A/N: Here is my 5th Castle FanFiction story. I had written 7 of them before I even uploaded my first on to FanFiction. This is the second story that I am uploading today, because it's a Castle Monday and I'm also doing it in honor of the Series Finale that will be airing tonight. Castle, you will be missed. Thank you for 8 wonderful years and for being the reason I looked forward to Monday Nights.
Disclaimer: I do not own Castle. Castle belongs to Andrew Marlowe and ABC.
"Not a Replacement"
Captain Katherine Beckett has been a Castle for about a year and half. For a while she was separated from her loving husband, to try and protect him from Locksat. After about 2 months of being separated, Kate realized that she needed to have her husband by her side. So, they got back together, only keeping up the appearance that they were still separated. They made all of their friends and family believe that they were actually separated.
After a couple more months of pretending to be separated, Kate couldn't do it anymore. As much fun as it was sneaking around, like they did when they had first gotten together, she didn't want to pretend anymore. She wanted to be with her husband. She eventually came home for good. No more separation. No more sneaking around.
There was a case they had worked that had Castle believe Genies were real. When Kate had asked Castle if there was anything he would wish for, she was surprised by his answer, no matter how sweet it was. He had told her that he didn't need a Genie, because he had everything he could ever wish for. Kate was surprised by that, because she had half expected him to tell her he wished for a baby, since Ryan and Jenny just had their second child.
Kate had never brought it up, but she had the feeling Castle was thinking about. He was wishing he could have a baby with his wife, except he wasn't expressing it. Whenever Kate would look at Castle she would think that wish of having a baby was in the back of his mind and she didn't know what to do. So, Kate picked up her phone, found the number she was looking for and made a call.
About 30 minutes later Kate walked into a café to meet the person she had called. Sitting in a corner of the café was an older red-headed woman. Kate walked over to the woman with a smile on her face, "Hi Martha."
Martha Rodgers had looked up from what she was doing, "Hello Katherine." Martha stood up from where she was sitting to give her daughter-in-law a hug. "It's good to see you darling."
As Kate is sitting down across the table from her mother-in-law, "It's good to see you too."
"Now, what can I do for you kiddo?"
"Well…" Kate had to hesitate, because she didn't know how to handle this kind of conversation, especially with her mother-in-law.
"Everything ok dear?" Martha asked slightly concerned.
"Yeah. Oh, yeah, everything is fine Martha… It's just… I feel like Rick is keeping something from me."
"What do you mean darling?"
"He hasn't said anything, but I think there is still something he wishes he had."
"What would that be?"
Kate takes a breath before answering Martha's question. "I think he still really wants to have a baby, even though he told me he has everything he could ever wish for."
Martha reaches across the table to grab Kate's hand. "Have you talked to Richard about it?" Kate shakes her head. "Try talking to him first. Find out if he still wants a baby. And if he doesn't you'll know and you won't have to worry about it. If he does, then you'll know what to do." Martha gives Kate's hand a squeeze in comfort.
Kate dips her head down, looking at her lap, before she says anything. When she looks back up at Martha, she has tears in her eyes. With a slightly raspy voice from the tears, "I don't know if I can do it Martha."
"Do what Katherine?"
"I don't think I could be a mom. I don't know anything about babies. Babies never appealed to me."
Martha reaches her other hand across the table, so she now has both of Kate's in hers. "Oh, Katherine, you learn these things."
"I suppose, but I guess I always thought that if I ever did become a mom, my mom would be right there to help me. But… she's not." Tears are rolling down her cheeks.
"Katherine… you have people in your life that will help you, who love you. You have Richard, your father, Alexis, your friends from the precinct, and of course you have me."
Kate had to let go of one of Martha's hands to wipe the tears off her face. "Thank you Martha. That means a lot to me. I guess… I never thought I would ever have to go through life without my mom." Kate drops her head down again as more tears start to fall.
"Katherine, darling. Look at me." Martha squeezes Kate's hands again to get her to look up at her. "I may not be your mother, but I am here if and whenever you need me… I am not trying to replace your mother, because nobody ever can."
Giving Martha a smile with a few tears, "Thanks Martha. I know nobody will ever replace my mom. But, if I got to choose a second mom, or look up to someone like a mom, I would gladly choose you. I can't think of anybody else I would rather have. Rick is one lucky guy to have a mom who is as loving as you."
Martha now has her own tears in her eyes. "Oh, Katherine, you don't know how much that means to me." They both get up from the table and gather each other into an embrace. After they are done hugging, they each grab napkins from the table so they can clean their faces from the tears. "Now, darling. Go talk to your husband and find out what he really wants."
"I will, thanks Martha." Kate smiles at Martha and goes to give her another hug. "I also hope you know how much I love you."
Martha gives Kate a smile, "I love you too darling. You are the daughter I never had. Thank you for making my son the happiest he's been."
All Kate could do was smile and say, "Always."