Hello you audio monkeys! This author's note is going to be short. Sorry it took me so long to post this chapter. I had no idea I would be going out of town for a week and it screwed with my schedule for posting this chapter. So I'm sorry about that, but it won't happened again and if it does I will make sure to give you guys a heads up.

So I'm going to stop talking now and let you guys get on with reading this chapter.

Also thanks for A. K. Hunter for helping editing this chapter! She's a life savor! Also check out her story In My Veins. It's a great story and I highly suggest checking it out!

I do not own Castle! I wish, but I don't!

Now go have fun you audio monkeys! haha ya nice!

Chapter 7: Asking Her Out

It had been a month since the incident happened with Alexis. Kevin's friendship with the girl had grown stronger every second of the day. They texted each other at odd hours of the day, and Kevin had been all smiles ever since. Alexis had become more cheerful in the morning, even though she hated them. She made a habit to come by the precinct and help out as much as she could. Kevin was finally sleeping through the night, and the doubts in his thoughts have slowly diminished from his mind. His posture stood tall and strong; there were no more dark circles under his eyes and, most of all, he was happy.

The gang had never seen him so cheerful and full of happiness. Even when solving a murder, Kevin was himself again. He was throwing jokes here and there, and going along with Castle's insane yet almost true theories. He hasn't had any more breakdowns. The only people who knew about the first one are Alexis, Castle, and Beckett. No one else knew about it; not even Javie. Kevin figured he'd tell his partner when the time was right. He'd been seeing a therapist and was talking about anything that was happening in his life, good or bad. What was really making him happy was a certain redhead with sky blue eyes.

Detective Kevin Ryan was sitting at his desk looking through phone records of possible suspect in their case. Esposito sat down next to his desk and nudged Ryan with his elbow. "Found anything?"Ryan shook his head. "Nothing seems suspicious in her phone records. All the calls seem to be between her work and family."

Esposito sighed frustrated and slumped into the chair. "So we're back to square one."

Ryan nodded. "Yeah, hey do you know where I can get Phantom of the Opera tickets?"

Esposito raised his eyebrows at his partner. "Why do you need tickets to Phantom of the Opera?"

Ryan shrugged his shoulders. "I was just wondering is all."

Esposito knows something is up with his partner, but doesn't know what. They tell each other about everything. So what is his partner's secret that he's keeping from him? Esposito was about to ask Ryan about the opera tickets until Beckett and Castle walked in looking very frustrated.

Esposito frowned and sighed. "Guess you hit a dead end too huh?"

Beckett dropped into her chair with a thump and Castle sat in his chair and his shoulders sagged in disappointment. The gang has not been having good luck with the case they are working on. No shred of evidence to tie their suspect to the crime. All evidence that have turned up turned out to be a dead end. Beckett looked at the time on the computer and saw how late it was. 11:45 pm. The day flew by without any leads and their time.

Beckett rubs her tired eyes and sighed. "Let's call it a night. Pick up tomorrow morning."

Everyone nodded, started getting up from their seats and put on their jackets since it was starting to get cold outside. Summer weather went out the window and the Fall breeze started to take over the city. Beckett and Castle were already walking towards the elevator, Esposito was just about to follow them until his phone went off. He looked at the caller ID and saw it was Lanie.

Ryan looked over and saw his partner with a cheeky grin on his face. "Lanie isn't it?"

Esposito looked at Ryan and nodded. He answered his phone and walked away from his partner. Ryan gave a chuckle, shook his head and smiled. He and Lanie have been on and off, but they finally have gotten back together and they are all smiles. She was probably calling to confirm their date they have been planning for about a week. Ryan couldn't be any happier for his best friend and partner. He and Lanie are good together. His phone started to ring which snapped him out f his thoughts. He dug through his pocket and pulled out his phone. His smile grew wider and gave a chuckle. Speak of the devil.

Alexis was sitting on of the swings her dad when he came here to think when he's having trouble with writing or just need to get away from all the stress. She was slightly swinging with her hands on the on both chains and softly smiling. Memories flashed through her mind when she was at the park when she was five years old. Her dad used to bring her to the park all the time. She would play on the playground, she would hide while her dad would count to ten, laughter filled the air, smiles on each other faces, seeing how high you could go on the swing, getting ice cream from the ice cream man on a park bench, running around playing tag and lying in the grass watching the clouds go by. Alexis smiled at those memories; those were simpler times before her dad was famous because of his books. Her mother never really a mother to her. She was never there for her because she was an actress. She was too busy to be a mother. However, her dad was there for her and Gram became the mother figure when Meredith wasn't.

"Hey."

Alexis was snapped out of her own thoughts and memories and looks behind her and she smiles brightly. "Why hello Detective Ryan."

Kevin smiled at her and sat on the swing next to her. "Please it's Kevin."

She chuckled. "And for you it's Alexis not Ms. Castle."

Kevin laughed at her humor and nodded. "I'll keep that in mind."

They both laughed and both were slightly swinging back and forth as they sit in a silence. It was Alexis who broke that silence. "So how's the case going?"

Kevin groaned in frustration. She raised her eyebrows at him and got her answer. "I'm guessing not so great."

Kevin nodded to confirm her answer. "We hit another dead end. We've been chasing ghosts all day. It's like the suspect doesn't even exist anymore. Like he went poof." Kevin slumped in the swing and hung his head.

"So you have no idea who killed your victim."

He nodded. He then looked up at the sky and sighed. "I swear these cases are getting harder and harder."

Alexis shrugged her shoulders and gave him a small smile. "That's the reality of life. It's the way the world works."

"Yeah, but what does it have to be on my shoulders?"

They both laughed and relaxed in the Fall breeze. It was already the beginning of September, time flies by fast. Kevin took a glance at Alexis and takes in her presences. Her red long hair was flowing through the wind, her pale cheeks have a hint of red from the wind brushing against her skin, and she was wearing a tan color skirt was hugged her curves in the right place. Her knitted purple sweater that hung loosely on her shoulders, but was the rest of the sweater hug the rest of her torso and midsection of her stomach in place. She was also wearing black knee high socks and wearing a pair of black flat ankle boots. She is a beauty. She's breathtaking.

Kevin almost find it hard to breath around her, but he composed himself and let out a breath. "Hey I was wondering," Kevin looked at Alexis who looked at him with her big blue doe eyes. He groaned inside of him knowing if he keeps staring at her, he's gonna back out. He instantly shook off the backing down feeling and continued on. "Phantom of the Opera is in town for the next couple of months and I was wondering if you would like to go? With me?"

He let out a breath that he was holding in. Alexis was stunned. Was he asking her out? Was this really happening? She felt a hint of warmth in her cheeks and she was for sure she was blushing. She realized that her mouth was agape and staring at Kevin with wide eyes. She shook it off and smiled at Kevin brightly. "Are you asking me on a date Detective Ryan?"

He chuckled and nodded. "You can tell how nervous I am, can you?"

She softly chuckled and nodded. They both sat in silence until. Kevin had his head slightly bowed avoiding eye contact with Alexis and Alexis was looking around other then Kevin.

Alexis was the first to break the silence. "Yes."

Kevin snapped his head towards Alexis with his widened eyes and Alexis has a smile on her beautiful face. "I would like to go to the Phantom of the Opera show with you."

Kevin smiled very brightly at her and she couldn't help, but let out a chuckle. "T-t-that's great! Um, I'm still trying to get the tickets, but say a Saturday show at 8?"

Alexis nodded with glee. "Sounds perfect." Kevin's smile grew even wider like a little boy opening Christmas present. Alexis chuckled and the air was filled with laughter. They both continued to talk about the day, Alexis finally has a job interview in her field of work which was at the precinct tomorrow, Kevin is finally moving on from Jenny and he couldn't be any happier. This day was turning out better then he thought. He's sitting on the swing next to a lovely girl no woman and feels like he's the luckiest man alive.