Moments in Time

Part II

by: AW

© AW February 2013

I had made a promise to Rick. I would find his daughter; even if it meant sacrificing mine.

I let a tear fall down my face and made my way down to the morgue. I needed to talk to Lanie.

She saw me standing there before I even realized; before I knew what I had to do.

She walked up to me and grabbed my shoulders. "Kate; what happened?"

I drew in a deep breath. "I told him."

She stared at me, "Then why do you look like someone took your most precious wish and squashed it? What did he do?"

I sniffled and wiped the tears that were forming in my eyes. "He was happy at first. Then we got a message from Alexis. We know where she is."

Lanie smiled, "That's great; but what's the catch?"

I sighed, "Can I fly while I'm pregnant?"

Lanie shook her head, "Where is she?"

"France. That's like a 20 hour flight. Can I fly while I'm pregnant?"

Lanie shook her head, "Well you can but there are no guarantees it will be safe for the baby Castle you have in there."

I nodded, "I figured; it hasn't even been confirmed by a doctor. I don't even know how far along I am or if I am for sure pregnant."

"Oh honey, come here." She pulled out a needle. "Let me draw some blood and I'll get your some answers and then you can figure out what you want to do."

Kate bit her bottom lip, "If we don't get Alexis. He'll never forgive me."

"If you take the chance with this baby will he ever forgive you?"

I took in a deep breath; I was in a no-win situation. He was right about one thing though; Alexis was alive. "Lanie, Castle needs to get Alexis back. If I don't get her back, he'll never forgive me."

Lanie nodded and continued to draw the blood. Once she was done she took the blood and put it on her test table after labeling it. "Let me get the results for sure; then you can worry about everything else."

I drew in a deep breath. "I'm not even sure I want to know. If I don't know for sure and something happens then it can be classified as an accident…right?"

Lanie approached her best friend. "Is that what you really want?"

I drew in a deep breath. "I want this baby and I can't lose her."

"Oh, sweetie; I know; but we haven't even figured out if you are pregnant."

I sighed, "What are the chances that a home pregnancy test is not right? How often are they wrong?!"

Lanie sighed, "Almost never; but we don't know how far along you are and how dangerous flying will be for you."

"And I haven't seen a doctor…"

Lanie looked at her friend, "I am a doctor, and I can tell you what the chances are; but I'm not an OBGYN."

I took in a deep breath, "I'll take what I can get right now."

Lanie watched me try to get my breathing under control. "Have the two of you talked about more kids?"

I shook my head, "An offhanded comment at the sci-fi convention; nothing really serious. He said he wanted the option of more kids."

I heard a beeping and Lanie checked out the readings on her computer. "Well it looks like he's going to have that chance. Looks like about six weeks Kate."

I got myself together. "Okay well how dangerous is it for me to fly while I'm six weeks pregnant?"

Lanie sighed, "I don't think you're high risk, and you're healthy. So you should be okay."

I nodded and went to meet Castle.

[THREE HOURS LATER – CASTLE LOFT]

I walked into his home. I had packed my bags, I had checked with a doctor; I had done everything I could. "Rick; let's figure out how we're going to do this."

Castle stared at me. "I already figured it out. We're leaving this afternoon; I have two tickets booked to Paris and we'll go from there. We will find her."

I nodded and stared at him. "I checked with a doctor. I am for sure pregnant about six weeks along and since it's early it should be safe enough for me to fly."

Rick nodded and stared at me. He came over and put a hand over my belly. "This little one needs her big sister Alexis with her."

I smiled, "Her?"

He laughed, "Sorry, I've only ever had a girl."

I nodded. "How long do you think we'll be gone?"

Rick sighed, "As long as it takes to get my daughter back."

I sighed. "I hope my clothes fit for that long."

He stared at me and pulled me close to him, letting his hand drop down to my belly. "I love you Kate, and if you need more clothes, I'll buy them for you."

I pulled on the waist of my pants and noticed that my slim fit jeans were starting to get a little tighter. Before I took the test, I just thought I was maybe putting on a little weight. I sighed and knew if we were there for more than a couple of weeks, the clothes I had probably would no longer fit.

I sighed. "Are you sure you want to do this Rick?"

He stared at me astounded, "What go get Alexis?"

I let a small smile encompass my face. "No have a baby? You just had one move out; do you really want to start over again?"

Rick pulled me close to him and gently kissed me on the top of the head. "If this child chose us, we really don't need to be asking these questions do we?"

I laughed, "I suppose not. If this kid is as stubborn as his father, he'll make it."

Castle grinned at me, "Him?"

"Well I figured if you wanted a girl, I'd say I want a boy."

He smiled at me, "Now let's get our oldest daughter back."

'Our daughter', he referred to Alexis as their daughter. When had it come to this point? When had things changed? Alexis knew who her mother was. What was going to happen next time Meredith showed up and saw Kate large with her ex-husband's child?

I let a smile grace my features, "Our child?"

Rick blushed. "We're going to be a family. Meredith was never much of a mother to Alexis, if you're willing… I'd like you to be her step mother."

I watched as Rick dug a diamond solitaire ring out of his pocket, "And my wife."

I stared at him my hands shaking, surprised. Was he just asking because he knocked me up?

Rick watched the wheels turning in my head and knew what I was thinking. "It's not just because you're carrying my baby. I've had this ring for nearly a year now."

I was shocked we had only been dating for six months now. "You were thinking about this before we even got together?"

Castle smiled. "I've loved you since almost the first moment I saw you."

I nodded and placed the ring carefully on my finger. "Then I guess we have to go and find your daughter. What time is the flight?"

"Two hours."

I yawned the last couple of days had been grueling. "I'm going to lie down for an hour or so; we have a while before we have to leave."

Rick nodded and off I went to bed.

Lanie had warned me that I might be a little more tired with the child growing in my body. I heard him and Martha talking downstairs and then I heard her say bye dear to her son, and then the door closed.

I assumed that Martha had to take off for another play she was in. Finally I went downstairs and stared at my 'fiancé's mother; Rick's mother. Where was Rick?

"Martha where's Rick?"

Martha looked around then dug in one of Rick's junk drawer desperately searching for his passport. Martha stuttered, "I – I'm not sure; but his passport's gone."

I shook my head, "He left without me."

Martha enveloped me in a hug. "I know he can be frustrating, but he needs to find her. That is his daughter Kate." She paused and stared at me, "As much as he loves you he loves his daughter more."

I began crying silent tears and nodded. "What about his other baby?"

Martha took a double take. "You're pregnant?"

I nodded, "I have to make sure he's okay and by proxy so is Alexis."

She nodded and watched my emotions flooding out of my body. "Go to the precinct and search from there. That's the best you can do at this point. I don't even know where he went or who he went to see."

I nodded my acceptance, but knew I had to somehow get to France and find Rick.

[TWO HOURS LATER – 12th PRECINCT]

I walked into the precinct with a bag packed for the trip. The precinct was empty of the normal occupants.

Esposito, Ryan and Lanie had left for the night as well as Gates.

For some reason I was pleased by the silence. No one asking me questions; no one questioning my motives.

I dug through my desk looking for the piece of paper containing the information of where Castle might have gone. He covered his tracks well, but then I remembered.

I had had Alexis' whereabouts checked. I knew approximately where she was and it was all I needed to start my quest for my family.

[END PART II]

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