AN: Okay, so this is exactly what I just posted, but I got a couple reviews telling me that the order was confusing. Other than that, the writing is exactly the same. Thanks

Alexis and Rikki

"Hey Alex. What are you doing here?" Rikki asked as she walked over to her older sister after school.

"I came to pick you up." She said as Rikki moved to get into the passenger seat. "How was school?"

"It was school. So, did you guys find my clue?"

"Your clue?" Alexis asked, knowing what she was talking about.

"Yeah, my iPod?"

"Oh, that clue. Yes we did find it. Great job by the way. That was great work."

Rikki blushed from the praise from her older sister. "Thank you. How's Mom doing?"

Alexis stole a glance towards Rikki. "Not the greatest. Now that both of us are missing she is probably driving herself insane."

Rikki turned to her. "I miss her!" She exclaimed. "I want to go home."

"I know kiddo. I know you do."

"She needs us! All of us are here except for her! She's grieved Dad long enough, I don't want her to have to mourn us too. We should sneak off and go home."

"Don't you think there might be a reason we are here?"

"I don't care. My priority is my mom."

"And that is extremely sweet kiddo, but first and foremost, she would want you to keep yourself safe."

"But she's got to be a wreck."

"Rikki, I know that. But we can't do anything about it right now."

"I can run away," Rikki suggested. "I will do it as soon as we get home. I can make it back to New York without getting caught or in trouble."

They pulled up to the house, but neither made a move to get out and neither noticed the other vehicle.

"Rikki," Alexis put her hands on her younger sister's shoulders. "I want you to promise me that you will keep yourself safe. In turn, I will work on getting Kate out here, okay?"

Rikki looked her sister in the eyes, looking for any signs of dishonesty. She found none.

"Fine." She sighed and they got out and headed for the door and the surprise of their lives.

Kate about 18 hours after she figures it out

Kate took a deep breath, feeling as if she were back to the first time she had gone to Castle's place to tell him how she felt.

She knocked and waited for an answer, clutching 'Rook's' book to her chest.

The door opened and her breath caught. He looked different with black hair and green eyes, but it was obviously him. She kept her cover though, just in case.

"Mr. Rook? Hello, my name is Nicole. I know that you don't do book signings but I am so in love with your book. Would you please sign it for me?"

Castle just stared at her. "Mr. Rook?" She asked.

He jumped. "Yeah, sure. Come on in." he stood aside and she walked past him.

"Would you like some coffee?" Castle asked as he led her into the kitchen.

"No. I don't drink coffee." Was her immediate, yet true response.

"Since when?" He asked incredulously as he turned away from the coffee pot.

"Since you left." She set her book on the table and sat down.

"Kate…" he sat down across from her. "I am in the Witness Protection Program."

She sighed. "I kind of gathered that much."

"How?"

"The book, your name, your look. None of that would happen if you were actually kidnapped." She took a breath and leaned back in her chair.

"I didn't want to be here." Castle told her quietly.

"Then why are you?" Kate snapped back at him.

"They didn't give me a choice."

"You are an adult. How did you not have a choice in it?" She was quickly losing control.

"I don't know! They forced me into it and every time I try to get back to New York, they catch me and bring me back here."

"You've tried to come back?" Her face softened slightly at that news.

"To see you and Alexis? Many, many, times." He admitted with a breathy laugh. "I haven't ever stopped thinking about you."

"You haven't- you haven't moved on?" She asked, scared of the answer.

"Of course not. However, I understand if you-"

She cut him off, moving towards him and capturing his lips in a kiss that she deepened.

"they finally pulled back and rested their foreheads against each other.

"Castle?"

"Hmm."

"Don't think that I am not still pissed at you."

He let out a laugh. I know, Kate. I love you."

"I love you too." She grinned sappily at him.

The door opened and they jumped back, right before Alexis and Rikki came in.

"Aunt Kate?" Rikki exclaimed, launching herself to Kate. Kate caught her and pulled her close.

"He doesn't know who I am yet," Rikki whispered. "Our story is that Alexis baby sits me all of the time which is how I know you."

Kate nodded. "You don't want him to know?"

"You can tell him if you want but I don't want to be here when you do."

They pulled back and stood up.

"Can Alexis take me down to the park?" Rikki asked, picking up her school bag that she had dropped when she saw Kate.

"Do you have homework?" Castle asked.

"Not a lot. I can do it after supper." She promised.

Castle sighed. "Okay."

"Yay!" Rikki raced to her room and put her book bag down. They were about out the door when Kate called them back.

"Are you packing, Alexis?"

"No. They took my gun away."

Kate pulled a gun from the strap on her leg and handed it over.

"Thanks." Alexis smiled as she took it.

"Hold on," Castle said. "Since when do you know how to shoot a gun?"

"Later, Dad." Alexis said as she and Rikki left.

"What-"

"Let Alexis explain later, Castle." Kate sighed and pulled him to the couch. "I need to talk to you. It is extremely important."

Castle immediately sat down next to her, serious. "What's wrong?"

"Not… wrong, per se." She said quietly. Castle waited patiently. "I'm not Rikki's aunt.

"Well, you don't have siblings so I figured that. I just figured you were close to her."

Kate let out a short laugh. "Yeah, you could say that. Castle, she is my daughter."

Castle blinked a couple times. "Are you serious?" Kate nodded. "She's what, twelve?"

"Eleven."

"But that would mean-" Castle stopped and looked at her. "She's ours." He whispered.

"Yes, Castle. She's ours." Kate said with a sappy smile.

"She must hate me." Castle groaned, but Kate was already shaking her head.

"She doesn't hate you. She loves you." She said with conviction.

"How would you know? And why wouldn't she tell me who she was? I mean, she knew who I was and obviously Alexis was in on it."

"Rick, I don't think that she wanted to risk being hurt by you. As much as I wish she didn't have to, she has seen me grieve you. She is only eleven, so she only knows what I show her. So she loves you, but she doesn't want to be hurt by you."

Castle nodded his understanding before pulling Kate into a hug.

"We have a daughter." He whispered.

"We have a daughter." She repeated.

Their moment was ruined by a sudden knock on the door.