So, I know this is a little late, but this is my Beckett birthday fic for the year. Set in season 7. Originally posted on tumblr.
(Kate)
"Happy birthday, Kate."
She blinks her eyes open sleepily, a contented grin stretching across her face. "Hey," she murmurs, focusing on her husband and the little pink bundle he's cradling. "How is she?"
Castle grins. "She's perfect." He comes to sit on the edge of Kate's bed, takes care not to jostle her as he passes her their newborn daughter. Kate just stares at the sleeping baby, falls in love all over again. He's right. She's perfect.
"How long was I out?" she asks distractedly, focusing on memorizing their little girl's face.
"Just a few hours," he tells her. "It's just after four."
She nods and they drift into silence. She's vaguely aware of him taking more pictures with his phone, but it doesn't bother her like it normally would. She can't blame him. She'd be taking pictures too, if she could.
After about fifteen minutes of silence, Castle pipes up excitedly. "Do you want to know her name?"
Kate finally tears her gaze away from their baby to pin him with a look. She raises an eyebrow. "I thought our agreement was that whoever won the bet got to choose her name…"
"So it was," he agrees. "And I won the bet."
She shakes her head, frowning. "You did not," she argues. "I was in the delivery room well before midnight. She was born on the 16th. Therefore, I win."
Castle shakes his head, grinning smugly. "Nope," he says. "You were in there just long enough, Kate."
She groans. "Seriously?"
He nods, beaming. "Our little lady was born on November 17th, at 12:01 am."
Kate sighs, then eyes him suspiciously. "You wouldn't lie about this, would you?"
He gasps. "Katherine Castle, I would never," he says, faking affront. "But," he continues, less dramatically, "if you need proof, I can always have your doctor or one of the nurses confirm it."
She softens, shakes her head. "That's okay, Rick. I trust you." She waits patiently for a couple of minutes before she realizes he's just staring at them adoringly. "So, you said you have a name picked out," she reminds him. "Do I get to hear it, or…"
"Oh, right!" He grins sheepishly. "Charlotte," he says. "Her name is Charlotte."
She tugs him closer, gives him a quick, yet passionate, kiss. She doesn't realize that there are tears in her eyes until she pulls away.
Castle's grinning at her, looks a little shell-shocked. "I take it you approve?" he asks.
Kate nods. "If I'd won," she starts, quirking her eyebrow at him, "I was going to suggest Charlotte." They share a moment of contented silence. "What about her middle name?" she asks.
"I was thinking Johanna," he says. "That is, if you don't mind."
A few happy tears make their way down her cheeks. "Why would I mind?" she asks. "It's beautiful."
They sink back into silence, and Kate can feel the tiredness seeping back into her body. She tries to stifle a yawn before Castle sees, but of course he notices.
He presses a kiss to her temple. "You should get some more rest," he murmurs. "I can take her again." He reaches for Charlotte, but Kate stops him.
"Not yet, okay?" she says, giving him a tired smile. "I want to hold her for a little while longer."
Castle settles back down, and their attention shifts to Charlotte as she yawns and opens her eyes. As the baby blinks sleepily, Kate notices that her eyes are the exact shade of blue as her father's.
"Hey, baby girl," she whispers, strokes a thumb across her chubby, little cheek. "Happy birthday, Charlotte."