I don't own Castle - ABC Studios and Andrew Marlowe do. I'm just borrowing the characters for a while to play.

I am not making any money from this; it's just to freeshare with my ff friends.

[AN If a snapshot needs an M rating it will be published under the title Mature Snapshots from the 'Per Adversa' 'Verse]

"It's family moments like these I will never forget"

Rick Castle: A Chill Goes Through Her Veins

The Wedding Gift

June 2017

...

On her wedding night Alexis Ryan sat at the bottom of the four poster bed, in the suite her new husband had booked for them, and waited for him to come from the bathroom.

Truth be told she was a little nervous because she had a wedding gift for him, which she really wanted him to like, but was worried he would have preferred her to give him later in their marriage.

"Hey." She blinked and looked up into Kevin's blue eyes. She had been so deep in thought she hadn't realized he'd returned to her.

"Hey, yourself." She lifted her hand and softly stroked down his face. He lifted his hand to hers in response and she captured his fingers between her lips, gently kissing them as he trailed them across. He smiled and leaning closer to her replaced his fingers with his lips, twisting his body down onto the bed and pulling her with him so that she lay on top of him.

His kisses were heating up, and he pushed the satin straps of her nightgown away from her shoulders, and down taking the gown with them and revealing her breasts to his view and attention. As they always did his lips on her body, especially her breasts, awoke her need for him, and she was starting to lose control and concentration.

But she needed to talk to him, needed to give him her gift. They had the rest of their lives to make endless love.

"Kev." She spoke softly, but firmly and pushed herself up and slightly away from him. He looked at her in confusion.

"Lex, what's wrong? Are you OK?"

She smiled. "I'm more than OK. And I want you, Kev. I always do. It's just… I need to talk to you for a minute first." Her pulled himself into a seated position opposite her, and tilted his head to look at her.

"You need to talk, now?" She smiled again at the needy tone in his voice.

"I want to give you your wedding present. I've been waiting all day to give it to you."

"I don't need a present, Lex. All I need is you, just you." He reached for her again, but she caught his hands and gave a shaky laugh.

"Well, sorry, but you're going to have to have this gift, 'cause it's non-returnable!" He stared at her and shook his head slightly.

"OK, then give it to me, so I can get back to showing you that the only thing I NEED is you." She bit her lip and silently stared at him for a moment, and then gently pulled his captured hands to her body and held them against her belly. Now he really was confused, and he stared at her in bewilderment.

"Lex…" his questions faded away as she softly started to speak.

"You can't feel anything yet, but it is there; and in a couple of months you may start to feel a gentle push against your hand, and then a little later some soft kicks." Her eyes were covered in a sheen of unshed tears as she gazed at him and the wonder starting to bloom on his face.

"Are you… I mean are you sure? Are you OK?" She laughed more confidently now as she saw his total joy and acceptance.

"I'm fine. But yes, I am sure. I did three tests this morning to MAKE sure. You are happy about this, right? I know it's so soon, but I…" Whatever else she was going to say was lost in his kiss, as he showed her, rather than told her, exactly how happy he was.

...

And years later when her son asked her why they started their family so soon after their marriage and if he was an accident, she was able to answer him with total confidence.

"No Darling, you weren't an accident. You were what we both wanted and you came at the exact time that we wanted you."

...

AN: A HUGE thank you to Firestar385 for beta reading, Americanizing and generally correcting this work. Any remaining mistakes are mine!

Please let me know what you think. All constructive criticism is welcomed - I haven't written in quite a while and the only way to improve is to take on board other people's comments. I hope you will enjoy the reading journey as much as I am enjoying the writing one.