409. Chapter 409

After Like Father, Like Daughter

Episode 6.07

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: There is no evidence that I own Castle. Rating: K Time: See above

Rick and Alexis settled down for the long ride to Pennsylvania in a more or less comfortable silence.

I must not gloat. Castle thought to himself. This is not a father daughter trip. This is a serious murder case that I'm involved in and my little girl is trying to save an innocent man. This is so cool. Castle frowned. No. No! I cannot, absolutely cannot, think that way. I'm Rick Castle and I've been asked to lend my expertise to this case by a young college student. I am cool. I am calm. I am in complete control. I am above all a professional. But what Alexis is doing is just so cool!

Alexis watched her father out of the corner of her eye. I have not forgiven him. The way he treated both me and Pi was unforgivable. I wished for years that he'd stop following Detective Beckett around. Okay, they're together now and they're happy and she's going to be my step-mother. And I'm happy for them both. But Dad is not a cop. He shouldn't act like a cop. How many times has he been hurt? Almost killed? So he could write a few books? Alexis shook her head slightly. No. Grams is right. This hasn't been about books for years. It's been about her. I wish I could dislike Beckett the way I did a few years ago, but I can't and I don't. Anyway, I need to do this. Frank Henson's life is too important for me to worry about how my dad feels about my boyfriend. Dad is our last chance and I won't throw that chance away over his over reaction to Pi. My god! Dad has ridden a stolen police horse in the nude. He's been to bed with so many women that he barely knew. The boobs he's signed, if placed end to end…." The thought of miles and miles of boobs all signed by Rick Castle caused Alexis to giggle. She quickly suppressed the giggle but it was too late.

"Something funny, Alexis?"

She shook her head. "It's nothing.

"Nothing." Ryan said.

"Nothing?" Beckett repeated.

"The lab has a lot of work to do on lots of crimes."

"Have you explained to them that a man's life depends on this?"

Ryan nodded. "A lot of their work is like that." He took a deep breath and got ready for Beckett to explode at what he was going to say. "At the rate they're going, he'll be dead before they even think about doing anything."

Instead of blowing up, Beckett just nodded, turned and walked away.

"What was that all about?" Ryan asked his partner.

"Beckett is having trouble with the idea that Castle has a new partner." Espo replied,

"Be serious."

"I am being serious. Castle and Beckett are going to get married. You know how Castle has always been about Alexis. She's worried about how she'll fit into the family."

"You think so?" Espo didn't sound convinced.

"I know so. When I married Jenny, all of a sudden I was also married to her whole family. Her large, aggressive Irish brothers, who weren't at all sure that a skinny dude like me could protect their little sister."

"Protect her?" Javi scoffed. "Have they met her? She can take care of herself. I remember the time that drunk at the Old Haunt…"

"Shh!" Ryan said. "I don't want either Castle or Beckett to find out how that expensive antique lamp got busted. Anyway, in addition to the brothers, there's Dad, who is convinced that I'm some loser come to steal his little girl away and ruin her life. And her Uncle Declan…"

"Ryan?" Beckett yelled. "I'll be in the morgue with Lanie. Do we have anything from Pennsylvania on murders with a similar MO?"

"Still waiting." Ryan called to Beckett's retreating back.

"How's everything, babe?" Beckett said into her phone.

Castle shook his head sadly, then remembered she couldn't see him. "Badly. Henson has less than three days to live and everyone thinks that I'm some sort of magician, here to free Roger Henson with a blast of trumpets and then levitate back to New York to the sounds of a heavenly choir."

"That's always been the way I've seen you, babe." Beckett said with a smile.

Castle laughed. "I seem to remember a time when you were…ever so slightly less impressed with me."

"That was a very long time ago before I really noticed the trumpets and the heavenly choir." Kate need to be serious. "Castle, you're very good. You wouldn't be my partner otherwise. Try to forget that this is Alexis you're dealing with. Act like it's any other case. Look at everything. Look for the little details that don't add up. Talk to the people nobody talked to. Ask the questions no one else thought to ask. And if there's evidence there, you'll find it. I know you. You'll find it."

Castle smiled to himself. "I wish you were here with me. I need my partner. I miss my partner."

"I could join you."

Castle almost asked her to come to Pennsylvania, but decided against it. "No. You're more use there in New York pushing the lab to do their work and covering the paperwork and such."

"So I get to do the paperwork again?" Beckett said with a smile.

"Always."

Alexis was nervous when she walked in to talk to Beckett. "Detective Beckett, thank you so very much for all of your help. And I apologize for not coming directly to you for your help."

"That's all right, Alexis. I think I understand."

Alexis slowly shook her head. "No, you don't. I knew I didn't need to ask you. I knew you'd do anything for Dad to help him out. When we started out, I told myself that I would do this with dad because Frank Henson deserved the best, no matter how I felt about Dad. But I found out that I really need to be with my dad. I'm still mad at him, but I'm still his daughter. We needed to connect again. Just because I didn't ask for your help doesn't mean I don't appreciate it, or you. I especially appreciate all you've done for dad. There are times when he's almost an adult now."

Beckett stood up and hugged Alexis. "Almost." She said in the redhead's ear.

Alexis laughed. "Between the two of us, who knows what we can do for Dad."