"Kate, it's nice to put a face to the name. Alexis can't stop talking about you." What do you say to this? “Well, she's a good girl” “But you prefer me, don't you?” Rick's childish voice interrupted Martha's response. Strangely, his attempt at a joke made her feel more at ease. He could think of being back at the precinct with the kids, instead of in his kitchen. "No, that's not true!" Alexis chimed in, obviously thinking he was serious. “Richard,” Martha scolded, then turned to Kate. “I feel like I should apologize for his behavior. You'd think it would stop after he finished school...” She scoffed, but noticed the detective glared. to his son and had effectively silenced him. “Although I have to say detective, you can handle it pretty well” Again, what do you say? Thank you? He decided to focus on the gentle tug on her sleeve. He looked into Alexis' big blue eyes "You don't prefer it more, do you?" He asked shyly. “Of course not” Somehow he felt the need to reassure her. "In fact, it would be much better if you were at the precinct every day instead of him" This made the little red head laugh. "You hurt me with your words, Detective." Castello gasped. However, he was grateful that the detective comforted his daughter, knowing that she had trust issues because of her mother. But he wouldn't think about it now. "You will live" Beckett rolled his eyes. Alexis jumped from her chair and joined Rick, who was about to start cooking. After thinking for a while, Kate took the wine Martha had given her earlier and sipped it while watching Alexis and Rick cook. He was making his pasta carbonara famous throughout the world, in his words. It was like a well-rehearsed dance between Alexis and Rick, they... in the center of the paper... looked more like a bowl, or an aquarium, and they placed it in front of Kate. "No, you-" Kate tried to politely decline, however the older woman had already filled her cup with the offered drink and, if she was right, had practically downed half a bottle. “Drink” The flamboyant woman insisted taking a healthy sip of her glass of wine. "Jesus, Mom. Couldn't you have found bigger glasses?" Castle got angry when he saw the woman's glasses. Kate successfully stifled a laugh behind her glass of wine. "Oh, shut up." his mother was fired. "So, detective-" "Just Kate" Kate interrupted Martha and immediately turned to look at Castle, as if she could read his thoughts. Surely his mouth was open, ready to say something. She gave him a stern look, clearly stating that the same courtesy had not been extended to him. Neither of them caught Martha's amused look.