A/N: See part 1 for Disclaimer.

Chapter 4

Castle went back to the kitchen, where Alexis had cleaned away the dishes. He went straight to the cup-board and got the Scotch.

"Did Kate talk to you? Well, she must have, since you are drinking and you were just fine, when you went up to her. So, she did tell you about her problem, didn't she?", Alexis asked, sitting down on the counter.

"Yes, she talked to me, but first, how much did she tell you?"

"Oh, nice try, Dad. You tell me first, what she told you. After all it could be that you just want to get information out of me."

"Kate is going to have a baby. Is that enough? So what did she tell you? Anything about the father?", Castle asked.

"Okay, so she really told you but I don't know much about the father. She hadn't told him, since she is afraid she will destroy their friendship and this is something she really needs. This friendship I mean and she told me, that she does have feelings for this friend, but she doesn't know if he feels the same. You are going to help her, don't you? She is really worried about this whole situation and she needs a good friend. If she is going to keep the baby without the father knowing about all of this, you are going to help her?", Alexis asked.

"Of course I'm going to help her. She is my friend. I would never leave her and if she needs any help I will be there for her. But how about you? How would you feel, if I spend more time with Beckett and her baby?"

"I think I would be okay, after all I will soon be away at College. And then I would know, that you do have some company. And I know, that you have feelings for Kate; more than friendship. Why don't you try your luck. She needs someone and I know, that she cares about you, too. And the baby needs a dad. And I can personally assure you, that you are a great father. Just try to be nice and get to know her better without annoying her."

"Thanks Alexis, I really needed this now. And I will try to woo her.", Castle said grinning.

Kate was woken up on the next morning by the smell of tea. Herbal tea. She opened her eyes and saw Castle sitting on her bed with a tablet.

"Castle, what are you doing here?", Kate asked, sitting up.

"I thought I bring you something to eat and to drink. I used the night to get some information. Crackers and tea should help with any case of morning sickness. I hope you don't feel sick but since you didn't eat anything yesterday, I insist that you eat at least breakfast this morning."

"Thanks Castle, but I'm really not hungry. And I kind of feel nauseous at the moment.", Kate said.

"Try a cracker, I promise you feel better in no time.", Castle said, feeding her one of the crackers. When she was finished he gave her the tea. "Are you feeling better?"

"Matter of fact, I really feel better. How did you know?"

"Well, it helped Meredith when she was pregnant with Alexis and Meredith was ill every day nearly five months long. And you know Meredith, it was not easy helping her or being with her at this time. So, are you up for a real breakfast?"

"I think I could do with some real food. Is Alexis down?"

"Alexis is already at school since it is just past ten a.m."

"Ten a.m.? Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"You are recovering from a bullet wound, you do need some good-nights sleep. Did you sleep well, Kate?"

"When I finally fell asleep I slept really good. But you know, I just have too much to think about at the moment."

"Try to stop worrying. I'm sure everything will be okay."

"It's easy for you to say, isn't it?"

"Yes, it's easy for me to say, because I really would love to have this baby. But like I said yesterday it's not my decision to make. I just can be there to help you. And now get ready for breakfast. I do have a surprise waiting for you downstairs.", Castle said and left the guest-room.

He went down to prepare breakfast for Kate and himself. When Kate came down the stairs about twenty minutes later, she was greeted with a loud "Whoof."

"Castle what have you done now?", Kate asked, getting down on her knees to greet the dog.

"Kate, this little fellow is Hulk."

"Hulk?", Kate asked, looking down at the little Yorkshire Terrier. "Really? I thought you would do better than this. And where the hell did you got a dog?"

"Well, I have to disappoint you, my sweet Detective. I didn't name the dog but my neighbor Becky. She lives at the floor down below and when she needs some help I look after Hulk. And since I'm at home today, I thought I could take him. I see he likes you."

"Yeah, he's a nice guy and I'm sure his owner is just as great.", Kate said kind of jealous.

"Oh, yes she is great. Sometimes I do help her with her homework, too, but most times it is Alexis who babysits her. Kate, relax, she is only ten years old. Her mother is a friend who lost her husband some years ago. If I can I try to help her. She helped me with Alexis a great deal."

"Oh, I didn't know. Sorry about this. I just don't know what's the matter with me. After all, it's not my problem what you do at your free-time. You can have as much girl-friends as you like."

"Kate calm down. I can tell you that there is no girl-friend at the moment. And there is only own woman I'm interested in at the moment and this is not Becky's mom.", Castle said smiling.

They had breakfast together with orange-juice and crepes. "Do you have any plans for today?", Castle asked when he cleaned away the breakfast.

"No, not really. I just want to lay down and think a bit more about this situation."

"And I told you, that you should stop worrying at least for one day. How about a walk in the park. Hulk needs to go and it's such a nice day outside. And I'm sure, some fresh air will do you good, too."

"Okay, let me get dressed and I'm good to go.", Kate said and went back to her room. Half an hour later she came back down where Castle was waiting for her with Hulk.

"Are you feeling good, Kate. You look kind of pale."

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's probably because I'm out of bed for the first time after the bed rest. So, lets go.", Kate said and went for the front door. Castle and Hulk followed her. They went to the near Central Park where they walk around for about an hour. Castle walked slowly since Kate wasn't really fast on her feet at the moment. When noon was approaching, Castle went to a near Hot-Dog-Vendor and got some food for them. Kate was sitting on a bench, enjoying the sun shining down on her. Suddenly she felt a sharp pain where her wound was. She put her hand on it to ease to pain. Castle saw this, when he came back.

"Everything okay, Kate. You don't look this great at the moment."

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's just the bullet wound. Nothing to worry about. What's for lunch?", Kate asked taking one Hot-Dog out of Castle's hand. They sat there at peace, eating hod-dogs and watching the people walking along. "How about a walk back to the loft. As much as I enjoy your company, but I have some writing I have to take care off.", Castle said standing up. He offered Kate his hand for helping her up. They arrived at the loft about one and a half hour later.

"Why don't you make yourself comfortable at the sofa. There are books behind you, you can read or you can put on a DVD or some music. I'll just get my laptop and then I will join you."

"That's not necessary. You can really write in your office. I won't mind.", Kate said, walking over to the book shelf.

"But I will mind. If I'm going to be here with you, your are probably not going to think about, you know what."

"Oh you mean about the baby. Yeah, probably not. But sometime soon, I will need to make a decision."

"And no matter what, I will be there for you.", Castle said and left to living-room to get his laptop. Kate used the time to search for a book, but she wasn't feeling like reading. So she took something what looked like a photo-album.

"Oh, you found the pics.", Castle said when he came back with his work.

"Yeah, I hope you don't mind. I can put it away when you want."

"No, feel free to look at the pics. Most of them are about Alexis when she was a child. Mother didn't keep much of my pictures. I can tell you some stories if you like."

"Don't you have some writing to do?", Kate asked, opening the book.

Kate looked at the pictures, while she listened to Castle's writing. She never have seen him work like this. About an hour later Kate was finished with the pictures and put the book on the coffee table in front of her. "Why don't you have any more children, Rick? Looking at the pics showed me that you really liked having a baby. So, why not more of them?", Kate asked curious.

"Well, that's easy. You see, Alexis wasn't planned. Meredith just started her career as actress and she didn't want to have a child. When she found out that she was pregnant, she nearly got an abortion. I could stop her in the last second, but I had to promise her, to marry her and take care of her. There was no question, she was going to work after the child was born. That's how I got married the first time. I sure did love Meredith but not like you should love someone you are going to spend the rest of you life with. For me the marriage was just something to get Alexis. I was in love with the baby since the moment Meredith told me. As soon as Alexis was born, Meredith was back on stage. Most of the time she was with us we fought. Meredith said it was my fault she didn't got any great roles, because she still had some pounds too much after the birth. And she never spend quality time with Alexis. It was like Alexis didn't exist for her. One day when I got home from a walk with Alexis, she was about six months old, I found Meredith together with another guy in some compromising position. I filled in for divorce."

"And since than it was just Alexis and you until Gina.", Kate said.

"Well, Gina was totally different. I loved being alone with Alexis, but soon she reached an age where I would kill for a female person in her live. Gina was a good friend at this point of time. We spent some time together and with Alexis. She seemed to like Gina so it was just naturally for me to marry her. Gina was okay with it since she was going to be Mrs. Rick Castle and this was all what mattered for her. She got my name and my money but didn't care for Alexis or me for the matter after the marriage. I tried my best to make it work, but I soon noticed, that Alexis didn't like her at all. They didn't got along on a daily basis. And Alexis' happiness was more important to me, than my personal luck, so I filled in for divorce a second time. Alexis tries to get along with both, Meredith and Gina but five days is as long as she can do it. So I asked Mother to move in with us, so Alexis would have a female person around her, probably not my best decision."

"I would be so hard to yourself. Alexis turned out to be a great person and I think she got a lot from her caring father. I've seen much on the force and not all parents put there children luck in front of there own. You are a good father, Rick."

"Why thanks, Kate. I didn't know you think about me like this.", Castle smiled.

"Don't ruin it, Castle. And you never tried to find a mother for Alexis? Someone you love and Alexis could get along? I'm sure, there must have been someone among your girl-friends."

"Well, I have to disappoint you, but there were never any girl-friends. That was just something my agent Paula forced me to play; Rick Castle, the womanizer. In reality I didn't have as much girl-friends as the media made you believe. After Gina there were about three women I was serious about, but it never was the right one. If I'm going to marry again in the future, I want it to be the last time. This woman has to be the love of my life.", Castle said, looking straight at Kate.

"And did you already find her?", Kate asked not really sure if she was going to like the answer.

"Yes, I think I found her, but I'm not sure she feels the same. She is a great person. I'm sure you would like her.", Castle said grinning. "What about you? Do you want to marry someday and start a family?"

"When I was a little girl I dreamed about getting married to my prince charming and getting at least three children with him. When my mother was killed and I joined the police I kind of buried my dreams. Being a police detective is not the best condition to start a family. I wouldn't like to put my family in any danger and each time I leave to precinct there is the danger I won't come back. I don't want my family to go trough this."

"So you don't plan to have any children. What about marriage? Is there someone you could imagine spending the rest of your life with?"

"Well, there is this one guy. At the moment I could imagine to spent my life with him but I'm not sure he would like this, too. We are friends, but nothing more. And I don't think he is interested in me since I was told that he is probably going to marry again soon.", Kate said, tears running down her face.

"Hey, come here Kate. I'm sure that's just a mistake. No guy right in his mind would leave you for some other woman."

"I just hope, you are right, since he told me personally.", Kate said sniffling and cuddling in Ricks side.

A/N: So, what do you think? Please leave a review.