4. apple cider - future


"Castle, we're out of pie," she whines.

She turns to look at him, resting her hand pointedly on her round belly. She pushes her lower lip out into a pout and widens her eyes in that way she knows he can't resist.

He turns back to her, too, brows furrowed. "Alrea—"

She glares, and he stops in his tracks, that smile he gets when he's fighting to stay on her good side curling at the corners of his lips.

"You're right," he says and she watches as he pushes himself up off the couch, coming towards her in the kitchen. "I only bought two and I should have bought more. I'll run to the store and get more later?"

"But babe, the baby wants apples now."

He chuckles, just loud enough for her to hear and she slaps at his chest half-heartedly. And then she's pressed against him, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, his hand settling on the baby bump that he calls adorable and she calls huge.

She does like it when he rubs a circle against her skin, so gentle over their son, though.

"Have you tried the juice?" he asks, the words a whisper against her hair.

Crinkling her nose, she nods. "It's good but…"

"Not enough?"

"I think baby likes cinnamon with his apples," she mumbles. "But now we're out of pie."

He squeezes her shoulder gently, dusting a kiss to the top of her head. "How about I make you and baby something else with apples and cinnamon, to tide you over until we get more pie?" he offers.

Oh. That sounds good.

"Like what?" she asks.

He smiles, laughing against her head. "You wait while I get it ready. And if it's not good enough, I'll go out and get you more pie right away."

She smiles, standing on her toes to press a kiss to his cheek. "Thank you, Castle."

Trailing his hand down her spine, he rubs a circle against the base of her back before letting her go, "You go get comfortable, finish today's episode of Temptation Lane," he tells her. "I'll bring it to you when it's ready."

She listens, returning to the living room to drop onto the couch. She sinks into the cushions and draws her feet up next to her as she reaches for the remote. Her free hand settles over her belly as she pulls up the DVR menu and starts the episode.

Since spending some time off work during her first trimester, she's gotten back into the show, watching the daily episodes curled up on the couch with a blanket draped over her, her resting hand on her belly. Castle usually watches with her, laughing at the horrible storytelling, enraptured by fictional romance.

She sinks deeper into the cushions, running her hand over her baby bump. Whatever Castle's making her is starting to smell good, the sweetness of apples and the undertone of cinnamon and nutmeg that their little boy loves so much.

Thank goodness the baby decided to give her this craving in the fall.

"Castle? Is it almost ready?" she calls.

She hears him laugh from the kitchen. "Does it smell good?" he calls back.

She hums her response. "Smells great," she says.

There's noise from the other room, glass being set on the countertop, metal hitting metal and then silence for a second before she hears his footsteps.

She turns towards him again, finds him smiling down at her, a mug in each hand.

"Apple cider sound okay, Beckett and baby?"

Her mouth is practically watering as she nods, reaching for the mug like a child. Her hands wrap around it, fingers warmed by the hot, amber liquid as she brings the rim to her lips, taking a careful sip.

The tangy sweetness of the apple washes over her tongue, the warm undertone of cinnamon drawing a soft moan from her throat as her eyes slide closed. Bringing the cup back down, she licks at her lips,

He's smiling down at her, his own cup still in his hand, full. "Good?" he asks.

"So good, babe," she answers. "You actually made cider for me and the baby?"

He shrugs. "I used to make it for Alexis when she was little. It's not hard, and I figured it would soothe your apple cinnamon craving," he says.

Her heart flutters, and she reaches for him with one hand, She tugs him down so he's sitting next to her, his arm wrapping around her shoulders, pulling her closer.

"The baby likes the cider, too," she whispers to him before taking another sip.

Castle reaches over, splays his hand over her round belly. "Yeah?" he asks.

She nods, rests her palm on his hand, fingers sliding into the gaps between his.

"He's moving around in there?" he asks.

"Yeah," she breathes. "A lot, actually."

She feels him sigh as he brushes a kiss to the top of her head. "I can't wait to feel him," he mumbles.

"I know," she says. "Soon, babe. He's getting stronger."

He smiles against the crown of her head. "I know." He squeezes her shoulder, turning back to the TV. "So? Is she telling him about the affair?"

She scoffs. "Have you ever seen a soap opera?"

He rests his head on hers, and she can feel him smile as she explains why there is no way the affair will be spoken of in today's episode. She rambles, laughing, their hands still on her stomach.

The cup of cider is done by the time the end credits roll, the preview for tomorrow's episode flashing across the screen.

Castle comes back to sit with her, handing her the mug he filled again. She takes a sip, eyes falling closed and then opening again.

She sees the moment he realizes what she's going to ask, when her lips curl into the slightest of grins.

She pats his thigh gently. "Your cider is great, babe."

He chuckles softly, shaking his head. "But?"

"But, you know what it would be really great with?"

He squeezes her shoulder again. "Pie?" he suggests, even though he already knows the answer.

"Exactly."

He grins, running his hand over her head to curl around her nape, and presses a soft, loving kiss to her forehead.

"Okay, honey. I'll be back soon, with pie."

She smiles as she watches him go, still sipping on her apple cider.


Huge thank you to Marielyfan for reading this over.