A little collection of fics that takes scary spoilers and turns them into Casketty happiness…

So, these fics are not necessarily the most likely ways for events in the show to pan out, but then spoilers often put a different twist on the actual event anyway, so who knows, maybe my little mash-up of the spoiler could end up being right.

But anyway, I just did this because I wanted to show that everything is open to interpretation and there’s very little point in worrying about something until we have the full information, or until it actually occurs (like Terri, I don’t put much stock in any spoilers). 

Although, really, I mostly just wanted to do this for fun.

By the way, feel free to request a fic for any spoiler that’s particularly bothering you and I’ll see what I can do :)

Oh, and in case I hadn’t made this clear, SPOILER WARNING!!  haha.

~

Spoilermash #1: Castle’s “love interest”

He’d almost forgotten he had the ability to be attracted to other women.

He didn’t even know when it was that it had happened­– when he had stopped noticing a pretty smile, or a nice body, or a pair of gorgeous, come-hither eyes.  All he could figure was that somewhere along the line,  Kate had erased all that– leaving him with what he could only think of as some kind of mental tunnel vision, a selective blindness that he’d never even realized he’d had.

That was, until Jenna O’Callaghan had come along.  The classy, curvy brunette was the first woman in a long time that had managed to gain his attention, a fact that intrigued him greatly.  Of course, comparing his attraction to her with what he felt for Kate was a little like comparing the pull of a simple fridge magnet to the magnetic field of the North Pole, but that wasn’t the point. 

What was important was the fact that she’d managed to put herself on his radar at all.

Even more intriguing, however, was that Jenna seemed to view him in a similar way.  He’d seen the appreciative look in her eye, her gaze lingering longer upon him than was generally socially acceptable in a purely business environment– but still, there was a subtle difference about it, a tempered edge that was not usually present when women looked at him in that way. 

This woman was a mystery, a riddle that he had no solution for; and yet, at the same time, there was a sense of understanding between them that felt somehow right, an instant feeling of connection, a shared bond. 

She was an enigma, and it fascinated him.

So, when Beckett had to step out of the interview room for a few minutes– leaving he and Jenna sitting silently on their respective couches– he immediately caught the beautiful insurance investigator’s eye, lifting his eyebrow just a fraction as he smiled.

“By the way, Ms. O’Callaghan, I just wanted to say how much we appreciate your assistance on this case,” he said, congratulating himself of managing to both flirt a little and sound like a proper cop at the same time.

“Just doing my civic duty,” she responded, her own smile coy.  “But if you’d like to demonstrate your appreciation with a drink sometime, any time this weekend is good by me.”

Castle blinked, then grinned.  Well, she was certainly direct, and he found he liked her all the more for it. 

And clearly, he’d been right; there was something there.

“An opportunity I certainly regret having to pass over,” he said after a moment, his voice warm and genuine.  And then, because there was something about this woman that spoke to him, he added honestly, “But as it is, I’m already a bound man.”

Jenna nodded, her eyes seeming to understand, but she continued the little game anyway.

“I don’t see a ring,” she said teasingly, making a show of glancing at his left hand before once more lifting her gaze to his.

Looking into her eyes, Castle hesitated a moment, then glanced at the door.  Across the bullpen he could see Beckett at her desk, her phone pressed to her ear, her pen scribbling furiously on a notepad as she frowned.  Turning back to face the enigmatic woman sitting opposite him, Castle gave her a small, one-sided smile, then reached into the neck of his shirt.

Pulling out the long, fine chain that had been completely concealed beneath his clothes, he held it up for her to see, both of their gazes fixing on the small object dangling from its end.

A simple gold ring– a flawless, polished circle that gleamed under the light, its significance obvious and unmistakable.

Lifting his eyebrows at the woman, he let his smile grow wry.

“Like I said, bound man.  All I’m doing is waiting for the day when she’s ready to be as bound as I am. And when that day eventually comes, well,  I’ll be wearing this for everyone to see.”

To his surprise, Jenna gave a soft snort, then lifted her eyes to his.  “You, too, huh?”

Unsure of her meaning, Castle simply tilted his head, his eyes questioning.

Jenna looked through the doorway, her gaze resting briefly on Beckett before returning to meet his as she explained.

“We’re fellow members, you and I, of that wonderous, exclusive group known as the Not-Unrequited-But-Still-Not-Possible Love Club,” she said in a dry tone, then added impishly, “You know, the collection of unlucky bastards whom love has made its bitches.”

Castle laughed.  No wonder he had been instinctively drawn to this woman; not only did she have a terrific grasp of grammar, but it seemed they had rather a lot in common.

Giving her a knowing look, he leaned forward slightly, lifting an eyebrow.  “What’s his name?”

“Michael Tobin,” she sighed, “And he’s my boss, of all the luck.”

Castle winced in sympathy.  “Ouch.”

Her sigh was quiet, resigned.  “Yeah.”

“How about Saturday?” he asked suddenly, surprising himself.

“I’m sorry?”  He could hear the surprise in her tone; clearly, his unexpected suggestion had startled her out of a different train of thoughts, the subject of which most likely went by the name of Michael Tobin.

“That drink,” he explained, watching her with an understanding smile.  “I know a place, a good one– how about we go, consume vast quantities of the strongest alcohol we can find, and sit there regaling each other with the tragic tale of our respective love lives, all while attempting not to acknowledge just how pathetic we really are?”

Jenna laughed.  “Saturday sounds great.”

“Saturday it is,” Castle smiled, then sent a quick glance through the doorway, checking on Beckett.  Seeing her step away from her desk, he hastily tucked the ring and chain back beneath his shirt, then carefully straightened himself up.  Looking up to find Jenna’s eyes on him, he lifted his brows.

“What?”

She gave him a small smile. “We’re going to be a pair of really sad, really messed-up friends, aren’t we?”

Castle grinned and then turned his gaze back to Beckett, watching her as she approached, her head down as she swiftly flipped through pages on her notepad, her forehead creased slightly in concentration. 

This was a woman he loved with all his heart, a woman he was willing to wait the rest of his life for, no matter the cost.  This was Kate. 

His Kate.

“Yes,” he replied softly, his eyes never leaving the woman he loved.  “Yes, we are.”

~

Spoilermash #2: Beckett versus Gates

In an official context, the briefing was over.  All information had been passed on, all orders given, and the three detectives were more than eager to be free from under their new captain’s stern gaze and heavy hand, ready to get back to doing what it was they did best.  But it was clear that escape still dangled just out of reach; despite their profession, one didn’t need to be a detective to know that the woman still wasn’t done.

“One final thing,” Captain Gates said finally, her voice cool and in control, her eyes idly scanning the papers that sat before her on the desk, her posture both dominant and dismissive. 

Watching her, Beckett didn’t need to guess what was coming; she’d been back on the job half a day and already she could read this woman like a book.  Carefully keeping her eyes level and back completely straight, she waited silently as Gates completed her little display of dominance– the woman had already shown a propensity for long pauses, continually demonstrating the power she held over them by forcing them to hang on her every word.  It was an old-school maneuver, and nothing Beckett hadn’t seen before.   She’d simply wait her out.

After a few moments of paper-shuffling and document-checking, Gates lifted her head, her dark gaze coming to rest on the nearest of the three detectives that stood before her.

 “Detective Beckett, I know you’ve had things done your way in the past, but playtime’s over.  As of now, your little tag-along has had his all-access-pass revoked.  I want him gone within the hour.”

Her tone was resolute, her expression closed, unyielding.  Beckett held her gaze, refusing to be cowed by the woman’s hard stare.  Then, after the briefest pause, she took a small, steadying breath.

“No.”

She heard Ryan and Esposito shifting uncomfortably behind her, saw the older woman’s eyes widen slightly, the only outward crack in her solid wall of composure.  Placing her sheaf of papers neatly upon the desk, she put her palms down flat on the polished wood and leaned forwards, her tone low and dangerous.

“Excuse me?”

“Castle stays,” Beckett answered firmly, her gaze unwavering.  “He’s a part of this team.”

Gates gave a soft, derisive snort, her expression a mask of disdain. “He’s a civilian.”

“He’s my partner,” Beckett shot back, forcing herself to keep her tone civil.  “He’s been with us for three years, and though he may not be a cop, he is one of us.  We need him.”

“Detective, tread very carefully,” Gates warned softly, “because you are coming perilously close to insubordination.  I will not have you disobeying my orders simply because you don’t want to part from your pet boyfriend–“

“This team has the highest clearance rate of any in the city,” Beckett interrupted, taking a step forward to place herself close to the opposite side of the desk, her eyes fixed unblinkingly on the older woman.  “You know that, don’t you?”

Gates glared.  “I am aware of that fact, Detective.  But statistics, no matter how good they are, do not give you the right to question my orders.”

“I’m not questioning your orders,” Beckett corrected mildly,  “I’m refusing them.  This team is the best in the city, and Castle is just as much a member of that team as I am, or as Detectives Ryan or Esposito are.  We are as good as we are because we work together.”

Gates drew herself up to her full height– even then falling a few inches short of matching Beckett’s own– and waved a hand impatiently, her composure slipping.  “This team will be just as successful– in fact, probably more so– when you are partnered with a real detective, or at the very least, no longer running around looking after some third-rate author that wants to play pretend-cop.  There will be no more arguments.  The writer goes.” 

Pausing, Gates fixed Beckett with an intense gaze, attempting to stare her down.  “And that, Detective, is final.”

Beckett didn’t flinch.  She simply held the older woman’s gaze, her expression deadly serious.

 “If Castle goes, I go.”

“Detective, you’re not only being childish, you’re being stupid,” Gates snapped, her even-tempered manner beginning to fray in the face of such unexpected resistance. Crossing her arms tightly across her chest, she leveled Beckett with a hard stare before continuing on. 

“Just where do you think you’ll go?  No matter how high your supposed clearance rate, every other captain will give you the exact same order I have.  Or do you actually believe you will find any station willing to take both you and your writer pet?”

Lifting an eyebrow challengingly, Beckett stated, “In the past fortnight I’ve had offers from three different captains, all informing me that they would gladly accept both Castle and myself if I wished to transfer, given everything that’s happened.  It seems that they saw the value of gaining an extra member for their team, one who had not only proven his worth through three years of dedication and hard work, but also one who would continue to do that work every single day without costing them a single cent.” 

Pausing, Beckett let her words sink in, her eyes hard and defiant as she held Gates’ gaze. 

“I could have taken any one of their offers,” she continued quietly, “yet I turned them all down because I knew that my place– and Castle’s– was here, with the rest of our team.  But if you insist on forcing my hand, then I’m going to have no choice but to take one of them up on their offer.”

Gates’ lips curled in a way that– in someone less refined– might have been considered a sneer.  “Your bluffing skills need work, Detective.”

Spreading her hands in a casual gesture, Beckett responded steadily, “If you’re willing to bet on that, go ahead.  But I promise you, if you make Castle walk out that door, he won’t be going alone.  He goes, I go.”

There was a few moments of tense silence as Beckett and Gates simply stared at each other, two queens locked in a stalemate, both stubbornly refusing to back down. 

Both of them jolted slightly as Ryan spoke up from the back of the room, his gentle voice carrying an air of both firm resolve and mild apology.

 “Excuse me, Ma’am, but Beckett’s right. The four of us are a team.  If Castle and Beckett go, I’m sorry, but we go too.”

Focusing on each of the three figures before her– unwavering, immovable Beckett, contrite but steady Ryan, and defiantly supportive Esposito– Gates shot them all a steely glare, the dark gray-black of her eyes reminiscent of the unyielding metal after which she was nicknamed. 

But, as Beckett knew, given the right pressure, even the strongest metal can be forced to bend. 

Clearly making an effort to reign in her temper, Gates said finally, “The writer stays.  But you better keep a damn tight hold on his leash, Detective, because if he screws up, I am not stepping in to save you.  It’ll be your ass on the line, and I will happily stand by and watch you go down for it.”

Beckett gave a curt nod of acknowledgement; she’d expected no less. 

“Understood, Ma’am.”

Gates paused and eyed them all, a bitter, resentful twist to her stern mouth.  

“Now get the hell out of my office.  All of you. ”

###

Beckett had barely made it to her chair when Castle suddenly appeared, placing a steaming cup of coffee on the desk beside her before dropping heavily into his seat and fixing her with an interested, enquiring look.

“So what was that all about?”

Now seated and already reaching for some files, Beckett didn’t even bother to look over. “Nothing important.  Just the usual ‘briefing the captain’ kind of thing.”

“Briefing the captain never looked quite so hostile before.”

“There was nothing hostile about it,” Beckett responded dismissively, flipping through a file with an air of determined nonchalance.  “Now shush, I need to get this done.”

“Okay,” Castle said slowly, and for a brief, shining moment Beckett actually believed in the possibility of a reprieve from his usual relentless questioning.  But that vain hope was quashed almost instantly as Castle tilted his head, persisting, “But you know, Gates looked kinda mad…”

Already nearing the end of her patience, Beckett spoke sharply, her eyes still fixed determinedly on the pages in front of her.  “Drop it, Castle, okay?  It was no big deal.”

Her small outburst was followed by a few moments of blessed silence before Castle spoke again, this time in a completely different tone, one that was much gentler, much more serious.

“Actually, it was a big deal to me,” he commented softly, his voice low and completely sincere.  “Thank you, Kate.” 

At his words, Beckett finally looked up at him, her expression half-exasperated, half-unsurprised. 

“Is there any conversation that you don’t eavesdrop on?”

Castle gave a mild shrug, appearing completely unapologetic.  “Not really, no.”

Beckett held his gaze for a moment before giving a small huff and looking back down at her files.  “Well, if you really want to thank me, just make sure you don’t screw this up.”

Out of the corner of her eye she saw him shake his head, his expression serious. 

“Beckett, you stood up for me even though doing so meant risking your position here, facing the possibility of losing both the place and the people you love,” he said quietly, his voice containing just the slightest trace of disbelieving wonder.  “I can’t tell you how grateful I am for that, and I promise you that I won’t let you down.  Scout’s honor.”

Looking up, Beckett quirked an eyebrow at him, her tone dry. 

“You were never a scout, Castle.”

Castle smiled softly, lifting one shoulder in a tiny shrug.  “True, but the message is still the same.  You can depend on me, Kate.”  

Her eyes were still on his, locked with his serious, intense gaze. For a moment neither of them moved or spoke, surrounded by a heavy, expressive silence that resonated with a truth that only the two of them could ever interpret.  Then, reaching for the untouched coffee that still sat halfway between them, Beckett closed her fingers around it and drew it towards her, her lips curving in a tiny, soft smile that told him far more than words could.

“I know.”

~

Spoilermash #3: Alexis versus the Caskett partnership

For Mo.

~

It had been a long time since she had felt nervous about knocking on Castle’s door.

Drawing in a long, slow breath, Beckett stood just a little straighter, steeling herself.

 She could do this.  She had to do this. 

Three months away from everyone had been bad, but survivable. Out in the woods, she could distance herself from everything, keep her mind clear, focused.  But one day back in the precinct, one day of staring at that empty chair, knowing that she had everyone back except the one she missed most– she just couldn’t do it. She just couldn’t.

She knew she couldn’t ever go back to how she’d been before, over three years ago, because she knew the truth.  It would never be enough. 

The truth was, without him in it, her life would never be enough.

And so here she was, staring at the door to Castle’s loft, dreading what would happen if she knocked on that door, but dreading even more what would happen if she didn’t. 

Taking another deep breath, she worked to keep herself calm and steady, cool and under control.  Her heart rate was up, her body hyper-alert; it was a feeling she knew well.  It was the exact way she felt whenever she was about to step into a gunfight– only this time, it was worse.  This time it felt as though she were going in blind, not knowing what to expect, with no protection and no weapon of her own.    

But there was no armed enemy behind that door, waiting to take her life; instead, there was a person who held her life in their hands, one who could completely change it with a single word.   

Swallowing slightly, Beckett gave her head a small shake, then straightened her shoulders. 

She had to do this.

Clenching her hand into a tight fist, Beckett slowly lifted it, pausing for a final brief moment before rapping her knuckles against the wood in a quick, loud knock.

And then, her palms damp and her mouth dry, she waited.

Barely five seconds passed before the door was suddenly yanked open, a young voice exclaiming, “Ash, I can’t believe it, you’re actually early for onc– oh.”  

Seeing her, Alexis halted abruptly, then– seeming to feel some kind of acknowledgement was required– added shortly,  “Detective Beckett.”

Hearing the flat, unwelcoming tone, Beckett had to fight the urge to wince.  Just weeks ago she’d been Kate, always greeted with friendly enthusiasm  and a cheerful grin.  Now, she was a pariah, an enemy, and it hurt more than she’d ever thought it would.

“Hi, Alexis.  Can I come in?”

Alexis shifted uncomfortably, not quite managing to meet her eyes.  “Dad’s not here right now.  But I’ll tell him you came by.”

“Actually, I’m not here to see Castle,” she responded carefully, causing  Alexis to still, blinking in surprise.  Taking a deep breath, Beckett added, “I came to see you.”

Her eyes widening, Alexis bit her lip.  “Oh, uh…”

“I promise I’ll only stay a few minutes,” Beckett said quickly, half-expecting to have the door closed in her face.  Capturing the girl’s eyes with hers, she added quietly,  “Please, Alexis.”

Her expression uncertain, Alexis took a breath and paused for a moment before giving a slight nod. 

“Okay.”

Holding back a sigh of relief, Beckett stepped inside, taking a moment to close the door behind her before following Alexis to the center of the lounge area.

Halting before the younger woman, Beckett tilted her head, indicating toward the couch.  “Could we…?”

Alexis hesitated a moment, glancing between the couch and the door, then stepped over and took a seat.  Taking the seat opposite her, Beckett took a deep breath, looking down at her hands as she mentally prepared herself.

“I know that things didn’t exactly go well the last time we spoke,” Beckett began slowly, absentmindedly fiddling with her father’s watch­– an old nervous habit.  Clearing her throat slightly, she went on.

“And you probably have about a million things you’d rather do than sit here and listen to me right now, but there are some things I need to say.  Things that I need you to know.”

Taking a deep, slow breath, she looked up, meeting the girl’s eyes steadily.  “You were right.”

Alexis blinked.  “Excuse me?”

Blowing out a breath, Beckett ran her hand through her hair, giving Alexis a small, apologetic smile. 

“You were right.  I haven’t treated your dad the way I should have.  I let him follow me into situations that he had no right to be in, let him face dangers that he should never have had to face.  I put him at risk far too many times, and I told myself that it was okay because I would be there– because I would protect him.  I was viewing him as my partner, not a civilian, and I shouldn’t have.”

Beckett dropped her gaze back to her hands, ashamed.  “Essentially, I was being selfish.  I pretended that he was there by his own choice, but really, he was there because I needed him.  Like I still need him.”

“I know you think I don’t care about him like I should.  And I know you think I don’t deserve him,” she continued quietly, then paused, lifting her eyes.  “I agree with you.” 

Seeing the surprise on the younger woman’s face, Beckett spoke honestly.  “I agree with you, but only in part. No, I don’t deserve him.  I don’t deserve his friendship, and I certainly don’t deserve all that he has done for me.” 

“But you need to understand–“ pausing, Beckett cleared her throat, fighting back the lump that had suddenly formed there.  Taking a steadying breath, she forced herself to go on, to tell it all.  Alexis deserved to hear it.  She deserved to know.  

“Alexis, that there is almost no-one in the world that I care about more than your dad.  I would kill to protect him, and I would die to protect him.  I would give my life to save his in a heartbeat.”

Alexis’ eyes were wide, her mouth slightly open.  Whatever she’d been expecting to hear, Beckett figured, this had not been it.  Feeling the tiniest flicker of hope bloom within her, Beckett swallowed slightly, then put her cards on the table.

“I know that I can’t ask you to let him be my partner again, but I am asking you to let me be part of his life.  You’re his world, Alexis, and it’s a world I can only be a part of if you allow it.”

She paused, struggling with herself, then caught those blue eyes with hers.  Taking an unsteady breath, she continued, her voice suddenly quiet, almost pleading. 

“Just please, don’t make me lose my best friend.”

For a moment the two of them simply stared at one another, clear blue meeting hazel green, before Alexis blinked, her forehead creasing slightly in a small frown.

 “You lost your mother,” she said quietly, her eyes serious, questioning, needing to understand.  “How could you put him in danger like that, knowing that you could rob another child of a parent?  That you could put someone through what you went through?”

Looking down, Beckett bit her lip.  How could she ever explain herself in a way that could make Alexis understand?  And even more than that, how could she explain what she didn’t even fully understand herself?

 Frowning slightly in concentration, Beckett kept her gaze focused downwards, the words coming haltingly as she tried to explain in the only way she could think of.

“Did you- did you ever have moments where you wanted Ashley to stay, to go to college here, because even though it wasn’t what was best for him, you needed him too much– and were too afraid of being without him– that you simply couldn’t face the thought of letting him go?”

Alexis made a small noise in her throat, seemingly pausing for a moment to consider all Beckett had said before countering softly, “But that’s different.  For one, it’s not life and death.  And secondly, well, I’m in love with Ashley.”

Beckett said nothing, simply lifted her eyes from her hands to focus on the younger woman’s piercing gaze, keeping nothing concealed.

Instantly Alexis’ eyes widened, the two of them staring at each other in silence for a moment before Alexis broke it, her voice slightly disbelieving as she breathed,  “No…”

Beckett gave a small nod, swallowing hard.  “I’m so sorry.  I didn’t mean to…”

Alexis blinked in surprise, then tweaked an eyebrow.  “Did you just apologize for falling in love with my dad?”

This time it was Beckett’s turn to blink.  “I– well, yeah.”

“Oh, boy,” Alexis sighed, giving her head a slight shake.  “And I thought teenage relationships were messed up.”

Surprised but a little relieved that she hadn’t already been shown the door, Beckett gave a shaky laugh.  “Trust me, it only gets worse.”

For a moment they shared a brief grin before they both looked away, falling silent.  Lost in their own thoughts, they both took a minute to try to process this new revelation, to decipher what it was going to mean, for all of them.

Eventually, Alexis looked up, eyeing her appraisingly.  “You’d really die to protect him?”

Meeting her gaze, Beckett gave her total honesty.  “Considering I’d rather die than lose him, yes, I would.  Without hesitation.”

Alexis sighed, absentmindedly running a hand through her long hair.  “I’ve really got no choice, have I?”

Beckett’s eyebrows drew together in confusion, her eyes searching the younger woman’s face questioningly. 

“What do you mean?”

“You need a partner,” Alexis stated, as if it were obvious.  Her blue eyes serious, she went on, “Being out there alone, without anyone to watch your back– it’s way too dangerous.  I’d hoped that if Dad couldn’t be there anymore, they’d assign you a real cop, someone who could protect you as well as you protected them.  Because if something happened to you– if you were gone for real this time– I know that Dad would never get over it.” 

Looking down, the girl continued quietly, “I had to sit there, Kate.  I had to sit there and watch as he slowly drew away from everyone, almost as if he was just… fading away.  When you woke up, it was the first time I’d seen him smile since the day before the funeral.  I thought– I guess I just thought that if you had a partner, a real one, you’d both be safer.”

Beckett felt her mouth open slightly in shock, the last piece of the puzzle finally falling into place.  “You kept Castle away to protect us both?  But I thought–”

Alexis shook her head, interrupting, “I never hated you, Kate.  I never could.  I know what it must have looked like, but I– I was just trying to protect family.” 

Holding her gaze, Alexis gave her a small smile.  “Which includes you.”

This had gone so far in the complete opposite direction of what she’d been expecting that she didn’t even know how to react.  Shaking her head to clear it, she forced herself to concentrate, to form some kind of coherent response to all that Alexis had just revealed.

“Alexis, I don’t know what to–“

“Wait,” Alexis interrupted suddenly, flinging up a hand in a silencing gesture.  “Before you say anything, I do have one condition.”

Completely confused by the sudden change of pace and the playful sparkle in the younger woman’s eyes, Beckett gave a slow nod, looking at her questioningly.

 “Okay…?”

Alexis’s expression grew devilish.  “Ask Dad out on a date.”

Once more Beckett felt her mouth drop open, struggling to keep up with yet another rapid change in direction.  Before she could answer, however, there was a knock at the door, which opened a moment later to reveal Ashley, his face half-obscured as he manoeuvred a large bouquet of roses through the doorway. 

“Alexis?” he called, gently closing the door with his foot before taking a few steps inside.

He was already halfway across the foyer when he saw them.  “Oh, Detective Beckett, I’m so sorry, I didn’t realize you were here.  Do you guys want me to wait outside, or…?”

Rising to her feet, Beckett smiled and shook her head.  “No, no, Ashley, you’re fine.  I really should be leaving anyway.”

Pausing, she looked down at Alexis, who nodded, then stood as well.  Together they walked to the door, then paused at the threshold,  sharing a silent, expressive look, one that told both exactly what they needed to know.  Then, in an almost simultaneous movement, they both stepped forward, embracing each other tightly. 

“Thank you,” Beckett whispered, squeezing the girl gently before pulling away, allowing Alexis to open the door for her.

Stepping across the threshold, she paused for a moment, turning.  “Oh, and Alexis?”

“Yes?”

“About that condition?”

Alexis smiled, raising an eyebrow mischievously.  “Yeah?”

Grinning in response, Beckett winked. 

“Deal.” 

~