Author's Note-Several things. One, I would like to direct your attention to Arya's prayers review if you have any questions about the conversation between Rick and Kate in the last chapter and about Rick's decisions regarding Alexis. She hit the nail completely on the head so go read it.

Two, college is killing me. Chapters are likely to be updated once a week if I'm lucky at this rate.

Three, I now know how I'm going to end this story, I just have to write us there, which leads me to point four actually.

Expect a time jump of a few months soon. It's needed so I'm not dragging out the story too much, but after that there won't be too many chapters so watch out for that.

And lastly, I know this is a little on the short side, but I'm doing it instead of my homework right now so you're lucky to get this much. Enjoy. NYLF xx

The next morning, Kate found herself making a conscious effort not to see Alexis as anything other than the little girl she had come to love.

And she hated it.

How was it so easy for Rick, to look at his daughter and know that she wasn't, yet it so difficult for Kate, someone who had no standing in the issue?

If Rick noticed, he didn't mention it.

He stood behind Alexis as she sat at the breakfast bar and braided her hair, ready for their swimming session later.

His building had its own gym and private pool, something both Castle's liked to take advantage of as often as possible.

Today, Kate was joining them.

She had made such a big thing of letting Rick and Alexis still have something that was just for them that it had taken nearly eight months and Alexis' pleading for her to finally agree that it could be a daddy/daughter/Kate thing, neither adult secure enough to call them a family and Alexis not sure she was allowed to say it outside of her own head.

Rick tied the elastic around the end of the braid and squeezed Alexis' shoulders. "All done, Pumpkin." He smiled.

"Thanks daddy." Alexis giggled. "Kate next."

Kate chuckled from her place beside the girl, shooting Rick a hot look. "I can braid my own hair, although, you could help me tie my costume if you like?"

Rick gulped.

From what he'd seen so far, her costume was a black two piece and contained barely enough material to be suitable for the five year old between them to see.

"I can do that." He eventually murmured, sliding behind Kate and ever so slowly taking the two ties from their resting places on her shoulders and tying them in a bow, tight enough to keep them together, but still loose enough that he could tug them open later. He pressed an open mouth kiss just below her ear, relishing in the suppressed shiver she barely managed to conceal from the child. "All done." He husked in her ear.

"Thank you Rick." She murmured, tilting her head to capture his lips in a clinging kiss, until Alexis cleared her little throat, making both adults remember she was there.

"We ready?" Rick asked, smiling for his daughter broadly.

She nodded enthusiastically.

"Good. Let's go." He called, slinging their bag over his shoulder and grabbing his keys while Kate crouched, letting Alexis jump on her back. Kate secured her hands over the five year old's legs and made sure she had a good grip on her shoulders before standing and following Rick over to the door.

She kissed him quickly as she passed, pausing while Alexis did the same before passing through the door, letting a laughing Rick close and lock the door before they made their way over to the elevators.

Kate pulled Alexis' shirt over her head, leaving her to unfasten and pull down her jeans while Kate undressed herself.

"I like having a girl come swimming." Alexis declared as she folded her clothes and passed them to Kate, to put into their locker.

"And why's that Jellyfish?" Kate asked, the nickname referring to the girl's pale pink suit with a translucent pink ruffled skirt around the waist.

Alexis giggled. "Because otherwise, I'd have had to go in with daddy and I'm a girl." She huffed adorably.

"You are, very good." Kate smiled, checking the ties on both sides of her bikini bottoms and the ones around her back and around her neck, securing her top, to make sure they wouldn't come loose, before taking Alexis' hand.

"Kate?" Alexis asked slowly, a shy little note that intrigued her guardian.

"Yes Alexis?" Kate asked softly, bending to her level.

"Did I do something wrong?" Her voice just got tinier.

Kate sighed and pulled her close, her eyes slipping closed as regret flooded her synapses.

"No Angel. I'm sorry. I've had a weird morning." Not a lie. "I'm sorry if I made you feel like it was you." Definitely not a lie. "I'll make it up to you Baby."

Alexis shook her head. "No need." She sank deeper into Kate's chest for a moment before pulling back and putting her hands on the woman's cheeks. "Just checking." She smiled at her brightly and took Kate's hand as she stood up.

With one last sigh, Kate led them to the pool.