A/N: This one doesn't focus too much on pregnancy, but it is involved. This one is close to my heart, read the end A/N for why.
Kate and Rick sat in the doctor's office holding their 3 year old son, Tanner between the two of them. Kate had a serious look on her face as she discussed why she and Castle were there. "He talks to us, but extended family and friends have noticed that he doesn't speak at all to them. We are concerned because it seems to have happened suddenly."
"He seems to be developing just fine, but I can see the worry in your face, so I will refer you to a children's psychologist that might be able to help you more than I can." The doctor said.
"Thank you." Castle said, shaking the doctor's hand as he got up to leave.
"Rick, what if something horrible is wrong with him?" Kate asked, worry lines creasing her forehead.
"He'll be fine. He could just be going through a phase." Rick tried to reassure her.
A few weeks later, the Castle family was sitting in a psychologist's office when they got the news about Tanner.
"I have reason to suspect Tanner is on the autism spectrum." Julie, the psychologist, said. "Him only being verbal with those he lives with and what you have told me about his intense focus on certain objects and patterns and also his aversion to certain textures leads me to this conclusion."
Kate felt tears welling up in her eyes. Her perfect little boy was going to struggle with this his whole life and it saddened her to think he wouldn't have a normal life. She was determined to make his life as normal as possible though. She was going to fight for him because that is what moms do.
"What do we do now?" Rick asked, taking Kate's hand in his.
"I'd recommend a speech therapist and therapy to help him develop communication and social skills." Julie said. "I believe, with enough help, he will be able to live a life like someone who doesn't have autism. He is a very bright boy."
Kate and Rick left the psychologist's office, Tanner on Kate's hip. Kate was still crying silently.
"Kate, are you okay? Tanner is going to be fine."
"I know. It's just how are we going to do this? How are we going to give him all the attention he needs when…." Kate hesitated.
"When what?"
"Rick, I'm pregnant." She blurted out, wiping away a stray tear.
"Oh, Kate, we will be able to do this. All we have to do is love these two the best we can. That's all they ask, is that we love them. We can do this." Rick stepped to his wife and gathered her up in a hug. "You are Kate Castle. You can do anything you set your mind to."
"I'm just scared. I want the best for Tanner and I don't want this diagnosis to define who he is."
Rick looked into Kate's eyes. "We can do this. Trust me. I love you." He leaned in and kissed her lips. "Let's go home, we have some celebrating to do."
A/N: I decided to write this one up real quick because I was diagnosed with autism last September. I was 27 even though I stopped talking when I was 3 and didn't talk again until I was 10. Like Tanner though I did talk to my parents. Autism awareness has become sort of a mission of mine this last year too.