Prompt taken from Tumblr [ castlefanficprompts ]- Will be a short one-shot to start with unless there is a demand for the story to continue. [Which there probably wont be but eh] Or unless I find some more time to write this as a multi-chapter fic.

Prompt - Kate saves young Alexis from being crushed by a car.

The line in the coffee shop seemed to go on forever as the young Detective stood patiently in line awaiting her turn to grab her order. She was exhausted, the case they were currently investigating leaving her with little time to eat, drink or sleep. The only exception to this being her morning coffee run that she always made on her way into work.

''Beckett?'' Her name was finally called out by the barista at the end of the counter, her usual order waiting in her hands as she scanned the coffee shop looking for the woman.

''Thank you.'' Kate smiled taking the coffee cup in her hands before starting to weave her way back through the crowded shop towards the exit and stepping out onto the streets of New York.

She began her walk down the block to where she had parked her car that morning, never being able to get closer than a block away from her favourite coffee shop on mornings like this. Her eyes scanned the scenes around her as she turned off round a corner heading down a side street to cut the walk she knew all too well in half. It was then that she heard it, the panicked shouts of a man. Kicking into gear Kate looked around, seeing a man a few yards ahead on the opposite side of the road shouting out into the middle of it in panic all whilst trying to step off the pavement himself but being halted by the cars passing by him.

''Alexis! No! Stop where you are pumpkin!'' He called attracting the attention of people nearby. It was then that Kate looked into the busy street to see a mass of long red hair, a girl who judging from her height could be no older than six or seven. ''Alexis stay where you are honey!'' He called again looking around frantically for a way to get to his child. ''Alexis!'' He screamed hearing the screeching of tires as Kate looked down to the end of the road.

It all clicked together in her head far too quickly, the car speeding down the road at way above the normal speed limit. The shouts of a panicked father who could only watch from a distance and the blaring sirens of a NYPD police cruiser following at the same speed and heading right towards the middle of the road, right towards Alexis. Without waiting a moment longer the Detective started to run down the sidewalk, she could make it. She had roughly 30 seconds before the car would hit her as it was still a fair distance away. There was no chance of Alexis moving, she was too scared to do so.

''Alexis!'' Her father shouted again stepping out from the curb only to get clipped by the edge of a New York Taxi which sent him tumbling down to the ground.

Bumping into a pedestrian, Kate ignored the burning sensation as she felt the contents of her coffee drench through her shirt. Looking to her side once more to see the car approaching Kate took off into the middle of the road, narrowly missing the fronts of cars coming towards her as she raced against time to get there.

''Alexis!'' The mans screams echoed in her ear as she got close enough to the girl to dive forward, wrapping her arms securely around the girl as she used her force to send them both tumbling roughly to the ground just as the speeding car crashed into the back of the Taxi that had been stopped in front of them. She could faintly here the sirens as her ears rang, the thought of nearly being crushed by a car ever so present in her mind.

''You okay kid?'' She asked after taking a moment to recover as she looked down at the child who will still firmly wrapped in her arms. Kate took note of the small gash above the girls right eye from where she had hit the pavement, other then a few scratches and marks that would soon turn into bruises along with the traumatic experience of nearly being crushed by two cars, she seemed fine.

''Y-Yeah'' The kid said slowly, her piercing blue eyes looking up at her wide with fear as she processed what had just happened. Kate knew the moment she finally realised what had just happened when her eyes quickly glassed over and she threw herself closer to Kate, wrapping her arms tightly around the older woman as she sobbed into her neck, gripping her shirt tightly with her small fist. Kate tensed at the contact for a moment not sure how to respond to the situation before she just tightened her grip on the girl in a protective yet comforting manner.

''Alexis!'' The voice caused the young girls head to snap up and look at Kate with scared eyes.

''Daddy's going to be angry at me'' She whispered, her voice trembling.

''I'm sure he wont be sweetie, he was just really worried about you.'' Kate soothed, hoping her choice of words would be reassuring.

''B-but I let go of his hand when we were crossing the road and he was shouting.'' Kate couldn't help but notice the girls bottom lip quiver as she spoke causing her heart to warm ever so slightly.

''He won't be mad honey, I promise.'' Kate said before pushing herself off the ground Alexis still firmly in her arms as she used a nearby car for support. She hissed at the extension of her legs as she looked down to see her trousers ripped and her knee's bloody. Her adrenaline was wearing off and she was starting to feel the pain but that would have to wait for now. ''Let's go over to daddy shall we?'' She asked softly, adjusting the girls arms so that they were slung around her neck as the started to walk across to the street where the man was being held back by an older looking woman with red hair much like the child in her arms.

''Oh Alexis, thank god!'' He cried out as she approached him. ''Thank you so much...'' He continued as Kate finally looked up to look at him properly, nearly tripping over her own feet in shock. Stood in front of her was Richard Castle, the famous mystery writer.

''Detective Kate Beckett'' She spoke after she recovered and realised he was waiting for a name. ''It's was no problem at all.'' She smiled feeling the girl shift ever so slightly in her arms.

''Richard darling, she's bleeding.'' The woman next to him said causing their attention to fall onto her legs.

''It's nothing really I'm fine-''

''Mother call an ambulance. We're not letting her go anywhere like that.''

''Honestly I'm fine but you might still want to take a quick trip to the hospital for your daughter here.''

''Alexis.'' He corrected softly before panic overcame his features again. ''She's hurt? Where? What happened?!''

''Mr Castle, please. She's just got a few cuts and bruises from where we fell to the floor. But I think this might need to be looked at.'' Kate said as she brushed aside the girls hair which she was using as a shield to reveal the gash above her eye and the blood that had dried down the side of her face.

''Oh Richard!''

''Mother can you get the town car to come and pick us up please.'' The writer spoke, not taking his eyes of his daughter for a second. ''Do you want me to take her Detective? I know she can get a bit heavy after a while no matter how small of a six year old she is.''

''Please.'' Kate went to pass Alexis over to the writer when the little girl looked up at her with the same look from earlier. ''It's okay sweetie, he's not angry'' She reassured her again before Alexis allowed herself to be taken into her fathers arms who instantly pulled her tightly to his chest.

''I could never be angry at you pumpkin.'' She heard the man whisper to his daughter quietly. ''What do you say to the detective here honey?''

''Thank you for saving me D-Detective Beckett.'' Alexis said, turning her head to look at the woman who was smiling down at her.

''Please, call me Kate.''

''Are you going to come to the hospital with us Kate?'' Alexis asked innocently as Castle smirked at her. ''You're hurt.'' She added seriously after a moment of silence between them.

''Yes Detective, you're hurt.'' The writer added as Kate rolled her eyes in response.

''Fine.'' She grumbled as they waited for Martha and the town car to arrive.

''How's she doing?'' Kate asked as she walked out into the waiting room after being checked over by one of the nurses. She was fine, nothing a few bandages couldn't deal with over time.

''Why don't you wait and ask her yourself, she'll be out soon they said.'' Castle said as he ran his hand through his hair.

Kate couldn't help but stare at him for a moment, the papers always made him out to be a playboy, getting any girl he wanted and doing what he wanted. But here he was, father to a wonderful six year old girl who he loved more than anything and would do anything for. If anything, it just made her love her favourite author a little bit more. Kate smiled to herself as she thought about his books, how they got her through her mothers murder offering her an escape. How she had waited in lines for hours a few years back to meet the man himself and get her book signed and yet here she was, sat with him in the hospital waiting room as they both waited for his daughter. His daughter who's life she had saved only an hour or so before, who's life she had saved by running out into the middle of the road and narrowly missed them both getting crushed due to the high speed chase that was occurring.

Kate sighed as she finally felt the fatigue hit her body as she relaxed back into the hard hospital chairs.

''Are you okay Detective Beckett?'' Castle spoke, his voice drawing her from her train of thought.

''It's Kate.'' She mumbled tiredly. ''I'm fine, just the last hour catching up with me I guess.'' She added after a moment after catching the look on his face from the corner of her eye. ''And I haven't had my coffee yet.''

''Well then we'll have t-''

''Daddy!'' Alexis's voice cut him off as she came running over and launched herself onto her fathers lap. Castle carefully wrapped his arm around her to stop her from falling off.

''Woah there pumpkin.'' He said laughing to himself. ''Who let you out?''

''I did.'' A doctor emerged in front of them in his white coat, clipboard firmly being held in his hand. ''Quite the energiser bunny your daughter is Sir, especially after the morning that you've had.'' He added smiling.

''Could you watch her for a moment please?'' He asked, his normal over-confident self that he came across as turning instantly to nerves.

''Of course, come here sweetie.'' Kate said smiling as she opened her arms allowing the girl to crawl over into her lap as she wrapped her arm around her protectively whilst Castle stood and walked out of earshot from the pair with the Doctor. ''How you doing honey?'' She asked softly instinctively brushing the girls hair from her face to get a better look at the gash which they had now applied steri-strips's too.

''Hurts'' She mumbled as she rested her head against Kate's shoulder.

''I know honey, they'll get you something for that.'' Kate sighed. ''Do you know what they call these?'' Kate asked brushing her fingers almost ghostly across the gash that had been patched up. Alexis shook her head. ''They call them butterfly stitches.'' Kate smiled after seeing the grin that spread across the girls face.

''Really?'' She asked in disbelief.

''Uh huh'' Kate's smile faded as she saw Castle returning grinning at them both almost creepily.

''What?''

''Nothing, just looking at this beautiful women sat holding my daughter after saving her life this morning.'' Kate just rolled her eyes, biting her lip to try and stop the smile she felt tugging at her lips from appearing.

''She free to go?''

''Yup, pain medication sorted and everything. Being a famous writer has it's perks.''

''Well then, it was nice to meet you both. Especially you Alexis, you're a remarkable girl.''

''Don't go Kate.'' She heard Alexis mumble as her grip tightened on her shirt.

''Yeah Kate, don't go. Alexis seems to have warmed up to you and besides, you have to come with us.''

''and why is that Castle?'' Kate asked rolling her eyes at his childish antics to get her to stay with them a little longer, Alexis she could handle. She had warmed up to the girl a lot herself too but spending time with this egotistical man child was another thing.

''Because I owe you a coffee.'' He said simply, smirking at her again as he grabbed his coat and pulled Alexis to her feet off Kate's lap. ''I know this great little coffee shop that we can go to, it's not far from here actually.'' He started rambling on, Kate quickly shutting him out as she stood and reluctantly followed the two out the front doors of the hospital. It was going to be a long day, it already had been and here she was going for coffee with Richard Castle and his daughter. Oh god.

What had she just started.