Disclaimer: I do not own Castle

Chapter 4

When Castle entered their bedroom, he found Kate eating the last spoon of food from her plate. She hadn't noticed him at the door. He watched her swallow the last bite and then have a glass of water from the bedside table. She spotted him when she put the glass back down.

He didn't say a word. Instead he walked to his side of the bed and sat down. He opened a drawer and began rummaging through it, searching for something. She watched him. He didn't find what he was searching for. He got up and went into the bathroom, and she could hear him looking through the cabinet there where they kept the pills. She couldn't help but wonder what's wrong.

"What are you searching for?" she asked when he was back out.

"I need a pain killer"

she opened the drawer beside her and took out a small bottle of pills and held it out to him.

"What hurts?" she asked with too much concern

he wanted to laugh at that statement. What doesn't hurt right now would be an apt question. But he didn't say anything.

"It's nothing, don't worry"

"Please tell me..."

'What happened to the 'please don't' he thought. But didn't voice it out.

He said nothing. He took the bottle of pills from her. Popped two into his mouth and she handed him a glass of water. He drank from it quietly. He then took his shirt off and kept it on the chair at the corner of the room; he walked back into the bathroom, splashed some water on his face and head and came out towelling his hair, wearing only his boxers.

"Rick..."

"It's nothing... my head hurts"

"you didn't have dinner"

"I wasn't hungry"

she couldn't say another word to him. He was giving back to her what she gave to him: stubbornness.

And it hurt her that he wasn't eating. She knew there was no possible way he wasn't hungry after such a long tiring day. He got into bed and pulled the covers over himself, the only thing he said to her then was "If you need anything at all, don't hesitate to wake me up please. If not for you, at least for her."

And it stung. It stung so bad she wanted to cry. She wanted to cuddle into his arms and tell him she was sorry for being so stubborn, for fighting him. She wanted to tell him that she'll take that leave.

For her, for their daughter and for him. She hated that he was in pain, and only cause of her. He was facing the other way. So she slid down in bed, lying on her back.

"Babe… Rick..?"

"hmmm?" he asked.

"She wants her daddy."

He turned around then and placed his hand on her tummy. And spoke to no one in particular and said "daddy's right here"

He wasn't touching her. He was touching their baby. And she understood why he was keeping that distance. She had asked for it.
He leaned in over her then and placed a soft kiss on her tummy and Kate couldn't resist running her fingers through his soft hair, appreciating his small gesture.

He was fast asleep now. And she was watching his sleeping form. She loved this man more than anything in her life and she hated that she was giving him such a hard time. She fell asleep watching the slow rise and fall of his chest.
And when she awoke in the morning, he was gone.

There was a note on his pillow that read. "Needed a run. Will be back soon."

She got up from her bed and quickly showered and brushed. She dressed for work and then went downstairs to get breakfast started.

"Where's dad?" Avril asked when she and Alexis came downstairs for breakfast.

"He went for a run. Said he'll be back soon" she said. Not looking at either of them directly.

"You're going to work today?" Alexis asked carefully between sips of her orange juice. And Avril looked up to hear her mom's answer too.

Kate looked at both of them for a moment then and said "Yea. I'm going today and..."

"And?" Avril urged.

"And I'm going to apply for leave, effective tomorrow"

they smiled. "Did you tell dad?" Avril asked excitedly.

"I didn't get the chance..." she spoke softly. She looked at her watch, she had to get to the precinct in time, and Castle wasn't home yet. She was beginning to worry. She tried calling him, but he wasn't picking up. Finally, he walked in through the door when she was putting her shoes on

"Rick, Where were you, why weren't you answering my calls?" she said to him as soon as he turned to face her after closing the door.

The smile that he had on his face vanished and she immediately regretted that she was still using that tone of voice with him this morning.

He had two huge bags in his hands. "I stopped to get these on my way back, and I couldn't reach for my phone with these in hand"

he walked into the loft and kissed his daughters good morning... he placed the two bags down, and Kate could see the contents inside, they were stuffed toys and baby clothes and things that he loved buying for their little unborn baby girl.

He looked at his watch and his eye's widened. "You're late!" he said.

"Castle, we need to talk" she wanted to tell him about her decision to finally take that leave from work.

"You know what, why don't you go ahead to the precinct, I'll freshen up and meet you there in a bit." He said, completely dancing around her "need to talk" bit.

"Okay" she half whispered.

She opened the front door and stopped in her tracks. She turned back around with the hope that maybe he'd come to kiss her goodbye, but no. He was already walking into his study. Who was she kidding? He was probably still very upset with her behaviour, and she wouldn't blame him.

She took a cab to the precinct and the first thing she did was ask captain gate's for the paperwork she had to fill in for maternity leave. She thought of taking a picture of the header on the form and sending it to her husband. It might actually put a huge smile on his face.

But as she thought of it, she realized she'd feel better if she saw that smile in person. Her phone beeped with a message from Castle just when she filled out the last of the papers.
"Where are you? At the precinct?" was the text.

And she heard Ryan call out to her and Esposito saying that the suspect to the case they're working was just spotted entering a café at 23rd street. So she quickly texted him the address and told him to meet her there.

So what do you guys think? Do you like this story so far? :)