Chapter 36

"Kate?" Castle entered their new home finding it surprisingly quiet. Calling briefly out to his mother and his daughter and hearing no answer, he stepped to the back since Beckett had to be home. She had called sick into the work earlier this morning. Before heading to his appointment with the banker, he had dropped Charlie off at day care and Jamie and Matt at kindergarten and school respectively. Alexis seemed to still be in class too and his mother was off to wherever.

"Kate?"

The master bedroom was empty too.

"Kate?"

This time he found her asleep in the rocking chair resting at the head of the crib, her hand protectively holding her seven months baby belly. It had been a rough night for her apparently. He felt sorry for being such a fast sleeper. He had tried to convince her to get her to wake him up, but stubborn as she was, she kept him asleep instead by telling him he would need the sleep. She though reminded him on more than one occasion that once the baby was there, he needed to take relay every once in a while.

Just the thought of their new baby girl being with them soon brought a smile to his face. Curious to know what kind of traits the girl was going to inherit. His blue or her green eyes? Was she going to have the same long wavy hair? He hoped, for the girl's sake, that she would inherit her mother's nose, not his crooked one, even though Beckett happened to find it adorable. It fit with his face, she had said. The truth was that Castle would love to have a version of a mini-Kate. But either way, he will love that little girl with all his heart. He already did.

Leaning up against the door frame he lost himself in his girlfriend's beauty. She had been careful of closing the drapes, but a few sun rays wound their way through the tiny split in the middle, lightly brightening up her angelic face.

The engagement ring adorning her right hand sparkled through the room as Castle had flashbacks to his proposal.

Flashback

Three months ago

The afternoon had been quite hectic with seven seven years old, plus Charlie and Jamie added to the pack, celebrating Matt's seventh birthday. He sure was a big boy now and things had been working hard on Beckett to realise that her eldest was starting to get more independent. He was asking on regular basis to have friends over or to sleep at their place. Jamie of course wanted to go along but his big brother wouldn't let him. The fact that Charlie was two years old now too had made her feel quite melancholic. Her baby was also growing... all of them were. But she was carrying another little addition to the family under her heart. She couldn't wait to be the mother of a little girl. The past months, ever since they had become a family, she had had the chance to be a mother to a sixteen year old, and so far it was bliss.

Jamie and Mattie were contently lounged in front of the TV set for half an hour while Beckett was getting a very coughing Charlie to bed. Castle had heard Charlie's babbles as they were doing flashcards. Charlie loved those and had quite an extensive vocabulary for his age. Charlie also loved to mimic sounds a lot and every time Castle couldn't get enough of that little munchkin who was the spitting image of his mother.

When Castle entered the nursery Beckett was leaning over the crib lying her sleeping toddler into his crib. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist. His big strong hands instantly came to rest on the already large bump on her front.

"Are Mattie and Jamie in their pj's?"

"Yep, teeth brushed too and ready for bed. I told them they could watch some more TV."

Beckett let out a content sigh, did a one hundred and eighty degree turn to be face-to-face with Castle, his arms now wrapped at the small of her back.

"I love you."

"I love you too. So much" whispered Castle and kissed her. "How's my little man doing?"

"I gave him some meds so while our reading he sort of drifted off as soon as they kicked in. I doubt he will be out for the night though. He's running a fever too. Thanks for taking care of Jamie and Mattie tonight and this afternoon."

"Always, Kate."

Both stayed in that comfortable embrace with Beckett's head leaning against his chest and Castle's chin softly resting on top of her head. Castle took a long sigh, taking his courage in both of his hands before getting down on his knees.

"This is not the way I wanted to do this, but I'm gonna do it anyway."

"Rick, what are you...?"

Beckett's eyes were wide open, staring at him as he knelt in front of her on one knee. No, this couldn't be happening! Not now! And yet, here he was... ready to propose. Why else would a man get in this position?

"Kate Beckett, please make me the happiest man by becoming my wife... Will you marry me?"

Tears had welled up in his eyes and seconds later they were rolling down his cheeks. He knew it was stupid to ask her now. He had everything prepared for next weekend. A restaurant was booked, candle light dinner, you name it... and there he was, down on his knees in the middle of Charlie's room with a sick toddler asleep in the crib and the woman he loved more than himself standing in front of him... saying nothing.

"I love you, Kate, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You make me happy. Every morning when I wake up with you beside me I wish nothing more than to wake up that way for the rest of my life. I'm crazy about you. I'm crazy about those three boys of yours and I'm crazy about the little one growing inside you. I can't wait to meet her, to hold her, to love her... and I love her so much already. Marry me, Kate?"

Tears were literally spilling down his face by now. Beckett was overwhelmed. She hadn't expected any of it. Then again, hadn't he just said that this wasn't the way he had planned it.

"Rick... I... I don't know what to say..."

"Say yes?"

"Rick, I... I really don't know what to say. I want to say yes, but..." Castle briefly shut his eyes. "It's not that I don't want to... it's just..."

"Unexpected... and you don't like surprises."

A sweet chuckle left her throat as Castle seemed to understand her way of thinking, "I clearly don't... Listen, Rick..." She helped him up to his feet again. He was taller than her every time she wasn't wearing her heels, "I love you... so much... I'm flattered, I really am... I guess I'm just taken aback here. I... I don't know what else to say."

Charlie took that moment to cough several times, waking up. Beckett's attention rested on her baby as he groaned in his semi-sleep state. She quickly soothed him down with a few soft words and caresses over his back. Three minutes later he was back off into dreamland.

"What?"

"Every time I get to see you do that, I love you even more... if that is even possible."

Beckett took one step forward, wound her arms around his neck and pulled his head down onto hers so they could melt into one long smouldering kisses leaving them both breathless.

"I love you, Rick. Give me some time... You know I need that..." she insisted and was glad Castle was such a patient man.

"I'm such a klutz", Castle suddenly exclaimed, "I forgot the ring. This is all so wrong..." shaking his head because of his faux pas. "I'm such a looser..."

He seemed genuinely concerned about this so that Beckett had to encase his head in both of her hands.

"You're not a klutz, Rick. This was so... special and very intimate. Just the two of us and I love you for that. Some day..." Beckett stuttered nervously, running hand over her slowly growing mid-section. "I mean, we're having this baby together. My boys adore you, they look up at you. You're an amazing father figure to them. I couldn't and wouldn't want any other man but you to fill in that spot."

"Thank you" Castle spoke softly.

Beckett smiled, "Always..."

The next day, Beckett was carrying her engagement ring around her neck along with her mother's wedding ring. It was a promise to the future.

End of Flashback

This morning when he woke, he had noted the difference on her hand right away. Her hand that was resting on his chest, right above his heart and just like now the sun ray had been shining onto the diamond, making it sparkle even further. A smile had grown on his face instantly. Mere minutes after his wake-up Beckett's eyes had flutterer open.

"Morning beautiful" he had greeted her with a wide grin.

She mirrored his before he brought his hand that carried the ring to his lips, kissed it. Time stood still between them for a minute as their eyes remained locked for what seemed like eternity. Both realising the meaning behind this simple gesture.

"I love you Katherine Beckett."

They kissed and enjoyed their private moment for quite awhile until Charlie's babbles filtered through the house. Minutes later Jamie's loud screams pulled them out of their beds as both rushed to his side. Little man had had a nightmare and had fallen out of bed, knocking his head on one of his building blocks scattered around the room. The cruise was close to his right eye and the poor guy sure had to have been in pain. Beckett had been the only one able to help him under these circumstances. Soon after Matt trotted into the room, wondering what all the yelling was about. Just an ordinary morning in the Beckett Castle household, if it hadn't been for the ring now adorning her finger.

Castle smiled to himself at the memory. What a boring life he was leading before Beckett stumbled her way into his life. He could be god knows somewhere out there, flirting with some woman, bring her home for the night, have a good time. But no, here he was standing staring and completely in love with the woman carrying his daughter. Beside Alexis, he had now many other reasons to get up in the morning and he couldn't be any happier than he was that very moment watching her sleep. Her chest rising and falling with every single breath she took while her belly was growing every day, every week and every month with their love.

tbc

A/N: Happy? I am! Thanks for all those amazing reviews! I love to read every single one of them as well as PMs so keep them coming! =)