To all those who reviewed — thank you. This story seems to be getting off to a slightly slow start. I promise though that Castle will be more involved in this.

Chapter two:

Katherine Beckett walked into the precinct at 8am the next day. Not really ready to face her colleagues, in particular her partner, that day. She wasn't really sure why. It wasn't as if her…secret had gotten out. Or that she had told anyone but that glass of wine she downed last night in a slightly hazed and anxiety ridden state.

If I plan to get pregnant I should probably stop doing that.

She had plans to tell her boss she had a doctor's appointment, an urgent one, which could not be changed till after her shift. Thus would need approximately an hour off, right after lunch break.

Beckett had considered deeply the night before on whether the choice of the terms "doctors appointment" would arise curiosity in her hardened superior. However, considering she worked in a place full of cops, she figured lying to her uncompromising and suspicious boss would probably not be any safer.

So she thought it best to go talk to Gates right away. Before Castle got there.

It was commonly known that Castle tended to rock up to the precinct half an hour after Beckett did. He had reasoned that it was so she could assert her space, in her own time. Alone. Catch up on a bit of paper work, that sort of thing.

Kate knew better. Too busy catching up on beauty sleep and primping himself she thought. His hair looks far too good for him to just wake up like that!

No, definitely primping.

Kate looked at her wrist, her father watch encased around it.

8:05am.

Kate reasoned she had better go talk to Gates straight away. Who knew how Gates would react.

I wonder if begging will have to be involved…

Kate knocked hesitantly at Gates' office door. The steely-eyed woman arrived promptly at 7:30 every morning. A cup of short black immediately pushed into her hand, and followed suit by a slam of her office door.

The beast didn't like to be bothered in her cave.

"Come in." a curt voice spoke.

"Morning sir, I uh…have to ask for a personal leave of absence today. Just for an hour. Around 1o'clock. It's a doctor's appointment. Can't be changed." The words tumbled out of her mouth. Damn nervousness had gotten the better of her.

Smooth, Beckett.

Gates looked up at her, file in hand. One of her perfectly sculpted eyebrows perked up in slight curiosity.

"That's fine, detective. Just be sure to tell Ryan and Esposito before you leave."

Wow, that was easy.

"I-yes sir, of course."

Kate turned for the door.

"…And detective, I hope everything's alright."

Kate did not think of a smart enough response, and instead gave her boss a stiff nod, half a smile, and exited her office.

She walked back to her desk, that was buried somewhere under her mounds of paperwork. Slightly dumbfounded, and slightly relieved Gates did not ask any questions.

It was simple, now all she had to do was to sneak out of the precinct at 1 and-Oh. Oh dear.

Ryan and Esposito.

Gates had ordered her to tell them that she would be leaving.

In previous cases of Kate having to run off for an hour or so whilst still on duty, Kate would inform her co-workers of her whereabouts, and of course when she should be expected back. This was different though. Telling them she was going to the doctors would rouse concern and suspicion. There would no doubt be questions- they would probably tell Castle! It was a very little known secret that Katherine Beckett was a terrible liar. She could interrogate a suspect and spot every lie, yet–oh the sheer irony-she was a terrible liar herself.

Whilst having a small internal debate with herself, Esposito waltz straight in the precinct. Coffee in hand.

"Yo Beckett, morning"

Shit.

"Morning."

Be cool Kate, be cool.

Kate had managed to weasel her way out of the precinct at 1oclock; her anxiety only slightly exposed…her lying abilities however…

"Hey Espo, I'm gunna be gone for an hour, will you two hold the fort while I'm gone.? I'll be back around 2."

Esposito, Ryan and Castle all looked up from the suspect list they had been studying.

"Yeah…everything alright, boss?" Esposito quizzed her, looking at her in a similar fashion as Gates had this morning.

"Yeah, fine." Came Kate's reply. Short. Succinct. They stared at her, clearly looking for her to elaborate.

"Just have some personal…I-My dad. I'm meeting my dad." The words sounded unsure even to her ears.

"Okay."

The boys continued to stare. Suspicious, probably. They know I only meet up for lunch with my dad on Thursdays.

Kate grabbed her things, and darted out of there, hearing a mumble of words between the men before they went back to what they were doing.

"This guy sounds like a murderer. 'Jacob M. Pulley', arouses suspicion does it not?"

Kate thought she heard Castle say before the elevator doors closed.

Now here she was. Her right leg shaking in a nervous twitch as she sat at the doctors office waiting for her name to be called.

"Beckett."

Kate immediately stood up straight. Like a Meer cat that had spotted its enemy.

This was a stupid idea. A rash decision. Since when do I not think things over? This is a baby for a goodness sake! You can't just suddenly wake up and decide to have a baby that day!

"Beckett?" A nurse called again.

Kate managed to wobble into the doctor's room, hands wrestling with each other wildly as she took a seat next to the doctor's desk.

"Katherine, good to see you again. What can I do for you today?" The sweet, dark haired doctor smiled at her from her thin framed glasses.

Kate managed to speak up; "I want to have a baby. Via artificial insemination."

Any suggestions on how you want this story to go will be greatly appreciated. Please let me know if you want more!