Castle tonight:
Aww, Castle just wants to play white knight for Alexis' social woes. Yes, this is something she needs to handle herself, but I'll bet if there is something he can provide to help out it is hers for the asking.
Hee! The feuding Nick's.
I'm the only real Nick!
Whose first name is Ralph.
Exactly!
I might need flash cards to keep track of the Nicks and who prefers which Nicks.
Graduating from frat pranks to murder... why does this phrase sing for me? I dunno.
The pizza wars -- "much bigger than I thought"? Here we go -- the case seems to be graduating from Class of Frat Pranks.
This has to be about something bigger than who has the best pizza. Why yes, Captain Obvious. Ya think?
Money laundering connection now. Hmm. Seems too easy. This isn't the end of the story.
Beckett: You're the one who had imaginary friends growing up.
Castle: Still do.
I love these character beats -- Castle just owns his imagination. Loud and proud.
Aw, Alexis is finding out what vicious little monsters teens can be. Trying to steal the BF -- that's just the kind of lack of character that I absolutely despise in a human being, so I am totally Team!Alexis on this front. Now, I don't believe in payback -- it's lowering yourself to their level in some respects -- but I do believe in consequences. So... take that however you will.
Here we go -- Castle's gonna try a little under the table assistance for Alexis. Ryan's "this just got awkward" -- LMAO!!!
Cavello -- the "street myth" that Beckett doesn't believe in. RED FLAG RED FLAD RED FLAG I can't help wondering if there's a connection that might trace back to Beckett's mother's murder. Ahab and White Whale reference. Hmm.
Castle: You need to learn to be able to rise above.
There's the wise father giving good advice to his daughter.
Did you kick her ass?
I kinda did.
Good girl.
And there's the supportive father giving his daughter approval and understanding -- she IS just a kid caught up in a hurtful, nasty feud she didn't instigate. And she's not going to be a passive victim. Schaudenfraud's a real bitch.
Hey! Fanciful!Castle was right! Monica was involved somehow! Hey, that was a very convenient diappearance of her assailant, not to mention such an artful posed sprawl and ... dare I say minimal wounding for the supposed seriousness of the attack. Am I supposed to think a hitman is going to waste time roughing up his target, instead of just capping her and getting away from the scene? Hmm. Something is pinging me as fishy. It's ... quite pat.
Nick!Sal was the poor stupid sap who let himself be caught up in the retaliation game, so frustrated by the perceived unfairness of the pizza wars that he was willing to agree to lower himself into becoming complicit in something that was out of his control.
Okay, I was wrong about a possible connection to Beckett's past, but I *was* right about Monica's Victim!Fakeout. So glad the writers/direction of that earlier scene wasn't just Hollywood going for a tidy, good-looking scene while ignoring the implications of appearance.
Alexis handling things through appropriate channels -- good for her. Maybe that friendship can be repaired, maybe not. But she stepped out of continuing the cycle of retaliation tit-for-tat, and got things under control. A peaceful resolution to the friendship!war that had been gaining momentum.
Mmm. Pizza. Now I'm kinda hungry. Darn it, Castle!