Disclaimer: I do not own Castle

Chapter 3

Her phone had to be the one to interrupt her though. She lightly tugged at his t-shirt and he pulled away.

"Kate, don't get upset with me... just hear me out. Apply for that leave please…"
she looked down and then back at him.

"Castle, I can feel her in me, I know what she's feeling at all times. I know it when she's upset; I know when she's glad. I will know it when she's had enough of anything, including my time at work."

"And what about you? You're not thinking about the rest you need. Everything you go through, she goes through too."

She looked into his eyes with care now, held his face in her hands and said "She's our baby Castle; I care about her just as much as you do, perhaps even more because she's in me. Now, I know I'm fine. And she's safe. I promise you, I will not let anything happen to her or me"

Rick looked at her for a moment and then nodded. "Okay. Just... keep that promise."

"You know I will." she kissed him once more and then went about getting ready to leave for the precinct. Castle would go to the bank first, get everything sorted and then meet her there.

The topic never arose again, until a few weeks later.

Alexis and Avril were both sitting on the couch. Alexis was reading a novel and Avril was watching something on TV. They heard their parents' voices from outside the loft and knew they were home. The door then opened and they walked in, and that's when the young girls realized they were having a heated argument about something.

"I don't get it Castle, Why are you making such a big deal out of this?"

"Why am 'I' making a big deal? Because, well, if you haven't noticed, I'm the father Kate!"

"I know what I'm doing Castle! Just stop!"

"No. I'm not ending this here. Not until you agree to call captain gates up and take that leave."

"Castle! I'll take my leave next week!" her anger now, very evident in her body language.

"No Kate. You're going to apply for it first thing tomorrow morning. If you don't I'm going to ask captain gates to put you on desk duty straight away…" and even before he finished

"Castle!" she snapped.
She spoke then at the loudest volume they had ever heard her
"Stop! Just stop! You are not going to do anything of the sort! This is my life; I know what I'm doing"

"What are you trying to prove Kate? And to who?"

"I'm not trying to prove anything!"

"Then why are you trying to be this 'supermom'. Putting your life at risk every single day along with hers?"

"I'm not trying to be anyone…"

"Kate…"

"RICK! I don't want to hear anymore. That's it. I'm tired and I really don't want to talk about this!"

"But I want to."

"Then I won't talk to you!" she said bitterly and walked on into their room.

Castle wiped his hand down his face.

"Dad, her blood pressure…" Alexis reminded him.

"I know…"

"Both of you need to cool down." Alexis said.

He came and sat between them on the couch. "She's not going to talk to me tonight" he said.

He began pressing his temples. His head was aching too. He was beginning to worry too much about her and their baby girl. He couldn't take it anymore.

"Sweetie, could you take a glass of water to her, and see that she calms down."

"On it."

Alexis said and got up to tend to Kate. After she was out of sight, Rick felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up at Avril.

"Can I get you anything? You look really worn out"

he smiled. "I am… I'm... Avril, I'm really worried for Kate. She's being so stubborn; she just won't listen to me..."

"I know, it worries me too..." he put his arm around her and pulled her into his embrace.

"I'll talk to her. Maybe she'll listen to me" she said.

"Thank you"

"I love you dad. She doesn't see how much you care for her"

"it's not that. She sees it. She got used to doing it all on her own when she had you. That's why it's hard for her to listen to me this time around"

"I'm sorry"

"no one's to blame honey" he kissed her on the head.

Alexis came back out and said "She's alright for now dad. Don't worry. Why don't you go freshen up? I'll serve you guys dinner"

When he went back into the room, Kate wasn't in bed. But he heard the noise of the shower and knew she was in. He changed into more comfortable clothing and then sat there, waiting for her to come out.

She walked out 10 minutes later in her slacks and her oversized t-shirt, wiping her hair with a towel.
"Shall I bring your dinner in here? Or you want to go out and eat?" he asked.

"I'm not hungry" he expected it.

"Kate…" he tried to talk her into eating something.

"Please don't…"

He got up then and walked out.
Alexis was serving two plates when he stopped her and said, "Just serve one plate honey."

she didn't question him, she did as she was told.

"Thank you" he said and she kissed him on the cheek and said "Goodnight dad. Don't stress so much, she'll come around"

"Thank you sweet heart"

Kate sat on her bed. She closed her eyes. 'Breathe in- breathe out' she repeated in her head. She knew it wasn't good for her to get so excited and hyper. It could lead to so many complications.
She softly rubbed her hand over her tummy.

"Mommy's sorry baby. I didn't mean to upset you in there." She really didn't mean for this to escalate so badly. She hated fighting Castle about this. She knew he only meant well and she was being stubborn about this. She just felt strongly that she can handle work along with being pregnant.

She wasn't weak and neither was she disabled. Being pregnant never stopped her from leading a normal life before then why now. And she hated that this was such an issue between them. Deep down she knew he was right. But why was she finding it so hard to just admit it.

She knew how much it hurt Castle every time she snapped at him, and she also knew how much it would upset their child. This was something she had realized in these past few months, their little girl was just as in sync with her father as she was with her mother. It was beyond Kate how that worked. But if Castle was upset with her, their baby knew.

"Mommy didn't mean to snap at daddy either. We both love you."

Just then she heard a knock on the door. She looked up to find Alexis and Avril there.

"Hey…"

"Hey girls, come in..." they walked in and Avril climbed into the bed to sit beside Kate, while Alexis took a seat near Kate's knees. She had a plate in her hand, covered with another plate. She placed it on the table beside the bed.

Kate watched her "Did your dad send you two in here?"

"No, we actually came to say goodnight" Avril said.

Kate kissed her forehead and said "I love you both."

"we love you too Kate." Alexis said with a smile and reached for Kate's hand.

"I'm sorry about.. well, we made quite an entry" she smiled sadly.

"You did, but.. it's alright, we get it"

"Where's your dad now?" Kate asked.

"He's sitting at the dining table"

"He's having dinner?" she asked.

"No. he said he isn't hungry" Alexis said.

He wasn't eating and that made Kate feel horrible.

Kate looked down. "Is he alright?" she asked without actually looking up at any of them.

"Why don't you ask him yourself?" Avril told her.

She looked toward the window now, not wanting the girls to see the tears moistening her eyes, threatening to fall. She knew she was giving him a hard time. And he was being nothing but caring. Even now, he was keeping space between them just for her. Subconsciously, she wanted him near.

"I think we should let you sleep. Goodnight Kate" Alexis said softly.

She hugged her and stood up. And then Avril put her head on her mom's shoulder and said "You always tell me he's the best thing that's ever happened to you, don't push him out mom. He cares for you so much."

At that a tear rolled down her cheek and she wiped it away real quick.

Avril kissed her and then the two young girls left the room. Kate looked at the plate beside her and thought for a moment. She was hungry and so was their baby.

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