13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

Castle's two redheads heard laughter as they entered the house. Martha held a finger to her lips and motioned for Alexis to stay there while she checked on the laughter, then motioned for Alexis to join her when she found Castle and Kate playing as they made the salad. Kate scooped up something she had just chopped and dramatically dropped it into the bowl, and Castle, with a salad fork and spoon, was tossing it into the salad, being silly. Tossing too hard, he threw part of the salad on the counter.

"Try to leave a little salad in the bowl, would you." She bumped him with her hip, dropped something else in, and Castle was wildly tossing again. "You look like the Swedish Chef."

He leaned and kissed her head before he put things back in the bowl. "The counter is clean, and they'll never know," he said in a stage whisper and bumped her back.

"Behave," she told him. "This is our dinner."

"It smells good in here," Alexis said, letting them know they had company.

They both turned around and smiled. "Your father is playing with the food," Kate announced.

"Wouldn't be the first time," Alexis answered.

"Probably won't be the last, either," Martha added.

Kate looked over at Castle. "The salad is all in the bowl again, I presume?"

"Yes." As he took it and placed it on the table, he told his family, "The chicken is in the oven, should be done in about five minutes. Baked potatoes are in the warmer, and the rolls should be done in a few minutes, too."

"We can set the table," Alexis offered. She watched, looking surprised as Kate took plates from the cabinet and handed them to her, and followed by taking out glasses and putting them on the counter without having to ask where to find anything.

Martha got the silverware and napkins, and Kate and Castle moved efficiently around each other to put the food on the table. Kate slipped into the seat next to the wall, and Castle sat beside her, kissing her temple before unfolding his napkin, as if they had been doing those things for years. Martha and Alexis watched in fascination from their seats on the other side of the table, not having seen any of it before.

"Tell me about the spa," Kate said as everyone served themselves.

"Wonderful," Martha answered. "Full body massage."

"Followed by facials, manis, and pedis," Alexis added, wiggling her fingers at Kate.

"Nice color," Kate responded.

"If we had known you'd be here early, we would have booked you in, too," Martha told her apologetically.

"Maybe another time," Kate answered. "It sounds wonderful."

They talked about Alexis's summer program and Martha's play. Then they asked about Kate's job and whether Castle would be working with her again in the fall.

"I intend to," he answered.

"Don't you have enough research yet?" Martha asked.

"I had enough research last year, but I like the work. It's a good challenge, and I feel like I'm doing something useful. I'd like to stay as long as they let me."

"Does he really contribute that much, Katherine?"

"Most of the time." She looked at him and teased, "Now and then his theories go a little off the rails, but he's contributed a lot."

As they cleared the table, she told his family some of his theories, leaving them shaking their heads and giving him a hard time.

After dinner, Castle suggested a walk on the beach, and Kate made sure Alexis knew she was included. Alexis seemed comfortable enough with Kate so far; so Martha declined, saying she would read for a while instead.

The other three set out for the beach late in the evening and walked a good distance. They talked sporadically, sometimes just two of them, sometimes the three of them, and it didn't seem uncomfortable. On the way back, they all took off their sandals and waded at the edge of the water as they walked, now and then having to dodge a rogue wave; and they all enjoyed the time.

As they walked toward the house, Castle asked Kate. "Do you mind if I spend about an hour at the computer? I need to get a couple of ideas down while they're fresh."

"Of course not. I've told you that." Turning to the teenager, she asked, "Want to watch a movie, Alexis? Or we could do something else if you'd like. Or if you'd rather do something on your own, I can sit in the study and read."

"Do you play gin rummy?"

"Sure. You get the cards. Game room?"

"I'll meet you there." Alexis ran ahead into the house.

"Thank you," Castle said softly, putting his arm around her shoulders as they walked.

"For what?"

"For making Alexis feel like a part of us."

"Richard Castle, don't ever thank me for something like that again. Things like that are a given. I would never consider being with you and thinking that Alexis isn't a part of us. I know she's the most important thing in your life."

He pulled her in and kissed the top of her head. "You continue to amaze me."

They entered the back door, and Castle went to his study. Alexis had roped Martha into the card game, and the three women played while Castle wrote.

When he emerged from his office about an hour later, as promised, Martha scolded him. "Honestly, Richard. You invite a lovely young woman to spend time with you, and then go off and ignore her in favor of a computer."

"We have an understanding, Mother."

Martha looked over at Kate questioningly.

"We do," Kate assured them. "It's his job. I don't want to keep him from it."

"Refreshing," Martha said, looking over at Alexis.

"Who's winning?" Castle asked.

"Your mother is beating the socks off us," Kate replied. "I think we might as well quit before we're farther behind. What do you say, Alexis?"

"Agreed."

"I think I'll take my victory lap through the kitchen and pick up a glass of wine to celebrate," Martha answered. "Losers put the cards away."

Kate grinned at her humor and called behind her, "Next time, Martha. Watch your back."

"Big talk from someone who lost soooo spectacularly, Kiddo," Martha called from the kitchen, and Kate laughed.

Standing to put the cards away, Kate asked Alexis, "Does she always win?"

"No, but she always enjoys it a lot when she does," she answered with a grin.

Martha came to the door with her glass and said, "I'm going up to unwind. Are you coming, Alexis?"

"I think I will. I might read a little while." She stood to follow her grandmother. "'Night, Dad. 'Night Kate."

Castle followed her to the door. "Too adult to kiss your dad goodnight after a stint on a college campus?"

"Never," she answered, giving him a hug and kissing him on the cheek, and he kissed her forehead.

Kate didn't say anything, just joined them, reached out, and squeezed Alexis's hand gently, and they both smiled. Then Alexis followed her Grandmother upstairs.

"Well, getting to bed went more gracefully than I had anticipated," Kate observed. "I don't think Alexis could be any happier than I am that your mom is here."

"Don't put too much stock in Mother's motives, though," Castle cautioned. "I'd bet at least half her reason for getting Alexis upstairs is so they can talk about us. I'd put money on one of them being in the other's room right now, comparing notes."

"You think so?"

"I'm pretty certain. Want to sit outside for a while before bed? Our bench?"

Kate smiled and took the hand Castle extended to lead her outside.

Castle was right about his mother's motives. When she and Alexis reached Martha's room, Martha pulled her in and closed the door, bringing her to sit next to her on the bed.

"How was your walk?" she asked.

"It was nice. Sometimes we all talked together, Sometimes Dad talked to one of us, sometimes I talked to Detective Bec…Kate. I guess I should get used to calling her Kate. She made me feel like she was glad to have me walk with them."

"So what do you think?"

"I don't know yet," Alexis answered. "I've only seen her for a few hours."

"It isn't seeing her for a few hours, Darling. It's seeing them."

"I know."

"They look comfortable with each other, like they've been together for years."

"They do, don't they?"

"Were you thinking they wouldn't?"

"Not exactly. It's just… It's a little disconcerting. I still want to see how she treats Dad."

"Of course you do."

"She teases him and plays along when he gets silly…instead of scolding him like Gina did. I do like that. And when we came back to the house tonight, he asked if Kate would mind if he took about an hour to write…get a couple of ideas down. She didn't even hesitate to find something to do without him. Then she asked if I wanted to do something, but she gave me the option not to."

"So you think it looks promising?"

"Probably. It just feels weird…knowing I could meet her coming out of Dad's room in the morning. I mean, I know what he's probably doing when he's gone overnight or out really late sometimes. I don't like to think about it, but I know. I've just never had to live with it, except when he was married to Gina; and I didn't understand as much then. He said something last week, though, that made me think Kate feels awkward, too."

"She probably does."

"Do you think she really loves him?"

"It's looking that way."

"She seems to know her way around here. She knows where things are in the cabinets, she knew about the game room, and she mentioned a couple of other things while we were playing cards…things I wouldn't have expected her to know yet. How could we have missed that much in such a short time?"

"Because off and on this summer, she's been here for almost two weeks, full time, while we weren't here; and, Darling, that was the best thing for them. They had to work out some things that were important to them, and having uninterrupted time together was the best way to do that. Do you feel like you've been left out, or that your home has been invaded?"

"He told me about her from the beginning, so I shouldn't feel that way; but I hadn't seen it until now. I don't know, Grams," she said, leaning her head on her grandmother's shoulder. "Dad is so happy with her, and he's trying to be honest with me. I'm acting like such a baby."

"No you aren't," Martha responded, wrapping her arms around her granddaughter. "You're acting like a teenager whose world is changing. It's perfectly normal. I'll bet Katherine and your father would tell you the same thing."

"I'm going to get something to drink, and then I'm going to bed,"

"Everything will be fine, Alexis. You'll see. Just keep an open mind. She might be good for all of us."

When Alexis went downstairs, she saw her dad and Kate in the kitchen again. He was sitting in one of the dining chairs, and she was standing behind him, massaging his neck and shoulders. His eyes were closed, and he made a contented little sound as her fingers dug into his tight muscles. It didn't look at all sexual, but it did look intimate.

Kate kissed the top of his head and asked, "Is it any better?" as she continued her movements.

"Yeah. Much better."

"Sorry. I didn't mean to…" Alexis started.

As if she felt the need to explain having her hands on Castle, Kate told her, "Your Dad said he spent a lot of time writing yesterday, and he looked the way he does when he's been sitting too long at the computer. I was trying to get the knots out for him."

Castle reached for his daughter's waist and pulled her in close. "What do you need, Pumpkin? Another goodnight kiss?" He pulled her head down and peppered messy kisses on one side of her face before she escaped, and Kate laughed at them.

"Does this happen a lot?" she asked Alexis.

"Too much," she answered with a little grin, a safe distance from her father.

"I think it's a dad thing. My father did things like that to me, too. Do you ever get the headlock?"

"Your dad did that, too?"

"Sure did."

"I just came to get something to drink…some juice or something."

"There's chocolate milk," Castle suggested. "You always like that."

"That sounds good," Kate chimed in, and she went to get it from the refrigerator. "There's enough here for all of us. How many glasses do we need?"

"Three," Castle answered.

Kate got down three glasses, and Alexis set them on the table in front of her dad. Kate poured, and Alexis took her glass as if she intended to go back upstairs.

"Are you going back to something important, or would you like to sit with us for a little while?" Castle asked.

"Stay if you want," Kate invited, and Alexis sat down. "Do you have plans tomorrow?"

"I think Grams wants us all to have lunch at her favorite restaurant before she goes back to work. Would you mind that, Detec…Kate?"

"I think it sounds nice."

Castle scooped Kate's hand into his and looked at her appreciatively. "I like the idea, too. I'll call tomorrow morning and arrange it."

"Tell me more about your dad," Alexis asked Kate. "What kind of work does he do? Did he spend a lot of time with you when you were little?

Kate talked about a few childhood memories, told her he was an attorney, and asked, "Would you like to meet him after you're back home this fall? I think you might like each other."

"I'd love to. Has Dad met him yet?"

"No. You'll meet him together. Seems appropriate."

Alexis nodded her agreement. "I'm going to get some sleep. See you in the morning," she said, getting up to put her glass in the dishwasher. Before she started up the stairs, she stopped and turned. "Kate?"

Kate looked up questioningly.

"Thanks for taking care of my dad."

"Always," she answered with a smile, and she and Caste watched as his daughter turned and disappeared around the corner and onto the stairway.

"That was awesome, "Castle sighed.

"What?"

"You just let her see again that you know she's a part of us."

"Rick…"

"I know you don't want me to be impressed with that, but I am. I can't help it."

"I like your daughter just for herself, too, you know. You've raised an impressive young woman. I hope we're not making her too uncomfortable."

"I hope not, too. But I need you with me, Kate. Now that I've had a taste of your being in my life, my life doesn't feel complete without you."

"Mine, either," she admitted.

"We've made a lot of progress this summer."

"Do you think we can make it last when we're back in the city and reality sets in around us? We've been in our own little world this summer."

"I think we can if we're determined."

That was all Alexis heard before she moved forward from where she had stopped on the second step of the stairs, out of sight. When she got upstairs, she stopped at her grandmother's door and knocked, then peeked in when Martha answered.

"Maybe it's going to be okay, Grams. I think she might take good care of him."

"I do, too. What brought this on?"

"Kate is going to introduce Dad and me to her father, together, when we get back this fall. She said it seemed appropriate. And I might have eavesdropped a little bit. She said she likes me just for me. And she worries about making me uncomfortable. And Dad seems to think she doesn't want credit for thinking about including me in wanting to be with him. Oh, and Dad said he'd arrange lunch at the restaurant tomorrow."

You shouldn't have eavesdropped, but that's some good intelligence you picked up. Will it help you sleep better?"

"I think so."

"Just keep in mind that if you continue to eavesdrop, sooner or later you're going to hear something a lot less innocent than what you just heard."

"Yuck. I don't usually do that; but for some reason, I couldn't help it tonight."

"Maybe this one time it was okay. You have my permission not to feel guilty."

"Thanks, Grams," she answered with a grin.

"But no more of it. Don't make me turn you over my knee," Martha teased.

Alexis giggled. "See you in the morning."

"Night, Kiddo."