It had been 6 months since Rick and Kate's wedding, and they were still totally blissed out. Being married suited both of them very well, Kate especially. She was slowly learning to cook, and on weekends she and Rick sometimes babysat Jenny and Ryan's 2-month-old daughter, Amanda. Martha was well settled in her new apartment, and Alexis spent every Thursday night at the loft, watching movies and eating dinner with Kate and Rick. Life was going pretty well for all of them, and it was not lost on Rick.

"So, life has been relatively normal and smooth lately," Rick said to Kate one night after dinner. He handed her a glass of red wine and sat down the couch next to her, pulling her legs into his lap. She kissed his cheek.

"Thanks, honey," Kate said, taking a sip. "You know, you're right. Nothing crazy has happened. No injuries, book tours, pregnancy scares or daughters going to college. It's nice."

Rick nodded and they both were quiet for a while, drinking their wine and thinking.

"Kate, I was thinking that maybe it's time to revisit that…."

"What, Alexis going to college? She's already in her second year of school. You gotta learn to let go, Rick," Kate joked, eyes twinkling. Rick smiled.

"Ha ha. No, actually," he took a deep breath and his tone turned serious. "The pregnancy scare. We said we wanted kids someday, and maybe I just miss having Alexis around, or maybe it's all that time with Amanda, but….. I want to have a baby with you."

Kate looked slightly stunned. She didn't know what to say, but she didn't want Rick to think her silence meant she didn't want the same things as him. She set her wineglass on the coffee table and took Rick's hands in hers.

"Rick, I want to have a baby with you too. I love hanging out with Amanda, and that combined with how close Alexis and I became last year, it's made me want to be a mom. But I'm still scared that I won't be any good at it. And I don't want to disappoint you, or get in that place again that I was in back when we reconnected. I love you so much, and our future child, but I want to be good enough for both of you. For our family."

"Oh, Kate," Rick said, pressing a kiss to her forehead. "Honey, I don't worry about that for a second. I know how scared you are, but being a parent is scary no matter what. And you are more that enough for me."

Kate smiled and hugged Rick, leaving her scent of her cherry shampoo lingering in his nostrils.

"But no pressure, okay? I love you, and our kid will be the luckiest one alive, no matter if he or she is born in nine months or five years."

"Nine months, huh? So this is just an elaborate plan to get laid?," Kate asked jokingly. "Because, we are married, you know. You got me already, you don't have to work so hard." She placed a light kiss on his lips and grinned. He grinned back, and in one swift move he had pushed Kate down on her back, her head resting on the couch pillows. He kissed her passionately, moving his hands to her lower back. Just as he slipped his fingers under the waistband of her jeans, Kate broke the kiss off.

"Wait."

Rick looked completely confused.

"I think we should do it."

"Honey, you're usually not this slow. That's where we were going, before you stopped," Rick teased, still mostly lost.

"No, I mean have a baby," Kate said, barely able to contain her smile.

"Wait, you mean it?"

Kate nodded excitedly, beaming. "Yes!"

"We're having a baby?"

"We're having a baby!"

Rick jumped off the couch and pulled Kate with him, picking her up around the waist and spinning her around. He placed kisses all over her face, both of them unable to stop smiling.

"So, where were we?," Kate whispered in Rick's ear, kissing his neck. She hitched her legs up around his hips and he carried her into their bedroom.

xxxx

Four weeks later, Kate and Rick sat on the edge of the old clawfoot bathtub in their master bathroom. Kate had a pregnancy test in one hand and Rick's hand in the other.

"How much longer?," Rick asked, bouncing up and down impatiently.

Kate rolled her eyes in a loving way and glanced at her watch. "30 seconds. Ten less than the last time you asked me."

Rick gave her his cute puppy-dog grin. "Sorry, honey. I'm just…"

"…Nervous," Kate finished, looking at him. "Me too."

The timer on Kate's watch beeped and she squeezed Rick's hand tighter, staring into his blue eyes and letting them calm her.

"Okay, are we ready?"

Rick nodded. Kate took a deep breath and lifted the test up to her eye level. Rick kissed her hair and leaned in to look at the test. He looked into Kate's eyes and smiled.

"Does that mean…."

"Yes," Kate said faintly, as if she didn't believe it. "It means yes." She turned to Rick and grinned. "Rick, I'm pregnant. We're having a baby."

Rick placed a huge kiss on Kate's lips and threw his fist in the air.

"Wooo hooo!," He yelled, pulling Kate onto his lap wrapping his arms around her. "We're having a baby!" She grinned and kissed him, mirroring the night 4 weeks ago when they decided to try. And now, it was actually happening. They were going to be parents.

xxxx

Two months later, no one knew but Alexis and Martha. They had vowed not to tell anyone outside of family until she was three months along, which proved to be difficult when the boys noticed Kate wasn't drinking coffee. She had said she was trying out a new, healthier lifestyle, and had to ask them weekly to go running in Central Park with her before they believed her. This amused Castle until Kate broke after 3 weeks and one morning actually got down on her knees to beg him to make her a cup of coffee. Now, he was in charge of finding new (caffeine-free) teas every time Kate got sick of the ones they had.

This morning was pretty boring around the Precinct, actually. Kate was filling out paperwork, and Rick was grudgingly helping her, only because he knew how much it would mean to her. Espo walked by and chuckled.

"Dude, she's got you doin' paperwork?," He grinned, making a whip noise. "Whhhh-pssshhh."

Rick just smirked and pointed to Espo's cheeks. "C'mon, man, how old are you? There's powered sugar all over your face."

Kate looked up and laughed, then ducked her head back down again and kept writing. Espo glared at Castle, then at the half-eaten donut in his hand, rubbing at his cheeks like he was trying to squash a bug.

"Why the hurry?," Rick asked, tucking a lock of hair behind Kate's ear and out of her line of sight. Kate sighed.

"I'm hungry, but getting up for lunch when I'm in the middle of this would be really annoying. And I don't want to get food on these papers and then have to redo them."

Rick smiled sympathetically. "Want a donut?"

Kate's eyes lit up and she smiled at him. She grabbed his face and planted a quick kiss on his lips. "Yes, please!"

Rick grinned and got up, making his way to the breakroom to grab a donut for Kate as well as an apple, to balance out the sugar. He grabbed an extra apple for himself and then returned to Kate's desk, where she greeted him with a happy smile.

And hour later, Kate had just finished her paperwork and was looking at Ryan's newest case with him when all the phones in the bullpen suddenly started ringing off the hook. Castle shot her an alarmed look and she returned it with one that said, it's probably nothing. But she was thinking the exact opposite.

Ryan grabbed his desk phone and answered. "Detective Ryan... yes…. Thank you."

He looked at Kate and lowered his voice. "It's a serial. Just got word that the 32nd transferring it to us. Newer victims are popping up in our jurisdiction."

Kate bit her lip. Around them, chaos was starting to take shape. Gates was barking orders from her doorway, some people were strapping on vests while others printed out emails and started to outline the case on a fresh murder board in the conference room. Castle came over to Ryan's desk and took Kate's hand.

"What's going on?"

"The 42nd transferred the Ladykiller to us," Ryan said quietly, referring to the serial killer who killed beautiful, young women. It seemed the guy had a personal agenda, as all (4 to date) the women were connected, but the main link to the killer was still missing. "The two newest victims live in our range, and they suspect another hit by the end of the day. The guy's M.O. is one every 3 days, and it's been…."

The crazy ringing started again, and people scrambled to answer their phones. Ryan, Kate, and Rick shared a grave, solemn look.

"Beckett, Ryan, I want you on the corner of Park and 3rd!," Gates yelled. She peered at Castle over the top of her glasses. "Not you, Castle. This is one is sensitive. You can wait here. Be useful, maybe?"

Rick squeezed Kate's hand, whispering, "Stay right here," and walking over to Gates's office. Ryan and Kate looked confused, but they stayed put. Rick pulled the door closed and Gates glared at him.

"What the hell are you doing, Castle?"

"Sir, please, Kate can't be on this one, it's too dangerous," he said, his eyes serious yet pleading.

"Castle, I have already given her extra time off and let you call some of the shots, but if working here with your wife is too much, you're free to leave," Gates said firmly, moving to open the door. Rick blocked her.

"No, Sir, you don't understand," he dropped his voice and looked her in the eye. "She's pregnant. And I refuse to put her in any kind of danger."

Gates just looked at him for a few seconds before saying, "Fine. Both of you go home, she has the next 3 days off."

"Thank you, Sir," Rick said gratefully. He opened the door and then turned back to Gates.

"And please, don't tell anyone yet. Kate will come talk to you officially next week."

"Fine," Gates said crossly, marching past Rick and into the chaos. Kate ran up to Rick.

"What's going on?"

"We're getting out of here," Rick murmured, grabbing their coats and taking her hand in his. He waved to Ryan as they walked to the elevator. Ryan looked confused, but just as he opened his mouth, Gates came up to him and started giving orders.

They were halfway down the block before Rick stopped to explain.

"I told Gates that I didn't want you involved with this one," he said, hailing a cab. Kate had left her car at home today. They slid into the backseat of the cab and Rick gave the cabbie their address.

"How did you convince her to let me go?," Kate was in awe.

"I told her," Rick said. Before Kate could reply, he continued, "I'm sorry, but I had to. This guy is dangerous and I'm not losing you. Either of you." He put his hand on Kate's stomach. She put her hand on top of his and smiled.

"Thanks. I kind of wanted to ask her myself, but…"

"Your handsome husband saved the day?," Rick offered, grinning. She shook her head and laughed, kissing his cheek.

"Yes."

Once they were back at the loft, Kate changed into sweats and Rick called Alexis to make sure she didn't go anywhere but her dorm and classes for the next few days, and to make sure she was always with a buddy. Kate was just getting comfortable on the couch with a book when Rick sat down next to her, wrapping his arms around her.

"You sure you're okay with sitting this one out?"

"Yes," she said, putting her book down. "I promise. Last time I was too reckless, and look how that ended…. besides, I have more than just me to think about now." Her hand moved to her stomach. Rick smiled.

Kate lifted up the hem of her loose black t-shirt and pushed down the waistband of her Stanford sweatpants.

"Rick, look. Do you see it?"

Rick put his hands on Kate's belly and moved them from one side to the other, over the small bump.

"Barely. But I definitely feel it."

Kate grinned. "I never thought I would like this so much. Knowing I have a whole other life growing inside me. Our little life."

Hope it doesn't seem like I breezed through the first 2 months, I just wanted to get to the good stuff ;) It's not my version of Caskett without some angst! Review & let me know what you think :)

PS - I listened to "Small Bump" by Ed Sheeran while writing this - it put me in the mood. It's a great song, take a listen.