I've had part of this written for awhile and finally figured out the missing parts. For everyone who asked about the babies, I hope you enjoy.

Epilogue

One week later

Ryan and Esposito got off the elevator and headed towards their desks, passing Castle with a fist bump on the way.

"If you're hungry, Kate baked a bunch of bread last night. There's some in the break room," Castle told them.

"Cool, thanks man," said Esposito, changing directions. Ryan followed him automatically, his brow creased.

"Did Castle just call Beckett 'Kate'?" asked Ryan as they entered the breakroom.

Esposito blinked. He looked at Ryan, then at the bread on the counter in the break room. "Uh... Did he just say that Beckett baked bread?"

Ryan and Esposito stared at each other, then turned and stared out the window towards Beckett's desk. Beckett was standing in front of the murder board, talking to Castle. As they watched, Castle brushed Beckett's hair out of her face, and instead of body slamming him to the ground, she smiled at him. Esposito and Ryan just stood there, frozen.

Finally, Ryan shook himself out of his shock. "Did you see that?" his voice squeaked a little.

"What the hell, man? I mean, come on!" Esposito ripped off a hunk of bread and waved it around. "Dammit, this means I lost the stupid bread elf wager and the when-will-Beckett-and-Castle-get-their-shit-together wager. I had them pegged for next July."

Ryan nodded and glumly stuffed a piece of bread in his mouth. "Same."

Ryan and Esposito chewed silently, watching as Beckett and Castle openly made googly eyes at each other. Gross.

"Does this mean we'll get more bread?"

"Doubt it. Stupid Castle will get first dibs. How's that bread baking class coming for you, man? You'll hook me up, right?"

"Well, my bread is very spongy."

"That's good, right? I like all those little holes."

"Yeah...My bread tastes like a sponge."

"Ouch."

"Yeah."

Castle said something and winked at Beckett. She smirked back. Ryan and Esposito shuddered.

"Maybe we could find something to blackmail Castle with."

"Or maybe we could just straight up demand bread as payment for having to watch this," Esposito grumbled.

"We can just wait it out," Ryan reasoned. "They won't last."

Esposito nodded. They pilfered the rest of the bread and headed to their desks.

3 years later

Castle removed the dutch oven from the oven with a flourish and set it on the counter. Then he turned and beamed at the triplets, Bryony, Claire, and Daniel. "See? Daddy can bake bread just like mommy! It's probably the best bread in the world!"

The triplets giggled and waved their little wooden spoons at him from their matching high chairs.

Alexis rolled her eyes as she headed towards the door. "Don't let Kate hear you say that, Dad. She'll go on another bread strike."

Castle paled. She wouldn't. Well, actually she probably would. Then he perked back up. But if he had finally made delicious bread, it wouldn't matter! He would finally hold all the cards and Kate would be out of leverage. Apart from her gun. And her amazing sexiness. And her being the mother of their beautiful babies. Castle dismissed his thoughts with a wave and turned back to the triplets.

"Shall we check the bread, my darlings?"

Bryony spit at him, and Claire threw her wooden spoon at him. Daniel tried to eat his toes. Castle decided to view that as encouragement.

He cut open the steaming loaf and examined it. It looked like bread. He sniffed it. It smelled like bread...he gingerly put a piece in his mouth and promptly gagged before rushing over to spit it out in the trash can. It tasted like sawdust. The triplets giggled.

Castle banged his head repeatedly against the counter. Why couldn't he bake edible bread? Why?? It's not like there were even that many ingredients!

"Let me guess. You tried to make bread again?"

Beckett surveyed the flour covered kitchen, her lips twitching. The triplets screamed and began throwing things at her in greeting. Castle, who was laying on the floor, just groaned.

"Why do you want to make bread that bad?" Kate stepped over him and unbuckled Claire. She gave her a kiss as Claire tried to rip her nose off, then she set her down on Castle's back as she got out the other two. Once they were all on the ground, they screamed in triumph and began a game of trade the pacifier. Castle didn't move.

Beckett nudged him with her foot. "Castle. Come on. It can't be that bad."

Castle's voice was muffled, but she could still hear him. "It looked so beautiful. I was so sure. And then it tasted like sawdust and broken dreams. Why? Why can't I bake bread?" He thumped his head against the floor.

Beckett rolled her eyes. "Maybe bread hates melodrama."

Castle rolled over and glared at her. "I am not melodramatic! I'm perfectly dramatic. Mother is melodramatic."

Beckett smirked. "Well, maybe the babies got all the bread baking genes."

"Want to try for another letter of the alphabet?" Castle wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. The effect was slightly ruined by the flour in his hair. And Bryony, who was trying to stick her pacifier in his ear.

"If you think I'm letting your sperm anywhere near me after what happened last time, you're insane," Beckett said.

"Hey, you can't blame the triplets on me!" Castle protested.

"Of course I can. I was pregnant. For nine months. With triplets. And then I gave birth. To triplets."

Said triplets started gnawing on a chair leg,.

Castle backpedalled. "Well, yes, that is all very true, so I uh…" he looked around the room frantically. Ah ha! He dove towards the fridge and whipped out an elaborate concoction covered in whipped cream. "For you, my lady!"

Beckett's eyes lit up, then narrowed. "What is it?"

"Deliciousness. In the shape of a pie."

Beckett snatched if from him. "Fine. You're forgiven."

Castle bowed with a flourish. Then he looked sadly at his beautiful bread that tasted awful.

Beckett nudged him with her shoulder. "C'mon, Rick, cheer up. You make delicious pie."

"That's true. Amazingly delicious, some say."

"Amazingly delicious. And you make beautiful babies."

Castle leaned against Beckett and swiped a finger full of whipped cream. He gazed fondly at the tiny tyrants now fighting over a wrapper they'd found. It was true. He did make beautiful babies. Beckett babies. Beautiful Beckett babies who would one day bake bread, just like their mom. Castle smiled.