A/N: I'm back with another Castle one shot! =) I'm always up for requests, so if you have a certain idea in your mind that you'd like me to create a fic about, I'd love to do so! You can message me or leave a review. Thank you for taking the time to read this! Reviews, favorites, and follows are always welcomed. =)
A very pregnant Katherine Beckett-Castle tossed and turned in the large king sized bed she shared with her husband. It was the middle of August and the weather still hadn't begun to cool off in the slightest way. It was nearly eighty-five degrees outside and it felt even hotter in their bedroom. She looked up at their ceiling fan, which was on full speed but seemed to be doing nothing. Apparently her husband felt like it was working because he was hogging all the covers on the bed. She couldn't help but snort at his appearance; he looked like a burrito, wrapped in two layers of blankets.
She sat up slowly because of the protruding stomach in her way and waddled her way into the kitchen. Kate obtained a glass of ice water before lying back down, placing the glass by her bedside table near her charging cell phone. Just as she placed her hands on her abdomen and closed her eyes, finally finding a comfortable position, her eyes snapped open at the sound of her husband's loud snoring. An infuriating feeling welled up in her chest as she glared at him, sound asleep and comfortable. Still.
"Rick," Kate growled as she tried to grab the pillow from behind her so she could whack him on the head, but she couldn't find the energy to do so. Huffing, tears welling up in her hazel-green eyes, she sat up again, grabbed a pillow, and marched into her husband's office. She plopped herself down on the couch he so often fell asleep on as he wrote late into the early morning hours of the next day. Making herself as comfortable as she could, Kate tried to fall asleep.
Richard Castle woke up the next morning to find his wife's side of the bed empty. He scrunched his brows together in confusion; she had begun sleeping later as her pregnancy progressed. He wearily got out of bed, turning down the fan that nearly froze him to death that night, and shuffled out into the kitchen. His wife was nowhere to be seen. Just as the panic set in, his daughter and mother, sipping hot tea from over the granite island smiled and motioned to his office.
And there she was.
His darling wife lay fast asleep on his couch, one hand caressing her belly and the other under her cheek. Her hair was a frazzled mess and she looked as though she'd been crying earlier, her eyes puffy and tearstains adorning her cheeks. Glancing at the clock in his office, he noticed it was nearly ten o'clock. He shrugged, deciding she obviously needed her rest, and padded over to her side. He simply kissed her forehead before walking over to his mother and daughter, glancing over his shoulder to look at her sleeping form.
"Rick?" A quiet voice said, husky with sleep. He turned around in an instant, noticing that Kate was now awake. "You woke me up again?" She groaned, tears filling her tired eyes.
"No, no, no, Kate don't cry." Castle pleaded with her, as if he were afraid that her tears would melt her. "Baby, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to wake you up." He soothed, sitting beside her as she sat up, wiping her wet face. He wrapped his arms the best he could around her torso and rocked them back and forth, kissing the top of her head as he did so.
"I was really hot so I got water," She sniffled as he tried to understand her through her tears. "And then I almost fell asleep but you kept me up with your stupid snoring so I tried to hit you with my pillow but I'm a whale now and I couldn't," Rick couldn't help but smirk, trying his best to hide his laughter as he looked up at his smiling mother as she listened in on their conversation. "So I came here to lie down on your couch like you do when you write too late and finally fell asleep." She buried her head in the curve of his neck and sniffled as her tears died down. Suddenly her head snapped up and she hit him hard on his chest. "But then you woke me up again just now!"
"Kate darling, I know my son is absolutely incorrigible-"
"Extremely!" Kate groaned from the couch.
"But I think you're just absolutely exhausted. You do so much work carrying that little one of yours all day long and can't seem to sleep a wink the whole night, I get that, I really do." Martha said, beginning to intercede so her husband isn't beaten to a pulp by the woman he impregnated. "I'll make you some coffee and run you a hot bath and see if we can put that son of mine to work on rubbing your feet."
"And my back."Beckett demanded, accepting her mother-in-law's offer, her eyes still dropping as she leaned against Castle's back.
"And your back, of course. How could I forget?" He said, receiving him another slap across his chest.
Kate had survived the rest of the day with only one forty minute nap, her mood brightening slightly. By the time it was nine thirty she felt her body winding down and decided to go to bed earlier than usual. She bid goodnight to everyone (even her incorrigible husband) and fell the second her head hit the pillow. She awoke later that night, her bladder demanding to be emptied as her baby sat on it. She frowned, her husband's body missing beside her. He'd turned the fan on high for her, given her and extra pillow, and placed a cold water bottle on her bedside table.
"I'll be less incorrigible tonight. Love you. –Rick" Was written on the empty space he should be sleeping on. After quickly using the restroom, Kate wandered to the couch she slept on last night, only to find Castle fast asleep. She smiled at the sight of him, chuckling silently as he let out another dreadfully loud snore. She crept closer, sitting on the edge of the couch.
"You aren't incorrigible, Rick." She whispered, kissing his forehead and shaking him awake. He looked around with confusion, then realized where he was sleeping and why.
"Kate? Why are you awake?" He mumbled sleepily, sitting up.
"Because I can't sleep without my husband by my side." She smiled, kissing his lips briefly.
"I'm incorrigible." He whined, pouting like an offended child. "You and Mother said so."
"No, you aren't." She chuckled, kissing his forehead gently and holding her hand out to him. "Now come back to bed. I miss you."