A/N: For those interested and of course StaticStanatic. The name Arejay came about many years ago when I was doing a cheesy CSI role-play. The kids name had started out as Robert James. Then she would call him RJ and then RJ turned into Arejay Jude. Which if you've read Happily Ever After, you know that, thats Sidney's middle name. Sidney Jude Perlmutter Castle. But I do like the Rick Jr Idea. Maybe that's how Castle came up with it. Good idea.
It was late. Castle had stayed up to read up on anything he could find about Spina Bifida Cystica. The condition he was told his son had. Castle wouldn't admit to being happy about it but for now, he was ok. He had learned that this was something that would not go away no matter what they tried or did. Spina Bifida Cystica was a quite interesting read. Which is one reason why it kept Castle awake for longer than he should of been. His eyes are watery as he stares at the screen in front of him. He's stared at the screen for way to long. He knows he should go great his sleeping wife in bed but he keeps telling himself, 'Just one more page'. The other reason that kept him up so late was looking at houses. with this condition the child could possibly end up with walking aids or worse end up in a wheelchair. While the family had room for the child in the loft they did not have room for all the extra things that may come with this child. Castle had so many memories here both good and bad that it killed him to have to leave the loft. Taking a Kleenex he wipes his eyes and finally shuts his computer. He was happy now because he found the perfect house. He was not sure when he was going to tell Kate about the house but he would find a way to surprise her or something like that. He got the surprise of his life on his birthday, why not give her a surprise on hers. It was a good idea Castle thought, but Kate would be seven months around her birthday and Castle was not sure his wife would be up for packing and moving during that time. He knew also her hormones would be raging and any little thing wrong might cause a huge catastrophe, something Castle did not want to deal with either. So, he decided after the kids had left for school he would tell her about his house searching. Getting up from his desk he turned the light off and stumbled out of his office and into bed with Kate. He pulls the covers up on his side and crawls over to snuggle next to his wife his arms going around her and resting on her stomach. He was not sure but he swore he was feeling the baby move as he tried to sleep. Feeling the hands Kate moans softly shifting slightly in her sleep before falling back to sleep. It took Castle a while but he eventually fell asleep. It wasn't till about four hours later that the alarm went off blaring in the room louder that it had ever been. At least that's how it felt to Castle. Maybe because he was running on fumes. Groaning Castle rolls over and kisses his wife softly on the neck as she rolls over to look at him blinking and smiling softly.
"Morning." Kate smiles softly.
"Morning love, how do you feel?" Castle asks watching carefully.
"I feel pretty good actually." She says sitting up and shifting so she can look at Castle better. She rests a hand on her protruding belly watching as her husband does the same.
"You know, when I came to bed last night, I swear I felt the baby kick." He says, Kate checking the time and then back to her husband.
"Really?" She beams at him.
"Yeah it was pretty cool!" He giggles jumping as he feels it again.
"Like that!" He points out watching as his wife feels the sensation for the first time. It had been almost six years since the couple had felt that before and it was like they were feeling it for the first time.
"Hey, Arejay, it's daddy, you doing ok in there?" Castle asks poking Kate's belly softly.
"Hey, don't anger him!" Kate chuckles as she lets go of her hand and swings her legs off the bed Castle looking at her weird.
"Sorry, just gotta pee!" She says rushing off to the bathroom. Castle gets up a few minutes later and wanders in the bathroom with clothes for the day as he gets dressed and puts a comb through his hair.
"Do you hear that?" He asks knowing the kids should have been up by now.
"No," Kate says looking at him puzzled.
"Wait," It takes her a second before she realizes she should be hearing things.
"Uh oh, this is not good." She turns and heads for the door. She gets to the bedroom and throws on some clothes. It was their morning for the walking group and if the kids did not get out on time they would be late for school. Heading out of the bedroom Kate makers her way carefully up the stairs, out of breath as she reaches the top. She gets to Johanna's room first and she opens the door to see the child sprawled on the bed.
"Hannie, its time for school!" She calls as the girl jolts up and looks at her mom.
"You better hurry if you want the bathroom first." Kate chuckles as thankfully she starts to hear the other kids rustling in their rooms. Johanna gets out of bed grabbing her things knowing her mom was right. She hated being the last one in the bathroom. Kate makes her way down the hall peeking in all of the rooms, both Nate and Sidney were awake and getting dressed. She then walks across the hall from Sidney's room to check on Victoria. She opens the door and slips in the room going to sit on her daughters bed.
"Baby Gates, time to get up." She smiles playing with her daughters hair. When Kate had realized what she had just called her daughter, she had to smile. Her husband had sure played an influence in her. The little girl wakes up moments later and looks up at her mom.
"Baby!" She smiles brightly and goes to kiss her moms stomach.
"Hi baby, big sister here, I loves you." She smiles and kisses again before hopping out of bed.
"What about me?" Kate scoffs softly.
"Don't worry momma, I love you too, I don't need to tell you because you already know that." Victoria explained going to put some clothes on.
"But I like to hear it every so often." She sighs watching her daughter.
"I need to get dressed, can you leave please." Victoria says reaching at her mothers waist and turning her towards the door and pushing her out.
"Ok, ok I'm going!" Kate chuckles and walks out of her daughters room and carefully down the stairs to start breakfast with Castle who was in the kitchen ready with a cup of tea in hand for his favorite wife.
"My daughter loves Arejay more than me!" Kate pouts softly taking the tea from Castle and leaning into her husband.
"Hey, it happens." Castle sighs softly trying to sooth his wife.
"Trust me, when that baby comes she will hate us with all her life." Castle chuckles and kisses his wife watching as Johanna comes bounding down the stairs and throwing the baby gate open and bouncing through it.
"Someones happy." Castle perks up as she walks into the kitchen to grab some food.
"Yeah, we get our math test results back today and I'm pretty sure I aced it." She smiles softly grabbing the milk.
"You mean the one I helped you on?" Castle asks watching his daughter as Kate sips her tea.
"Yeah that one!" She smiles pouring her cereal.
"Sweet!" Castle says going to high five his daughter. Nate is coming down as Sidney is pushing him through the gate.
"Hurry up, I'm starving!" Sidney cries as Nate is purposefully going slow on the stairs.
"Nathanieeeelllllll!" Sidney continues to cry, pushing his brother harder this time.
"MOMMMYY!" Sidney calls out as Kate walks over to see what's going on.
"Nathaniel, would you stop please?" She sighs watching.
"If you don't I'll have to take that iPod of yours." She scolds as he perks up knowing he did not want to lose his iPod.
"And say sorry too." She tells him.
"Sorry, Sidney," He groans and runs into the kitchen. Kate rolls her eyes and reaches over to hug Sidney.
"Sorry buddy." She says kissing his head. He sighs and reaches up to be held. Kate knows she's not to pick up heavy things but Kate misses her son and she knows he could use a little mom time. Even though Sidney was a reckless kid and was most definitely a boy, he was also a momma's boy. Kate knew that and she welcomed it. Lifting him up carefully, she sets him on her hip and the child's head on her shoulder.
"I'm sorry baby." She sighs and rubs the back of his head going into the kitchen with her son.
"Kate!" Castle pouts running over to his wife to pick up Sidney.
"You cant carry him like that!" He says trying to lift Sidney out of his wife's arms.
"Richard, I'm fine." She sighs softly looking up at Castle.
"I havent seen Victoria though, could you check on her?" Kate asks shifting and setting Sidney on the counter.
"Sure, just be careful." Castle says going towards the stairs and up them to find his daughter.
"I want to stay home with you mommy." The eight year old says as Kate hands him a slice of toast.
"Sorry, buddy, you have to go to school, mommy has a busy day with daddy." She tells the boy kissing him and turning to grab her piece of toast.
"Don't wanna." He pouts finishing his toast.
"Sorry, I can't, if you stay home, the cops will come and take you back to school." She explains watching him.
"But you're the cops, you can stop them." He pouts crossing his arms as Castle and Victoria come down the stairs. Victoria is clad in a bright blue shirt a pair of jeans and a neon pink tutu. A plastic crown adorned her head.
"Victoria, you can't wear that to school." Kate says looking at her daughter. Castle glances at Kate and gives her a 'don't start' look.
"Although I'm sure you're friends will love it." She smiles softly as she starts packing the lunches.
"Ok everyone, we need to get going!" Kate calls shifting and zipping the last lunch box. She sets them on the counter and helps Sidney down onto the floor.
"Shoes please!" She calls again looking at Sidney as he runs off and grabs his shoes slipping them on. He comes back and reaches up to be held again. Kate sighs and lifts up the boy carefully.
"Do you have you're backpack?" Kate asks him.
"In my room." He tells his mom.
"Didn't I tell you we were leaving?" Kate sighs again louder this time as she sets him down.
"Well, go get it mister!" She watches as he pouts running up to his room. Minutes later the family is taking the elevator down to the lobby. Its warming up now so they can stand outside.
"I'll wait here with the three, you can go with Johanna." Kate smiles and kisses her husband.
"I'll meet up with you when you come by." She adds as Castle looks at Johanna and waits for her to follow him.
"I go with daddy?" Victoria asks swirling around to show off her tutu.
"No, you stay with mommy. You will see him after school." She explains as Castle kisses each of his kids.
"Yes, I'll see you later." He smiles softly leaving with Johanna. The 'walking school bus' comes a few minutes later and Kate is having a hard time getting Sidney to go. Finally he lets go an Kate is alone now as She waits for Castle to come by with Johanna and her friends. Its moments later when she spots them about a half a block away. Walking up, the group of friends smile at Kate as Castle takes her hand.
"Morning Mrs. C." The four smile.
"Morning Eddy, Emma, Jane, and Mark." Kate smiles at them as they continue their walk to school. They arrive about 20 minutes later and Castle lets the four go as Kate watches from behind.
"Ready?" Castle asks as the kids disappear into the school.
"Yeah, I have to pee though, so we need to stop in to that Starbucks on the way home." She says shifting and resting a hand on her stomach.
"Soon Arejay soon." Kate sighs as the couple starts their way back home. They get to the Starbucks and Kate heads to the bathroom and has Castle get her a large tea and he gets himself a coffee. They leave moments later and continue on home.
"I did some research last night." Castle says as they walk.
"I learned a lot about Spina Bifida Cystica, and some kids need walkers and stuff and some even need a wheelchair." He explains wrapping an arm around his wife.
"I know we love the loft, and this will be really hard for me and you to move but I think I found us the perfect place." Castle smiles softly checking to make sure Dax is next to him.
"Really?" Kate smiles at her husband.
"its a little out of our reach, but I think its perfect." He smiles softly dreaming of the place he'd seen online.
"Would you be up to going and looking at it?" Castle asks shifting and looking at his wife.
"I would love too." She smiles as they reach the subway. The two ride it a few stops to their stop and get off. They walk a few blocks and end up on Park Place. Castle knows this is not something she would of picked but he knew if he let her pick the couple would be looking for hours and Castle felt like he had to step in. They reach the leasing office and the woman takes them up stairs. It's on the fifth floor so it's not that far of a ride up. Just enough to get in a few kisses before before seeing the kids, or, change clothes to hide something. Really enough time for anything. The elevator stops and the couple gets out following the leasing agent. She opens the door and Kate is thrown back at the amazingness that could become their new home. She shows them around and the two are sitting on the couch talking about which rooms would be perfect for which kids. they also figured they could turn one of the bedrooms upstairs into an office while turning the office into a bedroom for Arejay. The two sat for a little while longer as Kate leaned on Castle.
"So, uh, babe, what do you think?" Castle asks, a hand resting on his wife's stomach.
"It's amazing Castle." She beams putting her hand over his.
"Its perfect." She adds kissing her husband. The two are watching the view almost lost in a dream world.
"So, is this the place?" He asks watching his beautiful wife.
"I think so." She smiles back at him giving him a small kiss.
"Well then, lets go work on some paperwork." He smiles again sifting and helping his wife up. Within the hour the two are standing in their new apartment.
"We did it Castle." kate smiles.
"We just have to move." Castle chuckles falling onto the couch knowing they should get get going soon because the kids will be home soon from school.
"Don't mention it." She groans leaning on him.
"I'm pregnant Castle, I'm not much for helping move boxes." She sighs softly.
"Thats why, you can help pack and we will get a moving crew to help pack the truck." He explains
"Yeah I guess we could do that." She nods.
"We should go." She says watching Castle get up and help her up. The two head home and thankfully make it home before the kids. They want to tell the kids about the house but decide to wait a few days so they can process it themselves. The two are really excited about starting this new venture. A new baby and a new house. what could be better?
A/N: So, the babies name as you can tell is Arejay but I'm stuck on middle names. So if you have any ideas please let me know. I have two so far Arejay Samson and Arejay David.