A/N: I love the end of the semester! It means more time to write and thus, inspiration to fill me. Thank you so much for the last chapter's reviews - that really aided the muse for this one. This chapter is a continuation of the last chapter's storytelling.
Enjoy!
Disclaimer: they would be married by now.
Chapter 59 - The Fantastic Four
"So?"
She bit her lip and raised an eyebrow, her heart galloping inside the cavity in her chest. The other woman glanced up, her face void of expression. Kate started to feel her stomach drop, the disappointment so visceral that she almost choked with it. But then the doctor's mouth softened into a smile and she nodded.
"Congratulations, Kate."
"Yeah? You're sure?" She breathed, a soft, hopeful burst of air passing between her parted lips. A smile blossomed across her features, joy springing to life throughout her body.
"Yes. You're about 6 weeks pregnant."
He stared at his phone, hoping that this time he would get an answer from his wife.
It's been twenty minutes already.
"Mr. Castle?"
His head snapped up, confusion swamping his features. The suits were looking at him expectantly. Gina shot him a withering glare, arms crossed over her chest.
Oops.
He pocketed his phone and tried to push down the rising anxiety swirling around in his gut.
"Uh, sorry. You were saying?"
They were fine. Both of them - probably just playing around in the loft or taking a nap or just strolling around in some park-
His throat closed up, his heart jumping against his ribs. What if something-? No, no. They were fine. He was just being paranoid.
"The latest Nikki Heat novel sold over twenty million copies. . ."
He tried to listen, he really did, but the doubt and panic kept creeping up on him.
Why wasn't she answering her phone?
They strolled leisurely around the city streets, oblivious to hasty commuters. The pull of a smile just couldn't leave Kate's mouth, her left hand constantly gravitating to her abdomen. Lizzy was hanging on to her right hand, giving little hops as she sang along to her own, made-up song. Or at least something resembling a song. It was mostly a jumble of softly sung words, woven together by a little girl's voice.
Kate tugged her daughter closer to her side, Lizzy's head gently nudging her mother's thigh. The two year-old glanced up at her mother with a beaming, toothy grin, her blue eyes sparkling with energy. Must be the ice cream just had. She was going to be a tad hyper the whole afternoon and then maybe crash by seven.
Oh, well.
It was a celebration - Lizzy was going to be a big sister after all. Not that she understood any of that. In her selfish two year-old world, a baby brother or sister would completely exist for her entertainment and enjoyment.
"Momma."
Kate snapped her eyes to her daughter, her small hand pointing towards a toy shop a few feet from them. She laughed and brushed her hand over her little girl's head, running her fingers through the soft curls.
"Yeah, baby, you wanna go in?"
"Doggy," Lizzy uttered quietly, her eyes riveted on a soft, stuffed toy dog - a ridiculous looking pink one perched at the front of the store's windows. Oh, jeez. The kid and dogs. She's gonna drive them mad until they buy her puppy.
Not yet, sweetheart.
There can only be one baby in the house at a time. Kate's lips involuntarily pulled into a grin and her hand once again gravitating to her abdomen.
"Okay, c'mon, sweetheart. Let's go get you the doggy."
Lizzy's face burst open with happiness and giggling excitement. "Doggy! Doggy!" She practically dragged her mother by hand to the store, her little feet determined not to stumble in their haste.
Kate chuckled, her left hand still protectively curled around her stomach.
"Slow down, baby, we've got all day."
"Kate, we've got all day," he moaned, flopping back against the mattress.
"Castle, you promised," she said, stepping out from the closet door and giving him a pointed look. "You told me last weekend that we will start with the baby room this Saturday. It's Saturday."
He groaned. "But it's like 8am."
"So?" She shrugged, shimmying into her leggings.
He stared at her for a moment, letting his eyes slowly walk up her long, lithe legs. "So, we could snuggle for another hour or so and then get up."
"Translation, have another round of sex and then wake up at 12pm and then rush out the door like maniacs to get everything."
He nodded, his mouth pulling downwards. "Or that. I don't oppose the sex part."
Kate rolled her eyes as she passed the bed in only her leggings and bra, thoroughly distracting her husband again. She was three months pregnant and already showing a small bump.
Drop dead gorgeous.
"Castle, come on," she said in exasperation, working the buttons of a purple blouse. He sighed at the loss of the view he had and finally threw the covers off, getting to his feet.
"You showered without me," he commented morosely as he passed her to into the bathroom.
"You preferred to stay in bed for that part."
"That was stupid."
She laughed and shook her head, half distracted by the effort to get her shoes on. "Yeah, it was."
A few minutes later, he walked out, shirtless, to get clothes out of the closet. Her gut clenched, her breath hitching; the want and desire so vivid that she almost stumbled off the bed. Kate swallowed and tried to tear her eyes away from him. She wanted him - again. She always wanted him the last few weeks. She was hyper aware of her husband, his masculine presence and scent.
God, it was pathetic.
Her heart was screaming against her ribs, the only sound she was aware of was the blood pumping hotly through her veins.
"Kate? Did you hear me?"
Her head snapped up. He was watching her with a puzzled expression and he was still shirtless. Damn. And now his hair was flopping over his forehead in that adorable way. Her mouth parted slightly, but she couldn't get anything out, except a breathy sigh. He seemed to catch on quick enough, her face like an open book to him - her eyes were almost black with arousal.
Aroused!Kate was just too irresistible.
Slowly, he made his way over to her, a leer pulling at his mouth. He sat down beside her, watching her carefully as she tried to avoid looking at him. Rick brushed a strand of hair off her cheek, his fingers lingering against her skin. Her eyes fluttered shut for a moment, her skin breaking out in goosebumps. He leaned in and glanced her cheekbone with a feathery kiss, shifting his mouth towards her ear.
"You want me, don't you?" Bless those pregnancy hormones.
She groaned, out of annoyance or arousal or both. "Castle," she exhaled shakily, her eyes screwed shut and her hands in fists as if trying to keep everything under control.
Oh, man, he loved Pregnant!Kate.
He cupped her cheek gently, sweeping his thumb just underneath her right eye. Her eyes trembled open and she watched him, everything laid bare. He pressed his mouth to hers, his hands travelling to her blouse.
Her hands snapped to his, halting his fingers' progress. "What about the room?" It was an empty protest because her lips were already gravitating back to his.
He replied by returning his fingers to their task and slowly pushing her back onto the bed.
"We've got all day."
It's been two hours.
He was panicking. Pacing around in the loft, unable to sit still or to focus on anything. He tried, he really did. He came home after his meeting, determined not to obsessively stare at his phone. He ate lunch, still subconsciously glancing at his phone on the counter every few seconds. He sat down to write a bit, but kept being distracted into a storyline about Nikki and a stalker (go figure). He tried to exercise, but quit after ten minutes of running on the treadmill. Now he was back to square one. If he only knew where they went. He left about a dozen messages. The last few voicemails were peppered with angry swear words.
Kate, pick up your ******* phone!
Rick never uses that sort of language when talking to his wife, but when there is a freaking stalker on the loose who's targeting his family, things change drastically. And that's why he was phoning her partners right now.
"Hey, Castle. What's up?" Ryan greeted, friendly, but distracted.
The writer rubbed his jaw, feeling sheepish. It was probably nothing, but he couldn't take a chance. He cleared his throat and tried for nonchalant.
"Uh, has Kate stopped by there by any chance today?"
He could practically hear the detective's frown. "No, I haven't seen her. Wait. . . Javi? Has Beckett been here today?" Rick could hear Esposito's negative answer and sighed, briefly closing his eyes.
"No, man. Why? You lost your wife?" Ryan asked on a chuckle. Rick's chest constricted at that, his stomach dropping.
He let out a forced laugh, scratching his forehead. "No, no. Just, I can't get hold of her. I was in meetings all day and Kate is just not answering-"
At that, the front door pushed open with Kate and Lizzy coming through, chatting and giggling excitedly.
"-her phone," he finished, his knees almost buckling with relief. "Uh, don't worry, mystery solved. They just walked in. Thanks, Kev, I'll see you. Bye." He dropped his head for a moment, his heart rate stabilising to its normal rate.
"Daddy!" Lizzy crashed into his legs, her small arms wrapping around his knees.
He puffed out a laugh and picked up his daughter, crushing her to him. "Hey, baby," he murmured, nuzzling her cheek; he could smell her baby soap and lotion.
"Hey," Kate greeted, smiling at him warmly, something extra in her gaze.
He started to return the smile, but then remembered the last few hours and how she didn't answer her phone and the terrifying panic he felt. He got angry again. Their daughter was with her. What if-? Yeah, he couldn't think about it. She should've answered her damn phone. Gently, he put his daughter down and watched her scramble to the television for her cartoons after grabbing some weird-looking soft toy - a pink dog or something like that.
"How were your meetings, honey?" Kate asked, setting down her bags of shopping on the kitchen counter.
He ignored her question, striding into the kitchen. "Can I talk to you for a minute? In there?" He gestured to the office with his head.
She chuckled, slightly puzzled. She continued to unpack the grocery bags. "Okay, but just give me a chance to-"
"Now," he growled, unable to keep the anger out of his tone. He took her hand and hauled her off to the office. He didn't want Lizzy to see an argument.
She pulled her hand out of his once they got into the office. "What the hell, Rick?"
He closed the door and just stood there for a moment before turning around. Her arms were crossed over her torso, a frown slicing into her forehead.
"Where the hell have you been?" He hissed, the last few hours' emotions rushing out. She startled and dropped her arms.
Wait, what?
"Excuse me?"
"Where have you been all day, Kate?"
She watched him in disbelief. "I had an appointment and then I took Lizzy out for a few hours," she answered, confused. "What's the big deal, Castle?"
"So, what? You don't bother to answer my calls all of a sudden?" He stood with his hands on his hips, his eyes an electric shade of blue. "Fuck, Kate, I've been calling you the whole fucking day!"
She stared at him, her mouth dropping open in shock. He never spoke to her that way.
What the hell?
She dropped her gaze and fumbled for her phone, feeling her eyes beginning to sting with tears. Kate bit her lip and set her jaw - she was not going to cry because of some stupid, ridiculous argument.
"My phone is off. The battery must have died," she said, her voice carefully controlled and tight, her throat burning.
He lowered and softened his voice. "Kate, why didn't you just tell me where you were going? What if something happened?"
"Nothing happened!" She cried, throwing her arms in the air. "God, what has gotten into you?"
"Where were you today?" He persisted. The stalker could've followed them.
She became very still. "You're not serious right now."
"As a heart attack," he snapped back, crossing his arms. He was not compromising on the safety of his family. Even if it meant that his wife hated him for a day. Or two.
Kate hesitated a moment before the fight drained out of her. She sagged onto the couch, suddenly worn out.
"I went to the doctor for a blood test."
His chest felt like a vice, his heart skipping a beat. "What? Why?" He approached her in quick, hurried steps; anger melting away in an instant. He sat down closely beside her, his hand covering her kneecap and his fingers circling around the hard ridge of the bone.
She smiled, a watery, vulnerable quiver of her mouth.
"I'm pregnant."
[] [] []
I'll be your harvester of light
And send it out tonight
So we can start again
Is love alive? Is love alive? Is love alive?
My love a beacon in the night
My words will be your light
To carry you to me
A/N: The next chapter will follow directly from this one, showing Rick's reaction. I deliberately wove the stalker story into the pregnancy storyline to give Rick an extra incentive not to tell his wife about the situation.
Apologies for any grammar/spelling mistakes.
As always, your reviews are appreciated.
Lyrics at the end - Sara Bareilles and Ingrid Michaelson, 'Winter Song'.