Authors Note: Since the Show's canon writers and I have very different ideas of what Alexis's love life should look like (I wanted passion and her growing up dating a guy who could threaten Rick's role as primary male in her life, they decided to do the "Dating the dork Dad hates" Cliché) I am rejecting their trajectory and replacing it with my own. I do not own the rights for Castle, otherwise this would be a spin off miniseries starring Molly Quinn, and not a fanfiction. All characters that didn't originally appear in the show are property of ABC Studios and thus Disney.

Chapter 2.

Castle almost lost his footing when he saw the ring on his daughter's finger. Kate just walked out, if Castle could look at anything besides his daughter's hand, he would have noticed the coy smile on her lips as she realized that Alexis was about to shatter him mentally. It took Castle a few moments to make the proper analytical observations of the ring:

The ring was either unpolished silver or stainless pewter, not gold.

but had a pattern of a heart clasped in hands with a crown over it. However it lacked a diamond.

That meant it probably wasn't an engagement ring.

That meant he should not kill Jim immediately.

"What is it?" Rick Castle asked patiently.

Jim looked to Alexis, then at her father. "It's a Claddagh ring. I just gave it to her to confirm that we were in this for the long haul."

The Long Haul. "are you engaged?"

Alexis kissed her boyfriend on the cheek. "Not yet" then she gave another peck. "I'm heading up to bed. Night daddy, Night sweetie" a third kiss and she walked up the stairs. The two men watched her walk up the staircase. Well Jim watched her walk up the staircase. Castle Alternated watching his little girl all grown up going to the bedroom she'd had since she was an infant, and watching the young man admire his daughter's butt in that too tight dress.

"So you're really serious about my daughter?" Castle asked Jim.

The younger man composed himself immediately. "Yes sir I am."

Castle grabbed Jim's leather clad arm and lead him gently to the parlor. "You know, Jim. We never had the chance to really talk about your personal past. Tell me, is Alexis your first?"

Castle smiled internally as he watched the gears turn in Jim's head. He analyzed every tick and twich and bead of sweat as he awaited an answer. "My first what?" Jim asked.

"The first girl you've given a ring to?" castle clarified.

"Yes sir."

"The first girl you've ever sworn was for the long haul?"

"Yes sir."

"The first girl you've ever been this in love with?"

"Yes Sir." Castle liked the sincerity in he heard in that one. now for the big trick.

"The first girl you ever slept with?"

"Yes Sir." The two men exchanged eye contact. "I mean… No sir… I mean…"

"Have you had sex with my daughter or not?" Castle asked.

Jim took a deep breath. "No sir. I have not. My faith is very important to me and I don't want to risk anything."

Rick moved his hand up from Jim's arm and onto his shoulder. He gave his best badass glare and lowered his voice to as threatening as he could. "Understand something kid. I have some form of respect for you. I think you are a smart boy who has a bright future ahead of him in at least something. But also understand that I know the road you're travelling means a lot of uncertainty, it means a lot of long days and sleepless nights. I understand that being in love with a cop means a constant state of worry, and can be really stressful. I also know that my daughter is brilliant and will soon have a degree from an ivy league school, and fast track to a lucrative career in any field she so chooses..."

Jim, obviously not sure where this was going asked "What are you trying to say?"

"Let me finish" Castle admonished. "If any only if she can get through her studies. I don't think dating a boy who'll very well get shot any day can help her with that. I don't think she's old enough for a commitment so serious that she carries a symbol of it on her hand every day. I don't think that either of you has any idea how hard this part of the long haul is going to be. And the minute it gets too rough, people your age break, because my generation hasn't prepared you for the world well enough. And when it breaks, understand this. I'll be there to pick up her pieces, and I'll do everything I can to avenge her of whatever broke her."

"I understand sir." Jim said. "I better go. Tomorrow is hostage negotiation training."

"Have fun." Castle said as his daughter's boyfriend walked out of the apartment. When the door closed he danced a little jig. That was his first big scary daddy speech, and he felt so proud of himself for delivering it so perfectly when unrehearsed. He continued his victory dance of dad dominance until he saw something. Alexis standing at the top of the stairs. Oh boy! Castle thought.

Alexis, her makeup still on but her dressed replaced by an oversized NYPD T-shirt, came down the stairs with her arms across her chest. "Do you really not think we're going to make it?" She asked.

Castle tried to read her face. It was either anger, or sadness, probably a bit of both. He tried to think of something proper to say, but had wasted all his awesomeness telling of Jim. "I…I…I…I"

Alexis pointed her finger and stuck it in her father's chest. "Listen Dad. I'm not a girl anymore. I heard everything you said to Jim. I get that he's not the Ivy League financial heir, or law student you want for me. But I've never felt more loved by a man." Castle shuttered at that line and Alexis seemed to notice that maybe she didn't phrase that right. "Besides you." Oh thank God. Crossed through Castle's head "He makes me feel smart and important and he respects me. and yes Dad He makes me feel sexy." Castle retroactively decided that was second to last thing he ever wanted to hear come out of Alexis's mouth. "The two of us are adults trying to find our way in the world together, and we'll do it with or without your blessing. I'll always love you Daddy, but Jim and I are a package deal for the foreseeable future, and I want you to understand that!" She turned up her tiny nose, turned on her barefoot heel and walked right back up the stairs.

In less than an hour, Castle had not only pissed off his own girlfriend, but also his daughter over the same subject, and the two women had both sides with an eighteen year old boy over him…

Castle missed Ashley. Ashley was never this much freaking trouble.