A/N: Well, here you go: my fist fanfic! It will be a multi-chapter fic, and there will be some M rated scenes later on (even though I don't know how good I am at it :P).
This is how I imagine things would have gone if they met earlier in their lives.

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters. They all belong to one of the most brilliant men on the planet: Andrew Marlowe

Kate screamed herself awake. Not like that was new. She had done so pretty much every morning since that night in the alley. Drenched in sweat she sat up in bed and swung her feet to the floor. The tears running down her cheeks fell into her lap. She lifted a hand to dry them away. Why does it have to be so hard? She thought.

She rose and went to the bathroom. Lugging her feet out of there, she went over to the book shelf. There it was, the same place it had been for a year; her mother's signed copy of At Dusk We Die. The book looked like it had been read about a hundred times, which might not be that far from the truth. She never would have thought it was murder mysteries that were going to help her trough her own tragedy. Still, nothing could bring her mind off it like his books.

After a while studying the books, she decided on A Rose For Everafter, one of her personal favorites. Snuggling back under the cover, she turned on the light and started doing the only thing she knew would get her through the night; read.

Rick finally hit the pillow after a long night of writing. He really had to finish, but was struggling with inspiration, therefore the all-nighter. But the second he closed his eyes a little redhead popped into the room. She started running towards the bed and jumped in right beside him. His eyes shot open, heart in his throat for a second, until he realized it was his daughter.

"Hey, pumpkin" He put on his brightest smile. No matter how tired he was, he would always have time for his little girl.

"Hi, daddy! Are you ready? Are you ready?" She asked, jumping up and down on the bed, unable to contain her excitement. At Rick's puzzled expression she added "We were going to the park today, remember? We are still going right? Daddy, you promised!" Her eyes were already watering, still unable to trust anybody from all of Meredith's lies.

"Yes, sweetie, of course!" He exclaimed cursing himself for staying up so late. "But first we need to get some breakfast, don't you think?" He smiled at her.

"Yup! And you need to get dressed, you can't go to the park in your jammies, silly" she smiled like she didn't have a care in the world. He hoped she would never stop smiling at him like that.

He lifted her off the bed and hung her carefully over his shoulder. She squealed before she bursted into a fit of gigles. "So, what does my princess want for breakfast this morning?" He asked playfully.

"Pancakes!" she exclaimed over excitedly. He took off to the kitchen, swirling around a couple of times, to the great joy of Alexis.

Kate was finally finished for the day. Joining the academy had been though, but she felt it was the right thing. Her mother's murder still hung over her like a shadow, keeping all the happiness at an arms distance. There was no way to get on with her life before she had solved it.

She had gathered all her books, and decided for a stroll through the park. The fresh air would do her some good, and she definitely needed some of those warm may sunrays. Walking along one of the many paths through the park, she enjoyed the sound of birds high in the trees. She had not gotten much sleep, but that was nothing new. Even though she had been to therapy, she still had not gotten over the murder. Frankly, she thought she never would be. To be honest, she was a bit pleased with that. She never wanted to forget a case that important to her, because it felt like letting her mother down.

A sudden movement caught her eye right in front of her. She heard a voice call out "Alexis, watch ou-", but the next thing a small redhead run into her, knocking her papers all over the ground.

The cute girl sitting in front of her on the ground seemed a little shocked. A man came running after her, still calling what must be the girl's name. Kate bent down to her "Hey, are you okay?" She asked the girl - Alexis was it? – who was looking at the ground.

"Ah, yes, I think so… I'm sorry, I wasn't watching where I was running!" the little girl looked up at her with big baby blues, almost tears in her eyes.

"Oh, that's okay, I wasn't paying attention anyway, probably my fault" Kate said trying to calm her down. She really was deep in thought, and how could she blame those beautiful eyes?

The man that seemed to be the girl's father finally caught up. "Alexis, you have to watch where you are going! I'm so sorry, let me help you with these" he bent down and started to collect her papers that were scattered all over the ground.

They finally finished, and he handed her the pile he picked up. She lifted her eyes up and into a familiar face. It took Kate about two point one second to realize why those blue eyes had felt so safe. The girl's father was none other than the famous author Richard Castle! He is even more handsome in reality, she thought. His broad shoulders were hidden under a blue button down, his strong arms lifting big hands up to draw through his brownish hair. His face bore a slightly worried expression, with the cutest worried wrinkle on his forehead. He looked a bit tired, but still just like the photo. Kate was too stunned to say a word for a second, but quickly put herself together. "Oh, no problem, I wasn't watching where I was going anyway" His blue eyes where shining at her with such an intensity. They were smiling at her with a warmth she had not seen in a while.

"Are you sure you are okay?" He asked, looking a bit concerned again.

"Yeah, yeah, no problem, Mr…..?" she asked, trying to lure it out of him, just to be sure. Not that she really needed reassurance. She was already certain.

He looked a bit surprised before he reached out a hand "Oh, call me Rick, and this is my daughter Alexis" He beamed at the little girl with love in his eyes, and his voice bore the obvious tone of pride.

"Hey" Alexis whispered a bit shy all of a sudden.

Kate shook his hand, and then stretched hers out to Alexis "Nice to meet you, Rick and Alexis. I'm Kate". She smiled at the petite girl. The small cheeks of this little angel reddened a bit, but she took Kate's had anyway.

With an impressive handshake she said in a timid voice "Nice to meet you too, Kate". She let go of her hand, and grabbed a hold on her father's pants, holding on like he was a great wall that would keep out all the bad things she might meet in her life. No wonder, Kate found herself thinking, he is such a protective father figure, she probably couldn't be safer in this entire city than she is right now.

"Well, we have a play to catch, and I am sure Kate here has enough on her plate" he gestured to the pile of papers in her arms, "so I think we better get going. It was really nice to meet you, Kate" He smiled at her again, that warm smile again. "Hope we see you again"

"Bye, Kate" Alexis said, smiling up at Kate with the most adorable smile Kate had ever seen.

She could not help the smile that escaped her normally sad face. "Good bye, have fun!" She started to walk again, waving to the little girl, feeling the writer's eyes burning holes in her back.