The zoo. One of the family's most favorite places to visit in New York. It's been a while since the family had gone, and Kate had requested they go. She was 38 weeks pregnant and hoped that maybe walking the zoo would help speed up the labor process. Now, she was not in labor but she thought, maybe just maybe this would push her over. It was a cold December Saturday morning when the family had gotten up and got dressed to go to the zoo. The kids were stoked. Both Nate and Sidney had loved animals. Each child having one animal they wanted to see.
The family has just pulled up and found a parking spot near the front. Sunscreen had been put on even though it was cold, and they had jackets on. Kate had read years ago, that even if it was cold, the sun was out, and you could still get a sunburn. Getting out Kate grabs her bag and slings it over her shoulder. They had packed some snacks in a backpack, and Kate had made Castle take that one. It had been too heavy, and she did not feel like wearing it all day. Turning she closes her door and reaches out for hands in the parking lot. The kids take hands and they get up to the ticket counter moments later.
"Two adults and four kids please," Castle says leaning on the counter pulling his wallet out. Opening the leather billfold he pulls out his credit card and slides it under the little plexiglass window so the man can charge it. She slides it back when he's done and hands Castle the tickets. Taking the tickets, he walks with his family to the turnstiles and hands them the tickets.
"Hey, what do you want to see first?" Castle asks sliding an arm around his wife and walking with her.
"I wanna see the monkey's daddy!" Victoria smiles reaching to take the map from her father.
"I think we can arrange that!" He shifts and ruffles his daughters hair as she looks over the map for the Brooklyn zoo.
"I want to see the map Toria!" Sidney pouts trying to grab it from his sister. She gives him a death glare and turns from him.
"Not done yet Sidney!" She pouts turning every which way to avoid her brother as he's trying to reach for the map.
"STOP IT!" She cries just as Castle turns to see his two kids fighting.
"Victoria, would you please hand over the map?" His voice stern as he looks from his one kid to the other. Victoria has her arms crossed. She's mad because she has to give up the map. She shouldn't be, but she is.
"Why don't we just go home," Castle says looking up to see Nate give his sister a pleading look. He was so excited to come here that he was mad that his sister was acting out.
"FINE!" The girl rolls her eyes and swings the map at her brother. He takes it and looks it over while walking.
It's a while later, and the family has walked the first half of the zoo. They had decided on sitting for a snack when Kate tells Castle she has to pee.
"Well, I think there's a bathroom down this pathway," Castle says pointing ahead of him.
"Anyone else have to go?" Kate asks as Victoria raises her hand, and Sidney comes running over reaching around his mom. He does not have to go, but he just wants to be around her and is just a tad bit scared she's not going to come back.
"Ok, let's go then my munchkins." She chuckles softly and take's the two kid's hands and walking with them down the path to the bathroom. The three are in the bathroom, and Kate is complaining to Sidney because now he says he does not have to go. She tried to convince him to just try to go but he insists he's fine, and he will go later.
While the three are in the bathroom, Castle, Nate, Johanna, and Dax are sitting outside on a bench. They had been talking about the baby, and Castle was filling them in on information he was not really ready to tell Sidney and Victoria. It's just then that Nate happens to look up to see his dad's head twitching, he's never been in a situation like this where is dad is having a seizure without his mom near by.
"Dad?" Johanna looks at him concerned as his body jerks again.
"Nate, get dads phone, we have to track them!" She instructs as Nate awkwardly reaches in his dad's pocket for his phone. He's fumbling with it as he tries to unlock it. He knows his dad has the fingerprint lock on it but with his unresponsive dad twitching, he was finding it rather hard to unlock it. He finally does though a few moments later and has the app open and is tracking them.
"What do we do now?" Johanna asks her brother watching her dad trying not to sound scared.
"Well uh, I don't remember," Nate says his eyes big watching his father's side twitch.
"I never expected to be alone with him." She trembles hoping her mother comes out soon. Castle has had plenty of seizures before, and the kids have seen a good few of them, but this had scared the two. He was not responding like usual, even to the waving of the hand in his face.
"Daddy?" Nate calls looking down at his father's phone has he tracks another seizure. He's supposed to hit the track button every time he sees his dad twitch. He's hit the button what feels like a million times now when Castle finally comes to. Thankfully Kate and the two had finally come back from the bathroom. Kate had a smile on her face but that quickly changed when she saw the looks on her kid's faces.
"He blacked out this time momma, I don't think his meds are working." Johanna sighs softly as Castle is looking at everyone quite surprised. He had felt the Keppra was doing it's job, but apparently not.
"Tell me how you feel, Castle, do we need to go home?" Kate asks reaching to take her husband's hand.
"I feel dizzy, Maybe I just need some food." He groans softly and reaches for the backpack on the bench.
"Nate you help?" Kate asks as Johanna helps Sidney and Victoria on the bench. Nate reaches over and helps his dad to a granola bar opening it so Castle can take a bite. Kate's worried now because she thought they had been doing so good, and Castle could hopefully be seizure free for when she went into labor.
"Maybe we should just go home, I'm starting to get tired and I don't want another scare like that here." Kate sighs and gets up from the bench reaching for her husband's hands to help him up. This is when Castle would normally protest that he's fine, and they should stay, but he's not and Kate knows he must be feeling horrible. Carefully Kate helps Castle get up, and the family heads towards the exit so they can go home.
—
"I'm so sorry." Castle sighs on the car ride home.
"Hey, it's ok, things happen," Kate says reaching to squeeze Castle's hand at the stop light.
"We had a good morning and that's what counts." She smiles softly as the light turns green, and she turns onto their street.
"Yeah, I guess you are right." He chuckles softly looking back to see all four of his kids asleep in their seats. They finally make it home, and Kate wakes them before helping Castle up to the apartment. They both need a nap so Kate tells the kids they will e napping and helps Castle into bed. After about an hour nap, Castle is up and actively talking to Kate's belly.
"Hey there, little guy, I know you ant to come out but just wait a few weeks ok?" He smiles softly and rubs Kate's belly softly.
"I know this is going to be a hard road for all of us, but mommy and daddy are going to do everything they can to remove the bumps and make it as smooth as possible." He's trying not to cry, but it's not working.
"Mommy and Daddy love you so much, I think mommy loves you more though, I try to tell her I do, but she keeps insisting." He hiccups holding back tears.
"I know it's dark inside mommy, but soon you will come out and it will be bright and sunny, and you will see mommy's beautiful face."
"Its so pretty when she looks at me, like the time she told me about you for the first time, Her smile it just made me melt." He's crying now after not giving anymore about holding them in. Kate had thought she was dreaming but when she opened her eyes to see her husband crying and placing a kiss on her belly, she couldn't help but be happy with the man she was laying with. She's quiet as she listened to the man continues to talk to her stomach. She can't help but fall in love with him all over again. Just like he first time she laid eyes on him.
A/N: So this is a short chapter. I had planned on it being longer, but I got to finishing friends and the finale got to me and being the idiot I am put "In my veins" on repeat to finish this thing. I hope you enjoy and can't wait for you to meet Arejay!