It's time to remind everyone that I don't own them. I'm sure you all needed reminding...
They decided that it would be best to share their news with their family and friends. Beckett originally wanted to keep it to themselves, but Rick persuaded her to lean on the support of their loved ones. It was one of the many ways she knew he was making her a better person. She loved him for that, even during times like this, when she couldn't find the words to speak.
They were all at the loft, most having an idea that something was wrong based on their interactions with the couple through the week. They called them over on a Sunday afternoon and gathered them in the living room. Kate sat on the love seat with Rick, holding Christopher on her lap.
She found that no matter how dismal things looked, no matter how scared or hopeless she felt, holding onto Christopher's soft little body and nestling her nose into his soft curls always lifted her spirit. That is where she sat that Sunday, tucked into her husband's side with the weight of Christopher's little body resting on her pregnant belly.
When she felt his squeeze on her shoulder she looked up to find everyone seated and looking at them with concern on their faces. Alexis and Martha were there as well, and had been filled in privately. Alexis cried and held to Kate for long enough that the women wound up falling asleep together on the couch the night before.
When Rick found them there he was struck with a memory of a similar time past, where the two had fallen asleep in a hospital bed during one of Kate's many treatments. Tears formed as he thought about how unfair it all seemed, no matter how much hope there was or there wasn't, his wife had been through enough. They both had been through enough together and they deserved the happy ending that constantly seemed to elude them.
When Kate looked up to him on that Sunday afternoon, their friends surrounding them, he could hear her silent plea. She was begging him to bear the burden of telling them this news, to give them the details so that she wouldn't have to risk breaking down. He leaned in and kissed her brow, giving her his affirmation.
"Hey everyone, thanks for coming over." He looked to everyone and they nodded and smiled. Ryan and Jenny were sitting together on the couch opposite of them, while Esposito and Lanie were seated on bar stools that they dragged into the room. Martha and Alexis had done the same with the piano bench. Jim couldn't be there, but she'd already spoken with her dad on the phone.
She'd also taken the lead in telling the God parents, and although Gates was devastated by the possibilities that lay ahead, she was also resolute to focus on the hope that the child would be born healthy.
The group waited for him to continue and he did. "Kate and I wanted you all here because we got some news about the baby." The somber tone of his voice confirmed what they'd all suspected, that something was wrong. The tears in Alexis' eyes hinted at it as well.
"The results from the amniocentesis were abnormal, indicating high levels of a protein that is associated with neural tube defects." He took a deep breath, but continued in his urgency to get it out, "although the ultrasound was normal, the doctors have reason to believe our baby may have a condition called hydroencephalis." He looked into their eyes, his own filled with pain at the thought of his baby being born with such a condition.
"There is a chance," he had to stop to clear his throat and give himself a moment; "there's a chance that the baby's brain will be missing its hemispheres. Her prognosis will most likely be less than a year if it is true."
Jenny looked to them, filled with grief for her friends; whereas both Ryan and Esposito were at a loss for words. Lanie's hand flew to her mouth the moment he muttered the medical term, acknowledging the meaning of such a diagnosis.
"However," Rick continued with determination in his voice, "We sought a second opinion and were told that if the baby's due date was miscalculated, and Kate is further along in the pregnancy, then the levels could be higher than they should be because the gestation is further along." He looked at Lanie, as if seeking her confirmation and the woman nodded.
"So." His hand started to rub his neck as he looked at Kate, who had her head down, her eyes squeezed shut and her mouth pressed against Christopher's head, "there is no way for us to know what will happen until after the baby is born, when they can give her an MRI to get a look inside her brain."
They all nodded silently, letting the shock of the news wash over them. Lanie was the first to speak,
"Whatever you need, anything at all, and we will be here." The group nodded in agreement before Ryan added to her statement, "We're all in this, and we're all here for whatever you need." Kate finally looked up at the group, a watery smile on her face, "Thanks guys." She spoke, squeezing Christopher's sleeping body a little tighter to her.
The weeks went by slowly, the couple trying to be positive and focusing onto the hope that they would be one of the lucky cases where the tests were wrong. Castle tried to keep her focus on all of the exciting milestones that they were crossing as Kate entered into her third trimester.
"Hey Kate!" He spoke with excitement in his voice, "Did you know our baby has fingerprints now?" She looked up at him from where she was sitting on their bed, waiting for him to make his point.
"That means that if she commits a crime, you'd be able to bust her!" She couldn't help but smile, grateful for his attempts to cheer her up. The decision had been made for Kate to start her leave early. Although she was guaranteed just 3 months off, Gates guaranteed her that her job would be waiting when she returned. Further, she didn't need to worry about supporting herself, a benefit of being married to a millionaire she supposed.
So, they spent their days together, willing the distraction of the pending holidays. The family was together for Thanksgiving, and Kate, in her 28th week, was grateful for their company.
On that morning, while watching the Macy's Day Parade on TV, and after the turkey had been placed in the oven, Rick started to talk about the baby again.
"She can also see and hear now Kate, did you know that?" Kate smiled at him, trying desperately to stay positive. She wanted to think that their baby could actually see light now, and hear them when they talked and sang to her.
Both parents knew that the true joy in Kate's life these days came in the form of the 10 month old baby boy that was now crawling around their living room floor. Steps had been taken to baby-proof the home when his mobility became more apparent. Not only was Christopher crawling, but he was readily making use of furniture and the legs of people seated near him to pull himself up into standing position.
While Rick was working on the bird that they would later consume, with friends and family around them, Kate sat in her special place by the window looking over the city. The view of the floats was perfect, affording her an angle that she couldn't get from the television or from the streets. She was startled when she felt the small hand on her knee.
When she looked down, there he was, the little munchkin had managed to silently crawl out of his father's view and across the living room floor, had made his way around the plants and bookshelves that offered some privacy to the special area, and had led himself right to the only woman he knew to be his mother.
The smile on his face was brighter than the sun, and she could see the pride in his expression over having made the expansive journey on his own. She lifted him and planted kisses on both of his soft cheeks, letting her pleasure and surprise over his presence in her corner be known.
The boy giggled with glee, clapping his hands and shouting "mama."
Joy filled Kate's heart and pushed away the shadows momentarily as she reflected on the boy now occupying her lap, or the part of it he had access to with her ever-growing belly. He laid his head down on her stomach and simply spoke, "bab."
Rick and Kate had spent some time over the past week or so, having become aware that Christopher's meaningless babble and jabbering was starting to actually resemble spoken word, verbalizing the different sounds that they thought he was making.
"Baby, baby; It's a baby Christopher." Kate spoke, running her hands through the boy's hair. She wasn't sure if his saying 'ba' actually meant baby, but in this context she went with it. "That's a baby in mommy's belly." She smiled at him as he looked up at her, obviously reading her face. She knew he was understanding more and more of what they said to him now.
It could be evidenced by the wide, toothy grin that she was rewarded with when she spoke, "I love you my handsome prince." It was also evidenced every time he went to do something, and they told him "no," as he responded by grinning evilly and doing it anyway.
On such occasions Kate would comment, "He's definitely your son Rick." His response would always make her smile,
"I don't know Kate. It's definitely more nurture than nature if you ask me, and that stubborn streak is a learned behavior, straight from you, dear wife." There was no doubt to whomever knew the family that regardless of their unshared biology, there was a special bond between Kate and Christopher.
With is first spoken word, a soft 'mama' when he woke in the night and called for her, he had proven it. He'd been encouraged into it by his father anyhow, who was sure to point to Kate and say 'mama', or to call her 'mama' in the boy's presence. It was a role she took on willingly, having accepted it months ago.
She looked down at her son, caressing his back gently as he rested his head on her belly. She loved their cuddle time, especially during unexpected moments such as this one. It was normal for them to have cuddle time right before bed, when he was winding down; and right after he'd woken up, when he wasn't quite ready to greet the world yet.
She knew that Rick loved the time too, as he'd curl up in bed or on the couch, depending on where they were; and hold onto his wife and child. It was during those times when they felt the most content. Christopher was safe in their arms and Audrey was protected within the warmth of her womb and completely supported by her boy.
Audrey. That is the name they'd chosen for their daughter. She was going to be Audrey Johanna Castle, regardless of how much time they would have with her. Part of their decision to settle on a name much earlier than they'd originally planned was to solidify that she was going to have a chance at life.
Kate was startled when she heard a loud, "Ah-HAH!" She looked to the source of the voice and saw her husband, who was pointing menacingly at Christopher. It was hard to take him seriously, as he was wearing a large apron suited for the holiday that read, "Kiss me: I made the pie."
Kate wasn't the only one who was having trouble taking him seriously, as the boy in her arms started to giggle at his father, seemingly waiting for him to come and unleash the tickle monster upon him. Kate smiled at her two favorite men,
"Did you lose something Rick?" She asked him with her eyebrow arched and her finger pointing down to the laughing infant on her lap.
"I don't know what you're talking about Kate. I was busy at work in the Kitchen, trying to provide for my family, doing my husbandly duties and all. I come to find my son, the only other man in a sea of estrogen that is my life, fraternizing with the enemy!" He spoke, pointing to her accusingly.
"I guess I couldn't help myself, it's those blue eyes. They get me every time." She lovingly spoke to her son, and his father-the source of the blue eyes she loved so much.
"I suppose you're forgiven." He spoke while coming closer and leaning in to place a kiss on her lips, and to blow a raspberry on Christopher's cheek; which earned him another bout of laughter.
That evening the family was together, they enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere and having the love and support from everyone in the room did both Kate and Rick a world of good. After dinner they gathered around the living room, where the tradition of decorating the Christmas tree and officially welcoming in the holiday season was upheld.
Martha played the piano while Alexis directed Ryan, Esposito, Lanie and Jenny on how to go about properly decorating a tree that would be befitting the name of Castle. Jim kindly offered help clean up, while Gates quickly put the leftovers away.
As for Castle and Beckett, they were busy getting Christopher, who was wiped out after a long day of doting company, bathed and ready for bed. They used their bath tub for the boy, whose miniature bath was placed in the center of their larger tub. It offered them both room to help with the bath and allowed Kate to be more comfortable.
She was getting quite large now that she was in her third trimester, relying on Castle to help make her comfortable in bed, (which was a process unto itself), to fetch her whatever she was craving from the kitchen, and to massage her sore muscles.
She also took to wearing the pink support brace that Lanie had suggested she buy weeks ago. They'd gotten pink because it was the only color they'd had, but it turned out well when they found out that Audrey would actually be a girl, and hence, an Audrey. It helped a great deal, especially when she had to be up and about for long periods of time.
After Christopher was clean and dry, they placed a diaper on him, complete with cream to prevent rashes and powder to absorb moisture. Before they dressed him, both parents engaged in their nightly ritual of each taking one of his feet and blowing kisses on them to see who could make him laugh first.
Castle nearly always won, but usually because of the funny noises he could make to accompany the kisses. Once his was dressed in his long-sleeved, footie-pajamas, complete with moons, stars and planets, they settled him into his crib and kissed him goodnight.
Before they made their way back to the festivities Rick stopped her, He placed both hands on either side of her large belly and simply placed a kiss there. He leaned in to her and whispered to their daughter,
"Now I know you're busy now, finishing your lungs and such things, but I want you to take a moment and listen to me Audrey." He spoke with some authority as Kate simply looked at him with her eyebrows raised, her arms bent back and resting on her hips to offer some more support for her back.
"You might just be the luckiest little girl on the planet. You've got the most amazing, loving, fierce, protective and extraordinary mother that has ever existed. She is so special and amazing Audrey, I just can't wait for you to meet her. So listen to me, you be good, and you be strong so that I can introduce you to her really soon." He planted a kiss to her stomach before raising back to his full height.
He saw his wife then. Tears in her eyes and a smile on her face as she pulled him to her and wrapped her arms around his neck, she whispered,
"You are the best thing in my life Rick, and I love you." They shared a smile and laced their fingers together as they made their way back to the living room, where they continued to find all of the love and the support they needed.