You guys definitely thought I died… or at the very least abandoned it.

Chapter 23: Sucker Punch

Castle loved his birthday, not that that is a secret or anything, but he is pretty sure he enjoys his birthday more than anyone else enjoys their own. Not to mention this year was the first year that everything was going perfectly from the start. This makes it even more surprising when he wakes up to find that Kate is nowhere to be seen. He has a hazy memory of her apologizing this morning for having to go into work; and an even a hazier memory of her mentioning something about her leaving something on the kitchen counter for him. He assumes it's a birthday present, but he really wasn't expecting anymore presents. Beckett had thrown him an amazing birthday party and given him a beautiful gift on the weekend. By no means did he feel he deserves more. Eventually, he makes his way to the kitchen. It is pristine, so is the living room, which is surprising since both had been a disaster since the party two days ago. The only thing out of place is a small gift bag on the island counter.

As soon as he unwraps the present from its small gift bag he's confused. He kind of thought that it would be something small to mess with, like a Rubik's Cube or something along those lines. But maybe it's a clue, a game, he really has no idea. In his hand, he holds a little knick knack sized clay house. He turns it over a couple times in his hand as if to find some sort of hint on it, but comes up empty. He looks it over a couple of times really trying to figure out what it is, what it is for, or why Kate thought he would like it.

He looks over at the time on the stove and figures he can try to unravel the mystery while he gets ready for his birthday brunch with his mother and daughter.

…

Brunch was going pretty well. Alexis had class later in the day, so they weren't going to be together all day, but nonetheless Castle was enjoying his time with Martha and Alexis while it lasted.

"So, how's it going at the loft now that I've gone?" Martha asks.

"Good," Castle and Alexis answer at the same time.

"Better," Castle clarifies, "With Lux back at home, everything finally seems to be settling down."

"Well that's good. And how is Lux?"

"Good," Castle answers again.

"Cautious," Alexis throws in.

"If by cautious you mean that she doesn't run down the stairs anymore. In fact, if she took them with anymore caution she'd be scooting down them."

Martha laughs, "So she's not cautious much further than that?"

Castle and Alexis think back to the last couple weeks. She suddenly has increased her interest in driving (which they all rationalize to her that they live in New York City, so that isn't a lesson that needs immediate attention), she and Tasha play hit each other at least three times a day, and just yesterday Alexis pointed out that Lux's shoe was untied and she refused to tie it for an hour. Alexis says, "No," at the same time Castle says, "Not at all."

Martha smiles, "So speaking of toddlers-"

Already knowing where this is going Castle interrupts, "When were we-"

"The stair scooting," Alexis answers, before Castle can finish his question. "Right, Gram?" She adds, before looking back at Castle, who mouths 'traitor.'

"Do you and Katherine talk about having kids?"

He looks to Alexis as if hoping she'll save him as she usually does, but this time she just stares back at him.

"We've talked about it, but no not seriously."

"That's okay-"

Castle childishly defends himself, "You know it's my birthday?"

"That's pretty much the point I was going to make," Alexis snarks her painfully witty remark.

"Okay, go easy on your dad," Martha encourages, with a cunning smile, but still allows the conversation to move on.

…

Castle gets off the elevator and immediately starts scanning for Kate. First looking through the grated barrier, to her desk then to Ryan and Espo's desks. By the time he enters the bullpen, he has a somber feeling that somehow, he isn't in the right place. "Hey Castle, what're you doing here?" Ryan greets.

Castle takes the invitation and walks over to the boys' desks. "I was here in hopes of seeing Beckett, before it was late, but I can see I may be out of luck."

"Yeah, sorry you just missed her," Ryan verifies.

"She left like twenty minutes ago," Esposito adds. Castle frowns in disappointment, so Espo adds, "But, hey, happy birthday."

"Oh yeah, happy birthday," Ryan chimes along.

"Thanks guys. Well I better head home and try to see my wife today. I'll see you guys later." Castle adds, before turning back to the elevators. His fingers graze the knick-knack in his pocket, when he sticks his hand in it and he stops in his tracks. He turns around as he takes the trinket out of his pocket. "Hey, can I ask you a weird question?"

"Castle, c'mon your questions are always weird," Espo teases.

"Funny," Castle tosses back, before looking down at the item in his hand. "Do you guys know what this is?" Castle asks, holding out the item for them to look at.

The boys both look at the small trinket in his hand. "It's a small house," Espo answers, in an obvious tone, to which Castle cocks his head to the side out of sarcasm. Ryan takes it out of Castle's hand to look at it closer, and before long he snaps his fingers. Castle and Esposito can almost see the light bulb go off above his head. "I know what this is. It's one of those fairy garden things."

"Fairy garden?" Espo asks.

Ryan ignores Espo's sass and continues, "Yeah, you put them in your garden or plants for fairies."

"Fairies?" Castle questions this time.

"Well, yeah, in theory. Where did you get this anyways?"

Castle's face crinkles as he says, "That's the thing Beckett got it for me, and I have no idea why."

"Hm," Ryan mumbles, gently handing it back to Castle.

"I don't know, bro, maybe she's messing with you," Espo says, defeated.

Ryan suddenly lights up. "I got it." He quickly settles, realizing he startled them a bit. He softly repeats, "I get it."

"You know what it is?" Espo asks with what seems like no confidence in Ryan.

"Other than a fairy garden," Castle mocks.

"Yeah, but no," Ryan frowns, now looking overwhelmed, "But I can't tell you." Ryan shakes his head. "No, you have to figure it out on your own."

Castle is taken a back, "You can't-"

"Nope, sorry."

"Okay…" Castle hesitates, looking to Espo, who just shrugs. "Well like I said, I'm going to head home…" He turns around and walks back to the elevator.

He pulls his phone out of his pocket and calls Kate. She answers after, just a ring or two, "Castle?"

"Hey, quick question, where are you?"

"I'm on my way to get Lux. Why what's up?"

"Well, I'm at the precinct looking for you, but you're not here, so I was about to head home. Wait, you're getting Lux? From school?"

"Yes, from school, why is that so weird?"

"Nothing, you've just never done that before."

"I'm never off by the time she- that doesn't matter. Do you want me to pick up dinner or I could just cook something?"

"You don't have to do that."

"I know," Kate says, losing track of the conversation for a second, because she trying not to hit any teenagers or other cars. "But I want to."

"Why don't you just pick up some Chinese?"

Kate never picks the girls up from school, because the school schedule and her work schedule never seem to line up the right way. But she does drop Lux off as often as she can, especially since other wards she has a bit of a travel to school. When she pulls up she spots Lux and Tasha easily, it's the combination of Lux's blonde hair and Tasha's curls. Lux pulls at her thick grey tights, just before looking over and seeing Kate's car. She taps Tasha's arm, before walking over. "Oh, there's Lux and Tasha I've got to go. Um okay, just text me what you want."

"Okay, love you."

"Love you," she responds, just as Lux and Tasha walk up to the car.

As soon as both girls get in and settled, Lux asks, "So why the change in routine?"

"No reason. I just finished up at work early and thought one less day walking in the cold, especially in these skirts."

A smile spreads across Lux's face. "We normally bring sweatpants to walk home in," She comments as they pull away.

"Maybe, since I got off early, I just wanted to spend some time with you guys."

Everyone lets the conversation die there, but it only takes a couple of seconds, before Lux asks, "So, what's the plan exactly?"

"For the rest of today?" Kate asks.

"I mean, if you know the plan for the rest of life, that'd be good to know too," Lux playfully snarks.

"Well we're going to drop Tasha off, then pick up dinner, then go home."

"Uh…"

"What?" Kate asks.

"I have a lot of homework…"

"Okay…" Kate draws out taking a moment to think, "So we'll go home to drop you off and then I'll take Tasha home and then-"

"You don't have to do that," Tasha butts in, "I can just take the subway home from the loft."

"No, it's not a problem. I've gotta pick up dinner anyways."

"New question," Lux says pulling their attention back to her. "So you're just going to drop me off, not come in, right?"

"Right," Kate cautiously answers, not sure where this is going.

"What if Castle's already figured it out?"

"Figured what out?" Tasha questions, before Kate gets a chance to answer.

"Then…" Kate inhales, ignoring Tasha completely, "You have my permission to lie and say you took the MTA."

"Why does it matte-" Tasha tries again.

Lux looks back at her with a smile, before turning back to Kate, "And what if he hasn't figured it out?" She barely gets through it without huffing a laugh, because she can tell what Tasha is going to say next.

"What if he's figured what out?"

They ignore Tasha, who is pretty sure she's not getting an answer anyways, so she's kind of given up. Kate continues, "Then you have my permission ignore him."

Shortly after, they pull up to their building. Lux gets out of the car. She straightens her skirt, pulling on her tights one last time, before shouldering her carrier bag. "I have your permission?" She asks one last time, beaming from ear to ear.

"Goodbye, Lux," Kate says. Lux nods, then closes the door. She makes her way up to the loft, briefly greeting the doorman and gives a small wave to an elderly woman that Lux has run into a handful of times and lives on the third floor.

When Lux enters the loft, she spots Castle in his office. He looks up when he hears her come in. "Hey Lux," he greets nonchalantly, clueing Lux into the fact that he hasn't figured out his present yet. She goes to the fridge to grab a water bottle, before heading upstairs to attempt to do her homework in her room.

"Hang on, wait Lux!" Castle calls to her.

She stops, stepping back into Castle's view from his office, "Hm?"

He grabs the little model house off the desk and then walks over to Lux. "Your," he stumbles for a second, "Kate... gave me this."

"Yeah, I can't help you with that," she stops him, before running up the stairs, purposely giving up on water.

"Wait, Lux," he yells, after her."

"Sorry, Castle, no. I'm on strict orders from my Kate," Lux teases, before disappearing upstairs.

…

Tasha, who has been quiet most of the car ride. After they dropped off Lux she had moved up to shotgun. Still they are about halfway to Tasha's before she says anything. "You know you never need to do any of this."

Kate laughs, "I wasn't going to make you walk twenty some odd blocks in the cold."

"It's April, it's not that cold."

"It's not that warm," Kate jokes back.

"Still you don't need to baby me or treat me like one of your kids." Kate glances at Tasha, for a second. Something in that look, causes Tasha to push a little harder. "I'm not one of your kids."

Kate is thrown by this. She (and it seems like everyone else) has allowed Tasha to slip through the cracks in that department. Sure, Castle and Kate treat her somewhat like a daughter, but it's always been in a 'one foot out the door' way. She simply didn't agree with Tasha. In fact, most of the time when she thought about it, she felt guilty. "You are Lux's family Tasha. More than anyone else is, so it's really not a problem." Tasha goes silent, so Kate adds, "We'll always be here for you, but if you want more independency-"

"It's just- I've had a family, and I don't need that."

"That's fine." Kate says, before realizing she can't help but take back the promise she made to herself just a second ago. "No, you know what, you can distance yourself as much as you want, but don't do it because of your past. I've been there and it makes you miss out on a lot of really good things."

Tasha is quiet. Kate thinks she may be considering Kate's naivety, but instead Tasha smiles, "You know my mom is fine now. Like really fine. Married, two kids, big house-"

"Big for New York?" Kate kind of corrects, kind of jokes.

"Yeah, the whole domestic thing," Tasha continues. "You know how I know that?" Kate shakes her head. "She lives just a couple blocks from my apartment- your apartment. I have to pass it every time I go to the subway to go to school, to the loft."

"Have you talked to her?" Kate asks, trying to keep her own emotions to herself.

"No."

"Can I ask why not?" Kate asks, but quickly hears he own bias.

"It sounds crazy but if she hasn't come looking for me-"

"Tasha, can I just say from being on the other side of this that's-"

"It's not the same situation Kate." Tasha says, raising her voice a little. "You gave Lux up, because you were young and alone. I was taken from my mom over and over again, because she thought getting high was better than being a mom." Tasha looks out her window, taking a breath before continuing, "Call me crazy, but I don't want her to know I'm doing well. I don't want her to know that I've somehow wound up fine without her."

"You don't want to give her the validation?"

"You make it sound spiteful."

"No, not at all," Kate says, pulling up across the street from her old apartment building. She does think it can be spiteful, but she feels an undying need to be on Tasha's side. Plus, Kate has spent a decent amount of time resenting her own parents, whilst being painfully aware that they're saints compared to others.

"Yeah, well it is, but that's where I'm at," Tasha says, popping open the car door and crawling out.

"Well you know we'll always be here for you," Kate repeats.

"Yeah, thanks," Tasha says, before slamming the door.

Tasha waves, before crossing the street. She walks up the steps to the front door of the apartment building. She buzzes herself in, and then looks over her shoulder one last time, giving a single thumbs up to Kate as sign that she got in safe, before stepping in the door.

…

Alexis enters the apartment and crosses it rather quietly. It seems she has no care to stop en route to her room, but Castle's voice stops her, "Do you have a cactus?"

She stops, rolling her eyes as she turns to look at her ever perplexing father. She shakes her head with a smile, "No."

"A plant of any kind?"

Alexis takes a step closer, feeling hesitant to let him detour her. "No, maybe Lux does," she is still smiling, but wearily.

"Maybe," he solemnly agrees.

Okay, now he has her. He seems upset or at least confused, so she walks over to him. "Why do you ask?"

"Before Beckett, left for work today, she had said she left something for me on the counter, but maybe she was talking to one of you guys and in my tiredness, I thought she meant me." He holds up the small fixture, silent for a moment, hoping his daughter can explain its story. Then he shakes his head and says, "Then why did Lux act like that."

"It is your birthday," Alexis justifies that the present is for him. She holds out her hand, "Can I see?"

"Sure, of course," he says handing it to her. "It reminds me of one of those fairy garden things, or something you put in an aquarium."

Alexis lets out a little giggle at the fact that her father knows what a fairy garden is. She shakes her head, "Yeah, but I don't think anyone in the house has a garden or an aquarium." He pouts a little. She shrugs, "I don't know, dad." She puts the little sculpture back on the counter, almost in the exact spot where it was in the beginning of the day.

"It's a cute little house," he compliments, starting to sound at peace with not knowing until Beckett gets home.

"Actually," she starts to correct him, in the same calm tone they have been using this whole time, then comes to a stop. Castle is about to pick it back up when she quickly snatches the little structure. Castle glares at her. After only a second or two inspecting it, she asks, "Where's Beckett?"

"Out getting dinner, why?"

"Do you know when she's going to be home?"

"Soon, probably. Lux may know, Kate dropped her off earlier. Why?" Castle asks again.

Alexis quickly goes over to the stairs, barely catching his question. She stops at the foot of the stairs, prepared to go up. She pities him for not knowing, but she knows she can't tell him. "It has a mote," she hints.

"So?" he yells after her.

She is about halfway up the stairs when she stops and looks at him and softly explains her hint, "So it's not a house."

It does have a mote... okay, so it's a castle. A little, itty bitty, teeny tiny ... Oh... before Castle knows it he is on his feet and yelling up the stairs to the girls, now needing to know when his wife is in fact coming home, "Lux! When is Beckett going to be back?"
His question is simply responded by Alexis yelling back, midst laughs, "That's what I wanted to know!"
It is almost like a response to the question, a much needed relief to Castle's want to race out the door to find her, when she walks into the loft. She has a big brown paper bag full of Chinese food and with one look at his awestruck face, a coy smile emerges from her lips. "You finally figured it out, didn't you?"
He slowly paces towards her. He playfully scrunches his face into a puzzled look, as he holds up the now obvious little castle. "Oh, you mean this?"
She nods, nervously tucking her hair behind one of her ears as she balances the bag in her other arm, "Yes, that."
He nods and with the biggest grin on his face, he pulls her in the rest of the distance between them. "Yeah, I think I got it." After a second, she pulls away, slightly, to look him in the eyes. Worry only flickers across her face for a second. He almost lets it go, but he has to ask, "What?"

"Nothing. It's just- you're so happy," she says grinning, though slightly baffled.

"Of course I am," He says a little shocked, only for a second letting himself sour to the idea of what happened the last time she told someone this news. Instead of thinking about it too long he pulls her into his embrace again. "Of course, I am," he softly repeats.

After a moment, she interrupts again, "We're squishing the food."

"Yes we are," He agrees, before he reluctantly lets go of her and looks at the slightly flattened bag. He takes it from her and carries it to the kitchen, her trailing not far behind, which is good because he's not even close to ready to let this moment pass by. "Who else knows?"

"Well you accidentally told Ryan and therefore Javi." She shoots him a playful glare before continuing, "I told Lux and I had to tell Gates."

He squints a little worried she may be mad, "I may have accidentally told Alexis too."

She smiles a cunning smile, "That's okay Castle. We still have to tell my dad."

He considers this before continuing, "and my mother."

"And Lanie," she adds, but he doesn't come back with another. Instead he just raises his eyebrows at her and, because he realizes he hasn't actually checked to see if he took this little figurine the right way, he asks with only the smallest bit of uncertainty and a huge grin, "We're having a baby?"

She gives a small shrug, wide eyed and looking slightly nervous, and reassures him, "We're having a baby."

"In?" He asks now looking more perplexed.

She sighs still looking joyfully nervous, "November"

He shocks, "November?" Granted it was only April, but January. November seems so soon.

She nods wide eyed and is about to apologize for having gone to her first doctor's appointment without him, but the softest voice Lux has probably ever used carries down the stairs, "Can we come down now?"

Castle quickly kisses Kate's nose, letting her close her eyes blissfully for a second before responding, "Yes, you can come down." Which is followed by two sets of feet tumbling down the stairs. Lux makes herself comfortable at one of the stools right next to them. Having known for the last three days this is less exciting to her. Alexis on the other hand pulls Kate into a quick hug before turning to Castle and hugging him, which she burst out rather quickly, bouncing up and down like a kid in a bouncy house.

"Congratulations, you guys," she chimes. Lux laughs at this, but can't help but struggle to not be overcome with the same amount of excitement.

All jokes aside, I took a long typing this because since I last posted I graduated and got a new computer, which didn't have Word. Now that everything is all set, I'm planning on posting the last two chapters within the next couple of months. I'm so sorry it took so long.