415. Chapter 415

After Limelight

Episode 6.13

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: No one would mistake me for the owner of Castle. Rating: K Time: See above.

Alexis Castle rarely had trouble deciding how or even if to do something. When she made a decision, she acted immediately. Usually, but not today. She was going to break up with Pi. Staying with him wasn't what she wanted and it was totally unfair to Pi to keep up a pretense. She realized that the thing with Pi had been as much about her father as anything. In many ways, she had the best dad in the world. But he was protective, very protective, over protective. Eventually, that had started to wear on Alexis.

I'm legally and adult now. I'm a college student at a top tier university. I should be on my own. I shouldn't have to be available for play dates with dad for laser tag. Although it is fun. And he has a fiancé and soon a wife. He can't be putting me first instead of Beckett.

That got her thinking about Kate Beckett. I can admit that I didn't like her for a long time. Okay, I'm still a little bit mad at her. Okay, she's had problems. Her mom was murdered and she became a cop. She got shot and almost died. But couldn't she see what she was doing to my dad? How much pain she was putting him in? So she had issues. Everyone has issues. But my dad had issues with her. Hell, he had issues because of her. Should I talk to her? No. they're happy now. Water under the bridge. Let it go.

Alexis found herself at her apartment. Besides. I'm just thinking about Dad and Beckett so I don't think about me and Pi. Alexis braced her shoulders and took a deep breath. I'll go in and tell Pi and that will be that. I am an adult. I can handle this.

She opened the door and walked into the apartment. "Pi, we need to talk."

No answer. Alexis looked around the apartment. Pi wasn't there.

Alexis sat down and began to go over what she'd say to Pi. I'll be calm, rational and totally professional about this. But friendly. No need to hurt his feelings.

As the hours went by, the need to avoid hurting Pi's feelings diminished. Finally, at a little after ten, Pi came in.

"Hi, Al. I got the job."

"Good. Because we have to talk."

"About what?"

"This isn't working."

Pi frowned. "What isn't working?"

"Us. When I met you, I found you were cute, funny, unconventional and different from anyone I had dated before. But this isn't what I'm looking for. It was nice for a while, but it's not what I want."

"This is about your dad, right?"

Alexis shook her head. "This is about us. You and me. It's not about my dad."

Pi shook his head. "It's always about your dad. It's always been about your dad. He's spent his whole life trying to mold you into the same, stodgy, conservative, boring, money obsessed, establishment drone that he is."

Alexis couldn't believe what she had heard. "What? "Stodgy, conservative, boring, money obsessed establishment drone?" Are you kidding me? Haven't I told you about all of the scrapes he's gotten into over the years?"

Pi nodded. "All of which he got out of because of his money and his political connections. And what has he done with all that money and his connections? Is he worried about global warming? War and violence? Racism? Sexism? Anything?"

"Yes! He worries about people who get murdered in New York. He's helped Detective Beckett on countless cases. He's saved people's lives."

Pi smiled sadly. "Al, can you hear yourself? In spite of what your dad says, he's not a real cop. But he has made a ton of money out of this whole thing. What? Four books and a movie? Tell me he'd still be there if the first Nikki Heat book had been a flop. Oh, right. He would have stayed for Detective Beckett. From a purely physical standpoint, she's very attractive. I can see why your dad would have the hots for her."

Alexis was really starting to get angry. "My dad does not have the hots for Beckett, as you call them. He's in love with her and wants to spend the rest of his life with her."

"Just like he wanted to spend the rest of his life with his first two wives, Al? Marriage is a very outdated institution. A relic of the days when women were property. Marriage in the twenty first century western world is dying. Just like this love for Beckett that your father says he has."

"I don't think you know either my father of Detective Beckett as well as I do." Alexis said coldly.

"I know the type. And that's what I've been trying to save you from becoming. Al, you're a very bright, inquisitive, curious, determined woman. You could be so much more if you just let yourself be what you can be."

"I'm an adult. I think that I know what I want to be a lot better than you do. And since I am an adult, I decide what I want. And what I want, is to break up with you. And I am breaking up with you."

"Al, you could live to be a hundred and you'll never be an adult. You'll always be your daddy's little girl. Tell you what. Why don't we go to bed and discuss this in the morning."

"We should discuss how we end this right now. You go the job, so you'll have to leave anyway. Will you have a place to stay until then?"

Pi nodded. "I can always crash with BJ."

"I'll be staying with a friend of mine in the dorms tonight. You can take any of the furniture you want. Anything else. Let me know when you're gone.'

"This is a mistake, Al. You shouldn't do this." Pi saw he wasn't getting through to her. "When I leave, I won't be able to take any furniture with me."

"I have to go." Alexis said, grabbing her coat and purse.

After class the next day, Alexis and two of her girlfriends went to the apartment. They opened the door.

"Pi?" Alexis called.

A quick check of the apartment showed that all of Pi's clothes and other possessions were gone.

"Well, that's over." Alexis said. "Now the hard part starts."

"The hard part?" A friend asked.

"Telling my dad and hearing him say I told you so."