I'd never kill Kate. Thanks for the reviews, favs and follows.

Chapter 6: Life

He sat there for what seemed like hours never letting go of her necklace that held her engagement ring. No small amount of tears had been shed in the time that had passed. He couldn't get out of his mind the image of Kate lying there, just before she lost consciousness, telling him to tell their son about her and then that she loved him. She talked as if she felt she was going to die. He couldn't lose her, he just couldn't. They couldn't lose their son either. He couldn't lose both of them that would break him. How had everything gone so wrong in the past seven months?

He had been sat there for what was only two hours which felt like many more, when Kate's doctor appeared still wearing scrubs. She crouched down in front of him with a face that showed concern.

"Mister Castle, we've operated on Miss Beckett and we've delivered her son. He's doing well and has been taken to the neonatal intensive care unit which is normal as he's premature."

"What about Kate?" He said wiping the tears that remained from his face.

"She made it through, lost a lot of blood. How much do you know about pre-eclampsia?"

"Not a lot."

"Kate experienced an eclampsia seizure" Rick took a sharp intake of breath shocked at what he had been told. "I believe that she had endured no long lasting damage but only time will tell. She's being transferred to recovery where we can monitor her. I can take you to see your son if you like?"

"Please." Rick felt so helpless, he just wanted to go back to their happiness; their bubble where everything felt normal.

When he first saw his son in the incubator tears filled his eyes once more. The doctor left him once more saying that a nurse would be in soon, only nodding in response. He wanted so much to hold his son but knew he would have to wait for it. Most importantly he was alive, breathing on his own and responsive.

He once again ran his hand over the side of the box when a nurse came to stand beside him.

"Do you have a name for him, sir?"

"Erm, yes, James Houghton Castle."

"Thank you."

"Excuse me, when can I see Kate?"

"I'll find out for you."

"Thank you." Rick told the nurse, he was torn between Kate and his son. Neither would know he was there but he just wanted to do something. He ran his hand down the side of the incubator again as if it would do something. "Hello, baby. I'm sorry that your entrance into this world was so dramatic. I know your mother was trying her best. I don't know if I made it worse because of-" Rick said before the nurse interrupted him.

"No, Mister Castle, while the causes aren't fully understood, however, we do believe it is likely to be genetic."

"Oh, I still feel guilty because of what…never mind you don't know about it. Is there any news on Kate?"

"She's still not awake but you'll be able to see her in about half an hour."

"Thank you?"

"Is there anyone that I can call for you, Sir?" The nurse kindly asked knowing that he was alone now Kate was in recovery.

"Please call me Rick. Yes, actually, could you call my mother? And tell her to tell Kate's father. They know that she was here but nothing more. Have you got a piece of paper and I'll write the number down?"

"Yes." The nurse replied as she got led him to the desk in the corner of the room.

"There's our home number and her mobile number."

"Thank you, I'll call her now and let you know."

"Thank you." Rick replied as the nurse turned to leave the room. He grabbed a chair and carried it to where his son was. He was beginning to tire standing and hospital chairs.

It was five minutes before the nurse returned to tell him that his mother and Jim were on their way. He was glad for some support even if it was someone to just sit there and watch them. This way Kate or their son would not be alone.

Half an hour later the nurse reappeared, he was in his own world like he had been since she left. Thinking about Kate and their son, everything he had put her through and what was to come. He had to step up and be the Richard Castle that proposed to Kate, the father who did everything for his daughter and the son that Martha loved.

"Excuse me, Rick." The nurse said but got no response, she put her hand on his shoulder which brought him back.

"Sorry"

"Don't worry; I just came to tell you that I can take you to see Miss Beckett. If you want to that is."

"Yes, please." He followed the nurse they walked in silence along the seemingly endless corridors.

When they arrived at the door he paused to ask the woman, "Can she hear me? Will she know that I'm there?"

"She should be awake soon. When she comes around she'll probably feel nauseous and be groggy. The doctor will come in to speak to her. For the meantime you can sit with her."

"Okay, thank you. Could you tell my mother where I am when she arrives, please? I know it is a lot-"

"No it is fine, be with your wife." He didn't bother to correct her, he just wanted to sit with Kate. He entered her room, pulling the chair as close as he could to the bed. He was just glad to hear her slow steady breaths with a normal background noise of the monitors. She was alive which is all that mattered, he held her hand in both of his so if she could feel she knew that he was there.

He talked to her hoping that she was listening, he was just rambling about all sorts of things. One sided conversations were hard. He didn't know how he had been talking before he heard her grunt.

"Kate, can you hear me, Kate?"

"Hmm."

"Let me get someone." He replied pressing for the call button.

Within a minute a nurse came running into the room. "She's coming around."

"Okay, just stand back, sir." He did as he was told allowing the nurse to do her job. It hurt him to see her like this, disorientated and horribly pale. "The doctor will be in shortly."

"Okay, thanks." He said to the nurse as she left. "Hey, Kate, I'd ask how you are but I know the answer." He came to stand by her holding her hand once again.

"Baby" Kate asked her voice strained.

"He's doing okay, he's up in NICU. He's beautiful, Kate, I can't wait for you to see him."

"Good. You?"

"I'm better now that you're awake."

"Hmm. W'happened?" Kate managed to ask.

"I'll let the doctor explain she should be here shortly."

"S'not good s'it?" She asked still struggling to form full words.

Fortunately the doctor walked in saving Rick an explanation that was hard and would be limited in actual facts.

"Miss Beckett, I'm glad to see that you're awake."

"Hmm, sleep." She wished that she could just rest as she still felt tired.

"Yes, I'll let you sleep soon. For now though I just want to check you over then explain what happened and what will happen."

"'Kay." Kate did everything the doctor asked no matter how much she didn't feel like it.

Listening to what the doctor was telling her about what happened was even harder, she felt as if she had failed already having been unable to carry her child to term. The only relief was that he seemed to be doing okay, the fact that he was breathing on his own was reassuring. He showed no sign of any long terms problems.

Once they were left alone Kate turned to Rick who once more sat on the chair as close to her as possible, "I'm sorry." She said as tears began to fall.

"No, no, no, it's not your fault."

"I know what the doctor said but if I hadn't been-"

"You can't think like this, if we're trying to blame someone then it probably should be me. I caused you all that stress by being an absolute arsehole but they said it is genetics. We need to concentrate on you getting better and looking after James." He hadn't intended to say their son's name until they had actually agreed on his name.

"You decided on James then?"

"When we were talking about it the other day we both liked it but if you don't then you can change it. The nurse asked me and I didn't want him just to be baby Beckett."

"No, no, I do. Did you decide on a middle name as well?"

"I said Houghton, I didn't know if you were going to make it and it just came to me. Again if you want to change it then I don't mind. It's not like it is official on his birth certificate."

"You wanted him to have my middle name as well." Kate questioned.

"I thought that…a lot of things and I just wanted it to have meaning."

"This is sounding like it all coming from the Beckett side." She said light heartedly.

"Well there's not a lot from my side, I don't know my father's family or him really, Alexander would be too close to Alexis and we agreed that nothing else Rodgers or Castle really worked. I didn't know if you wanted Beckett to be in his name or not, we didn't talk about that."

"You know that I'm not one for tradition but giving our child his father's surname is standard plus if we get married then…"

"If we get married?"

"I never said we wouldn't." She said running her thumb along his hand which was tightly encasing hers.

"No but I just thought-"

"One step at a time, Rick, one step."

"I know I'm not going anywhere."

"I'd hope that you would go down to see our son. I'm not going to be moving for a while."

"You know what I mean. Our parents should be here shortly."

"You called them?"

"Yes, well a nurse did because she asked if there was anyone and I-"

"Don't worry about it, Rick, it will be nice to see them."

"Did they tell you long that he would need to be in hospital for?"

"Not precisely but I do know that you'll be going home before he does." She let out a shaky breath before a yawn.

"M tired."

"Sleep, Kate, I'll be here when you wake up."

"Thank you." She replied moments before her eyes once again slipped closed. He felt such relief knowing that Kate would be okay and it was promising for their son. He was tired but couldn't fall asleep, he was there for Kate and just wanted to watch over her; to keep her safe.

It was about twenty minutes before the new grandparents arrived, making their presence known by a gentle knock on the door.

"Hello, Richard."

"Shh, she's asleep." He told his mother.

"Yes, just a few minutes."

"How's she doing?" Jim asked.

"Better, she's had a tough time of it but they're hopeful she'll make a full recovery." They didn't need to know, yet, everything that had happened to Kate. He still wouldn't be great at explaining it, knowing that his throat would clog up.

"That's excellent news, what about our grandson?"

"He's in NICU, breathing on his own and doing well considering."

"Shall we go see him? Let you be with Katherine."

"Please, the nurses are friendly. Just ask to speak to the nurse who called you, I think her name was-"

"Lynda." Martha cut in.

"Yes, she'll take you to James." That caught Jim's attention, amazed that his grandson shared his birth name even if everybody called him Jim nowadays.

"James?"

"James Houghton Castle." Rick replied smiling.

"Come, Jim, let's leave these two to rest." Kate's sleep was undisturbed as she snored softly.

Soon after Rick joined Kate in sleep, it had been incredibly tiring so he could no longer keep his eyes open.

Martha linked arms with Jim as they walked down to NICU. He didn't seem to mind so just continued, they were both relieved that Kate and James were okay since they were left with little knowledge when Martha had been called.

"What do you think is going to happen to those two?" Jim asked knowing that more had gone off in the past few days than he was privy to.

"They'll get there. When Katherine went to her old place after her appointment the other day I feared the worst. He's barely left her side since they came to the hospital and we both know that if she really wanted him gone then he wouldn't be here." Martha said, reassuring Jim.

"There's hope then?"

"Yes, there's more than hope." Martha replied with a smile knowing that the couple were now heading somewhere positive.

"Let's go see our grandson." Jim said, excited to see his first grandchild.

"Yes, Jim, we shall."

So sorry if the med stuff isn't 100% right. I did do research but it is hard.

There's a small time jump next time.

Thank you for reading.