Author's Note- Can I just say that having twenty one reviews on one chapter is astounding! Seriously, thank you, each and every one of you for your kind words. Now, this is where it all kind of starts to go to hell in a handbasket for our beloved couple. There are a couple of potential trigger points here and Kate may seem a little OOC but I think, given the place she is in this story, that it just sneaks under the line. Oh, and be nice in your hatred? Please? NYLF xx

Kate watched the front door close behind Rick with her smile for him already trembling.

He'd told her he was just popping out, would be back soon.

Kate shuddered, wrapping her arms around herself.

He had been looking at her funny for days and it had only gotten worse since this morning.

She could feel it deep in that tiny part of her brain that always told her this was all too good to be true; he was going to leave her.

He was going to break up with her and ask her to leave and she'd never get to see Alexis again and...

Her brain continued even as Kate dragged herself into his office and curled up in the foetal position on the leather couch facing his desk.

If this would be her last chance to do so, she needed the familiarity of this room. She needed the warmth of his space to cocoon her. To keep her safe, just for a little while, from the reality that he was going to end this. And end her along with it.

Rick let himself into the loft a while later and went in search of Kate.

He wouldn't have blamed her if she'd of gone back to bed after throwing up all morning.

Maybe he'd have to veto the calls, or at least limit them, if it had such an effect on her.

He made his way through to his office, intent on checking their bedroom first, before stopping short when he saw her curled up on the couch.

In all the months they had been together, all the days she had spent in the loft, never once had she fallen asleep on the couch. She only ever came into his office when she needed him for something or she was seeking comfort, either from him or from the room itself.

Rick felt his heart fill his throat. This was it, wasn't it? This was the beginning of the end of them.

Still, he took a deep breath and sat in the curve of her body, gently cupping her shoulder blade in his warm palm.

"Kate?" He whispered, gently pulsing his fingers around the joint. "Hey, Kate wake up, Sleepy."

Kate murmured, her eyes flickering before they opened slowly.

It took her a moment to adjust, to work out where she was, before she jumped when she saw Rick.

He stood, giving her space, while she sat up as fast as she could and brought her knees into her chest.

"You're back. When did you get back? I must have fallen asleep. I'm sorry." Kate rambled.

Rick shook his head. "It's okay, no apologies needed, you had a rough morning. I've just got back, only a few minutes ago."

Kate nodded slowly, focusing in his shoes, pulling her hand through her hair.

"Is everything okay?" He asked softly, knowing full well that she wasn't but needing a place to start from.

Kate shook her head before shrugging and standing, not liking the disadvantage sitting had her at, crossing her arms protectively across her chest.

She suddenly didn't feel all that safe.

"Can, can I ask you a question?" She whispered.

Rick leaned against his desk, aiming for casual, as he nodded. "Course." He invited carefully.

Kate nodded and took a deep breath before dragging her eyes from the ground to very nearly meeting his. "Do uh, do you love me? Or at least, could you? Y'know, at some point?"

Rick's spine straightened. "What's this about, Kate?" He couldn't answer, his mind was reeling.

Kate shook her head at herself. It was a stupid question, of course he didn't. Why would he love her? "I umm, I..." she trailed off, so afraid to tell him. So afraid he'd ask her to do what was, in her mind at least, an impossible option.

"Kate...?" He prompted after a moment.

Kate shook her head again, fighting to keep her voice steady as she murmured the next words. "I'm pregnant, Rick."

Rick's blood froze.

"Just, uh, say that again?"

Kate barely tampered down a sob. "I said I'm pregnant Rick. I'm carrying your baby."

His heart didn't know whether to leap into his throat or drop to his stomach. "Pregnant." He tried out the word slowly, not helping Kate's nerves in the slightest.

She nodded quickly. "Yeah."

"When did you find out?" He asked, knowing he was stalling for time, knowing she knew too.

"I've had a feeling for a fortnight or so. Took a test, or three, yesterday while you took Alexis to the dentist."

Rick nodded slowly, digesting. "And uh..." he didn't want to ask, knew he had to. "Are you happy? Do you, do you want to have this baby?" He asked hesitantly, shifting against his desk.

Kate's jaw dropped slightly as she stared at him. She closed her eyes, unwilling to let him see how her heart broke in her eyes.

She knew he wouldn't want this. God, how could she have been so stupid?

"Don't...you don't?" She asked quietly, the heartbreak quite clear in her voice. "You, you don't wanna have kids with me?" She forced through the lump in her throat.

Hadn't he said he'd always wanted children? Plural? But then again, why would a bestselling author want to be tied to her?

"Kate I mean, I'm, I'm not saying never..." He tried to backtrack but she shook her head, cutting him off mid sentence.

"I, I thought you, how could you, you want me to get rid of it?" The last few words were barely a whisper as emotion clogged her throat.

She wanted this baby, had known from the moment she'd seen the result. She'd guessed he wouldn't want to be tied to her, but she'd hoped he'd not ask her to get rid of it. She'd hoped if she couldn't keep him, she'd at least get to keep the little spark of life they had created.

"Kate, that's not..." Rick tried furiously, half out of his seat but knowing touching her wouldn't be a good idea.

"But it's our baby Rick, ours! And, I..." she trailed off, her voice, and heart, breaking.

"Kate, I'm just saying that you're only just twenty and..."

"So? I love you Rick. I have adored raising Alexis with you for the last year. Did I, did I not do a good enough job or something? What, was that my trial run and I wasn't good enough to have our kids? Were you just pretending to be happy that we're bonding? Was I just supposed to be fun? No ring, no kids, no commitment? Is that it? Or are you worried that I'll try and use them against you? You think I trapped you by getting pregnant? That I wanted to pressure you into a ring, so I purposefully got pregnant? Because Rick..." she broke off the rant, tears in her eyes.

"Kate, did I say any of that?" He demanded, both of them were losing control but his was anger rather than tears. "I just don't want to burden you. You're so young..."

"You were in your early twenties." She reminded him.

"Yes, and I was too young." He threw back.

Kate took a step back. "Are you saying you regret making Meredith keep Alexis?" She argued hurt and venom equal parts in the question.

Rick's whole face hardened as he rounded the desk and took a step towards her. Kate couldn't help backing away further.

"Don't you dare say things like that to me!" He raged. "I could never regret Alexis. But I do regret having her so young. I don't want that for you."

"So you want me to have to live with an abortion instead? You want that for me?" She argued back.

Rick growled and took her by the shoulders, harder than he had intended, he realised, when she gasped, but he suddenly couldn't bring himself to lighten his grip.

"Kate a baby needs stability. Something we can't give. You have no support from your family..."

Kate shook her head, not able to meet his eye even if her vision wasn't swimming. "You're supposed to be my family Rick." She rolled her shoulders, making him let go, before turning to leave the study at a pace.

"Where are you going to go?" He called after her before his brain could catch up. "Cause the last time I looked, you had nowhere else."

Kate's hand connected with his cheek, shocking them both, as she fought not to cry in front of him, not wanting to give him the satisfaction.

"I knew you had a mean streak Richard Castle, but I never expected you to be cruel." She slammed to door shut as Rick growled again, leaning his palms on his desk to stop himself throwing something.