Chapter 1

A/N: I started working on this story back in December, and I can't wait to hear what you think about it.

Kate loved everything about Castle. She loved his creativity and imagination. She loved his sense of humor. But more than anything, she loved how selfless he was and how important family was to him.

She had her arm over his shoulders as they walked from the elevator to his front door, playfully kissing his ear. Rick had the bag of Chinese food in one hand and his keys in the other

"What are we watching tonight?"

"I want you to see the new Joss Whedon movie"

"Really Castle? It's date night and that's the movie you want to watch with your girlfriend?"

Castle feigned a hurt look as he put the key in the lock and opened the door, "But it's supposed to be even better than the Avengers!" Always the gentleman, Rick gestured for Kate to enter the loft first. She did, but was quickly distracted by what she saw to pay any attention to what he was saying. All she knew was that he couldn't be there; he couldn't see this.

"Rick, I think I left my phone in the car, can you get it for me?" She asked, knowing her phone was in her back pocket, but desperate to stop Castle from seeing what could not be unseen. She tried to block the door so he wouldn't be irrevocably damaged. Emphasis on tried.

He paused what he was saying, for a moment before entering the apartment by pushing past her. "I'll get it after we eat because I'm -" he paused as he turned towards the lounge and saw what Kate had wanted to stop him from seeing. His baby girl was having sex on the couch with a tramp stamp he didn't know she had out for all to see.

{Kate&Rick}

Kate wrapped her arms around Rick who was seated at his desk, staring into space. He looked up at her as she leaned down, kissing his forehead. She hated feeling so useless, unable to make him feel better.

"Rick?"

He looked up at her, and the conflict was all over his face. "I'm sorry, I just... it's just... it's been so easy until now."

She knew it was serious when he was lost for words. "It'll be okay, you know that, right?"

He spun slightly in the chair and looked her in the eyes. "I just don't know what to do," he paused, sighing deeply, "Kate, what do I do?"

Kate looked at him, Richard Castle, the man she loved, unsure of what she could say or do. She knew that her words wouldn't make things better; at this point she was pretty sure that only Alexis could make things better. "You can't do anything. This is on Alexis."

She turned, beginning to walk away when Rick spoke again, softer than before. "It's going to get better right?"

"Rick, Alexis is a good kid. She'll be fine," Kate replied as she sat in Castle's lap. "She's an adult and you just have to trust her."

Rick didn't look convinced. "It's just, she's partying every night. She dating that greasy-haired bass player and she got that tattoo. That's not my Alexis!"

Kate looked at Rick in the eye. "She'll come good. Rick, I promise you," pausing momentarily to place a chaste kiss on his lips, "Besides, you can't criticise her on the tattoo. If you're okay with mine, you're okay with hers!"

Rick's eyes darkened. "True. Alexis is an adult. She'll be fine. I have no idea what I was worried about," he said, briskly. "Now Miss Beckett, I do believe that you have some clothes to shed. I mean, if I'm to inspect that tattoo of yours..." He lifted her out of his lap and began leading her to his bedroom. Kate thought she would be glad that he was joking and seemed happier, but she really felt quite worse. She knew Rick had a habit of brooding and hiding his pain, and it never ended well when he did.

But like Rick couldn't do anything to help Alexis, she knew she couldn't help him if he didn't want to be helped.

{Kate&Rick}

On Sunday morning Kate awoke to find Rick missing from his bed. She checked time, assuming she had slept in because it was a rarity for him to be awake first. It was 6:00am, almost to the second. If Castle had still been in bed, she would probably have rolled back over, but the bed was cold and lonely without him.

She found him lying on the couch with his laptop balanced precariously on his chest, a cup of coffee on the floor beside him, typing furiously. Kate sat on the end of the couch and rested her hand on his chest.

"Morning," Rick said, without looking up from the laptop.

"You're up early," she observed.

He turned and looked at her and around the room, noticed that it was light and checked the time. Rick then slammed his laptop shut and placed it on the coffee table, swinging his feet to the ground in the process. "More like up late."

"I didn't realise you got up again."

Rick sighed and Kate knew that it would not be good. "Alexis drunk dialed me three times last night so I decided to just wait out here for her to show up. I figured that she'd need some help getting upstairs based on how she was on the phone."

"What time did she get in?"

"She didn't. Hopefully she'll get in before mother wakes up or she'll ruin birthday brunch."

"Have you tried ringing her?"

"I rang three times, but she wouldn't pick up," Rick said as he placed his head in his hands.

Kate stood and returned to the bedroom, grabbing her phone. As she returned to Rick, she noticed the confused look on his face. "Maybe she's just ignoring you. I know when I was going through my bad girl stage I avoided my parents calls when I could," she explained. "Of course it was easier back then. Maybe she'll answer if I call."

She didn't and Kate was starting to worry (silently, of course, so Rick didn't catch on) when she checked Alexis' facebook page. The girl had been tagged in numerous drunken photos from parties the previous night and posted a surprisingly eloquent, though obviously alcohol tinted, rant about taxi drivers and the subway system only 20 minutes earlier. It was enough to convince the worried father and detective that the young girl was safe. For now at least. Kate wasn't convinced she would be when she returned home.

It wasn't long before Alexis arrived, still drunk. She flung her arms around her father, and Kate, gushing about how great it was to see them. Kate stopped Rick from getting mad at his daughter, convincing him that it would only ruin Martha's birthday. The actress was still asleep in her room upstairs and Kate was convinced that they could sober Alexis up before the reservation.

"Don't worry Rick, I've done this plenty of times myself," she explained as she handed Alexis her second cup of coffee. "It's better than her being hungover."

She wasn't the greatest company during brunch, but Alexis somehow made it through without embarrassing Rick, or herself. Martha enjoyed herself, regaling the table with tales of her misspent youth. The reminiscing continued in the towncar, the elevator and later in the loft, where Alexis stumbled up the stairs to her bedroom. When she was definitely gone, Martha stopped telling stories.

"What's going on Richard?"

Kate and Rick exchanged a look, concern etched over their faces. A few moments past, and Martha looked expectantly at her son. When he didn't speak, Kate spoke for him. "Alexis just had a late night last night"

"If that's what we're calling it" the actress said as she stood and headed upstairs, "I just hope that's all this is"