First of all, I want to thank everyone who is still with me on this journey. I know things have been a little sporadic lately, and I appreciate those of you who have continued to read the updates and review. My hand is still healing…unfortunately, I am a major klutz and have managed to injure the same hand again. I have a few torn tendons, and will hopefully be fully recovered in the next couple of weeks. Thank you all so much for your patience. I promise I will stick with this story until it is finished. I think there will be a few chapters to go, and then I will continue with a sequel. Thanks so much again to everyone who has read, reviewed and stuck with me! You guys are amazing and I love all of you!
Chapter 52.
The next afternoon, Rick leaned against the front door frame with his wife tucked into his side as they waved their friends off. Jenny and Lanie turned from the backseat and grinned at them as they rounded the corner and disappeared from sight.
"Did you have a nice visit?" Rick asked as he pulled Kate closer to him.
"Mmm," she murmured as she turned to bury her face in his comforting chest.
Rick smiled into her hair and just held on, perfectly content to stand in the crisp afternoon air, where it was quiet enough for them to listen to the crashing of the waves on the shore.
They stood there for a few minutes before Kate involuntarily shivered. Rick wrapped his arms tighter around her and said quietly, "Should we move inside?"
Kate sighed. "It's so nice out, I kind of want to just stay out here. But I am a little chilly," she added as an afterthought.
"Why don't I go build us a fire out back? That way we can enjoy a little time outside but still keep you warm."
Kate pulled back slightly to look into her husband's deep, ever sparkling blue eyes. "That sounds perfect. Maybe we can brainstorm a little for work?" she offered hesitantly.
Rick's eyes crinkled in amusement. "You're going to keep me on my toes with this one, aren't you?"
She rolled her eyes. "When do I not?"
"True, true," Rick conceded as he led her through the kitchen and out the back door onto the patio where the fire pit was waiting for them.
Kate sat on one of the love seats next to the pit while Rick bustled around her gathering the wood and arranging it carefully for optimal warmth. She grinned to herself as she watched him. There were times when he could be childish, times when he was incredibly sweet, and there were still times like this – times where she was caught off guard by just how much she loved him.
Before she knew it, a roaring, crackling fire was flickering before her and her ruggedly handsome husband had disappeared back into the house. Kate shrugged to herself and settled further into her side of the seat to enjoy the heat as she closed her eyes and listened to the waves slap against the shore.
She felt his presence before she heard him. Kate opened her eyes and beamed when she saw Rick perched on the other side of the seat, a plate with a heaping portion of cake in each hand.
"Figured you might be a little hungry," he said with his boyish smile. The smile that somehow still made her weak in the knees, even though she was already sitting down.
"You know me so well." Kate reached out and grabbed the plate he offered her and savored that first, sugary sweet bite. She waited until Rick settled in beside her before she moved her legs over his and leaned back into the armrest.
"Comfortable?" Rick asked with a smirk on his face.
She cocked an eyebrow at him. "Very." Kate took another bite of the sinful cake and sighed with pleasure. "I just love it out here."
Rick squeezed her ankle affectionately as he took a rather large bit of cake. "Me too," he said with a mouth full and Kate shook her head.
She leaned forward and wiped a bit of icing off of the corner of his lip. "So messy," Kate chuckled as Rick shrugged in an Oh well, what are you gonna do, gesture.
"You know, we don't have to go back this weekend," Rick offered thoughtfully. "We could take another week, hell we could take as long as we want out here before we go back to the city. We're both authors now. That means we can work from anywhere!"
Kate looked at him a moment and considered his offer. He was right. She was an author. They were both authors. They were going to be able to work together again. It still hadn't really sunk in.
"I'd like that," she said after a moment. "Lanie and Jenny asked me to have a day out with them next Friday though, so we just need to be back by then. Maybe Thursday night?"
"Whatever you want, Babe," Rick told her as he nudged her with her elbow. "You're the boss."
"And don't you forget it," Kate teased with a laugh.
Rick leaned forward slightly and pulled a small notepad out of his back pocket along with a pen.
Kate raised her eyebrow in question and Rick shrugged.
"I thought I was going to have to keep you on your toes, huh?" Kate chuckled.
"What can I say? I'm excited to get the chance to work with you again."
"Rick, you realize you see me every day, right?" But she knew how he felt; she was excited to work with him again too.
He pouted slightly. "It's not the same, Kate."
One look at his pitiful face and she couldn't help it. Kate leaned forward to give him a quick kiss. "I know it's not the same. I miss working with you too."
Rick's eyes lit up. "You do?"
She laughed. "Of course I do, don't be silly. I miss you bringing me my morning coffee." Kate had to pause at his look of mock indignation.
"I knew it! It's just the coffee you missed!"
"You didn't let me finish," Kate began again. "I miss the coffee, but more than anything, I miss working out the clues together. I miss finding the story," she nudged him with her shoulder. "Because someone very wise once told me that there is always a story. And I can't wait to do that again with you – even if it is fictional."
Rick grinned at her. "That person must be extremely wise. And ruggedly handsome too."
Kate rolled her eyes but figured she'd give him this one. "Yes, he is most definitely ruggedly handsome."
"Just for that, I'll let you slide on the whole fictional thing," Rick said matter-of-factly.
She just looked at him in question until he sighed, resigned to explaining himself. "Nikki and Rook may appear to be fictional, Kate. But to me, they're alive. They are a part of you and me…"
How could she have missed that one? She felt the same way about the characters her husband had created. The characters that had brought them together. The characters that had made magic possible for her. For them.
"Silly mistake for me to make," she said quietly. "You do realize I love Nikki and Rook too, right? I'm sorry…"
He nodded. "I know. What are you sorry for?"
Kate shrugged. "Because I said they were just fiction. I know that they're a part of us. A part of our history."
"Kate, honey, you don't need to apologize. I'm not upset. They are fictional. They are just so much more than that. Anyway, the real-life version of our dynamic-duo is so much better, don't you think?"
"Oh definitely," she smiled guiltily as she used her finger to get the rest of the frosting off of her plate.
Rick grabbed their now empty plates and set them aside so he could use his lap as a desk. Kate giggled a moment before she covered her mouth with her hand to hide it and Rick arched his eyebrow in question.
"What's so funny?"
Kate shook her head and bit back a grin.
Rick jutted his bottom lip out pitifully and she sighed in defeat.
"I just find it funny that Richard Castle, King of any and all electronics is ready to brainstorm with a pencil and paper."
"Oh is that all?" Rick asked.
"Yes…"
"Well, when it comes to writing, I guess I'm a little old-fashioned in some respects," he began. "As much as I believe a man should open doors for women, or stand when a lady enters the room, I believe a writer should always plot out their story in a notebook. It isn't until after I've put my pen to paper that I put my fingers to the keyboard."
Kate stared at her husband. After all of this time how had she not realized this was how he wrote?
He seemed to read her mind. "No one usually sees this part of my writing, so don't feel bad. This is usually what I do late at night, in bed when I can't sleep."
"But, you've written since we've been together. How have I never noticed?" His reasoning made a bit more sense, but she still couldn't see how she missed it, especially if he did this part of his process in bed.
"I usually wait until you go to sleep," Rick admitted quietly.
That's when it hit her. This was huge. Rick bringing her into this part of his life was a huge step for him. She knew this man through and through, every facet of his personality and every curve of his body, but this was something new. This was something she was positive no other woman had ever seen. Becoming his writing partner allowed Kate to delve into his mind and see how it worked on all levels, not just those visible during a case. It reminded her of the time when Meredith had complained that Rick was closed off. Now Kate understood. This was another part of the Rick onion. A layer that she was truly honored to not only see but be a part of. It was one thing for him to shadow her at the precinct and be her partner, this, this was on par with working together on her mother's murder. This was allowing her to see into the deepest parts of his mind, as she had finally allowed him to do with her.
A tear slipped down Kate's cheek as that final realization hit her. They really were partners. In everything.
"Hey, Babe, what's wrong?" Rick asked, clearly concerned as he reached over to brush away the lone tear with his thumb.
Kate covered his hand with her own. "It's a happy tear, I promise." She brought his palm to her lips and kissed it.
His eyebrow furrowed in disbelief. "Care to share?"
She nodded. "I was just thinking about how big this is. You saw me at work, day in and day out. You know how my mind works, and I know yours. But I feel like this is something more. I don't know if this is the best way to explain it or not…but, when you look into my mother's murder with me, it's as though you see every nook and cranny in my mind. Everything is out there for you to see. And now, now I'm getting to see that with you. It's just another layer to the Rick onion," Kate added and he laughed.
"Kate, you've always had me. Every part of me. I'm happy to share any and every part of my mind with you," he paused. "But that doesn't mean you'll want to see all of it!"
Kate smiled. "That's probably true," she teased. "But, I'm so very happy to be a part of this with you. I know it's something that's usually private, so, thank you for bringing me into this."
"You don't need to thank me. But, if you insist…then I'm going to go ahead and thank you for allowing me to butt into your life all of those years ago. Without that, without you, we wouldn't be where we are today."
"You're hard to resist, you know that?"
"Is it my charm or my good looks?" he asked with a devilish smile.
Kate rolled her eyes. "Humble as always."
Rick winked at her. "Oh, you know it."
She did. He may put out that air, that air that he was arrogant and conceited at times, but that's all it was. An act. Richard Castle was actually one of the most humble people she knew. He may talk himself up every now and then (okay, more often than that), but, Kate knew that it was because deep down he was insecure. He was still the boy who thought he didn't deserve all of the writing accolades because he had paid someone to write for him. He still thought he had to prove himself. If she could make him feel like he was the most wonderful man in the world, because to her, he was, then she would do it. Every single day if it was necessary.
"So, Mr. Ruggedly Handsome Writer-Man, where do we start?"
"Well, I usually try to come up with a basic plot line. A general case that Nikki and Rook will work through if you will…"
Kate nodded thoughtfully as she waited for him to continue, but he just stared at her.
"What?" she asked.
"So…do you have any ideas?"
"Oh." Kate hadn't realized he was trying to get her take. He was the writer. He was the one who was supposed to do this, wasn't he? But Rick had said they would be partners. They were partners at the precinct and this moment had just proved to Kate that they were partners in this new writing process as well. As if the rest of their conversation hadn't already done so. She knew it was time to start believing it and believing in her ability to write.
"Well, what about if we…Ouch," Kate paused to try to cover up her wince.
Rick's eyes narrowed as his wife tried to continue with her thoughts. "Kate, what was that?"
"It was nothing," she assured him as she squeezed his hand. When he still looked at her skeptically she continued. "It was just a little twinge, that was all."
Kate reached over and grabbed the paper and pen from Rick's hands and started to write before she forgot her train of thought. He watched her carefully, eyes trained on her face, just waiting for another sign of pain.
"Rick, I'm fine. Okay. I have an idea," she smiled shyly.
"From the looks of it, it's gonna be a good one."
"What makes you say that?"
"You were writing furiously, and your eyes were just filled with the excitement you get when you're onto something with a case," Rick told her simply and she beamed. "That's the look I get, or I like to think I get when I'm onto something myself. It's a good look, Babe."
Kate smiled again. "It might require a little research on our parts…"
"As most writing does…"
"I don't know if we will be able to research it before the babies arrive though…"
"Kate, why don't you tell me and then we can figure out the logistics, okay?" Rick grinned, obviously delighted with her excitement.
Kate took a deep breath. "What about a case where Nikki and Rook are on vacation? I'd like the case to somehow tie into something in New York, but they have to work on it from somewhere else. Maybe Florida? Or California?"
"Katherine Castle are you trying to find an excuse for a vacation?" Rick teased.
"Of course not!" Kate laughed. "Well…maybe. Come on, you're not going to tell me it wouldn't be fun."
"Oh I know it would be fun. We just need to speak to the doctor to see when you should start staying close to home. But - "
Rick was interrupted by Kate's face as it contorted with pain. He moved forward and held onto her hand as she breathed through the pain.
"Kate, I think we should go to the hospital. Just to be safe," Rick said as he smoothed a hand over his wife's hair and leaned forward to kiss her forehead when she relaxed into his chest.
She opened her mouth to protest but seemed to think better of it. He was right. It was better to be safe than sorry.
Kate let herself be packed up into the car and whisked away to Southampton Hospital so they could check and make sure their children were okay. The pain didn't linger, but it also didn't disappear. It came in waves, and she was forced to breathe through them with Rick's hand as her comfort as he shot her nervous glances and spoke in soothing tones on their quick trip to the emergency room.
Thirty minutes passed and the couple found themselves listening to the steady beep of the monitor that let them know Kate's heartbeat had steadied. When they had first arrived, her heart rate had been alarmingly high, and it had taken some time to calm her down. Rick's brow had yet to unfurrow even though he tried to mask his worry whenever Kate looked at him.
A doctor knocked briefly and walked in, grabbing the chart from the outside of the door on his way.
"Hello, Mr. and Mrs. Castle. I'm Doctor O'Doule. It seems you've been having some cramping, is that correct?" he asked as he moved next to the bed to look at the monitor.
"Yes," Kate nodded.
"She's pregnant with twins," Rick said. "We just wanted to make sure everything was okay."
Dr. O'Doule nodded. "I see here in your chart that you are about twenty-five weeks along, is that correct?"
Kate nodded again as she closed her eyes to try to hide the pain.
Dr. O'Doule turned his attention back to the monitor. "Are you experiencing the pain right now?"
Rick answered for her because if the hand squeeze he received was any indication, the pain was quite bad. "Yes, I believe she is."
Kate brought her head to her chest and Rick began to rub circles on her back as she continued to squeeze his other hand. He leaned forward, kissed her head and murmured quietly to her. After a few moments, Kate sat up again and was able to look at the doctor. Despite the fact that the pain had eased off, she still hadn't let go of her husband's hand.
"Let me just do a quick ultrasound and then we can discuss what I think is going on," Dr. O'Doule told them as he pulled Kate's shirt up over her belly and squeezed the gel onto it. He moved the transducer around until he was able to see each baby. "Both of your babies look good, so there are no worries there. Their heartbeats as well as your own are strong and steady, which is also a good sign. You have not gone into labor yet, even though it may have felt like you had contractions."
"Doctor," Rick began. "You seem to keep telling us what it isn't. Could you please explain why my wife is having these pains?"
"I believe you are experiencing Braxton hicks contractions. These are considered to be practice contractions for when you actually go into labor. They may be painful, but there isn't cause for worry at this time. When these happen, I would recommend changing positions, taking a warm bath, or even drinking some water. If they increase in pain or in frequency though, I would get checked out again."
"Does this mean she is close to going into labor?" Rick asked. "We still have so long to go…"
Dr. O'Doule looked back and forth between the couple. "Not necessarily. This is just something your body does in preparation for labor. Like I said, there is no cause for concern at this time. However, because you are pregnant with twins, I would say to err on the side of caution from now on. Many doctors have different opinions on the subject and I would speak to your own to double check, but I would recommend abstaining from any strenuous travel or activities from now on. Driving a few hours here and there should be okay, but if you were to go into labor early, it would be best to be relatively close to home."
Kate looked at Rick and nodded in agreement. "Do you think this means that I'm going to go into labor early?"
"Again, not necessarily," Dr. O'Doule explained patiently. "Braxton hicks contractions can occur throughout pregnancy and usually isn't an indicator of labor, however, given the fact that you are pregnant with twins, I would say the odds of you delivering early are pretty good. Just try to keep them in there as long as possible. Like I said, just err on the side of caution. Don't cut out all of your activities, but don't go running any marathons at this point."
"Thank you, doctor," Rick said as he reached forward to shake the man's hand.
"It was my pleasure," Dr. O'Doule told them as he made his way out of the room.
Kate waited until the door closed and then turned her attention to Rick. "I guess our research trip is out, huh?"
"Don't worry about that right now. We can do that when the twins are here. Heck, we can even bring your dad, Mother, and Alexis with us to babysit so we can still get our research done. I don't think any of them would turn down a free trip – or a chance to spend more time with the babies," Rick added with a grin.
Kate perked up at the idea. "It would be nice to go on vacation with the whole family. What if the guys came too?"
"Think the precinct can survive without two detectives and their best medical examiner?" Rick asked.
Kate shrugged. "They need a vacation too!"
Rick laughed. "Well, I think we should ask them when we get back home. Then we can get planning. Ooo we can rent a big beach house! That way everyone can have their own rooms and privacy but we can all still be together. What do you think?"
"Sounds perfect," Kate smiled as she leaned into her husband's side. "Part research, part vacation, all with our family? It sounds absolutely perfect."
"It's settled then," Rick said. "We'll talk to everyone and plan it for a few months after the babies arrive. We can be writing in the meantime and then include more information on wherever it is we decide to go when we get there."
"I can't wait."
"Me either. Now, what do you say we get out of here? Get you home and into bed?"
Kate looked up at him and smiled. "I'd say you're on a role with these ideas of yours."
"It's part of my charm," he teased as he pulled her up from the bed.
She rolled her eyes. "Oh it really is. Your ruggedly handsome charm, don't forget that part."
"Oh I can't forget it with you always reminding me," Rick grinned.
Kate laughed and her eyes positively danced. "That's what I'm here for. Always."
With that, she let herself be led from the room, perfectly content to go home and dream of their unborn children, story ideas, and their upcoming vacation. Not a bad life, she thought, not bad at all. And it was just getting started.
If you're on twitter, feel free to follow me (and if you were already following me, you'll notice I changed my username) - livewritealways – As always, thanks for reading, please share your thoughts! xoKristen
