Okay, to say that I'm blown away by the response to this story would be an understatement. Thank you for all the alerts and follows. I appreciate them more than you can ever know...Just know that this is AU so everyone is acting out of character...

When Kate arrived at her parents house, she could the questions in her moms eyes. After hugging her children, she walked into the kitchen and sat down at the kitchen table. She knew that her mom had a million questions for her. She also knew that her mom wouldn't ask for any details.

Kate sighed, "I told Noah's father about him."

Johanna's raised her eyebrows and asked, "And?"

"He wants to see him. He wasn't happy with me..."

Johanna nodded, "I figured that would be the case. I don't see how or why you kept this from him Katie. I know that your father wouldn't have forgiven me if I'd kept you from him..."

"I know mom. I don't know what I was thinking. I..."

"You weren't thinking Katie. Children need their parents and..."

"Please mom...I feel bad enough already..."

"I'm not trying to make you feel bad Katie. I'm just trying to make you see that he has every right to be mad. Do I know him?"

Kate shook her head, "Not really..."

"Katie...Who is it?"

Kate sighed, "You don't know him mom..."

"Katherine Houghton Beckett, don't play dumb with me. It's bad enough that you lied to everyone about who your sons father is, but you still keep doing it. When are you going to realize that you need to let people in?"

Kate shook her head, "I'm just scared mom..."

"Scared of what?"

"Scared that his father will take him away from me."

Johanna smiled and told her daughter, "He has no reason to. You are a wonderful mother. Both of your children are happy and safe."

"I know that, but I've made a mess out of everything. I should have been stronger and then none of this would have happened."

"Katie..."

Kate felt a migraine coming on. She rubbed her eyes and finally whispered, "Fine. His father is Richard Castle."

Kate had never seen her mother rendered speechless before. However, it was apparent that her revelation had done that. Her mothers mouth dropped open and she couldn't form any words. When she did finally speak she whispered, "The Richard Castle? My favorite author Richard Castle?"

Kate nodded and whispered, "Yeah mom. We were in love at one time."

"What happened?"

Kate sighed loudly and she knew that was a good question. Her mom asked, "Do you still love him Katie?"

Kate shrugged her shoulders and finally whispered, "I do, but it's ruined now. I ruined it when I kept Noah a secret for the past four years. What was I thinking mom? I cheated him out of his son and Noah out of knowing his father. All because I was afraid..."

Johanna didn't have an answer to that. All she could tell her daughter was, "You have to find a way to make it up to him."

Kate smiled softly, "I can show him the baby books and the videos."

Johanna nodded, "That's a start. Don't push him Katie. He's probably hurting. Just take it one day at a time."

Nodding, Kate walked back into the play room and watched his little boy playing with his sister. He had no idea that his world had just gotten so much bigger. He was not only going to be gaining a father, but another big sister. Her only hope was that he didn't end up hating her when he was older and realized what she'd done to him. How she'd kept him away from his father for such a long time.

Samantha saw her first and ran over to give her a hug. Kate smiled and hugged her daughter and then leaned down to wrap her son in a tight hug. Her little boy threw his arms around her neck and whispered, "Love you momma..."

Kate closed her eyes against the tears that threatened to fall. She kissed his tiny head and whispered, "I love you to baby..."

Noah shook his head, "I not a baby momma..."

Kate laughed at her baby boy, "No you aren't. Are you two ready to go?"

Samantha and Noah nodded and Kate thanked her parents for watching them. Johanna hugged her daughter and whispered, "Everything will work out okay Katie."

Kate could only smile at her mom as she left their house and walked to her car. She buckled her son into his seat and smiled down at him softly. Samantha looked at her mom and asked, "Are you okay mom?"

"I'm fine sweetie. I'm just worried about some things.."

Samantha thought that it was because of her. She immediately told her mom, "I'm sorry about fighting with Alexis at school. I promise I won't do it again and..."

Kate smiled softly at her daughter, "It's not because of you sweetie. I've just got a lot going on right now and..."

"And I had to act like a brat and..."

Kate grabbed Samantha and hugged her tightly and told her, "My mood has nothing to do with you Sam."

"Promise?"

Kate smiled, "I swear. It's just some adult things. Nothing for you to worry about Sam..."

Samantha turned her head to the side and she looked at her mom silently. Kate could tell that she was trying to judge whether or not to believe her. Kate finally hugged her and whispered, "Everything is okay Sam. I promise. I do have a surprise for you guys though."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. Alexis and her father are coming over for dinner tonight. We are having cheeseburgers."

Noah heard this and said, "Yay! I love them..."

Kate closed her eyes tightly and had to swallow hard against the pain that filled her at her sons innocent words. Then she whispered, "I know sweetheart."

Kate saw her daughter looking at her again and she forced a smile onto her face. Samantha obviously knew that something was up with her mother, but decided not to push things. Instead, she told her mom, "I'll help you cook."

Kate reached over and took Sam's hand and gave it a squeeze, "I'd really like that. Thank you."

Samantha smiled at her mom, "You're welcome. Not that I mind, but why are we having them over for dinner?"

Kate smiled, "No special reason."

Samantha didn't really believe her mom, but simply stared forward. She still thought that she had been part of the reason her mom was so sad, but she knew better than to push it. She quietly listened to her mom as she told her what their menu was for that night.

Meanwhile, Rick was having a similar conversation with Alexis. He simply told her that they were going over to Kate's house to have dinner with Kate and her kids. Alexis was a smart kid and could tell that there was something that her father wasn't telling her, but her dad had a sad look on his face. It reminded her of how he looked whenever she would talk about her mom. So, Alexis was very quiet on the trip over to the Beckett household.

When they reached the house, Alexis smiled and tugged on her father's hand. He was simply standing in front of the door looking at it. Almost as if he was afraid to announce their arrival. After another minute of them just standing there, Alexis sighed and went ahead and knocked. Wondering once again why her father was being so silly about something as simple as knocking on the door to her friends house.

The door was thrown open by Samantha. The two friends had to remind themselves that they were supposed to be mad at one another. Alexis simply breezed into the house and went past Samantha. When she saw her friends little brother, she smiled and hugged him. She smiled and whispered, "Hey there squirt!"

Noah smiled up at her and exclaimed, "Lex!"

Alexis nodded, "Yep! It's me! Do you wanna go play trucks with me and Sam? We can leaving the boring adults here."

Noah nodded and took her hand and pulled her towards their playroom. Rick watched as his daughter interacted with his little brother. Not knowing that she was his little brother. He ached to tell her the truth, but he knew that he couldn't. At least not yet. Not until he knew where they stood and whether Kate was going to allow them both to be a regular part of his life. He laughed to himself at that thought. He wasn't going to give her that option. One way or the other, he and Alexis were going to be part of his sons life. Whether she liked it or not.

He walked into the kitchen and asked Kate, "Do you need any help?"

Kate was shocked at the almost kind tone of his words. It was nothing like earlier. She knew that he was still upset at her, but maybe they could work towards a kind of truce. For Noah if for nothing else. She smiled, "The burgers are almost done. Would you mind setting the table?"

Rick nodded and smiled at her, "I can do that."

Kate smiled at him softly. Then she shook her head at how normal this felt. Nothing about this situation could be considered normal. At one time, she could see herself making a family with Rick and Alexis. She had ruined that and she knew that it would be a cold day in hell before he trusted her again.

Meanwhile, Alexis and Sam were talking softly. Alexis asked, "Is your mom acting weird? Because my father is acting totally different from normal."

Sam nodded, "She's acting like a completely different person. She usually smiled all the time, but now she's sad. I think it's my fault. I think I took this whole thing too far Lex."

Alexis shook her head, "I don't think so. My dad has been acting weird, but it's a weird kind of weird for him."

Sam turned her head to the side and asked, "What does that even mean?"

"He's acting like he does whenever I mention my mom. I mean, whenever I go to visit her. Like he's afraid that he won't ever see me again. Which is dumb because he's my dad."

"That's weird."

"Does your mom act like that whenever you mention your dad?"

Sam shrugged and told her friend, "I don't really talk about my dad."

"Why not?"

"Don't really remember him all that much. Only from the pictures that my mom has."

"That's sad Sam..I can't imagine not knowing my father. He's great."

"I have my mom."

Lex reached out and hugged her friend tightly. Then she whispered, "I'm sorry..."

"Don't worry. I just want Noah to have a dad. Mom doesn't even have pictures of his father."

"Why?"

"She never really said. I think it makes her sad..."

"Dad's like that about my mom. Not that he's ever told me anything like that."

Sam laughed, "Parents sure are weird. Aren't they?"

Alexis nodded, "Yeah. I won't be like that when I have kids."

"Me either. I'm going to be the best mom ever."

"Me to. Come on..."

Samantha asked her friend, "What are you doing?"

Lex smiled, "Going to spy on our parents.."

"What? Are you crazy? Noah will give us away in a second!"

"No he won't..He fell asleep five seconds after he started playing with the trucks."

Samantha looked at her brother and laughed. Then she took her friends hand and they hurried out of the playroom. Knowing that if they got caught they were going to be in so much trouble. They made it out to the kitchen and smiled when they saw their parents talking with each other. They still seemed upset, but a little less than before. Her mom was smiling more and Lex's father seemed happy.

Alexis smiled at her friend and they bumped their fists together. To them, their plans seemed to be working. However, neither of them realized that it was only the calm before the coming storms.