Chapter 8: Chapter 8

A/N: Sorry for the delay guys, I'm having computer issues. But here's another chapter for you. Hope you like it.

She had no idea why she had been opposed to this, it was true, being pregnant left her with aches and pains all over and this didn't hurt. Lying back in a reclining seat, she felt completely relaxed with cucumbers over her eyes, someone expertly working the kinks and knots out of her shoulder and another set of hands treating her to a mani/pedi. She didn't remember when last she felt this relaxed, or when her baby was this relaxed. She was cooperating and staying still while she got spoiled.

"Oh, this is great." Lanie, who was face down on a massaging table, mumbled from beside Kate.

"I know, isn't it?" Alexis, who was in the same position as Kate agreed from the other side of Kate.

"What about you dear? How you feeling?" Martha asked, lying face down as well on the other side of Lanie.

"This is amazing guys thank you, just what I needed." Kate smiled.

"I'm glad, Alexis and I always come here whenever we need a gal's day out, and we figured you could use a day." Martha said.

She loved being pregnant, she really did. She loved knowing that she and Castle had created a life and proof of that was growing inside of her. She thought it was the most beautiful thing and she knew Castle agreed. She could imagine being pregnant for any other man, Castle was perfect. The way he looked at her when he didn't think she was looking, the way he holds her when they are cuddling or going to bed or just together. His simple touches that can be so tender, yet so heated at the same time. They look in his eyes when he sees her naked stomach, the way he talks to their child, the way he's just Castle and she loves him for it.

What she didn't love was the discomfort that she experienced. She hated that she couldn't sleep on her stomach anymore, her back always hurt as well as her feet. Castle had solved her clothing problem and then there were the constant aches and pains. So in this moment, she could not express how grateful she felt for Alexis and Martha for planning this.

"Kate, if you don't marry into this family, I will." Lanie teased, sitting up and covering herself with her robe, swinging her legs over the edge of the table to face her friend.

Kate removed the cucumbers from her eyes and looked at Lanie. She was about to respond when Alexis interrupted.

"Hey Kate, blue or green?" The girl asked, holding out two bottles of nail polish to Kate.

"Definitely blue." She smiled and lay back down in her chair, placing her hands on her stomach and closed her eyes.

Lanie's words ran through her mind. Married. She thought. She so wanted to be, to him. Before Castle, she hadn't even dreamed of being married after her mother died. She had stopped allowing herself to indulge in hopeful thoughts, resigning herself that life was unfair and she couldn't bear losing anyone again. But then he came and he took her on a rollercoaster ride and changed her mind.

For the longest time she held out, maintaining that she hated him and wanted to keep her distance from him for as long as possible. But as the years passed and she got to see Castle for who he truly was and not the picture the media painted of him, she began to fall in love and that scared her to no end. She didn't want to be in love with him, she thought after he got her he'd just move on to the next catch and she'd be left broken hearted and she was not going to let herself be heartbroken by Richard Castle, so she began to date other guys.

She knew Castle was jealous of Josh or that he hated him and she hated to admit that his jealousy made her fall for him even more. Through all of their arguments, he never left and always came back and she realized Castle was it for her and she didn't want anyone else, she wanted him and she knew he wanted her.

Now they were here, well into a great relationship and she was in her seventh month of pregnancy. She couldn't help but wish she was married first, not that she had a problem with being pregnant before getting married, but she wished she was. But were they even going there? Was that thought ever in Castle mind? To marry her? It was in hers, every day, every time she looked at him, she wanted to be married to him. At one point she even contemplated asking him to marry her, but she had stopped herself, what if because of his failed marriages, he didn't want to get married again and this was as close as it was ever going to get.

She sighed when she felt her baby move, as if reassuring her of Castle's love for her and that she would never leave him, even if they never got married. Although, she so desperately wanted to.

"Kate?" She heard someone called, she sat up and opened her eyes.

"Welcome back" Lanie said, looking at her friend suspiciously.

She looked around at the women in the room, all of their faces had expectant looks on them and oh, they had been asking her a question.

"I'm sorry guys, I was thinking about something. What were you saying?" She shook her head, trying to focus.

"We just asked if you wanted to go to the deli down the road and catch a bite?" Martha asked, while Lanie stared at her with a look that said "You have to tell me about this later." Beckett gave Lanie a tiny nod and turned to Martha.

"Yea sure, I - we could go for some food." She smiled, patting her stomach.

"Great!" Alexis squealed, "I love that place, they have the best chicken wraps." She gushed as the women moved to dress themselves, pay and head off to the deli.

Lanie grabbed Kate's elbow, letting Alexis and Martha walk a good distance ahead.

"So, what were you thinking about back there?" Lanie asked.

"I was just thinking about the past few years, how far we've come…" Kate shrugged.

"Girl, I know you, from the look you had on your face, that's not all that was going on in that head of yours." Lanie glared at Kate.

"I want to marry him Lanie." She whispered looking at the ground.

"But?" She prompted.

"What if he doesn't want to marry me? I mean, with Meredith and Gina… What if this is as far as it goes?" Kate bit her lip, waiting for Lanie's response.

"Is that a problem?" Lanie asked, watching Kate.

"No, definitely not. I'll still love him and I'm having his kid and it's the best thing in the world, but I just can't lose the feeling that I want to marry him Lanie."

"So ask him." Lanie said simply as if it was the most obvious answer.

"I've thought about it. But, what if he says no Lanie, what if he doesn't want to marry me?"

"Girl please, that man has wanted to marry you from the first year you two started working together, I'm sure he'd say yes." Lanie rolled her eyes.

"I mean, is that even right? Shouldn't he be asking me?"

"Says who?" Lanie raised an eyebrow.

"I don't know Lanie." Kate whispered, looking up to see Alexis and Martha were too lost in conversation to notice the gap between them.

"Look. It's obvious Castle is head over heels in love with you Kate, everyone and their dog can see that. If you ask him to marry you, I'm pretty sure he would say yes. But how do you know he's not planning to ask?"

Kate thought about that, she hadn't seen any signs that he was going to ask her, but then again, he was good at keeping secrets…. Some times.

"If you really want this Kate, just ask him." Lanie whispered into her ear as they reached the deli, meeting up with Alexis and Martha.

"Aah, this smells delicious! I'm starving!" Martha exclaimed as she stepped into the building.

"Martha! Alexis!" A short man from over the counter called, grinning widely, showing off his white teeth.

"Jon!" Martha waved.

"And who are these two lovely ladies?" Jon turned to Kate and Lanie smiling warmly. It seems like the Castle/Rodgers were well known, but Kate has never been here before and she didn't know why, it was adorable and the placed smelled so great, it was making her stomach grumble.

"This is Detective Kate Beckett, she's Richard's girlfriend." Martha grinned as she gestured to Kate and then to Lanie, "This Kate's beautiful friend, Lanie, she's our medical examiner."

"Oh! It's great to finally meet you. I've heard a lot about you and oh! You're carrying!" Jon came around the counter, stopping in front of Kate.

She couldn't help but laugh at his cheery personality, "Good things I hope."

"Only good things." He swore. "Let's get you guys seated and fed yes?"

"Please." Alexis said.

He seated them immediately and got to work on their orders. Kate sat by the window, staring out of the window, thinking about what Lanie said.

Was it that easy to just ask him to marry her? Or would that seem desperate? She decided she didn't care, she wanted him in every way and this was the biggest way and oh she wanted it

It was a little after six in the evening, Castle had went out and got the appropriate things needed for the night. He brought her favourite salmon from the store some miles away from him and her favourite wine. He had the lights dimmed, her favourite music was playing softly in a playlist and the loft smelled like her, cherries and a hint of vanilla.

He wanted this to be perfect, if only she would come home. He was pacing a hole in his floor as he started to worry, wondering if he should call to see where she was. Just as he pulled out his phone, he heard a key turn in the lock and he turned to stare at the door, his heart was racing and his palms felt sweaty.

This had to go right, she had to say yes. He watched as she came through the door, stopping when she saw the scene that greeted her. He saw Alexis and Martha share a smile and excused themselves, before they disappeared up the stairs.

"Castle, what is this?" She whispered, looking around the room.

He looked at her. She was dressed in a loose blue shirt and jeans with her jacket wrapped around her body, her stomach visible to anyone. She was so beautiful, her hair fell down to her shoulders, framing her face, which was glowing. He suddenly felt a fresh wave of love rush over him, he felt a lump rising in his throat from just staring at her, she was just so beautiful and he loved her so much. He didn't even want to wait until after dinner, he needed to do this now.

"Kate." He whispered, making his way over to her and taking her hand.

She watched him with glistening eyes, her mouth coming up to cover her mouth as she watched him lower himself down on his knee.

"Castle, what are you -"She whispered.

"Kate, I wanted to wait until after dinner, but seeing you now, damn, you're so beautiful Kate and I love you so much I couldn't wait." He told her.

She let the tears that had formed in her eyes fall over and she watched him and listened to what he was about to say. Her heart was racing, she couldn't believe this was happening, how she could think Castle didn't want to marry her, she didn't know. She hadn't expected this, but this was exactly what she wanted.

Pulling a box out of his jacket pocket, he held it in front of her and began talking

"Ever since that first case we worked together, I wanted you and every moment since then. You made me a better man Kate, it every way possible. You made me believe that love wasn't over for me. You made grow up a lot over the past few years and you taught me that there is more to life than what goes on in mine. Day after day, I see you and I just fall deeper and deeper in love with you. You are it for me Kate and I know I haven't had the best record when it comes to marriage, but I never felt anything like this before. I love you so much I can't even explain it to you Kate. I can't imagine being away from you and you being pregnant is one of the best things that could have ever happened to me Kate. I want you to know that I'm in this forever and always. So… Katherine Beckett …" He gripped her hand in one hand and rested his other hand on her stomach, looking up in her eyes and she stared down at him with a goofy smile on her face and tears streaming down her cheeks.

"Yes Castle?" She whispered.

"Will you marry me?" He asked, opening the box, revealing the most beautiful ring she had ever seen. It had a silver band, with two small diamonds on either side of a larger diamond that was set in the most beautiful way, it wasn't too big and ostentatious, but it was small either. It was perfect.

"I thought you'd never ask."

"Is that a yes?" He asked, hopeful.

"Yes. Yes Castle, I will marry you."

He rose up and slowly slid the ring onto her finger, twisting her hand this way and that.

"This looks good on you." He commented.

She laughed, "Shut up and kiss me Castle."

Grinning, pulled her to him and kissed her softly, wiping her tears away with his fingers.

"Is this real? Did you just agree to marry me?" He whispered against her lips.

She leaned in, capturing his lips once more, allowing her hands to roam his body as the kiss deepened.

"I think I did."

End A/N: Well, there you go! Happy Valentine's Day tomorrow! Here's to hoping this laptop doesn't go off again and I can update soon…

Ashley