AN - Written for the prompt Past at Castleland on LJ, write about one of the main characters at least a year before the show began.

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"I think I'm done." Castle announced with a flourish.

"With what?" Alexis asked without looking up, knowing her father, he was probably being a drama queen.

"This!" Castle practically yelled, getting up from behind his desk and brandishing his latest manuscript.

"You finished the book?" Alexis finally looked up, a smile etched on her delicate features; only to stop suddenly at the Crazy look on her father's face. "Erm...dad? Should I call...someone?"

"What?" Castle answered, looking almost startled to find his daughter in the room, "No Alexis, I'm not going crazy, or well crazier, I promise," he said with a smile, and waltzed over to give her a hug, "I'm just done with this!" he looked sadly at the manuscript.

"What do you mean done?" she asked curiously.

"I'm done, he's done, I've had enough of him." Castle replied, moving back, he opening the novel and began to tear the pages, throwing them unceremoniously around the room.

"What are you going to do with him then?" Alexis grinned at her father as he danced around the room, an array of paper falling to the ground, he may be slightly, or actually very nuts, but he was hers and there was no-one like him.

Castle stopped and looked at her solemnly, suddenly very still and quiet, looking like a child about to admit they'd done something bad.

"I think I need to kill him," he almost whispered.

"Kill Derek Storm?" Alexis was on her feet, concern showing on her young face.

"Yeah," Castle answered, "I mean, if I don't people will expect another book and Gina will never accept I don't want to write him again and he's not exactly the kind of character to get a 'happy ending.' I don't know how else I could stop."

"But dad really? Killing him? There would be no going back."

"Oh Alexis," he smiled once more, putting his arm around his daughter, leading her back to her seat, with her books and her studying, "I wrote loads of stuff before Derek Storm, I'll find another character," he pondered for a second and his smile turned to a grin, "maybe a female this time." he laughed.

"Dad, the book is due out in three months, they're working on the cover art, you can't just change it now," Alexis pointed out, the sensible one in the conversation.

"Hmm..." Castle's grin faded as he though what Gina would say if he delayed this book any further, he was already two months overdue. "Okay," he said, "compromise," he looked down at his daughter, the grin returning, "this one goes out as is, next one isn't due out for over a year, in that one he dies!" Castle finished with a little laugh.

"You are crazy dad, you know that right?" Alexis laughed at her father as she picked up her book again.

"Yep," he answered, "so you'd better watch out, I hear it's hereditary!" he laughed and returned to his computer, he had a character to kill.