Disclaimer: I do not own Castle not in a million years.

AN: I dedicate this story to my good friend and publisher, Looking Into Oblivion.

Kate sat on the bed for a while longer while Rick had gone out to fix him and Alexis breakfast. He probably would have made something for Martha as well, but she never appeared. Kate got up off the bed and walked into the bathroom. She took one look at herself in the mirror. She was pale, not just pale but ghostly pale. She walked over to the shower, and started the water. She gracefully slipped out of her clothes and set them down on the sink.

Kate was now stepping into the warm shower, letting the hot water run over her pale body. She reached for a bar of soap and started to gingerly wash her legs. She didn't notice when Rick had walked in to the bathroom, leaving a trail of clothes behind him as well.

Rick had opened the shower door and stepped in with Kate.

"Castle, you shouldn't be showering with a sickie." Kate whined as Rick began to rub her back.

"Don't worry Kate; I won't do anything too dirty." Rick smiled playfully at Kate, his eyes holding that little boy grin of his.

"Oh, so now I don't get anything?" Kate was now rubbing shampoo into her hair, letting Rick gawk and stare at her.

"Now I know you're sick. You're not acting like yourself." Rick was gracefully rubbing circles on her back while trying to stifle his laughter at Kate's expression.

"Castle, do you want me to get sick in the shower?" Kate was now teasing him; it was their special little game going back and forth with small comments that sent them over the edge.

"Hurry up your appointment's at ten." Rick was now stepping out of the shower, hair washed and everything.

"Did I sleep in that long?" Kate was surprised to find out that she had slept much later than usual. Rick nodded at her question seeing the surprise written all over her face.

TEN MINUTES LATER

Rick was driving Kate's car through mid-morning traffic while Kate was staring out the window trying to focus her attention on something that wouldn't make her sick. They were nearly there and Kate was fighting off sleep. Kate wanted comfort. Some place dark and warm, some place she could hide in and feel safe.

"Kate, we're here." Rick was opening her door. Kate had seemed to drift off not noticing they had arrived at their destination.

Kate and Rick walked in together, not noticing people looking at them weirdly. Rick had told Kate to sit down and wait to be called while he signed her in.

A few minutes later a nurse walked in through the small door. "Ms. Beckett?" Kate stood up and walked over to the door where the nurse was standing. All as a group they walked through the door and into a small hallway.

AN: I wanted to have Rick and Kate already married, but I thought about it for a while and decided to let this story take on a natural feel.