Storming the fort (Chapter 1)
Castle put his head on his partner's shoulder and moaned. She glared at him, but he didn't notice (or care).
"Kate, what am I going to do?"
He looked at her with the puppy dog face that he knew just made her want to kiss him. She opened her mouth to offer a reply, but he continued, burying his head in her shoulder again.
"In a year Alexis will be going to Oxford, to England, and, and... England! Katie, our little girl will be gone, and... What'll I DO?!?!" he whimpered but she just rolled her eyes and pushed him away.
"She's not little anymore, Rick. She can look after herself."
"But... England! She'll be living on campus, and there'll be boys, and alcohol and drugs and..." He paused, the look of horror reinforcing itself on his face. "London! What if she goes to London?! She could get mugged, or raped, or, or, eaten by a werewolf!!!" He gave her a desperate look. "Everyone knows there are werewolves in London! They even wrote a song about it!"
Great. He'd really lost it now.
"Richard Castle, look at me."
He stopped, mid-worry. She only called him that when he was in trouble.
"Alexis will be fine. She's smart, and sensible, and nothing at all like you. Besides, I thought you were 'Cool Dad'."
He looked like he was about to protest some more, so she kissed him, hard, just to get him to shut up.
Momentarily, all thoughts in his head disappeared, leaving only those involving the speedy removal of clothes. It was, however, not to last.
"But... I'll be all alone! What will I do without her?"
Another horrified look crossed his face.
"Who will distract Mother?"
She gave him another quick kiss, reassuring him. Everything will be OK, Rick. You have me,"
His expression told her she had said the right thing – he'd gone all mushy.
"You know I love you, right?" he hugged her, oh-so-tactfully burying his face in her cleavage. Typical.
"And besides..." She hadn't wanted to bring it up so soon, but it seemed like the right time. "We might be able to get someone else to distract Mother,"
He looked confused.
"Someone... smaller."
Multiple emotions crossed his face – among them featured shock, joy, surprise and pure love and happiness. He was grinning like a lunatic.
"No."
"Yes."
"You're pregnant?!"
"Uh-huh."
At this point, Castle's face was producing enough solar energy to power their house for a month.
"Katie, this is fantastic!" he kissed his wife, starting with her mouth and moving to her nose, eyes, ears, jaw, down her neck... he lingered for a moment.
"This is so exciting! Alexis will have a..."
Kate Castle could practically feel the look of horror on his face again, and smiled despite herself.
"Oh no! Alexis won't be able to watch her little brother grow up...!"
A/N: Clearly Castle has come to the conclusion that it is going to be a boy... eh. Pure fluff. Might continue this storyline at some point...