A/N: I greatly apologize for the amount of time it took to update! Turns out finals week was more stressful than I thought it would be. But, better late than never. And, to clarify from the first part of chapter one - she's not in labor on the same day as Aiden's birth. It's just the same timing of the actual labor, itself. Hope that helps!
Adjusting to the darkness of the room . . . not knowing what time it was, but damn what was that noise?
Kate came to her awareness, hitting something – anything – on the nightstand next to her that was making that awfully loud ring. As she peeled back her eyes to see where she was aiming, she saw her husband's picture flashing on the rectangle screen.
Her phone.
Sliding the unlock button, she sat up slightly and answered her phone.
"He – hello?"
"Are you still sleeping?"
"What time is it?"
"Four."
"In the afternoon!"
"Yeah."
"Oh my god. I was out," she said, sliding upward, "I'm surprised I didn't wake up."
"Yeah, me too. Are we still doing dinner?"
"Yeah, did you want to order out?"
"Yeah, no sense going anywhere if you're going to sleep through it."
"Shut it. I'm awake now."
But she wasn't. She could place herself in this bed and not wake up, for what felt like, days.
"Alright, I should be an hour and then I'll come home. Do you want me to pick up something on the way?"
"No, just come home and then we can go from there."
When Castle arrived, he twisted the key and turned the handle expecting to see a lit loft with a television on or Kate reading a book. But, when he opened the door, he had to hit the switch next to him to even step inside. Everything was off and the dishes that were in the sink remained in their fixed positions. As he opened the door, he picked up the newspaper that was juggling between his feet.
"Kate?" he shouted, confused.
He put his bag down on the table and put the newspaper in the basket next to the couch, its plastic slip in the trash. He could see through the holes in the bookshelves that she wasn't in the study. She couldn't be upstairs. There was nothing up there besides a few boxes left in Alexis' old room. Martha had moved out a month ago for their belated wedding present.
"Kate?" he whispered as he opened the door to their bedroom. The shades were still drawn and a lump was at the bottom of the bed. Her feet.
Castle sat on the edge of the bed, pulling the covers slightly away from Kate's face.
"Kate," he spoke, softly, as he rubbed her shoulder.
He waited for her to come around, see that it was just him sitting next to her.
"Did I fall asleep again?" she jumped, now sitting in the bed.
"Yeah, you did."
"I don't know why, but I am so tired."
"Well, one would be tired after working two days without any time for real sleep."
She rubbed her eyes and brought her knees to her chin – fought the urge to roll back over and fall asleep until tomorrow.
"Are you hungry?"
"Actually, no."
"Well, it's a mystery to when you last ate, so let's get up. Maybe you should wash your face? Get a little more awake?"
"Yeah, let me do that. Go get the menus out and see what you want."
Kate swung her legs over to the other side of the bed and felt the cold floor underneath. Her socks must have fallen off during the night – or day. She found her slippers near the closet and put them on her feet. In the bathroom, a towel stayed where she put it this morning after coming home. After washing her face, trying to feel more energized, she brushed her teeth and changed her shirt. While walking into the kitchen, she decided to re-do the sprayed ponytail that was hanging over the back of her neck.
"Are we going somewhere?"
"No – why?"
"You changed your shirt and your hair is not falling over your shoulders."
"That doesn't mean I'm ready to leave, Castle."
"I'm kidding. Why are you changing to just go back to sleep in a few hours?" he said as he flipped through his book of menus.
"I'm trying to get up, I feel like I've been hit by a bus."
"Well, last time I checked, you haven't"
Kate joined him at the kitchen island, sliding into the round seat.
"Funny. So, what are we having?"
"I was thinking pizza."
"God, no. Let's have Chinese."
"Ookayy."
"I just really don't want pizza now. I've ate that for the past two days and I think I might get sick if I even smell it one more time."
"Chinese it is."
After placing their order, Kate sat down in the corner of the sofa. Her feet sprawled out, taking up multiple spots and a blanket making her occupied space even larger.
Castle joined her, picked up her feet and laid them on top of his lap.
"Are we watching a movie?"
"Sure."
"Are you going to fall asleep before the food gets here?"
"No," she barked, giving him a look.
"Okay. Just kidding."
Kate rubbed her head, bringing another hand out from her blanket.
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Not really. I feel really out of it."
"Maybe you should go lie back down. Take a bath?"
"I'm fine. Maybe later."
"Your dad called my cell today."
"Why?"
"He needs you to send the new number. He still doesn't have our address. I gave it to him over the phone, and the number too."
"Thanks, I mean, I meant to send out those cards, but I haven't had time."
"It's okay. It's just weird that he didn't call you."
"Well, he might have. I didn't check my phone all day."
"Oh, okay. Well, after the meeting, Alexis called. Everything worked out. The roommate paid her half and said that this was a one time thing, but, I doubt it."
"Why doesn't Alexis ask her to leave. You're the name on the lease?"
"It's Alexis."
"I guess, but she's going to get annoyed eventually."
"I know, but we need to let her figure out that one before she believes us."
After dinner, and a disappointing movie, they decided to get ready for bed. Castle wasn't tired, but Kate wasn't going to make it to the bed if she waited any longer. While she was taking a bath, trying to sweat out any fever that might be developing, he took a shower and changed into his sweatpants. Brushing his fingers over Aiden's picture – like he did every night before he left the dresser – he put his phone on the charger next to the picture frame and went to his bed. Kate reappeared with a towel on her head and her pajamas replaced on her body.
"Are you feeling better?"
"I'm feeling cleaner. I'm just going to go to bed."
She slid next to him, her feet not touching his. Her whole body curled up, but not touching him.
Castle reached his hand up to her forehead, checking its temperature.
"You don't seem to have a fever. Maybe you're just really exhausting yourself."
"Since when did your hand have thermometer qualities?" she snapped.
Castle let this one blow over. She's really tired, like verging on unhealthy tired.
"Night, Kate."
He kissed her temple, brushed her hair away from her face and saw her eyelids already shut. She drifted off to sleep as soon as her head hit the pillow.
Thoughts? Updates are going to be more constant now that the semester is over!