By the time she steps foot through the door of the loft, she's exhausted. Her entire body aches and she doesn't understand it because she hasn't been doing anything. She's been on desk duty for months and part of her is glad, relieved that she won't have to worry about protecting both herself and the life she's come to love more than her own growing inside her. She's safer this way. They are safer this way.
But staying at her desk all day while the boys run leads and she takes care of all the paper work is proving to be more difficult than she thought. Her job as Captain had helped her get used to being at her desk more often and taking care of things behind the scenes but she still liked to be part of her active cases. This is however an entirely new level desk work and meetings and she still manages to get home later than she'd like.
Castle usually still joins her and the boys at the precinct, though she's not sure if he stays for the cases or because he refuses to leave her side for too long. Her pregnancy has brought out the protective part of him and she won't lie and say it didn't annoy her to pieces at first but she'd grown to find it endearing.
They'd talked about it near the end of her first trimester, when they were both still weak and recovering from the shooting.
"Castle, could you back off?" She'd asked, her tone sharper than she'd intended but he'd been so infuriating, following her every step, rushed to open every door, do any heavy lifting, anything he'd considered to be too strenuous. "I'm not an invalid, I can open my own doors and pick up anything that falls to the floor," she'd tried to explain.
"Kate, I'm not treating you as an invalid," he'd told her, his face a mixture of hurt and frustration. "I'm simply trying to make your life easier. You were shot, in case you've forgotten, and your body is still healing and as if that weren't enough strain on your body, you're carrying our child, so forgive me for trying to help," he'd said, his tone biting.
She'd sighed, could see she'd hurt him and that his intentions were never to smother her but she wasn't used to this kind of attention, not even from him.
"I'm sorry," she'd responded on a deep exhale, closing the distance between them and she'd laid her head to rest on his shoulder. He'd pulled her in close, his arms coiling tightly around her waist.
"I don't want you to feel like I'm babying you, Kate. It's just so unfair. Your recovery was arguably more difficult than mine and I know your strong. God, you're the strongest woman I've ever met. But I feel helpless. I want to be there in any way I can, to alleviate whatever stress or strain for you in any way I can. You're carrying our baby boy and you've already got so much to deal with. I just want to help," he'd explained, his palms rubbing up and down the length of her spine, applying more pressure where he knows her stress accumulates and her muscles tangle into knots.
She'd lifted her head from his shoulder smirking up at him, their height difference always so apparent without her heels. "It's a girl, Castle." She'd corrected and he smiled back at her, their ongoing disagreement on the sex of their child.
"I guess we'll know in two weeks," he'd said grinning from ear to ear. She knew he didn't care whether they had a little boy or girl, that he'd be just as overjoyed either way, but he still loved riling her up and she had a strong feeling. She knew in her gut they were having a baby girl and he loved to tease her about it. "I'll try to be more careful, though. And I'm sorry you feel smothered."
She'd groaned softly, burying her face in his neck. "I don't feel smothered, I just… I need a little space sometimes. You're doing good, Castle. We're doing good, the baby and I. You know I'd tell you if something were to be too much."
"I know," he'd told her.
They'd gotten better at communication after the shooting. Forced to rely on one another for every little thing. They'd come out of it stronger, a better team. They told themselves they had to be, if they were to bring a child into this world. Definitely no more secrets or lies, even if to protect the other. They were always stronger together.
They developed a system. She'd retreat and ask for a bit of space when she felt the need, curling up and reading a book on occasion, and she'd be more patient when he tried to do things for her, accept that it was his way of caring for both her and their baby.
She's grown accustomed to his little displays of care, would even say she loves them, definitely loves him a little more for it. The way he rubs her feet or massages her scalp. When he talks to her rounded stomach. It soothes her.
She toes off her heels at the entrance and revels in the feeling of her nylon covered feet hitting the floor, her toes stretching.
He hadn't come in today due to a meeting with Black Pawn and she hasn't heard from him since lunch. It's half passed seven now and she wonders how she manages to come home so late, even with a desk job.
God she just wants to curl up with him on the couch and fall asleep to the lulling cadence of his heart. Pregnancy has made her sappy and she doesn't even have the energy to care.
"Castle?" She really hopes he's home.
Kate makes her way towards the kitchen and the lovely smell of tomato sauce reaches her nose. Her mouth waters, her stomach growling and she mentally chides herself for letting herself get this hungry. She knows better.
"Hey," he greets her as he walks down the stairs, his smile wide as he strides towards her. She squeals when he picks her up in his arms, engulfs in a hug that completely takes her by surprise but is not at all unwelcome. Her arms come around his neck and she holds on, despite her large midsection getting in the way, kissing his cheek as he sets her back down on her feet.
"What was that for?" She asks, grinning up at him.
"I have a surprise to show you," he tells her excitedly and, oh, this should be good. She narrows her eyes at him questioningly, not sure she's going to like this surprise. "Oh, come on Beckett, have a little faith," he tells her, his smile not even dimmed by her skepticism.
"It's not that I don't have faith in you, Castle. I just know you never do anything small, and judging by the look on your face, it doesn't seem as though this surprise is any different."
"Damn right I don't do small," he confirms with a smirk and she scoffs, smacking his arm lightly.
He laughs, undeterred by her eye roll and he slowly descends to his knees, his face leveled with her large belly. She's due in about 3 weeks and she feels like she's about to explode, but Castle looks at her with so much love, like he's never seen her look more beautiful, most days she doesn't mind so much. "And how's the munchkin doing in there? Good day?" He asks, looking up at her.
"It was okay," she tells him. "Missed you at the precinct though. I never thought I'd say I miss your distractions, but all this paper work is starting to drive me a little crazy. I'm glad we're home."
He plants a kiss where her belly button is over the fabric of her shirt and rises to her eye level again. "I'm glad you're home too."
He takes her hand in his and guides her towards the kitchen, pulls out the chair at the table and motions for her to sit while he heads toward the stove to make their plates. "I made Spaghetti Bolognese. Hope you're hungry?"
"Very," she confirms as he sets down the plate in front of her and sits beside her with his own plate. "How was your meeting with Black Pawn?"
"It went well. Boring, as usual but…"
She raises an eyebrow, urging him to continue.
"I got it," he says and her heart somersaults, so happy for him.
"Rick, that's amazing!" she reaches over the table and kisses him, both hands at his cheeks, a hint of tongue as a promise to celebrate later and he groans.
"It's a three book deal. They say they still have a lot of faith in the Nikki Heat series as long as I still have ideas to keep it fresh," he tells her with a smile. "I told them I have all the inspiration I need."
"Sap." Kate laughs but can't help the smile that breaks free.
"You love it."
"Hmm, I do," she agrees.
They finish their pasta and make small talk about their day, talking about the ongoing case. He picks up their plates from the table when they're done and the mischievous grin returns.
"I knew it must have been killing you to wait this long for whatever surprise this is," she tells him, taking his hand as he helps her up.
"Had to make sure both my ladies were well fed, despite my brimming excitement," he reasons, taking her towards the stairs.
He takes her towards what she knows they've planned to be the nursery. They cleared everything out of the room a few weeks ago but they hadn't had the time to get anything set up yet. She has to admit it's stressing her out a bit with her due date coming up.
He reaches for the door but doesn't open it yet, his features turning a little shy and he turns back towards her.
"It's totally fine if you hate it, you can tell me. I just… I got so excited after I got the deal and we'd been looking at magazines for a while, had already made a lot of choices and I really-"
"Babe," she cuts him off, knows he's nervous but whatever it is, she's almost certain she'll love it, whatever he's done. "Show me. Please," she tells him, hopes her smile is encouraging and reassuring.
He smiles back and she thinks she sees the giddiness in his eyes return.
He opens the door, steps aside for her to enter and her heart leaps as she catches a glimpse. She looks at him and he's watching her, expectant, a tinge of hope in his gaze.
She looks back towards the small room and gasps. Her heart beats fast in her chest and her eyes get a little watery. She blames the hormones for this, but he…
"Wow, Castle… This- I can't believe you did this," she says, her voice laced with wonder and it's beautiful. He painted the room, a mix of pale pink and grey and earth tones. And in the far corner there's the crib they'd settled on. It's all put together and it fits perfectly. There's a rocking chair set up next to it and a small book case with already a dozen children's books on the top shelf.
She loves it. She can picture her baby girl in here.
"You like it?"
She spins and throws her arms around his waist. "I love it, Castle. It's perfect. All of it," she tells him kissing his neck, his cheek, his lips.
"I'm so glad you like it, Kate."
Castle guides her further into the small room and she notices an elephant plush in the crib. It tugs at her heart strings and she squeezes his hand, places a kiss to his shoulder. God, she loves this man.
She pears down at the small book shelf and notices some Dr. Seuss and Robert Munsch, some classic fairy tales and the complete Harry Potter collection. "You realize she won't understand witchcraft and wizardry until she's much older, right?" She laughs but she loves him for it.
He shrugs, it doesn't seem to bother him one bit. "I wanted us to have more things to pick out together, so I didn't get everything, but I thought- since we'd already decided on the room color and the crib we wanted…"
Kate turns to face him again and brings one arm around his neck and her other hand settles in his hair. "It's beautiful. I love it."
She couldn't be happier. Well, maybe if…
"I can't wait to meet our little girl," she admits, her heart full and yearning for a future that's so imminent she can almost taste it. He pulls her into his arms again.
"Me neither."