Disclaimer: The only part of Castle that I own is the TV on which I watch the show.

How is it possible? Yesterday there was nothing and today there's something? A few minutes ago, Beckett had stepped out of the shower and wrapped herself in a large towel—although "large towel" was redundant in this house, since Castle's idea of the minimum acceptable size was eighteen square feet. She had put moisturizer on her face, hung up the towel, and started applying body lotion when kaboom! There it was. Right there. Right there.

For her entire life—or her life until a moment ago—her stomach had been the human equivalent of Bolivia's Salar de Uyuni, the flattest place on the planet. And now, all of a sudden, it isn't. It has a curve. She's not crazy, she can see it: a little curve. It's barely more than the right-hand half of a parenthesis, but still, there it is. She pokes at it, uses all her fingers to pull her skin taut over it, and it's still there. She's officially convex.

Beckett has never been sentimental. She prides herself on it. She has never gotten misty-eyed over a Hallmark card or sighed over a kitten. But now? Standing in the bathroom wearing nothing but a sappy grin and Jo Malone grapefruit-scented lotion on one leg? Now everything's different. She has a baby bump. "Hi," she says, looking at her stomach and patting it. "Hello." And she bursts into tears.

"Hi, Mom. What's up? Wait, are you crying? Dad! Get in here! Mom's crying!"

"Castle! Castle! Come here! Right now!"

He's so startled by her voice that he drops his Forbidden Planet mug on the kitchen floor and doesn't even notice that it's now in a hundred pieces. He races to the bathroom and slides to a halt in front of his naked wife. "What's wrong?"

Beckett points to her stomach. "There."

"There? Does it hurt? Is it the baby?"

"There. The bump. It's a baby bump. See?"

Castle has seen her naked countless times, though if he really applied himself he could probably come up with the actual number. But never before has he seen her without a stitch and looked at nothing but her stomach. He puts his palm there, on her silky skin, and spins her part-way round so that he can see her in profile. "Yeah!" he shouts. "It's the baby!"

"What? Dad, I've been here for ages. I know you know I'm in here. You talk to me all the time."

"Sorry if I scared you, Castle. I didn't know I'd get so emotional."

"I bet I know what Dad's going to say. He's going to say something like it's just a bump in the pregnancy road. He loves to make jokes like that."

"It's an adorable bump in the road of pregnancy, Beckett."

"Told ya! See, I'm really getting to know you."

"Right, Castle. I have to get dressed, I'm freezing."

He goes back to the kitchen and finds the scattered, shattered remains of his favorite mug. He doesn't care. It was worth it. Seeing Beckett's reaction a moment ago was worth every mug, cup, saucer, plate, bowl, platter, and glass they own.

While Castle is reconciling himself to the loss of his favorite mug, Beckett is in their bedroom trying to do the same with her favorite pants. She had worn them a week ago: perfect fit, as always. But when she slipped into them just now, they were too tight at the waist. She couldn't button them without wincing. What the hell, had the cleaners shrunk them? She'll try again.

"Ow! Yikes! Mom! You're strangling me. Are you trying to suck in your stomach? Because I need some room."

Oh. Oh, God. She's such a nitwit. She smacks her forehead and laughs. "Duh. It's the bump. That's why my pants don't fit."

"This is my fault? No! How can it be my fault? I didn't do anything."

She decides to wear the pants anyway, leave the button undone, and wear a top that's loose enough to cover the gap. She puts on an especially lethal pair of heels and smiles: they still feel fine.

In the kitchen, all traces of the Forbidden Planet debacle are gone. When Beckett slides onto a stool, Castle has tea and half a grapefruit waiting for her. "Big day, Beckett," he says.

"I hope you're not referring to my waistline, Castle."

"I'll rephrase that." He leans over and kisses her. "Happy Bump Day, Beckett."

She kisses him back. "That's better. Thank you. Happy Bump Day to you, too."

"What about me? Isn't anyone going to wish me Happy Bump Day?"

"So how is the bump today, anyway? Hungry? Does bump want a buttered bagel? Blueberries? Bacon? A boiled egg?"

"Bump wants a doughnut."

"Toast, please, Castle. That yummy multi-grain bread we got at the farmers' market yesterday."

"What about my yummy doughnut?"

"Bump's toast, coming right up."

"Is that going to be my name from now on? Bump? Because I think I liked Plus One better."

"Wait, Castle. Sorry, I changed my mind. I'd really like a doughnut."

"Atta girl. That's my cop talking."

"No, it's Plus One talking. Thanks for changing your mind, Mom."

TBC

A/N I mean it, I can't thank you enough for your enthusiasm for this story.