Ch 5

A month passed like a breeze, between tests and small-scale cases the explosive duo resolved quite easily, and that Alexis never took her time excitedly recounting every minute detail in our hour-long chats before bedtime, her bedtime.

Today was the day the last Derrick Storm book would release to the public much to the delight of 80% of my school. Storm fall I predicted would be one of his best successes to date, the death of Derrick Storm was depicted in such a way you could literally feel as if you were living it in front of you.

The peculiar curvature the story takes is really interesting, in the first few chapters you picture the world with bright colors, people with happy faces, and the prevalent background sound is laugh and excitement; however you would gradually find yourself darkening your internal image, people would be less vocal, more withdrawn with both emotions and speech until the final moment where finally the world succumbs into complete darkness following Storm's death.

The color only returns at the very bitter end signaling that life does go on even without the greatest detective of the decade. A masterpiece honestly.

I and Alexis were finishing the full copy of the book as quickly as we could since tomorrow Castle would have to read a chapter from the book and we didn't want to miss the show while spoiling ourselves. I also didn't want to miss the post-reading show between Beckett and Castle.

Wait, wasn't I missing something?

A sigh interrupted me "Dad called, he has a new case and will come home late today, seems like we will need to make our own food." right, a case, I don't remember it.

I raised an eyebrow "Martha is not coming?"

"She quested herself to go to a local library and see if anyone buys Dad's book" her deadpan fully expressing her own disbelief with a hint of "I don't want to deal with this shit anymore" but less vocal and less sweary because she is a proper girl.

"I sometimes wonder where she finds the energy to follow through with her plans"

"Ugh, don't ask me that I believe she has an Ernst Stavro Blofeld hidden inside her closet helping her out in conquering the world with improbable plots"

"Well she certainly has a knack for annoying our local James Bond, that's for sure" I answer with a chuckle

"Right? I feel she thinks it's her job to keep him grounded or something, as if she doesn't know the first day a book comes out is not the day it sells the most" we both laughed a bit.

Alexis then narrowed her eyes, a conspiratory smile crept onto her face before asking a question I already knew I would groan at "Soo, can you stay for dinner so that when dad comes back you can help him solve the case?"

I groaned, called it "I don't do that on purpose, also it has been a month since a difficult crime, and I don't think this new one is something those two can't solve by themselves"

"Sure but it is still cool you know"

"Lexi if you wanted to ask me to stay because you enjoy my company you just need to ask you know?"

She grins "good to know, I will tell you when I do then"

Recognizing when beaten but having difficulties admitting it in front of a girl that by all accounts should be mentally younger than me, even if every day she continues to prove me otherwise I decided to settle it with a challenge "cool comeback, well thought out but I challenge you to a trial by combat, the winner wins the previous argument"

With a smug smile on her face, she closes her book " trial accepted, prepare your king's anus"

I faked a big gasp and answered "seems like the princess needs some soap in her mouth"

"Ah! Catch me if you can!"

...

She obliterated me.

Fuck.

...

It seemed we only needed to prepare food for lunch since by evening everyone was back at home, after finishing our book we were in the middle of another chess match and Castle chose that time to make an entrance.

"Good Evening family,"

"Ricky"

"Hi dad!" shot up Alexis, since she noticed I didn't bat an eye when she acted close and huggy with her father she started doing it more and more. Sorry but I understand what it means to love your family, I am not going to make fun of you because of it.

"Hello Mr. Castle"

"Oh hello to you too Tom" he took a moment to study the board before asking

"Are you getting your ass handed to you again?" I groaned tentatively moving a piece forward

"I am trying not to, I keep making trials by combat to get out of the consequences of old ones"

He hissed in empathy "Sound rough, how much have you lost?"

"Apart from my dignity and pride as a male warrior?"

He nods and I continue "What did all of this cost me?" I looked at the board in sadness tears forming in my left eye "Everything"

Castle exhaled he placed a hand on my shoulder, I looked up, into his eyes, and ah. I saw them, they were like mine. Inside them, there was pain "How much have you gone through Mr. Castle"

He regarded me for a few seconds looked at the board, then Alexis looking at us with a fed-up expression then at Martha, then back at me "A lot son, a lot"

The scene was broken by a loud clap coming from Martha herself, "that was a great play, you really should become an actor." Alexis decided to weave in.

"Yes, yes, he is very good with the melodramatics, now move your last pathetic piece, Tom"

Recognizing the quote and noticing her playful smile I continued "My chessboard has no pathetic pieces, Alexis"

Bullshitting like this we had tons of fun until dinnertime, when Castle decided to tell us about his case.

...

A/N

Trying to get used to writing again short chapter but necessary for me.