of takeout dessert she had carried over from the living room where he left it after they arrived.

"Hey," he greeted softly. "Thank you for staying. I really can't say that enough."

The simple smile she reflected back at him was radiant. He didn't intend on having Kate meet his family so soon, but she bore it with grace. There were moments when he thought he saw some sadness in her eyes, but when his daughter joined the conversation, she became just as engaging as she had been.

Kate met him halfway from the kitchen and for a moment, neither of them knew what to say.

"I should probably leave—"

"Would you like a drink—"

Okay, deep breaths, Alex. "Ahaha, sorry. It's been a long night, I'm sure. Here, let me walk you to the door."

"Thanks." Kate replied as Alex guided her forward, with his hand low on her back. "Tell your mom I had a wonderful time meeting her tonight, regardless of the situation that prompted it. And your daughter, Alex, she's amazing. She was a delight to speak with."

The way Kate almost gushed about his family warmed his heart even further. They were already at his front door but he didn't want to let her go. Before he knew what he was doing, his hand was already cupping her cheek and he was leaning in for a soft kiss.

"I'm sorry, I should've asked first. I—"

"It's okay. I didn't mind." Kate looked a little hesitant and he was about to release his hold on her when she surged forward and reclaimed his lips. She was tentative at first, but the moment she braved herself to nip lightly at his bottom lip, he couldn't help but cant into her, pushing her slowly back against the door.

Passion would be an understatement for what he felt emanating from her lips. They were soft and lush, but so strong and firm as his danced over hers. Before too long, her tongue had slipped into his mouth as her hands slipped under his jacket and pulled him flush against her. Alex felt himself getting lost in the taste of her, so sweet and uniquely reminiscent of some fruit he couldn't quite identify. He wanted to continue tasting her—maybe he'd discover what that fruit is—but she slowly pulled away, dipping her forehead to rest it against his.

Kate waited for both of them to catch their breath a bit, before she whispered, "Now we're even."

"Even?" he exhaled, still breathless.

It was now her turn to give him the enigmatic smile he last gave her at this door. Instead of answering his question, she just pulled him in for one last scorching kiss before letting him go one final time to straighten up her clothes.

"I should go."

"Mhmm."

"Alex, I had a great time today."

"Mhmm. I did too. Can I call you tomorrow?"

"Yeah, I'd like that."

Reluctantly, Alex let Kate go. She had work tomorrow; he did too. But that knowledge didn't stop him from wanting to keep her in his company for longer. With a sigh, he watched as she opened the door and walked out of his loft, but not without a backwards glance to him who moved to stare after her from the threshold of his home. It wasn't until the elevators closed after her that it hit him.

She tasted like cherries.