10. HR

(8 Weeks)

"Are you sure you're okay with this," Castle asked Beckett over breakfast Sunday morning.

"Absolutely," Beckett replied, "this is one conversation you three should have without me, besides, I'll be busy. My dad called and wants to meet so I should probably call him back."

"That will be good. You haven't talked to him since that week you talked to me right?" Beckett nodded and Castle smiled, "Then I'm sure he'll be thrilled about your new changes. So any morning sickness today," he asked.

Yesterday hadn't been the best day for Beckett in that regard. Not only had she woken up with morning sickness but it had lasted a few times throughout the day. Castle had been a trooper during the whole thing, always being there, holding her hair back as she curled over the porcelain, offering her juice and crackers to help calm things down.

Martha and Alexis had worried but Beckett said that it was just the flu and that she'd be good in no time once it was over with.

"Not now," Beckett answered, "Mainly I just feel tired. I'll probably read and then take a nap once you three leave and maybe again before I meet my dad."

"Sorry I won't be able to take one with you."

Beckett smiled, "Next time. You need this."

Castle smiled and placed a kiss on Beckett's head just as Martha and Alexis came downstairs.

"Okay Richard," said Martha, "Where are we going and what's this about?"

"I will tell you when we get there," said Castle.

He turned to Beckett, "I'm only a phone call away if you need anything," he said placing a kiss on her lips.

Beckett smiled again, "I know. Good luck."

"You too," he said to her.

"Ready ladies," Castle asked.

"Ready," Alexis replied, "Bye Kate."

"Bye, Katherine."

"Have fun," Beckett said to them.

Just as she said she would, once the trio had left Beckett made her way to Castle's massive bookshelves. You could always tell a person by their books. Not only did he have copies of every book he'd written but he also had a variety of others in over twenty-two genres.

Beckett decided to keep it simple and pulled out a hardback copy of 'Heat Wave'. She had read it several times before since Castle had given her a manuscript copy along with a hardback and pocket paperback. They were books based on her, his fantasies, fantasies which she herself had pleasured herself with and now that they were together, fantasies which she loved reading even more.

She settled on her side on the couch, cautious of her weight, even though there wasn't much to show but still cautious nonetheless, covered herself with a blanket and started reading from the very beginning.

She only got through the first chapter before falling asleep.

"We haven't been here since I was eleven," Alexis said as she, her dad, and Grams sat at a table on the pier enjoying snow cones.

"Richard, you're acting weirder than usual," said Martha, "What's going on?"

"There's something I have to run by you both," said Castle. "What would you say to Beckett moving in with us?"

"Are you serious?" asked Alexis.

"Very," Castle replied, "Now I know it's very early in our relationship and we just got back together two days ago…"

Martha smiled and placed a hand on her son's hand. "Richard," she said, "you've been head over heels in love with that girl since you first saw her three years ago, even when you were with Gina for a second time. It's not soon at all."

Alexis smiled a little, "Does she make you happy?"

Castle looked at his daughter, "Yeah she does."

"Then that's all that matters."

"So you both are really okay with this?" Castle asked wanting to be sure.

"Dad, Beckett's not like Gina," said Alexis, "She's not even like mom. She's the real deal. If you think having her move in is the right decision then I trust you."

"Thank you, sweetheart."

"And what does Katherine think about this," asked Martha.

Castle figured that was the next logical question coming, "She said yes."

"That's great," said Martha, "so when can we be expecting the latest member to our family?"

Castle smiled. He had no idea how deep her question went; skin deep as far as Beckett and her womb were concerned.

"At the end of the week," said Castle, "Beckett wanted to give us some time to have this talk and she wanted to have time to move out since no one at the precinct know we're together so we still need to figure out what we're going to do there."

"If it's meant to be," said Martha, "the rest will come."

"That's your sage of wisdom for today," asked Castle.

"It is and I'm pretty sure everyone knows that you and Katherine are more than meant to be."

"What does that even mean?"

Martha just shrugged and the three of them continued to eat their snow cones before they melted and turned to water.

Around two in the afternoon Castle sat on the floor near the couch and smiled as he watched Beckett asleep on the couch, the book 'Heat Wave' on the floor.

He gently moved back some hair from her face and she stirred.

"Hey," Beckett said to him.

"Hi."

"What time is it?"

"Two."

Beckett sat up. She couldn't believe how long she'd been asleep: four hours.

"Have you been asleep since we left," Castle asked.

"Yeah. I hadn't meant to sleep that long."

"Don't worry, it's completely normal. What time are you meeting your dad?"

"At three thirty so I'm actually glad you woke me up. Oh how'd it go with Martha and Alexis?"

Castle smiled, "They are more than happy to have a new member in the family."

Beckett's eyes widened, "Castle, please tell me you didn't tell them about…" Beckett lowered her voice, "the baby."

"Relax," Castle said as he patted her hand, "I didn't say a word. I meant they're happy to have you here."

"Okay that does make me feel better. I'm not ready for anyone to know yet except for you and my dad. I want to see how this first appointment goes."

Castle smiled again, "You got it. You should probably get ready."

Adjustment at the Castle loft had been surprisingly easy for Beckett. Though they had planned on waiting till the end of the week, Beckett had figured it wouldn't hurt to get a head start on some of her changes, particularly having to let human resources know about her change in address.

On Tuesday over a dead body at a high end condo, Lanie traced over Beckett's figure. "What are you, what are you doing something different?" she asked.

Beckett shook her head, "No, why?"

"I don't know," said Lanie, "Something's changed. There's a glow."

Beckett side glanced at Castle but kept her focus on her friend. "There's no glow. Can we focus on our vic please instead of me?"

"Okay sure but I know there's something going on." Lanie turned her attention to their victim. "Young male I'd guess between the ages of 15 and 25. It's hard to determine his exact age given that he still has his wisdom teeth. Been here at least close to twelve hours. I'll have more later once I get him on my table."

"Thanks Lanie," Beckett said as she went to the boys, grateful that her morning sickness hadn't decided to kick in while she looked at the body.

"What have we got, Espo," she asked as she went to stand near a broken window where he was standing.

"Nothing good," Esposito replied. "It looks as if the window was intentionally kicked in from the inside however the tech guys here told me that's not true. It was actually kicked in from the outside."

Beckett looked over the broken window and a wave of dizziness hit her that she had to back away. Esposito was quick to offer her a hand which she took to her discomfort, anything to help stop the spinning.

"Woah, you okay," Esposito asked.

"Yeah fine, that's just a long way up. We're looking at what, twenty eight stories here?"

"More like thirty-eight," Castle said as he came over. He saw that Espo was still holding onto Beckett and that she looked a little pale.

"Beckett, what happened," Castle asked.

"It's nothing," Beckett replied.

"She got dizzy," Esposito told him.

"It's no big deal," said Beckett.

"Maybe you should go sit down," said Castle.

"I can get you some water," added Espo.

Beckett released herself from Esposito's grasp and held up her hands, "Would you guys knock it off, I'm perfectly fine. It's a high building. I just got a bit dizzy looking over the window it's no big deal. What I want to know is how our perp was able to break through the window from the outside if we're looking at thirty-eight floors."

"He's Spiderman," Castle said.

Beckett smiled at his response. Leave it to him.

"Bringing it down to humans with non-mutant powers," said Beckett.

"Actually," said Castle, "technically Spiderman wasn't a mutant. He was bit by a radioactive spider."

"Castle focus," said Beckett, "Our perp wasn't bit by a radioactive spider and he's not a mutant from X-Men. He is human. So we need to find out how that human got into this building from the outside."

"Oh I know," said Castle, "He did it ether Batman or Green Arrow style."

"Seriously bro?" asked Esposito.

"What," said Castle as he looked at Beckett, "You said our guy is human. Green Arrow, AKA Oliver Queen and Batman, AKA Bruce Wayne are human."

Beckett looked at Esposito, "Meanwhile back in the real world."

Esposito laughed and they began to continue the investigation.

Mid-day Wednesday Beckett closed her eyes and ran her hands over her face as she sat at her desk. She hated this case. Ten interviews later and they were still nowhere in solving who had murdered eighteen year old Trent Jacobs.

"Maybe we should call it a day," Castle said as he sat in his chair, "Go home, take a nap."

Beckett rubbed her eyes, "No, it's too early for that." She looked at her files, "Somebody has to know something. Our perp couldn't have just gone through that window and appeared through thin air." Castle raised his hand but Beckett stopped him before he could speak, "And don't say maybe he did." Castle again raised his hand, "And don't say he teleported from the future. We're not dealing with Barry Allen and the Reverse Flash here."

Castle smiled, "It is so hot that you know that. And how you made the X-Men reference yesterday."

His comment caused Beckett to look at him and smile.

"Beckett," Montgomery said coming out of his office and looking at her, "Castle, my office. Now!"

The boys across from Beckett looked at the pairing.

"Okay," said Esposito, "what did you two do?"

"What makes you think we did anything," Beckett shot at him.

"It's you and Castle," said Ryan, "You two are always doing something."

Beckett gave them an annoying look as she and Castle got up to go to Montgomery's office.

"You wanted to see us sir," Beckett asked when they were in the office.

"Close the door."

Castle did so and the pair looked at their boss.

"So what," Montgomery said, "Did you think I wouldn't find out?"

Beckett and Castle looked at each other and then back at Montgomery, who had continued on his spiel.

"Contrary to what you all may think of me, I am married. I do have a wife, I do live with someone of the opposite sex so I do know what's going on."

"Sir?" asked Beckett unsure of where this was going.

"I just got a call from HR," said Montgomery, "Did you think I wouldn't find out about your currently living arrangements detective?"

"Sir, I can explain that."

"Please do, I'd like to hear it. I thought that you had found a place after yours blew up."

"I did sir and it's a great place," said Beckett.

"But it's not with Castle is it?" said Montgomery.

His face turned into a smile which confused the pair in front of him.

"Sir?"

"Oh drop the act Beckett," said Montgomery, "I know you two are together, as in a real relationship."

Castle's eyes widened, "You do?"

"I'm not an idiot Castle," said Montgomery, "Why do you think I brought you on? Why do you think I let you follow Beckett around all these years? It's cause I knew how well you were for Kate."

"How, even I didn't," said Beckett.

"Ouch," Castle said touching his heart as if his pride was wounded.

"Sorry," said Beckett, "I just meant: how could you have known sir?"

"Please, Beckett, anyone who pays attention can see the way you two act around each other. We all just figured it was a matter of time till something happened. And now that it obviously has I can do several things. First if you want to keep a lid on your relationship then I can go ahead with that, I can deny plausible deniability as long as you two keep things professional. And second, it will be up to you if you plan to tell the boys but just know I won't say anything to them about it."

Beckett and Castle both smiled, "That would be preferred. And thank you sir, for all of it."

Montgomery nodded, "You're one of my best detectives, Kate, and if what you want is to be with Castle, then I will stand with you."

"Thank you sir."

"And Castle," said Montgomery, "You better take care of this one. I mean it or so help me if you don't, the 12th will be the last place you ever want to step foot in again."

Castle gulped feeling like he was being reprimanded by a father, "Yes sir."

"I mean it, Castle, take care of her."

Castle desperately wanted to reach for Beckett's hand and she could feel herself drifting closer to him, their hands barely brushing but not grasping since the blinds to the office were still open.

Instead Castle looked at Beckett and smiled, "Always," he replied.

Beckett smiled back.

"Now," said Montgomery, "I'm going to do and say something that you're not going to like since we're going to keep this relationship under wraps." Montgomery raised his voice, "I swear to God, Mr. Castle, if you ever pull a stunt like this again I will contact the mayor and have him strip you of your privileges here indefinitely. And Detective Beckett if you so much as ever help him in his little schemes again you will be sent down to desk duty or traffic stops and you'll be begging me for your job back. It won't be so much fun shadowing her while she's doing nothing but paper work all day. Now get the hell out of my office!"

"Yes sir," Beckett and Castle replied as they played along.

They closed the door behind them when they got out.

"Sheesh," said Ryan, "What the hell was that all about?"

"You don't want to know, trust me," said Beckett.

"Yeah listen to her," said Castle, "that's weird Montgomery usually likes me."

Ryan laughed, "You must have done something really bad for him to be so pissed off."

"You have no idea," Castle said as he took his seat, turning his back to the boys. He smiled at Beckett and she did all she could to suppress hers until the boys returned back to their work.

[Author's Note:]

I deeply apologize for the delay in getting this chapter up.

I had a personal situation arise involving a friend so that took up a majority of time this week.

It was certainly not planned. In fact the plan was to have been writing but clearly my life

was not my own. Of course at the same time I don't mind since I had to be there for my friend.

Hoping to start writing chapter 11 either on Monday or Tuesday.

Again it's awkward writing the pregnancy stuff when I have family

at home.

And I use the internet and pregnancy books as references to get the detail as

accurate as possible so I can't exactly have that stuff out when my parents are

home, again awkward.

Just bare with me. This story does have a plan and a destination,

it's just taking a lot longer than I thought it would.