A/N- Another M Rated chapter. Not too graphic, but it is M rated.

While Kate slept and Castle drove, he found himself thinking about how hard it had been for them to get to this point. If anyone had told him that he would be married to her, he would have told them that they were crazy. He'd loved her almost from the beginning, but she'd married someone else. Someone that didn't deserve her. But now, she was his and he was hers. The beautiful woman that he had married only hours earlier. The woman that was slowly making all of his dreams come true. Simply by loving him and his daughter.

Loving came easy to him. Sometimes he loved them when the object of his affections didn't deserve it. The past eight years hadn't been kind to him in the love department. He'd met Meredith through a friend of a friend. At the time, he'd been blown away by her beauty and she'd been blown away by the money he had in the bank.

He realized soon after they met that he didn't love her. It was simply an attraction. However, by the time he realized it, she was already pregnant with Alexis. So, despite everything telling him not to, he married her. The next three years were the worst years of his life. He had to be both mother and father to this tiny human being. The first three months were the worst. Meredith made it perfectly clear that her job was now done and she wanted no part of a squealing, crying baby.

She had given birth and that was the end of it. Thinking back, he couldn't remember ever hearing Meredith tell Alexis that she loved her daughter. She only held their daughter when she had no choice. Castle never left the little girl alone with her mother. Because the one time he had, he'd come home to a crying and red faced Alexis. Her diaper was soaking wet and had leaked onto the crib sheets. To top it all off, it was obvious that she hadn't eaten in hours.

That had led to his biggest fight with Meredith up to that point. She finally admitted that she had never signed up for this. She wanted him. Wanted the parties and the nightlife. Wanted her acting career. What she didn't want was to be stuck with a tiny person that couldn't talk or take care of herself. And only cried and pooped. She looked him dead in the eyes and said, "That's your job."

The beginning of the end finally came after he came home from a meeting with his publisher. Alexis was two by then and Meredith grudgingly watched her for him that afternoon. However, the moment he entered the loft that night he knew that something was wrong. It could have been the fact that Alexis was crying uncontrollably at the top of her lungs. Which, wasn't anything new. It had happened more times that he could count by then. No, it was the fact that he saw Meredith's close strewn around the loft. Her bra on the coffee table. A shirt here and her pants in another part of the loft. He shook his head and sighed. He'd had enough of her antics to last him a lifetime. They needed to have a talk and this time, she was going to listen to him.

After he calmed Alexis down and sat her in her high chair with a snack, he went out in search of his wife. When he walked into the bedroom that he shared with Meredith, the sight that greeted him nearly tore him in two. Meredith was in the bed. She wasn't alone. She was having sex with another man. Her director. Castle had cleared his throat and the two people in the bed barely stopped what they were doing. Barely paid him a second glance. They were so wrapped up in each other. It wasn't until he spoke that they had the decency to separate.

He had whispered, "Sorry to interrupt."

The worst part of it was that she didn't even look ashamed. She just looked annoyed. Annoyed because he had interrupted them.

Castle told her, "I'm taking Alexis out. When we get back I want you gone. I don't ever want to see you again. Anything you have to say to me can be said through our lawyers."

With that, he went and got Alexis and they left the loft. He was heartbroken, but determined not to let his daughter know. They stayed out for hours that night. Alexis had finally fallen asleep in his arms and he headed home with her. When he walked back in the house it was quiet and he knew that Meredith was gone. He hadn't seen her again and neither had Alexis. The thing that hurt the most was that she didn't even try and fight for their daughter. In fact, she had requested that she have no contact with her. Ever. Alexis hadn't seen her mother since and not a day went by that he didn't feel bad about depriving his daughter of a mother's love.

Castle was heartbroken for his daughter. Because every little girl needed their mother. However, her mother didn't need or want her.

He had given up on finding love again. Making due with the occasional fling. At least until he met Kate. Meeting her was like a breath of fresh air. He had been so close to telling her how he felt. Then she married Josh and his dreams went out the window. At least until they separated. Now, she was his and he was never going to let her go. She loved him and his daughter. And for him, that was all that mattered.

When they pulled up to the house, Castle smiled. It felt good to be back here. To be able to relax and just be together.

He leaned over and kissed her softly. She opened her eyes and he felt her smile against his lips. He pulled back and whispered, "We have arrived my wife."

Kate loved the sound of that. Being his wife sounded like music to her ears. She kissed him again and whispered, "Lets go inside."

As he opened the door, he asked, "Hungry?"

"A little."

He smiled and told her softly, "I'll make us a quick snack. Why don't you go get more comfortable?"

Kate looked at him and smiled. Then she nodded and made her way into the bedroom. She quickly undressed and looked at herself in the mirror. She was getting bigger every day. She knew that Castle still thought she was beautiful, but she couldn't help but wonder if he thought she was fat.

She dressed in a nightgown and went into the bedroom. She was suddenly tired and closed her eyes to sleep for just a moment.

Kate was still asleep when Castle crept into the bedroom. Walking quietly so as not to wake her, he made his way over to where Kate laid on the bed and knelt down in front of her. Leaning forward, Castle kissed her briefly on the lips. Kate stirred briefly and then he kissed her again. Kates's eyes fluttered open. "Hello beautiful," said Castle, smiling brightly.

"Don't lie to me Castle." Kate demanded loudly as she sat up and stretched, "I look like and feel like a beached whale and you know it!"

Castle laughed. "Yes, but you're my beached whale and I love you."

"Do you really?" Kate asked in a small voice, "Really and truly?"

"Really and truly."

As Castle's lips touched hers, Kate felt her desire ignite. She held him close, refusing to let him go as she pressed her lips more and more firmly against his. "Oh Rick." She whispered as she broke away to catch her breath, "I want you so much."

Castle simply smiled and touched his lips to hers once again. He kissed his way down her neck. Down to her breasts and held them in his hands. Then he whispered, "So damn beautiful Kate."

Then he kissed his way down her chest. Stopping only when he reached her pregnant belly. He put a hand on each side of her and stared intently. Kate watched as he kissed her stomach. So very softly. He peppered it with soft kisses. She very nearly came from the intense feelings that he was bringing out in her. And he hadn't even touched her. Not really. Despite feeling like a whale, she felt beautiful when he touched her.

He whispered softly to her, "I wish with my whole heart that this baby was mine in every way. Even though she isn't, I'm going to love her like she is." Another kiss to her stomach and he continued, "She will know that she is loved and was wanted from the moment I learned about her."

Castle let his hand drift between her legs. He felt Kate open to him and he heard her gasp when he parted her lower lips. Then he whispered, "You are so wet Kate..."

Kate could barely think, but she managed to choke out, "For you. Only for you."

He kissed his way down her stomach. She felt him work his fingers in and out of her. So very slowly. Dragging his thumb across her clit every so often. She shivered every time he touched her clit. She threw her head from side to side. Closing her eyes tightly, she moaned, "Oh Castle..."

He smiled and whispered, "Feel good?"

She nodded, "God yes!"

He smiled and whispered, "You are so beautiful. Inside and out. I want to taste you. Please?"

Kate looked at this wonderful man and smiled. She wondered what she had done to deserve a man like him in her life. She put her hand on his cheek and she simply nodded.

She closed her eyes when she felt his lips on her clit. It was a feather light kiss, but it caused her to lift off of the bed. She wanted to run her fingers through his hair, but he seemed so far away and her arms felt heavy and it was an effort to even lift them, much less run her hands through his hair. All she could do was lay back and allow the feelings to wash over her.

Castle spread her open slowly. He had done this many times before, but each time filled him with wonder and desire. He knew that he would never tire of pleasing her.

He wiggled his tongue over her clit softly. He could hear her moans and felt her moving. He put his fingers inside her and she immediately tightened around him. Moving in and out ever so slowly and licking her clit, soon pushed Kate over the edge. When she came, she came hard and pushed his head into her. She only stopped when her orgasm subsided.

She pulled him up to her and kissed him hard. Loving that she could taste herself on his lips. She finally pulled away and whispered, "That was incredible Rick... I've never felt anything like it. I..."

That was when she started crying. He started to worry and asked, "What's wrong?"

She looked into his eyes, "Nothing. You dear, sweet man. These are tears of joy. Joy at finally finding the love I have with you." She swallowed and whispered, "Make love to me Rick. Make me yours forever."

Looking into her eyes, he nodded and ran his hands over her stomach. He whispered, "You are my dream come true. My past and my future. My everything."

And with that, he entered her slowly. He held her hips and rocked softly into her. She put his hands up to cup his cheek and whispered, "I love you so much Richard Castle. You are the most amazing man I've ever known. You fill my heart with such love and incredible joy."

He put his hands on either side of her and leaned down to kiss her softly. He made sweet love to her all night long. Pausing only to eat the snack he made before curling up again with her in bed to take her from behind. So very slowly and softly. Until they fell asleep in the early morning hours. Their hands clasped together on her ever growing baby bump...