This is more of an epilogue.

Hoped you enjoyed. :)

Chapter 7

The week following Rick's release from the hospital, was tiring. Lizzie woke up with nightmares almost every night and would sneak downstairs to the master bedroom and snuggle in bed with her mother and father. She had learned that it was easier to sit down and slid down the stairs on her bottom that try and walk down the stairs.

Rick would wake in cold sweats and pain in his side or his leg. He'd gone back to the doctor after a few days; the doctor had taken the stitches out and asked if his leg was getting any better. Rick nodded and the doctor told him his leg might never be back to normal because of the fall and also his age. Rick was okay with that, he'd gotten used to the slight limp, he knew he'd have to have some damage to his body after spending so many years chasing after criminals with Kate.

Kate didn't sleep well either, she would wake with a craving for strange foods, or when Rick started out of a dream next to her. Captain Gates had given her the next two weeks off; she gratefully took them without a fight, hoping to catch up on some sleep at home. She'd decided to wait until after Thanksgiving to tell Rick about the small alien in her uterus. But her plan was cut short two days before Thanksgiving.

Tuesday, November 22, 2016 (2 days before Thanksgiving)

"Kate!" Rick called as he ran out of the laundry room. "Kate!"

"What?" Kate asked sitting up on the couch, marking the page in the book she was reading.

"Kate…" He ran over to her. He looked worried and a little scared. "Please tell me this isn't Alexis'." He said holding out the positive pregnancy test.

Kate's eyes widened she'd forgotten to take it out of her pocket when they got home from the hospital, but then a smile broke across her face and she started to chuckle.

"Kate. This isn't funny." He said waving the test in front of her.

"It's not Alexis'." Kate said controlling her laughter.

"Then whose is it…oh!" He said as realization hit him. He nearly jumped over the couch to get to her. Sitting down on the couch next to her, he looked up at her, like a kid silently asking his mom for a candy bar.

"Go ahead." Kate said. He smiled and bent his head to her stomach.

Friday, December 2, 2016 (1 week after Thanksgiving)

As Kate thought back to that day that occurred almost a week ago

"Rick." Kate said as she placed the towel she was using to dry the dishes from lunch on the counter beside the sink, she didn't turn to look at him.

"Hmm?" He hummed, turning and wrapping his arms around her waist, and placing his hands protectively on the small bump on her lower abdomen.

"I think we should move." She said, leaning her head back to rest on his shoulder. Kate didn't wait to continue. "I mean, I love the loft, but whenever I go into Lizzie's room, I see you bleeding on the floor and it doesn't feel safe anymore." She turned in his arms so she was facing him, his hands came to rest on her hips.

"Plus I think we'll need the extra space." He smiled down at her stomach.

Kate smiled back at him. "So you don't think it's a bad idea?"

"To be honest Kate, I looked at a place while you were at work a couple of weeks ago. I was thinking that the loft is getting pretty small while Lizzie keeps getting bigger. Add in Hemingway and we'll be out of room pretty soon." Rick nodded over to the giant yellow lab lying on the floor a few feet away.

"A couple of weeks ago?"

"Yeah, I took Lizzie with me and we walked through this little townhouse. It's closer to the precinct and in a safe area." He explained.

"What did Lizzie think?"

"She wasn't really paying attention." Rick shrugged. "I was going to take you there last week, but we had some unexpected events." He said. "Hey! Let's go today. After Lizzie wakes up from her nap."

Kate shrugged. "I'm free." She smiled.

Saturday, March 11, 2017 (22 weeks pregnant; baby shower)

Kate was standing in the kitchen looking around at the place. She and Rick had moved in January and boxes, both open and unopened were scattered around the townhouse. She looked at the clock on the stove, it read 6:30. She smiled as she took a sip of her tea. The sun hadn't risen yet, but there were soft shades of pink and orange tinting the dark blue sky. Lizzie was upstairs sleeping and Rick was in the master bedroom just beyond the office also asleep. Hemingway was at her feet watching Kate carefully.

She smiled down at the dog. "Are you ready?" She asked.

Hemingway wagged his tail and sat up straighter.

"Because I'm not." Kate confessed.

The lab cocked his head to the side, causing Kate to laugh a little. She looked up when she heard footsteps.

"How long have you been up?" Rick asked walking carefully to her. He still had a slight limp.

"Dunno. I was too nervous to sleep."

"Nervous about what?" He asked hugging her gently.

"Today." Kate whispered against his chest.

"Why? There's nothing to be nervous about." She could hear the smile in his voice.

"I don't know. I guess it's just the pregnancy talking." She laughed as he pulled away and captured her lips with his.

"Don't be nervous. Everything's fine." He whispered as he trailed feather light kisses down her neck and shoulder.

X-X-X-X

At two o'clock exactly the doorbell rang. Hemingway barked from upstairs, where he was locked in the study. Lizzie rushed to the door and was trying to reach the door knob when shrieked in surprise, her father came up behind her and picked her up.

"You're not old enough for that." He said as she tried to look through the peephole.

"Lexi!" Lizzie shouted at the top of her voice. Rick unlocked and swung the door open and saw his 23 year old daughter smiling up at him.

"Hey there!" She said as Rick handed her Lizzie. "Wow! You're getting a bit big for this aren't you?"

Lizzie shook her head smiling.

"Come on in Alexis." He said. "Kate's in the dining room. You remember where that is right?" Alexis had only visited once since Kate and Rick had moved in.

"Lizzie can show me where it is. Right?" Alexis nodded at Rick while Lizzie beamed and pointed toward the door to the kitchen. Rick smiled and took the bag Alexis had brought over to the table in the living room.

No sooner had he reached the table did the doorbell sound again. He walked over and pulled open the door. Jim was standing there.

"Rick. Great I've found the right place." Jim said, extending his hand. Rick shook the older man's hand.

"Yes you did. Come in. I'll show you to the dining room." Rick said, moving aside so Jim could enter the townhouse.

Jim held up the gift bag he brought. Rick motioned to the table in the living room where Alexis' bag was already resting. Jim walked over looking around the new home.

"I really like it. You and Katie have good taste."

"Thank you." Rick said as they walked in the direction of the dining room. Rick smiled when they entered. Lizzie was standing on her toes to look up at the table, where Kate and Alexis were placing small snack foods.

"Dad!" Kate said, putting down the tray she was holding that held chocolate covered strawberries she and Rick had dipped last night. They had stolen some from the freezer after putting Lizzie to bed.

"Katie. I was just telling Rick this place is great." He said as his daughter rushed over to hug him. Rick excused himself to go back to the door.

Opening it he saw Ryan, Jenny, and their two sons Robert and David. Behind them he saw Esposito, Lanie and their daughter Isabella.

"I told you this was the place." Jenny whispered over to Ryan.

"Come in. You can put your gifts on the table in the living room, and then I'll take you to the dining room. Kate, Jim, Alexis, and Lizzie are in there." The group of seven filed in to the house.

Rick pointed to the dining room when he heard a knock on the door. He opened the door for hopefully the last time in a while and was greeted by his mother and her husband.

"Richard! Where is the lovely Kate?" Martha asked.

"It's great to see you too mother." He said closing the door behind William.

Martha smacked him on the arm.

"She's in the dining room." Rick said following the extravagant couple to the dining room.

Everybody was talking in the dining room, giving Rick a chance to escape to the kitchen. His escape didn't go unnoticed. Kate followed him after a minute.

"What are you doing in here?" She placed a hand on his back.

"Needed to get out of there for a minute." He turned to look at her.

Kate stifled a laugh, and stood on her toes to kiss him gently.

"C'mon let's get back in there before they all get suspicious."

"Let them get suspicious." Rick said huskily as he pulled Kate back to him and kissed her deeply, pushing her carefully against the kitchen counter and blocking her exits with his muscular arms. When he pulled away to trail kisses on her neck. She bent her head back to give him more access to the soft flesh between her neck and collar bone.

"Rick…" She said a little breathlessly, but before she could continue Martha called loudly from the dining room.

"Kate! Richard! Where are you?" Rick pulled away.

"Trust my mother to interrupt…"

"Don't even finish that thought." Kate said sternly, grabbing a bowl of cut up fruit from the refrigerator.

She closed the door as Rick passed her and smacked her playfully on the butt. She jumped, and looked at him sternly when he turned around to smile mischievously at her.

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

It was 11:30 in the morning when Kate gave birth to a beautiful baby boy. The doctor had brought their son back to them with a small blue hat, socks, and a sky blue blanket wrapped around his small body.

Kate held the boy to her chest; her hair was matted with sweat, her body achy. But none of that mattered she was holding her newborn son in her arms.

Rick took a quick picture while Kate was paying attention to him. He would keep the all the pictures he took of her when she wasn't looking. This one, like all the others was priceless, Kate had her head bent slightly forward and was smiling at their son. He smiled at the picture, before sliding his phone back into his pocket and putting a hand on Kate's shoulder.

"He's gorgeous." She whispered to Rick when he placed a kiss in her hair.

"Yeah he is." They stood looking at the new addition to their family for a minute before Rick asked, "You think he's ready to meet everyone?"

"Yeah." Kate nodded. Rick kissed her before heading for the door.

Kate watched the door close behind her husband, before looking back down at the newborn in her arms.

"Hey little guy. There's going to be a lot of people in here soon, but don't worry. They're nice. You'll love them."

The boy just watched her, eyes wide with wonder. Kate smiled and continued to talk to her son, until she heard the door open. She looked up to see Rick enter first followed by Alexis, Martha, Jim, and William. Then Ryan, Jenny, Esposito, and Lanie. Jenny was holding Robert, Ryan adjusted David on his hip. Lanie supported Bella. And Jim and Martha each held one of Lizzie's hands.

They all smiled as Rick walked over to Kate's shoulder.

He looked down at her; she nodded and smiled at him.

Rick looked at everyone and smiled before he spoke. "Everyone, we'd like to introduce Alexander Rodgers Castle."

Thank you all for reading. I loved all the reviews. Sorry that is was such a short story. But hoped you enjoyed.

Please leave your last thoughts. :)