'So, what are you big plans for your post-shift morning, Missus Brick?'

Andrea laughed as she tugged on her jeans, and her maternity top in the locker room while Whitney Andrews teased her a little bit on her new married status. 'Daniel's on his last day of a day shift before he has thirty-six whole hours off and starts a regular rotation with Harvey. There is a mom who is having quads on Friday morning via C-section.'

'That sounds exciting, but I asked you.'

'Oh, right. Sorry. I'm going to my friend Meredeth's for baking and then a rest, or as she likes to say, a nibble and a nap which I could definitely use after a very slow night last night.'

'Sound like fun. Enjoy!'

Whitney, who was just coming on shift, darted off out of the locker room and Andrea sat on the bench, rubbed the sides of her belly with her fingertips. 'Guess what, boo-boo,' she murmured to him or her, 'we're going to Auntie Merry and Uncle Javi's house now, and we're going to have a nice snooze, then we're going to bake some delicious treats with Auntie Merry. And I bet we'll get to play with Tessi and Leo and Trini too. And you'll get to meet Arturo again. If you think he's loud and scary just remember he's suppose to sound that way so we feel protected. Wow we have a lot to do, so we better get cracking!'

She made her way to the subway, took the train so it spit her out at the end of Meredeth's street; Andrea knocked on the door strongly so the lady of the house would hear her in case she was upstairs in the nursery with the twins. Clearly, she was having a major case of tired pregnancy-brain today because she'd barely lifted her hand from the knocker when Arturo went nuts, sounding like a hell-hound out for blood. There was the sound of approaching footsteps and Meredeth appeared with one of the twins on her hip - Trini, evidently, as was discernible from the adorable 'Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice' onsie she was wearing today.

'Come on in,' Meredeth said with a wide grin on her face. 'I just boiled the kettle so first things first, you are having a nice warm cup-o-tea with me, and we'll watch a little bit of Fellowship of the Ring.'

'Fellowship of the Ring?' Andrea asked, curious as they walked over to the living room couch.

'I find the soft music and the water-colour palate the art directors chose very soothing. I watched the whole L-O-T-R series when I was pregnant with the twins and on doctor-ordered bedrest.'

'A couple of three-hour movies will do the trick. Won't they, Trini-cakes?' When the infant gurgled, Meredeth smiled and Andrea's heart melted.

'She's such a good girl.'

'She's had her moments. Getting her two-month shots was a nightmare. Leo got fussy but he's used to being uncomfortable with his colic, but Trini screamed bloody murder.'

'Poor little thing. You didn't like that very much, did you sweetheart? Where's your big brother?'

'Leo and Daddy are having a boys' morning with Castle and RJ, and Tessi is still at her cousin Rosie's. They had a sleepover last night, and tia Lili is going to be dropping Tessi off shortly. Here, you hold this little sack-o-sugar-' Meredeth pretended to groan as she passed Trini over to Andrea '-and I'll make tea. It's naturally decaf with just a hint of lemon, do you want milk or sugar?'

'Just a touch of sugar. Right Trini-cakes?'

Trini responded with a little giggly smile, Andrea went soft as a roasted marshmellow. 'Oh, I can't wait until I have one of you in August for my very own,' she cooed, and kissed the little girl's cheek. 'What you think, am I growing a playmate for you or your brother in here?'

Meredeth came back to the living room to see her friend, with her pregnant belly pouffing up under her sweater holding little Trini above her head and making her giggle. 'Motherhood will look very good on you, Lady Nurse Brick.'

'Well, it's hard not to love a little slice of heaven like this one.'

'Here.' Meredeth set Trini into her baby-seat on the couch, then poured the tea. 'So, Trini's going to be going down for a little nap same time as you, then when you wake up, we'll have a little lunch, and work on some of the baking, okay?'

'Sounds good.'

'Excellent.' Glad to have the plan set, Meredeth picked up the remote, flipped on the television screen. 'Now, it's time to settle back and let yourself be entertained.'

They made it to Bilbo Baggins' departure from the Shire when Andrea felt her eyelids droop, so Meredeth showed her up to the guest room. The comfortable double-bed had been turned down already, and Meredeth actually tucked the sleepy nurse into bed even gave her a little kiss on the forehead when Andrea was nestled into the soft linens like a cozy little kitten and breathing deeply.

'Sweet dreams, sis.'

The first sensation Andrea was aware of was the fact she wasn't alone in the bed when she woke up. Her first instinct was that it was Arturo, but Arturo didn't wear sweatshirts, or have curly black hair. Shifting a little, she saw it was the oldest little lady of the house, watching her with her own sleepy eyes.

'Hi snoozy An-duh-ree,' she said in a sleepy voice. 'Whasha doin' here?'

'Mami invited me for a visit, but since I was working at the hospital last night, she said I could have a little nap first.' Andrea gave Tessi's little tummy a poke with her finger. 'I heard you got to have a stay-over with your cousin Rosie.'

Tessi nodded, eyes shining with big-girl pride. 'It a 'pecial night. We wash Boodee an' the Beas' and munsh poporn. How the baby to-day?' The little girl reached out and rubbed Andrea's stomach. 'He-she gettin' way bigga now.'

'Absolutely. Daniel and I are going for a check-up next week to make sure everything is growing properly.'

'That good. Dottors help us, like Dell. He's dia-bi-bit.'

'I remember he got very sick.'

'I 'till inside Mami.'

Andrea laughed, pulled Tessi close for a hug and gave her a smacking noisy kiss. 'Think you can head downstairs and tell Mami I'm awake and will be down in a few minutes?'

'There's no need.'

Both girls glanced over to see Meredeth standing in the doorway with her apron on. 'Mami!' Tessi cried joyfully. 'An-duh-ree's awake! Baby feelin' good too.'

'Even better. But guess what we're doing now?'

Tessi's eyes were wide in delight and just a little bit greedy. 'Makin' tookies?'

'Tessi-boo, we've talked about this. Try again,' Meredeth encouraged her daughter. 'Coo-kies.'

'Cuh...cuh...cuh-kies.'

'Very good, Tessi.'

'I putta tickie ona shart?'

'Yes, you can put a sticker on your chart.'

Meredeth shook her head as her daughter went to her room. 'We've been working with her pediatrician on that little speech impediment. It's hard when people find it cute, because we want to help her correct it as soon as possible, before she starts school.'

'Right.'

'Oh, sweetie, I'm not saying that to scare you.' She fluttered a hand. 'There are plenty of children without things like that. Hell, the only kid in our group who's really had any serious problems was Dell being diabetic.'

'I know, and I know this one's probably going to be just fine,' Andrea reassured herself, rubbing her belly in a little circle. 'So. What are we going to make?'

'Well, I've already got our lunch ready, so first thing we're going to make is pigs of ourselves. I made beef and bean enchiladas, one of the best recipes I ever tried when I was pregnant. It's got your fibre, your proteins and it tastes amazing.'

'Mami! I putta tickie ona shart! I cuh...cuh...can do it!' Tessi said with a little stutter of effort as she beamed at her mother and Andrea. 'Time to eat?'

The trio headed downstairs into the kitchen, where Tessi went over to her high-chair and waited patiently with her arms out until Meredeth lifted her up, buckled her in. 'Now, be careful sweetie, okay? What do we say?'

'Grrr-a-see-us,' she replied, picking up her baby-fork while Meredeth put Andrea's serving down in front of her. 'An-duh-ree, eat-up! It's yummy!'

'My goodness you're a bossy little thing,' Andrea teased her back.

'I be like Daddy, I be de-de-tiff.'

'Yes, I know, my princess.' Meredeth rolled her eyes playfully as she sat down herself. 'So, back to baking. We are going to work on some cookies, and some soup. Anything you like especially?'

'Cream of broccoli cheese, anything tomato vegetable, and baked potato.'

'We can do that.' She made a little note on the pad by her elbow, scooped up another bite of enchilada. 'How do you feel about pasta? Ravioli casseroles, creamy-tomato mac-and-cheese, lasagne, things like that.'

'Yeah, just no alfredo on its own, I don't like that.' Andrea glanced over when she saw Arturo trot from the front window to the door. 'I think someone's home.'

The front door opened; Esposito came in with the other twin and Andrea knew she was in hormonal hell when she glanced up, saw the handsome detective in his black leather jacket and gloves lifting the sweetly gurgling Leo out of his pram with his snowsuit on. The sight of the very manly man talking softly to his infant son had her blood churning, making her ache for Daniel.

Meredeth, having had three children herself, recognized the look on her friend's face and smothered a laugh. 'Down, girl,' she murmured, 'Daniel will be home soon enough.'

'He's off at four, that isn't nearly soon enough,' Andrea murmured back as he walked in, smelling so masculine and outdoorsy from the walk from the subway it made her bite the inside of her mouth. 'Hey guys, how was the morning with Castle and RJ?'

'Good, we're heading back out here, I just needed to come this way for a change of clothes,' Esposito replied.

'Oh, did he hiccup while he was having his bottle?' Meredeth asked in sympathy, and her husband nodded.

'Yeah, and got it all over my shirt.'

'Put it in the basin in the laundry room, with the-'

'Hot water and Javex in the blue bottle, I know,' he finished with a cheeky grin and another kiss for his wife. 'Andrea, Mere's gonna give you a lift home. A pregnant woman shouldn't carry that much weight.'

He passed Leo to his mother, then headed for the washroom; he stepped back out a few minutes later shirtless and the moment he hit the top of the stairs, Andrea set down her fork, reached for her cell in her pocket.

'That's it, Daniel's getting a very x-rated text-message right now.'

Meredeth only giggled. 'Go get him, killer.'

R&R&Enjoy!