Second fic.

Prompt from Tumblr: During the final moments of Bracken's Trial, while waiting for the sentence Beckett, now in the last days of her first pregnancy, has the first contractions. Dismissing them as stress, she endures the pain and discomfort until the sentence is pronounced, before nearly biting Castle's neck off ordering him to take her to the hospital.

Disclaimer: You are joking, right? They finished season six yesterday, I was revising for my macroeconomics exam.

Chapter 1: The End

Eight weeks, forty days, three hundred and twenty hours sat in courtroom 5 looking at the one man who tried to destroy her life on more than one occasion. However he never won, each time it knocked her down but she got back up again. That is why she is sat next to her husband on a terribly uncomfortable seat, not so much holding his hand as crushing it waiting for the sentencing hearing to begin. There's more than one reason that it is been crushed, she's in labour. Has been since this morning, only the early stages but enough that it hurts; initially dismissing it as stress or Braxton Hicks though if she was truly honest with herself she knew better. He doesn't know yet, well at least if he does he is being quiet about it. He knows how much this means to her, the long and painful road that it has taken to get here and for her to not be there to see the man who almost took so much be taken away, hopefully never to be seen again, would be a huge disappointment and probably something she'd regret but not at the cost of her or their child's health.

"Hmmmmmmm" It is just a simple sound that has escaped but there's only one reason she is making it now. The contractions are now strong enough that not making a noise is not an option. She thinks that he missed it, if only.

"Kate, Kate, look at me" The last part only whispered

Speaking quietly enough so that only he can hear, "What is taking this damn judge so long? He's guilty of it all, why can't they just come out and say life or enough years that he's not going to see the outside of a prison ever again?"

"Kate, are you" before he can finish his sentence in walks the judge.

The contractions are getting stronger and closer together, to the point that she's only half listening but still looking at the former senator with looks that if put into action would send her to prison too. If only New York still had the death penalty, that would be a fitting punishment for a man who has had people killed at his will and used dirty money to build his funds for his political campaigns. All she can think is that it is taking so long, believing that all the times that she's been at a sentencing hearing before it hasn't taken this long but there's the one major difference this time, she's in labour and an increasingly painful one at that.

Briefly thinking back to the trial, it has been a long one too. It was no wonder really; all the different charges, the massive amount of evidence eventually compiled, after all there was nearly 20 years of his crimes that went on until she was finally able to make the arrest she had been working towards and wanting to make since the day she signed up to the academy. It wasn't until the marvellous man sat next to her came along did the case have any legs, she has so many things to thank him for and realised how immensely different her life could have been if she hadn't caught the Alison Tisdale case. She doubts she would have ever been this happy, married and having a family of her own; things that she only ever dreamt about before the first time her world caved in.

Finally the judge is getting to the information she is most interested in, how long he's going down for. Gosh, he's even dragging this out. Now she's certain Castle knows that she is in labour, the sideways glances and the worrying look on his face that she can see out of the corner of her eye. Added to the fact that his hand probably has very little circulation, well he better get along with that idea because it isn't going to end anytime soon. Gosh, what if her waters break here, now that would be embarrassing beyond belief. She'll get over the midwife and nurses seeing her not really that private area anymore but not her waters breaking in the courtroom with her family, friends and colleagues around her.

She's pretty sure her Dad has clicked that she's in labour too; he's sat on her right hand side, she's now getting similar glances from him. The almost constant little movements to try to be more comfortable in this stupid seat will have given it away. They both agreed on the first week that these chairs were awful and even joked of bringing their own, his age and her pregnancy that initially was enjoyable but the later stages have caused severe back pain. She'd go back to the aching feet after a long day in her five inch heels in a minute until she remembers that there's a child inside of her depending on her to keep them safe. They've been there nine months, so why can't they just stick it out a few more hours and ease off on the pressure.

She almost misses the judge starting the ruling that she has been waiting for "Mr William Henry Bracken, I hereby sentence you to a total of seventy-eight years for the counts of…" She doesn't need to hear the rest. He's gone down and she can see him in his bright orange jumpsuit and knowing that will be his only fashion choice for the rest of his life. Finally able to look at both the men beside her with a look of astonishment, relief and realisation that it is finally over. No chance of him not being found guilty or only getting a mediocre sentence that will see him out before their child is even in school; this is it, done finished. Now she can resume her life without having to look over her shoulder every time something pops up about Bracken, she can look forward to raising her family and enjoying life to the full. Giving both men another hand squeeze before relaxing back into that awful seat, once she releases their hands she strokes her bump, well not so much a bump but protective shield encasing her child that is way too big to be still inside her once slim frame. One of the guards is now cuffing Bracken so that they share a set of handcuffs, as he is lead away they all let out a sigh of relief.

Another contraction and she can look at Castle and proudly, or painfully, say "It is time." Looking once back to her Dad, saying the shortest sentence she can that conveys all he needs to know before the next contraction "Dad, it is time. I love you." She looks back to Castle and nods, so he stands and leads her to the exit of the viewing gallery. On the closing of the door their friends and colleagues look to her father who just smiles and nods at them; all of them knowing exactly why they've both left.

Outside in the corridor she gasps once again suddenly stopping in the middle of the walkway. No longer just having an arm around where her waist is meant to be, he comes to stand in front of her holding her arms to help her by trying to take some of her weight and give her the opportunity to squeeze the life out of another part of his body other than his hand. What he didn't expect was is for her to move him to a position where she has pulled him down and manages to bite his neck. When she eased up he somehow had the courage to say something that probably wasn't what should be said right now,

"You know the last time you did that, I enjoyed it and it was in a much more romantic setting and I had to" before he could finish his sentence, she dealt him a swift blow to the ribs. Apparently pregnant women who are in labour are still capable of bodily harm.

"Castle, we're going to the hospital NOW! The driver better be outside with my bags ready to take us there like he has been for the past however long."

"Yes he is, so let's go." As they both walked, or waddled in her case, outside to get in the car, Kate was finally able to be more vocal about how much pain she was in. Yes she was a tough cookie but she was having contractions not very far apart and surely her water should have broken now.

As they got to the car, she suddenly felt what she'd been expecting for the last half an hour; a trickle down her legs that she knew meant it really was time.

I hope that you liked it. This is only going to be a two-shot.

Unless it feels right to continue it and it has support.

I'm British and the longest sentence you can get here is life (with or without parole) but I know in the States they like their big sentences, thinking of Bernie Madoff here. Sorry if it is wrong but with the amount of charges Bracken would likely face I can't see him getting a small sentence, and I was going for drama.

Please read my other story, Lockdown.

And review :)

Thank you.

Tumblr: Sheffield93

Twitter: EmilyRBarker