A/N: (Feel free to skip) As usual, big thanks for all the faves and alerts. Special shout out to idon'tspeakmonkey for the delightful stream of comments that have been lighting up my inbox in the last couple of days. I wish I could reply to each one personally. Lea, I'm glad you're enjoying the Author's Notes but I personally don't see what was particularly funny about the ones in chapter 5. It's great that you got something out of them but I'm still kind of puzzled. I'm very happy with all the reviews. I love that they've started to get more nit-picky, focusing on the details, letting me know when I've got something wrong. That's awesome and very helpful. I also love reviews that take quotes from the story because it lets me know what you actually like about it. This story has gotten over 14000 views, so, far, which makes me ecstatic, so, thankyou to those who are just reading, too.

PLEASE READ IF YOU DON'T LIKE SMUT: Smut fenced off with giant Xs.

Here's the elusive chapter that's been kicking my butt. It was insanely long and had to be cut down extensively (It's still the longest chapter yet). This is for calleigh4ever who requested fluff and smut way back in chapter three (I know chapter 4 didn't really count). If it hadn't been for that request, I may not have been motivated to finish it, so, thankyou. Totally open to any and all requests/suggestions you guys might have. As it turned out, with this one, once I was on a roll, I couldn't stop. I'm planning on starting a companion fic to this of deleted/alternate/extended/extra scenes, so, the stuff I cut out of this will probably end up there. There was an "F" word in here somewhere, but I'm pretty sure I cut it out. Pretty sure. Sorry if I'm wrong about that. This chapter starts out with a similar premise to "Long Distance" but trust me, it's different. Boy Howdy, is it different.
This is set sometime in 2014. Castle and Beckett are engaged and living together at the Loft while looking for a new place.

Sorry if the smut doesn't meet your expectations. As you probably know, it's really hard to write well and I personally don't like writing overly vulgar sex scenes (though I do enjoy reading them from time to time). I just hope I got everything anatomically correct and that the scene is physically possible (I don't currently have a boyfriend to practice on). Hey, some of you might find it way too vulgar, who knows.

Upload Date: August 28, 2012 Chapter Rating: M (Some mild course language, masturbation, a sex scene)

Chapter Summary: Castle has some news for Beckett that could affect their relationship substantially: He's leaving for three months. Can they survive the separation?

Reader: Oh, I hate summaries that ask questions.

Author: I'm sorry.

#10

Castle sighed wearily, sitting down on the couch. "Big news."

This didn't sound good.

She sat next to him, bracing herself for whatever he needed to tell her.

"Black Pawn wants me to do a Worldwide book tour."

She narrowed her eyebrows. "Ok." She stared at him, waiting for the catch.

"They really want to go all out for the last Nikki Heat. Hit every continent. As many interviews, book signings, readings, panel discussions, etcetera, as possible."

She still didn't get it. "Will it conflict with the wedding?"

"No."

"Honeymoon?"

"No."

"Then why - " Realisation hit her and she thought she might know why he was so sullen. "How long?" she asked, mildly afraid of the answer.

He took a deep breath. "Three months."

Her eyes widened. "Three months?"

He nodded.

Beckett sighed, leaning into his shoulder. "Three months," she said again.

"Three months," he confirmed.

There was a pause.

"Ok," she said finally. "We can handle three months."

"Oh, yeah," said Castle.

"We can do this."

"We can totally do this," he agreed.

One Month Later

"I don't think I can do this."

Kate shook her head incredulously as she held the phone with one hand, filling out paperwork with the other. "Castle, it's been a day. We've been apart for more than one day before."

"But it's just sinking in, all the things we'll miss out on the next three months."

"Well y'know," she said seductively, "there are plenty of things we can do that only require a phone."

She grinned as she heard a hitch in his breathing.

"What, right now?"

"No!" she hissed. "Later."

"Ok," he agreed, "later."

So, that's how it was. They kept in touch through technology, but Castle liked to use Snail Mail, which, while impractical, meant so much more. There was something about a hand-written letter that felt more personal.

At night – or day, depending on the time-zones – they found other ways to stay... connected. Still, it wasn't the same. There was no substitute for his touch, the warmth of his breath, the feel of his skin on hers, the smell of his hair. He was right. This being apart stuff was hard.

Six weeks later...

It was two in the morning and Beckett was having an argument over the phone with Castle.

"Right now, all I need is sleep. I'm really not in the mood for anything else."

"So, you don't miss the way I used to touch you?"

The way he said used to, offended her - as if that part of their relationship was over when really, it was taking a hiatus.

"I've got things handled in that department."

He let out a soft growl. "Oh, I bet you have. I bet you're much better at meeting your needs than I ever was."

There he went again. Was. Was he doing that deliberately?

"After all, I'm just a man. What do I know about how to please you? I wouldn't know how to make you scream, or moan. What do I know about your body? What do I know about your skin? I wouldn't have the faintest clue about how soft or how hard you like to be touched, that little spot on your left collar bone, or how to flick my tongue in just the right way - "

Damn him. Her pulse increased, , her breathing hitching,at the memories he was conjuring up of a very adept Castle who knew exactly how to please her.

"What do I know about that look you get on your face when I rub circles on the back of your hand with my thumbs? It's probably boredom."

He really was trying to piss her off.

"Castle," she breathed.

"I have no idea what I'm doing, Beckett. I don't even know how you can stand my hands on your breasts, my mouth covering your nipple."

She bit lip to suppress a whimper.

"God, Castle."

"You know how my mouth feels. Cold and dry. And my tongue probably feels like sandpaper."

How was this turning her on? This made no sense. Very odd reverse psychology.

"I'm a terrible lover, aren't I, Kate? You can't possibly get aroused by anything I say."

Even as he said that, she could feel the damp warmth forming between her legs. She grabbed on to the sheets with her other hand.

"Damn it Castle," she growled.

She could hear the grin in his voice.

"I know you don't want me to slowly slide my hand down to your panties."

She had a sharp intake of breath.

"Yeah, that's horrible, isn't it?" he said, pretending to misread her reaction. " I don't know how to touch a woman, let alone you. I'm a mess down there, aren't I? My thumb moves in all the wrong ways, my fingers fumble clumsily in all the wrong places. When you bite down on my shoulder it's because you want me to stop, right?"

She couldn't take any more. Her hand released the sheets, slipping beneath her underwear.

"I guess I'll just stop."

"Don't you dare," she hissed.

"Detective, you couldn't possibly be touching yourself , could you?"

""Don't stop talking," she demanded.

"You're wish is my command," he said, all teasing leaving his voice, now dripping with pure lust. "Do you have any idea how tightly wound I am? How badly I need to be inside you?"

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She pumped her fingers harder at his words, applying more pressure to her clit, moaning softly.

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"I missed you so badly, I can't think straight.," he continued. "I miss waking up next to you, bringing you coffee and bear-claws, distracting you from your paperwork, the way you stare at me when you think I'm not looking.
"I have trouble paying attention to questions when I'm being interviewed. I'm vacant when people ask me for autographs. I'm distracted by the things we'd be doing together if I were there with you."

Her breath caught as she rose higher and higher. ""Oh, God, I miss you, too," she admitted. "I want you so badly right now." She felt a pang in her stomach as she voiced her feelings of longing.

"How badly?"

"Really badly," she husked. "Almost as bad as – hmm - when I didn't have you at all, when I thought I might never know what it was like to feel you against me, all of you."

His breathing had gotten laboured. It sounded as if he was puffing, and she wondered how close he was to his own release.

"Castle?" she breathed.

There was a knock at the door.

She stilled in shock. After a moment, she took a deep, shaky breath. "That'd better be you, Castle."

"What?"

She jumped out of bed, removing her hand, definitely wide awake now. "I'm gonna jump whoever it is behind the door. If it isn't you, I'm gonna make you listen," she warned, running out of their room.

He sounded worried. "Kate, seriously, that isn't me. I'm in London. Don't do anything rash. Remember how much I love you."

"You'd better hope you're lying," she said before opening the door.

On the other side was a middle-aged man holding an iPhone to his ear, gasping for breath, with uncombed brown hair and tired blue eyes, stormy with want and need.

For a second, everything stopped: her heart, her breath, her mind, as she drank in the glorious sight.

Then, she dropped the phone to the floor as he hastily placed his in his jacket pocket. She pulled the man into the Loft by his collar, slamming the door shut with his back, plunging her whole mouth into his, her chest ready to burst.

He responded eagerly, grabbing her by the rear and pressing her up against him. She breathed him in, touching him as much as possible, partly because it felt so good . partly to convince herself that this was real, that was here. He was kissing her, touching her and it felt so wonderful.

She undid the bottom three buttons of his shirt so that she could feel his chest beneath her hands because he loved the sensation, not just of a man's chest in general but his chest, hadn't been able to touch this chest in months, had dreamt about being able to feel it again. He returned the favour, slipping his hands beneath her shirt.

"Mm," she moaned as he caressed her bare breasts.

He moaned back against her mouth.

They were so caught up in frenzied desire, they tripped over each other's legs, the man crushing her beneath him as they fell to the floor.

She was briefly winded, certain her back was going to bruise, but it didn't deter her – rather, spurring her on as she fumbled over his top button and unzipped his fly, pulling down his silk boxers just enough to free his erection.

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He pulled off her panties to pick up where she had left off, groaning when he felt how wet she was.

"Damn it, Beckett," he growled, as he gently rubbed her clit with two fingers, getting rapidly more aggressive as she responded with a deep, guttural moan that reverberated through her entire body, almost making him lose control. She could feel his Cowper's Fluid dripping lightly through the fabric of her Night Shirt, and knowing just how ready he was fuelled her desire even further.

"Just before, say when," he instructed as he moved his thumb on the base of her clit, driving her wild with swift, circular motions.

"Uh, yeah," she complied. "Nearly – oh, f – when!"

He stopped instantly. Her clit ached at the loss of pressure and she resisted the urge to finish herself off with her own fingers, instead brushing the hair out of his eyes.

She gasped when he entered her. It had been two months. He was on top. She was very uncomfortable on the hardwood floors. She was still in pain from when they'd fallen and her back was spasmodic from the awkward position; but he felt so good inside her, around her, on top of her, kissing her. Smelt so good, his natural scent mingling with sweat, cologne and soap.

She wrapped her arms and legs around him, pulling him in further.

He sucked on her ear lobes and grunted in her ear.

"Feel even better than I remember," he sang in his own little tune, his voice vibrating through her ear to the rest of her body.

"Smell even better, too," he whispered.

"Hmm," was all she could say in reply. She was so close.

For a moment, they stayed like that, neither moving save for their laboured breathing, joined together, staring into each other's faces.

God, she had missed him so much So much. And he was here, with her – with her – and it was all too much; she almost burst into tears.

He started to thrust, her feet pushing back and forth against his rear, his blue eyes looking down at her, full of love, and it was a sensory overload as he plunged his tongue back into her mouth. It didn't take very long at all.

He sank his teeth into her collarbone when he knew he was coming and she felt herself fall apart as he gushed inside of her, clutching at his back and moving to ride out the after-shocks.

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He sagged down onto her in exhaustion. She would have gladly let him stay there but she was having trouble breathing, and it wasn't just from exertion.

"Castle," she gasped.

"Mm."

"You're – ugh – crushing – me."

He pulled himself out of her as they untangled each other's limb's, rolling next to her.

"Sorry," he gasped.

"No – you're fine." She cuddled up him. "You're – better than fine. You're – amazing. You're - stupendous, You're - excellent. You're... here," she nearly sobbed the last word. "How are you – here?'

"Got the – weekend – off," he breathed. "Clear schedule."

"The weekend? It's Saturday night."

"Actually, Sunday morning," he corrected.

"How long before you have to leave?"

He checked his watch. "Five minutes."

"No," she groaned, clinging to him possessive. "Stay," she whispered gently against his throat.

"Want to," he muttered in her hair. "Can't. Get sued."

"Don't care."

"Miss the wedding. Be in court"

"Judge. Marry us."

He reluctantly sat up, re buttoning his shirt..

She groaned, sitting up too, wrapping her arms around him, face to face.. "I'm coming with you."

"Thought you just did," he grinned.

"I'd slap you if I wasn't so happy to see you." She kissed his jaw. "Let me come to the airport. See you off."

"You've got work. Which sucks, by the way, that you have to work on a Sunday. By the time you get back, it'll be time to start getting ready."

"Damn it, that makes sense. I thought I was supposed to be the logical one in this relationship."

He sighed, smiling warmly at her.

"What?"

"'Relationship'. We've been apart so long, it was starting to feel like we weren't in one any more; but Kate, every thing's still there, the same as when I left. We're still us."

"Hmm," she agreed softly.

He got up, sliding up his pants and boxers.

She sighed, putting on her underwear.

"Uh... won't that be a tad uncomfortable?" he asked as he re-zipped.

"Now, who's fault is that?" she teased, raising her eyebrows.

He smirked as he re-did his top button.

"I'm just trying to make myself semi-decent. If you won't let me see you off at the airport, at least let me see you off at the elevator."

"Sounds like a good compromise."

She held him from behind as they walked toward the elevator, gently trying to pull him back.

He chuckled, dragging her forward. "Kate, you're not quite yourself this morning."

"No, I'm exactly myself," she argued into his shoulder. "This is me when you leave for six weeks, call me up in the middle of the night, get me all hot and bothered, surprise me by showing up at the front door, ravish me on the floor of our Loft and then take off a second time. Solution? Never leave again."

He grinned. "Right, so, you'll remain a strong, independent woman as long as you have a man by your side?" he asked as he pressed the button.

"Pretty much."

"Wow, you're a feminist's dream," he joked as he turned around in her arms to face her.

She inhaled, drinking him in one last time. Suddenly, she looked down and laughed.

"What?"

"Were you wearing your shoes that whole time?"

"Uh... yeah."

They both laughed.

"Oh, I'm gonna miss you even more now," she sighed.

"We're half-way there," he whispered.

"Don't say that. That means I'm have to relive the hell of the last six weeks."

"Hell's a bit of an exaggeration."

"Well, it's two-thirty in the morning and I'm still coming down. What do you expect?"

The elevator doors swung open

She groaned. "No, no, don't leave," she said, gripping tighter.

He kissed her and pried her off him.

"See you in six weeks.

She took a deep breath. "Ok. See you."

"I love you," he said as the doors closed.

She wanted to say the words back, but it was too late.

Six Weeks Later...

She had wanted to greet him at the airport, but she had been working late. She had wanted to stay up for him. She really had. But it had been a long day and considering recent circumstances, she knew it was best that she got a good night's sleep.

He slipped into the bedroom quietly,, climbing onto the bed to hover over her.

"Mm," she stirred.

He sighed in contentment, looking down at her, stroking her face with his thumb. "Hey," he whispered.

"Mm," she repeated, opening her eyes. "Hey," she said softly, smiling.

"Hey," he said again.

"You're back."

"Yeah."

She sighed, pulling him close. Reading her loud and clear, her kicked off his shoes and got in beside her, fully clothed, spooning her.

"I love you," Castle said against her neck.

She wanted to tell him right then and there, but she was too sleepy. She would tell him in the morning. Instead she simply replied, "Mm," as after a quarter of a year, they drifted off to sleep in the same bed.

The Next Morning...

For the first time in three months, she woke to the smell of coffee. Since castle had left, Becket had been the primary coffee maker in The Loft. Now, he had returned to reclaim his throne. And not a moment too soon.

She sniffed the sheets next to her. They smelt like him again. All was right with the world.

Like a child on Christmas morning, Beckett jumped out of bed in excitement, pulled on her dressing gown and ran out to the kitchen to find Castle, in a blue dressing gown, boxers and an open blue shirt (the same one she assumed he had been wearing the night before) carrying a tray of coffee.

He stopped when he saw her.

"You'd better put that down if you don't want us both to get burned," she warned.

Grinning, he obeyed, which was lucky as she was already running towards him and the next thing he knew she was in his arms, her face resting in the crook of his neck.

"Mm, I remember you," she muttered tranquilly.

"Are you talking to me or my neck?"

"Both. All of you," she replied, bringing her arms up around said neck He pulled her closer to him, encircling her. She took a deep breath; breathed him in again. No way was she going three months without smelling him again, no way. Castle enveloped her with his big, warm arms.

"I spoke to you last night."

"I remember."

"I thought you might not. You were pretty tired."

"Not too tired to remember that," she assured him, kissing his cheek.

Finally, they broke off, although Beckett continued to bask in his presence.

"Coffee?" he offered.

"Thanks,"she said.

She smiled warmly as he handed her a mug and her smile widened when she saw the look on his face. They had both missed this.

They sat down across from each other at the table, he with a Newspaper in his hands.

She breathed in the coffee. Oh, yeah, that was what Coffee was supposed to smell like. Only his Coffee could smell like that.

She looked across at him. He was the same old Castle she was in love with, but at the same time, tings had changed. Because as well as love, she now felt this overwhelming gratitude towards him. Six weeks ago, she had been miserable. OK, maybe not miserable, but... sad and bored, definitely. And he had flown half-way around the world and back to spend fifteen minutes with her. In doing so, he had blessed her with an incredible gift.

The last six weeks had been a lot more bearable with that memory to get her through them.

She continued to watch him, contemplating the implications of his gift. Because he wasn't just her fiance any more.

He was the father of her child.

She was still trying to wrap her mind around that concept.

She was going to be a mother. He was going to have another child.

She shook her head in disbelief as she watched him drinking his coffee, chuckling to himself at the comics, feeling the warmest glow of affection in her chest.

They had made a baby together. There was going to be a little person in the world that was part her, part Castle. The man in front of her. Her partner. The man she was in love with, who she was going to marry. Her best friend.

How could she put into words what that meant?

"I love you," she said finally. Yeah, that about said it.

Castle slowly lowered his paper.

"Uh... sorry, what was that?"

Her smile grew wider as she got up and walked around to sit on his lap. "I love you."

His eyebrows rose to the top of his head.

"Wow, you must have really missed me."

"I did."

"Hmm, maybe I should go around the world more often," he said, nuzzling her neck.

She bit her lip. "Oh, that's fine with me – but next time, I'm going with you."

"Well, we've got the honeymoon," he said thoughtfully, "but there are so many places I wanna show you – so many places you can show me – that I just don't think we'll have time for them all."

"Actually, that might not be such a problem. I may be getting a lot of time off."

He furrowed his brow. "Are you being put on administrative leave again?"

She made sure he was looking right at her when she said her next words.

"Maternity leave, actually," she corrected.

His face froze. She felt the grip around her wrists tighten, and his breathing constrict.

"Maternity Leave?" he echoed finally

She took his face in her hands and gave him the sappiest, most over-the-top, adoring gaze she had ever given anyone.

"You knocked me up," she said softly.

He opened his mouth, shut it and then opened it again.

"You're pregnant?" he finally managed to get out in a gravelly voice.

She nodded slowly, beaming at him. "Yeah, Castle. That's what 'knocked up' generally means."

"What - w – how?"

She chuckled. "Castle, you have a twenty-one-year-old daughter. I think it's a little late for the birds-and-the-bees chat."

"Right, but... we're careful and..." He looked down at her belly. "I've been gone three months. And you're not..."

"You don't remember?"

"I – I remember... that night I flew home to surprise you."

"Very good. Do you remember using anything?"

"I – well, we don't usually – you normally have it - "

"Yeah, I normally have it covered. And when I don't, then you have yours covered. But you'd been gone for six weeks and you just had to make it this big surprise. As far as I knew, I didn't have a reason to take anything. And then you showed up and – well, I wasn't really thinking rational thoughts."

His mouth was still agape in shock. "I - I thought I had it all planned but I didn't think about – God, I'm sorry."

"Why? I'm not."

"You're... not?"

"No, are you kidding? I'm having your baby."

He looked into her face, saw the pure happiness there, heard the loving caress in her voice, and a small smile crept up on his lips. "But... we were gonna wait..."

"Since when have we ever done things in the right order? Besides, the clock was ticking. Better to be early than late. And this isn't all that early."

"Are you... are you sure?"

"I took a home pregnancy test last week. The Doctor confirmed it two days ago. I didn't wanna tell you over the phone. "

"Who else knows?"

"Just you, me and Doctor Kline. I thought we could tell people together."

He stared, letting the news sink in.

"We're having a baby," he said slowly.

She pressed his hand to her stomach.

"We're having a baby," she confirmed lovingly.

His smile grew wider. "We're having a baby,' he repeated.

"Yeah," she laughed. "We are."

He kissed her, chaste at first, but then his tongue grazed her lip and it was like greeting an old friend They held each other, smiling against each others' mouths, both nearly bursting with joy.

Who I did I think I was fooling? Of course it was Castle. No, Beckett wouldn't have actually jumped any random that was at the door. Don't be silly. Maybe if it was Josh or somebody like that. Hey, calm down! Kidding!

I'd love to know how many of you saw this coming and at what point in the story you figured it out (some might have figured it out from the title). Now, I don't know if this actually counts as a Baby Fic, but I hate when Baby Fics don't show the actual conception.