Kate Beckett woke up from a nap. She normally didn't take naps, but three days before she had given birth to nine pound, eight ounce Joseph Richard Castle and everyone had told her that she should nap when her son naps. Her eyes looked toward the bassinet, but JR wasn't there. But she wasn't worried; if he wasn't there, the possibility was high that he was with his dad. So she got out of bed, and made her way out of Rick's office. And what she saw took her breath away.
Rick was standing at the window, cradling JR next to his chest. Every time she saw her husband with their son, she just fell in love with both of them all over again. And then she noticed what Rick was doing - a few inches of snow had fallen while she was sleeping. He was showing JR how beautiful New York City looked with a coating of snow. As she got closer to her guys, she could hear Rick whispering to JR.
"Right now, you're too small to go out play in the snow. But when you're big enough, we'll have lots of fun. We'll build a snowman. And maybe we can get Mom to sing that song – she has a beautiful voice. And we'll make snow angels. Alexis – she's your big sister – is really great at those, so we'll have her teach you how. And Mommy and I will pull you in a sled. And maybe someday we're you're even bigger, we'll go skiing. And I won't show off this time – don't want to break my knee again…."
Hearing that last line made Kate laugh out loud, and Rick turned around to grin at her. JR was awake and content with his dad. "Should I be worried? What are you planning, Castle?" But the grin on her face softened the words. As she was talking, she walked closer to the windows. Rick didn't even ask, he just put Joseph in her arms. "Did he wake up or did you wake him up, Daddy?" she teased.
"He woke up on his own, Mommy! But I will admit to picking him up as soon as he did," he said.
"And how did you know that?" She smirked at him as he stood there looking a little bit guilty.
"Okay, I was standing there watching him. I can't help myself! He's so perfect," the proud father said.
"Babe, I'm teasing. You know I do the same thing, right? I still can't believe he's here," Kate said as her eyes filled with tears. "Darn hormones!"
Castle moved to put his arms around her, and looked down at the baby in her arms. "What's my excuse?" he chuckled.
She grinned at him and then turned her head to look at Joseph. "Remember telling me about that lightning bolt of love when you first hold your child? I thought I knew what you meant, but I didn't. But now I do," she said softly. Castle smiled and hugged the two of them a little tighter.
"Yeah, that's one of those things you have to experience and then you know."
The new parents stood at the window watching the snow make the city sparkle. They both couldn't wait to experience all sorts of things as a family.
A/N: I was cleaning up my computer and found the beginning of this story and decided to finish it. And I just had to post something today – we made it through the hiatus, everybody!