"Where you been?"

Jamie Reagan shook his head at his older brother.

"Hello to you, too," he replied.

"Seriously, where were you?" Danny asked.

"I was out," Jamie shrugged. Danny stared at Jamie as he hung his hoodie up on the coat rack.

"Out where?"

"Jeez, Danny, I was just getting coffee. What's with the interrogation tactics?"

"You look happy," Danny grumbled. Jamie laughed, amused as ever by his most pessimistic sibling-possibly the most pessimistic person in the world.

"That's a crime now?" Jamie asked.

"Hey, Uncle Jamie," Nicki called from the kitchen, peeking her head around the doorway to smile at Jamie.

"Hey, Nicki. You and your mom need a hand in there?" Jamie asked. Nicki nodded affirmatively.

"Sure," she said. Jamie smiled extra-wide at his brother before loping gracefully into the kitchen. Danny scowled and turned away. He sat next to his wife on the couch with a discontented sigh.

"Jamie's happy," he said.

"Okay, and that's a problem…why?" she inquired.

"What's he so happy about?" Danny asked in reply, and Linda shrugged.

"Maybe he's just in a good mood," she suggested. "Normal people who are not Danny Reagan have those, you know."

"What's Danny's problem?" Erin asked of Jamie as he washed his hands at the kitchen sink. Jamie shrugged.

"Just being nosy, I guess. Wanted to know where I'd been," Jamie replied. Erin shook her head.

"I wonder if he's ever going to accept that you're a grown man and not his responsibility anymore," she mused. Nicki laughed.

"I doubt it," she said.

"Me, too," Jamie agreed.

"Hey, Dad," Alexis said as she entered the loft. She hung up her keys and smiled at the brunette curled up against her dad on the couch. "Hi, Kate."

"Hey, Alexis," Beckett replied.

"Hey, Pumpkin," Castle added. Alexis slipped out of her shoes and hung up her black peacoat.

"Have you eaten yet?" Rick asked. Alexis shook her head, her red hair shining in the light.

"No."

"We were thinking about going out," he replied. "You want to come?" Alexis only had to think about it for a second. Again, she shook her head.

"No, you guys go," she said dismissively. "I'll find something here."

"You sure?" Kate asked. "You're welcome to come." Alexis smiled sincerely at her future stepmother.

"No, Kate, really," Alexis insisted. "I'll be fine. Go." They both smiled at her as she bounded upstairs, calling back to them not to have too much fun. In reality, Alexis just didn't want Jamie to call while she was out to dinner with her dad.

Jamie waited until he got back to his apartment after family dinner to call Alexis. It was seven forty-five; not too late. It rang four and a half times before she answered.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Alexis? It's Jamie Reagan." He was trying very hard to keep his voice calm.

"Hey, Jamie," Alexis replied warmly.

"I know the rule is to wait…what, two days or something before you call, but that's just…"

"Too long," they said together, and then laughed.

"So, how was your evening?" Jamie asked.

"Not bad. I've just kind of hung out around here. You?" she replied.

"Reagan family dinner," Jamie said. "Always an adventure." Alexis laughed lightly.

"I bet so," she said. Jamie cleared his throat-a nervous habit.

"So, I was wondering," he began, suddenly feeling very nervous, "um, what does your schedule look like this week?"

"Well, I have Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes, so Tuesday and Thursday are my free days," Alexis told him.

"I have Tuesday off," Jamie said. "So I was wondering if maybe you'd like to meet up that day. Maybe lunch in the park?" he suggested, waiting with bated breath for her answer.

"That sounds great," she agreed.

"Good. Do you want to meet me by the carousel, say, twelve-thirty?"

"Sure."

"Okay. Then I'll see you Tuesday, Alexis," he said.

"See you, Jamie."

The line clicked. Alexis couldn't help but smile. She had a date with Jamie Reagan.