Chapter 20
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AN: Thank you so much to everyone who has read reviewed and or added to alerts. I'm sorry that this has taken so long to get out I know you would rather get on with the story than listen to my excuses so enjoy
AN2: This was meant to be a longer chapter but when I was reminded just how long it has been since I last updated I decided that it would be better if I once again divide the chapter into smaller parts to get it out quicker.
Week 2 Day 4
After everyone goes to bed for the night Mal is sitting at the kitchen table with all his weapons spread out over the table. He is working on clearing each one of them individually when he hears footsteps beindhand him. Figuring that it is just somebody grabbing something to eat or drink he ignores whoever it is until Esposito comes and sits down next to him.
"Awesome collection bro." Esposito tells him.
"Thanks, I figured that no one would have cleaned them while I was gone so I better." Mal tells him.
"Need a hand?" Esposito asks curious staring at the weapons impressed.
"Help yourself."
Esposito happily sits down picks up one of the gun and starts to clean it. The two men work in silence for a while until Esposito finally talks. "So you must have missed this place a hell of a lot while you were gone." He realises as he has watched Castle since he has been here and he looks like he is at home and more comfortable than he did at the Police Station which is saying something because if he hadn't seen him in both places he would have thought that Castle belonged at the station.
"I never thought I would be able to come back here, I didn't let myself. This place is everything I am but I have spent so long becoming someone else, it's good to be me again." Mal explains.
"So are you saying that the Castle you was a complete lie?" Esposito asks not being able to keep the anger out of his voice.
"Not a complete lie. The man you knew me to be I am him. There are times when I think I am more him than the version of myself that belongs here but then I realises that I am both." Castle explains wanting Esposito to understand that if anything he is neither Castle or Mal but a combination of both.
"Interesting." Esposito says before turning back to the gun he was clearing. "Kate wanted me to talk to you." Esposito revealed.
"Oh yeah, what about?" Castle asks surprised.
"The nightmares you have been having, apparently since you have been back you have been having them quite often." Esposito explains.
"And she figured that since you have seen war as well I might talk to you." Rick realises.
"Yep, and you know her she will kill me if I don't at least ask so what are they about?" Esposito asks interested
"Just nightmares about the war, I'm sure you have them as well Kate needn't have to worry." Mal says a little annoyed at Kate for going to Esposito instead of talking to him until he realises that every time Kate has tried to talk to him about his dreams he has shut her down.
"Yeah I do." Esposito responds as he gets nightmares himself about his time in war and prefers not to talk about them. Feeling that he has done what Kate asked him to he doesn't ask any more questions and the two men continue to clean Mal's impressive gun collection in silence.
Week 2 Day 5
The following night when Mal does his nightly check on Alexis he unsurprisingly finds her laying in her bed reading.
"Just come in to check on you." Mal says walking over and sitting on the edge of his daughter's bed.
"I'm good." Alexis tells her father "I really like it here Dad."
"I'm glad to hear that." Mal tells his daughter. Truly meaning what he is saying as he is glad that his daughter loves the place that was his home for so long.
"Inara is really great; I can see why you named me after her." Alexis tells her father.
"Yeah that she is." Mal responds with a smile and a slight dazed look in his eyes.
"I feel like for the first time ever I have someone besides you that I can really talk to, someone that will listen and be there for me, and Dad it feels amazing." Alexis tells her father happily with a huge radiant smile.
"You can always talk to me, you know that right." Mal says to his daughter.
"Yeah I do, but sometimes I need to talk to someone who isn't you and I haven't had that before." Alexis tells her father.
"What about Kate?" Rick asks remembering that Alexis has talked to Kate before.
"That was different." Alexis says not wanting to talk about Kate because of what happened "Kate's nice and everything but it was awkward talking to her. I feel comfortable talking to Inara I know that's odd because I haven't known her that long but I do." Alexis explains.
"Well I'm glad that you have someone you can talk to." Mal tells his daughter.
"So before you came to the past what was it like here?" Alexis asks her father curious attempting to suitable get the topic of conversation towards what her father's relationship with Inara was like before he went to the past without actually saying it.
"The same as it is now, a bit less crowded but the same." Mal responds.
'Ok new approach Alexis.' Alexis thinks to herself. "What are you Inara, Kay and Rivi planning?" Alexis asks her father hoping that by using this tactic she can still get the conversation to the topic she wants it to.
"I have no idea." Mal tells his daughter.
"I know you are planning something Dad and if I had to guess I would say it is something to do with my birthday next week." Alexis tells her father as she has noticed the Inara, Kaylee and River at least have been talking about something then stoping when she is near and if she had to guess she would say it has something to do with her birthday.
"I honestly have no idea what you mean." Mal tells Alexis and he isn't lying because he does have no idea what Inara, River and Kaylee are planning.
"Ok translation, you know they are planning something but you have no idea what." Alexis realises.
"Good night pumpkin." Mal says ending the conversation and he gives her a kiss on the head then leaves the room.
"Night Dad." Alexis say to her father's retreating figure. Once her father has actually left the room she puts Simon's encyclopaedia down and begins to try and think of and plan ways for her to get her Dad to talk to her about his feelings for Inara.
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