Note to the Readers: I will be attaching an epilogue to this in a day or two that will be the end of this thread for a bit. I have become bored with this universe—need some form of inspiration to continue on this set of Rick and Kate.

Disclaimers: No, I don't own them. If I did Andrew Marlowe would have already had our beloved couple getting on with a life together and stop all of this stupid jealousy/misunderstanding garbage. Yes Marlow, it is getting very TIRESOME. To quote Stana, "It's time to let them say I love you, get married and start having little Castle babies."

When she woke in the morning Rick slept in a chair, Ian had left and Lanie slept on the daybed. The doctor was right, breathing came much easier and her back her a lot less. She had a lot of aches and pains but nothing too terrible. She moved her bed to allow her to sit up. She noticed Rick had left her a cup of water with a straw in it. She gladly took a sip. It had to be the best tasting water on the planet. She looked at her monitors. All the numbers were much lower than they had been in weeks. Kate tried to get her eyes to focus, but fatigue overcame her and she drifted back off to sleep.

Chapter 34

Three days later and Kate has finally come out from under the fog the magnesium had caused and the after effects of the anesthesia. Rick marveled at his wife's resilience; three days ago he had been convinced that she would be gone and he would be raising the twins alone. But, today he helped her out of bed and into her robe. He walked with her as she walked the 100 feet to the NICU.

"Which one is which?" he asked. He had already decided back when they were just baby A and baby B on the monitor, but she should get to choose who would carry her mother's name.

"Baby A should be Hanna Katherine and Baby B should be Nicole Elaine."

"So you changed your mind about naming one after your mother?" he squeezed her hand tightly.

"No, I abbreviated mom's first name in hopes that the little girl could honor her without feeling like she had to live up to unrealistic expectations. And, when Lanie's mother brought my baby present the other day she let slip that even though Lanie claims that is her legal name, her mother named her Nicolette Elaine. I smoothed it out a little."

Rick stepped behind his wife to hold her up to look through the window. One brunette and one red head, how could they have guessed the differences? Hannah would resemble her name sake and the other would be yet another red head in her daddy's life.

Kathleen hated to disturb them, but she decided that this would be an excellent time to do it.
"Would you like to come hold the girls today? The pediatrician has cleared them from staying in the incubators. They just need the oxygen and at a much lower concentration than the day they arrived. The girls are gaining weight."

Kate and Rick stepped forward together. Up to now they had held little hands through sterilized gloves. Neither had been able to have one in their arms. Kathleen tied a surgical mask on each of them and led them to some of the rocking chairs in the back of the room. She carried Hannah to her daddy and Nicole to her mother. They leaned together so they could see them side by side.

"The good news is that if they keep growing at this pace, in two weeks they can go home. The bad news is that momma gets to go home tomorrow."

Kate tried to smile at her bad news, but she hated the idea of having to leave them behind especially knowing how difficult visiting would be for her. The distance she could walk comfortably was minimal. Rick stood up and stepped in front of his wife. He helped her hold both babies at once. He took out his IPhone and snapped a few photographs of the moment and immediately sent it to everyone who needed a glance at them.

Their 20 minutes holding the babies ended too quickly, but Kate and Rick had been elated at the opportunity. It finally felt real.

As he walked her back to her room, her fatigue grew exponentially. He helped her into bed, but before her eyes could close he whispered. "I have one other bit of good news. Do you want to hear it?"

"Sure" she said through closed eyelids.

"We will be home tomorrow."

She nodded until she realized what he meant. "They finished the loft?"

"The Castle clan can be home for New Years and the new additions will join shortly thereafter."

She smiled as fell asleep.

Rick decided to give up writing and turn on the news as his wife slept.

In today's big news Gina Cowan has gone into custody of the police department. Charges have been filed for sexual harassment, solicitation, and there are also a multitude of civil suits pending. One of her former lovers has been identified as having been an underage male. It is not known at this time if she knew his age or not. Full disclosure will not be given at this time due to a negotiation taking place that should prevent the necessity of a trial.

Rick smiled and called Wally the producer for the Derrick Storm series.

"Hey Wally, how's progress?"

"Meredith has her recurring role lined up. We have a periodic role for your mother. Everyone else we're still casting. Any more preferences that you need us to fulfill to be happy?"

"No, keep my two actresses employed without destroying the production and it's all good."

"One other thing what do you think about Nathan Fillion for Derrick Storm?"

"Isn't he that guy from Slither?" Rick makes a disgusted face.

"He'll do but I would rather you choose a slightly younger man maybe Chris Pine or someone in that age group?"

Wally sat quiet for a moment. "Rick, you're right with as many movies as we have to make it will be better to start with a younger, less experienced actor."

Castle growls inwardly. When he wrote Derrick Storm the first time, he patterned him after himself. Derrick never aged in his mind. Rick glances at his reflection in the mirror next to the television. His graying at the temples and his laugh lines are getting more pronounced. If his characters didn't age why does their creator? He knows it's ridiculous but he looks at his young wife and wonders, will she ever wish I were younger?

Kate had done so many things for him and made so many changes, but could he be what she needed always?