It's been along time since I've written a fanfic or updated some of my stories, but I was compelled to write this after watching the series finale.
Here's my 8x22 AU Continuation...
The steady beep of the heart monitor lulled her to sleep. Hearing it, knowing he was still with her, sent a wave of calm through her; something she hadn't felt for a long time. Since this all had started, she'd constantly been on edge. Alert. Afraid that at any moment her whole life and everything important in it would be ripped from her. Even with him by her side she worried. Worried for him, their future. All she did was look over shoulder, hoping that they'd make it through another day. She couldn't remember the last time she had a full night's rest or a peaceful slumber.
The nightmares that plagued her every night lessened when his warm body was next to hers in bed, but they never completely disappeared.
Coming home that night after everything had happened, after ending Loksat, she'd wanted nothing more than to curl up with him in bed, forgetting about everything in the world except them.
As they lay next to one another on their kitchen floor, slowly bleeding out, she couldn't help but wish for a future she'd thought would never come.
They'd never get their happy ending. Having kids. Growing old together.
Everything in life she'd wanted with him was being ripped away in that moment.
As she lay there, clutching his hand in hers, she wished for more.
A tear escaped the corner of her eyes as she thought about everything that had led them to this point.
Meeting him, working with him, getting to know him….loving him. Marrying him. It was the best thing that had ever happened to her. He was her best friend. Her partner in crime, and in life.
Looking over at him…at the life draining from his eyes…she wanted more.
A groan from the bed arose Kate from her slumber. She stood up as quickly as her injury would allow, going to him and grasping his hand strongly with hers. Feeling his fingers tighten in response was one of the best feelings in the world. He was here. He came back to her.
His eyes fluttered open at the contact; bright blue meeting her green eyes tinged with so many emotions. The depth of those baby blue eyes she loved seeing every morning when she woke up, and the last thing she saw before falling asleep at night, reassured her that he was in fact alive and breathing, despite her constant fear.
"Hey handsome." Kate said softly, stroking his cheek with the hand not holding his.
She wanted so desperately to hold onto to him for dear life, to never let go, afraid that she'd blink and he'd be gone.
His brow furrowed as he took her in: the darkened circles under her eyes, the worried look in her eyes, despite the loving expression on her face.
"Kate? Wha-what happened?" He said hoarsely, licking his lips, feeling the rough scratch of his throat as though his mouth had been filled with cotton. Looking around the room, everything began rushing back. "Oh god." Castle said, his eyes widening as vivid memories of the shooting swam into his vision. "We- you-the shooting, Kate, what are you doing, are you okay? What—"
"Hey, hey, hey, shh, I'm ok," she said interrupting him, running a soothing hand through his hair. "The shot was a through and through; missed all of my organs. It cracked a rib, but other than that, I'm fine. The recovery will be tedious, and P.T. will be a bitch, but I'm okay, I promise."
Her reassuring words did little to calm his nerves if the look on his face was any indication.
"Shouldn't you be in bed resting? You're gonna hurt yourself moving around. What if you tear your stitches?" He said anxiously, his eyes roaming over her body as if she'd start bleeding out at any moment.
Kate picked his hand up gently, placing it on her heart, hoping that the ongoing rhythm would reassure him. "I did rest, don't worry. Babe you've been out for almost a week. You…you weren't as lucky. The bullet hit you in the chest, piercing your right lung. They said you stopped breathing in the ambulance, and as soon as we got to the hospital you were taken into surgery."
Kate stopped, taking in a stuttering breath as she thought about how close it had been.
"Your heart stopped twice in surgery from all the blood loss and stress. They had to put you on a ventilator because you weren't breathing on your own, and I just…seeing you like that…You were so pale Rick. I stared at you for hours, but you never moved. I prayed you'd come back to me. God, I was so scared. I thought…"
"Hey, shh no." Castle said, swiping his thumb along her cheek as the tears fell. "I'm okay. We're both okay right?"
Kate nodded, biting her lip. "After three days in the ICU, you finally started breathing on your own again. I think it was the first time since we got here that I was able to take a full breath of my own. I've never been so thankful in my life." She said, shaking her head as the tears continued to roll down her cheeks. "They took you off the ventilator and brought you down here. By that time I'd been released from the hospital, so I got to sit here with you all day. Everyone tried to get me to go home, but I couldn't. I couldn't leave you Castle…not until I knew for sure that you were going to be okay…that you'd come back to me. It's been a day and a half since then. God every time your finger twitched or you made a noise I got so excited, so hopeful you'd wake up. The first time you moved I jumped out of my chair so fast I tore a stitch. Espo and Ryan made me promise to stay in the chair if I wanted to sit here all day." Kate said, shaking her head with a small smile. It was clear by the look on her face how much she appreciated everything the boys had done for her.
"I just—I'm so glad that you're okay." Kate said, the smile slipping off her face as she looked at him once again. "I was so worried, and I'm so sorry Rick, this is all my fault…I'm so sorry baby." She whispered, leaning her forehead against his.
The guilt crushed her. As she sat there hour after hour watching him, her thoughts circled around everything that had brought them to that point. Everything she'd done to get them there.
Castle shook his head immediately, reaching up to cup the back of her neck, bringing her even closer to him. "Kate, honey, no. This is not your fault, okay? I chose to do this with you. For better or worse remember? What did you say about great love stories, hmm?"
Pulling back, she looked at him teary eyed, a small smile growing on her face. She sighed softly before repeating back the words she had said to him so long ago. "That's what great love stories are about…beating the odds."
"Exactly." Castle said, his eyes staring at her with so much love she could barely breathe. "I'm in this with you, no matter what Kate. But we don't have to worry about that anymore ok? It's over. Loksat is over. We did it."
"We did it." She said with a small laugh, her eyes shining with love and admiration. "I can't believe it's over."
Kate scooted further onto the bed, bringing their bodies closer, despite Castle's protests. She took a deep breath before looking at him, apprehension clear in her eyes. "Babe, I wanted to talk to you about something." She said nervously, biting her lip.
His brows furrowed in question as he gave her a nod to continue.
"Do you remember a while ago, before all of this happened, when we talked about starting a family?" She asked quietly, a small smile on her face.
His eyes softened as his smile reflected hers. "There's nothing more in the world that I want, Kate."
She beamed at him, leaning in to give him a sweet kiss. Leaning back, she brought her hand up to gently stroke her thumb over his cheek. "That's good then babe, because we'll have a little less than eight months to get ready."
Castle paused a moment, opening and closing his mouth as he processed her words. "Get ready? Wha—Kate? Are you..?"
"I'm pregnant." She said grinning, looking at him with tears in her eyes. "We're gonna have a baby."
He surged forward, despite his injuries, wrapping her in a hug and burying his face in her neck. "Kate, a baby, we're having a baby." Castle said, pulling back to look at her and run a gentle hand over her lower stomach. "Did you know? Before..."
"No, no, I had no idea." She said, shaking her head. "When they brought us in, they ran some blood tests and well, here we are. The doctor said I'm probably about six weeks along, but they'll have a more accurate estimation when we get a full ultrasound done."
Running his thumb gently over the bandages on her side, he glanced up at her worriedly. "Everything's okay though? Even with the gunshot wound?"
"Everything's great. He or she is a little fighter." Kate said with a smile, covering his hand on her belly.
"Just like their mommy." Castle said softly.
Kate looked up at him, awe and wonder in her eyes, as if the realization just struck her. "I'm...I'm gonna be a mommy…Rick…"
"Honey, you're going to be the best mommy ever." He said with all the confidence in the world.
Kate surged forward, kissing him with everything she had.
A mommy. She was going to be a mommy. Nothing had ever sounded so wonderful. The thought of a little baby, their baby, growing inside of her made fresh tears spring to her eyes.
Despite everything that had happened these past couple months…despite all the hard times they dealt with over the years…everything that led up to this moment in time was worth it. Looking at her husband, holding their hands over her stomach, thinking about the life they created…she had never been happier.
In this moment, she truly knew that even on the worst days there was a possibility for joy.
When she walked into his book launch all those years ago, she would have never in her wildest dreams imagined her life would turn out like this: The love of her life sitting next to her. A baby growing inside of her.
They truly have had a great run.
But the best part? It was far from over.
In fact, it was just beginning.
No matter where life took them, they'd be together. A writer and his muse. Partners in crime, and in life.
She wouldn't want it any other way.
Always.
Well, there you go.
I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments. I'm not sure if this is going to be a one-shot or a multi-chapter fic. Let me know what you think.
I hope you enjoyed it!
-S