Hey everybody, I am so so sorry it took so long to get this up, I didn't mean for it to, but sadly real life and deadlines got in the way. So here is the next, though late, chapter, and I hope you like it! The conversation with Castle gave me some trouble, I rewrote it a lot, and I am still not sure about it, so let me know what you think, of that and the rest of the chapter. Also, I have a plot line that would make this whole kid thing a wrench in Castle and Beckett's relationship, how would you feel about that? Or I can just keep them mostly smoothly sailing, and let other, more dangerous characters such as the serial killer do their worst. So let me know, I greatly appreciate it! On with the story, enjoy!

Disclaimer: I do not own Castle, or anything associated with it!

"W...what?" Castle looked down at her in his arms, his face a torrent of confusion, astonishment, anguish, and what looked like anger, and betrayal.

Kate started to talk quickly, hoping to get it all out before Castle ran out on her, leaving her alone and with no one, to destroy herself again. If she could just get him to understand...

"Castle," she said,

"Castle that girl today is my daughter. Please, please just listen to me before you judge me. You have to understand this. Please."

Castle stayed silent, still staring at her, looking anything but understanding. She began to talk again, telling him about what had originally happened, and why she had chosen to give up her baby. Finally she was finished, speaking a few last words before falling silent:

"Castle, I was broken back then. Even more so than when you met me, more so than when I was so intent on finding my mothers killer. I couldn't keep that child.

All my misery would have been pushed onto her, and then she would have had a horrible life. And I wouldn't have had a way to support a baby either. I wasn't a cop then. I hadn't even finished college. Not even close. A semester at college wouldn't exactly have gotten me a lot of jobs. So you see I couldn't keep that baby, I couldn't have raised her alone.

I know your probably thinking about how you raised Alexis all by yourself, and yes she turned out great, but you had the resources and the support. I had none of that.

So that's my explanation, and I know that you probably don't understand, and hate me for lying to you and everyone else for all these years, but please Castle, please try to understand and forgive me."

Kate finished. She had been talking for a long time and pretty fast, she wanted to get it all out.

As she had told her story she had been looking anywhere but at Castle, afraid that his expression would make her loose her confidence, and stop talking. She knew that she just had to keep going, she had to get this out, and once it was done she would deal with the consequences, no matter what they were.

So when she finally looked up, and saw Castles face, the sadness lying there was not what she had expected.

She had thought he would be angry, or disappointed with her, that he would leave her and never come back, her partner gone forever, she had not expected this. His face looked heartbroken for her, he could see how bad of a situation this was all around.

Kate had now lost not only her mother, but almost her daughter, who still could die any minute. According to the hospital staff she was still in critical condition and being watched closely.

Kate had had every possible bad thing happen to her, and he was going to try and fix that. He looked at her worried face and told her that he did understand and be was going to do whatever it took to make it better; he would help her every step of the way.

And then he leaned down and kissed her, his lips slowly dancing with hers, and attempting to pull the sorrow from her body. They broke apart slowly, eyes connected, hands together. Castle broke the silence, whispering, "Let's go see your daughter."

They reached the hospital, and went inside, going to the front desk, and asking where her daughter's room was. They were directed down a long hallway, which had police protecting each end of it, and more officers outside of her room.

Kate peered inside, and started to tremble slightly when she saw the young girl hooked up to all the machines, with I.V.'s hanging, and tubes everywhere. The girl's eyes were closed, and she breathed evenly.

Beckett looked more closely, studying her face, the thing that had first alerted her to their family status. She really was Beckett in the miniature. She had the same face, her nose, and lips the same perfect shape. Her eyes, though she couldn't see them at the moment, were certain to be a rich hazel, and her chocolate locks were messy, but still beautiful.

Kate sighed as she looked at the beautiful girl, and as she felt Castle's hand on her back, she turned, and smiled at him.

"She's really perfect isn't she? I mean, aside from all the scratches, bumps and bruises, and wires?"

"Of course she is Kate. She really is. Kind of crazy how much she looks like you actually. You make good babies!" He exclaimed, and she laughed at his last comment.

"I guess you could say that," she said, looking at the girl again. "She is pretty great." Castle smiled at her and grabbed her hand, kissing her lightly.

"Do you want to go in and see her?" He asked.

Kate looked a bit startled at that, hesitant, as if she wasn't sure it was allowed.

"But what if she doesn't like me, or hates and resents me or something? I'm the person who abandoned her, remember? I left her to someone else! How could she forgive me for that? Heck, I don't even know what to call her! What if her parents renamed her?"

Castle squeezed her hand reassuringly, and told her that it would be fine. She would love her, and even though it would be hard initially to accept what had happened, she would be alright eventually.

"And as for what to call her," he said, "When I asked about her room, while you were hiding around the corner so no one saw you, they told me her name. It's the same."

He smiled, and without any further introduction opened the door to the room, and guided her in. She stepped into the room, going over to the bed and moving towards a chair that was sitting there.

As she moved the chair so she could sit down, it scratched to floor, making a loud screeching noise, loud enough to wake the dead. And apparently that was true, because at the sound of it the girl turned in her bed so that she was facing Beckett. Then her eyes slowly opened, blinking in the light from the window behind Kate.

"Wh...What happened?" She asked looking at Kate. "Where am I? Where are my mom and dad?"

She looked around with difficulty, moaning a little as she stretched her neck, the needles in her arms pulling, and stitches stretching.

"And who are you?"

Was her final question, the one Kate was dreading, but knew had to be answered. So she spoke slowly, trying to stay calm, as her heart races inside of her chest.

"Emily," she said, "I'm your mother."