Thank you all for your continued support and enthusiasm for this story.


Lily knelt on one of the grown-up chairs as she watched her daddy put together the breakfast tray for Mommy. Today was Mommy's birthday. Last week had been something called Mommy and Daddy's wedding anniversary, and Lily had spent the night at Gram's, and Pops, Grandpa Jim, and Alexis and Uncle Javier had all come over for lunch that day. So the anniversary was just for Mommy and Daddy, but Mommy's birthday was for everybody.

"Okay," Daddy said. "We have scrambled eggs, and-"

"Don't forget the coffee, Daddy. Mommy needs her coffee," Lily interrupted.

"I'll never forget Mommy's coffee, sweetpea," Rick said with a smile. He knew how Kate was about her coffee. "We have the coffee."

Lily looked into the mug. "You put a heart in it!" she exclaimed.

He had.

"We have toast," Rick continued.

"And orange juice," Lily concluded. "For my brothers."

Rick did a double take. "Lily, how did you know about that?" he asked.

"You and Mommy and the doctor talked about it the other day," Lily replied. Kate had had a checkup two days ago with Dr. Elliott. Lily and Alexis had both accompanied them to get a look at their baby brothersin utero. Both girls were amazed at the 3D imaging that allowed them to see the boys as the tiny little people, albeit tiny little people still growing, that they were. Kate's pregnancy, though being treated as high-risk because it was twins, she was, as of today, officially 40 years old, and her medical history, was progressing well. Everything was normal, but she was going to have to start taking it a little bit easier now that she was heading into her final trimester.

"Boy, are we in trouble when you learn how to spell, Lily," Rick mused as he pulled the single long-stemmed red rose from the back of the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, where he had hidden it the night before (Kate was no longer bending over to get things from the bottom shelf of the refrigerator), and added it to the breakfast tray.

"Alexis is teaching me my ABCs!" Lily exclaimed, and then she launched into an enthusiastic rendition of "The Alphabet Song."

Rick listened proudly as Lily made it through the song almost entirely mistake-free. (She sang "L-M-N-O-T" instead of "L-M-N-O-P," but she repeated the "T" in the proper place. Alexis was working with Lily on it, though.)

Kate, still asleep, heard Rick and Lily in the kitchen, which woke her up with a smile on her face. Then she got her usual good-morning greeting from the boys, who were always very active in the morning, kicking and moving around in her ever-growing belly.

"Good morning, Reece, good morning, Jake," she greeted the boys softly. "Take it easy, would you, please? I don't really feel like getting out of bed to go to the bathroom again yet, because the bed's really soft and warm, and I'm pretty sure your dad and Lily are about to bring me breakfast in bed, because it's my birthday." She began rubbing gentle circles on her belly and continued talking softly, which she had recently discovered made the boys calm down at least a little bit in the womb. She hoped they were this relatively easy to soothe once they were born.

"Today's my birthday," Kate continued. "Just a few more months, and you guys will be picking a birthday. But there's no rush. You've got to stay where you are until February. February's a good month for a birthday, though. Your Grandma Johanna was born in February. She'd be thrilled about sharing a birthday month with you guys, and she would love you guys just as much as she'd love Lily, and Alexis. Your sisters are crazy about you, especially after the other day, when they saw you on the ultrasound. I think you're gonna look like your daddy, and he thinks you're gonna look like me. But whatever you look like, you guys are already so loved. I'm going to be the best mom to you that I can be, like I am to your big sisters. And your daddy...I know he's a little concerned because you're boys and he's only been a dad to girls so far, but I just know he's going to be amazing with you guys."

Lily came darting into the bedroom then, carrying a box wrapped in red paper covered in multi-colored cupcakes with lit birthday candles sticking out of their festively frosted and sprinkled tops on alternating lines with the words "HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" in letters of every color of the rainbow. "Happy Birthday, Mommy!" Lily exclaimed.

Rick followed after her with a breakfast tray. "Happy birthday," he said as Kate sat up, pushing her hair out of her eyes, and propped herself up against the headboard. He leaned down and kissed her quickly, while Lily bounced impatiently at the foot of their bed.

"Be careful, Lily Johanna," Kate said. "You don't want to fall and get hurt."

"Or spill Mommy's breakfast," Rick added.

Lily immediately stopped bouncing and plopped down on her knees, still clutching her birthday present for her mommy.

"Everyone's going to be here for lunch," Rick said, "but you and the boys need breakfast."

Kate looked at the tray and smiled at the heart in her coffee. Then she looked up at Rick and smiled the smile that was for him alone, and he was struck all over again by the fact that Kate Beckett—correction, Kate Beckett Castle—the most extraordinary, remarkable woman he had ever known, was his wife and the mother of his children and as madly in love with him as he was with her.

Kate marveled at the undisguised love in Rick's eyes, in every line of his face. There she sat, heavily pregnant with twins, her hair a mess, no makeup, barely awake, and he was looking at her like he had on their wedding day.

The moment was broken by Lily, who said, "Drink your orange juice, Mommy. It's good for my brothers."

Now it was Kate who looked surprised. "How does she know about that?" she asked.

"The doctor told you to drink orange juice, Mommy," Lily replied seriously.

Dr. Elliott had, in fact, reminded Kate about her sons' folic acid needs just two days ago, and Lily and Alexis had both been at that appointment, so the girls could see the twins on the 3D ultrasound along with Kate and Rick.

"Yes, she did," Kate agreed, "because it's good for the babies." Although the coffee both looked and smelled divine, with Lily now watching her like a hawk, Kate picked up her juice glass and drained half of it, which made Lily smile.

"Can you open my present now, Mommy?" Lily asked after Kate had consumed about half her breakfast. Now that she was going on three—a very intelligent and precocious going on three, of course—Lily was much more aware of birthdays and what they meant. Rick and Kate were both excited for Christmas with Lily this year, because they knew this would be the first one that she really fully understood and was totally excited for.

"Yes," Kate said. Lily carefully made her way up the bed; all three of them were still in their pajamas, and Rick was sitting up on his side of the bed now. Lily crawled in between them and, with both her little hands, held out her birthday present to her mommy.

"I made it," Lily said as Kate took the brightly wrapped box from her.

"With minimal help from me," Rick added. "I did wrap it, though."

Kate tore off the wrapping paper and opened the box to reveal a slab of rolled-out clay with Lily's handprints in it, and the words 'Lily, Age 2, Nov. 2019' carefully written in the clay in red before it was baked.

"A friend of Mother's teaches art classes and did the glaze, filling in the inscription with red paint after Lily picked it out," Rick explained.

"It's beautiful," Kate said. "I love it. And I love you, Lily. Thank you."

Lily carefully wound her little arms around her mommy's neck and gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek, which Kate returned after hugging her back. "You're welcome, Mommy."

Kate kissed Lily again, then looked over at Rick. "You want to give me your present now too?" she asked.

"Later," Rick replied mysteriously. "Much later."

Kate honestly had no idea what Rick had gotten her. Their anniversary had been just a week ago, and he had gotten her a new wooden jewelry box with the first two lines of an e.e. cummings poem carved into the lid-"i carry your heart with me/i carry it in my heart"-while she had gifted him a new watch, which was inscribed 'RC—Our love is timeless. Always, KBC,' knowing he'd love that she used all three of her initials, which she rarely did, and which he definitely did.

She noticed the time then. "If we're going to make it to church, we're going to have to get moving," she said, carefully pushing the covers off and getting out of bed, still holding Lily's handprints.

"How are Peanut and Jellybean this morning?" Rick inquired as he lifted Lily up and they got out of the bed. "Behaving themselves?"

"The usual," Kate replied. "Besides, now that I'm going to have to start slowing down soon, I want to go to church while it's still an option. Besides, some of the family is meeting us there."

Sure enough, when Rick, Kate, and Lily arrived for the 9:00 AM service at St. Peter's, Alexis, accompanied by Javier, Jim, Martha and Earl were all already there and had saved seats for the others.

After the service, everyone else went home to change clothes before heading to the loft for Kate's birthday afternoon. After Kate, Lily, and Rick had gotten changed, Rick got to work on lunch: prime rib with baked potatoes and mixed vegetables.

Alexis and Javier arrived first, followed closely by Jim, and Martha and Earl, all laden with packages except Jim, who was smiling mysteriously and promising that his gift would be delivered at 1:00 sharp.

The Ryans arrived next, then the Masters', the Gates', and finally Madison and Mark, who was two months out of his cast and into physical therapy while he and Madison continued their search for the perfect apartment together.

Lunch was a lively and spirited affair, with conversation flowing easily and happily. Rick had made macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets for Sarah Grace and Nick and Lily, so everyone was happily eating and talking. Lanie excused herself to nurse Will about halfway through dinner when he woke up fussing in his carrier.

Alexis and Javier had watched the movie version of The Paper Chase at Javier's on their last date night, and Alexis and Jim were comparing the Professor Kingsfield character in the movie to one of Alexis's professors, whom Jim also knew, a man named Brighton.

At the next City Council meeting, one of the bills Kate and the other members of the Committee on Fire and Criminal Justice Services was ready to be voted on by the whole City Council, and everyone was excited about the possibility that Kate could be involved in getting legislation passed to help the Fire and Criminal Justices Services of the City of New York.

Madison and Mark were now concentrating their search for an apartment on the Upper East Side, but had yet to find anything that they were really excited about, a place where they really saw themselves living.

Rick was a bit nervous about the book, but he was also looking forward to the book release party, which everyone, except for the littlest kids, would be attending.

After lunch, everyone adjourned to the living room. "When do we get the cake and ice cream?" Nick asked.

"Nick, manners," Jenny warned her son.

"After Aunt Kate opens her birthday presents," Sarah Grace informed her little brother.

"Oh! Okay!" Nick said, rushing toward the pile of presents on the coffee table.

"Hey, those are my mommy's presents, not yours!" Lily shouted, rushing after Nick, with Sarah Grace rushing after Lily, the girls' mission to guard Kate's birthday presents from an overzealous, eager-for-cake-and-ice-cream Nick.

"Just think, this time next year, you'll have three kids here all the time," Victoria told Kate and Rick with a smirk.

"And we're looking forward to it," Rick said. Kate looked at him, and he smiled at her. The closer they got to the actual birth of the twins, the more confident Rick was becoming in his ability to be just as excellent a father to the boys as he was to Lily and Alexis.

Lanie returned with a calmed down, and full, Will, and everyone settled in while Kate opened her presents, letting Lily, and Nick, and Sarah Grace, help her with the unwrapping.

Alexis's gift was a coffee mug that said 'World's Best Mom.' She ducked her head shyly when Kate made a big to-do about the mug.

Madison and Mark's gift was more from Madison, a nod to her and Kate's history as friends: the Bon Jovi box set on CD. "You've gotta get your kids started right with their musical education, Becks," Madison said.

Lanie, Alan, and Will's gift was a box of empty memory cards for the digital camera. "We go through three a month," Alan said. "They fill up faster than you'd think."

Kevin, Jenny, Sarah Grace, and Nick had gotten Kate a gift certificate for a spa day at a spa that catered to pregnant women; Jenny's sisters had chipped in to give her a day there both times she was pregnant, and she thought Kate would enjoy the pampering.

Martha and Earl's gift was a sterling silver bracelet that Martha had designed that contained all of the immediate family's birthstones: Rick's, a diamond (April); Kate's, a topaz (November); Alexis', a tourmaline (October), which was a turquoise color; Lily's, an emerald (May); and two amethysts for February, one for Reece and one for Jake.

"Now we're praying the boys don't come early for more than the obvious reasons," Earl quipped. "Although we did keep the receipt, so if those little scamps decide to show up in January, we'll take the bracelet back and have them exchange the amethysts for garnets."

Kate was almost speechless. "Martha, Earl, this is beautiful, but it's too much," she said.

"Nonsense," Martha said. "Do you like it, Katherine?"

"I love it," Kate replied truthfully.

"Then it's not too much," Martha replied.

Jim's gift arrived then; he had had another rocking chair made that was an exact replica of Johanna's old one that he had given Kate before Lily was born. Lily, Sarah Grace, and Nick were confused as to why Kate and Jim were both crying over a rocking chair, but it didn't take too long for Kate to get her rioting hormones under control.

Javier had a connection at Yankee Stadium and had gotten hold of a pair of tickets for Opening Day for Kate. "If I'm not working that day, I'll even help baby-sit if you decide to take Castle to the game," he said.

Victoria and Gerald's gift was a bottle of Kate's favorite wine. "I know you're not exactly collectors," Victoria said, addressing both Kate and Castle, "and that you can't drink now, obviously, Kate, but you'll have plenty of occasions coming up where you can put that to good use."

The wine was the last gift Kate had to open, which she realized when she looked at Rick and he said, so only she could hear, "Later."

Everyone headed into the kitchen except for Kate and Rick. Kate had sat on the couch to open her gifts, and wouldn't be able to get up on her own, with her center of gravity so completely thrown off by the twins.

Alexis and Martha had gotten the cake—a simple sheet cake with blue-and-white frosting that proclaimed 'Happy Birthday Kate!' in blue cursive frosting letters—ready, with two number candles, a '4' and a '0' to signify Kate's 40th birthday. Kevin and Javier appointed themselves keepers of the ice cream—Neapolitan, plain chocolate, mint chocolate chip, plain strawberry, French Vanilla, and Potato Chip Fudge which, somewhat to her chagrin, Kate had developed intense cravings for about two months ago that still hadn't ceased.

Alan was holding Will, and Jenny was holding Nick. Sarah Grace and Lily were seated at the kitchen island, Lily on her knees. Jim lit the candles, and then everyone sang "Happy Birthday" to Kate.

At the end of the song, Lily said, "Make a wish, Mommy."

And looking at Rick, standing next to her; Lily, kneeling on a chair at the kitchen island; Alexis, with Javier's arm around her shoulders, smiling at her over the cake; her dad, looking on proudly, if somewhat wistfully, since Kate knew that he, like she, was thinking of her mother right now; the rest of their smiling family and friends gathered around, including the growing next generation; and the movements within her of her and Rick's sons, Kate could only think, It already came true.

Then she thought of something, closed her eyes, opened them again, and blew out the candles in one breath.


Much later that night, after all their family and friends had gone home, they'd had dinner, and Lily had had her bath and bedtime stories and prayers and was asleep, Rick disappeared into the office, then returned carrying a small box wrapped in silver foil with a tiny matching bow in one hand, and a flat package wrapped in the same paper that Lily's gift had been wrapped in in the other. Kate was on the couch, and Rick placed the larger package in her lap and sat down next to her.

Kate opened the package, pulled back the tissue paper, and in the box was a copy of Rick's first serious literature novel, Something Worth Saving.

"It's the first copy," Rick said softly. "It's yours."

Kate took the book out of the box, setting the box, tissue paper, and crumpled wrapping paper to the side, and opened the book to the dedication.

"To Kate

"Muse, lover, fighter, and partner in everything

"Always."

Kate looked up from the dedication to see Rick watching her anxiously. She beckoned him closer, and he moved the box, tissue paper, and crumpled wrapping paper to the floor. When his knee was touching hers, she put the book on the coffee table in front of them, then put her arms around his neck. "I love it," she said. "And I love you. And I can't wait to read the book."

"Whatever happens with the book, whether it's a hit or a flop, I'm glad I wrote it," Rick said. "And I never would have even thought of going in this new professional direction if not for you, Kate. You inspire me every day."

Then he held out the smaller box. Kate took her arms from around his neck to unwrap the gift. She removed the ribbon, tore off the wrapping, and opened the hinged lid on the little black velvet box. "Oh, Rick," she whispered.

Winking up at her in the dim light of the living room was a pair of diamond-encrusted earrings in the shape of the infinity symbol. She looked from the earrings to Rick, who was looking back at her with his heart in his eyes. "My love for you is infinite," he said softly. "We are infinite, Kate. Our family is infinite. There is no darkness that scares me, because you're the light breaking through."

"You're my light too," she whispered, resting her forehead against his. "You and our kids, our family."

"I love you so much," Rick replied. He drew back just enough to look into her eyes. "Happy birthday, Kate."

Then Kate, with the earrings in their box still in one hand, put her arms around Rick's neck again, covered her mouth with his, he responded to her kiss, his arms wrapping around her lower back, and neither of them said anything for quite a while.