The dawn's first rays of sunlight filter softly into their bedroom. Kate stretches the kinks from her muscles and shakes the cobwebs from her brain. She rolls toward Rick's side of the bed. He's not there. The baby monitor is turned off, so she slides into the tepid sheets on his side of the bed. Rick must not have left her very long ago. Kate flips the baby monitor on. The first thing she hears is her daughter's laughter.

Rick: "I'm glad that makes you so giddy. I'm happy, too. Soon Mommy will be home with us every day."

Lily: "Mama!"

R: "Yes, my little Tiger Lily, Mommy is going to let someone else fight the dragons. She will be here safe with us in our Castle."

L: "Dada Ca"

R: "Our home is our Castle. It's the Castles' Castle."

Kate hears the sound of snaps, so Rick must be finishing changing Lily. The sound of Rick giving Lily's neck a raspberry is followed by Lily's squeal.

R: "I know Daddy is funny. I just love to hear you laugh. You're all cleaned up and ready for a new day, my princess. Let's go wake up Mommy."

L: "Mamamamamamamamama."

R: "I know you want Mama. I want Mama, too. You'll have to share her with Daddy, my little flower."

L: "Dadadadada."

R: "I've told you everyday since we found out you were in Mommy's tummy, "I love you. I will always love you."

Kate can hear the sound of Rick kissing Lily, until Lily's giggles drown out the sound of kissing. Kate mumbles to herself, "Oh, so that's what he whispered to my belly every morning." She can hear the sound of Rick and Lily leaving Lily's room. She decides to feign sleep in anticipation of their coming to wake her. Lily is not quiet on the trip down the stairs. Kate hears a constant "Mamamama….." as the father and daughter approach the bedroom. Kate decides to sit up in bed.

Rick is laughing, when he enters their bedroom, "It is not possible to sneak in on you with this little one calling for you the whole trip down the stairs,"

Lily is still chanting, "Mamamamamama…"

Kate knows how to interrupt her baby's chant, "Lily, baby. Come to Mommy!"

Lily squeals with delight, while Rick hands her over to Kate. Kate cuddles Lily into her chest and kisses her baby's soft brow. Lily sighs and slips her thumb into her mouth.

R: "I doubt she understood what I was telling her, but I told her you are quitting your job."

K: "I turned on the monitor, when I woke up. So I heard you tell her. Daddy is funny, isn't he my baby?" Kate kisses Lily a few more times as she rocks her torso with Lily's cheek against her shoulder.

Rick maneuvers himself next to Kate. He cups Lily's head in his palm. "She is one lucky little girl. She'll have both of us here to cheer her first steps and clap for every new word." He brushes his lips to Kate's cheek. Kate turns to catch his mouth with hers.

K: "I'll turn in my resignation, as soon as I can get it typed up after I get to the office."

R: "Not that I don't want you to do it as quickly as possible, but…Maybe you should talk to Dr. Burke before you formally resign."

Kate looks at Rick with a frown and a furrowed brow, "I'm not going to change my mind, Castle." Rick starts to speak, but she stops him with her raised hand, "However, I will call for an appointment to discuss it with him. I know there will be blowback from the brass, after allowing me to take so much leave this past year. I'll write my letter of resignation, and take it with me to my appointment. That is, if I can get a quick appointment. If I'm going to have to wait for a week or longer, I'll turn in the resignation on Monday. HR prefers that people start or leave employment at the beginning or end of a pay period. It makes it easier on them."

Rick is smiling. "Honey, before you turn in that resignation, you better tell Lanie. If you don't, the whole city will hear her berating you for not telling her in advance."

"I knew there was a reason I keep you around, other than your skills in bed," Kate teases Rick with a smirk.

R: "Well, that is one of my finer qualities."

K: "Babe, I could write a book about your finer qualities, but I'd never publish it. I wouldn't want to taunt all those women who weren't able to land the White Whale. Ruthie was jealous of me at that MADT gala, and we weren't even dating then."

R: "Thank you for the boost to my ego. Being a stay-at-home Dad doesn't give me many opportunities for adulation, especially since my main audience doesn't talk yet."

K: "I know, Babe. The women of New York have been deprived of your ruggedly handsome self for too long. They'll just have to get over it. Lily and I don't share."

Rick's chuckle rumbles in his chest. "I'm going to love having you here all day. Gina will love it, too. My lack of productivity is probably affecting her designer clothes budget."

Kate gaped at Rick. "How far behind are you on your next book?"

Rick couldn't look her in the eye, "I've only written two chapters." Kate started to respond, but Rick held up his hand to stop her. "In my defense, I wrote my lesser works, when Alexis was a baby. It's hard to write with an infant in the house. Just as I hit a rhythm, she wakes from her nap or needs a diaper change. I'm too invested in Nikki and Rook to produce anything that is not my best."

Kate continues to rock with Lily, who has fallen asleep against Kate's chest. Rick is holding his breath, waiting for Kate's response. "I have to give a 30 day notice, when I resign. I know there are a few Lieutenants waiting for an open position, so they can rise to Captain. I'll talk to Gates later this morning. She will be disappointed, I know," Kate looked at Rick with an evil smile, "but she hasn't been shot as many times as I have."

Rick managed to keep his laughter subdued, in an effort not to awaken Lily, "Are you going to tell her that?"

"If she starts to push too hard for me to stay. I'm not a cat with nine lives. I think I've pushed my luck as it is. I haven't put in my 20 years, so I won't receive a pension. But, I don't have to worry about money, do I?"

Rick smiles at Kate. "We don't have to worry about money, even if I never write another book. Unless you are planning on a dozen more babies." He follows that tease with a smirk and his best eyebrow wiggle.

Kate looks at Rick and shakes her head, "Not unless you are planning on being pregnant with the at least half of them."

R: "Point taken."

K: "It's quarter 'til seven. I need to get ready for work. Spoil me a little and call the car service, please. I need to leave here at eight, if I'm going to get in the office on time. It will probably take longer with the weather, and I can do some work in the car on the way in."

R: "I'll put Lily in her swing, while I make coffee. What would you like for breakfast?"

Kate expertly slides Lily gently into Rick's arms. "Do we have oatmeal? Snowy weather reminds me of mornings when my Mom made oatmeal."

R: "Of course we have oatmeal. Brown sugar and cinnamon?"

K: "Maple syrup and pecans, please. And juice,"

R: "Orange or cranberry?"

K: "Cranberry juice, please."

R: "I'll bring your coffee, when it's ready."

Kate rises on tiptoes to kiss Rick. His lips part for her, and they share their love as their daughter sleeps in her father's arms.

Rick is true to his word, and Kate finds a steaming mug of coffee waiting for her when she steps out of the shower. She dresses in a russet sweater and brown slacks. She slips on a pair of brown boots, and carries her empty mug to the kitchen. Rick is removing the oatmeal from the microwave, when she arrives at the kitchen counter. Lily is in her high chair plucking cheerios from the tray. Rick divides the oatmeal between two bowls. Kate takes her bowl after kissing the chef. She adds her toppings, and sits at the table where her juice awaits. Rick joins her with his own oatmeal. "I'll feed her some rice cereal after you leave. She likes to make a mess, and I know you don't have time to change."

K: "Thanks, babe. Did you call the car service?"

R: "I did. Charlie is available, and he'll be here as close to 8 am as possible."

Lily is babbling something. All that makes sense to her parents is an occasional Mama or Dada. She squeals with delight when Rick praises her for doing a great job picking up the cheerios. While Kate brushes her teeth and grabs her bag, Rick prepares a cup of coffee to go.

K: "Thanks, babe. Your deserve the BHE award."

R: "BHE? What's that?"

K: "Best Husband Ever, of course. I'll call you after I talk to Gates."

After kisses all around Kate scurries out the door.

R: "Did you hear that, Lily? Mama thinks I'm the Best Husband Ever."

Lily squeals and throws a cheerio at Rick. "Yes, little one, I will prepare your cereal now."

A/N: I know I write sporadically. I promise I will finish this before the end of the year.

Flu Season is winding down, so work should get better soon.

My head canon has Kate returning to work in October 2016 after the shooting in the final episode. She finds out she's pregnant in November 2016. Lily is born in June 2017, and Kate returns to work in December 2017. This story starts in February 2018. Lily is 8 months old when the story starts. I have a few scenes planned, but it's not plotted out to the end yet.