After all the wonderful feedback I've had on my last couple Caskett stories, I've had a massive overload of ideas. Here's another one, hope you guys enjoy.
Kate woke up slowly as sunlight poured into the bedroom. She groggily opened her eyes and had a brief flash of panic when she realized she wasn't in her bedroom, until she remembered that Rick had brought her to the Hamptons the night before.
Sure enough, after a second of getting her bearings, she easily recognized the other bedroom. She rolled over and found Rick still asleep beside her. Grinning to herself, Kate gently lifted his arm and ducked underneath, getting as close to him as possible. She dropped his arm and smiled as he unconsciously pulled her closer while she rested her head in the crook of his neck.
"Mmm." Rick mumbled, his voice rough with sleep.
"Hi." Kate replied, her voice not much better.
"Have you been awake long?" Rick asked as he slowly opened his eyes.
"No. I forgot we came up here though, so I was worried when I woke up." Kate admitted.
Rick laughed and pressed a kiss to her head. "We did get in late," he said.
"Yeah, because you made us leave after work." Kate shot back.
"Because you wouldn't leave yesterday morning." Rick reminded her with a smile.
"Because I didn't think it was necessary." Kate said, annoyance finely creeping into her formerly playful tone.
Instantly, Rick's face became serious. "I was worried about you, Kate." He said quietly.
Kate sighed and brought her hand up to his cheek where she stroked his cheekbones softly. "I know." She murmured as she pressed her lips to his. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to discredit your feelings." She said with a soft smile.
Rick sighed and continued running his fingertips over Kate's back. "I know." He said softly.
Kate smiled and raised her head and pressed her lips softly to his. "Thank you. For caring enough to make me leave."
"It's my job." Rick said with a smile. "Are you feeling any better?"
Kate thought for a moment. The only reason Rick had insisted on her taking the weekend off and coming to the Hamptons was because she'd been feeling sick for almost a month.
"A little, I suppose." Kate said.
"Good." Rick murmured as he pressed one more kiss to Kate's forehead before shifting and climbing out of bed.
"Hey." Kate whined as his body heat left her.
Rick smiled down at her. "Come on. Get up and I'll make you breakfast." Rick said as he held his hand out.
Kate sighed but took his hand and allowed him to pull her from the bed. "What's for breakfast?" Kate asked as she made her way to the bathroom.
"Pancakes?"
"Please." Kate said.
Rick nodded once and left the bedroom, allowing Kate to use the bathroom. As soon as she heard Rick start on the stairs, Kate rushed to the bathroom, closing the door behind her. She made it to the toilet, but found that there was nothing in her stomach to get rid of. After a few minutes of her body trying to expel things that weren't there, Kate heard Rick reenter the bedroom.
"Kate? Are you ok, honey?" He called through the door.
"Um, yeah. I'll be right out." She called back as she made her way to the sink to brush her teeth.
"Ok." Rick called back, and Kate could hear the concern in his voice.
After she finished brushing her teeth, Kate took a deep breath before opening the door and smiling at her husband. Rick opened his arms and Kate walked into his embrace, smiling as he wrapped his arms around her.
They stood together for a moment before Rick pulled away. He brushed a strain of her hair behind her ear and brushed the back of his fingers against her cheek.
"Come on, writer boy. You promised me breakfast." Kate said with a smile.
Rick rolled his eyes before taking Kate's hand and pulling her from the room. When they entered the kitchen, Kate sat at the island and Rick went to the oven where he pulled out a plate piled up with pancakes. He put a few on a plate and handed them to his wife before taking a few of his own and sitting down beside her.
While they ate, Kate felt Rick's eyes on her, but every time she looked over, his eyes were on his plate. Finally, she pushed her plate away and grabbed his fork out of his hand.
"Kate?"
"You're staring at me. It's still creepy." Kate said as she turned to face her husband.
"I'm worried." Rick admitted, not even bothering to sound ashamed. But that was fine with Kate, she was glad he worried about her, even if she'd never tell him.
"Don't be." She said gently as she cupped his cheek in her palm.
Rick sighed and leaned in to her touch. "I can't help it. You were fine, and then all of a sudden, you're not. It makes me worried."
Kate smiled at him and leaned closer to him, their faces only centimeters apart. Just as Rick was about to lean in and connect their lips, a sudden wave of nausea crashed over Kate and she jumped up and sprinted from the room, racing up the stairs. She barely made it to the bathroom and to the toilet before her breakfast made a repeat appearance. She heard Rick run up the stairs behind her, and a moment later she felt his hands in her hair as he held it back from her face.
Kate continued to throw up until there was nothing left, all the while Rick crouched behind her and smoothed back her hair. When she was done, she sank against the wall while Rick stood and quickly got her a glass of water. When she finished drinking, Rick set the glass on the bathtub and moved to pick Kate up and carry her back to the bed.
"Not yet." She mumbled, not ready to test if her body was ready for serious movement.
Rick nodded and shifted so he was sitting down. When he was comfortable, He reached over and gently moved Kate so that she was in his lap. She felt weak and clammy, and having Rick hold her felt like just about the most perfect thing in the world. They sat in silence for a while as Rick kept gently combing her hair with his fingers.
"This is why I'm worried." Rick finally said.
"I'll be fine." Kate murmured, curling further into his chest, loving the way he held her tighter without having to be told.
After another few moments, Kate was feeling well enough to try moving, so she went to the sink and brushed her teeth again while she heard Rick flush the toilet. After she was done, Kate started rooting through the medicine cabinet for something to help with the nausea. Instead her fingers brushed over a blue box, and everything around her came halting to a stop.
"Kate?" Rick asked.
"Holy shit." Kate murmured. There was no way for her to deny it.
"Kate, you're worrying me again." Rick said from right behind her as his hands wrapped snuggly around her waist, pulling her in to his chest. Rick's hands around her stomach solidified everything for her, and suddenly Kate couldn't wipe the smile off her face.
"Ok, that smile isn't helping me feel any better." Rick said.
Kate grabbed the box and set it on the counter. Instantly, she felt Rick start laughing behind her.
"Nuh-uh. I know your PMS. No way you're tricking me like that." Rick said fondly. "You barely get bitchy during PMS. There's no way I'm buying that it suddenly turns into you throwing up every morning."
Kate paused to see if his words would trigger what she had only just figured out for herself.
"Wait a minute..." Rick mumbled, and Kate smiled. "Every morning..."
Rick's eyes met Kate's in the mirror, and realization flooded his eyes. Bingo! Kate thought wryly.
"Kate, how late are you?"
"About two and a half weeks." Kate replied after a moment of thought.
"That's not normal." Rick said.
"No, it's not. Considering that I've only ever been late once in my life, it's not the least bit normal."
"So, you're..." Rick asked, leaving the question unanswered.
"Maybe." Kate said, and she couldn't deny that she like the way Rick's hands started rubbing her stomach softly.
"And that makes you feel..." Rick said, looking at her in the mirror, almost afraid of her response.
Kate turned to face him, her expression almost livid.
"It makes me ecstatic, you idiot." She said seriously.
"I'm just checking!" Rick defended himself, letting go of her waist in favor of putting his hands up to show that he surrendered.
"That was one of the stupidest questions you've ever asked me." Kate said seriously. "I've wanted to make a baby with you for years."
"I was just making sure. Wait, you've wanted to make a baby with me for years? How many exactly?" Rick asked, his grin turning cheeky.
"Enough." Kate said ambivalently.
"Do we need to get a test?" Rick asked.
"Probably wouldn't hurt." Kate agreed. "I'll shower, and you can go get one."
"Wait, me? Why can't you go?"
"Because you're my husband. And as such, it is your duty to care for your sick wife." Kate said sweetly.
Rick glared at her for a split second before sighing and nodding. "Fine."
Kate smiled up at him before leaning in to capture his lips in a sweet kiss. "I love you." She whispered.
"I love you, too." Rick replied before going to the closet and grabbing a pair of jeans and a dark purple button down. Kate smiled as she watched him get dressed before she turned on the water in the shower and pulled off her pajamas and stepped inside.
When she emerged 30 minutes later, she smiled when she saw three pregnancy tests waiting on the counter, and a sticky note with a smiley face on it. Taking a deep breath, Kate grabbed the first box and opened it. She pulled out the directions and after reading them quickly, she pulled the test out. After a brief flicker of panic as she thought about what it would mean if the test was negative, Kate shook her head before grabbing the other two and walking over to the toilet where she proceeded to take all three. When she was done, she set the three tests next to each other on the counter and left the bathroom to pull on the clothes she'd set aside earlier.
Rick was sitting at the foot of the bed when she came into the bedroom, and he smiled as he watched her pull on a pair of white capri pants and a blue and white tank top. When she was done, she quickly ran a brush through her hair before going to sit in Rick's lap. After she got comfortable, Rick wrapped his arms around her and kissed her cheek.
"How much longer?" He whispered.
"About 30 seconds or so." She murmured. "I didn't want to find out until you were with me."
"I know." Rick said as he kissed her cheek again, loving the way she relaxed as soon as she felt his lips on her cheek.
When the 30 seconds were up, Kate stood and held her hand out for Rick, who stood and grabbed it, twining their fingers together.
"I love you, no matter what the tests say. You know that, don't you?" He asked.
"I do. I love you, too." Kate replied with a smile.
After a brief and gentle kiss, They turned toward the bathroom and walked over to the counter, where Kate's breath caught in her throat.
"Rick." She whispered.
"I know, Kate." He said as he pulled her into his arms. "I know."
Kate couldn't help the tears that slipped from her eyes, or the choked half sob, half laugh, that got caught in her throat.
"Kate?" Rick said as he pulled away slightly to look at her with concern in his eyes. "What's wrong, love?"
"Nothing. I'm just happy." Kate explained.
Rick smiled and brought her lips to his in a much more passionate kiss. He was happy too. And with three positive pregnancy tests, he'd be insane not to be.
Later, after their celebration that lasted well into the night, Kate and Rick were lying next to each other in their bed.
"We'll have to tell people." Rick said as his fingers continued to trace patterns on her skin, raising goosebumps along her arms and stomach.
"Can we not?" Kate asked in a slightly hesitant manner.
"What, like ever?" Rick asked, confused.
"No. Just until the first trimester is over? I just- my mom had a couple miscarriages before me, and I don't want to tell anyone if the same thing happens." Kate said softly.
Rick reached over and used two of his fingers to raise her chin so that she had no choice but to look at him.
"We can wait. Until the doctor tells us that we've cleared that hurdle, we can wait." He said with a smile.
Kate sighed and smiled in relief, leaning up to kiss him softly. The kiss became more passionate when she shifted suddenly and Rick opened his mouth to welcome her tongue. He was so wrapped up in the kiss that he didn't notice she'd straddled him until he felt her hips grinding into his.
"Kate." He groaned.
"Want to show me how happy you are?" She whispered coyly.
"I've been doing that for the last 8 hours." Rick reminded her.
"True. But now we both can play." Kate said as a particularly dirty movement from her hips proved just how interested in these events certain parts of his anatomy had become.
"Well, if you insist." Rick growled as he rolled them over and attacked Kate's neck with his lips and tongue. "Far be it from me to deny what the lady wants."
"Castle." Kate gasped as he licked from her collarbone up her neck to the spot just behind her ear that turned her to a complete pile of mush.
"Hmm?" Rick asked as he pulled his mouth away and dragged it down the other side of her neck until he was kissing the scar between her breasts.
"Just shut up and make me come." She ordered as she wrapped her legs securely around his waist.
"Over and over and over." Rick promised as he got to work doing just that.
