Authors Note: Here it is guys. The final chapter of this story. My second multi-chapter Caskett story to be finished. I hope you all enjoy it, and leave me your thoughts. I really had fun writing this one. I love 'Mama-Kate'...maybe someday I'll do a one-shot based off of this chapter. We'll see.

Thank you, as always, to alwayscastle2 for reading this over for me. She's been busy since she moved to her new state, so I'm glad she was still up for the task of reading my little fic. P.s. you're going to be an amazing teacher! I just know it!

Reviews are love, leave some!

Chapter 11

Gotta hold on easy as I let you go

Gonna tell you how much I love you

Though you think you already know

I remember I thought you looked like an angel wrapped in pink so soft and warm

You've had me wrapped around your finger since the day you were born

You beautiful baby from the outside in

Chase your dreams but always know the road that'll lead you home again

Go on, take on this whole world

But to me you know you'll always be, my little girl

Somewhere in the world, someone is taking their last breath. Here in this hospital, family and friends are gathered around the waiting room, waiting for the first breath of the most anticipated little bundle this side of the Hudson.

Jim Beckett is pacing a hole in the linoleum, while Martha is trying to calm him, Alexis is twisting her fiery red hair, Jenny and Kevin are sitting with bouncing legs, Javi and Lanie are arguing about the gender of the baby -Javi thinks the baby is a girl, while Lanie is hell bent on the child being a mini Castle.

"I'm telling you, baby," Javi says, "this kid is gonna be a girl."

"What makes you so sure, Javier?"

"Beckett had the same cravings that Jenny had," Kevin says, giving his partner some support. Though the glare he gets from Lanie has him sitting back down next to his wife. "Oh-kay, you're on your own, Espo."

"Thanks, bro," Espo says, rolling his eyes. Turning back to Lanie, "What makes you think its gonna be a Castle clone?"

"Kate kept having dreams of a little boy," the doctor explains. "Mother's intuition is never wrong."

Alexis shakes her head and smiles. The double doors open and her head snaps up, her eyes meeting the smiling face of her father. "Dad!" Alexis rushes towards him, throwing her arms around his neck as the rest of the room follows her.

Rick hugs his eldest child back, and smiles at the group around him. "How's Katie?" Jim asks.

"She's amazing," he answers. "They both are."

"Well," Lanie presses. "Out with it, Writer-boy. Girl or boy?"

Rick grins, "Its a girl. Six pounds, nine ounces, nineteen inches long, and the lungs of Mariah Carey."

"Oh, darling," Martha smiles, hugging her son happily. "Let's hope she grows out of the Mariah Carey stage."

"I have a granddaughter!" Jim smiles proudly, looking at Martha and corrects himself, "we have a granddaughter," then, hugging Alexis,"another granddaughter."

Javi and Kevin high-five each other, "Told you Lanie."

Rick chuckles, and Alexis shakes her head. "Dad, can I see her? Them?"

Rick nods, "She's asking for you and Jim and Gram, just for right now."

"We understand, bro," Kevin smiles, "Go be a family for a while. We'll be here when you're ready for us."

CB

There's a knock on the hospital door, and Kate smiles when she sees the familiar faces of her daughter and father and mother-in-law behind her husband.

"You up for some visitors, honey?" Rick asks.

"Of course," she answers, adjusting the bundle of pink in her arms. She holds out her free hand to her daughter. "Come meet your baby sister, Alexis."

The older girl hurries to Kate's bedside, and grabs her outstretched hand. Kate pulls her down to sit beside her on the bed, and Alexis' free hand comes up to brush the chubby cheek of her new baby sister. "She's beautiful, mom," she whispers, resting her head on Kate's shoulder gently. "Can I hold her?"

Kate nods, "Yeah." Alexis sits up better on the bed, and smiles as Kate gently places the baby in her arms. "Watch her head." The baby squirms at the change, but settles against Alexis with a content sigh. "I think she likes you, Lex."

Alexis smiles, "You think?"

"I do," Kate nods, smiling up at her husband. Turning to her father, she grins at him. "You okay, daddy?"

Jim walks around to the other side of Kate's bed and sits, pulling her to him softly in a warm embrace. "I'm more than okay, Katie. My baby had a baby; and they're both gorgeous."

"I love you, dad."

"I love you too, Katie-bug," Jim whispers. "Your mother would be so proud of you; she would have been wrapped around this little lady's finger in an instant."

Kate wipes the tear that falls from her eye, and chuckles, "Of that I have no doubt."

"Kate," Rick says, "You want to tell them the name we decided on?"

Nodding, Kate reaches over to her new baby daughter, and puts her finger in her tiny hand, smiling as the baby grips tightly to her. "Dad, Martha, Alexis, this is Alison Johanna Castle."

Jim kisses his daughters head. "It's beautiful, honey."

"What a beautiful way to honor your mother, Katherine," Martha smiles, looking down at her new granddaughter. "She is a stunning one, isn't she?"

Alexis kisses Alison's forehead, "Welcome to the family, Ali. I'm gonna spoil you so much; and tell you all my hiding spots for laser tag."

"Hey," Rick says, "thats cheating."

"Shh," Alexis grins. "Its not cheating, its helping."

CB

After getting their fill of baby Alison - for now - Rick goes out and tells the others they're welcome to come see her. Lanie is the first to enter the room, and she tears up at the scene before her. Kate is sitting in the hospital bed, smiling down at her new baby. It's in this moment when Lanie realizes that everything Kate and Rick had gone through, was worth it to make this moment possible. She's never seen her best friend look as happy as she does in this moment.

Kate looks up and smiles at Lanie, tears springing to her eyes as well. "Lanie, I want you to meet your niece," she says, beckoning Lanie over to her bedside. "This is Alison Johanna Castle."

"She's beautiful, Kate," Lanie smiles.

"She's perfect," Kate whispers, running a finger over her daughters cheek, she looks up at her best friend. "Want to hold her?"

"Hmm," Lanie plays, touching her finger to her lips, "let me think about it. Of course, girl!"

Kate chuckles, and hands her daughter over to the doctor. Rick walks to the other side of Kate's bed and sits beside her, his arm over her shoulders watching the scene before them. Lanie is completely enamored with the infant, and is soon surrounded by Esop, Ryan and Jenny.

"Hey, little chica," Javi whispers, kissing the baby's forehead. "I'm your Uncle Javi."

As Kevin and Jenny begin gushing over the little girl, Kate turns towards her husband and smiles at him. "Thank you."

"For what?"

"For waiting for me, breaking down my walls, loving me," she brings her hand up to Rick's cheek, her thumb caressing his cheek bone. "Marrying me, giving me the most precious little girl on the planet. I love you. So much."

"I love you, too, Kate," he returns, and pulls her to him for a sweet kiss. "Always."

"Always," Kate echoes.

Fin