A/N: I'm the worst. I'm sorry. Here's a cute Alexis-centric chapter to make up for the lack of attention and updates.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. If I did you'd be lucky to get one episode a year.

IBYL
xo

Alexis smiled as she announced her entrance into the loft she'd called home most of her life. Though it wasn't home currently, it still had that air about it, of comfort, safety and love. Her apartment on the Upper West Side that she shared with a friend from Columbia was great, and she knew she was lucky – but nothing felt quite like her father and stepmother's Soho loft.

She always found it amusing how one place could look so different as time passed and circumstances changed. When she was a little girl, and it was just her and her father, there was always pink littered around the house – dolls, toys, clothes and 'decorations'. When her father and Gina married, and Alexis herself grew older, the pink faded while Gina hired designers and bought expensive high-end furnishings. Once her father and Gina divorced, the loft became mildly more masculine again, but retained both its family-friendly feel and its laser tag friendly layout. Then when Kate moved in, it retained the friendly vibe but there was a new element of Kate's bohemian feel added to the loft – Alexis couldn't help but think it made the loft feel the most alive it had been in years.

Now with her gorgeous little brother approaching 3 years old, the loft was still stylish and beautiful but it was slowly being overrun by train tracks and Hot Wheels cars, much to her amusement. Her dad, klutz that he was, always managed to stand on a toy car or a piece of Lego. The house was a new kind of vibrant now, one that made it more welcoming than Alexis could ever remember.

She smiled as she reached the kitchen, finding Liam at the breakfast bar coloring while her father pottered around the kitchen.

"Hi pumpkin!" Rick smiled, pulling his eldest into a hug. "Nice to have you."

"You know I love family dinner." She replied with a smile as Kate wandered into the kitchen and pulled her stepdaughter into an embrace.

"Hey kid, how's things?" Kate murmured, and Alexis grinned. They had a, unique, relationship, that was for sure – but Alexis was comfortable in it. And if the pet name of 'kid' was anything to go by, Kate was comfortable too.

"Things are good." She replied with a smile, before bending down to press a kiss to her brother's cheek and laughing as he squirmed away. "Hi Liam." She said.

"Hi Lexi. I drawing." He said with a toothy grin.

"I can see that. You having fun?" She asked.

"Yep." He said, tongue peeking out from the corner of his mouth in concentration.

"That's what we like to hear." Alexis smiled as Kate chuckled at her son's short answers.

"Sorry. He gets very focused when coloring lately."

"Mother's son" Castle murmured, making Alexis grin.

"I think he's the perfect blend of the both of you. So he's sure to end up impossibly stubborn." She said matter-of-factly, earning a snort of laughter from her stepmother as she dodged a food missile from her father.

"You're not wrong." Kate said with a laugh. "Either of you."

"Is she ever?" Her father said, and Alexis laughed.

"Oh so often." Alexis said with a self-deprecating grin as she moved to help Kate set the table for dinner.

xxx

After the family of four had stuffed themselves with the Italian feast Castle had prepared, Kate asked Alexis if she'd like to get Liam organised for bed while she and Rick tidied up. Alexis smiled – since Liam entered into their lives, Kate was conscious to include Alexis in family outings and the day-to-day necessities of life with a kid so that she had the opportunities to bond with her brother. A teary conversation during Kate's pregnancy about being included and being a part of the now-extended Castle family had led to Alexis and Kate forging a stronger friendship than ever before – and both parties were so grateful.

Alexis nudged Liam and asked him if he was ready for bathtime, and his wide grin was all the response she needed. She lifted the boy, cradling him on her hip and nodding to his parents as she headed upstairs. Liam was chatting away to Alexis about trains, his latest favourite subject, and she made polite noises at the correct times in his story to appease him.

When they reached the bathroom, Alexis started the water before wrangling a now over-excited Liam to get him organised.

Though she'd done this bathtime stint a million times, she always managed to forget just how excited he got – and, by extension, how drenched she usually ended up from the splashing. Alexis sat on the ledge next to the bath, dripping wet while Liam eagerly played with his 'submeens'.

A snicker at the door had Alexis looking up from her brother to find her father trying not to chuckle at the mess her younger brother had made of both her and the bathroom.

"Not pretty, is it?"

"Never is with the part-boy, part-fish there." Castle said, making Liam look up from his playtime to grin at his daddy.

"Merman, you mean?" Alexis said, and Castle laughed.

"Yeah, that. Sleepless night last night with that one." He said, excusing his brain fade.

"Everything okay?" Alexis asked, concern rearing its head at the mere mention of her usually well-behaved brother having a restless night.

"We think he just had an earache. His temp was up a little so Kate and I took shifts checking on him. But he's been great today." Castle said, before smothering a yawn. "See you in a minute?" Castle asked, and Alexis nodded as her father headed back downstairs.

"Alright, Liam – bathtime's over now. What comes next?" Alexis asked.

"Pull the plug!" Liam cooed, and Alexis laughed and nodded as the boy did just that, fascinated by the swirl of the water.

"And after the water's all gone?" Alexis prompted. Kate and her father had been trying to teach him the steps before bed so that he'd learn when play time was and when was quiet time.

"PJs!" Liam said happily, standing up carefully in the bath so Alexis could scoop him out.

"That's right. Which ones do we have tonight?" Alexis asked, carrying the slippery young boy into his bedroom and drying him off.

"McQueen." Liam said reverently, and Alexis fought a chuckle.

"Lightning McQueen it is. You want to be a big boy?"

"I big." Liam said softly, and Alexis smiled as he worked with her to get ready, getting himself into his sleep shorts while Alexis helped with the shirt. He smoothed down the shirt and looked up at his big sister. "Story?"

"One more thing first. Do you remember?"

"Ny-nights!" Liam said proudly after thinking for a moment.

"That's right, we've got to go say our goodnights."

"Up?" Liam said, the tiredness seeping in. Alexis grinned into her brother's hair – he was so cute when he was fading.

"Sure thing my man. Let's go see Mom and Dad, okay?" She said, as Liam nodded into her shoulder.

xxx

"A certain little man is off to bed." Alexis announced, and both Kate and Rick stood to say goodnight to their boy.

"Tired, hun?" Kate asked as Alexis passed Liam over for a hug.

"Tired, mommy." He murmured. "Ny-night."

"Night, baby. Sleep tight." Kate said, pressing a kiss to his forehead as Castle did the same. Alexis couldn't help but smile at the gorgeous picture this moment made. Kate held Liam back out to Alexis who smiled as she scooped him into her chest and headed for the stairs.

"Lexi? Story?"

"Yep. Story time. What shall we do tonight?"

"Cat in the Hat!"

"Okay, little man, Cat in the Hat it is."

xxx

Kate smiled as she watched Alexis cradle her brother and chatter to him. Rick passed her a glass of wine before joining her on the couch.

"That's a good look." Rick said of her smile, following her view to his eldest and youngest.

"Yeah. Alexis is fantastic with him. I'm so glad he's got all these people, you know? A sibling, godparents, aunties and uncles."

"It's great for him." Rick agreed with a grin.

"Thank you." Kate said, and Rick knew exactly what she was thanking him for.

"No thanks necessary. Thanks for including Alexis."

"Why would you thank me for that? That girl is a godsend. She's patient, she loves looking after him. She's just amazing at it. I know you hate to think of it but your girl is a natural. Maternal instinct." Kate said, and laughed when Rick shuddered a little.

"I want grandbabies one day. But some day far into the future." Rick said with a laugh.

"I'm too young to be a grandmother. You, on the other hand… plenty old enough to be a grandpa."

"You wound me!" Rick cried dramatically, as Kate chuckled.

Alexis, who had heard most of their conversation as she walked downstairs, couldn't help but smile at her father's dramatics.

"Don't worry, Dad. You've got nothing to worry about yet." Alexis said, curling up on the couch between the two adults.

"He asleep?" Rick asked.

"Crashed after 3 pages of Dr. Seuss." Alexis said with a smile, and Kate grinned, throwing an arm around her and pulling her into a hug.

"Lifesaver. Movie time?" Kate said, and Rick nodded.

"I'll get popcorn."

Alexis grinned as she cuddled into Kate while her father did his best Swedish Chef impression behind them.

This was the life.

Another one down! I hope you enjoyed :)