Wrote this on my lunch break and figured I'd share. It's got mistakes and is pretty much horrible but I thought I'd share.

The annoying sound of her cell phone dragged Beckett from her peaceful slumber with a loud curse. It had been the first night in months that she had slept nightmare free and of course a body would drop to ruin it. She glanced at the clock and when it blinked back at her that it was just shy of two, she wanted to throw the phone across the room. "Beckett." The detective greeted trying to sound more awake then she actually was. The voice one the other end had the woman springing out of bed and reaching for the closest set of clothes. "Where? Right okay I'll be right there."

Beckett reached the hospital in record time thanks to the use of the gumball. Since day one she had always frowned upon using it for personal use, but this was different. "Excuse me." Beckett barreled through the doors of the ER and ran straight to the registration desk. The woman behind the counter looked like she wasn't too pleased that the detective had interrupted the conversation she was in the middle of. "I'm looking for Alexis Rodgers." Her words were rushed as she was stills struggling to catch her breath from her face from the car. The phone call had been short and with so little information the detective's imagination to fill in the blanks. And it only made the fear worse. "Or Castle not sure what name they registered her under."

The nurse, pushing into the wrong side of forty, glared at the brunette, "You'll have to wait your turn."

The comment had Beckett snapping to attention and had the pleasure of watching the older woman cower as she put her cop face on.

When the teenager heard Beckett's voice coming down the hall, she began to wonder if she had made a mistake calling the detective. Alexis knew that if she called her dad he would just freak out and after the night she just had it was the last thing she needed. Then she heard Beckett's voice laced with worry arguing with whom she figured was a nurse who was trying to keep Beckett from entering the room until they got the doctor's okay. There was a break in argument and Alexis smiled knowing that Beckett had flashed her badge to get the nurse to shut up. A moment later the door to her room opened and Alexis, despite the pain she was in, managed a smile. "You came." The brunette, looking frazzled, concerned and worried, had obviously rushed out of bed the moment they got off the phone. Her hair was twisted into a messy braid, Beckett had thrown on a light jacket over a plain gray shirt with a pair of jeans and her shoes didn't match.

Beckett would address the disbelief she heard in the girl's voice later. Granted they hadn't been on the best of terms, but how could Alexis think that she wouldn't come in a time of need such as this? "Of course I came." In two long strides she was at the bed side taking in the battered teenager. The left side of her pale face was discolored with a deep bruise, her bottom lip was split and she had a nice size gash above of her right brow. Upon further inspection, Beckett found Alexis's left wrist in a soft cast and spotted the road burn on the girl's knees. Anger of unimaginable portion came boiling to the surface. Alexis was supposed to be safe in some fancy hotel visiting her mother. So how in the hell did this happen? Gently, she cupped the red head's face in her hands, "Are you okay?"

Alexis's first instinct was to just say yes and even started shaking her head, but found herself crumbling into the detective's arms in tears seeking refuge and comfort. After the away she had been acting towards the detective, Beckett had ever reason not to come. But here she was at four in the morning all because Alexis needed her. Her own mother hadn't even bothered to answer her damn phone.

Taken aback it took Beckett a moment before circling her arms around the teenager as she shifted to sit on the edge of the hospital bed. "It's okay." She softly soothed stroking the girl's fiery hair and began to rock back and forth as her mother had done to her so many times as a kid. Beckett felt Alexis's hot tear stain her shirt and it caused her heart to break. Alexis Castle had always been so wise for her age that sometimes Beckett forgot that she was in fact only eighteen years old. "Are you okay?"

Alexis just shrugged, "I'm in pain."

"Did they give you anything?" Beckett asked surprised once against when Alexis didn't pull away, but snuggle deeper into her arms.

"They wouldn't until they knew someone was coming to get me."

Beckett reached over and pressed the call button to summon the nurse. "Is anything broken?"

"Nope, just badly bruised." Alexis wiggled her fingers to prove they still worked and Beckett caught site of her town knuckles.

"You got a piece of him?" Beckett asked smugly as she took her hands to inspect herself.

"I'm not a black belt for nothing." Alexis tried to smile and failed. "Thank you for coming, Kate."

"I know that we aren't on the best of terms because of last summer." Though they hadn't really talked about it Beckett knew Alexis ill feelings towards her started with not calling Castle for three months. Things were starting to get better now that Alexis was at the station; it gave them opportunity to talk, to see how each one affected the life of the man they both loved dearly. "But I care about you Alexis and not just because you're my partner's daughter. You need me and I will drop everything and be there. Always."

Alexis blinked against the onslaught of fresh tears. Why she thought any defiantly made her feel ashamed. If anything Alexis should have known she'd come after what she had to do just to make it to her graduation yesterday. Beckett had traded her Christmas and new years off and something about a year of coffee to get someone to cover her shift. Then there was Meredith who couldn't make it because of work and then again didn't show up tonight after she promised.

"Ms. Castle." The nurse popped her head in after a short knock, "Did you need something."

"Yes," Beckett turned to the nurse, "She needs something for the pain."

The nurse wrinkled her nose, "And who might you be?"

Beckett tugged her shield from her belt and made sure to use the tone of voice that got suspects to tremble, "I'm Detective Kate Beckett and this is my partner's daughter who is in a lot of pain. So would you please get the doctor to give her something so I can take her home?"

The nurse blinked and then rushed off down the hall.

"Now." Beckett eased Alexis out of her arms to study her face, "Should I call your father."

"Please don't." Alexis softly begged grasping the detective's hand, "Can you just please take me home? I know he's going to be mad at you for not calling, but I just can't deal with how he is going to react."

"Okay. Can you tell me what happened then?"

Alexis knew she could say no and knew Beckett wouldn't push and would simply see out her request of taking her home. "Mom was suppose to fly in tonight and we were suppose to out shopping or whatever. Dad dropped me off at the hotel around like seven and I waited." Alexis let out a huff of disbelief at her actions. After all the times that her mother had made promises, she would have figured that she would stop getting her hopes up. All she wanted one for her mother to put her first, just once. "I waited and I waited. I should have known by now that she wasn't going to show. I just hoped that this time would be different. I'm such an idiot-."

"You're not an idiot, Alexis." Beckett wanted to throttle Meredith for making Alexis feel so unloved and neglected. Beckett was smart enough to see that not having her mother in her life hurt her more then she let on. She wanted to take Alexis's pain away and grieved at the fact she couldn't. It also made the detective want to give Meredith a good talking along with a nice smack to the face to knock some sense into her. If Beckett had a daughter like Alexis she would do anything and everything for her. "A mother is suppose to be there for their child. They're supposed to drop everything at a drop of a hat so they could witness important moments of their child's life. A mother is suppose to show up."

"Well she didn't. I must have fallen asleep in the lobby because the next thing I knew it was midnight and there was no sign of her. I asked the clerk only to learn that she had canceled her reservation. I should have called dad to come pick me up, I just knew how angry he was going to be that she blew me off again and I needed to think. I was halfway to the subway when some guy grabbed me."

Beckett's heart doped straight to her stomach as she struggled to form the question, "Did he-? I mean-."

"He tried and that's when I started to fight back. I offered to give him anything he wanted, but it was clear that it wasn't what he wanted. I wasn't going to be a victim." Alexis watched pride fall across the detective's face. "Someone must have heard my screaming because the next thing I know he took off and there was this homeless man trying to help me."

The rest of her words were drowned out as the doctor came into the room, "You called?"

Beckett looked up, "Yes. She's in a lot of pain is there something you can give her?"

The doctor, who looked fresh out of med school, straightened his spine to glare at the detective. "And who might you be?"

Calmly, Beckett tugged her shield from her belt to show to the man. The corner of her mouth lifted at the panic in his eyes, "I'm Detective Kate Beckett and this happens to be my partner's daughter." There was pleasure in her voice as she spoke and caught site of a small smile crossing Alexis's face. "I was told she couldn't have anything until someone came to pick her up, well here I am. So if you would give her something for the pain now that would be great. And I'll sign whatever I need to take her home as well."

The doctor stammered for a moment before complying and took off down the hall.

"Have you given your statement to the police?" Beckett asked once they were alone.

Alexis shook her head, "They just left not too long ago." The teenager handed Beckett the card that was left by her bedside.

Beckett took it making a mental note to tag the officers for all of his reports and findings. "I'm going to try to find you some fresh clothes; I think I might have an extra shirt in the trunk. Then I'm going to take you home unless you rather me not. You can stay at my place." Beckett let the offer hang in the air for the teenager to think on. Everything inside her was telling her to call the girl's father, but if she knew how protective Castle was of his daughter. The last thing Alexis needed was her father fussing around her.

"If dad finds out-."

"I'll deal with your father." Beckett assured.

"Can I go home with you? You can call dad then and maybe try to tell him that I'm okay."

"Sure thing."

0o0o0o0o0o0o0o00o0o0o

The drive to Beckett's apartment was silent. Alexis was lost in thought as well as a little loopy from the pain meds, so the detective let her be. She had toyed with her cell phone nearly the entire time struggling with the choice of when to call Castle. Beckett didn't want to wait until first light because that would be just cruel and would grant the man permission to truly be mad at her. Plus the writer had already sent texts to Alexis's phone. They were from earlier in the night and somewhat playful, but the detective could see the hint of worry.

An hour with your mom and you already forgot about your old man.

What happened to calling me when you figured out plans?

Your mother didn't whisk you off to Paris again for a shopping trip did she?

C'mon, Lex you can't be having that much fun you forgot to text me

Beckett pulled up to her apartment and quickly rounded the car to help Alexis to her feet. "Just a little further and you'll be able to go back to sleep." The detective slipped an arm around the red head's shoulder and found her heart swelling when Alexis leaned into her for both guidance and comfort.

Alexis clutched Beckett's jacket closer to keep out the chill, "He took my bracelet." The teenager glanced at her empty wrist in tears. The meds were making her far too emotional. "I thought maybe it would be in the fold of my clothes, but it's gone. Gram gave it to me for a graduation present."

Beckett wanted to say she'd find it, but it would be a long shot. And the last thing Alexis needed was another empty promise. So she didn't say anything, just simply let them inside the apartment. "All right just a few more feet."

Alexis frowned when they moved past the couch, "I'm not kicking you out of your own bed."

"Hush." Beckett grumbled throwing on a light once she entered the bedroom. She went fishing out a pair of yoga pants and an old NYPD shirt that was going to be three sizes too big for Alexis. "In these types of situation I find the best comfort is a nice baggy shirt or sweater."

Alexis tried to smile, but the pain stopped her. "Me too."

"Change I'm going to get you a glass of water so you can take a sleeping pill." Beckett was out of the room before she could argue. Alexis might think she was strong enough to face the blackness, but Beckett knew from experience that there was no way of escaping nightmares. She made a stop in the kitchen to call Castle and wasn't surprised when she got his answering machine. Beckett left a quick message, telling the writer he needed to come over the moment he got this message and tried to be as vague as possible not wanting him to crash on the way over because of worry.

Making it back to the bedroom, Beckett found Alexis had changed and was already snuggled under the comforter. "Take this." She handed over the pill and glass.

Alexis took it without protest and set the glass on the night stand. "Detective Beckett." The woman in question stopped halfway out of the room. "I don't think I can handle being alone. Can you please stay until I fall asleep."

Beckett didn't say anything. Just simply shut of the light and climbed into the bed next to Alexis. She waited to hear Alexis's breathing to even out, but it never came only the soft sound of tears did. Before she could move, the teenager rolled to seek comfort in her arms. Fighting tears herself, Beckett held her close and began to sing softly into the darkness. She wanted to find the words to tell her that everything was going to be okay, but couldn't. Her heart. Oh god how her heart hurt as Alexis cried into her shoulder. Beckett would give anything, trade her own soul at the moment, just to make the girl's pain go away. Was this how it felt to be a parent? Beckett loved Alexis, she really did, and just wanted to make everything better.

"Kate." Alexis's called through the tears as if seeing if she was still there.

Beckett stopped her singing, "Right here. Go to sleep."

Alexis's grip tightened around the woman, "Don't leave, please. Everyone always seems to leave me."

"Not your Grams. Not your Dad." Beckett pointed out knowing that the girl's mind was thinking of Meredith and Gina. She dropped a kiss on the girl's brow. "And not me."

Alexis fell into silence as Beckett began to sign again. Let her soft and sultry voice wrap around her like a blanket of comfort. How many nights had she wished she had a mother that would sing her to sleep? Or hold her just like this to help fight the darkness in the world? Her father always tried, Alexis loved him dearly for that, but it never filled that void she had been missing since her mother walked out. A void Alexis had been trying to fill and had been too blind to realize that someone was willing to fill it right in front of her face. Beckett wasn't doing this out of loyalty to her father. If that's all this was the detective would have called her father instead of dragging her ass out of bed at two in the morning. Beckett would have gone against her wishes if this was just loyalty. It had taken a while, but Alexis saw for the first time tonight that Kate Beckett actually cared about her.

It wasn't long before Alexis stopped fighting and dropped off into sleep, hopefully nightmare free. Just as she was about to doze off herself there was a knock on her front door and knew who was on the other side. After making sure that Alexis didn't wake, Beckett closed the bedroom door and went to let Castle in. The writer flew past her without a greeting his mouth going a mile a minute. "Castl-Rick!" Beckett took him by the arm to keep him from charging through the apartment.

"Where is she?" His face was pale with worry, "Where is my baby girl, Kate? How bad?"

"She's okay. Look at me." She demanded when he tried to break free from her grasp. Beckett waited until he complied, "I wouldn't lie to you. She's okay. She's a bit bruised and shaken, but she's a Castle after all."

Castle's shoulder eased a little at his partner's reassurance. "What happened? Where was Meredith? Was she had the hospital?"

Beckett forced Castle to sit on her couch, "From what I gathered she never even showed up at the hotel. Alexis waited until about midnight then tried to find a taxi-."

"She should have called me." He was going to kill his ex-wife. How could she not show up? Missing their daughter's graduation was one thing, but two days in a row. "Oh god Kate please tell me she wasn't-."

"She wasn't." She found his fingers digging into her arm, "You're girl is a fighter. Got a piece of him."

Despite the situation Castle smiled at that, "You bet she is."

"She's going to look a lot worse then she is, bruising always does at first. She's got some stitches here." Beckett pointed just above her brow, "And her wrist is in a cast, but it's not broken. I got there after the police statement."

"She called you." Castle wasn't sure how he felt about that. Alexis should have called him right away, but on the other hand it meant his daughter trusted the detective.

"Yeah I got there a little after 2:30." Beckett's brow furrowed when his touch gentled to a caress.

"She called you." Castle repeated, "And you came."

"Of course I came, I care about her." There was no time to brace for the impact of his powerful embrace. The magnitude of it nearly had her toppling off the couch. To be inside Richard Castle's arms again was something that was going to be haunting her dreams for the foreseeable future.

Castle pressed his face into her throat struggling to control all of his raging emotions. His little girl had been hurt and Beckett had taken care of her. Had dragged herself and rushed down to the hospital with mismatching shoes because she cared. "Thank you." Tears burned the back of his throat, "Thank you for taking care of my baby girl."

Beckett found her fingers tangling in his wild hair, "Always." She breathed the word that held the highest meaning between them. "Now." Beckett pulled away even thought it was the last thing she wanted to do. "Go lay with your daughter. I gave her a sleeping pill so she should be about until morning. Just when she wakes out, don't freak out to much. She's going to need you to be strong."

Castle knew that she was speaking from experience. Her father hadn't been strong when Beckett needed him to most. Castle wasn't going to make that mistake. "Okay." He looked up confused when she started gathering her keys and jacket. "Where are you going?"

Beckett paused at the front door, "To catch the bastard that did this."

"Wait Beckett." He was already across the room, "You might want to change your shoes."

Beckett blinked at him confused, looked down, and then laughed as she finally realized that they were two different type.

Yes? No? Stay tuned for one more chapter to wrap this up! hope some one out there liked it!