Incredible story! Excellent writing. Loved it all-from beginning to end.

Thank you for sharing your work with us.

At times I felt like Alexis needed to be put in her place but he now knows she felt like she was being replaced and was absolutely devastated with the thought of it and it wasn't out of malice. But he is an extremely forgiving man almost to the point of sickening and I felt like her reasoning why she acted out warranted him to ease off a little. But all he sees is Kate.

I can't be the only one annoyed with Michelle (aka Gladys Kravitz) I can see Castle maybe humoring her but Kate...

I loved the first four chapters of this story but it seemed to change direction the last four almost to the point of combining two totally different stories. It was like every Wings song I've ever heard.
But I do normally enjoy your work but this wasn't my favorite.

I still feel bad for Alexis, honestly maybe she's right and she will be the third wheel. So ceramics, drinking and make-up-sex really cleared up things for them.

And some of Kate's assertiveness, having a backbone seemed to have returned. Although her tone and all-around way she spoke (especially to Alexis) didn't hit the mark for me. For all the longing and 'I can't function without you" talk it seems like they are going through the motions.

While I really don't think it was your intention for me to feel sympathy for Alexis, I did get some understanding why she did the damage she did. She may claim she's the best and the most mature person to ever walk on this earth but her dad is her light, her rock. And I think she felt that she is nothing special to him to be replaced so easily by Kate and to be fair she has hurt him many, many times and Alexis has always had his back when Kate would push him aside.

Not saying what she did wasn't cruel, insensitive but she really doesn't have anyone who really truly loves her. And it's terrible to lose a parent in any sense. But she acted out of hurt and anger and I can see where she is coming from.

It's funny to me that Kate is a little off in this story. I can't put my finger on it but she seems like she is lacking any thought for the damage she may be causing. It's just less about taking ceramic classes with busybody Michelle and more about how shitty Castle feels right now cause she left him pretty much in the dark (not counting her bread crumbs she left in the note).
When you have a fight or hurt someone you are friends with or on a deeper level with its ingrained in you to check the phone and check the phone and emails and any little thing to check to see how that person is doing or if they said or did anything that you want or need to hear about. But her nonchalant attitude is a bit alarming to me. Who knew apple picking could be so fascinating to take her away from the hurt she caused him.

At this point Kate is the least sympathetic in this story.

I get New Mexico is very different than New York but kinda out of the blue to pick that destination plus she went to great lengths to leave no trace of herself.

This chapter felt a bit misplaced especially when it comes to Beckett which is weird because I normally like your take on Beckett.

But I did enjoy Castle's eerie demeanor with Alexis. And him just coming out with what is eating at him was fantastic and rare for him. Hmm... How is she going to get around this? Hope he gives her hell.

I know that out of the two of them that Castle is the one more driven by emotion but it's so refreshing to see Kate crumble a bit and actually do it in front of him shows how much they have grown.

As sad as it was to read I really felt it when he comforted Kate the way he used to comfort a wee little Alexis. God, now he has two women in his life falling apart all over a misunderstanding.

Wonderful description of Castle's fear receiving the letter. We all know that sinking feeling. Hoping he puts some theory together as to why she is behaving so irrationally. Cause I doubt Alexis will talk she seems quite content in her little a**hole bubble.

I appreciated that Kate tried to talk with Alexis but she seems to be blinded by hurt. Castle loves the both of them, obviously in different ways but he can't live without them but clearly Alexis misconstrued his personal thoughts for him thinking she was now second best. If I ever found Alexis to be likeable I may have felt sorry for her especially being so alone in every sense. But she is a snotty, inconsiderate character to take to.

Oh dear, poor Kate! While I don't like that she is keeping this from him I feel like she is backed into a corner with it. Their relationship is still so new and she is nowhere near being seen as family from Alexis and she feels so guilty and saddened that this is hurting Castle but she feels like it's all on her. Ugh, I felt so bad for her all the hard work they put into being together and she feels like she has to distance herself. It's her or Alexis and obviously he's going to pick his daughter if there were an actual issue going on but its too laced with hurt and anger to be dealt with properly.

It's so like him with bringing his (Homemade!) soup and medicine bag. Where's my Castle when I feel lousy?

A story about Alexis?! Well this must have pained you a great deal to write this but I've been reading another wonderful story and the latest chapter was about Alexis and her overachieving, self-centered ass and I needed to vent my issues with your story.

I can totally understand Alexis's discomfort with seeing Kate almost nude but her taking her insecurities about what her dad wrote out on Kate was just plain wrong. I don't think he wrote it the way she interrupted it and for some God forsaken reason he is crazy about Alexis and never ever showed signs that she was being replaced. But I did feel for her with her mentioning her lack of a mother it makes me only want to kick her in the face a few times now.

And I think it's cruel the way she is shutting him out after all that he's done and continues to do for her without so much as a sigh coming out of him.
Ugh, he should have sent her to boarding school soon as he had the chance. Ungrateful brat.

Wow! Castle is a seriously neglectful father in this!

quarantine has me reading through every Castle fic on the site. I know I've read this one before bc there's not many that included NM (a state I'm rather familiar with). delightful little story and since I'm usually annoyed by Alexis in the show, this was a nice little scolding for acting like a bit of a brat lol. thanks for writing!

Loved this one, too. Thank you.

This is love Castle and WRTRD.

This is a very nice plot. Love Castle and WRTRD.

Great fic

Another great story! Loved it!