I shall now disclaim away: I do not have any ownership or profit from Caste.
I would like to thank you for your patience in waiting for this chapter. I have been busy with little lambs coming into the world. I work at a farm right now. It's very busy and I wish I had more time to write, but this will have to do for now.
I will do my best to update at least weekly.
"It's now time for the father daughter dance," Ryan announced, causing Jim to stand up and walk over to his daughter.
Kate gave Rick's hand a light squeeze before standing up to join her father.
"I hope you don't mind," Jim sounded a little nervous, "but I asked Rick if I could choose the song." As he spoke the song began, Louis Armstrong's voice raspy and perfect.
I see trees of green, red roses too.
"I love it," Kate said as she smiled, looking over her fathers shoulder at her new husband and daughter, as they too danced. Kate hugged her father as they danced, "I wish she could see this, all he put into this, he made the perfect day for us."
Soon it was time for the Castles to make their exit, though Kate had no idea where Rick wanted to take her for their honeymoon.
"Ok, I know this is spur of the moment and that you might not want to," Rick began, "but I was hoping that maybe you would like it, and that you wouldn't want to shoot me afterwards. They say this is a really good time to go and …"
"Spit it out, Castle," Kate teased.
"I have tickets to Budapest, we leave tomorrow morning." Rick said, somewhat unsure still.
"Wait, what?" Kate was secretly happy they were in the back of a limo, so she could look at him.
"Yeah, they have some nice things to see and the thermal pools and I wanted a little mini-moon, before the little one arrives," Rick explained.
"Wow, babe," Kate was still in shock, "that sounds sooo good, but – did you clear it with Gates?"
"I talked to her earlier today, and she said that if I get you back by Wednesday she's fine with it." He said, sounding a little more hopeful.
"Then we better go pack," Kate was getting excited. I really can't believe how much planning he did.
Their entire trip was wonderful, filled with sight seeing, visits to thermal pools and a lot of staying in at the hotel. They came back rejuvenated.
oOoOoOo
"Detective, Castle, nice of you to join us," Gates said as they walked into the bullpen. "I hope you had a nice honeymoon."
"Well, it was more of a long weekend or a mini-moon," Rick mused, but stopped abruptly at the look he got from the captain.
"Yes, sir, it was amazing," Kate said, beaming. "My husband planned an amazing vacation."
At her use of the word husband, Rick looked at her and smiled wide.
"Good, well I expect the both of you to stay professional at work, we have a new case," Gates said, turning around to head into her office, looked over her shoulder and added, " the info is in the folder on your desk."
"Sir?" Kate said, uncertain. "Does this mean that I'm back on active duty?"
Gates looked at her over her glasses, "no, detective, it means you are allowed to go to crime scenes and interrogation. Any takedown or leads on suspects will be handled by detectives Ryan and Esposito."
"Yes, sir," Kate smiled, "thank you, sir."
"Yes, thank you," Rick added, sighing a breath of relief.
Rick and Kate went to the crime scene a few minutes later. When they got there, the boys had already asked unis to canvass the neighborhood, and they were following the CSU techs around. Lanie looked a bit unnerved as she saw Kate walking towards her.
"Hey, sweetie," Lanie said softly. "Welcome back."
"Hey, Lanie, thanks," Kate smiled, then put on her detective face. "What have you got for us?"
As Lanie turned around they could see what she was holding.
"A baby?" Rick couldn't contain himself, "may I hold him, her, the, uhm, baby?" He asked animatedly as he walked closer to Lanie to peek at the infant.
"It's a him and yes, you may," Lanie said and smiled at Ricks enthusiasm.
When Rick took him, the child immediately relaxed into his chest, then started to try and find food.
"This little guy is hungry," Rick said as he looked at his wife, Kate looked a little nervous as she took in the scene before her and automatically put her hand on her growing baby bump.
"I think we need to go get him some supplies, and food." Rick said as he told LT to follow, "I'm taking a uni with me, so he'll still in police custody." He said over his shoulder.
"Come on, we'll get ice cream," LT just followed looking equal parts annoyed and amused.
"Uhm, Castle," Kate called as she rushed over to him, "are you sure you're qualified to take him?"
"Sure," he grinned, "I have and RHD in childcare."
"RHD?" Kate sighed.
"Yes, Ruggedly Handsome Dad," he said as he turned around and walked to LTs cruiser.
"Right," she said as she rolled her eyes at her husband.
He really is ruggedly handsome, but I won't be telling him that any time soon. I doubt his ego can handle growing by that much. Kate laughed to herself.
When Kate got back to the precinct, she hadn't heard from Rick in a few hours and was starting to worry a little. The baby should be under police protection and Rick, well, Rick wasn't that.
She picked up her phone to call him, when she heard the elevator ding and open, revealing Rick with a diaper bag over his shoulder and a baby dressed up as Uncle Sam in his arms. LT followed with a stroller and a few bags
"Castle, where have you been? And what is all this stuff?" Kate asked as Rick walked towards her.
"Well, we went shopping, and had to buy some new clothes, because someone made a mess earlier," Rick said gleefully.
"Why is he dressed like Uncle Sam?" Kate asked.
"Well tomorrow is the fourth, and it's adorable. It was expensive, but totally worth it. Don't you think Cosmo looks adorable?" Rick asked as the baby started to squirm.
"What's a Cosmo?" Kate began, "did you name the baby Cosmo?"
"Yeah," Rick sighed, "it's what I what I would have named Alexis if she had been a boy."
"Well, I'm glad you're getting it out of your system, because our baby will not be called Cosmo." Kate stated in a way that left no room for discussion.
When it was time to go home, the social worker told them there was nowhere to place the boy, except for a group home that was already overcrowded. Rick offered to take him back to their place for the night, and although Kate was apprehensive about it, she agreed.
What did I just get myself into? I'm not really ready for this, but – it might be good practice.
After a hectic night that was filled with things not at all resembling sleep, the Castles woke up to Martha cooing over Cosmo and feeding him from a bottle.
We must have dozed off at some point, thank God for Martha.
Just then, Alexis walked in after spending the night with the barista.
"How long have I been gone?" She said shocked at the scene before her.
"Ha, ha, very funny," Rick said as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes. "This is Cosmo, he's a witness to a murder that happened yesterday, we are taking care of him, so he can stay in police custody." Rick finished as he stood up, walked to the kitchen and stared to make coffee.
"His name isn't really Cosmo is it?" Alexis asked with a weird look on her face.
"No, that's just your dads nickname for him while we don't know what his real name is." Kate said as she sat up, and accepted the coffee from Rick, took a sip, frowned and put the cup down.
"What? Is the coffee not good?" Rick asked, eyeing his wife curiously.
"No, it's not that," Kate began, "it's just," Kate hesitated. "It's just, I don't think I should be drinking coffee at all."
"Oh, right," Rick said, "it's bad for the baby, all that caffeine. Well it's a good thing then that I gave you decaf." Rick said with a weirdly proud look on his face.
Kate gave him a loving smile said, "thanks, babe."
"Well, I need to get back to work," Kate said as she stretched and stifled a yawn.
"We'll come with you," Rick said as he stood up and walked over to Martha, who was still cooing over the baby.
"Well now, Richard, the precinct is no place for an infant," Martha said in an airy tone.
"Yeah, we could take him, right gram," Alexis said quickly. "It'd be good practice before that one is born," she continued, pointing at Kate's abdomen.
Rick looked at Kate for an answer, with a glint in his eye.
"All right, as long as you call if there is anything you need," Kate said.
"Of course," Alexis said looking at Kate, then looked at Cosmo and cooed, "do you want to go to the park? It's the fourth of July and there will be balloons and music and pretty lights."
Kate couldn't help the proud smile on her face.
"You're going to be an amazing big sister," Kate said still smiling, as she walked over to Alexis and wrapped her in a tight hug.
When Kate and Rick walked into the bullpen, Ryan greeted them.
"Hey Castles," he said smiling, "we have a lead."
"All right, you and Espo go and check it out," Kate began, "and Ryan, keep me updated."
"Will do," Ryan said as he got his gun from his locked desk drawer and headed out, with Espo following close behind.
"It's weird to just sit and wait for news," Kate said grumpily.
"Now you know how I feel when you leave me behind." Rick said, then added in a more cheerful tone, "maybe from now on you'll let me join you?"
"No, babe," Kate said in a somewhat serious tone, "I kinda love you too much to let you get yourself killed." She put her hand in his on her desk and sighed in content at the contact.
Kate's phone rang, "Beckett." She listened intently at whoever was calling, "got it, yeah I'll call her right now."
Kate hung up, then dialed the number and waited for Alexis to pick up.
"Hey, Kate," Alexis answered.
"Hey, bud, I need you to bring Cosmo to the precinct, we found his mother."
Kate could hear Alexis tell her grandmother that they needed to turn around and go the other way, that Kate needed Cosmo back.
"We're on our way," Alexis said before she hung up.
The boys entered the precinct, followed closely by a semi frantic woman, looking for her son.
"Is he here? Do you have my son?"
"He will be here shortly, but first we need to ask you a few questions." Kate did her best to remain calm, but her hormones were making it hard for her. By sheer force of will she managed to appear calm, only Rick seemed to realize that she was not her same fierce self.
As Kate finished her interview with the woman, Alexis and Martha walked in with Cosmo. His mother ran over to him, just to be able to hold him again. She had tears streaming down her face and with that Kate's resolve crumbled. So she walked with her head high, and back to everyone so as to appear to be in control, towards the break room. She didn't notice that Rick had followed her until his arms were around her, he must have known she would need a hug and a shoulder to dampen with a few tears.
"I just think about what this woman must have been going through," Kate said as she wiped away the tears that had already fallen. "It just brings me back to Alexis and Paris, I was so worried about the both of you."
"I know," Rick was trying to calm her down. "But just like with Alexis, we had a happy ending. The killer was caught, Cosmo is with his mother, and Alexis is safe with us at home. Everything is great"
"You're right," Kate said, slowly getting her emotions in check. "Thank you."
"For what?" Rick sounded confused.
"For being there, here for me, calming me down and supporting me." Kate leaned in and put her head on his chest, listening to his heartbeat.
"Always," Rick stated simply.
A/N: I know that The Good, The Bad and The Baby is a thanksgiving episode, but I wanted the case to be their first after they got back to work. I hope you don't mind.
Also I didn't really want to write the entire crime aspect of the episode, so I just made assumptions that everyone choosing to read Castle fanfic has seen the show. Hopefully I'm not wrong.
