A/N: Another chapter for you! Are you guys enjoying the drama? ;)

DISCLAIMER: You know the drill. Castle, Blue Bloods, CBS, and ABC. Nothing to do with me.

"Hey, Lex?" Alexis looked up at Kate.

"Kate! How is he?" she asked. The older woman smiled slightly.

"He'll be fine, Alexis. He wants to see you." Alexis automatically glanced at Jamie. She knew he'd done much more than what could be expected of him today already. But...oh, what the hell?

"Will you come with me?" Alexis blurted. As soon as the words were out of her mouth, the normally pale redhead was blushing crimson, lowering her head against Jamie's gaze.

"Of course." His soft tone caused Alexis' whirling thoughts to slowly spin to a stop as she chanced a glance at him. His dark eyes were tender and he was smiling slightly.

"What?"

"Of course I will," he reaffirmed. "Come on, let's go." She opened her mouth and then, thinking it better not to say anything, closed it again, taking his offered hand as she stood. She leaned into him briefly as the followed Kate down the hallway.

"Thank you," she murmured. He squeezed her hand in response and she smiled.

When the three of them entered Rick's room, it was to find him sitting up in bed, looking quite pale but otherwise the same as always.

"Daddy!" There was relief and still fear lingering in Alexis' voice as she broke away from Jamie to go to her father. She hugged him gently and he kissed her head, cradling his daughter close to him. Jamie hung back next to Kate, both feeling a bit like intruders on the scene before them. The love between Rick and Alexis was tangible and real. Anyone could see it, feel it, practically taste it in the small hospital room.

When, finally, Alexis slowly backed away from her father, Castle's eyes landed on Jamie.

"Oh, sorry," Alexis said, jumping in quickly before her dad could say a word.

"Um, Dad, this is Officer Jamie Reagan. Jamie, my dad, Richard Castle." Rick appeared confused.

"Officer? Didn't we have enough cops around?" he asked. Alexis reached for Jamie's hand, lacing her fingers with his, trusting that the drugs hadn't addled Castle's mind to the point where he couldn't figure that one out. She wasn't disappointed.

"Oh. Not here as a cop, huh?"

Jamie shook his head.

"No, sir."

"I was with Jamie when I got the call from Kate," Alexis explained as Jamie moved forward to shake Castle's hand.

"And he came to the hospital with you?" the writer asked. Alexis nodded.

"I offered," Jamie said with a glance at Alexis. "I could see she was really upset and I...thought she could use the extra support," the young officer said, a tiny bit of shyness creeping into his voice. Rick nodded. He would never, ever admit this, but the kid was already on top of his list of Alexis' suitors. He clearly cared about her, which meant a lot. And, judging by the way his little girl was looking at the youngest Reagan, she definitely cared about him.

"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you, Officer Reagan," Castle said.

"Please, Mr. Castle," the younger man began, "it's Jamie." Rick nodded.

"Okay, Jamie, then."

Castle made no invitation for Jamie to call him anything other than 'Mr. Castle'. He might like Jamie, but he wasn't about to go that far.

They made idle chatter for a few minutes before Jamie cleared his throat.

"I think I'm going to head out," he said, glancing at his watch to find that he would be late for family dinner if he didn't leave then. He shot Alexis a smile.

"Here, I'll step outside with you," she said. Jamie nodded to Castle and Beckett.

"It was great to meet you both," he said. "Hope you get to feeling better, ."

"Thank you, Jamie," Rick replied. Kate smiled as Jamie held the door open for Alexis, closing it softly behind them. They turned to face each other in the hallway.

"Thank you for coming, Jamie," Alexis said softly. "It means a lot."

"Hey, it's nothing," Jamie said. He was definitely the most sensitive of the Reagans, but in the end, that really wasn't saying much about his tough, I-can-handle-anything-I-am-a-Reagan family. The tendency to want to brush things off and not make a big deal out of kind acts on their part was hereditary.

"No, it's not nothing," Alexis insisted. "It's really important, actually. Not everyone would have been willing to do what you did today."

Jamie looked down at the grimy white tile on the floor.

"I just wanted you to know that I really appreciate you being here," Alexis said quietly.

"Yeah, of course," Jamie replied. "I'm glad he's okay." Alexis let out a shaky breath.

"Me, too," she said.

"Hey. Call me if you need me, okay?" Jamie said. "I mean it. I'm just a phone call away, anytime. Alright?" Alexis nodded, gracing Jamie with a smile.

"Okay. Enjoy your Reagan family dinner," she said. He smiled.

"I'll try." He kissed her cheek and Alexis waved as he headed down the hall. Alexis took a moment to lean against the wall, the weight of the day's emotions melting off of her.

Jamie Reagan was really something.