Kate sat on the examination table, her legs dangled over the edge and she swung them softly, the paper crinkling beneath her. Her heart was pounding beneath her shirt, her fingers tapping aimlessly against her thigh.
"Nervous?" Rick asked.
Kate shrugged, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. "A little, but I'm more excited than anything, you know?"
"Of course," he said.
She stopped kicking and crossed her legs, giving Rick that smile of hers, the one she saved exclusively for him. It made him feel lucky and a little bit invincible. His head was swirling with baby names and furniture and pastel paint palettes. He was finding it increasingly more difficult to stay quiet and seated and totally clam because on the inside he could feel his heart leaping with anticipation. The more he imagined their future, the more he felt a flutter on the left side of his chest. If something didn't offer a distraction in the next few minutes he was probably going to stand up and start declaring his love for their unborn child, or children, in a dramatic monologue that would make Kate roll her eyes and suppress a smile. He might do something equally weird and embarrassing because sitting there in the doctor's office with Kate made everything feel real and it was a major battle to suppress his joy, or at least hold it in for a while.
The door creaked softly as it opened, in stepped a relatively young doctor with red hair and a warm smile. "Hi, I'm Dr. Samantha Gilby. It's nice to meet you," she greeted, extending her hand to Kate then Rick. They introduced themselves.
"So, you went to the hospital last week and found out that you're pregnant?"
Kate nodded.
"From what I've read, you were pretty sick. How's everything now?" Dr. Gilby asked.
"It's a lot better. The day after the hospital I was still sick with the flu, but once I recovered, I didn't feel so bad. There's been some morning sickness, but as of now, it's manageable."
Dr. Gilby's hand scribbled across her clipboard as she took notes. "I'm glad you're feeling a bit better," she gave a genuine smile, reaching her green eyes, "If the morning sickness ever gets to be too much just give me a call or a visit and I can prescribe you with something."
"Okay, thanks."
"Do you have any questions about the pregnancy?"
"I don't think so. I've been doing some research and everything makes sense so far."
The doctor nodded. "If you come up with any, don't hesitate to ask. If you're ready we can go ahead and do the ultrasound. Just lie back and pull your shirt over your stomach, please."
Dr. Gilby rubbed gel on Kate, she squirmed slightly. "It's cold," she mouthed to Rick, a melodic giggle following softly. Rick smiled and reached out, taking her hand in his.
"All right," the doctor began, she ran the transducer over Kate's abdomen. Dr. Gilby examined the screen. Kate and Rick held their breath as they waited for news. "They both look great." The couple audibly let out breaths of relief. "Baby A and Baby B appear healthy. Do you want to see?"
Kate nodded and Dr. Gilby turned the screen toward the examination table. Suddenly, Kate and Rick saw two grainy outlines of bodies. There it was, the shift. The before and after. The impending awareness that everything was suddenly different and they couldn't be happier. Kate gasped, as tears brimmed in her eyes.
"We're really having a baby," Rick whispered, his voice laced with euphoria.
"We're having two!" Kate exclaimed, shaking her head. "Castle, this is absolutely amazing. They're alive in there."
He caught her eye and couldn't help the smile that blossomed across his face. "They're so cute," he gushed.
"You can't even make any out of their features," Kate laughed.
"I know, I know, but still. Look at them. They're little tiny babies and even better, they're little tiny Beckett-Castle babies." His eyes glowed with pride and jubilance. He put his hands on his head. "This is crazy," he enunciated each word individually, eliciting a giggle from his wife. "I'm so excited," he rambled, unable to stop the flow of words.
"I can't wait," Kate couldn't keep herself from joining in his meandering speech. "There are two of them."
"Two," Rick parroted.
Dr. Gilby pointed out the two bodies on the monitor, she explained that everything looked normal and the pregnancy appeared to be going well. The two babies looked so small, but seeing them made everything start to truly sink it. It was really happening, nothing would ever be the same, and for once, neither felt the bitterness that often accompanies change. This was a change that was all good. A change that was welcomed.
"Would you like to hear the heartbeat?"
"Yes, please," Kate said quietly, still in awe of lives growing inside her.
"You've got it," Dr. Gilby said, she fidgeted with the machine for a moment. A few seconds later a rapid thumping filled the room, it sounded like a horse galloping. It was quick, but Kate fell in love with the sound immediately, and the small beginning of a human that was producing it.
"What you're hearing now is the heartbeat of Baby A," Dr. Gilby explained. "Ready for Baby B?"
Kate and Rick both nodded.
"Okay." The noise disappeared before it was replaced with a nearly identical rhythmic sound. "And that is Baby B."
There were two heartbeats and two healthy babies and two excited parents and a forthcoming future, and nothing could have made them happier.
A/N: Thank you so very much for all the reads, reviews, follows and favorites, they mean the world to me. I apologize for the length of this chapter, I know it's short. I agonized over ever word on this one, and rewrote it multiple times, nothing felt right. Regardless, I hope you enjoyed it. I'm still planning on continuing this story, although, the pregnancy itself will likely only span a few chapters. I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions, criticism is welcomed. Thank you!
