AUTHORS NOTE: Hello everybody! I'm back with a new chapter... a happier one hopefully! Sorry for any mistakes you will find. I have tried my best to minimize them. And yeah, please don't forget to leave your reviews. Happy reading! :D

Beckett NYPD: Thanks a lot for your review. Hope you will enjoy this chapter more...

They were going to meet Alexis in Washington. It was her birthday today and they were going to her surprise party organized by Jack (Jackson Keats);Alexis' long time boyfriend. Martha and Chet would arrive there too. Jack was going to propose to Alexis and he wanted to do that in front of everybody who mattered to her.

It was evening when everybody reached the place and checked in to their Hotel. As soon as they arrived, Kate had called Jack to inform that they have arrived and that they will be there at their house by 7.30 PM. It was always Kate who had coordinated with Jack, as Castle never seemed to like Jack, whenever his name came up it was always followed by a frown on his face. Kate had tried to ask the reason being his dislike but he almost always managed to change the topic with his witty one liner. But Kate was no ordinary woman; she knew a bit human psychology too to know that it was the ever loving Dad in him who was afraid to forego his daughter to somebody else...to share his loved one with a stranger...to accept that his little girl was grownup enough to get married… And the worst of all fears that he; her dad would not be her hero anymore. It was sad and childish...that is how parental love always was.

At sharp 7.30 PM the whole Castle family arrived surprisingly on time for the first time! Natie was the time keeper that day. If Kate was punctual and proper, Natie was one step ahead of her. And it was Rick who always ended up getting scolding for his irregularity from his 9 year old daughter most of the times, to Kate's amusement. But she still was her father's pet nevertheless.

Willy was mama's boy for whom the Castle surname suited best. At 7yrs, he was already a charmer and had a way with words. He had something charming to say to every person and sneak out without punishment out of every situation, in typical Castle style! The next notorious Castle... WILLIAM CASTLE!

…

The apartment which Jack and Alexis shared was pretty decent and was located in a nice locality of which Castle approved. He was weighing the credibility of the guy his daughter chose unwittingly in every single thing he saw or heard around him; he was plainly judging him.

When they entered, Jack had tied a scarf to Alexis' eyes and every one shouted "surprise!" to her. They had called Jack as soon as they arrived at the door and he had informed that Alexis was getting ready in her room and that Martha and Chet too are waiting outside the door. So as soon as everybody met outside the door, Jack ushered them in and told them that he would close her eyes and bring her out. The room was esthetically decorated with beautiful flowers and cards. Not much, but pretty decent thinking that he had to do this when Alexis was getting ready and did not have much time to decorate a house for the party. But going by the taste... Alexis would clearly approve of it. After all she was one of the youngest teachers in the famous university and also had a classic style to her repute.

Alexis opened her eyes and found her entire family in front of her. Her emotions were so overwhelming that she was in tears in matter of seconds. Before anyone could know, she was in the arms of her beloved daddy! And was later joined by the group hug initiated by Danny, her pet brother and Natie; one of her best-est buddy. Even though she was only 9 years old... She was almost like Alexis, ahead of her age. The sisters always kept in constant touch with all their modern conversational modes which Martha would often mock off playfully. Kate was always her mentor, her idol and her mother figure. And together they were one big happy family.

Jack stood a little away to allow them happy family reunion. Kate asked him to join in too in the group hug, to which Rick suddenly broke the hug and said innocently "OMG! Don't choke my little gal on her birth day all of you guys!" in his usual witty tone. All laughed and straightened themselves. No one had noticed the odd way he had done it just before Jack joined into the hug...except Kate that is.

Now the party had begun officially and few other friends of Jack and Alexis too trickled in slowly, not many, just 6 or so people. House seemed bustling with enthusiasm as everyone was excited to meet Castle, the famous novelist. Especially few of Jack's friends who didn't know Alexis was his daughter. On the whole the event was quite a huge success.

Rick and Kate had gifted their daughter with a beautiful pearl and diamond jewellery set and Natie had gifted her a beautiful pen. Martha and Chet gave her, her favorite box of chocolates and a beautiful dress which Martha had found a few days ago whilst she was shopping and had thought about Alexis immediately. Everyone else gave flowers and other gifts but Willy not knowing what to give his darling sister, gave her a huge hug! Which Alexis told sweetly was the most precious of all the gifts she received that day. She really loved her little brother.

While everyone was busy with the food, Alexis' eyes were darting towards only one person and those grayish blue eyes were loaded with a hundred questions. Jack hadn't given her her birthday gift yet. True that arranging this surprise party and bringing her family there was equal to any wonderful gift she could ever receive, she knew there was something else, something even more important… she could see it in his eyes. But Jack was just standing there helping the guests and was being as gracious as a host, he can be.

Kate had already wished him luck for what was coming and now the time had finally come…

Jack came next to Alexis; she nudged him sideways on his arms whispering," now where is my gift? You know I'm dying to see what it is!" He serenely smiled at that and instead of answering her, he suddenly clanked a nearby wine glass with a spoon to garner everybody's attention. Soon everybody gathered around them and everybody seemed to have a clue what is about to come except Alexis who suddenly seemed tensed. The smile on everybody's face scared her. She was scared of the unknown. But the fear was unwarranted and of course short lived as suddenly Jack took her fine hands in his , knelt down and looked up to her with those chocolate brown eyes filled with love and hope for their bright future ahead and said, " Alexis, sweetheart…for the past 4 years we have known each other , every night, I remember I have thanked God for gifting me You. I don't seem to have the capability of imagine a life without you and I never want to too. So if you will be gracious enough to bear with me for rest of your life, then I would like to humbly ask you to trust me with your hand in marriage so that I can breathe every second of my life in your arms till the very end and hold you tightly for eternity...?" With this, there was a thunderous applause in the small room, tears filled in most of the eyes there and few were freely flowing from Alexis's, Kate's, Natie's and Martha's eyes. Few had those tears hidden, like Danny; he sure wanted to be like his dad; the 'Never let a girl see your tears' type.

Jack, whose eyes were glistening with emotion and had almost choked on his final words. And of course there was Rick who somehow even though wanted to disapprove, was immensely moved by the way the boy had so sincerely proposed to spend the rest of his life with his daughter. He hated to admit it and well would never admit too that Jack's sincerity had touched him...it seemed GENUINE.

Alexis was overwhelmed. She seriously hadn't guessed the surprise gift would be a precious solitaire; no, not because of the phase value of the stone... never that; but because of the heart value of it. And that's why it was indeed priceless. She happily whispered a 'yes' and she so desperately wanted to say more but nothing came out of her mouth… seemed her tongue was tied. She nodded and he gracefully slid the stone onto her slender fingers and she hugged him fiercely. Soon the party was resumed with renewed fervor and everyone took turns to congratulate the couple. It was later followed by a dance which ofcourse was started by the couple of the day; Alexis and Jack.

Alexis had been too busy to notice that her dad still hadn't congratulated her and she didn't find anything odd in his behaviour, as she was submerged in her own sea of happiness then. She knew nothing of the emotional distress her dad was undergoing…but Kate knew. She knew he had avoided that on purpose and was going to tell her husband that it just was not done and that he can't just run away from reality. He has to face it and face it soon enough! She searched for him and found him standing in the balcony staring towards the moon.

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

Okay, just one more chapter to go. :) Please leave your reviews, would really love to read them. :)