She feels ridiculous. Laying there with her swollen belly on display with two baby shoes on top. She lets her hand rest just underneath them and looks towards her husband. Rick Castle talked her into doing some kind of pre-baby photoshoot and with the kind of neck kisses he gives along with the back rubs it's hard to say no.
"When you see these, you'll be grateful I talked you into this," he says and Kate Beckett rolls her eyes.
"I still don't understand why you want to take pics of my big-ass belly," she replies.
He gives her a look and she bites her lip. Yeah, that big-ass belly was also the one thing holding their baby safe inside of her.
"You're beautiful, besides, do you have any idea how perfect it'll be when we can make another photoshoot in a few weeks with our little peanut laying on top of your belly with the shoes on?" he says and snaps another photo just as Kate feels a kick to her belly.
"Another photoshoot?" she says and groans.
"Hey, it'll be worth it," he says and she closes her eyes.
She hears a few more clicks before it gets quiet, tries to ignore the sound of him moving around. Before she knows it she can feel his presence right above her and so she peeks through her eyes to see him leaning over her from above her.
"You truly are beautiful, you know," he says and lets his lips land on her forehead, making her shut her eyes again.
She hums. "You're lying," she says and he chuckles.
"Am not, do you need some help getting up?"
"What do you think?" she questions while looking up at him and he chuckles even more.
He walks around her and offers his hands to her. She takes his hands and with a pull he helps her up in a sitting position. When she's stable he's sitting down next to her and reaching for the camera in order to pull it closer to them.
"Look here," he says as he starts to show the pictures he's just taken.
She can't believe her eyes. The pictures actually are kind of beautiful. She opens her mouth to say something but she finds herself being speechless. Those small shoes were actually a lot cuter than she'd been expecting them to be.
"Beautiful right?" he whispers close to her ear and she shivers.
She turns her head to him and nods. "You were right," she whispers back before pecking his lips and snuggling into him.
His arm goes around her and pulls her closer as his lips touch the side of her head. "Can't wait to meet our baby."
"Me neither," she agrees and hums as she looks at the picture again, trying to visualize how a small human was inside that belly of hers, just waiting to come out and meet them all.
The end