Disclaimer: I own none of the Castle characters, but will gladly write about them for you.


If Kate had, had any lingering doubts that Rick was all in, they were squashed when they heard the heartbeat for the first time.

He held her hand as the doctor told them to listen, and when the first beat could be heard, they looked at each other and she could see the tears filling his eyes as he smiled from ear to ear. She was smiling as she leaned back to rest her head on the examination chair, closed her eyes and listened to her little peanuts heartbeat.

This is it, this is what heaven sounds like.

After a little while Rick held out a hand to help her get up, so she could change back into her clothes. They sat down with the doctor in his office.

"Well, it appears you'll be having a Christmas baby," the doctor said happily. "Your due date is December 23rd.

"Wow," Kate gasped, "this is really real."

Rick chuckled, "because the morning sickness didn't help make this real."

She noticed the doctor cough something that sounded suspiciously close to laughter. "Well, I know it's real," she tried to reason, "it's just, we know when peanut is coming, we have a deadline."

"You are right, sweetheart," his tone a little more serious, "now we just need to get the nursery ready. But first, we need to get you to work."

The elevator dinged, "are you sure you can't stay?" Kate asked, adding, "I kind of like having someone around that knows about little peanut." She smiled as he ran his hand over her stomach and kissed her temple.

"As much as I would love to hang out and watch you do paperwork," he said earnestly, "I need to get things ready for dinner tonight, and check on the movers."

"Ok, Castle," She said pointedly, "see you later."

He tugged on her jacket as she was walking away, pulling her in to a corner next to the elevator. "What are -?" Was all she managed to say, before his lips were on hers. Her automatic reflex was to put one hand in his hair and another around his waist and pull him even closer.

What are we doing? We are at work!

She pulled away quickly, "Uhm, Rick, as much as I prefer this over our handshakes …" she began.

"I know, I'm sorry," he said, interrupting her. "I just, we are going to have the best Christmas ever!"

"I know," a loving smile across her still flushed face, "I have to go to work now." She turned the corner and awkwardly placed her fingers over her mouth, not quite sure how to act. She took a deep breath, steadying herself as she walked to her desk, sat down and started on paperwork.

"Boys!" Castle yelled over the bullpen, "take care of my fiancé today!" The elevator doors closed and he was gone.

Gates had kept her on desk duty after she threw up during their meeting and Kate had been getting stir crazy being so out of the loop, but right now, being able to sit down and keep her eyes on a case file was a blessing. Although it didn't have the desired effect.

"That was some goodbye," Esposito laughed.

Damn it, Rick, this is why we stay professional at work! Her embarrassment making her annoyed.

"Well, newly engaged bliss," Ryan noted knowingly. "When Jenny and I got engaged we were always making out. Man time flies, it feels like we just got married and now we're having a baby."

Color was slowly rising in both Kate's and Kevin's faces at the mentioning of a baby. Kate recovered quickly and congratulated her friend. "Hey, could you act surprised when Jenny tells you?" He nervously looked around as if half expecting to see his wife walk in and berate him.

"Of course," Kate smiled, "I understand a woman's need to share this kind of news themselves." Kate subconsciously ran her hand over her stomach as she went back to work.

The rest of her workday was uneventful, so after all her paperwork was done, and there were no new cases, she went home on time.

"You are in so much trouble, mister," Kate called into the loft as she shook off her coat and walked in. "Oh, hey," Kate was startled by the presence of her father in her living room, she didn't expect him until later. She walked over to him and hugged him, "hi, dad".

"Hello, Katie, how are you?"

"What? I'm fine, why do you ask?" She flushed scarlet, realizing she had overreacted a little. No one will notice, right?

"Mother will be home shortly," Rick said hastily, obviously trying to cover for Kate. "We will be having a wonderful family dinner to celebrate."

"Our engagement," Kate added quickly. Why are we so bad at this, we should be able to keep our cool? We are both adults, engaged adults, that interrogate people for a living! We can do this!

Kate gave Rick a sideways glance, as if to say 'dude, we need to keep calm', he nodded just enough for her to notice.

"So Jim," he began, "would you like a drink?" Rick winced and smiled apologetically, trying to fix his mistake he added, "we have water, coffee, tea, soda …"

Jim just smiled, being used to such fumbles, "water would be fine."

"Hello, darlings," Martha said loudly, waving, she always had to make an entrance, "ah, Jim, nice to see you again. Such wonderful news about the kids, don't you think."

"Yes, Martha," he smiled sweetly at his daughter. Kate beamed at him, "yes, it is."

"Let's eat." Rick said gesturing at the table, "Alexis! Dinner!"

"It looks great, babe," Kate smiled at Rick. Kate had learned that saltines usually helped with settling her stomach and was now able to eat a proper dinner most nights.

"Yeah, dad, good job." Alexis agreed as she walked down the stairs.

Dinner went great and they talked about Martha's time in LA and Jim's recent trip to his cabin. Alexis told them about school and then it was time for desert.

Rick put out individual deserts and a wrapped present next to each plate. What did you do? Kate knew he wanted to give the others gifts, but was surprised by her own.

"Dig in," Rick said with a sparkle in his eyes.

Martha and Alexis automatically reached for the gifts, obvious curiosity got the best of them. Jim slowly followed suit. Kate wanted to see the reaction to the sonograms, so she waited to open hers.

Martha opened her gift and looked at Kate with eyes gleaming with unshed tears, "I knew it, I knew it" She closed her box and walked over to Kate to hug her, "a mother knows these things."
Alexis stopped unwrapping her gift to watch her grandmother's reaction to the news and smiled along with Rick.

Jim's hands shook as he held the framed sonogram photo that had been in the gift box. "Katie, is this," he fumbled on his words, "are you -, am I going to be a, – a grandfather?" he finally finished as he stood up to walk over to his daughter.

As Jim wrapped his hands tightly around his daughter, Rick said proudly, "consider this an early Christmas present, baby Castle is due December 23rd." Kate let go of her father, just enough to look into his eyes, he was crying with joy, and that pushed the tears she had been holding to shed.

"Wow, Katie," Jim said as he wiped away the tears from his cheeks. "I'm so happy for you, this was our dream for you." There was no need to elaborate on the plural he used, Johanna had always been vocal about her want for her daughter to have a loving family, with lots of kids. She hugged him again tighter.

There wasn't a dry eye in the room.

"Crème brulee anyone?" Rick asked, "I made it myself."

Always there to break the tension, God I love this man.

Alexis sat down and noticed her gift again, it having been forgotten in the joy of the baby news. It was a key, "dad?"

"Yes, pumpkin," Rick looked up at a quizzical Alexis.

"Why are you giving me a key?" She asked.

"Ok, now this is just an offer," he was somewhat flustered, "don't feel like you need to or that you are being pushed to the side. Kate and I just thought you might want an occasional break, either from us or later on from the sleepless nights."

"Dad," she urged.

"It's the key to my apartment," Kate said simply, "just to cover our bases, you are welcome to decline and stay here, you are welcome to move full time to the apartment or you could split your time."

"I, wow," was all Alexis said.

"Well with a baby on the way, we thought you might need a break sometimes," Kate continued, "from me, your dad, your little brother or sister, any of it."

"Thank you, this is so cool."

"This does not mean that you get to be a stranger in this house, we will have you know!" Rick said in mocking stern voice.

"I second that," Kate said lovingly. I hope she knows how much I love her.

Kate had peeked into her box and was shocked to find a stunning charm bracelet with one stone hanging from it, a beautiful blue topaz. She closed the box again, deciding to keep it to herself a little while longer, no one seemed to notice when she put the box in her pocket.

When it was time for bed, Kate snuggled against Rick, exhausted after an emotional dinner.

"Babe? Why is there a blue topaz on the bracelet?" Kate asked.

"It's the birthstone for December." Rick sounded surprised by the question.

"I know that, what I meant to say was, why is there only a blue topaz on my bracelet?" She corrected herself.

"What do you mean?" Rick sounded so confused.

"Well if it is to represent Castle babies, then it's missing one," she smiled at him, "isn't it?"

"You mean ...?"

"Yeah, it feels like it's missing an opal."

"You amaze me."

He leaned in and kissed her, "I love you, both of you," he whispered as he ran his hand over her stomach.


So the opal is for October, I wasn't sure if there has ever been mention of Alexis' birthday so I just went with Molly's.

Sorry for the delay of the chapter, I have been working.

Hope it's worth the wait.