Hi there! I am back! This chapter is a little shorter than normal and it's quite fluffy but I needed this uploaded before all the 'big stuff' happens (the wedding, the birth etc.) so I hope you guys enjoy! x
A private hospital room wasn't particularly the most stimulating area for one of the finest detectives in New York City. Castle being Castle made sure she immediately had the best private room the hospital offered. Of course she declined. Didn't think it was necessary but he insisted. And even though she was grateful… in a shared room she could at least observe other people around her and their relatives, maybe start a conversation with the person next to her... Kate shook her head, she shouldn't complain because she got luxury and smirked at herself for being so ridiculous as she checked her phone again.
Just as she was about to put her phone away and pick up her book she received a message. It was her fiancé. Castle kept messaging her asking if she was ok. She had sent him home so he could at least take a shower. He didn't want to leave her side not even when she was asleep.
'you still want to marry me?' the message read,
she shook her head and opened the text so she could answer 'not if you keep asking me' and hit send.
Kate quickly felt sorry and started to type again 'of course I do, just two more days…'
':) I'll be back in an hour, try not to be too bored' he messaged her back in a matter of seconds.
Kate grunted, he knew her too well 'I'm not bored' she typed, hitting send.
'yes you are' Castle replied.
Kate felt butterflies in her stomach. Or maybe it was the baby she was not sure at this point anymore… but suddenly she could not wait to be his wife. He knew her so well which she adored about him, about them, but it also sort of terrified her as the 'old Beckett' would creep up sometimes. Her therapist told her not to refer her past-self like the 'old Beckett' but lately she felt like such a different person with so much personal growth that she couldn't believe that that strong willed, short haired, driven by trauma, young female detective was herself. She shook her head trying to rid of her darkening thoughts and pulled the covers down and lovingly caressed her bump "daddy is silly..hmm.." she said out loud, knowing there was no one around to ridicule or judge her for talking to her stomach.
She made sure she wouldn't accidentally brush against her bandages as her wound still ached a bit. It wasn't that bad though, the incisions were miniscule as they used some sort of fancy tool that only left tiny marks on her body and were able to operate without having to open her up.
Her son started to move once she spoke. Responding to the sound of his mother's voice. Suddenly she got an idea and grabbed the thoroughly-read baby name book she carried around. It was full of penned down scribbles and circles around names she liked. Castle used another color pen and marked the names he liked and hopefully they would come up with a name that way. He wrote silly notes next to some of them, knowing she would see it and hopefully make her laugh.
She cleared her throat and read out loud a few of the names they both liked hoping the little alien (like her lovely fiancé liked to call their unborn son) would react and let her know which one he liked. Kate of course, knew it was just a silly game but she was bored and going through the baby name book again couldn't hurt.
"Nicholas"
She waited for a response in form of a kick or a jolt but her normally very active boy was lying quiet.
"alright… Zachary?"
Nothing.
"David? Joseph? Liam?"
Suddenly he acted up again but the word flow seemed to have more affect on her baby than the actual names itself and she shook her head "never mind, you don't really care do you? It's only your own name!"
Kate rested the tardy book on her stomach and lazily leafed through it and eventually reached the girl names section. She smiled. There were still a few girl names circled that she had done before she knew what gender the baby was gonna be. She hadn't looked at them in a while.
"Emily, Amélie, Charlotte…Johanna" she whispered.
Suddenly she noticed that next to one of the girls names there was something scribbled down. It was clearly Castle's handwriting 'for the next one' it said.
"A disaster!" Niels Gombert, the famed bridal designer, exclaimed. His hands held up in the air.
Lanie's eyes grew big "but I thought…?" She muttered. Panic spreading across her face.
Niels suddenly smirked, his arms crossing in front of his chest "I'm sorry liefie I was just kidding, but you weren't kidding were you about the state of the dress alright … but you know me, I can fix anything" his Dutch accent clearly noticeable as he spoke and motioned for one of his assistants to bring the dress over.
Lanie didn't have time to get angry about the joke Niels pulled on her but instead gasped "Niels, you did it!" and gently touched the fabric in awe.
It was restored in its previous glory and more. The white dress soft, crisp and flawless. The tear neatly sown and encrusted with subtle sparkles.
"she's gonna be so happy"
Niels smiled "I also made some changes so she would actually fit in the dress being pregnant and all" Niels commented as he proudly looked at 'his' creation
"thank you, thank you, thank you! You have no idea how happy this will make my girl"
Niels laid his hand on her shoulder "honey, I read the newspapers too… What a disaster story, I am happy to help"
Lanie kissed his cheek "thank you" she said softly
"maybe the next one will be for you?" Niels said as he again motioned his assistants to wrap the dress up so Lanie could take it with her.
Lanie huffed "yeah, no… that won't be happening anytime soon"
"Mother!" Castle called out as he brushed through his still wet hair and exited the bathroom. He had been showering and heard the front door open and close and the familiar sound of Martha's walk.
"Yes dear?" she answered. Startling him as she was closer than he thought she was. She was holding a cup of coffee in her hand as the other held stacks and stacks of different kind of papers, binders and magazines
"How are things going?" Castle asked hesitantly
"Don't look so worried my boy, things are going splendidly!"
Castle's face lit up "really? You have found a venue?"
Martha raised her finger "no, not yet"
Castle frowned "the essential guests are confirmed?"
"Well no"
"Mother!"
"Hear me out! The venue takes a little more time and planning alright and your lovely daughter is making sure the guests will be there"
Castle let out a breath "alright I am sorry, I am just a bit stressed. I need this to be amazing"
Martha smiled warmly "I know kiddo" as she gently elbowed him as all of her hands are full "it will, alright, I promise. Lanie called me just a few minutes ago. Apparently the dress is stunning, all damages restored"
Castle's smile widened "good, good. I am sorry I didn't trust you"
Martha shook her head "don't apologize just yet, we still have to set all of this up in two days" and let out a huff as she pirouetted on the balls of her feet and walked away in Martha fashion.
Castle couldn't help but smile. He had knocked on the door of her hospital room but she hadn't answered. Carefully he opened it and was relieved to see that she had just fallen asleep. The baby name book laid open on her stomach. Her fingers still between the pages.
Castle walked in. Careful to not wake her he laid a little plush elephant on her belly and on top of the book.
"Castle?" she suddenly said, her voice a little groggy, startling him yet again. She had felt his hand brush along hers and her cop senses woke her up.
"Hey" he said soft
"What's this?" she smiled and held the plush animal in her fingers. Almost gasping at how soft it was
"It's for him, and for you" as he leaned down to give her peck on the lips.
Kate stopped him from backing away. Her fingers brushing through the soft baby hairs at the nape of his neck.
"Thank you" she eventually said as she was the one now who backed away
"No thank you -" Castle answered her "- thank you for staying alive and keeping our baby safe"
Kate grabbed the little elephant and held it against her chest "I do my best" and reached for the book on her belly "I liked the note"
Castle quirked his eyebrow "note? I've left tons of notes, did you mean the note I left at the name Hunter because -"
Kate shook her head and laughed "no, not that one. At the girls name section"
Castle smiled and shrugged "I thought it was a cute name"
Kate smiled back at him as he sat down on her bed "it is"
There was a silence between them. Both thinking the same thing but neither of them really wanting to say it out loud.
"…so we've never really talked about it" Kate eventually said
"about what?"
"Babies, a family, our family. How many?"
Castle nodded "that's true, except for maybe little Cosmo… I just never wanted you to feel overwhelmed because even though I would love to have a little family with you. I needed for you to know that I wanted to marry you for you not for the possible future offspring"
Kate smiled and grabbed his hand, gently squeezing it "thank you. Honestly I never thought it was in the cards for me"
"why not?"
She shrugged "after my mom died I just gave up on those possible future dreams and I became a cop and I just didn't think there was anyone that I would trust to raise a family with. To show that person my weaknesses. Give myself to that person but then you happened" a shy smile appearing on her face.
Castle let out a deep breath. For the first time in his life he didn't know what to say. She didn't open up to him often but when she did it was so amazingly beautiful.
"Castle?" she carefully said as Kate had been looking at her stunned fiancé for a few seconds
"It's.. I'm just happy" he smiled
"I am sorry I… I was like that. I should have trusted you more. I should have stuck up for you"
"Kate, it's ok. I promise"
"No it's not. I love you Richard Castle. And with love comes trust and I owe you that"
Castle smiled "thank you, I love you too" and finally there was a weight lifted off his shoulders he hadn't even realized he had.
Thanks for reading! :)