A/N: Yes, a new multi-chapter, I give you permission to shoot me.

Jim Beckett kicked through the snow, mixing the dirt from his boots into the white blanket.

It was a cold December night in New York City. The snow was falling freely onto the track he was walking, the trees illuminated with fairy lights.

Jim was happy and guilty at the same time. He was happy he was here, walking around the park he and his wife used to visit, along with their daughter. The long days they spent, admiring the Christmas trees, or lazing around on the benches, while the youngest Beckett played. But Jim was also very guilty. He shouldn't be here, roaming around late at night, trying to find familiarity, while his daughter was worried sick about him.

His daughter. The strongest person he knew. She had been through so much. Losing one parent is bad, but nearly losing another would've been worse. Jim couldn't stop the guilt from creeping up, each time he looked at his daughter. The sadness in her eyes were almost unbearable, but she would hide it, adding in a forced smile to make it look like she was genuinely happy. His strong, beautiful, slightly broken daughter.

Swiping some snow off a bench, Jim sat down, breathing a sigh of relief as the coolness seeped into his clothing.

This park was quiet. You could still hear the faint sound of traffic, and see the bright lights, but other than that, it was quiet, peaceful even.

He could hear the quiet sounds of Christmas songs, floating through the air. It made him smile.

He reached into his pocket, taking out the pictures he'd brought with him.

It was a tradition. He'd sit on this exact bench, and look through the photos he'd collected over the years. Usually his wife would be right by his side, but this was the 4th year she wasn't here.

He smiled at one. His daughter was smiling brightly at the camera as she held onto the side of the ice-skating rink. Her arm was wrapped around her mother, Jim's two favourite girls captured in the moment.

Jim hears a faint buzz, pulling him out of his memories of the pictures. He tucks the pictures in his pocket, leaving the one he'd been looking at on his lap. He pulls a small phone out, knowing who it was already.

"Hello?"

"Dad?" He hears his daughter shriek, worry laced through her voice. "Dad, are you okay?"

"Katie, I'm fine." He says, and honestly he is.

"Where are you?"

"At the park."

He heard the sound of glass breaking on the other end and he sprung off the bench. "Kate are you all right?"

"Yeah..." She took a deep breath. "Come home, please."

For what seemed like the second time in his life, his daughter needed him, usually it was the opposite. "I'm coming now." He said, already trekking back down the path.

Jim Beckett had been so absorbed in the phone call, that he didn't even notice the stray polaroid photo floating down, the edge catching in the snow.

Richard Castle shivered, pulling his jacket closer to him.

He was crazy, his family was crazy, his daughter was crazy. How could a 10 year old girl want to come to the park at 8:00 at night?

But this day was special. Only earlier this morning had Alexis gotten out of hospital, a bright pink cast wrapped around her arm. He had knelt down to her every request; first was movies, then burgers and ice-cream and finally the park.

Rick was cold, but smiled at his daughter, running around the empty playground. Her fiery hair, mixed with the pink cast was a strange combination, so much that he let out a loud laugh.

Alexis ran up to him, red nosed and slightly panting. "Dad." She panted, steam clouds billowing from her mouth. "Let's sit."

Castle shook his head, a grin on his face, as his daughter grabbed his hand. She led him to a bench, jumping into his lap when he was seated. "Aren't you cold?"

"Nope." His daughter said, pulling her scarf off to prove it. She shivered, attempting to put it back on. "Okay maybe now."

Wrapping her scarf around her, he noticed Alexis shifting around.

"Dad, what's that?" Alexis asked, her eyes trained on the bench.

"What's what?"

"That." Alexis wriggled, reaching over to grab the object. She held it up proudly, the lampost light reflecting off it slightly. "It's a picture! From one of those old cameras."

She handed the picture to her father, still keeping her eyes on it.

"Yeah you're right-Wow." He was speechless. The picture was of 2 women, early 20s and late 40s. The younger woman had a bright smile, and her eyes... they sparkled in the night and held nothing but truth.

She appeared to be at the Rockerfeller rink, gripping the edge of the barrier.

"She's so beautiful." Alexis breathed, her jaw dropping, at the younger woman. "Daddy can she be your new girlfriend?"

Rick laughed, shaking his head. "I don't know pumpkin. She's a stranger, and someone as pretty as that probably already has a boyfriend."

"Aw but dad! We have to find her! You have connections. Look up those tall people, that walk down the catwalk. What do you call them again?" Alexis asked innocently.

"Models?" Her father offered.

"Yes! That lady is probably a model." Alexis squealed excitedly. "I want to look just like her."

"But then you wouldn't be my fiery-haired pumpkin."

"Oh yeah, you're right. Hey dad?"

"Yes?"

"Can we keep this?" She asked, pointing to the picture.

"I don't know 'Lex. Somebody might be looking for it."

"Well we can't just leave it here. How 'bout we keep it safe?" Alexis argued. Rick held her closer.

"Can't argue with that." He laughed, knowing there was no way to argue with her logic. He placed the photo in his pocket.

"Oo oo, there's something else." Alexis said excitedly. She reached over again, pulling a green paper note out of the snow.

"A 50 dollar note!" She smiled, gripping it in her small hands.

"Alexis, I think we found ourselves a lucky charm."