Richard Castle, pre-parenthood, was dead to the world once he was asleep. Nothing could wake him until he was good and ready. But as soon as his baby girl was born, the slightest human sound woke him. So when he heard muffled crying coming from his doorway, he was awake and sat up in seconds. Alexis stood in the doorframe, clutching her stuffed monkey 'Monkey-Bunkey' while her other hand rubbed at her tearful eyes. Rick smiled gently and got up, crouching in front of the four year old.

"Hey, Pumpkin." He murmured, gently wiping away her tears with his thumb. "Bad dream?" She didn't have them often, but she was still just a child so it wasn't unheard of. She shook her head though. "What's wrong then, Honey?" Alexis sniffled before finding her voice.

"Kate's crying." She murmured. Rick's brow furrowed in confusion.

"What do you mean Kate's crying, Sweetie?"

"I needed a drink, and my cup was down here, so I was coming to get it, and I heard Kate crying. She kept saying something but I couldn't hear. I got scared and came got you. I think she's having a bad dream, daddy." Rick quickly scooped Alexis up and perched her on his hip before taking her back upstairs.

He leaned against the door and heard as Kate cried out something intelligible. Rick quickly put Alexis on the floor.

"I'm going to make sure she's okay. I need you to go get snuggled back in bed, and I'll come say goodnight in a minute, okay?" Alexis nodded before running back to her room. Rick took a deep breath before pushing open the door.

Rick hovered there, in the guest bedroom doorway for a moment, trying to ascertain if he should intervene or not. When Kate moaned in pain, still unconscious to the world, his decision was made for him. She thrashed a little wildly and he knew he should step back to save him self from accidental injuries but he couldn't bear to see her in pain.

"Kate?" He asked quietly, sitting at the end of her bed, slowly laying his arm across her ankles to slow their kicking. "Kate, wake up, it's just a dream."

She groaned and his heart broke for her.

"Kate?" He tried again, moving up the bed, turning so he was sitting against the headboard, as he slipped one arm around the back of her shoulders, pulling her up into his side, trying to shock her awake. It didn't work.

He felt tears build in his eyes, when her own slipped down her cheeks, despite her unopened eyes.

"Come on Kate, wake up for me Honey, please." He wasn't above begging. He felt her pain so acutely that he almost felt his heart shatter as she sobbed for her mother.

"I've got you Kate. I know it isn't the same but I'm here. You aren't alone, my Angel. I've got you."

She sobbed and thrashed against him for a few more minutes before crying out and going limp in his arms. He panicked and carefully pushed two fingers against her jaw, relief flooding him when he found her wildly fluttering pulse beneath her skin.

She breathed deeply and he realised that the dream was over, crisis averted for now. He couldn't help the few tears that trailed down his cheeks. He wanted to sob for her, would once he got back to his own bed, but he couldn't risk waking her now she was settled.

He rocked them both, crying silently into her hair for a few moments longer before extracting himself and laying her back down gently. He tucked her in, kissed her forehead and left.

Rick gently sat down on the edge of Alexis' bed and stroked the strand of hair from her face to behind her ear.

"Is Kate okay daddy?" She asked sleepily. Rick smiled.

"Kate's very sad at the moment. There's a lot of stuff going on at home that isn't very good right now." It wasn't his place to share that information, even if it was with Alexis. He'd talk to Kate about it if it ever came up.

"That's why she's staying here?" The little girl asked curiously. She had wondered why Kate had brought a bag. Rick nodded.

"Yes. She might be staying for a little while. You don't mind, do you?" He'd obviously asked Alexis if she'd mind having the young woman to stay for the night when he'd picked up the car to take Kate to her dad's, and she'd been fine with it. But one night and a while were very different things.

"Don't mind." She confirmed around a yawn. "Is she sleeping?" Rick smiled.

"Yeah Sweetie, she's sleeping now. How about you try and join her hmm?" She nodded sleepily. Rick smiled again and leaned down to kiss her forehead. "Nun night Alexis." He whispered against her skin.

"Night night daddy." She murmured back before dropping off to sleep. Rick adjusted the covers before leaving the room.

He popped his head around Kate's door, saw her sleeping soundly, before creeping back down stairs. Once alone in the privacy of his room, he leaned against the door and put his head in his hands, letting a few tears escape for her. He hated that Kate had to go through this, hated even more that she really truly thought she had to do it alone.

He shook his head to clear it before wiping his face. He'd look up those rehabs with her tomorrow, maybe even call in some favours to see if he couldn't get Jim in ASAP. He needed to get Kate some support. Dealing with Jim had to be his first priority, the most volatile piece of the present puzzle, and then he'd talk to her about maybe talking to someone. He knew some things, but he couldn't help her psychologically. He'd be her friend, support her through thick and thin, hold her hand, let her cry on his shoulder, but he knew she needed trained help. He'd talk to her later. Right now, he needed sleep.