Rick paused when he saw the car waiting for him at the airport and the man leaning against the hood of the Mustang. "Espo?"
"About damn time. You realize your kid's being born?"
"Yeah, I know. Planes have this problem with traveling at light speed. I was in Hartford, sorry."
Esposito rolled his eyes. "You gonna fight with me or are you gonna get in the car?"
"You're gonna drive me to the hospital?"
He shrugged. "You need to get there quick, my car's got lights and a siren so I can blow through traffic and run red lights."
"Is that legal?"
"Nope. Get in."
He glanced at Esposito as he sat in the passenger seat and noticed a bruise on the man's hand as he turned the key. "What happened to you?"
"Your wife. Get ready for some broken hand bones."
They were at the hospital in a matter of minutes, Esposito skidded to a stop in front of the doors, telling Rick Kate's room number before shoving him out of the car and going to park.
He went up to the maternity wing and ran down the hall, looking at the numbers on the walls before seeing the room Esposito told him. He stopped quickly, sliding on the linoleum then entered the room.
"Kate," he gasped when he saw his sleeping wife in the hospital bed. He walked over to her, reaching out to touch her hand.
"Richard, don't you dare wake that girl up," Martha said from the corner of the room, making him jump. "Poor thing's finally getting a rest. She's been having contractions every ten minutes for the last two hours."
He looked at Kate then walked over to sit next to his mother. "She's ok?"
"As ok as she can be, I suppose. Thank the lord you're here though. We thought she was going to have to do this without you."
"No. Gina knew if I came home to a baby next week I'd never forgive her and she'd be out of a job. She's stubborn but she's not stupid."
"Castle," Kate whispered from the other side of the room.
He went quickly to her side, holding her hand as he sat in the chair near her bed. "Hey, sweetheart."
"You made it."
"Of course I made it. I wouldn't miss it for the world." He kissed her forehead softly. "Sorry I'm late though."
"Sorry we're early."
He smiled. "Well, you can't really expect our kid to do anything on time, right?"
"I thought your kid would be running late."
"Yeah, I'm surprised it didn't just stay in there until it was time to go to college."
She smiled, shaking her head. "Part of me is happy that isn't gonna happen but I was fine keeping it here," she said, running her hand along her stomach. "Where it's safe."
"Trust me, we'll all be safe." He looked at her stomach. "Hear that? It's safe to come out, peanut."
Rick smiled down at the tiny pink bundle of blankets in his arms before glancing at Kate, who was asleep in her bed. "This is probably the only time in my life both of you will be asleep at once," he whispered to his sleeping daughter. "Please don't give me too much of a heart attack when you become a teenager, alright? You be a good girl for Daddy and I'll buy you a pony."
"Bribery is always a way to get what you want. You might have to give her the house in Hawaii if you really want her to behave." Rick turned to look at his wife, who was now sitting propped up against her pillows. "Bring me my baby," she said, holding her arms out.
He walked over to her, placing Johanna in Kate's arms before he sat on the bed with them. "She looks like you," he whispered.
"Poor kid."
"Out of the two options she has, I think she got it right."
"Yeah, you're right. With that nose? Alexis got lucky." She smiled up at him, nudging him with her elbow. "At least she has your eyes. I was hoping she would."
AN: the epilogue will be posted probably in a few days but this is the end of the official story