Disclaimer: I don't own Castle.

Prompt #26: Daughter - Alexis would worry about him, but she felt that she was leaving him in good hands.

Words: 626

Alexis stuffed the last of her clothes in her suitcases, wrapped her trinkets up for transport, and made sure she had every last bit of her stuff. Looking around her now-empty room, she gave her bed one last pat and began transferring her belongings downstairs.

Her father was sitting in his study with the door open, busily typing away on his laptop. When he saw her dragging a suitcase down the stairs, he closed the lid. "How ya doing, Alexis?" he asked. "Need help?"

"I'm fine Dad, really," she insisted.

He still rose from his desk. "You know I'd help."

"Exactly, Dad. I knew that. But you're coming up on your deadline, and I don't think Nikki Heat can stand another postponing of her daring rooftop chase. Did you leave her dangling again?"

The writer wrinkled his nose at the redhead. "You make it sound like I torture her."

"Because you do. Every time you up and leave your manuscript, leaving her in a dangerous situation."

"She can take care of herself."

"Because you have to write her out of it."

"In good time." He put a hand over hers on the suitcase handle. "Talk to me, honey. What's on your mind?"

Father and daughter headed to the couch and sat together, cuddling as they did when she was a child. Alexis smiled. "You know I worry about you, Dad. Sometimes it wasn't clear which of us was the kid and who was the adult."

"I've gotten better."

"You keep telling yourself that. Look, you need a lot of looking after. Usually that'd be my job." Alexis rested her head on his shoulder. "But now I'm leaving. Moving into my own place."

Her father smiled proudly. "Striking out on your own. Making your own mark on the world."

"Point is, you're going to be here without me." Alexis sighed. "Without Gram. And let's face it, you're used to taking care and being taken care of by both of us. See my point here?"

"You're worried about me," her father said. "I understand."

Alexis sat up and faced him. "But I also know that I'm not leaving you completely alone. You've got the 12th. You've got Detective Ryan and Detective Esposito. And you've got Kate." Her smile grew even bigger. "I know Kate will take care of you."

"Because I'm so obviously helpless without her," he said.

"But you've got to take care of her too," Alexis said firmly.

"Don't I always?"

The redhead gave him an exasperated look. "I'm serious, Dad. And remember, she's not as likely to let you get away with slacking as Gram and I."

"Alexis, I got it," he said. "You're worried about me. Honestly, I thought I was supposed to be the one with seperation anxiety. What a role reversal."

Alexis giggled. "Kind of a habit in our family, isn't it?"

"That it is." Her father wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly. "That's what makes us so interesting, isn't it?"

The two Castles embraced for another half-minute, then Alexis headed back upstairs for the rest of her things. She took one last look around her old room, basking in the memories, then continued recollecting as she headed down the stairs.

There had been a lot of memories made in the loft. Leaving that - and her father - behind would be tough. But Alexis wasn't overly worried. Like her, her father had done a lot of growing up over the years.

He'll be okay, she thought happily. Kate will look after him - and kick his butt when he gets fresh.

This turned wholly Alexis-centric, sorry bout that. But it's nice, right?

Review please!