When they excited the movie theater the cold night air hit them. Despite her thick coat Kate started to shiver. Without even thinking Rick pulled his hand out of hers and instead put it around her shoulders and hugged her to his side, shielding her a little from the cold wind.

„Want to get a cab?" he asked. They weren't far from her parent's place and he'd wanted to walk her home, have a little romantic walk, kiss her goodbye in front of her door. But of course he didn't want her to freeze.

Kate shook her head and stepped in front of him. She circled her arms around his torso and pressed herself against him. He put his hands on her back and rubbed warmth into her with the up and down movement of his arms.

„'m not cold like this" Kate murmured into his scarf. The same scarf he'd been wearing when they first met, she noticed.

Rick chuckled. He kissed the top of her head and just enjoyed the feeling of her in his arms. Their date had been great. He'd picked her up at home, shared a few comments about his books with her mother while waiting for her to be ready and then they'd went to a little Italian restaurant. After that they'd watched a movie he didn't even remember the name of because he'd been so busy throwing inconspicuous glances at her.

After a while of hugging him Kate didn't feel cold anymore. Now she noticed the smell of him better. It was absolutely intoxicating. And she didn't care how much of a gentleman he was. She didn't want to spent the night without him. They'd had had sex already anyway. So no need to follow some stupid dating policy. She wanted him to take her home with him. She wanted to spent the night. She wanted to wake up together, have breakfast, have him show her again and again what sex is supposed to feel like.

With her nose she pushed his scarf down a little and started putting featherlike kisses on his neck. She felt a shudder move through him but otherwise he stayed still. She lightly nibbled on his neck then went to his earlobe.

„Kate" he whispered and she could hear his arousal. She could also hear that he was holding back himself. She kept sucking his earlobe, her breath tickling him. „I'm supposed to bring you home"

„I don't want to go home. I want to stay with you" Kate breathed against his jaw. But he shook his head.

„I don't want to rush, Kate. I want to take it slow. I don't want to screw anything up. I don't want it to feel like a one-night-stand again."

„It won't" Kate promised and pushed up onto her tiptoes, trying to kiss him. But he pulled back a little.

„Please Kate" he almost begged. „I want to do this right. Let me bring you home"

Kate sighed. „Okay." She let him take her hand and walk her home. He kissed her in front of the door but it wasn't enough.

„Goodnight Kate" he whispered against her lips. His smile was sweet. He was sweet like ever but somehow Kate felt rejected.

„Night" she replied quietly and turned to unlock the door without looking back. She felt tears stinging in the back of her eyes. She felt so stupid.

She didn't turn around before she entered the house despite the fact that she knew that he hadn't moved an inch. She felt so disappointed. She couldn't let him see.

On the way up to the apartment the tears started flowing down her cheeks. She hoped and feared at the same time that her mother was still up reading in the living room.

But of course Johanna had waited for her daughter to come home. When the lock clicked she put her book down and waited for Katie to come inside. When she did she immediately noticed how upset she was.

„What happened?" Johanna asked. She hadn't expected their date to be anything but a success.

„I'm probably just being stupid" Kate whispered against her mother's shoulder.

„Tell me, baby" Johanna said.

Kate sniffed. „It was great. At least that's what I thought. But after the date I…" she bit her lip. Should she really tell her mother that she wanted to have sex with him? But then again, she was an adult and her mother knew that she had had sex anyway. „I wanted to go home with him. But he insisted on bringing me home" she stopped for a moment before she let her insecurities out. „Do you think he doesn't find me attractive anymore? Now that I'm getting fat?"

Tears were shimmering in her eyes. She'd always liked her body. She'd never been insecure about her looks before. But now she seemed to get fatter every time she looked into a mirror. Maybe Rick just didn't want to see her naked anymore now that she was becoming fatter and fatter by the minute.

„WHAT?" Johanna asked shocked. „Did he say that?" she couldn't imagine Rick saying something like that. She didn't peg him to be this shallow.

„No" Kate immediately replied. Of course he hadn't said that. But Kate couldn't help but wonder if that was the reason he didn't want to take her home tonight.

„What did he say that made you think that?" Johanna asked. She'd noticed Katie to be a little insecure and emotional the past weeks because of pregnancy hormones. Maybe she'd just misinterpreted something he'd said.

„Nothing really" Kate admitted. „He just said that he wanted to do it right, to go slow so it wouldn't feel like a one-night-stand again. But maybe he just said that because he secretly doesn't find me attractive now anymore and …"

„Katie" Johanna tried to interrupt her.

„… and I'll be getting even fatter with every passing day…"

„Katie…" Johanna said again.

„…and how could he ever want to see me naked again…"

„Kate…"

„…and look at him. He could have every woman he wanted. How can he probably…"

„Katherine! Stop it!" Johanna said sternly.

„But…" Kate wanted to start again.

„No!" Johanna cut her off again.

Kate deflated, tears streaming down her cheeks in a steady flow now. Johanna took her hands in hers and made her look her in the eyes.

„I think he meant exactly what he said, Katie" Johanna told her softly. „I'm sure he just doesn't want to rush. He likes you. A lot. Just be a little patient. You'll get to the point where you are having sex soon enough."

„But I'm just getting fatter" Kate insisted.

„Kathrine Houghton Beckett" Johanna scolded. „Enough of that. You are NOT and I repeat, NOT getting fat. You are being pregnant. That has nothing to do with getting fat. Do you understand?"

„But I feel so unattractive, mom" Kate cried.

„Oh sweetie" Johanna had never had to deal with Kate feeling insecure about her body before. She'd always been confident about her looks.

But it wasn't like Johanna couldn't sympathize. At least to some extend. She'd felt a little insecure too when she hit the second trimester of her pregnancy with Katie. But she'd been a few years older, had actually wanted to be pregnant in the first place and she'd had had Jim who'd been so proud and had told her repeatedly that she was beautiful. Now Johanna was sure that Rick would do the same, were they at that place already.

„You are not, Katie. And I'm sure that Rick doesn't feel that way" Johanna promised.

„But what if he does?" Kate inquired.

„I really don't think that's the case" Johanna tried to assure her.

„You can't know…" Kate started when her phone chimed with an incoming message. She pulled her phone out of her purse and looked at the screen.

It was from Rick. Kate couldn't open it fast enough and didn't even care that her mother was glancing over her shoulder.

Hey Kate,

I had a really great time tonight. I hope you enjoyed our date too.

Sleep well and sweet dreams.

Xx Rick

Ps: I can't wait to see you again.

Kate couldn't help but smile at his message.

„That doesn't sound like he has any problem with you or your body, Katie" Johanna commented, the I told you so hanging unspoken in the air between them.

Kate blushed, only now noticing that her mother had read her text message as well. At her mother's commentary and triumphant smile, Kate rolled her eyes.

„Shut up" she grumbled. But she wasn't upset at all.

„He's a good man, Katie" Johanna stated, serious again.

„Yeah" Kate agreed, staring into space dreamingly. „He really is"

They sat beside each other for a while before Kate said „Thank you for being there for me. For dealing with my issues. For supporting me and telling me to stop whining when I'm stuck in my head"

Johanna's heart filled with warmth. „You are welcome" she whispered and hugged her daughter. „Very welcome" she added into the top of her daughter's head.

There wasn't anything Johanna would rather do than be there for her daughter.