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The distance between two

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One scene – A thousand words (ish)

The same challenge as last year; to see if I could create a linking moment between each Season Six episode.

One chapter a day until Season Seven arrives.

Wish me luck.

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6x10 – 6x11

The Good, The Bad & The Baby – Under Fire

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"Are you sure we can't keep some of this stuff for-"

Spinning away from the front door, Kate narrows her eyes, the pointed glare she directs at Castle enough that his lips close, the rest of his question thankfully remaining unsaid and she turns back, continues waiting for the Ryans to answer their buzzer.

The door opens wide without any further comments from the peanut gallery, and Jenny beams up at them, her hands drifting low under her stomach, as she appears to hold her rather extended bump up.

That really doesn't look at all comfortable.

"Hey, guys."

Shuffling out of the entrance, Jenny gestures for them to come in, and, readjusting the grip on the overstuffed bag, Kate enters, heading for the wooden table.

"I hope you have some space in the baby's room, 'cause Santa went a little overboard." Tilting her head at Castle, she carefully places the items down but it's no good, the tower leans precariously and she grabs for the bag, lying it all the way over.

"Oh, you two are the sweetest. You didn't have to buy all this." Walking toward Kate - can it really be considered walking so close to the due date? - Jenny grins, her delight adding another layer of shine to that which already illuminates her skin.

"To be fair, Castle bought most of this for Cosm- Baby Benny, but we thought you and Kevin could do with it now."

"I beg to differ." Mumbling does nothing to conceal his words, and she pivots in his direction, her glare returning.

"Will we need this leftover cra- paraphernalia in the next month?"

He shakes his head, eyes on the floor, and, raising a hand, she pats him on his shoulder, hopes her gesture softens the blow.

Talking about having kids in a few years' time is a little different to needing baby stuff now.

"It's all yours, Jenny. We don't need a play pen, or a car seat, or any of the other baby things that made their way into the loft during his stay." She shifts her attention back onto the table, her hand pushing aside some of the blankets. "We did buy this specifically for you, and there's a card in here too. Somewhere."

Kate's head lists to one side as she peers into the bag, but she can't see the white envelope poking out amid the diapers and bottles, and she shrugs a shoulder, holding out the onesie to Jenny.

"Castle saw it when we were out shopping the other week, and we couldn't go home without purchasing it."

The soft blue material is the background to a printed NYPD badge on the front, while the opposite side reads, My Daddy kicks bad guy ass.

It's probably not the most appropriate slogan for a baby to be wearing, but it didn't stop her fingers from hovering over a similar outfit. This one with the word Mommy written instead.

"I thought Kevin would enjoy the humor of it." Castle winks at Jenny, before gazing around the room. "Speaking of, where is he?"

Placing the outfit over her belly, as if trying it on for size, Jenny inclines her head toward the kitchen. "He's in there trying to get his old Bunsen burner working."

"He's what?"

Her question mingles with Castle's and smiling at him - she loves that they can still do that - she attempts not to laugh at either Ryan.

"He saw a documentary about camp fires and family bonding, and-" Jenny frowns, her mouth opening and closing, before opening again, "he's worried that he can't make the perfect s'more and our child will hate him as a result."

Lifting a hand to her face, Kate presses her fingers against her lips, forcing the burst of amusement to stay inside and not out, and she's successful until Castle nods at Jenny's explanation, understanding tugging at his features.

"Sorry." She waves toward Jenny - with any luck she'll be forgiven for her fit of giggles - but as Castle gives her a glare of his own, she has to turn away.

It's just too funny.

"I'm just going to make sure he doesn't set the apartment on fire."

"Oh, thank you, Rick."

Hearing his footsteps fade, Kate twists on the spot, schooling her face into something more sympathetic.

"How are you doing, Jenny? Excited for the birth?"

She really has to start hanging around pregnant women and babies more often, because her small talk needs some serious improvement.

Excited for the birth?

"I'm fine, tired though. Can't seem to sleep that much. It's just so uncomfortable and then when I find Kevin on the computer…" Jenny looks down, her fingers rubbing circles low on her side, and Kate settles a hesitant hand on her shoulder. Damn, what does she say in reassurance to that?

"I'm sure it's normal, and even I catch Castle on occasion…." Granted they enjoy it together, but that's hardly going to help Jenny.

"He has freak outs about being a parent too?"

"Huh?"

"On the internet, those parenting sites. Kevin spends half his night on them stressing over the right and wrong ways to do things."

Oh. Not quite where she'd thought Jenny was going with this.

"Yes. I'm mean, not the sites so much, but the parenting stress is completely normal." She's still counting her lucky stars that the recent turmoil with Alexis has resolved itself. "And you know that if you ever need to talk, or are feeling worried, or even just want someone besides Ryan to talk baby talk to, I'm just a phone call away. I'm sure that goes for Lanie too."

Jenny shifts closer, well as close as one can get with a belly the size of a watermelon, and Kate bends down, semi-embracing her friend. The six of them may not share blood, but that doesn't make them any less of a family.

"Thank you, Kate. That really means so much to me. And with any luck it will be your turn by the end of the year, and I can pass everything back to you." Jenny grins, her lips stretching a mile wide, and Kate tries not to look for the nearest exit. "Oh, and maybe Lanie and Javier will be next. How wonderful would that be?"

"Uhh."

Blank. A picture of her mind could very well sit in the dictionary next to the word, because she has nothing, and, inhaling deeply through her nose, she continues to search for a response when a smell drifts into the room, alerting her senses to danger.

"Is something burning?"

"Oh, fudge. I hope the boys haven't started a fire."

Kate nods, following Jenny into the kitchen, thankful for the save, thankful that Lanie isn't here as well.

Talk about stepping out of the frying pan and into an inferno!

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Thank yous happened yesterday courtesy of the sun, the park and lots of playing ;-) xoxo sorry to those I couldn't track down, but thank you xoxo

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Thank you to Jamie and Jo for their wonderful pompoms and beta xoxo

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Thank you for reading xoxo