Richard Castle had come to love the old mattress, had come to be grateful for the sagging in the middle that would make Kate slowly dip towards him. He loved that old thing, because, even on the nights where they fell asleep, a million miles apart, they'd wake-up, somehow, huddled together in the center of the bed. And it was exactly how they were, when Rick's eyes slowly opened; Kate's face, beautiful, snuggled up into his shoulder, her hand, rested on his abdomen, as it followed the movements of his breaths.

His eyes took a moment to adjust to the still darkened room, and slowly he moved his head, to see over his wife's head, to the alarm clock on her side of the bed.

The illuminated digits stared back at him.

5:37

He watched the ceiling, pensive, for a moment, unable to fall back to sleep. He dipped his head to the side, his cheek buried in her hair and he watched, he felt, the woman at his side, peacefully sleeping. He listened to her even breaths and slowly trailed his fingers up and down her bare arm.

And he smiled.

Because it truly was a wonderful life.

He hesitated for a second. There was a rule about the girls not being allowed to get up before the first number on their clock indicated a 6, but he assumed this rule didn't apply to him.

He made the rules.

Slowly, he moved from the bed, delicately extracting himself from Kate's grip. She squirmed, babbling something softly, and he instantly stopped moving. Her eyes flustered open for a second, before closing back, and when he was sure she's fallen back to sleep, he proceeded to exit their bedroom, quietly closing the door behind him, before sitting in the living room.

If he wanted this life, this wonderful life, wanted these kids, this wife, he needed to tackle his fear. He needed to face the demons that had taken root long, long ago.

And it started with this book, with this manuscript.

And it started now.

Rick took the pile of sheets pinned together, from under the coffee table, and read the first page, a title centered in the middle of a blank page.

"In a Hail of Bullets"

And he turned the page.

He hadn't heard her get up, hadn't heard her come out of the bedroom and close the door behind her. He hadn't heard any of it, as Rick was avidly reading, quickly turning, page after page, devouring the manuscript that had him paralysed for weeks, years if he could be honest with himself. A book which had him paralysed, as he heard the voices in his head telling him, over and over again, that he wasn't good enough, that it was a waste of time, that he was a waste of time.

Rick was startled out of David McAllister's world of intrigue and deceit, when Kate softly called out, "Hey, handsome," as she strolled across the living room towards him, closing the robe tightly across her body.

"You were up early this morning," she stated, her arms snaking around him from behind, enveloping him in that faint smell of cherries. "Re-reading the Best-Seller now are we? Don't you know it by heart by now?"

He chuckled, kissing her cheek, "I don't know about that Best-Seller bit, but I have to admit it's not too bad."

"Not too bad? Argh. Rick. It's great," Kate said as she kissed his shoulder, resting her chin on it.

"I don't think you're being objective."

"I'm no literary critic, but I do love it, and I'd love it even if the man holding the pen wasn't my husband. And someone agrees with me if they're willing to publish it." Quirking and eyebrow, she asked, defiant, "How about you?"

"I don't think I'm objective either."

"Are you kidding? You're the toughest critic I know. Burned three manuscripts before believing in this one, before allowing me or your sister to read any of the words you've put to paper. Stop being so hard on yourself."

"I think I like it," he stated simply.

"That's more like it," she added, gently bumping the side of her head with his and pulling away.

Rick shot back his head on the back lining of couch, asking, "Spidey kiss?"

She chuckled, and grabbed his face in her hands and kissed him. Her face hovering over his, she added, "And babe, even if it does turn into a best-seller, even if you become the next freakin' J.K. Rowling, it doesn't mean he's going to have anything positive to say about it. Concentrate on the people that love it, that love you. Concentrate on you and me. Okay?"

He nodded.

It should be enough for him; she could be enough for him. He wanted her to be.

"Coffee?" she asked, as she went to the kitchen.

"Do you even have to ask?" he chuckled, to which she smiled.

He added, "And why are you up so early? It's Saturday, and this is your day off. You can go sleep in. I'll deal with the kids when they wake up. You deserve a break, Kate."

"Can't," she stated, shaking her head.

"And why not?"

"Your mother's Christmas gift, 9:30," she stated, walking back, and falling backwards on the coach next to him, as the distant sound of the dripping coffee echoed behind them.

He shrugged his shoulders, oblivious.

"The girls' first piano lesson is this morning, courtesy of Martha Rodgers," Kate stated, and, changing her tone in an attempt to imitate Martha's dramatic introduction, she added, "For my future Broadway co-stars." Rick laughed as Kate continued her imitation of the red-head, "La crème de la crème!"

"And if I'd closed my eyes, I probably couldn't hear the difference!" he laughed.

"That's what they say, huh? Boys marry their mothers," she teased.

"That's eum... Yeah… I…" He shook his head, his eyes wide, "No. Ewe."

She laughed, shortening the distance between their bodies and placing her arms loosely around his neck, as Rick stated, "You're the farthest thing from my mother."

"Yeah, well we both love you."

"And the resemblance ends there," he stated pulling her into a kiss.

One hand around his neck, resting on his shoulder, she turned her head in the kids' rooms' direction and Rick kissed her cheek, "What is it?" he asked.

"Shh. I think Levi's waking up."

"I don't hear a thing," he shook his head.

They both froze for a couple of seconds, listening intently, until the rattling of the crib bars became clearer, and the increasing in volume pleas from the toddler where heard, "Mama? Ma-ma? Mama, out! Levi out, ma-ma."

"You have bionic ears or what?" Rick exclaimed.

"No, I have mommy ears," she simply stated. "I'll go help him with his prison escape before he wakes up the-"

Before Kate could finish her statement, they saw the door knob to the girl's room turn, and Juliette walked out, closely followed by Gracie who informed her mother, "Mama, Levi wants to get out I think."

"Thanks, honey," said Kate, kissing both her girls good morning before slipping away and retrieving her youngest.

Rubbing the sleep out of their eyes, the girls walked to their father and huddled closely to his sides, and when Kate came back, about a minute later, with her son hugged to her neck, gently patting her cheek, desperate for her attention, Rick stated, "You know I could take the girls to piano. You could relax, stay here with Levi," as both, still sleepy, girls sat on him.

"I actually thought we could make a day out of it. It's in midtown. We could stroll down Central Park, if it's too cold maybe catch a movie. I've been on call every week-end for the past three weeks, I've seen enough bodies, I could definitely use this."

So they made a family outing out of the girl's first piano lesson, all five of them had found themselves crammed in a tiny studio in midtown. In the hallway, waiting as they'd been told by the young girl at the entrance, until a boy, no more than ten years old, exited the room, followed by a severe looking woman. She turned towards them, and all stopped talking simultaneously under her persistent stare, and Rick gave her a shy smile.

"Grace and Juliette Castle?" she asked, serious, clapping her hands together.

The five year old slowly nodded, in unison.

"I'm Madame Hubert," the dark haired, pale skinned woman added, and the twins looked up to their mother, their eyes wide.

Running a protective, comforting hand through her daughter's hair, Kate answered for them, presenting them, in turn, "And this is Gracie, and this is Juliette."

The girls remained frozen in place, and the woman's strict features softened, "Well come on, mes cheries, I'm not going to eat you. Pas vrai, maman?"

Kate nodded, giving her daughters a little push in the back towards the woman.

"Parfait. Who wants to be the first to start, mes jolies?"

The twins shared a look, and Gracie shyly raised her hand.

"Great!"

The girls looked back to their mother, extending their hands so she would take it.

Madame Hubert shook her head, "I usually get a lot more out of the kids without the parents present. No distractions. No pressure."

The girls looked from their mother, to their teacher, and back again.

"D'accord. Maman, you can join. Mais juste cette fois."

Kate gave her husband an awkward smile as she followed the girls and the piano teacher, to the piano room, and the door shut beside them.

Rick let out a breath he did not know he'd been holding, without fully understanding why, he started laughing, a hysterical, uncontrolled laughter. He didn't know how he could have expected anything less from his mother.

Levi, out of his stroller squealed in excitement. Rick, unable to contain himself, let his back slide across the wall, until he was seated on the floor, his head between his knees, trying to control his erratic breaths, as Levi mimicked his father's actions.

"What funny, Daddy? What funny?" asked the boy.

"That was one scary lady, son!"

"Monster! Roar!" Levi exclaimed, as he shot up.

"Not scary enough, Levi!"

The walls weren't quite as thick as he thought, and Kate dashed out, angry, "Rick, we can hear you! Quite loudly in fact!"

"Sorry," Rick said.

"Sowy, mama," Levi said, giving his mother a cute smile.

The toddler put his hands over his ears, "No!" before running to his mother. Kate shook her head, as her son hugged her legs, hoping for forgiveness, "Why don't you find somewhere to wait for us, out of this building. Where we won't hear you complain, and we won't hear Levi scream our ears off."

"We can do that," Rick said, looking over to Levi, who was shaking his head, his hands still covering his ears, repeating, "No yano. I no yano."

Kate checked her watch, stating, "It's Saturday, so Alexis is doing her usual shift, it's not very far from here, maybe you guys could-"

"Yexis!" interrupted Levi. He apparently had very selective hearing.

"Looks like we have a taker," chuckled Rick.

"Big surprise there," added Kate, sarcastically, as she kissed the top of her son's head, picking him up and handing him over to her husband. After quickly kissing his lips, she asked, "So we'll come meet you after this?"

I have to thank CaskettFan5. Without him, I'd still be overthinking it!

You guys have any thoughts? I'll love you even if you don't. :)