58. Milestones

X~~~X

Castle entered his daughter's room quietly, leaving the door open so that the light from the hallway filtered into the room just enough to let him make out Alexis' features. He crouched down beside her bed, his hand reaching out to softly brush a strand of hair out of her face.

Alexis stirred, slowly opening her eyes to find her father smiling down at her.

"Hey Pumpkin," he spoke softly, "How are you?"

"Daddy?" She muttered, still drowsy with sleep, "You are here."

"Yeah," he sighed, feeling so much relief floating through him, "I'm home."

Alexis struggled out from under the covers, wrapping her arms around her father's neck, and he immediately pulled her close, so happy that he finally could hold her, see for himself that she was alright.

"I'm sorry I couldn't be home sooner," he mumbled into her hair and felt her pull away, one of her small hands coming to rest on his cheek.

"Daddy," she said, sounding slightly as if she thought he was being ridiculous, "Kate was here. She even told me a story and let me stay with her last night and when I couldn't sleep because I hurt so much, she made me a bath."

"She did, huh?" He tried to take a deep breath, "Of course she did."

"See," Alexis smiled, "You don't have to be sorry."

"Okay," he nodded, feeling sorry nevertheless and yet immensely better. "Let's get you back to bed, Pumpkin. It's late."

He tucked her back in and kissed her good night before leaving her alone to check on his other daughter, whom he found fast asleep in her bed. With a smile he went back downstairs, finding Kate on the couch, two glasses of red wine on the coffee table in front of her as she seemed to stare at the piano.

"Hey," she beamed up at him, when she heard him coming down the stairs. "All good?"

"Yes," he smiled back, "thanks to you."

"I didn't do much," she shrugged, watching him plop down next to her.

"You did everything," he protested and before she could deny his words, he sealed her lips with his, pushing her down into the couch, his hands suddenly frantic in their need to feel skin. She seemed just as eager, judging by the way she violently tugged on his shirt, her hands trailing up his bare back as soon as she had pulled it free from his jeans.

"I missed you," she admitted, when she came up for air, one of her hands now running through his hair, playing with the soft strands at his neck.

"It's only been two days," he laughed, but regretted it as soon as her hand snatched out to tug on his ear. "Kate," he whined, trying to move away.

"Where do you think you're going?" She raised an eyebrow at him, waiting for his reply. "Did you not miss me?"

His reply came in form of his lips crushing down on her neck, "You have no idea," he muttered against her skin and the sensation sent shivers down her spine. She let go of his ear, putting her hand to better use as she fumbled with the button on his jeans.

"Kate," he hissed as her hand sneak toward his boxers, his muscles rippling under her touch, "we need to -," she bit him into the shoulder to shut him up.

"Don't say stop," she growled.

"Nuh," he shook his head, "Never stop. Just move it somewhere else."

"You're right," she panted. As much as she wanted him right now, right here, they needed to move it out of the living room, which was mainly her fault, since she was the one who normally got quite - vocal.

Before she even had the chance to get up, Castle pulled her against his chest, pushing himself off the couch, her legs wrapping around his waist on instinct as he moved them toward his office.

They kissed frantically and Castle smashed them into the door rather ungracefully and Kate hissed as her back connected with the door frame – hard.

"Sorry," Castle mumbled, still busy sucking at her pulse point and angling her so they both fit through the door before kicking it shut behind them with his foot.

They didn't make it any further than his desk, but neither really cared.

Later that night they lay in bed together, their empty wine glasses both on his nightstand, their legs intertwined as her fingers drew lazy patterns on his chest.

"You know I had no idea she was coming, right?" Castle mumbled into her curls, voicing what had occupied his mind for the past few minutes.

Kate pressed a kiss over his heart then stated easily, "I know," and feeling the tension ripple out of him she asked, "You were afraid I was going to run, huh?"

She actually sounded amused and Castle had a hard time placing her actions in comparison to what had happened about a week ago, when the pure sight of Gina had made her burst out of his door.

"Did you really think I would believe a single word of what she said after what you've told me about her last week and after how she treated Alexis?", she asked, sounding neither agitated nor hurt.

"I - uhm," he swallowed, at a loss for words. So opening up, letting himself be weak and vulnerable actually earned him more of her trust? Interesting, he thought. Until then he had always feared that if he showed his own issues and insecurities it would cause her to doubt that they could make it, he had thought he needed to be the strong one for both of them. Apparently he had been wrong, she needed him to be honest, so she could do for him what he did for her - be strong for them, be confident in them.

"Castle?" She frowned when he didn't answer. "You okay?"

"Yeah," he gulped, "I'm fine, just - thank you Kate, for everything you did for Alexis. Thank you."

She shook her head gently, pushing herself up so she could look him straight in the eyes before she told him, "You don't get to thank me for this."

"No?" He frowned confused, his voice a note higher than usual.

"No," she confirmed, "not when you make it sound like I did something that was not mine to do."

He didn't understand, "Huh?"

"You said we'd do this together, right?" She asked, waiting for him to nod in confirmation, "And your mother made a very passionate speech last week about what she expected from me - from us, for her granddaughters and she was right. What I mean is, we do this together or we don't do it at all, so when you thank me like Alexis isn't my responsibility it kind of contradicts the whole point."

She gave him one of those endearing smiles that took his breath away and waited him out.

"Okay," he nodded stunned and a bit confused, but oh so fascinated once more by the fierce woman in front of him, who never gave up, who always fought to make things right. "You're extraordinary," he finally got out and then pulled her down to kiss her.

She almost told him then, almost spoiled his Christmas surprise but she stopped herself just in time, she had everything worked out she didn't want to ruin it beforehand. She knew he didn't expect her to go through with her promise, didn't expect that she had meant it.

"Kate?" he mumbled as she eased back onto his chest.

"Mmmh?" She snuggled closer, her arm wrapping around him, feeling slightly pathetic in her need to have him close.

"I thought about something," he stated quietly.

"Okay?" She replied, listening carefully, sensing whatever came next would be important.

"When you called me from the hospital and you had trouble to take Alexis home with you it got me thinking. I think we should consider setting up some official paper that allows you to act in my place when it comes to medical decisions in regard to Alexis," he explained his idea. "We could discuss this with Cooper next week after our court appointment."

"Yes, yes we should do that," Kate got out, slightly troubled as she remembered how helpless she had felt when they didn't let her see Alexis at first. "If it wasn't for Dr. Davidson they probably wouldn't have let me see her at all."

"Dr. Davidson?" Castle frowned, "Wasn't he the one who treated you after your undercover mission with Esposito?"

"Yes," she nodded with a smile.

"No wonder he helped you," he growled, "The guy is totally into you."

"He is," Kate confirmed with a smirk, watching Castle's face cloud over. "But," she stopped him before he could brood over it too much, "he knows I'm taken, that I'm with you and he left it at that, so no need to get your face all wrinkled over nothing."

He pouted, but she could tell he was mainly trying to sell the act a bit longer, so she went on more serious this time, "Anyway it's a good idea. It's better to be prepared for this kind of situation and I don't want to be in that kind of situation again without being able to help if you're not available."

"Okay," he finally smiled again, "good."

Kate went back to work the next day, leaving Castle with the girls at the loft although he had pleaded with her not to leave him alone with his ex-wife. In the end she had convinced him that it would be best for Alexis if she wasn't around for her mother's visit. It would only cause the girl distress if she had the feeling she needed to divide her attention between her mother and Kate. Castle had kissed her goodbye, if reluctantly, and only after she had promised to come home early.

When Kate walked up Broome Street that afternoon, heading toward Castle's loft she prayed that Meredith had already left. She really could do without another encounter with Castle's ex.

She ran into Meredith in the lobby.

The two women regarded each other sternly until Kate decided to be the bigger person and gave Castle's ex a nod.

"Meredith," she said evenly and then headed for the elevator.

"Kate," Meredith called out to her, causing her to stop.

Kate took a deep breath and turned to face the redhead once more, but what she saw on the other woman's face surprised her. She looked guilty.

"I know what you think of me," Meredith started. "And you're right. I'm not a good mother," she shrugged, a bit helpless, "I don't think I was ever meant to be."

Kate frowned. She had expected a lot of things, but not an obviously compassionate Meredith.

"But I do love her," she finally stated, her eyes firm on Kate as if she could will her ex-husband's girlfriend to believe her, as if it actually mattered to her.

"I know," Kate replied slowly, watching Meredith give her a tight-lip smile, before she turned on her heels and left, leaving Kate slightly stunned in the middle of the lobby.

The next week went by, with Alexis' injuries healing and a visit of the young driver who had hit her. Chris Bauer brought her an elephant puzzle, a suggestion Kate had made when he had asked her what Alexis liked, and sat at the dinning room table for two hours, helping her put it together, needless to say they became fast friends, with Castle and Kate watching them closely from the kitchen were they prepared dinner together.

It had taken Kate some convincing to get Castle to agree to this meeting, but when Chris left with another heartfelt apology on his lips, Castle couldn't help but like the guy, respect his courage.

The rest of the week Kate and Castle prepared for their court appointment. They both felt nervous about it though Cooper kept reassuring them that it was just a formality. They discussed taking the whole family with them, but in the end they decided to go alone, leaving the girls with Martha, just in case.

Castle's lawyer met them in front of the courtroom, an easy smile on his face as he greeted them.

"Kate, Rick, how are you?" He shook both their hands.

"We're a bit nervous," Castle admitted, but Cooper shook his head.

"No need to be, this will be over in no time. Trust me." He led them into the courtroom, while he kept talking, "I also got the documents ready for Kate to be added as Alexis' emergency contact as well as obtaining full authority regarding medical decisions."

"Good," Castle nodded, "Thanks for doing it on such sort notice."

"Anything for you Rick, you know that," he held out his hand, gesturing toward a couple of seats in the front, "Come on guys, let's sit down."

As they waited Castle reached for Kate's hand, pulling it into his lap, trying to reassure her as much as himself a gesture that didn't went unnoticed by the judge when he entered the room. In the end Cooper was right, the whole session didn't take longer than 20 minutes, the judge for once happy that he had a couple in front of him that wasn't trying to chew each other's head off and seeing no reason why he shouldn't grant them shared custody.

They celebrated that night at Tony's, the whole family even though the girls didn't really understand what they were celebrating exactly. As far as they were concerned nothing had changed, but for their parents it was a milestone and they both knew the next one was just around the corner.

X~~~X

AN: Okay, I managed to get another one done before I leave. Because you are all so awesome ;-) But this is really it for the next two weeks.

But prepare yourself for big things to come as we tackle their first Christmas together.