I start exams next week so updates won't be as frequent until mid-June. I didn't like 6x23, there's why on my Tumblr.

Sorry I haven't replied individually to reviews, revision got too much but I will when everything is done for summer. If I have any spare time I thought you would prefer it if I wrote. Thank you for all the reviews, follows and favourites. I will miss this story.

I had an interview today as well and I'm happy with how it went.

Disclaimer: If I did, 6x23 would be different.

Chapter 16: Results

They had been back from Corsica little over a month and she had her surprise for Rick all planned out, she'd thought of it while Ryan was talking about Sarah Grace a while ago and she was only half listening too busy thinking of her idea. It may have been presumptuous however, she went ahead and sorted it at the next available opportunity. It was too good to let it go by.

Her husband was due back anytime but the overwhelming feel of nausea was building up, she got up and walked to the toilet and knelt down next to it leaning slightly on the side of the bath. However, nothing came up, just that feeling of being sick. Hoping that a bath might make her feel better she set the water running while she went off to get a glass of water. She also collected the box that was wrapped up so that Rick wouldn't open it before she had gotten the chance to give it him herself. On the way back she put it in her bedside table drawer.

When she was back in the bathroom, she set about lighting candles not wanting the bright lights. No smelly fragrance stuff tonight either. She got undressed and unceremoniously threw her clothes in the washing hamper before getting into the inviting water. She relaxed into the tub closing her eyes and imagining herself in a few months with a protruding stomach and her husband playing hand to hand with the child she was carrying, then onto them holding the child after a long labour. That wasn't so appealing but she had been told by her mother on more times that she would like of how long she was in labour. Part of her wanted a boy, part a girl but all she really cared about was that they would be healthy. She also thought of what Simon Doyle told them a few years ago, three kids; three! "Triplets? No. I can't." She'd got herself worked up a bit now. "I'll wait until the scan, nothing to worry about." She looked down to her stomach, "there had better not be three of you in there. Two I can deal with. Maybe." The thought of being responsible for someone else was frightening even though she was looking forward to being a mother.

Soon enough Rick came into the loft in search of his wife. "Kate, are you here?"

"Yep, I'm in here." She shouted from the bathroom. He walked in and knelt by the side of the bath.

"Kate, are you okay?"

"Yeh, I'm just tired." She didn't want to let on just in case her husband had half an idea of what was going on.

"You gonna sit up to let me in?"

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"Yeh." She was only messing with him, her eyes were still closed but she could hear that he was taking his clothes off so she opened her eyes and sat up so he could get in behind her. Once he was sat, she leant back so she was resting on his chest.

"How was your day?"

"Eventful. Yours?" At the precinct it hadn't been but since she left the day certainly had.

"Not really, it was nice meeting Alexis. She's always so busy and she was thankful for someone to take her out. Apparently her boyfriend is more preoccupied or has been recently at least." He sighed, "I don't think it's going to last."

"Rick, some part of you hopes that every relationship she has doesn't last because you still want her to be your little girl."

"She's too young. She doesn't need to be thinking about marriage or engagements even now."

"May I remind you that she's not that much younger than Meredith was when she got married, to you!"

"No you don't. I'm too young to be a granddad."

"Rick, there are people who are grandparents by the time they're 30!"

"Yeh but that's way too young. I don't want my youngest kids being the same age as my grandchildren."

She needed to get away from the subject of their kids so she wouldn't let slip before she could give him his surprise. "Okay, how's Alexis doing aside from her 'unsatisfactory' relationship?"

"She is good, looking forward to finishing for the summer. She's got that job which she was telling me even more about."

"How about we get out of this bath, I'm turning all wrinkly and the bath is getting cold."

"Yeh, that's not so nice." Kate stood up, too quickly as it turned out because she became dizzy and put her hands out to hold onto the taps. Rick was still sat down in the bathtub, "Kate, whoa." He put his hands on her hips to steady her before quickly kneeling to get a better hold of her. "Kate, are you sure you're okay?"

"Yeh, I'll be fine in a minute." She needed to tell him her secret soon because if he was already suspicious this would be confirming it. She gathered herself together before slowly steeping out of the bath and reaching for their towels; she passed Rick his then wrapped her towel around her. "C'mon let's get ready for bed. I really am tired." She was tired but not as tired as she was making out. He blew out the candles then followed her through to their bedroom.

Soon enough they were sat in bed in their pyjamas so she reached over to her bedside table and retrieved the box from the drawer. She contemplated what to say next, she didn't want to just say it but probably her look was giving her away. "Hey babe." She takes one of his hands, "This is something that you have said you wanted before on more than one occasion and I can't wait for you to open it so here you go."

She passed him the box she had been holding and acting like the big kid he was he wasted no time in removing the ribbon and ripping the paper off. He remembered last time when she was unimpressed with him taking his time. Lifting the lid on the box he stared down at its contents, confused at first. Carefully picking the first item up then looking to his wife for her to give an answer but her poker face smile told nothing, he continued bringing the rest of the set out, two big ducks with brown hair one with lipstick and two smaller ducks, one with red hair and one with brown. He placed them all in a line on the bed beside them before returning to the box and finding something soft wrapped in tissue paper at the bottom. Unfolding the paper and bringing out the garment then looked at immediately looking at his wife who now wore a beaming smile that confirmed it, he brought her face to his and kissed her with such passion as he could barely contain his excitement. As the kiss deepened she came to rest on her knees and his hands were running through her hair. They finally broke apart when air became a necessity.

"Wow, I love you so much. A family of ducks and an 'I love my Daddy' onesie, this is the greatest surprise or present ever. When did you find out?"

"This afternoon, you were out so I took a test. I suspected before but finally took a test today. To be honest, I couldn't wait much longer to tell you."

"This is fantastic, I can't wait to tell people but I know it will be a while before we can." He kisses her again. "So let's enjoy our secret, hopefully it will be kept longer than the last one."

"Yeh, well that was inevitable really. It would have been a weird conversation if they hadn't, Hey guys, we're together now. So drinks?"

Leaning over to pick up and further inspect Papa duck, "I thought you would have got rubber duck elephants."

She picked up Mama duck and replied, "We'll just have to get some then, won't we?"

After another big kiss, they snuggled down under the covers looking into each other's' eyes before drifting off to a deep sleep filled with dreams of their future. What was just an ordinary day for Castle turned out to have delivered the best news, they were having a child.

And said child already had a set of rubber ducks.

The red headed duck was meant to symbolise Alexis, I could have done the wider family but tried to keep it simple.

Two more chapters…

Please review, they seriously make my day, cheer me up too.

Pretty please?

They will get a nice ending.