It's morning. Kate's alarm has just gone off and she rolls on her side to slam the snooze button. She's exhausted, this new baby has taken a huge toll on her. Rolling back over Kate tries to get comfortable on her stomach but as she starts to feel the pain she realizes she can't do that anymore. It's time to get up anyways so she rolls back over and gets out of bed. Walking over to Castle's side of the bed she kisses him softly as his eyes flutter open and he starts to smile.
"Morning." He tells her sitting up and swinging his feet over the edge of the bed.
"How's bean?" He asks a hand lifting up and resting on his wife's protruding belly.
"Just fine actually." She smiles at him and puts her hand over his.
"We should get growing, we have a busy day ahead of us." She smiles again taking her hand off and pulling Castle up from the bed. They head for the bathroom and Dax is right behind them. It was hard in the beginning, having a dog follow you around 24/7 but after a few months of having the dog Kate finally gets used to having him just show up and sit wherever.
Kate is standing in front of the mirror having just gotten out of the shower. She's just used a towel to dry it and is now brushing it. Kate used to style her hair before she had kids. She kept it up until Johanna had turned about one when she just did not have the time. Now it's just a ponytail or a bun to keep her long locks out of the way. Kate is almost dressed as a crash is heard downstairs. Kate's eyes go big as she turns her head to look over at Castle.
"Kids are up." Kate chuckles, knowing it's usually never something serious. She finishes and heads down the stairs unlocking the baby gate and stepping through it. They'd wanted to take the gate down, but Castle had secured it so good they couldn't remove it without damaging the stairs so the couple just decided to leave it.
Kate is just through the stairs as Johanna comes running over pulling on her mom. She glances up to see Nate lifting Sidney up onto a barstool and helping him with some ice on his head.
"What happened?" Kate asked running over quickly to Sidney's side.
"Sid thought he could ride his scooter in the house. He ran into the front door." Johanna tells her mom trying not to laugh or she knows she will be in trouble too.
"Sidney, what did I tell you about scooters in the house?" Kate sighs an arm moving to go around her son.
"Its not allowed." He sighs holding the ice.
"Will you do it again?" She asks him taking the ice from him to check under it. He shakes his head.
"It's a bruise for sure." She says softly kissing it and helping him put the ice back.
"You seem ok, but if you don't feel good at school you go to the nurse ok?"
"You could have a concussion and I want you to be aware that its serious, and I want to know if you go to the nurse ok?" She continues. She knows her son is fine, He's the craziest of the four and is always landing them in the ER or Urgent Care. When he was four he stuffed a bean up one nostril and a bead up the other. He thought maybe he could grow a beanstalk out of his nose.
"Let's eat, we have to get to school, and Mommy has a very important appointment she can't miss." Kate smiles reaching into the fridge and pulling out the almost gone gallon of milk. She pours herself a bowl of cereal and leave the milk as Victoria and Nate come over and help each other to some cereal as well. Moments later as Johanna's Pop-Tarts popped out of the toaster Castle is bounding down the stairs with Dax behind him.
"Morning!" He calls opening the gate and letting it slam behind him. Kate smiles up and takes her bowl walking over to give Castle a small kiss. Eww's are heard from the kids as the pair let go and look up over at the kids.
"Yeah, like you haven't seen that before." Castle chuckles going over to the kitchen and making him some Pop-Tarts just like his eldest. The two's love for Pop-Tarts was off the charts. If allowed, I'm sure the two would have them for every meal. No doubt Castle would invent meal Pop-Tarts with flavors like 'orange chicken and rice' and 'baby back ribs and coleslaw.' The thought of those made Kate gag a little before she dumps her cereal out and puts the bowl in the dishwasher.
"Ok, whose turn was it to do the dishes last night?" Kate asks as the four all respond with a 'Not mine!' She sighs and goes to the fridge to put the milk away and checks the chore chart.
"Care to explain Hannie?" Kate asks looking over at her eldest.
"I forgot, sorry momma." She sighs softly.
"But I'll do them tonight I promise." She says pleading with her mom hoping to not get in trouble.
"Alright, first thing after school ok?" She confirmed as her daughter nodded.
"Ok, we should get going!" Castle speaks checking his shoes and grabbing the leash for Dax.
"Hannie's walking group should be here any minute and then the 'Walking school bus' for the rest of you shortly after," Castle says shifting and opening the front door as he ushers his four kids out the door. When Johanna was younger the family had befriended some families in her class and they started a walking group. Each day a different parent or parents would pick up everyone in the group and they would all walk to school. Thankfully today, the busiest day of the week was not Kate and Castle's walking day. Most of the time, Castle would walk with the kids and Kate would drive to work and meet Castle at the precinct on their day. Standing in the lobby the family waited for the group of friends to show up and take Johanna to school. It was a cold April morning which is what kept them in the lobby and not waiting out on the sidewalk. It's moments later when the sign of a bus is coming up on the sidewalk. Having started a few years ago when a family wanted a safe way to get their kids to school was the 'Walking School bus'. Just as it sounds. Two city crossing guards, one at either end and a sign of a bus held by some of the kids. They ranged many ages and a few different schools that just happened to be on the way.
"Bye my loves!" Kate smiles as Nate, Sidney and little Victoria head off to school. Victoria waves smiling back as Nate and Sidney are two embarrassed to be seen with mom.
"Johanna, any word?" Castle asks watching his daughter as she pulls out her phone.
"It's cold dad, I'm sure they are just slow." She chuckles, the group of kids showing up about five minutes later.
"Bye mom, bye dad!" Johanna smiles giving her dad a quick kiss before bounding out the door and going to greet her friends.
"Bye Hannie!" Kate smiles leaning on her husband watching their daughter interact with her friends. Taking a few moments the couple just stands at the door watching with Dax at Castle's feet.
"You go get you're things, I'm going to take Dax for a quick pee break and meet you at the car. Sound good?" Castle suggests as Kate nods at him.
"Sounds good to me." She smiles and heads back inside to grab her purse, keys and a bottle of water. Its bee told that a baby is better seen when you have a full bladder. Kate is sipping her water as she finally see's Castle walking up a few minutes later.
"What took you so long?" Kate chuckles capping her water.
"We had to pee on everything." Castle groans softly looking down at Dax.
"He must of held it all night and wanted to draw out our walk." He sighs getting in the C Max letting Dax climb in the back seat.
The couple arrive soon after at the office and Castle gets out and opens the door for Dax and goes around and helps Kate. He takes her hand with his left hand and Dax's leash with his right going up to the front door and opening it for his wife.
"Can you believe it, I'm still in shock." Castle says as he walks into the office looking around. He'd been here multiple times the last one being the saddest but he was going to push that away.
"Me either." Kate says, nervousness in her voice.
"Hey, its going to be ok. I promise you." Castle smiles and kisses his wife as they check in. Kate is called back moments later and she hands Castle her purse and phone as she stands on the scale. She looks at the numbers and notices she's up a few pounds more than before.
"Must be a big baby." She thinks to herself as she gets off and takes her things from Castle as they go into one of the exam rooms.
"Missy will be right with you." The nurse smiles leaving the couple to set up in the room. Nothing new for them. Kate had been in this room so many times she could hardly count. Missy comes in moments later and greets the couple in front of them.
"It's nice to see you back, hopefully longer this time." She smiles softly, pulling out Kate's chart and checking it over. Moments later she puts it down and walks over to the ultrasound machine. Kate is so pro by now her shirt is up and she's tucked her pants down a little.
"Lets see if we can get this little guy on the screen." Missy smiles grabbing the gel and squirting it on Kate's stomach. She takes the probe and is carefully searching for the little baby. She finds the little baby on the screen and it's heartbeat fills the room. Kate is overwhelmed with emotion as she takes in the sound.
"Sounds great, I think we have a fighter." She smiles reaching over to rub Kate's shoulder.
"Don't cry. Its good news Kate." The woman smiles as Castle reaches for his wives hand and leans in to kiss her.
"She's right, Good news babe." Castle smiles and kisses his wife again. Kate is still uneasy. Even though she can hear the heartbeat the thought of another miscarriage is still looming in the back of her head. It will take Kate some time to get over that but she's going to try.
"Well, so far so good, baby looks just as it should, and growing just fine, looks like your around 12 weeks, so just about two more weeks and the rate drops." Missy explains avoiding the word miscarriage in front of Kate. She's trying to keep the woman's hopes up.
"I just need to do a blood draw and then i'll be done for today." She adds shifting and helping Kate clean off. Missy talks to them a little longer giving them a little more information. Kate is prep but Missy is just giving her some information of some of the risks for her age. Missy is done and a nurse comes in moments later to take Kate's blood. Missy thanks the two and leaves as the nurse is taking Kate's blood. Kate's not talking because she's still not ready. She still has fears and Castle is doing everything he can to help calm those fears.
The two are finished a while later and are sitting at a little table in a nearby restaurant having lunch.
"Have you thought of any names yet?" Castle asks picking at his salad.
"Well, no but this round I'm open to almost anything." Kate chuckles softly.
"Well, I was doing some writing the other day and I came up with something I wondered if you would like it." Castle smiles taking a drink of his iced tea.
"Tell me, you have me excited." Kate smiles watching her husband.
"Well, Its a boys name and we have no clue on the sex," He says grabbing his napkin glancing down at Dax.
"But, drumroll please." He chuckles tapping the table.
"The name is Arejay." He adds watching for Kate's reaction.
"Oh Castle, its beautiful." Kate beams, reaching for Castle's hand and taking it gently.
"You like it?" Castle asks watching her.
"I love it." Kate smiles pulling up her husbands hand and kissing it.
"I love it so much I don't want to look for anymore boy names." She explains as Castle blushes slightly.
"Really?" Castle asks.
"yes, really." She smiles again reaching for her soda. Looking up she hears Dax bark.
"Castle?" She spoke. He's not listening. That or he's just tuned me out for a second.
"Babe?" She calls again waving her hand in front of him. Castle is still staring off into space as Kate gets up and walks over, taking the silverware from his hands. This was new for him to do this and it scared Kate. Moments later Castle jerks a few times before regaining himself and looking at Kate.
"Seizure?" He asks as Kate nods.
"We need to have them look at your meds again." She sighs softly.
"You almost blacked out there." She tells him as he nods.
"I would have to agree, I don't like blacking out like that." He sighs reaching for his fork to finish the last of his salad.
"We should get going, The kids will be home soon." Castle says as Kate agrees. They pay for lunch and head home. The two are in the living room watching TV when the door opens and the four come running in.
"Hey!" Kate smiles trying to get up from the couch. She gets up and walks carefully over to Sidney as Johanna drops her bag and goes into the kitchen to start the dishes.
"You feeling ok Sidney?" Kate asks checking her son's bruise.
"No, it hurt all day." He sighs as Kate takes him into the kitchen and sits him on a barstool. She grabs out more ice and hands it to him.
"Put this on it, I'm going to get you some aspirin." She says leaning over and kissing her son's head. She lets go and heads to the bathroom. She grabs the bottle and comes out setting the bottle on the counter and goes to get him a glass of water. She puts the glass in front of him and pours out two pills handing them to her son. She watches carefully as he takes the pills.
"That should help, if you don't feel better will you tell me?" Kate asks resting a hand on her stomach. The boy nods and smiles softly. Nate is now at the kitchen island his homework in front of him.
"Hows the baby, momma?" Nate asks as he takes a break from a struggling math problem.
"Baby is just fine." She smiles watching him.
"Need some help?" Kate asks shifting and moving closer to her son so she can see his homework better. He nods and turns his head to see his mom better. She looks over the problem and shows him the best way she knows how to solve it. He tries the way she showed him and he finally gets it.
"Thanks mom!" He smiles brightly excited that he can finish these problems faster.
"You're welcome buddy." She smiles and kisses his head.
"Need more help you just call." Kate says getting up and going to sit on the couch and finish whatever show Castle had been watching. She's so tired from the day she barely makes it ten minutes through the show before she is out.
A/N: Thanks so much for the reviews and all the follows! I can't believe it! It really means a lot to me and makes me want to write more.