Chapter 13

Kate, Rick, Alexis and M 'n' M, as Rick had dubbed them spent the next week practically inseparable, even Martha had joined in some of the activities. When Alexis was home they went for ice cream and plays in the park. When she was at school Rick and Kate took the twins on walks, getting many compliments on how beautiful their babies are. They played with them on the floor of the loft; Kate even took Rick back to her own apartment and spent some time there.

Kate was secretly worrying about her daughter's weight and hearing problem, but had noticed when feeding them at the same time Mac had been eating more, like it was a competition with her sister and by the weekend she had noticed that her smallest daughter was noticeably getting heavier. Neither Kate nor Rick could gauge any changes in the hearing problems, so they were at a loss there. What Kate and Rick had noticed was both babies smiled a lot, especially at Kate and Alexis, they moved their heads more, sometimes to follow a noise others to just investigate what is happening around them.

When Saturday came around, Kate and Alexis was bouncing off the walls in nervousness and excitement respectively, because today was the day they were all going to the museum and then the zoo. This was all in preparation for tonight though, Martha was looking after all three kids while Kate and Rick went on their first 'real' date.

"Kate, Kate, Kate, Dad, Dad, Dad. Wake up, wake up." Alexis exclaimed whilst jumping on the end of her father's bed. Hurry up you guys, the sooner you get up and we get ready the sooner we can gooooo" the little red head at jumped of the bed and was now running around the room in excitement.

"Ugh, what's the time, pumpkin?" Rick groggily asked, head still under the pillow and blindly reaching towards his bed partner who was unbelievably still asleep.

"Umm, the clock has a 5 then a 0 then an 8. That means its 8 minutes… past… 5" she was learning to tell time. Rick could tell she was getting better but was still lightly unsure when to say past or to.

"Pumpkin, it's way too early for little girls to be awake. You need to go back to bed until we get you up for breakfast" Rick replied a little more awake.

"But Dad, if you get up now we can get to the museum before the long lines start" Alexis whined.

"We can still do that if we get up in two hours at 7 o'clock. Back to bed with you, missy moo"

"But I'm not tired anymore"

At this point in time Kate was awake, she felt a hand on her back and heard the sounds of Alexis and Rick arguing about getting up. She had a restful night sleep; the girls went to bed at 10pm the night before and haven't woken up yet.

"Come on, Lex. Come jump into bed with me" Kate said quietly holding the bed covers up surprising both the little girl and her father, neither had noticed Kate waking up but then again she hadn't even opened her eyes for the first time this morning.

Alexis took Kate up on her offer and slid under the covers quickly but as softly as she could, trying not to move the bed too much and snuggled right into Kate's side.

"Unfair, Kate, my daughter gets morning bed hugs and I get nothing, nada, not a stitch." Rick complained with a hint of sarcasm.

Kate turned over to face him with a grin on her face, she took his ear lobe in between her lips darting her tongue out against it and whispered "Not a stitch may be what you get tonight after our date if you keep whining now or it could be what I'm wearing when you take me to bed if you let me cuddle your daughter to sleep so I can sleep a bit more myself, understand baby?" She was now rubbing her hand flat against his chest, moving it lower across his stomach until she got to the elastic of his sweat pants and then back up again.

Rick nodded nervously, if it was any other woman it wouldn't have affected him, but Kate was very different in the way she made him feel and he liked it. "That was so sexy, you know that?" he whispered once Kate took her place flat on the mattress again burying her head under one pillow, to block out any future light, and wrapping her arm around the child sleeping next to her.

~CASKETT~

Two hours later it was Rick that was waking up first. Knowing that it wouldn't be long til Alexis woke up and wanted breakfast he got up and checked on Mackenzie and Michaela. He was surprised when he got into the room and they were awake and not screaming for one of them, instead they were lying there with their eyes open blowing bubbles and making noise at one another.

"How you going, M 'n' M? You girl need a change before Mummy comes to feed you?" Rick asked the tiny children in the room not expecting an answer but was surprised when he got one.

"Of course they are going to need a change. But I also think they need a celebratory cake for actually sleeping through the night and a big, big kiss for letting mummy sleep in" Kate said walking into the room still in her pj's.

Once Kate had kissed both the girls she grabbed Mackenzie out of the new cot and over to the original change table in the room. Rick surprised her one day with another cot and change table in the nursery so both girls were even in sleeping arrangements.

"Aww, unfair. The babies get all the love even my daughter got morning cuddles. What do I get?" Rick pouted teasing the Detective. Kate caught him off guard though, walking over with the baby and kissing him. She hadn't been extremely affectionate since his admission of loving her and the confrontation at the school.

"Maybe you do deserve some loving too. It is so cute when your jealous, you know that? But I am sorry, Rick"

"Sorry? For what?"

"You told me you loved me and I… I'm not used to showing affection towards men. And you know how I feel but I haven't done very well in showing it. I don't think I've even kissed you properly since the altercation with Juliana at the school. I just wanted you to know I'm not distancing myself and I am trying" Kate was nervous and unsure, not traits that she showed often.

"I know, hon. You went through a hell of a lot before the girls were born and before you had me. I do love you and I do know how you feel about me, even without you saying it, and that is enough if that is all you can give me. I don't expect you to do anything that makes you feel uncomfortable or awkward, we can work through it, together."

Kate nodded and kissed him on the mouth, she was still holding Mackenzie between them but the kiss was more intimate then the others they have shared. "Thank you, Rick. We should get these nappies changed so I can feed them and you can feed Lex and I before your whirlwind of a daughter wakes up again."

"Speaking of Lex, is she still in our bed?"

Kate nodded and walked towards the change table again. Rick picked Michaela and followed Kate to the change tables that were placed next to each other for convenience. They worked wordlessly next to each other but purposely bumped hips a couple of times. Kate finished first and wandered over to the rocking chair with baby number 1. Kate picked up the nursing pillow for twins and got settled. After taking off her sleep shirt and un clipping her bra she waited for Rick to bring over Michaela. Once both babies were lying on the pillow, each one with their legs under Kate's arm (in a football hold), she leaned over to have them latch on.

"I'm gunna go cook breakfast, if that's okay babe" Kate nodded and Rick leaned down to give her a quick peck on the lips. "What do you want? Bacon & Eggs, Pancakes or Toast?"

"Uhh, Pancakes. But if Alexis wants something else, don't cook two meals just go with what she wants."

~CASKETT~

2 hours later everyone had been fed, including Martha, and dressed ready to go out to the museum and the zoo. It was the first weekend of winter and it was starting to get cold outside.

"Are you going to come with us, Grams?"

"Not today, kiddo. I'm going out Christmas shopping, I'm going to help Santa out with all your presents" Martha stated dramatically making Alexis giggle.

"Yay, I can't wait for Santa to come. Christmas is the best ever"

"Mother, can I speak to you for a minute" Rick and Martha walked over to the study while Kate, Alexis and the twins stood by the front door. The twins were in the pram and Alexis was about to put her shoes on. "Do you need help, pumpkin?

"No thank you, Katie. My boots are easy and they only have zips to do up." Kate thought Alexis looked absolutely adorable and she picked out her own clothing. She was wearing a short sleeved, knee length, black dress with a pink teddy on the small pocket, baby pink footed tights and a baby pink skivvy underneath, 'this is one very stylish girl' Kate thought.

Kate dressed both girls this morning; Mackenzie was wearing a skirt, long sleeved shirt and footed tights. Her skirt was pink & white stripes with frills underneath, her shirt was a simple white bonds baby skivvy, her tights were a light baby pink and her shoes were black, matching the black head band Kate had added for extra cuteness. Michaela, on the other hand, was wearing long, soft denim pants with a pink and white stripy long sleeved top with white socks and black shoes. Kate decided not to go extremely matchy, matchy today but chose for Michaela's shirt to match Mackenzie's skirt. Rick and Martha though they looked absolutely adorable.

~CASKETT~

Once Rick and Martha arrived in the study, Rick dug his wallet out of his back pocket and handed Martha his credit card.

"Darling, what's this for?" Martha asked surprised at her sons actions.

"I want you to include Kate and M 'n' M in your Christmas shopping. I'm giving you this to help pay for it and if you see anything that clearly says 'from Rick', like onsies with cute sayings or pictures etc, can you please get them?"

"Of course I was going to buy them Christmas presents, kiddo. They are family now. But okay, I won't say no to a shopping trip on you and I will look out for anything that you may like to give them." Martha declared patting her sons shoulder and walking back out of the room.

Rick closely followed "We all ready to go, guys?"

"Yessss, Daddy. You're the slow one, we've been waiting here for ages" Alexis exclaimed dramatically.

~CASKETT~

Half an hour later Kate, Rick and the Kids were pulling up outside the Museum of Natural History, Alexis was still very excited about seeing the dinosaurs and the mummies. Rick helped Alexis out of her booster seat while Kate removed the pram from the back of the SUV.

"Alexis, stay close to the pram with Kate while we get the girls out. That way we know where you are and you're not on the road side with me" Rick stated.

Alexis nodded "Okay, daddy" and grabbed onto the handle of the pram.

Kate removed Mackenzie from the curb side of the car and placed her in the pram seat, strapping her in with the clips. It was a little cold outside so she grabbed the two pink fleece blankets from the nappy bag placing one on Mac and the other on the now strapped in Michie.

"Thanks, Rick" Kate smiled and pecked his cheek.

"You girls ready for some fun?" Rick asked picking the digital camera up from hanging around his neck and taking a photo of his girls all around the pram. "Be prepared to put some lovely smiles on your faces today, I'm taking lots of photos" Rick joked around.

"Come on, doofus. Let's get these kids inside before one explodes in excitement and the others pitch a fit" Kate replied smiling at her amusing boyfriend.

"Doofus! Huh, who are you calling a doofus" Rick scoffed feigning hurt "I have you know people find me highly entertaining"

"Face it, baby. You're a doofus, a child, a silly little boy at heart. But I love you for it" Kate smiled at how easily she dropped the 'L' word in that sentence. It didn't go unnoticed by Rick either, from the smile plastered on his face but he chose not to acknowledge it.

"One day I'll show you how much of a man I really am, miss smarty pants. You certainly are a lively one detective, you think you're so witty but I'll show you. And I love you too" He said kissing her cheek lightly.

Rick liked the side of Kate she was showing at the moment. The loving, caring and openly affectionate version of the hard nose detective that didn't trust men she hadn't known for years. Don't get him wrong, he loved the whole packaged deal you got with Kate but he was thoroughly enjoying the kissing, cuddling and touching.

Neither of them could wait for the date tonight, Rick because it was a chance to spoil Kate, not just her kids, and Kate for a plan Rick had no idea about. She had already asked Martha if she could handle the all night duties with the girls, stating it was okay if she couldn't, but Martha openly agreed. 'I've done it with my son, my first granddaughter and now I will spend some with all my grandkids' Kate remembered the older woman saying. She was thrilled that she could spend a whole night with her writer and planned on taking him back to her place for some quiet, uninterrupted time together, he just didn't know it yet.

~CASKETT~

The small, unusual family spent 4 hours out of the house, after the museum in was the zoo. Alexis had fun looking at the lions and the zebra's but had declared the fairy penguins her favorite. Once they had finished at the zoo, all three girls and one writer were complaining they were hungry so they stopped for lunch at a little bistro. After lunch, a walk and play in the park was requested by a little red head that was still full of energy.

After the park Kate asked if they could go ice skating, she hadn't been in years but it was one of her favorite December past times, so off to Rockerfella Centre they went. Alexis had taken lessons in ice skating since she was four so she was pretty good on the ice, Kate was a little unsteady at first but quickly got the hang of it. Rick stayed on the main floor watching with the babies until Kate got her footing.

Once Kate decided she was good to go, she came back to the door of the rink to collect Michie from Rick as he picked Mac up from the pram. They decided to take the twins for a spin around the ice, making sure not to go to fast and steering clear of the large crowds. Alexis looped around them, then skated off ahead.

Rick had no worries about Alexis on the ice, she loved taking lessons and was quiet talented. She could jump and twirl and do fancy leg tricks but wasn't showing off in front people.

"Thank you for this, Rick. I have had so much fun today. The girls don't get to do this sort of thing, having two of them and only one of me makes it so much harder."

"There's no need to thank me, I've had a great time too and so has Lexi. And I know they don't hon, that's why Mr. Marks over there is taking plenty of photos and videos. Plenty of memories"

15 minutes later and the adults decided to take the babies back to the pram and let Alexis have some more fun on the ice. Rick left the twins with Kate once they got back to go and grab some coffee for them and hot chocolate for their little ice skater.

"Alexis, come on sweetie. One more lap then time to go, Dad's coming back with some hot chocolate for you." Kate called.

"Okay, Katie" Alexis called in return a little breathless from her fun time skating round the rink with the other kids.

Once Alexis came off the ice, Kate help her with the ice skates, returning them to the hire window while Alexis put her boots on. Rick was just reaching the kids with the hot drinks as Kate was reaching them from returning the skates. Kate pecked him on the cheek, grabbing her coffee and Alexis did the same thing grabbing her Hot Chocolate. Kate held onto the little girls hand and Rick pushed the pram, placing his cup into the prams handy cup holder as they walked out of the Centre and onto the street to pack everything back into the car to head home.

"You know what Kate, I can't wait for tonight" the writer whispered into the mother's ear while lightly grazing her lower back, thigh and bum with his hand after packing the pram and kids into the car.

"You know what Rick, I can't either" the mother replied chewing on her lower lip and sliding her hand up his chest before patting it lightly and climbing into the front passenger seat.

A/N #1 Sorry guys, clearly I need to spend less time reading other fanfics. But once I start I can't seem to put them down. Some are really, really good. "Falling in love at a Coffee Shop" by ifonly13 is a favourite. If you like KMMRA I reckon you will like that one. "Play Dates" by NCISabbylover is another great AU kid fic.

Disclaimer: I own nothing. All Castle characters belong to ABC and Castle creators. Stories mentioned above belong to respective owners.

A/N #2 Read and Review as usual. Thank you to all the loyal followers and regular reviewers. I hope that I haven't disappointed. Please let me know what you think, I love to see review notifications in my inbox; they make my day :)