When we went out to dinner in town later that week Rick kept holding open the door and pulling out my chair and checking to see if I was alright every five seconds.
He placed his hand on my back to guide me farther away from the edge of the sidewalk on our walk home.
"We should have gotten a car." He said to no one in particular.
Alexis watched me for my reaction, waiting for me to suddenly snap at Rick.
He pulled me closer. I didn't mind the little things, they made him feel better, but I knew that question was coming. It was getting closer with every step we took. His overwhelming concern for my-our safety would lead him to ask that fated question.
"What are you going to do about work?" He asked it just as Alexis and Olivia were headed upstairs.
Alexis grabbed Olivia's arm and pulled her friend hastily up the remaining steps.
I decided I'd take it easy on him. "They'll put me on desk duty."
"I know, but Kate…when are you going to tell Gates?"
"I'll tell her after we're through the first trimester."
He looked disappointed. "I don't want you putting yourself in danger."
"I know, I don't like it either, but I can't stop doing my job. Even when I'm on desk duty I'll be allowed to run investigations, sometimes get to go to crime scenes. Trust me. I won't do anything stupid."
"How are we going to make this work?" He asked worried.
"I'm not going to stop working." I said quickly.
He eyed me curiously like I had said something funny. "I didn't think it for a moment Kate." He held up his hands in surrender. He smiled, "I meant the summer, I can't very well spend it in the Hamptons without you, especially now, it wasn't going to work even without the baby. We can't stay a part that long!"
"You have to finish your book and I have to go back to work."
He nodded. "We split time." He said as if he was having a genius moment. "The weekends you have off you spend in the Hamptons with us, then I spend two days with you in the city and then three days a week writing here."
"Clever," I said sarcastically thinking about all the driving we'd be doing.
He pulled me close. "One week." He said.
I sighed.
"What?"
"It's just, that's not quite the time table I was thinking of."
He furrowed his brow trying to figure out what I meant. I loved that look.
"33 weeks." My voice wavered a little despite how happy I was.
I was so used to having a playbook for an investigation, set rules and regulations. A baby would be new territory.
"It will be fine."
"I know." I said lying through my teeth. I wrapped my arms around him and rested my head against his chest.
"Do you remember when you met me for the first time?"
"Yes." I said quickly. "You were at your launch party."
"No, not then. That's when you first laid eyes on me. When you met me?"
"Rick?" I said frustrated.
"We worked a few cases together, you saw one side of me." He looked at me expectantly.
"The first time I came by the loft." I offered, now knowing what he meant.
He smiled, "Bingo."
"You were playing laser tag." I smiled mocking him just slightly.
"And I plan to continue playing laser tag, with our future child." He said so matter of fact.
I didn't like the idea of making guns a game, but I'd let him have that one.
"You were at the door and I was so shocked and…" He trailed off.
"I saw you." I said, "as a dad and a son and a crazy person with a toy gun."
"That was the moment where you truly met me."
I couldn't help but laugh.
"Feel better?"
I nodded.
"It's my job to keep you sane." He said very seriously.
I looked at him and started laughing. "You're joking right?"
He shook his head. "I mean it."
"I know."
"It isn't funny." He said frowning.
I pulled him into another hug.
"It isn't." He asserted again trying to convince himself.
I smiled.
"Kate!"
"What?"
"I felt that smile."
My smile grew a great deal larger and finally he smiled too. We just stood there starring at each other.
Alexis came down the stairs. "What was so funny?"
"Nothing, you're father thinks he's a grown up."
"You grew up? Since when?" Alexis joked coming to my aid.
"Two against one isn't fair."
Alexis smiled mischievously. "Do you want a boy or a girl?"
"Your dad probably wants a boy so that he'll have some backup when he argues with us."
Rick shook his head. "A little girl sides with her daddy, especially a little girl who stays at home with her daddy."
Alexis nodded agreeing, the subtle change in sides was clear.
"We'll see about that."
"I want a little sister so it'll be two against two."
Both Rick and I furrowed our brows trying to figure that one out.
"The girls against Mom and Dad." She smiled, hugged me, kissed her dad, and headed up the stairs chuckling.
"Did she just turn against us?" Rick said feigning fear.
I nodded. "I think she did."
"Maybe I do want a boy?" Castle said thoughtfully looking at the stairs where Alexis had been standing a few moments ago.
I knew, though, that Castle would happily be outnumbered if it meant a baby girl.