A/N: Happy Labor Day! :) This chapter is for #CastleFanficMonday. I hope you enjoy!

XXXXXX

Kate woke up on Labor Day morning feeling weird. The truth was, she'd been feeling weird for the last few days, and it wasn't just the heat. The day after her leave started, she got up breathing easier than she had been for the entire third trimester. Martha told her the baby had dropped.

Wonderful. Really, it was. Being able to breathe easier made her feel lighter somehow, though she thought that was ridiculous. The baby was still in there, after all, and she still felt like she was as big as a house. Unfortunately, ever since, Flash had been pressing on her bladder, and that was not so wonderful.

Rushing as best she could to the bathroom, she had a thought that slowed her progress for a moment.

T minus one week.

A tiny squirmy stranger would be moving in, demanding food and clothing in a completely foreign language.

She rubbed her belly.

"Go easy on Mommy, will ya baby?"

She smiled and thought back to her doctor appointment last Friday.

"Well, you're about 90% effaced, Kate," the doctor looked up from her exam with a smile. "I'd say your new baby will introduce himself sooner rather than later."

Kate beamed at the doctor, but then a frown darkened her face.

"This is probably a stupid question, but I'm due the 12th. If I go into labor early…" she trailed off.

"It's not a stupid question, Kate, and one that's been asked many times by first time mothers. The 'due date' is really just a guesstimate. Full term can be two weeks before and some women don't go into labor until two weeks after. Most women don't actually deliver on their due date."

"Two weeks after?" Kate said in a half panic.

The doctor laughed.

"Relax Kate," she reassured. "With where you're at now, I don't think you'll have to worry about that. And you'll be induced if it gets too far past."

Kate nodded, calming down a little.

Kate shook her head at the memory. She was still wary about the baby coming a little early, even if just a week, but she had taken what the doctor said as a mantra: It's just a guesstimate, most women don't deliver on their due date.

Okay, she could do this. She wasn't in labor yet.

Flash nudged her. It felt like he was stretching out, pressing on her uterus, trying to get out.

"I hear you, Sweetheart. I may be nervous, but I'm ready for you to come out too."

XXXXXX

Rick and Kate were having a TV series marathon today. Kate had no idea what this had to do with Labor Day, but Rick said he and Alexis had been doing it for years.

"I'm not sure exactly where it came from," he admitted. "It might have been that we were all picnicked out, and just wanted a three day weekend to stay in."

"Well, I'm not going to complain about staying inside an air-conditioned loft," she replied as another nudge from Flash came and went. It was odd, but not painful – she'd had Braxton – Hicks that hurt worse – so she didn't think too much about it.

"Where is Alexis, anyway?" she asked.

"Mother asked her to stay and run lines with her. She has that new play coming up, remember?"

"Oh, that's right. So, what show did you pick?"

Kate made her way over to the couch with a bowl of popcorn in one hand and a bowl of potato chips in the other.

"Classic sitcom," he held up the DVD's. "'I Love Lucy' season 2."

"Why season 2? Why not start from the beginning?"

"Little Ricky is born this season."

Kate smiled.

"Giving Flash hints?" she asked, going back to the kitchen for the dip and a pitcher of lemonade.

"Couldn't hurt.." He put the disc in the player and turned to Kate. "Do you want to watch specific episodes, or just start from the beginning?"

Kate thought a minute.

"Let's just watch the pregnancy episodes."

Rick grinned from ear to ear.

I like the way you think!"

XXXXXX

Four hours, twice that many bathroom breaks, and six nudges later, Kate finally realized there was something more going on. The nudges, while still not exactly painful, were getting stronger and lasting longer.

She had decided to time them when the fifth one came along. It lasted 30 seconds, then eased. The sixth had come 40 minutes later, and lasted 45 seconds.

She still hadn't mentioned anything to Rick since they weren't painful, just pressure. But it was time to tell him now. They might have been Braxton – Hicks again, but changing position and drinking water hadn't stopped them.

This could be the real thing.

It was 30 minutes after the last nudge and Kate was standing at the bathroom sink washing her hands.

Suddenly there was a huge wave of pain and Kate doubled over.

"Oh, God – " she put her hands on her thighs and tried to breathe through the pain, using techniques she had learned after she had been shot.

The pain seemed to go on forever and when it finally eased, Kate stood straight and looked at herself in the mirror, breathing hard.

That was no 'nudge'.

"Wow." Kate took another deep breath and walked back to the living room. In the office she thought of something that stopped her in her tracks in the middle of the room.

"Labor Day, Flash? Really?" She rolled her eyes. "You're definitely your father's son."

She watched Rick for a moment through the bookshelves, sitting in the couch perusing his iPad.

He looked calm and Kate smiled, knowing that calmness wasn't going to last much longer.

Taking her cue from the 'I Love Lucy' episode they had just watched, Kate stepped into the room.

"Ricky, this is it…".

He looked up.

"Ha ha. Very funny. Perfect way to tell me though, when the time does come."

"I'm serious, Castle," she placed his hand on her belly. "I've been having contractions throughout the marathon, and I had a doozy just now in the bathroom."

Rick dropped the iPad and scrambled to sit up.

"Seriously? Why didn't you say something before?"

"It was just pressure, no pain – until just now," she replied.

"How far apart?"

"When I started paying more attention it was about 40 minutes. The painful one was a half hour after the last one that was just pressure. They seem to be getting closer together."

"Have you been timing them?"

While he was grilling Kate, Rick was up and moving through the loft. He was calmer than Kate was expecting, certainly calmer than she felt. She was grateful for that, somebody needed to be and she didn't think it was going to be her.

"About 30 to 45 seconds. Though I don't know how long the last one was. It hurt too much."

Rick went into the bedroom and pulled Kate's suitcase out of the closet. It had been packed and ready to go for a week. Kate had thought that was ridiculous at the time, but she was now happy about it.

"Are we heading for the hospital now?" she asked, feeling stupid for asking now. Why hadn't she asked Martha earlier about when they should go? Or Lanie? Or Jenny? Or friggin' Googled it?

On the one hand – the nervous, panicky first time mother hand – she wanted to go right now. But on the more rational 'let's think this through' hand, maybe they didn't need to rush.

'The contractions are 30 to 40 minutes apart, so maybe you should relax as best you can, Kate, and Google the info you need.'

Okay, yeah. Listen to the rational side.

"Not yet," Rick answered. I'm thinking maybe when they're 10 minutes apart?"

Kate nodded.

"All right. Umm…what do we do now?"

Rick laughed.

"Sit back and wait. Your body knows what to do"

"Okay," she breathed, sitting on a stool at the kitchen counter.

She pulled her laptop over and began Googling.

"Hey, Babe? This says we should wait until the pains are 5 minutes apart before we leave," she glanced up to see him pop a grape into his mouth.

"Traffic," he mumbled around the fruit. Swallowing, he continued. "I'll call the car service when the contractions are at around 15 minutes." He sat on the stool next to her. "Hey, I don't want to deliver this little guy in the back of a taxi with the only help coming from the cabbie."

"I'll second th – ," a wave of pain overtook her.

Rick looked at his watch and began timing as Kate breathed through the pain once again.

"Whew," gasped Kate as the contraction subsided. "How long?"

"You're at 47 seconds," he replied, marking the time the pains began. "Still a half hour in between would you say?"

Kate looked at the wall clock.

"No, the last one was about 20 minutes ago. Things are moving along, Castle."

Kate would have sworn that the smile spreading across Rick's face was the biggest she'd seen since she'd told him she was pregnant in the first place. His enthusiasm fed hers – easing her nervousness a little and ramping up her own excitement. She was going to hold her son in her arms today. Her own smile expanded until it matched his; the love and amazement written in their eyes obvious for any onlooker to see.

XXXXXX

Things sped up quickly after that. The next contraction was 15 minutes later, and Rick called the car service.

The next pain was still in the 15 minute range, but they decided to leave for the hospital anyway, figuring the holiday traffic would slow them down on the way there, and even if they had to sit in the waiting room for awhile, at least they were at the hospital when things came to a head.

It was good that they left when they did. Traffic was horrible. It seemed like there was an accident on every street they took. It was beginning to piss Kate off.

"What the hell!" she exclaimed, as another even stronger contraction finally ended. "Did everyone suddenly forget how to drive?"

By the time they reached the hospital the contractions were 5 minutes apart and a minute long. When they pulled up, Kate was in the middle of another and couldn't move. The driver went inside to ask for a wheelchair, since Rick wouldn't leave Kate's side.

The nurse followed the driver back out to the car with the wheelchair and began asking Kate questions as she helped her out of the back seat.

"How long between contractions? How long are the contractions? Do you know how effaced you are? What about dilation?"

Once Kate had been admitted and moved into a birthing room, Rick realized he hadn't called anyone.

"I need to make some phone calls. Mother, Alexis, Jim. Do you want me to call Lanie, Ryan and Esposito?"

"The doctor would be nice," she joked. "But um…no, just family right now. Maybe Lanie? And she could call the boys? I'd like to call them, but I don't want to be seen as playing favorites at the precinct."

"Would people do that? Everyone knows those two were your partners for years before you made Captain."

Another 'nudge', the strongest so far.

When it ended, Kate replied to Rick's question.

"There's always that one brownnoser," she gritted out. "Politics is a bitch."

The nurse came in then, along with an anesthesiologist. "You ready for an epidural?"

"Yes, please!" exclaimed Kate, turning her head to see Castle turn green.

"What's the matter, Castle? The big bad needle getting to you?" she teased.

"As a matter of fact, yes," he replied, looking more than a little queasy. "I'll just…go make those calls. I'll be back in 10 minutes. Don't have the baby without me!" He rushed out of the room, feeling Kate's smirk on his back.

True to his word, 10 minutes later, he came back. Kate was feeling no pain, but monitors around her kept track of the contractions.

"Dr. Hogan is on her way," he told Kate. "As is everybody else. Alexis in particular is thrilled that you're in labor today, since there're no classes and she can be here."

His eyes twinkled with glee.

"Labor Day, Kate! I can't tell you how awesome this is!"

"I'm honestly surprised you didn't mention it earlier," she told him. "This is definitely your kid, Castle."

Rick just beamed.

XXXXXX

When the doctor arrived, Rick stepped out again as she did her exam. He didn't have to leave, but he did want to see if the family had arrived so he went to check in the waiting room.

They had.

Jim, Martha, Alexis, Lanie and Jenny were all there. Jenny was a surprise, but Lanie explained.

"Javi and Kevin were at the morgue when you called me, so I told them about Kate. Kevin then called Jenny and asked her to come in and keep them posted."

"Is that all right, Rick?" asked Jenny. "I don't want to overstep…"

"That's perfect, Jenny," he answered. "I know Kate will be happy you're here."

He turned to Alexis, Martha and Jim.

"Kate wanted me to ask if any of you wanted to watch Flash being born? It's all right if you don't, but the offer's open." He glanced at his watch. "I need to get back in there, so if any or all of you want to come…?"

Jim stepped back.

"I, um…no, that would be too strange for me. And I don't want to see my little girl in pain like that, even though I'm getting a grandson out of it."

"Fair enough, Jim." Rick nodded and turned.

"Mother, Alexis?"

"I think I'll stay and keep Jim company," replied Martha. "I really wouldn't be comfortable."

"And that's fine, Mother."

Alexis stood for a moment, biting her lip. Rick wondered if she had picked the habit up from Kate.

"Alexis?"

"Would it really be all right?" she asked.

"Kate wouldn't have asked me to ask if it wasn't."

Alexis looked at the floor, and then nodded decisively.

"Yes, I'd like to come. I'd like to see my baby brother being born."

Rick lit up like a beacon.

"Let's go!"

XXXXXX

Three and a half hours later, a wail arose in the hubbub of the room. The tiny cry increased in volume as Rick – who was in tears – cut the cord.

Kate – who was also bawling – watched with an enormous smile as the cord was tied off and Rick took the scissors from the doctor.

Alexis – yep, tears for her too – held her telephone up, taking pictures of the scene as she had been doing the entire time. She had sworn up and down to Kate that they would only be shown to people Kate approved of.

"It's just for us, really," she had said. "Maybe Lanie, but no one else."

Alexis watched as her brother was cleaned up a little, wrapped in a blanket and placed in his mother's arms. She felt a little like an outsider as her father kissed Kate and whispered in her ear.

"Alexis?"

It startled her, to hear Kate say her name. She quickly moved to Kate's side.

"Would you like to hold your baby brother?"

Alexis nodded, unable to speak.

Rick stood and took the baby from Kate. He moved around to the other side of the bed, placing the tiny boy in Alexis' arms.

"Alexis, I'd like you to meet Eric James Castle. Eric, meet your big sister, Alexis."

Alexis almost couldn't see him, but blinked back the tears, a few spilling over anyway.

"He's beautiful, Kate. And perfect." She looked at her father and laughed a little. "I can't believe I'm a big sister. I have a brother."

She continued to hold Eric as the nurse cleaned Kate up, and Rick took a few close-ups of the baby.

Rick went out to the waiting room to tell the others the news, and bring them back.

"Just one or two at a time, Rick," Kate begged. "Please?"

"Of course, Kate."

"I'll go too," jumped in Alexis. "I mean, I don't want to give up holding him…"

Kate smiled.

"…but everyone should be able to come in. I shouldn't hog all the time."

"Thanks for being here, Alexis," Kate said, as she placed her brother in Kate's arms. Giving her a gentle squeeze Alexis backed away, leaving the room with her dad.

XXXXXX

In the waiting room everyone clamored to hear the news as Rick and Alexis walked in.

"He's healthy and strong," announced Rick. "7 pounds 3 ounces of brand new Castle baby."

The smiles around the room outshone the sun.

"He's beautiful," Alexis broke in. "I can't believe how perfect he is."

"Jim, Mother. Would you like to go back now?" asked Rick.

Jim nodded, unable to speak, and Martha spoke up.

"Jim why don't you go back alone? Have a few minutes alone with your daughter and grandson."

"Yes, I'd like that," Jim returned, his voice cracking. Thank you, Martha."

Rick showed Jim the way to the room, before coming back with his phone out, showing the others the pictures of his brand new son.

XXXXXX

Jim knocked on the doorframe as he peeked into Kate's room.

"Dad! Come on in! I have someone for you to meet." Kate scooted up the bed as best she could while holding her baby.

Jim slowly walked to Kate's side, staring at the squirming little bundle in her arms.

Noticing the look on his face, Kate asked; "What, Dad? What is it?"

"I was thinking back to yesterday," he smiled. "When it was your mother in a bed like this, holding you."

Fresh tears stained Kate's cheeks.

"He's already got a guardian angel, Dad."

"Yes, he does. He's beautiful, Katie. What have you decided to name him?"

"His name is Eric James Castle, Dad."

Tears seemed to be contagious – it was Jim's turn.

"James for the middle name, huh?"

Kate smiled at him. It was a beautiful sight to see her father holding her son.

"Yeah, we've known his middle name for a few months. It was the first name we had trouble with. Rick was the one who thought of Eric."

"It's a good choice," Jim mused. "Both names fit well together."

Rick came back in the room.

"Well," Jim said. "I had better get going. Let you get some rest. I'll see you tomorrow, Katie."

"Sounds good, Dad."

She watched as Rick took the baby from Jim's arms.

Jim kissed Eric's forehead, then leaned to do the same to Kate.

"See you later."

"Bye, Dad."

Rick turned back to Kate after Jim left.

"The others have gone too," he told her. "Give you time to rest, and us time to get to know this little guy."

He leaned to kiss Kate and then his son.

"Happy birthday, Eric. Welcome to the world."

XXXXXX

A/N 2: I know going into labor on Labor Day is a little cliché and cheesy, but it worked for me as as I hope it worked for you. I'd love to hear what you think! :)