A/N: Thank you to everyone who has commented, reviewed, favorited & followed this story. Originally, I ended the story here. BUT- have no fear, there are many more chapters. Remember, the goal is 50,000 words... ;)

Jack and Kylie were holding hands, singing and skipping down the hall after they got off the elevator. Kate was carrying a sleeping James on her shoulder. Grady was clinging to Jenny's hand, trying to walk without falling asleep. He refused to be held and had apparently decided to fight sleep. Lanie slowly followed behind.

As they reached the door to the loft, Lanie took an exasperated breath and said, "I don't see how Javi does this."

Kate wrinkled her brow and shook her head. "What do you mean?" She opened the door, letting the children in first. Jack and Kylie ran to play in the corner of the living room.

"Anytime we go somewhere, he carries Paul in this front carrier. I swear this baby weighs a ton. He killed my back the last six months of pregnancy, and now he's doing it again."

All of the women laughed as they entered the loft.

Kate carried James to the couch and laid his head on a pillow. Grady sat next to James' feet and leaned his head back. Staring at James, Kate couldn't get over how much he looked like his father. If she ever wondered what Castle looked like as a child, she just had to look at James Richard. When he was born, they almost called him JR, but feared people would think his name was Richard junior. He was as close to a clone as they could get. He had Rick's body shape, hair color and piercing blue eyes. He was a calmer version of Rick, and Kate liked that. But that was all that separated them. The same laugh, their eyes had the same sparkle, and both shared a vivid imagination. James even favored Rick's dad, Jackson. When James was born, Jackson held him shortly after delivery and pointed out that the baby had his hands and feet.

She bent down and kissed his forehead. Running her fingers through his hair triggered a smile across her face.

As Kate went around the counter in the kitchen, she whispered to Jenny, "I'm pretty sure your little one is sacked out. Does he need a blanket?"

"No, he's fine. I'll give him a few minutes and go lay him down. He's tenacious," she said with a smile and a wink.

"Momma, momma. Can Kylie and I watch a movie? Please?" Jack stood patiently, staring at Kate with huge green eyes. He looked exactly like her. He was tall for his age, had gorgeous auburn hair with natural red highlights. Kate lost count how many times women would stop her on the street, in the market, at the park and comment on his hair, his height or his eyes.

She smiled at him, ran her fingers through his hair and along the side of his face. Just like his father, he leaned into her touch and pressed his cheek into her palm. He smiled up at her. Not to win her over for his request, but out of simple love.

"Sure, honey. Let Kylie pick out the movie, though; she's your guest."

He flashed a toothy grin and ran up the stairs with Kylie right behind him.

Lanie had set Paul in an infant seat on the floor that Kate had pulled out of the closet and then sat at the bar beside Jenny. Kate went to the refrigerator to get fruit and water for everyone. They had just eaten lunch in the park, but she was already hungry again. She liked that she could use the kids as an excuse to eat a little more often than usual.

As she was setting a bowl of freshly washed grapes on the counter, there was a knock on the front door. Kate grabbed a few grapes as she went towards the door. Before she got to it, the door opened slowly.

"Hey, Alexis. How are you?" Kate was surprised to see Alexis in the middle of the afternoon. She was a third year resident in pediatrics and had recently gotten married. She met a nice man, Owen, while traveling overseas doing research for her Doctoral thesis. They had a whirlwind romance and married within a year.

"Great, Kate, I'm great." Alexis was scanning the loft with her eyes. She looked into the office more than once.

Kate had spent enough time with Alexis and had picked up on the wrinkle of her nose and knew something was wrong. Kate lowered her chin and looked at Alexis through her lashes. That was all it took for Alexis to cave and tell her what was really wrong.

"I was supposed to meet Dad for lunch today, but he never showed. I called his cell, and he never answered. What's going on?"

Kate reached out and put her hand on Alexis' shoulder. "I'm so sorry. He never mentioned anything about having lunch with you, or I would have had him call or text you. Your dad went to Washington, DC for the day."

Alexis let out a heavy sigh. She rolled her eyes, and she leaned in to give Kate a hug, letting her know how relieved she was.

"Typical," Alexis said as she shook her head.

Nothing more needed to be said; both women smiled and walked into the kitchen.

Alexis, Lanie and Jenny said their hellos as they settled into a conversation.

Jack and Kylie's laughter came floating down the stairs. All of the women in the kitchen glanced up and laughed themselves. Paul squirmed in the infant seat, causing Lanie to lean over and rub his abdomen gently, soothing him back to sleep. The silence in the conversation was filled with Kate's cell phone ringing. As she pulled it out of her back pocket, she beamed. Lanie looked at her and winked. Everyone in the room knew who was on the other line.

As she swiped her thumb across the screen, Kate walked towards the living room. She wasn't afraid of the ladies hearing her conversation, but she didn't want to keep them from talking.

As she went around the pillar separating the two rooms, she sat down on the chaise end of the sofa. Quietly she said hello.

"Kate? Kate? Are you there?" Castle's voice was filled with panic. She knew he was trying to hide it, but he wasn't doing it really well.

"Rick, hey, I'm here."

"Can you hear me? This connection isn't the best."

She could hear the muffled sounds of people talking. Some were almost yelling while others seem to be crying.

A hint of panic crept into her voice, "What's wrong? Where are you calling from?"

Lanie, Jenny and Alexis could hear Kate almost yelling at this point. They all got quiet, glanced at each other trying to figure out what was really going on, and turned their eyes to her direction. Alexis stood up from the seat at the bar, and turned to watch Kate, but couldn't move. Lanie reached out and put her hand on the young girl's shoulder, trying to offer comfort.

"Kate, Kate! Listen to me. I don't have much time."

"What? What are you talking abou –"?

Castle cut her off. "Honey, something is wrong. I'm still on the plane. It's been high jacked."

Kate gasped for air. Her mouth was gaping open. She reached up and covered her mouth with her hand. Her eyes were wide, and she stared blankly at a spot on the floor. Alexis practically ran to Kate. She didn't need to see her face or hear the words. She knew it was her father, and she knew something was erroneous and it wasn't as simple as he missed his flight.

When Alexis came around the couch, she dropped to her knees in front of Kate. Lanie and Jenny were right behind her. Jenny had her phone in her hand. She wanted to call Kevin, but decided to wait and find out what was going on.

Kate snapped her head, focused her eyes and listened to Castle.

"There are men, three I think, and they stormed from the back of the plane and managed to get into the cockpit. Kate, I don't know how they did this, but I don't think this is going to end well."

"No. No Castle! Don't say that." All she could think was this can't be happening. This had to be a dream. Tears welled up and stormed out from her eyes.

Alexis took the phone from Kate, putting it on speaker.

"Daddy? Daddy I'm here with Kate. What's wrong?" She was so scared, but tried to hide it in her voice.

Shit! He did not need Alexis to hear this. But what was he supposed to do? He couldn't think of anything reassuring to say, but at least Kate and Alexis were together. That's where he wanted to be, together with them. He didn't want to be on a plane headed to Washington, DC, especially a plane that may never make it.

"Baby. Oh God, I'm so sorry you have to hear this. The plane has been high jacked. Please, stay with Kate and the kids."

Kate was sobbing when she said, "This can't be happening. What am I supposed to do? I can't, Castle. I won…" Her words died in her throat. How could she say those words? How could she say she couldn't live without him? If she said them, it made it real. Some way, some how, he was going to return to her, and it would not be in a body bag.

"Kate, baby, there are some things in this life that are beyond our power. We really don't get to choose whom we fall in love with nor when it's our time to go. Just like you told me all those years ago, there are no regrets, we've had a great run."

Kate was crying. Alexis was sobbing. Even Lanie and Jenny couldn't hold back the tears.

"What about the plans we had, Castle?" Kate said as she wiped the tears from her eyes.

"I think this is the last time I will be able to call and say goodbye. Come on, Kate. Let me hear you smile …one last time." Castle was as scared as Kate. But he took the chance and decided to use this desperate moment to tell his wife goodbye regardless of the cost.

"No! I refuse to believe this. Richard Edgar Castle, you are not saying goodbye to me like this. You hear me?"

There was static on the line causing Kate's heart to drop to her stomach. Panic engulfed her as the color drained from her face.

"This connection is getting bad. Kate, I don't have much time."

Kate wiped her eyes and found the courage to say, "Oh God, Castle. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry for everything. Everything I've ever done. God, if I had only known. I would have loved you better. I would have had more patience. I would have…" Her voice trailed off, whispering, "If I'd only known."

Castle stopped her, "No, no. Don't say this. You, oh Kate, you are the perfect wife. I know this can't be easy. But promise me. Promise me, Kate, if something bad happens, you will go on with your life." He flashed back to when they had first met and he learned of her mother's murder. He saw what it had done to her. How she had crawled up in her mother's death and hid there.

"Rick, what about the boys? They won't understand. What about our future? Our plans?"

Castle inhaled deeply. The thought of Kate having to raise three children on her own pained him. He knew she would have a great support system. She already did. Her dad was very active with the boys. His mom and dad had them spend the night many times just to have the opportunity to spoil them at will. Alexis and Owen came by numerous times through out the week. Everyone would rally around her and the children as they always had. But he knew. He knew it wouldn't be the same because he wouldn't be there.

With tears in his eyes, he tried to focus once again and said, "Alexis, baby, you still there?"

"Yes, daddy. I'm here."

"Stay there, baby. You and Kate will need each other. Help her with the boys. Promise me, Alexis. You'll be there." He paused to get control of his breathing and suspend his tears. "I'll be there when you tell them stories about me. Let them take me with them in life. And you, too, I'll be there if you're ever in trouble. I'll be there when you have babies. I'll always…"

His voice cracked and faded. Kate and Alexis looked at each other in fear. Was this the end? Did they lose the call? Did the plane fall? As they stared into each other's terror filled eyes, he came back onto the line.

"Tell the boys Daddy loves them and to be brave. They're strong boys, Kate. You've got this." For the first time since his voice came on the line, he was calm and reassuring. The love he had for his family radiated across the line.

Instinctively, Kate stood to her feet. She held the phone in the palm of her hand, stepping around Alexis she walked toward the office.

"Kate," Castle's voice ran though out the living room. "Hon, I have to go, take me off speaker."

Kate tapped the screen and held the phone to her ear.

"Don't hang up on me, Castle. Don't you dare! There are so many more things I need to say." She took a deep breath before and slowly whispering into the phone, "I want to hold you, touch you, kiss you. Oh, to be there with you."

She paused, but only to blink away tears. "I love you so much."

"Kate, I am so sorry. I don't think you understand or know how much I love you. I wish I were with you, to have your lips grace mine, to feel your body against mine one last time. I wish so many things, just one last time…"

"Rick, I love you so much. I should have told you more often." Kate spoke in almost a whisper, as her voice shook.

"I know you do. Trust me when I say you are the perfect wife, you are and will always be the best mother to our sons, and I know Johanna will be the answer to our prayer. I'll be there when she comes into the world, I'll be there as the kids grow up, and I'll be there with you. Always, Kate, alwa…"

The phone abruptly went silent. His call had done it so many times in the past three minutes. She wasn't sure what had happened, but in her heart, she knew.

It was almost like she felt him leave. She cried out into the phone, "Castle? Rick, can you still hear me?"

She fell to her knees onto the floor in front of the office door. Tears arose and spilled down her cheeks as she began to shake uncontrollably. She pulled the phone from her ear and looked at the screen. The signal had died after three minutes and forty-seven seconds. Jack, James and Castle's flour covered faces were smiling back at her.

A/N: Don't worry, this is far from over.

Until next week...