Chapter 1:
It could be really late, or very early depending on the perspective. He turned and squirmed, trying to get himself into a comfortable position. All this movement slowly pulled Kate out of her much needed sleep. Eyes still shut; she braced herself and took in a few deep breaths. The hand clutched close to her chest wandered to the other of the bed, only to find it cold and empty. Calmly, she opened her eyes and slowly, the fogginess in her view dissipated.
Her view now completely unobstructed by sleep, she jerked up into a half sitting position, supported on her elbows, realizing she was alone. She anxiously scanned the bedroom. He wasn't anywhere in sight. She rotated until her feet fell to the floor and slowly lifted herself up. A hand nervously passed through her messy hair.
Great, now I have to pee. Thanks for that, bud.
With a pit stop to bathroom, she started by peeking into his office to make sure her husband wasn't caught up in his latest Nikki Heat installment. She hated when he pulled all nighters, but as he always reminded her, he couldn't control when inspiration hit him. She opened the door and quickly glanced around the room, empty. Tiptoeing out, she turned and headed for living room only to fall face to face with her husband.
"Castle? What the hell?" she let out.
A moan was the only reaction she got from the man huddled up on the couch.
Kate got closer and asked in a semi-joking, semi-pissed off voice, "Castle, why are you sleeping on the couch? Did we have a fight? Because I don't recall. I know I have pregnancy brain and all but…"
Kate got another moan in response as he turned over on the couch, now facing its back and she was amazed at the depth of his sleep.
"Rick?" she asked softly.
"Hmmm?" He rubbed his eyes and peered at the DVR, 4:32. Sheepishly, still very much in his sleep, he asked "Why are we awake?"
He turned his head around towards her and upon seeing her, suddenly, he jerked up, "Oh the baby!" His feet were on the floor in no time. He stood completely erect, sleep having instantaneously vanished from his expression. He panted, his eyes filled with worry, "Is everything okay with the baby?"
Kate smiled and looked at him lovingly as she presumed to soothingly pat her abdomen. She took a few steps in his direction until her arms were safely around his neck, her small bump accosted on him. Peering up, she answered, "Relax Rick." She gave him a chaste kiss, "Everything is fine with our son, Castle, still very active. He isn't coming out for another 4 months." She let go of him and took a step back so they'd be facing each other before adding and on hips, "It's his mother that panics when she wakes up mid-night to find herself alone in their room. You slept on the couch?"
"Yeah…" he started and his wife arched an elbow inquiring more.
"Kate, it's just, you…Kate, you" he searched for the words, the right words that wouldn't make her angry. These days, with the hormones raging, he still had difficulties determining what would set her off. Seeing as she was becoming impatient, and that he couldn't find any way to say it, he blurred out, "You snore." He smiled and nodded as her head jerked back in surprise, "You snore a lot."
"I do not!" she declared.
He breathed in and sighed, smiling he explained, "But Kate, you do. It's been going on for a couple of weeks now. Sometimes it's manageable, but when you're really tired you… You snore like a trucker. And last night, you snored like one."
"You should have told me, Rick."
"Usually Kate, I can sleep just fine. It's no big deal."
"How long?"
"How long. What?"
"How long have you been sleeping on the couch?"
"Just a couple of nights here and there, I usually jump back into bed in the wee hours of the morning or get up to prepare breakfast if I hear you get up before me."
"I'm sorry, babe. But you should have told me."
"Makes me think, what are you two doing up at this god forsaken hour?" he said as he grabbed her forearm and pulled her into a tight embrace.
Resting her head on his chest she answered, "Your kid hates to sleep. He was moving a lot and when he finally settled on a position, well, I had to pee."
He laughed. "Of course you did," he said as planted a kiss on her forehead.
Squatting down and lightly kissing the small bump of her belly, he placed his hand just to the right of her navel and asked to her stomach, "Hey, Capt. You keeping mommy awake again?"
Kate light-heartily laughed. "Castle, you calling him the Captain of my Bladder was cute and funny at first but now-."
He laughed, "Oh, come on, Kate. It's hilarious. And so very accurate."
She placed her hand atop his and smiled. He was right. This baby always seemed to be resting on her bladder. Never in her life had she thought someone could go pee as much as she was.
His eyes widened as he exclaimed, "Hey, makes me think. I think I found the perfect name!"
She arched an eyebrow, bracing herself for what was about to come. The man wanted to call his firstborn Cosmo for the love of god.
"Malcolm."
She looked at him pensive, nodding her head slightly, repeating the name in her head.
Malcolm. Malcolm Castle…
Liking the sound of it, she tried it out loud. "Mal…" she started and suddenly, it hit her, "Castle, not again with that silly show!"
His mouth opened wide, his eyes in shock, "Silly show!?" He dramatically placed his hands over his heart and stumbled down into the couch in defeat. "That hurts, Detective Beckett."
She laughed at his theatrics and sat down beside him. She grabbed his arm and playfully rolling her eyes she stated, "Get up!" as she pulled him into a sitting position,
"Malcolm is a Kick-ass name." he starts as he leans in slowly, sucking on her jugular. His lips patiently making their way to her jaw, then her cheek and when his lip are almost on hers, his hands grabbing her hips, he adds, "And I happen to know you also love the show. We happen to share a Netflix, detective. I know you're 4 episodes ahead of where we left off."
He could see her color change beneath his eyes. Burying her face in his neck as she mumbled, "You were away. I missed you."
"What?"
"3 weeks ago, you spent the week-end in LA promoting the third graphic novel."
"Yeah?"
"I was stuck here, and I missed you."
"Okay…"
"Captain Mal…"
"Yeah?"
She blushed even more, she couldn't believe what she was about to say, "He helped. He made me miss you less. Because you know… he looks a little bit like you…"
His smile was now huge, "Yeah? Oh, wow. He does, doesn't he?"
"A younger, and handsomer version of you perhaps." She added teasingly.
"Ouch. Beckett. Again with the hits."
"Get over it" she stated as she pulled on the collar of his shirt bringing him down with her as she laid down on the couch. Her hands fiddled with the hair at the back of his neck, their eyes locked in each other's, as Castle's body toppled hers, she added, "I'm not saying no to the name. I'll think about it."
She didn't want to admit it, but she really did like the sound of that name.
Her mouth found his and slowly her hands descended, groping, playing. She plunged under his shirt, caressing his bare back, his hips. His hands expertly pulled her shirt over her head as his mouth found a new playground. His tongue teasingly trailing her sternum, her hips arched with need, when the familiar ringtone echoed in the loft.
Both simultaneously groaned and Rick laying his forehead in the crook of her neck stated, "They always have such great timing."
Her breathing still quick and her lips plump, Rick watched as his topless wife hurried to their bedroom.
A couple of minutes later, she came out of the room nodding, a sleeping shirt on, and Castle groaned again.
Damn murders always getting in the way.
Still in his thoughts, he barely registered the conversation going on behind him. He turned around when he heard, "Perfect, we'll be there in 20. See you there."
He looked at her, "Kate, you're 22 weeks pregnant. They shouldn't even have you be on call anymore."
"Come on Castle, I like the body drops. I've been semi-benched for weeks now. Only active crime scenes polluted with officers. I do interrogations with suspects and family, but in only in the vicinity of the precinct and I do lots and lots of paperwork. Ryan and Espo, are having a kick about it, actually. I've been very diligent about staying safe, just leave me this."
"I know, it's just, you should be getting sleep."
"Castle I went to bed before 9 yesterday."
"It's still so early, you could have had more."
She pointed at them back and forth while adding, "Right sleep, because that's what we were doing."
He sighed loudly and leaned back into the couch.
"Besides, Castle," she adds grabbing his neck and kissing his cheek, "You're going to be so glad I was still on call for this one."
Thoughts? Comments? Complaints?
I haven't read that many "baby fics" and I don't know if that name is overly used, but I just couldn't help myself, doesn't mean the name will stick. Hope you enjoyed!
