Castle 5x01 Scene 1

Castle and Beckett hit the ground as the door opened. They jumped up as Martha's voice rose up the stairs. They looked at each other in surprise.

"I thought your mother was in the Hamptons for the weekend?" Kate gasped.

"She was!" Rick replied, somewhat flustered. "Quick hide in the closet."

"I am not going to hide in the closet." She responded. "Why should I hide in the closet?"

"You're right. I have a better idea. Get back into bed, quick!" Castle urgently told her as he headed back to the bed and laid on his back with his arm out to the side. With his other hand he pointed at the bed right next to him. "Put your head on my chest and your arm across me. Let's have some fun with her."

Beckett smiled and quickly slipped in with him putting her head on his chest while he brushed her hair behind her head. It made her smile when he touched her and she was very happy to be with him.

Half a second later Martha popped into the bedroom. She started with, "Richard, I just wanted to.." and then she froze for two heart beats. Kate was smiling at her coyly and Rick, with his eyebrows raised looked at her questioningly.

To her credit, Martha was able to quickly recover and said with a serious smile, "It's about time you two. I however need you downstairs for your daughter, both of you. So please get dressed.

"Richard, remember your daughter is an intelligent young woman who is far more responsible than either of us were at her age." She then turned headed back down the stairs and closed the door behind her.

Kate and Rick both put on some of Ricks shorts and a t-shirt as well as grabbing a robe, then headed to the main floor.

They walked over to the counter where Alexis, with her elbows propped up, was holding her head in both hands and moaning softly while her grandmother attempted, unsuccessfully, to lessen the misery she was in. Both Castle and Beckett could see the problem as soon as they rounded the edge of the bar and nodded knowingly.

"My baby's first, full fledged, hammer to the head, hangover. As your father I am very disappointed and yet, I am so proud! My little girl is growing up and she is following in my footsteps."

"Ha. Ha. Very funny dad. I am in misery here." Alex replied in just above a whisper as a glass of water and two ibuprofen were slid in front of her. She raised her head slowly with a pained and surprised look into a vision of Kate Beckett's kind, smiling, sympathetic face.

"When did you get here?" Alex asked. When the two adults across from her just looked at each other, shyly trying to figure out what to say, Alexis continued, "Oh. I see. Thank you for the pills." Turning to her father she said, "Can I have the "You're a bad girl for drinking under age" speech later? I just want to go to bed."

"No speech. I think the hangover is quite enough punishment." Rick replied with a slight smile. Alexis downed the pills as quickly as she could and started to get up. "But you do have to finish the water, it will help with the pain even more quickly than the pills. Take it from a man who knows that first hand."

While Alexis drank the glass of water as quickly as she could, Kate walked around to take her by the arm and help her into her room. As they walked up the stairs Alex said to her, "I am so glad there was a responsible adult here to help me."

Rick was about to say something when Martha touched his arm with a huge smile, "She's right. She has been more of a parent to us then we to her at times."