Thank you Robert, for your Beta skills.

Eight weeks later

Kate had not officially moved into the loft, but she wound up letting herself in at all hours of the night, because she couldn't sleep alone in her own bed. She knew she was being silly claiming she didn't want to give up her place. Truth, she felt the loft was her home now. Rick didn't push, he relaxed once he realized she wasn't running. She was committed to-them. They'd set the date August 9th. Three months away.

Kate was surprised by the lack of ribbing the couple received from their fellow officers. Rick wasn't technically an officer, but he'd proven himself to the other cops. He was one of them. She was expecting pranks and the comments to never end. She was pleasantly surprised when that didn't happen. The captain may have laid down the law. When he spoke to the couple at the engagement party he assured the couple nothing changed. The only difference was they weren't hiding the fact they loved each other- only to themselves.

Kate looked at her dad's watch for the third time. Castle was late. When the elevator doors opened she watched as he stepped off the elevator and headed straight to the bathroom. She followed him.

Kate could see under the stall door he was kneeling at the toilet. She pulled paper towels out of the dispenser and wet a couple of them before heading into the stall. She handed them to Rick after he'd finished emptying the contents of his stomach. "Babe, I'm calling the doctor. This had been going on for a week solid." Kate rubbed his back as Rick hurled the remaining contents of his troubled stomach.

He accepted the wet towels and wiped his face. "I'm sorry I bought coffee but, I had to throw it away the smell is what started the-Castle paled, fighting to regain his composure. Just the thought of coffee right now and his stomach churned.

"It's okay, I drank a cup of tea this morning." Kate continued to rub Rick's back. "Better?"

Rick nodded and stood up, he went over to the sink and washed his face and hands. When he pulled a small tube of paste from his pocket and a compact toothbrush Kate's eyebrow shot up.

"It helps settle my stomach, if I brush my teeth-after." Rick paused holding his brush with a thin ribbon of paste.

Kate nodded. "I'm calling for an appointment." The detective turned and headed to her desk. She knew his doctor's number by heart. When he'd gotten sick she memorized it just in case. She also knew Alexis' doctor's number.

Rick came out of the bathroom, and he did look a little better. Kate was hanging up the phone. She'd gotten an appointment to see his doctor for later that morning.

Doctor's office

Kate and Rick sat waiting, the nurse took his temp, blood pressure, and checked his O2Sat. The nurse left and said "the doctor will be in shortly." She was telling the truth, five minutes later the doctor walked in.

His doctor shook Rick's hand and checked his throat and felt of his glands in his neck and then listened to his lungs. He had him take a couple of deep breaths as he moved the stethoscope around his chest and back. He finished and hung the scope around his neck.

"Rick, I'd like to check your blood for infection, and also for parasites, I understand you went out of the country recently?"

"Yes, Kate and I went to the Bahamas.." Rick pointed to Kate.

"I think it would be wise to draw blood from both of you, just as a precautionary measure." The doctor looked at Kate.

"Fine," Kate nodded. Parasites ugh, now she had to know if she was infected. The thought of worms crawling around inside was just creepy.

"The nurse will escort you to the lab, our lab is in- house. Fifteen twenty minutes?"

The couple nodded.

"Excellent." The doctor patted Rick's knee and headed out, the nurse led the couple to the lab. The phlebotomist was good, Kate barely felt the prick, she watched as the tech drew three vials of blood. Rick was squirming; Kate held his free hand and distracted him so the tech could draw the blood. Rick didn't want to watch.

Afterward the couple was escorted back to the waiting room. Rick flipped through the latest gossip rags, Kate picked up a copy of Brides, she wasn't one of those girls who spent years planning out the most intricate detail of the "big day." ever changing after seeing the latest trends and attending other people's weddings. Kate spent her time focusing on the groom. The kind of man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. She wanted a simple affair with close friends and family.

Their wedding planning got of hand quickly, the guest list was over 500 and counting. It seemed everyone wanted to plan their wedding, Kate even received advice from her Aunt Theresa, she wanted to post the engagement and pending wedding on Facebook. Thankfully her dad nipped that one in the bud. Kate stopped thumbing thru the magazine when she saw a picture of a couple standing under a canopy of flowers at the beach. That was it, she'd found her venue. She knew where she wanted to get married. The Hamptons.

'Mr. Castle," the nurse announced. Kate and Rick headed back in for the news. Kate was a little nervous.

The doctor looked solemn when he entered carrying a file folder.

"Rick your blood work showed no sign of infection or parasites. Kate your blood was also clear, however we ran a quantitative blood test, I had a hunch. You are about seven weeks pregnant. The test shows everything is normal and healthy, I would recommend you see your OBGYN as soon as possible. Do you have any questions?"

Rick looked at Kate, she was in shock.

"I-we used birth control, I was on the pill." Kate shook her head.

"Have you taken any antibiotics in the past three months?"

"No," Kate was thinking back, when Rick had the flu and then pneumonia "Dr. Casey gave me Tamiflu just a as a precaution."

The doctor shook his head. "Tamiflu can interfere with birth control, let me bring in the ultrasound, we will take a look." He could tell Kate was in shock. In the past when his patients saw the picture and heard the heart beat it made everything more real.

Rick was worried he wouldn't be around for the birth of his child "-So why am I getting sick?" He asked nervously. The doctor closed the folder and replied "Couvade Syndrome," he looked at Rick's confused face, "you are experiencing morning sickness. It happens more often than you think." Rick was relieved he wanted to raise this child with Kate.

Kate lay down on the table with her pants unbuttoned and lowered to her pubic bone. The tech squirted the warmed gel over her lower belly, and then rolled the wand back and forth... Rick's eyes were glued to the screen. He'd never been allowed to witness any part of Alexis' birth. Meredith didn't want him anywhere near her during her entire pregnancy. She didn't allow him to any of the doctor visits. He had to wait outside while Alexis was born. This was a new experience.

The tech stopped the wand, and punched a button on the machine, and began taking pictures. "I'm measuring the baby." She switched on the audio, Kate and Rick heard the heartbeat as they saw their child for the first time. Tears streamed from Rick's eyes. He tenderly kissed Kate, and touched their foreheads together. Kate was crying too. The couple didn't plan on starting a family this soon, but when did the couple ever do things the conventional way?

The couple was in awe as the tech pointed to their baby, she explained as she measured and recorded baby Castle. The baby was tiny, but there he/she was and in about thirty weeks, the treasured little bundle would be brought home from the hospital.

Rick and Kate left the doctor's office, with a grainy picture of baby Castle. Kate knew he would be by her side the entire pregnancy. She felt guilty he was the one experiencing morning sickness. He assured her he would gladly puke every morning if that kept her and baby Castle safe and healthy.

The next month went by in a flash. The couple was getting married tomorrow, the time table moved forward due to her pregnancy. Kate wanted to wear her mothers dress, and with the tiny bump it still fit.

Kate hand moved to her baby, she loved feeling the tiny bump that was their child. Rick couldn't keep his hands off her belly. He rubbed lotion on her tummy every night, and read a story to baby Castle... She'd finally relented and moved into the loft. Rick paid for the move. Kate was not even allowed to pack. Rick hired an entire crew. She could only supervise. If she did try and pick up something she was scolded by Donna her "personal assistant" who just so happened to be a registered nurse.

Kate stood in the guest bedroom in the Hamptons where her mother's dress hung on the armoire door. She was reflecting on her journey. She knew her mom would love Rick, he was a good man. She was sharing the master bedroom with him. Kate knew he would be a nervous wreck if they stood with tradition and kept apart until the wedding. She'd only kept the dress from him. Her soon-to-be husband would see it when she walked toward him, he would be the one standing with his back to the ocean under an arch covered with fresh flowers.

She wasn't surprised, noticing her hands rested on her belly. She wore her mother's ring on her right hand. Everything was as it should be. Thanks mom. Kate knew she was finally ready to live her life, she only hoped she would be half as good as her mother was to her.

"There you are-Castle sent me to find you, he suggested to start here." Lanie shook her head, the two had some kind of radar or something. They seemed to sense where the other one was at all times. Lanie had never witnessed the phenomena before. The rehearsal dinner is about to begin, I was sent to retrieve the bride.

The wedding party was staying at the house, with the couple. Her friend Mattie was a bridesmaid, she'd teased her when she found out she was "knocked-up," but she was happy for her. Alexis was serving as best man with Espo and Ryan as groomsmen.

The wedding

A quartet of strings played as Kate walked down the aisle on her father's arm. She wore her hair up, was nervously taking one step at a time until she saw Rick, he was beaming. (She knew the boy's were betting on who would cry first, her or him. Espo lost, he'd bet on Castle.) It was Kate seeing Rick and knowing he wasn't the man of her dreams, he was so much more than she'd ever imagined. Her dad reached into his pocket and handed her his hankie. Kate dabbed her eyes and continued her walk.

Judge Markowitz officiated the ceremony. He was the only other person Kate remembered seeing during the entire ceremony. Her eyes were on Rick.

Rick held her hand as she recited her vows to him: "Babe, I love you-" Kate started crying. Rick held her, he didn't care if it was protocol he couldn't stand there and watch her cry. He whispered encouraging words into her ear. The couple clung to each other until Kate was ready to continue. She took a deep breath and stood back a little so she could see his eyes, she spoke to him and him alone. "You are more than my partner, you are my soul-mate; once I found you I felt complete. I know what ever trials we face, we can make it through anything, as long as we are together. My vow to you from this day forward, I promise to love you and keep myself unto you until the day that I die."

Judge Markowitz wiped his eyes, "Rick, please recite your vows."

"I promise I will be by your side until the day I die. I promise to bring you coffee every morning, just to see you smile," Rick watched Kate smiled up at him. His eyes locked with hers, he wanted to make sure she knew his heart. "I love you Kate and I will honor you and the commitment we pledge today." He wanted her to know he meant every word, and he accepted the responsibility of the promises. For the first time he understood the commitment, and he would honor it... He wasn't getting married because it was the *right* thing to do, or that he was lonely. He was marrying the woman who stood before him in her mothers dress, because she'd captured his heart, and held it to hers. "I am honored to be your husband, and I welcome what ever life has in store for us, as long as you are by my side."

The judge stood amazed. He'd never witnessed the dynamic of Caskett. He felt privileged to be a part of the union of this extraordinary pair. He knew they would live a rich and full life together. "As we have witnessed the pledge today of Rick and Kate it is by the power vested in my by the great state of New York that I pronounce you husband and wife. You may now Kiss- "

He didn't even get a chance to finish the couple were kissing. Each feeling the others pledge.

"Your bride….. Friends and family I'd like to present to you Mr. and Ms. Castle. Rick and Kate invite you to join them for dinner and a dance, just follow the pathway to the large tent." The judge didn't know if anyone heard him or not, he felt sure they would figure it out.

Rick and Kate were pelted with flower petals as they headed into the reception. A giant white tent was set up on the grounds. It had a wooden floor so that guest chairs didn't sink into the lawn. A dance floor with a live band was at one end.

The Castle's knew how to throw a party. The food was phenomenal. The drinks flowed. A wait staff hustled around all night. They'd worked for Mr. Castle before, not only was he a great guy, he was a generous tipper. They wanted to do a good job for him. He looked so happy.

The party lasted until the wee hours.

Mr. and Mrs. Castle retired to their master suite, and celebrated their new status. Rick helped Kate out of her mothers dress. Kate smiled and covered his hand as it rested on her baby bump. Kate's left hand covered his left, the wedding bands joined together over their growing baby. He grabbed his phone and snapped a picture. He wanted to capture this moment. It would be added to his favorites.

They decided to honeymoon at home in the Hamptons. The guests were all leaving tomorrow. The husband and wife didn't need to go anywhere exotic, they had everything they needed right here.

The end.

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A/N I would like to thank everyone for taking this journey with me. I hope you've enjoyed my little story. I felt it was time to end this tale. I'm sure I'll come up with something else to write about soon. Until then thank you for reading.

I've appreciated the reviews. It really helps to know which part of the story you've liked.

-Diane/Mamoo