Author's Notes: I first of all would like to apologize for taking so long to post between parts. I will try to get the next two parts up in the next couple of days. I made the mistake of focusing so much on the next story that I neglected to post this one. I won't do that any more. Second, I would like to thank all the reviewers. I love getting reviews.

Chapter 12 Thanksgiving Dinner, Rick's POV

I woke up before Kate for a change. I watched her for a short moment before I kissed her awake.

"Good morning, soon to be Mrs. Castle."

"Good morning, already are Mr. Castle," she said causing us both to laugh.

"So do we want to see about setting a date?"

"No." She smiled at my expression. "I didn't mean that Rick. I just meant, lets set a date a little bit later. We are going to my dad's in a few hours, and I would rather not answer that question right yet."

"Are you going to tell him about the baby?" I asked gently.

"I don't know. Well, obviously, I will tell him but I don't know if I will today."

"I understand if you want to wait but when ever, it would be best to not do it here." I saw her look of confusion. "You should tell him on his home turf or at least some place neutral, not at my place. I don't know your dad too well yet but I know I would prefer to be in a comfortable setting if Alexis came up to me to say she was unmarried and pregnant."

"That's a good idea. I just don't know if I am ready yet to let my dad know."

"He deserves to know."

"I know. I'll think about it, okay?"

"Okay. We should get up. Alexis should be home soon."

Alexis sent me a text to let us know that she was on the way home. Kate and I welcomed her home but neither said anything about the news. I wanted to tell her but I knew that Kate would want to wait. I knew that this was a lot of changes for Kate and I really didn't want to push her too much.

We arrived at Jim Beckett's house just after noon. I had already met him a couple of weeks ago but this was the first time he was meeting Alexis and Mother. They had him charmed in minutes. I was pretty sure that they would, of course. The Beckett's seemed to like the Castle charm. Alexis soon had Jim sitting on the couch showing pictures of Kate as a youngster. I had been standing with Kate watching them all interact until I realized what they were looking at.

"Sorry, Kate," I whispered to her and gave her a kiss before I walked over to the couch. "I gotta see these."

We spent the next several hours talking and getting to know one another better. We all helped in the kitchen to finish up dinner and get everything on the table. The meal was the traditional Thanksgiving meal, a big turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, the whole nine yards.

"Dad, dinner looks great," Kate said as the rest of us nodded in agreement.

"Thanks. I enjoyed cooking a big meal again. It's been a long time."

We went around the table and told what we all were thankful for. It was pretty typical until I spoke. I couldn't resist the opportunity.

"I am thankful for the three most important women in my life. My mother, my daughter, and my," I paused. "Kate." I ignored the eyebrows that shot up around the table, knowing that they thought I was going to say 'wife.'

"I am thankful for my family, both old and new," she too paused as if gathering her nerve. "And the new ones that are on their way."

"On their way?" asked Jim suspiciously. Kate nodded.

There was suddenly a flurry of excited chattering around the table silenced only when Jim Beckett raised his voice to be heard.

"I just have one question," he said loudly before turning to me. "Are you going to do the right thing?" he asked me.

"Dad!" exclaimed Kate.

"Good question, Richard," said my mother as my daughter nodded.

"I already asked her, Jim, and she said yes."

"Are you sure this is what you want, Katie?"

"Yes, Dad it is. This just is happening a little faster than I originally intended but yes."

Alexis reached over to hug Kate.

"Welcome to the family, Kate," said Mother.

After we finished dinner, we decided to wait on dessert. Kate helped her dad take some of the dishes into the kitchen. I was going to help but she stopped me with a look, she wanted to talk to her father in private. Soon Kate came out to gather more dishes, then handed the stack to her father.

"You know where it is, Katie. Why don't you take Alexis up with you? I would like to talk to Rick for a minute."

"Yes, me too," said my mother.

"Be nice, Dad," Kate warned.

"Yes, Gram," Alexis agreed.

"We will," he said but it didn't convince me. Kate walked by and gave me a peck on the cheek.

"He doesn't have a gun, does he?" I whispered.

"No, but I might stay away from the knife block in the kitchen," she said jokingly, or so I hoped at least. I watched as they walked upstairs then turned to see our parents staring at me.

"Let me start by saying I love your daughter. I plan on doing anything I can to make her happy."

"I know you say that but what about your history?" Jim asked.

"I can't change the past but I can tell you that I do honor my vows."

"Says the man with two ex-wives."

"My previous wives didn't honor their vows, they cheated on me. I can deal with a lot but I will not put up with that. I know I don't have to worry about that with Kate."

"Isn't this rather fast Richard?" Mother asked.

"Yes, it is but we have spent the last two years so close it doesn't really seem as fast to me. Yes, the baby and proposal are a bit sudden but once again, I love her."

"So did you propose before or after she told you about the baby?" Jim asked.

"After," I admitted. "But I had already ordered the ring two weeks ago."

"Two weeks ago, when you just started dating last month?" he sounded as if he disapproved.

"I knew that I wanted to spend the rest of my life with her a while ago. I just didn't know if she could trust me. I'm lucky, she does."

"Kate is a very private person. Have you discussed how you are going to deal with your career?" Mother helped me out by avoiding more talk of my past.

"I know Kate doesn't like the publicity too much so I will happily spare her from as much as I can."

"Are you going to be able to always do that though?" Jim asked.

"She did come with me to a signing last month, just a small one and she has previously been to some of my bigger parties. I want her to be comfortable enough to come to any of them by she wants to but I understand if she doesn't want to go to the big ones. She will need to come to some of the parties but as my wife not as Nikki Heat. I will not hide her or the child away but I will do what I can to protect them from the more unsavory side of my job.

"Such as your reputation as a playboy?" Jim asked. "Kate has talked about you for years."

"I only meet her two years ago."

"Yes, but she meet you before at a book signing."

"Really?"

"She mentioned how you didn't even seem to see her because you were busy ogling and signing breasts. She just wanted her book signed."

"I have to admit that I do have a less than stellar reputation but honestly not all of it is true. I was in college when my first books took off; of course I was going to enjoy the party scene. I met Meredith and Alexis came." I avoided telling him that the only reason we got married was because Alexis was on the way. The parallels were not something I wanted him to consider. I could tell by the look in Mother's eyes that she knew exactly what I was thinking and that she would not say anything.

"My publishers didn't think it would be good for my sales or image to suddenly go from college party guy to stay at home dad who would rather have tea parties with his little girl than wild and crazy parties. And then after my wife left me, they decided that it just wouldn't do to be seen moping about and not wanting to even leave my apartment.

"Sir, to tell you he truth, I am shocked each and every day that I am lucky enough to have Kate in my life. I will not ever hurt her intentionally. She told me once that she believes that she is a one and done kind of girl. I know that I have been married twice before but I still think, I know, that I am done now. I never felt for them as I feel for your daughter."

"Do you still love them?"

"In a way. Gina is still my publisher and I have to deal with her often. Meredith is the mother of my child; we will always have that connection. But I do not love them in any romantic way anymore."

He just looked at me for a while before speaking again. His expression unreadable.

"Welcome to the family then, son." And he held out his hand. I shook it in relief then spoke.

"Mother?"

"I know that you love Kate and you don't want to hurt her. You are both passionate people and you will fight. You just need to make sure that you can forgive each other and compromise. I just don't want either of you to get hurt," she paused. "But I don't think that will happen though. You've obviously thought about this all."

"Thanks, Mom." I gave her a quick hug.

"So everyone in one piece down here?" Alexis called from the stairs followed by Kate.

I pulled Alexis into one arm for a squeeze and Kate into the other.

"Yep, we are all good," I said with a smile.

"You should come and join me at one of my poker games. You have a great poker face," I said to my future father in law.

"So, Katie. Do you think it will fit?"

"It does. Are you sure Dad?"

"Your mom wanted you to have it. She saved it for you."

I looked at her confused and obviously missing something in the conversation.

"Mom's wedding dress, she informed me. Dad kept it for me. I smiled at her as I leaned down and gave her a quick kiss.

"Can I see it?"

"No!" cried out all three women.

"I know you don't always follow traditions, Richard but the groom does not see the wedding dress before the wedding or the bride on the wedding day until she walks down the aisle," Mother said.

"Are you going to insist on that?" I asked Kate.

"Well, it's a tradition that's important to Martha, so sure," Kate said with a smile.

"Thanks, Mother."

So "So Katie, when are you going to get married?"

"We haven't actually set a date yet. We were going to talk about it this weekend."

"What kind of wedding do you want?" he asked. I wanted to try to find a way to assure him that I would be taking care of the expenses but I didn't want to offend him.

"Honestly I was thinking of something small and private for the wedding. Maybe we can do a big reception for your book people sometime after," Kate said.

"That sounds good. Gina is going to insist on something big but I really don't want the wedding to be a spectacle. If it's small and private maybe we can even slip it past the press and can announce it later."

"I like that idea," Kate said.

**x**

We were all back in the car driving home when Kate asked if we could stop over at her place. She wanted to go ahead and pack up a few things and take them back to my loft. As she was gathering some clothes Mother was looking around.

"This is a nice apartment, Kate."

"Yeah, I know the owner and he gave me a discount because he thought it would be good to have a cop in the building. I wouldn't have been able to get a 2 bedroom otherwise."

"It's two bedrooms?" Alexis asked.

"They are both rather small but it's enough."

"Are you going to be able to get out of your lease?"

"I don't know, Alexis. I looked over the lease the other day and I didn't realize that it was as strict as it is. I might be out a lot if I try to break it." Alexis pulled Mother over to the other side of the room. I was glad because I wanted to talk to Kate privately.

"I'll cover anything since I am asking you to move into my place," I said.

"No, that's okay. I'll work out something," Kate insisted.

"Eventually, you are going to have to learn to accept gifts from me."

"I know but I signed the lease, I'll take care of it. I can find a sublet I'm sure."

"I'll take it," Mother said.

"What?" Kate and I said at the same time.

"I'll take it. With a baby on the way, you are going to need more room at the loft, I'll move in here and you can use my room as a nursery."

"And the second bedroom here can be for me, when you want some alone time," Alexis said.

"I don't want to kick you out of your home Martha," Kate said.

"Oh you aren't. I need to get out on my own again anyway, this is the perfect timing. No reason for Richard to pay for my new place and to break your lease when he can just do one instead."

"Oh, so you'll move out but I'll still pay," I said with a smile.

"Of course, kiddo," she returned the smile.

I just shook my head, what could I do?

AN: Leave it to Martha to throw a wrench into Castle's plans.