777. Chapter 777

After Inventing the Girl

Episode 2.03

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I'm not the toned and tan bikini model type and I don't own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

"Hi, Dad. Hi, Kate." Alexis said as she came into the loft. "Guess what?"

"I don't know. Tell me." Rick said.

"No, guess."

Rick did his best to look very serious. "The Nobel Prize Committee called and you swept the awards?"

"Dad!" Alexis giggled. "Kate?"

Kate rolled her eyes. ""You have a perfect 4.0 average this semester."

"I do, but that's not it."

"So could you just tell us, Pumpkin?"

"I got a job for the summer!" Alexis squealed. "And it's great."

"You got the summer job with Professor Easterly? You'll be working at Columbia? That's great." Rick said.

"No, it's even better than that. I ran into Rina yesterday and she got me a job modeling for the summer."

The smile froze on Rick's face. "Modeling? What kind of modeling?"

"Beachwear. You know summer stuff."

"Not…bikinis?" Rick said hopefully.

"I'll find out tomorrow what I'll be doing. But the money is fantastic." Alexis headed upstairs to her old room. "I have to call everyone I know and tell them. This is so cool!"

"Modeling?" Rick said, with a pained look on his face. "Modeling." He turned to Kate. "You have to talk to her. You were a model. You know what it's like."

Kate sipped her morning coffee and shook her head. "No way. I love you, Rick, and I love Alexis, but I am absolutely not going to get in between you and her in an argument."

"What? I'm not asking you to get in between Alexis and me…."

"Yes, you are. And I won't do it. You're her father. You handle it, if you really think it needs handling. Alexis is an adult and she's been one longer than you have. I'd just leave her alone. She's perfectly capable of making intelligent decisions by herself. Let her do this by herself."

That was one piece of advice that Rick Castle could not take. Early next morning he found himself walking with Alexis towards her first modeling job. "This is so embarrassing. My father coming with me to work, like I'm a child. Do you really have to do this?"

"If you remember, I've seen the tawdry insides of the modeling world. I investigated the murder of two fashion industry types, remember."

"Which is not why you're coming with me. You want to make sure I model nothing more revealing than a beach burqa for the discerning Islamic surf bunny."

Rick thought for a second. "An Islamic surf bunny. That's an interesting concept. I could use that in a book."

"Sure, you could have Nikki Heat wear something like that while working undercover. Or better yet, you could have Nikki wear what Kate wore on the Fourth of July when you two went skinny dipping at the pool in the Hamptons."

"You saw that? You were supposed to be asleep!"

"Dad, I know that you and Kate have sex. And that you even do it, gasp, shudder, with no clothes on." Alexis said sarcastically.

"Alexis…"

"We're here." Alexis said turning into a building.

The studio was all made up to look like a beach. There was sand on the floor, colorful towels and blankets on the sand, a couple of beach umbrellas. In the background was a large green screen that would allow an ocean to be photo shopped in later. Several women in bikinis were already standing around.

"I've met photographers before, Alexis." Rick whispered in her ear. "They're all a bunch of perverts. The second he lays a hand on you, scream and I'll have the police here so fast it'll make his head spin."

"Dad, really!"

"Are you Mr. Castle?" A woman's voice said from behind them.

Rick turned around. The speaker was tall, slender and still very beautiful, but she was over forty he thought and too old for modeling. "I'm Chris Norman, the photographer. It's so nice to see a father taking an interest in their daughter's career in modeling. A lot of father's act like their daughters are becoming some sort of mobile sex toys if they model."

"Alexis has always been very grown up for her age." Rick managed.

"And you're a writer, aren't you? And engaged to that detective who you wrote those books about?"

"The books are fictional, but the character of Nikki Heat is based on my fiancé, Kate Beckett."

"I've read several of the books. You must tell me, was Kate ever chased by rogue cops?" Chris turned to Alexis, "You should go get dressed, Alexis, while I talk to your dad."

Rick found that Chris was an interesting person to talk to and was surprised how quickly time passed. Before he knew it, it was time to shoot.

"Alexis, are you ready?" Chris called.

Alexis walked out and Rick did a double take. "That's what she's wearing for this shoot?"

"The neoprene wetsuit? Yes."

"It covers all of her except the face." Rick said happily.

"Oh, once she puts the mask and oxygen regulator on, you won't even be able to see her face."

Rick sat happily watching Alexis get photographed. After an hour, the shoot stopped.

"Alexis you need to hydrate. You get too hot because of the lights we use." Chris said. "There are some sports drinks on the table."

Alexis came to sit by her father and handed him a drink. "It is really hot under these lights." She said.

Rick nodded. "A wetsuit is designed to keep you warm in cold water, so under hot lights, it'll really heat you up. I learned that researching Derrick Storm."

Alexis took a long drink then pulled the zipper of her top down to cool off, revealing her cleavage.

"Alexis! Aren't you wearing anything under that?"

"Of course not. I'd really roast then."

"What if someone sees you?"

Alexis did a very Kate-like eye roll. "Dad, there are only two guys here and they're both gay. They were making out back in the dressing area. Which has a separate men and women's area." She added quickly.

"That's too much information, but I suppose it's okay then. You're sure they're gay?"

"You could always ask them." Alexis said, smiling.

Rick was a happy man when he came home that night. He got busy at once cooking a dinner for Kate that she would love. After dinner he told her how happy he was with the whole set up for Alexis' modeling career.

"See, Castle? I told you that Alexis is a very sensible young woman. You had nothing to worry about and if you'd thought about it, you would have realized you had nothing to worry about. Don't you feel silly now?"

Castle admitted that he did.

He wasn't able to go with Alexis for several days after that, since they had caught a murder. They came home one night after their suspect confessed, to find Alexis sitting with Martha looking at some photos.

"What are those?" Rick asked.

"Photos of Alexis, Kiddo. I tell you, the camera just loves this girl."

"What you can see of her." Rick said happily.

"You can see quite a lot of her in these." Martha said,

"What?" Rick said leaning over for a better look. "You're in a bikini and you can see….And when you turn around everyone can see….And the bikinis is wet? What happened to the wet suit?"

"That part of the shoot is over, Dad."

Castle walked over and put his arms around Kate who was looking in the refrigerator for something for dinner.

"I thought you said I had nothing to worry about?"

Kate turned and kissed him. "You don't. You know Alexis. You know you have nothing to worry about."

"Yeah, but I worry anyway."

"That's because you're a father. A good father."