This is the long awaited sequel to "To Make You Feel My Love." Okay, not so long awaited since I just finished that one a few days ago. If you haven't read it you may need to if you want to understand this one. This also corresponds with my one-shot, Love Letters. If you have read that one, this will fill in the blanks if you haven't, it will be the epilogue to this one so you may want to wait so you don't know all the secrets in advance.

When we last left our couple they had just said I do, well they did a few things after, but anyway. This is set about eight weeks after that. I took the liberty of rewriting the events of Knockout (3:24 spoilers beware) to fit this fic. But as those of you that have read TMYFML know; I don't do much writing of cases, only when needed to further the plot, so Montgomery is dead after having confessed to his part in Johanna Beckett's death and sacrificing himself. However, many of the other facts have been changed. Just couldn't fathom writing him into this story after that finale. Even though the tone of this chapter seems a little dark, this will be a happy fluffy tale of love and family, just like my last one.

Don't own them, only the edits…

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Beep beep beep beep

Castle heard the familiar sound of their alarm clock. In fact it was the third time he had heard it this morning. He was in the study, having gotten up early to get a little writing done before they headed to the precinct for the day. So much had happened since returning from their honeymoon six weeks prior; he had barely touched his laptop and Gina was on the verge of threatening his life if he didn't at least produce an outline for the next installment of Nikki Heat. Little did Gina know, but it would take more than the threat of life and limb to get him to shift his focus from Kate to a measly book right now.

Their marriage had started out with such joy and happiness, but recent events had filled many days with fear and sadness. Only in the last week had it even seemed possible that things would return to what they had once been. He and Kate were still completely head over heels and devoted to each other and to Alexis; nothing would change that. But with the escape of Hal Lockwood and the betrayal and death of their Captain, Kate had temporarily retreated into a dark place. Castle couldn't blame her; not only had her mentor confessed to being involved in her mother's murder, but then sacrificed himself so she could live. The pain and guilt his actions caused would have consumed a lesser person but it only seemed to strengthen her resolve to get justice or revenge depending on how you looked at it. However, the failed attempt on her life while she gave Montgomery's eulogy was the last straw for Castle and Kate's father alike, but not until the package arrived in the mail could either of them convince her to back down.

On the day of his death Montgomery had gathered all the evidence he could concerning Johanna Beckett's murder and all the circumstances related to it. He had mailed it to Castle in confidence, but their marriage held no secrets and he shared it with Kate immediately. Reading each and every piece of evidence they both realized that McCalister's words were true. They had awoken the dragon. The powerful people involved could not be touched by three NYPD Detectives alone even with Castle's fame and money behind them. They had no choice but to hand it over to the only person they felt they could trust. It was now in the hands of the FBI and in conjunction with the Justice Department a quiet yet thorough Federal investigation was being conducted. The Castle's would receive no more information about it and only if it resulted in a trial would they be contacted to testify. For now, life was to go on as usual. Normalcy was the only thing that could protect her now and they did their best. Yes, Castle had hired a little more security for the building and for now they held Alexis with a little tighter leash, but it was not enough to raise red flags to anyone that might be watching them. As far as anyone looking in was concerned the case was closed.

Beep beep beep beep

Okay, he knew four hits of the snooze button would make them late for work. Castle closed his laptop, he had only written a couple of lines anyway, and made his way to their bedroom. Kate was sound asleep face down on the bed. Her hair was fanned out across her pillow and her arm hung off the side; knuckles skimming the floor. She was completely naked and the sight of her caused his heart to thump in his chest. It didn't matter that they had been together for eight months and married for two; every time he saw her his heart reacted and he knew it would every time for as long as he lived. He knelt down beside the bed and rubbed the hair from her face.

"Kate, you need to get up sweetheart." She didn't budge so he moved in closer, "Come on baby it's after seven."

She groaned in disagreement, "Ten more minutes." She turned her head away from him.

"Kate, you've already done ten more minutes three times. Do you want me to call Captain Gates and tell her we won't be in today?"

Rick cringed a little at having to say the name. The Twelfth had been assigned a new Captain a few days after Montgomery's death. She was an attractive woman in her early forties, but her looks were about the only positive thing about her. She had immediately kicked Castle out and only after the Mayor himself put an end to her demands did she allow him back in. That was of course enough to put her on the bad side of everyone in the precinct and she had been rowing an uphill course ever since. She made it clear to everyone that Castle's antics would not be tolerated and that no matter their closure rate, Kate and her team would not be afforded the leniency they had previously been provided. Of course, with each case solved and each murderer put behind bars, Kate and her team could tell Captain Gates appreciated their abilities if not their tactics.

"No, I'm getting up." Kate slowly slid from the bed and stumbled to the bathroom.

Rick followed, "Are you feeling okay? You've been a little sluggish the last few mornings." He wrapped his arms around her from behind and watched her reflection in the mirror. She looked so tired, but still beautiful, not even fatigue could steal her beauty.

She smiled back at his reflection, "I blame you." She saw his boyish grin even as he tried to hide it behind her shoulder. "How am I to be expected to rise and shine after a night in bed with you?"

He scrapped his teeth down her neck and placed a kiss to her shoulder, "You're welcome."

"Oh, was I thanking you?" Kate elbowed him off of her and slipped into the shower. Rick left her to get ready.

As she showered Kate thought about the last few weeks. As much as she needed justice, needed closure, needed answers; she was no longer willing to risk her life or the lives of those she loved. Her husband and her father had convinced her that her life was more important than her mother's death. It had been a hard pill to swallow, but the truth usually was. She had made promises in that garden just two months ago. Promises that didn't go away just because her mother's case had reared its ugly head once again. Promises she fully intended to keep and she couldn't keep them if she was dead. She was surprised at how liberating it felt to just let go. She had been carrying it around for so long. Yes, Rick made carrying it a little easier, but actually letting go lifted a weight off her shoulders that she hadn't really known she was carrying. Over the last week she concentrated on nothing but her family. She and Rick made love playfully like they had before. They laughed and teased and sat up talking at night about the future and again made the plans that had been unknowingly put on hold. In fact, their first Christmas together was a week away and she was actually looking forward to the holiday, not dreading it like she had every year for more than a decade. If it wasn't for the constant state of fatigue she seemed to be in, she would almost be elated. Hopefully a long holiday weekend in the Hamptons would allow her to catch up on some much needed rest.

Rick came back in just as she was getting dressed and had to duck as she threw something across the room. "Damn!" She was quickly apologetic, "Sorry, one of Alexis's…" She didn't want to make him cringe, "…undergarments must have gotten into my drawer."

Rick laughed at her hesitation, considering he did most of the laundry in the household embarrassment over underwear and bras was a thing of the past. He walked toward the hamper to pick up the earlier flying object. Before he could correct her assumption she was cursing again, but this time at him. Even though her depression and dark mood had lifted recently she was still a little more quick tempered than normal.

"Dammit Castle, speaking of boobs," he wasn't really sure they had been speaking of them but wasn't going to correct her, "Could you be a little more careful of mine next time?" He turned on his heel and watched her as she fastened another bra and straightened the straps over her shoulders. She stalked toward him on her way to the attached closet and he couldn't help but groan as she palmed each of her breasts while grimacing in pain. "I'm going to shoot you if hand shaped bruises show up later."

"Uh, Kate?"

Kate stalked out of the closet completely clothed. She grabbed the bra he had been holding since retrieving it from the floor and dropped it into the hamper. "I hope you made me some of your magic pancakes because I am starving."

Thirty minutes later completely stuffed from breakfast and running late as usual Rick and Kate were flying through rush hour traffic. She couldn't help but noticed Rick was being unusually quiet. She had snapped at him a few times, but that wasn't anything new. She paused in her thoughts realizing just how short she had been with him lately. A lump formed in her throat.

"Rick," he didn't face her just made a little sound acknowledging that he had heard her. "I'm sorry." Tears filled her eyes but she shook them away. "I'm just tired, I didn't mean…"

He interrupted her with a hand to her cheek, "I know Kate. It's been a rough few months, it's going to take a while to get back to normal, but I have a feeling good things are ahead."

Kate loved that he was always the optimist. She would never know how he always saw the positive in things, especially when they got as bad as they had recently, "I'm going to hold you to that."

The day went by pretty normally. The new Captain spent a few minutes berating them for something they had done the day before. It was her wonderful way of greeting them every morning. By lunch time they had caught a new case and were all happy to be able to spend much of the afternoon at the scene canvassing and taking witness statements. By early evening they were back at the Twelfth reviewing financials and security footage. It was an open and shut case and by ten o'clock the murderer had confessed and was being booked.

As she finished the last report Kate realized her husband was nowhere to be found. She was exhausted and starving and just wanted to go home. She didn't have to search too long; finding him in the break room with a calculator, calendar and his notebook spread out in front of him on the table. He was grinning from ear to ear as he scribbled furiously. It was the notebook he usually kept in the nightstand by their bed. She often woke up to find him jotting down plot ideas that had come to him in a dream.

"Gonna use today's case in the next book huh?"

When he realized she was there he gathered everything up and closed the notebook. He hung the calendar back on the wall and returned the calculator to the supply cabinet across the room. He smiled at her with a smile she hadn't seen since their honeymoon. Whenever he looked at her with that dreamy look in his eyes she melted to mush. She couldn't help but wrap her arms around his neck and press her lips to his.

He gave her a sideways look, she wasn't usually touchy feely at work, especially with the new Captain watching like a hawk, but he wasn't going to question it. "Something specific on your mind tonight Detective?"

"Feed me and bed me, that is all I ask."

By midnight he had fulfilled both of her requests, the later more than once. Lying in his arms completely sated, Kate was moments from sleep, but Rick's fidgeting kept her awake. She had noticed a slight difference in the way he touched her tonight and now with the fidgeting she wasn't sure what was going on with him. Before she could ask he slid from her arms. He must have thought she was sleeping and she was so exhausted that she didn't let on otherwise.

Rick slipped into the bathroom and checked a few drawers before making his way to the study. He pulled out his trusty notebook to verify the facts. His head had been spinning much of the day. He was so excited that sleep evaded him, but she needed the rest. There was no denying it, all the signs were there but they had both been too preoccupied lately to notice. He wanted to shake her and ask her if she knew, but he was pretty sure she was oblivious, which made him laugh. How could she not know? He ran over the list again; fatigue, irritability, increased appetite, sore swollen breasts and the kicker; an unopened pack of tampons she purchased shortly after going off her birth control pills just weeks before the wedding.

Kate was pregnant!

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"Good morning sleepyhead."

Rick was again waking her up. She couldn't remember the last time the alarm clock had been enough to pry her out of bed. Most days she didn't mind, she had to work, but today.

"I thought part of vacation was being allowed to sleep in?" She glanced at the clock; it was ten o'clock on Christmas Eve. They had arrived at their Hamptons home the previous afternoon. "Oh god, I had no idea it was so late. Where's Alexis?" Kate was now practically stumbling over her own feet to get out of bed.

Rick placed his hands on her shoulders, "It's okay, she went ahead without us. I told her we would meet her for lunch and then finish our shopping after that."

Kate felt terrible, she and Alexis were going to pick out a gift for Rick together and she had slept in. "Is she mad at me?"

"No, just a little disappointed." He lifted her head with his hand to her chin. "Hey, I have a gift for you."

Kate looked surprised, "It isn't Christmas yet, don't you want to save it for tomorrow?"

"No, this can't wait. In fact I've been trying to figure out a way to give it to you for the last week."

His hand slipped around her waist and he pulled her from the bed; leading her to the bathroom. Once there he handed her a box wrapped simply. She recognized the bright red wrapping from their wedding day but this time the bow was green instead of black. Just like the previous gift there was a card attached. Kate smiled widely remembering all of his little notes that were now in their wedding album along with the photos of that beautiful day. She knew the card would contain a quotation of some kind and her heart ached knowing they had lost that part of them over the last few months.

'You should never say anything to a woman that even remotely suggests that you think she's pregnant unless you can see an actual baby emerging from her at that moment.' ~Dave Barry

That's why I'm not going to speak until you open and use this gift.

Rick or if I'm right, Daddy

Kate's hands began to shake, she looked at her husband. He was smiling from ear to ear but her head was spinning too furiously to return his with her own. She knew what was in the box before she opened it, but ripped the paper off to confirm. With the pregnancy test in hand she again looked at Rick.

"Why? No?"

He didn't speak, just put his hands on each side of her face and brushed his lips lightly over hers. Then he rested his forehead to hers and waited for her to figure it out. The last few months came rushing back and it now seemed so obvious. She ripped the box open and followed the instructions to the letter. She didn't even care that Rick was watching her every move. Once she had done the deed she laid the stick on the counter and joined him on the floor where he sat leaning against the bathtub. Neither of them spoke but their breathing quickened with each minute that passed. Rick held her hands in one of his on his lap and caressed her back with the other. He could feel her pulse racing as his fingertips brushed over her wrist. When the small digital device beeped from across the room they both jumped.

Finally she spoke, "I can't look at it, you'll have to."

He nudged her leg with his knee, "We will do it together, just like everything else."

They stood and made their way across the room hand in hand. He picked it up with a shaky hand and with their heads only inches apart he turned the display up so they could read it. Kate's knees wobbled and all the blood in her body seemed to be whooshing in her ears.

"We're going to have a baby!"