Kate and Rick were still sleeping when Alexis barged into their room and jumped on the bed.
"It's Christmas! It's Christmas! Santa came! Santa came! Come downstairs now, we've gotta open the presents!" she yelled and got out of the room as quickly as she had come in.
Kate rolled on her side to cuddle into Rick but he was already up and putting his robe on.
"Where are you going?" she mumbled in her pillow.
"Downstairs. Didn't you hear Alexis, Santa came!" he said, excitedly.
"I know, I helped him put the presents under the tree. And you were there too."
"I don't know what you're talking about. Now get up and come downstairs, the child is waiting." he said, running out the door.
"Who's the child now?" she called from the bed.
She fell down on her pillow and tried to gather the courage to get out of the warm and comfortable bed she was in. She was getting out when she heard Alexis and Rick call for her.
"Kate, come on!"
"We're in for a lot of Christmas like this one Baby, we better get used to it." Kate said, passing a hand on her stomach. "And I have to stop doing that or everyone will know about you before we decide to know them." she continued, walking to the door.
"It might be a little late for that darling." Martha said, joining her in the hallway.
"Oh God! Martha, you scared me." Kate said, putting her hand to her chest. "Wait … you know?"
"Yeah, I know. Well, first you're glowing so I had to find out why. Of course there is that ring on your finger but there was something else. I put together the throwing up, the sleeping, the eating weird things and it gave me the idea. And I had the confirmation when I saw you and Rick last night on the couch when you were watching TV, you both had both of your hands on your stomach. How far along are you?" Martha asked.
"I don't know, I found out just before we left to come here. I have an appointment the day we get back in the city. But … I think a month or so." Kate said, blushing.
"Well, I'm happy for you, really. I will love to have another grandchild." Martha said, hugging her.
"Thanks. Could you … keep it to yourself? We decided not to tell anyone before the doctor appointment, just to be on the safe side."
"Don't worry, your secret's safe with me." Martha smiled before going down the stairs.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
When Jim arrived just after they had taken their breakfast, Alexis raced her father to the tree to open her presents. She had been so impatient that she was allowed to open one before Kate's father arrived. Rick had pouted for a while when he didn't get the right to do the same but Kate had been forgiven when she let him have the last piece of bacon.
After having exchanged gifts, Kate headed to the kitchen to get started on the lunch.
"I don't know which of them is the happiest with their gifts." Jim laughed, joining his daughter.
"I'd say it's Rick. He's worse than Alexis. He actually jumped up and down when he opened his miniature helicopter Martha got him." Kate said, smiling.
She looked at them in the living room for a while. They were trying to build the doll house Alexis had got. They looked so good together, they were the perfect example of father-daughter relationship. She really hoped he would bond like that with the child she was expecting too. They would be the perfect normal family. She was brought out of her thoughts when she felt her fathers hand on hers.
"So, I see he couldn't wait to ask you Katie." Jim said, tracing her engagement ring with his finger.
"It's beautiful, isn't it? I really didn't expect it."
"He planned on asking you today you know. He called me several times to talk about you and he even came to see me last week to be sure you were going to say yes." Jim laughed.
"Yeah, about that, I heard you threatened to hurt him ..." Kate said, putting her hands on her hips.
"Hey, that was my job as your father. It's one of the few things I have left so I had to use it." Jim laughed. "He understood anyway. He even asked me for tips for when Alexis will be old enough to have a boyfriend. And he doesn't see that happening before she is at least thirty, his words, not mine."
"Yeah … I think he's going to have a hard time letting her go. And she will have a lot of suitors. She is so beautiful." Kate said, dreaming, looking at Rick and Alexis working together once again. "Do you want something to eat before lunch? I'm gonna have a sandwich." Kate proposed.
"No, I'm fine thanks." Jim said, looking at her go around the kitchen.
He could see that something was on her mind. She had that look on her face. It had not changed when she grew up. When she was thinking hard about something, she had this frown on her forehead, a certain light in her eyes and that cute little pout she mastered when she was five and trying to write her name.
"Dad?"
"Hum?"
"I … I need to tell you something." Kate said quietly.
"OK, I'm listening."
"It's pretty important and … Rick and I decided to wait but I just can't wait anymore, not with you."
"Kate, what is it?" Jim asked.
"I … uh … I'm pregnant." she said, almost whispering.
"I figured as much." Jim said, hugging her.
"You knew? How?" Kate asked, really surprised.
"What are you preparing here?" Jim asked her, pointing at the sandwich she had put on the counter.
"A snack."
"No, this is not a snack. This has a name." Jim said, smiling.
"What are you talking about? Did you start drinking again?" Kate asked, fear filling her eyes at the second question.
"No, I didn't. But I assure you this … thing you call a snack has a name. It is known as the Johanna Beckett Pregnancy Masterpiece. She named it, not me. Because I can assure you, for having tasted it, this is no masterpiece. It made me throw up." Jim laughed at the memory, getting his daughter back in his arms. "I can't believe she passed that on to you."
"Well, apparently we have the same taste for baby food." Kate said, smiling.
"My baby girl is having a baby." Jim said, as if he was just realizing it, tears gathering in his eyes.
"Hey, don't cry. It's a good thing Dad. We're really happy about it." Kate reassured him.
"I know but still, my baby is gonna be a mommy."
"I really wish she was here you know? She could help me with all of this. She could tell me how it was when she was expecting me." Kate whispered, looking at the ground to hide her sadness.
"Hey Katie, she is here. And she is looking after you from wherever she is. She will guide you when you need it, don't worry about that. And you'll have Rick to help you too." Jim said, taking her back in his arms.
"But it's not the same." she pouted.
"I know it's not the same Sweetie. You know what? I think I kept the books she read when we were waiting for you to join our family. Would you like to have them? I think she even wrote notes in them when it wasn't exactly like what she was feeling." Jim said.
"That sounds like Mom." Kate laughed. "And I'd love to have them."
"Ok, I will hunt them for you. What do you say we go back to preparing lunch? I think Rick and Alexis will be hungry after building the doll house." Jim proposed.
O-o-O-o-O-o-O-o-O
After lunch, the whole Beckett-Castle family settled in the living room for a Christmas movie marathon. After having gathered blankets and prepared snacks Rick, Kate and Alexis sat on the couch, Jim and Martha taking the armchairs. The fire was burning in the chimney, the snow was falling outside as far as they could see through the French windows and they were all snuggled up in front of the TV. This was the perfect way to spend Christmas day.
After the third movie, only Jim and Martha were still awake. The occupants of the couch were just now a pile of sleeping people. Rick was sitting in the corner, Kate cuddled into his said, her head resting on his shoulders. Rick had his arm around Kate's shoulders and his head resting on hers. Rick's other hand was on Alexis's head. She was sleeping across the two of them, her head on the arm of the couch sticking out of the blanket, her feet sticking from the other end, on Kate's legs.
When Jim turned from the TV to ask them what they wanted to watch next, he found them all sleeping. He looked at them for a few seconds, taking in the scene before him. This was his Katie's family now, and they looked so cute together.
"Hey Martha, do you have a camera?" Jim whispered.
This moment just had to be immortalized.
So, what did you think?
Only one more chapter to go ...