Chapter 20

"Castle!" Kate gasped. Rick had apparently splattered paint on her back.

"What?" He asked innocently looking down from his position on the step ladder.

Kate narrowed her eyes. "You know our daughter's room will never get finished if you keep messing around."

"I didn't do anything." He said seriously, waving a small brush with white paint from the clouds he insisted on doing himself towards Kate.

Kate looked around, Alexis was doubled over with laughter. "It was you!" Alexis had driven home from Princeton the night before to help redecorate the guest bedroom. The girl nodded at Kate. "You are just like your father!" Kate laughed.

"I am hurt by that comment Detective." Rick said putting a hand to his heart.

After a minute of silence, Alexis asked "Have you two thought of name yet?"

Kate turned and looked from Alexis to Rick, "Not really." Kate shook her head.

"Believe me Alexis, you'll be the first to know when we decide." Rick said sarcastically. For his comment Alexis splattered him with paint as well.

Alexis went back to her painting and the room fell silent. "Anybody for lunch?" Martha called up from the staircase.

Rick, Kate, and Alexis walked downstairs, where they were greeted by the scent of a fresh salad and sandwiches. Kate had become mindful of what not to eat and grabbed a plate and loaded it with salad. She was due August 22, one and half months from now, her belly was huge. She was forced to wear Rick's jeans or sweat pants and old baggy shirts. Kevin, Javier, and Lanie took the news well, Lanie the best out of all of them, when ever Kate entered a room with Kevin and Javier they would insist she sit down and relax, "Take it easy." They would say. She was permanently confined to her desk doing paperwork or filling out reports, no chasing suspects, no interrogations, not even interviewing witnesses.

The next morning Kate awoke at 5 o'clock, she lay still on her back, not wanting to wake up her husband. Two hours later Kate turned and extended her index finger, she traced her nail up Rick's spine, he shivered and jumped up.

"What is it? Something wrong?" He asked stupidly looking down at his laughing wife.

"No. Everything's fine."

"You are the meanest woman on planet Earth." Rick said sitting up and resting his back on the brown leather headboard.

"You were awake." She said placing her head on his chest.

"How long have been up?"

"Since five."

"You should have woken me up." He said moving strands of her long hair out of her eyes.

"No, then I would be the meanest woman on planet Earth."

Silence fell over them, his fingers stroked absently at her arm. She listened to the soft beating in his chest. Their breathing had matched, their chests rising and falling together.

"Alexis is right." Kate broke the beautiful silence.

"She normally is." Rick whispered. "About what this time is the question."

"We need to decide on a name."

"Yeah." He agreed. "Were you one of those of the girls that knew what they wanted to name their kids by the time they were 15." He laughed.

"No." She lied.

"Liar."

"Parker and Emma were my favorites."

"I was always partial to Erin and Skylar."

"Elizabeth and Sophie were also close to the top."

"I like that one."

"Which one?"

"Elizabeth."

"Yeah, I do to."

Rick bent to Kate's growing belly, "What do you think?" he asked while Kate laughed. He straightened up, "Are sure there aren't twins in there, because you are getting pretty big, for one baby girl."

"Doctor said that there was only one heartbeat, Smart-ass."

"Doctors can be wrong." Rick retorted continuing his stroking.

"But often does it happen that a doctor can see only one baby and hear one heartbeat, but there are two babies?"

"It's rare but it can happen." Rick said.

"Castle there is only one baby in there." Kate said matter-of-factly.

Silence fell between them again.

"What about a middle name?"

Rick thought a moment before answering, "Johanna."

Kate's heart skipped a beat. "What?" She stuttered.

"Johanna." Rick repeated. "In memory of your mom, you know old family name." He paused. "Can't you just hear it, Elizabeth Johanna Castle." He said it as a statement instead of question.

Kate smiled and nodded slightly. "I'd like that Castle."

Later on that day Kate's phone trilled. "Beckett." She had taken Rick's last name personally but not professionally.

"Shouldn't it be Castle now?" Lanie asked.

"Why did you call Lanie?" Kate asked rolling her eyes and ignoring her friends comment.

"Are you free later this afternoon?"

"I think so, why?"

"I am dying to try on some wedding dresses."

Kate laughed, "Just come by and pick me up whenever you're ready."

"Great! Thanks Kate."

"See you soon, Lanie."

"What did Lanie want?" Rick asked.

"She wants to try on dresses." Kate said smiling. "She'll probably be here in an hour."

"So you're going to leave me here with all of this painting." Rick motioned to the walls around him.

"I think you'll be fine." Kate laughed, "But I'm going to take a shower and get ready."

An hour later Lanie was knocking on the door. Kate was wearing Rick's jeans and a maternity shirt, it wasn't nice, but it was casual enough for Lanie's approval.

The friends went to at least five shops. After what felt like a hundred gowns to Kate, Lanie had finally narrowed it down to three.

"Come on Kate. You have to help me." Lanie pleaded as the medical examiner slipped into a champagne colored dress with a fitted top and loose bottom that floated around her legs beautifully.

"I don't know Lanie. They're all gorgeous on you." Kate knew she wasn't being helpful, but smiled at the medical examiner anyway.

"You are no help at all." Lanie said as she admired the champagne colored gown she was now wearing. "I really like this one, especially the top and sleeves."

"Me too, and the color is great."

"Yeah." Lanie said she stood straighter and pretended she was walking down an aisle a minute later she said smiling, "This is the dress."

Kate smiled at her friend, "Great! It's perfect for you!"

Her hand flew to her stomach a look of shock overtaking her smile, "Kate. Are you okay? Your water didn't break did it?" Lanie asked the detective hurriedly.

"No. I'm fine, I'm not due for a month, but I think she likes it too." Kate smiled again. Lanie returned the look as she let out a sigh of relief.

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