Young at Heart
Al is still mostly asleep when Castle scoops her up out of the plane seat, making sure that the girl's head is cushioned on his shoulder. He loops the carry-on over the opposite shoulder before stepping out into the aisle ahead of Kate.
"You got her?" she asks, touching his waist with her fingertips.
He turns his head just a little, enough to catch a glimpse to her. "Definitely. You just worry about the other carry-on."
They sidle off the plane, thanking the attendants as they pass. The walkway up to the terminal is freezing but he can see the pavement of the landing strip outside sizzling in the heat. Great. The Florida heat follows them back home. While waiting for their luggage at the baggage claim, he shifts the sleeping child up further onto his shoulder as she droops down.
"Boy, she is a dead-weight," he grunts when Al tries to curl up, a knee digging into his stomach painfully.
Kate reaches over to thread her fingers through the girl's hair even as Al's hands grip the short hairs at the nape of his neck painfully. "But an adorable dead-weight, yes?"
"She has some charms." Castle holds a hand against Al's back, keeping her in place, as he leans forward to smudge his lips over hers. "Must have been her mystery father."
He waits for Kate to pull back; she's never really joked about Al's biological dad before and he doesn't know if he's crossed an unspoken line. Swallowing hard, he watches as Kate surprises him. She always surprises him.
And she squeezes his hand, letting her head settle on his bicep. "Then I have no idea what we're going to tell this baby because it's doomed to have the worst genes ever."
"Very funny. We both know my genes are superior. They'll save the baby from this horrible fate." He nods his head toward the conveyor belt. "Our suitcases."
Kate dashes over to grab the bags.
"Home?" Al shifts her head, rolling it over the dip of his shoulder. "We home?"
He smoothes a hand over the girl's curls, fingers catching in some of the tangles from sleeping on the plane. "Very nearly. Just the car ride back to the apartment ahead of us."
"M'kay."
Castle takes one of the suitcases from Kate, popping the handle up to start wheeling it toward the exit. He called the car service once they landed so the inconspicuous navy blue sedan is waiting in the pick-up lane. The man in the pressed black pants and tailored white shirt helps him and Kate get the suitcases and carry-on bags into the trunk as Castle struggles to balance the child in his arms.
"I got her," Kate says, snaking her arms between his to lift Al up enough for Castle to slide into the backseat.
Al snuggles into the space between them, burying her face into Kate's side as her toes push into Castle's thigh.
"Wow. This girl is so not a jetsetter," Castle mutters, winking over Al's head at Kate.
"Well we won't be going anywhere too soon so it shouldn't be a problem." When he raises a brow, Kate tugs on his ear. "Pregnant people don't tend to fly around the country too often."
"I'll keep you entertained."
"I'm gonna hate you in about six months or so."
He narrows his eyes, finding her shoulder over the back of the seat. "Kate…"
She shakes her head. "I'm a horrible pregnant woman, Rick. Plus, no caffeine. You're going to hate me a little too."
"Not possible," he whispers.
They juggle luggage and a sleeping child once the car stops. Eduardo is at the front desk but Kate stops him from getting up and helping with a wave of her hand. Since Castle has Al and their two carry-ons, Kate is the one who calls for the elevator, holding the door open to make sure he can get in behind her.
"Keys?"
He wiggles his right arm and she dips her fingers into the pocket of his jeans to take out the keyring, unlocking the front door. They drop the bags in the doorway in the afternoon light. Castle starts up the stairs and can sense Kate at his back, following him down the hall to Al's room. Kate pulls down the sheets on her bed, letting him step next to her to lay Al down.
Al curls onto her side, pulling the pillow closer to her face before sighing heavily. "Love you, Mom and Rick."
"Love ya too," Castle says, nudging Kate back toward the door.
Once they're out in the hallway again, Al's door cracked shut behind them, Kate is up against him.
"Thank you," she whispers against his neck. She swallows hard, pushing up on her tiptoes to coast her mouth along his jaw. "Thank you."
His hands skim over her sides until he can hook them under her thighs, lifting her up against his chest. Her ankles link behind his back, her lips continuing along his cheek. "Nothing to thank me for," he says, starting back toward the bedroom.
"Yes, there is," Kate protests. "I never could have done this for her."
"Sure you could have."
"No," she says, placing a finger over his lips. "I couldn't. Not just because I didn't have the money…"
"Married me for my money. Good to know," he murmurs with a grin.
She continues as if he hadn't interrupted. "…Or the time. But because I couldn't, wouldn't, let myself relax that much. You let me." Her forehead tips forward, touching his so that their noses slide past one another. "You let me relax and have fun and God, I don't think I can thank you enough for that."
"I can think of a few ways," he responds with a smiling kiss against her lips. "Happy honeymoon, Kate."
Kate smudges her lips over his cheekbone. "Happy honeymoon, Dad."