A/N: Like I've said before, I'm not a doctor but I've seen my mom go through seizure studies so I kinda know how they work. I apologize for any inaccuracy. Also, I keep meaning to mention that I've noticed a lack of Dax. I have ADD so I'm forgetful sometimes and it's hard to write him in at every turn. He's still around just on the side.
Kate was up early the next morning. She almost felt like she was more worried for Castle than he was himself. She knew this was all good stuff but maybe it was the fact she was pregnant that her hormones played with her. Castle was still asleep as she watched him in the bed. She tried not to wake him because she knew he needed all the sleep he could get before this study. The rules were, Castle got four hours of sleep a night while having to stay awake the other 20. This would be hard for Kate to stay up that whole time so she got Javie and Ryan to come two of the four nights, with Alexis and Pi coming one night and the poker group the other night. Kate had made an agreement that they would just be playing for bragging rights and not money because Kate knew he would get too riled up and she was not wanting that to happen. Ordering breakfast for the two Kate wakes Castle up because she knows the nurse will be in soon to put the electrodes on.
"Castle, babe, it's time to get up," Kate speaks softly at Castle trying not to scare him awake.
"Oh, Hi, morning." Castle groans softly sitting up and smiling at his wife.
"I got us breakfast, you should shower before the nurse gets here, you know, so you're all nice and clean," Kate explains.
"That sounds like a good idea, will you also take Dax out to pee some point today too?" Castle asks swinging his legs over the hospital bed and carefully standing so he can go shower.
"Be glad too." Kate smiles softly.
"Although I can get Javie to pick up some puppy pads, just in case." Kate mentions as she takes Castles hand and helps him to the bathroom.
"I'll be outside, please holler if you need me." She pleads with him making sure he got in the shower safely and making sure Dax was in the bathroom as extra security.
Kate is sitting on the bed checking her twitter and sending out a few tweets to let everyone know what's going on. She also sent her father a text to check on the kids.
"Good morning to you too Arejay." Kate chuckles rubbing a hand on her stomach as she feels her son start kicking and moving.
Daddy B: Morning Katie kids still asleep
Kate: Thanks daddy means a lot for you to do this with Martha.
Daddy B: No worries Katie.
Kate: Call later to talk to the kids?
Daddy B: Sure text me first.
Kate: will do. gotta go!
Kate hit send as she hears screams coming from the bathroom as Dax is barking. She gets up quickly and runs into the bathroom seeing Castle with his eyes frozen shut.
"Seizure-soap-eyes." Castle trembles as he searches for the washcloth. He's trying to get the soap out of his eyes. Kate quickly strips so she can get in the shower and help him. She steps in and helps his face near the water.
"Ok, babe, carefully open your eyes and let the water wash them." She says holding him securely as the water starts to hit her. She's getting wet but, when they got married the two vowed 'for better or for worse'. This would have to be one of the worse's in life, but this was her husband. She'd do anything for him.
"It hurts." He cries trying to open his eyes.
"I know, babe I know, but you have to let the water get inside to wash them out, it will be over soon I promise." She smiles reassuring him. Castle peeps his eyes open with the help of his wife. As the two are still in the shower Kate hears a knock on the door. She knows its breakfast.
"Be out soon! you can set it on the bed!" Kate yells hoping the man delivering the food heard him. He did and carefully sets the food on the little table that was by the bed. Kate and Castle finish a little while later and they both get dry and dressed. Coming out of the bathroom Kate is happy to see the food sitting on the table. She was starving and after Castle's shower fiasco Kate was sure he was too.
"Thank you." Castle sighs as he eats his eggs watching his wife as she sits on the bed eating with him. He felt helpless in there and he hated feeling that way.
"Always." Kate smiles leaning over to kiss her husband.
"Nurse should be in soon, I know you hate this part." She sighs finishing her food.
"It's ok, I've done this before, I'm used to it now." Castle chuckles softly.
"Enough about me, what about Arejay?" Castle asks smiling softly at his wife.
"He's been moving all morning. he kept kicking me when I was in the shower helping you." Kate laughed softly.
"He must have liked it." Castle chuckled as the nurse came in.
"Morning, Richard." She smiles at him trying to make things go as smooth as possible.
"And you too Kate." She adds grabbing her bucket of tools and helping the other more quiet nurse push Castle's bed out so she can get to his head.
"I'm sure you know the drill." She smiles and starts gluing on the electrodes as Castle nods.
"So, I set up a few play dates for you, I hope you don't mind," Kate informed shifting as she sat to give Castles legs more room so he could be comfortable.
"Play dates huh? That's what you're calling them?" Castle chuckles softly.
"Yeah, you know, to help keep you awake." She points out reaching for his hand.
"If I was not pregnant, I would totally stay up with you." She clarifies moving some hair out of her face.
"No, I understand, I would never keep you up babe. Arejay needs his rest too." He answers. Even if Kate was not pregnant, Castle would never make her stay up the required 20 hours. It would drive them both bonkers and Castle knew they needed at least one sane person. The nurse finishes about 20 minutes later and wraps his head with gauze to hold it all in before she leaves to give the couple some time.
"You do realize, all Javie and Ryan are going to do all night is make jokes about me." He pouts sipping from the water he had in his hand.
"What? You saying you can't handle a few jokes from the boys?" Kate chuckles turning to see Castles Neurologist knock on the door and walk in.
"Morning you two." He smiles and stands at the foot of Castles bed.
"Dr. Jeffers, Hi." Castle greets him smiling softly.
"I wanted to brief you on whats going on these next few days, I'm sure you know most of the things I'm going to tell you. I just wanted to go over it again, incase you forgot anything." He starts, as Castle and Kate both nod.
"20 hours awake and a four hour sleep break, A nurse and or I will come in every four hours to give you a small test, check to make sure everything is going smoothly and check for any changes. I've already turned on the camera and the computer to track the seizures. Make sure someone pushes that red button if you feel a seizure coming on as well." He continues checking Castles chart one last time before picking up the test paper for the hour and glances it over.
"I'm going to start, no need to answer them fast, I just need an answer." He tells Castle as Kate gets of the bed to sit in the chair next to him so she does not skew any of his results.
"Two plus two."
"Four." Castle answers.
"The President of the United States."
"Barack Obama."
"Now I need you to remember three words for me, dog, water, and baby. Can you do that?" Dr Jeffers asks checking off his list that he answered the first two questions correctly.
"Dog, water, baby, I can do that." Castle nods.
"No help from Kate either." Dr. Jeffers chuckles softly setting the chart back down.
"Promise." Castle vowed watching his doctor in front of him.
"You did great, I'll see you in about four hours, you be good," Dr. Jeffers tells the two as he turns to leave.
"You did great babe." Kate smiles getting up carefully and going to give her husband a kiss.
"Thats easy stuff Kate, were are the harder questions!" Castle quips reaching for his water.
"This isn't Jeopardy Castle, this is about making sure you're still awake in that brain of yours." She chuckles getting up to get the iPad.
"Should we play a game? Or you wanna watch a movie?" Kate asks setting the iPad on the table.
"We could play a game of Scrabble, you can play on your phone and I'll play on the iPad." Castle suggests as he turns the iPad on and opens up Scrabble. Kate reaches for her phone and pulls up the app as she watches Castle and waits for him to start a game. He starts and Kate joins his game waiting for him to make is first move. The two are in the middle of their second game Castle having won the first game when a nurse comes in to test Castle again. She asks all the same question, this time though in reverse order and Castle gets an A+ for answering them all correctly. While Castle is being tested Kate sends a quick text to her dad giving him updates, and asking if the kids are available yet to talk. They are and moments later a FaceTime call is coming in from her father and she answers it.
"Dad!" Kate smiles sitting next to Castle as she holds her phone up so the two are in the frame of the camera.
"Katie! Rick!" Jim smiles as little Victoria pokes her head up from the bottom of the camera.
"Mommy, daddy!" She smiles brightly at her parents.
"Hi princess." Castle smiles softly at his daughter.
"Whats that on you're head?" She asks puzzled and a little weirded out as she studies her father.
"Those are wires that are listening to daddy's brain and tracking it. You know like Gram has that bracelet that tracks how far she walks, the one she gives you to cheat with." Kate chuckles as Martha gives a 'I do not' look.
"Oh," Victoria sighs.
"Are they hurting you daddy?" She asks as Sidney pokes his head into the view of the camera next to Victoria.
"No, I barely even know they are there." He smiles softly at his daughter.
"Hey, its Sid the squid!" Castle beams watching as Sidney jumps up and down at the sight of his dad.
"I miss you momma…" He sighs as Kate watches him.
"Me too buddy, me too." Kate sighs sadly glancing to see Nate and Johanna sitting on the couch behind the two.
"Maybe tomorrow Gram and Papa Jim can bring you to see us. That is if you are good." She smiles looking over to see Castle jerk slightly. She grabs the button and presses it to alert the nurses.
"Sidney, mommy and daddy have to go." She sighs
"I will see you tomorrow."
"Bye loves!" She smiles softly and hangs up. Shifting she puts the pone down and looks up to see a nurse coming in.
"Richard, I need to ask you those questions again." She says talking to him as he has another seizure. He nods trying to keep himself talking.
"two plus two."
"Uh, um, f-four?" Castle stutters. He answers the other two questions with trouble, as he has another seizure. Dax had been on the floor but by now he's on the bed trying to get close to Castle.
"Little struggle there Castle." The nurse says as Castle finish's his bout of seizures.
"But it's good. you talked and that's what we wanted." She smiles softly watching Kate rush off to the bathroom. She pees and comes back out moments later a hand resting on her stomach as she goes to sit next to Castle on the bed.
"Sorry, Arejay was making sure I was awake." She chuckles softly reaching to tai Castles hand and put it on her stomach.
"He's been kicking all morning." She smiles as The two feel him do it again.
"Hi they buddy, daddy here, you doing alright in there? I bet its nice and warm." He smiles and leans down to kiss Kate's belly.
"Mommy and daddy want you to stay in there as long as possible. I hope you can do that." He sighs softly as Kate is smiling watching her husband talk to their unborn son.
"Daddy's right, I want you to be nice big and healthy for us." Kate adds yawning softly.
"Nap my love, I'll watch a movie and when the boys arrive you can go get any work or paperwork you need from the precinct and bring it back, I don't want you to get behind." Castle smiles softly and lets Kate snuggle into him. Turning on a movie he holds Kate as she naps and he watches the movie. She's snoring as Castle watches 'Back to the future'. He's trying so hard to stay awake. He slept pretty good last night but the need for sleep is creeping up on him.
"Richard, don't you dare fall asleep." A nurse says through a speaker in his room as Castle jerks at the noise. Kate jumps up at his jerk and sighs whens he see's he's ok.
"Guess I wont take another nap." She sighs as her phone pings with a text. It was from Javie.
Javie: Hey be there soon.
Kate: Do me a favor? pick me up some puppy pads for Dax?
Javie: Sure see you both soon.
About an hour later both Javie and Ryan are at Castle's hospital door. Javie has the puppy pads and Ryan has a stack of books to help keep Castle awake.
"Hey man!" Javie smiles brightly as the two stroll into his room and stand at the edge of his bed.
"Hey!" He smiles back taking a sip of his water.
"Jenny wanted you to have these, she said they will help keep you awake." Ryan smiled handing Castle a stack of books. Random ones but he accepted them anyways.
"Thanks Kev." Castle smiles as Kate gets up kissing Castle.
"I'll be back in a few hours, you three stay awake till I come back." She smiles grabbing her purse and heading towards the door. Turning off the movie the boys chatted for about an hour before pulling out a deck of cards and playing a few rounds. All Kate had to do was get a few files of paperwork to fill out and check her work messages. It was around dinner time when she pulled up to the precinct in her street clothes. She had no clue half of the detectives would be there as she walked in.
"Captain." One of the men smiles as Kate gets off the elevator.
"Hello Parks." She smiles back as he follows her to her office his desk on the way.
"I thought you had the week off?" He asks watching Kate.
"Well, I had some paperwork I had to finish and I figured it would keep me busy at the hospital." She smiles softly.
"I have to keep Castle awake so this is perfect." She chuckles resting a hand in her stomach as she pulls her keys out and unlocks her office. She grabs what she needs and thanks the detective before walking out. She stops by the Meat Shack and gets her and the boys dinner before heading back to the hospital. Getting to Castles room She knocks and walks in smiling.
"Hey you three!" She says handing out the food.
"Grabbed some dinner, I hope my men are hungry!" She chuckles softly handing a burger patty to Dax.
"Thanks love." Castle smiles leaning over to kiss his wife.
"So, Did you win?" Kate asks digging into her burger.
"Actually, we all won a round." Castle smiles unwrapping his burger.
"Really? what are the odds?" She chuckles taking a drink of her soda. The four are done eating soon after and play a few more rounds of poker before Castle's next test. He's got about an hour before bed time and Javie and Ryan say their goodbye's and give the couple some time alone. Its 4am and a nurse has come in for one last test before letting Castle have his four hours of sleep.
"I'll be back in four hours to wake you have a good sleep." She explains and leaves the room closing the door. Kate is sitting in the chair reading as she looks up.
"Wan't me to sleep with you?" Kate asks setting her book down.
"Please?" Castle sighs softly. Kate gets up slowly and climbs into bed setting an alarm before snuggling next to her husband. Castle smiles and puts his arms around his wife a hand resting on her belly.
"I love you…" He smiles again kissing Kate softly.
"Love you too." Kate responds watching Castle yawn.
"Sleep babe, you need it." She adds holding Castle carefully watching him as he falls asleep. The two are exhausted and it's going to kill her when he has to get up in four hours.
A/N: FINALLY! This was taking forever. I dont know why. But Ive planned out like five more chapters yay! Enjoy!