A little pre-Wednesday treat haha I've had this idea in my head for a really long time and I hope you guys like it :)


"RICK!" Kate calls from the closet, shirts in hand.

They were trying to get ready for the day. Trying, being the key word.

"What? Is everything ok? You're ok?" He pokes his head around the corner, his words garbled by the toothpaste in his mouth.

At 35 weeks, the weekend had been full of false alarms and close calls. It hadn't been the relaxing few days they had desperately needed. Everything was so close yet so far away.

"Your kid over here is making it impossible for me to get dressed! Nothing fits!" She exasperated with a huff, speaking towards her stomach,

"You look amazing." He kissed her forehead and she could smell the peppermint on his breath.

"Why don't you wear one of mine? Here," He pulled a white-vertical-striped one in her favorite shade of pale blue from his side of the closet. "You love this one." He smirked,

"Yeah, you want me to wear that one, don't you?" Kate chuckled, knowing the real reason stemming from about 35 weeks prior.

"Mhmm. Today's just paperwork right?" He whispered against her ear, husky but smiling, placing a kiss there.

"You're lucky I love you." Kate returned his kiss and felt a warmth grow, enveloping her from the inside out as she took the shirt from him to change.


"Fashionably late, as always!" Ryan announced their entry with a light laugh,

"Yeah, that one was my fault this time. Baby must be sitting on my bladder this morning. She's also taken up the habit of sticking her foot in my ribs."

"Does she also have a habit of taking other people's clothes? Because I'm pretty sure that's not yours." Espo spun around in his chair with a Cheshire cat grin,

"Hey!" Kate, now settled, threw the pencil she'd picked up at him, hitting him somewhere mid-chest before falling to the floor.

"Just you wait, Espo, just you wait." Castle retrieved the pencil and sat in his seat.