A/N- I'm not sure how much I like this chapter. I think I wrote and rewrote it five times before I came up with this.
They had just turned the corner of the road when it happened. Later, Kate would say that it had happened so fast that she barely had time to think about what was happening. She simply reacted. That her cop instincts simply kicked in. She saw a car coming straight towards them. She knew that Alexis was in danger. So, she simply reacted and ran to grab Alexis. The car managed to avoid hitting her, but she tripped and fell. The momentum from the fall caused Kate hit her head on a rock. It knocked her unconscious. Thankfully, Alexis didn't have a scratch on her. So, she was able to run back to the house for help.
She ran into her dad's bedroom and said, "Daddy! Come quick!"
Castle turned and saw the fear in his daughters eyes. He asked, "What's wrong?"
Alexis was talking so fast and she barely made any sense, "It happened so fast daddy! I don't know how she did it."
"Who did what?"
Alexis took a deep breath and said, "Kate daddy! I think a car hit her. She saved me and..."
That was all Alexis was able to get out before Castle took off running. He had to wait for Alexis to show him where to find her. On the way, he called for an ambulance. When he reached her, he noticed that she was bleeding from an open wound on her head. She was unconscious and her arm looked like it was broken. He hoped to God that she wasn't hit by the car and simply fell.
The ambulance arrived a few minutes after he did. They tried to wake her, but were unsuccessful, so the paramedics told him, "We are going to need to take her to the hospital."
Castle nodded, "Of course. I'll meet you there."
Castle hurried back to the house and woke his mother. He told her briefly what had happened and that he was going to the hospital.
He broke nearly every traffic law to get to the hospital. When he arrived, the nurse told him, "The doctors are still examining your wife. Someone will be out with more information soon."
Castle simply nodded. Not bothering to correct her. He paced the waiting area nervously. What had she been thinking? That was a dangerous part of the road, but she had no way of knowing that. He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.
After what seemed like forever, but was really only an hour, he heard someone say, "Katherine Beckett's family?"
"That's me!" The doctor smiled and Castle decided that was a good sign. He asked, "How is she?"
Smiling, the doctor said, "Your wife is a very lucky woman. She suffered a minor concussion and her arm was broken in the fall."
"But she will be fine?"
Her doctor nodded, "She appears fine, but we are a bit concerned about the baby. So, we want to keep her overnight. Just to monitor her for any signs of a miscarriage. She still unconscious, but you can sit beside her bed."
Baby? Kate was pregnant? How had he not noticed it? Why hadn't she told him? Was this going drive her back to Josh? He had a million questions running through his head as the doctor led him back to sit by Kate's bedside.
When he sat down beside her, all he could do was look at her. She didn't look pregnant. He took her hand and kissed it softly. Then he whispered, "Thank you for saving Alexis. I don't know what I would do without her. I just wish you hadn't gotten hurt."
Castle lowered his head as a million thought ran through his head. He felt her hand move and he watched as she opened her eyes. When she saw him, he could tell that she was panicking and looking around the room. When she saw him, she asked quickly, "Alexis?"
Castle smiled at her, "She's fine. A little scared, but she fine." Then he looked at her and whispered, "And your baby is fine."
She got a panicked look on her face and then she whispered, "You know about the baby?"
He nodded, "The doctor's told me." He squeezed her hand and asked, "What I want to know is, why didn't you tell me?"
Kate closed her eyes and turned her head away from him, "I didn't know how to tell you. I... I'm sorry.."
Then she heard him ask, "Are you going to go back to Josh?"
He heard her laugh harshly and then watched as she shook her head, "No."
"Why?"
"Why does it matter Castle?"
"It matters to me Kate."
She sighed and a tear slipped down her cheek. She sighed, "He doesn't want the baby. Gave me an ultimatum."
"What ultimatum?"
She swiped at a tear and then whispered, "It was either him or the baby. I couldn't get rid of the baby. I refused to get rid of the baby like he wanted... So, he's divorcing me."
Castle didn't know what to say. He wanted to say that he was sorry, but he wasn't. Not really. He was only sorry that Kate was hurting because of it. He could have said a million thing about Josh. How he was an ass and never deserved a woman like Kate. He finally asked, "How far along are you?"
"Three months. Give or take. I don't have anyone now."
Castle shook his head, "You have me. I l...care about you."
"You're sweet Castle, but you don't have to do that."
"I know I don't have to, but I want to. Josh might have left you, but I won't. That baby needs a father and..."
Kate shook her head, "You aren't responsible for me or this baby."
"I know, but you are a friend and regardless of what you think about me personally, I happen to be a pretty good father. If you need references you can ask Alexis. Although she might be a bit biased."
Kate turned to look at him and she saw nothing but the truth in his eyes. She finally smiled and whispered, "Thank you, but I can't ask you to do that."
He shook his head, "You're not asking me to. I offered."
"Yeah right."
Castle could tell that she was getting tired and stood up to kiss her on her forehead. He finally asked, "Is it okay if I bring Alexis to visit you tonight? I think it really scared her seeing you like that."
She smiled and nodded, "I would like that."
"Do you need me to bring you anything?"
She thought for a minute and then said, "If you can bring me my suitcase. I need my toothbrush and a few other things."
Castle nodded and he wanted to give her a kiss, but he wasn't quite sure where they stood. So, he kissed her forehead and then turned to leave the room. He wanted to punch something or rather, someone. He wanted to find Josh and hurt him. Wanted to punch him and ask him what he was thinking. Ask him if he knew what an incredible gift he had been giving and was throwing away. A baby with Kate would make him the happiest man in the world.
He had meant it when he said that he would be there for her and her baby. He wondered if he could raise another man's child as his own. For him it was an easy answer and that answer was yes. He would love Kate's baby as his own. He would be the man that Josh refused to be. In any way that he she needed him. Any way that she would let him.
He drove back to the house in silence. When he walked into the house, he was immediately tackled by Alexis. She asked him, "Is Kate okay?! Where is she daddy?"
"She's at the hospital."
"It's all my fault. I..."
Castle shook his head and told her, "No. It's the fault of the person driving that car." He turned and saw his mother standing there. He could tell that she wanted to ask him a million questions. So, he told Alexis, "Go draw Kate a picture and then I will take you up to the hospital and you can visit her."
Once he thought Alexis was out of earshot, he told his mother, "She has a broken arm and a slight concussion. They are keeping her overnight."
Martha could see that something was troubling her son. So, she smiled and asked, "What aren't you telling me?"
He took a deep breath, "She's pregnant."
"Oh boy. Is she going to go back to her husband?"
Castle shook his head, "No. He doesn't want the baby. He's divorcing her because she's pregnant. What kind of man doesn't want to be a father to their child?"
Martha laughed sarcastically and told Castle, "The same kind of woman that doesn't want to be a mother to that precious daughter you have in there. Maybe you should introduce them. They would make a lovely pair."
Castle knew that his mother was only half joking. He went to get ready to take Kate her things. When he turned to go to her room, he saw Alexis standing in the hallway. Her crayons and paper scattered on the floor. Her eyes were red and Castle knew that she had been crying and asked, "Alexis. What's wrong?"
"You have to help her daddy."
"Help who?"
"Kate. Every baby deserves a daddy and you're the best daddy there is. I know you would love Kate's baby. Just like you love me."
He took his daughter in his arms and hugged her tight. Then he told her, "It's really not up to me Pumpkin. That's for Kate to decide. No matter what she decides, we will both be there for her. Even if we are just her friends."
Alexis understood what her father was saying, but she didn't agree with him. No matter what she did, she would make Kate realize that her baby was lucky to have her daddy for it's daddy. No matter what.
Castle hurried and got Kate's things together and soon they were back at the hospital. Alexis wanted to get a teddy bear for the baby. She took forever choosing the right one. She finally picked out a purple bear with flowers on its tummy. It was almost as big as she was. Castle couldn't help but smile. She insisted on carrying it herself and they walked onto the elevator.
When they got to Kate's room, she was sleeping. So, Castle put the bear at the foot of her bed and he was surprised when Alexis climbed in with her. He watched as she whispered something to Kate's stomach. When he asked, "What did you say?"
Alexis would only tell him, "It's between me and her baby."
"Alexis..."
She gave him a funny look and asked, "What?"
Before he could say anything, Kate was opening her eyes and she smiled at Alexis and hugged her with her one good arm, "I'm so glad you're okay sweetie."
Alexis' eyes clouded over and she whispered, "I'm sorry you got hurt. And I'm sorry about your baby's father not wanting him or her."
Castle wanted to crawl into the floor and disappear he warned her, "Alexis..."
Alexis gave him a look, then went on to say, "I told your baby something. I told her that I would share my daddy with her. Because he's the bestest daddy in the whole wide world. And he gives the best hugs and kisses. He hardly ever gets mad at me. Well, unless I do something really bad." Alexis thought about it for a minute and then said, "And he has just the right sized hands."
Kate could barely speak because of the tears, but managed to ask, "Right size for what?"
"They are just the right size for holding your baby and rocking her to sleep."
Alexis snuggled closer to her and Castle mouthed, "I had nothing to do with this..."
She wasn't sure if he did or not, but she wasn't ready to make a decision. Part of her felt that Josh would change his mind when he saw their baby. She could honestly say that she no longer loved him, but her baby needed a father. But the other part of her could see herself with Castle and Alexis. Could see herself and her baby as part of their family. It would be so easy to love both of them.
She knew that she could never use Castle. She would let him be there for her as a friend, but she couldn't let him act as a substitute father for her baby. No matter how much he claimed to want it, she would have to keep him at arms length. What she couldn't anticipate was how far Castle would go to weave himself into her life and make her come to the realization that both her and her baby couldn't live without him in their lives...
A/N2- Okay, so there it is. I wasn't sure if I wanted to go semi-dramatic or sweet. I chose this as a small compromise between the two. I hope you enjoyed it and please leave a review. Next chapter will be full of fluffy Castle goodness...