This lodge would be a wonderful place to come for a ski vacation or a summer getaway or a Christmas holiday or a destination wedding but any or all of the reasons are of secondary importance to the couple walking down the corridor from their room at one end of the building toward the main lodge and dining room and other formal spaces.

Anyone watching Rick and Kate wrapped around each other would assume they are in love. Deeply in love and they would be correct

The lodge is a beautiful place. Castle thinks that he should have looked into a place just like this himself and taken his wife here without it being for a special occasion for someone else like the wedding they are attending tomorrow night

With every step he takes, Castle becomes more thankful for the woman beside him. Each step down this corridor represents the forward steps that they have taken in this last year together. Each step has him holding her more and more tightly until she finally reacts to his actions

"Castle! What is going on? You are about to squeeze the breath out of me"

He stops in front of the elevator and releases her from his grip "Oh sorry. I just got to thinking about some things"

She has real confusion on her face "What things are you thinking about that made you pull me into a death grip?"

She realizes he has stopped in front of the elevator doors and is holding her around the waist pressing her into him

"Five years ago you wanted me gone and out of your life and now we are planning on adding more to our family. Creating a new life"

She understands what he is saying so she puts her arms around his neck "We've come a long way baby"

"A very long way"

A quick kiss ensues but she can't help but wonder what brought this on. She is now feeling a little concern

"Rick. Are you having second thoughts about this?"

"Absolutely not. I am excited…it's just…"

Raising her eyebrows "…just what?"

"When I had Alexis, she was not planned. It was an accident. She just happened. Initially we were concerned about what we were doing but we dealt with it. I made a lot of mistakes. We made a lot of mistakes"

"And you learned a lot from that. Alexis is a great kid and I know she will be an amazing big sister to this baby and you now have all the answers. Right?"

"No. I do not have any answers. Each new story has its own set of questions. But I guess what I am feeling now with this…with you is…this time it is not going to be an accident. We are wanting this. We are planning for this. We are…"

"We are working for this" Kate responds

Castle pulls Kate against him again "This is going to be great. Parenthood is going to be great"

The elevator bell chiming kicks the couple out of the make out session they had started in the hallway. Once inside the cab Castle leans into his wife's neck. Kate lets out a soft hum "You just keep doing this Castle. OK?"

They two ride down to the main level and plan to have a lite lunch. Since the rehearsal is tonight along with a dinner, Castle and Beckett have chosen the soup and salad bar to tide them over until later

Just as they finish their selections and move toward a table, a woman's voice chimes in "Becks!"

Beckett spins to look back where the call came from and sees Maddie Quellar standing just inside the door into the dining area

"Maddie?" Kate is obviously surprised to see her old friend here "Hey girl good to see you. Are you here on vacation?"

"No I am working. Sara and Brett hired me to cater the dinner tonight and the wedding tomorrow"

"I didn't know you expanded into catering, Maddie, that is great" Kate responds honestly

"Yeah. The catering business is doing great. We actually make more money now because we keep the kitchen busy almost 24 hours a day" She pauses a moment then continues "You and Rick are also here for the wedding?"

"Oh yeah. Of course I knew Brett from school. We knew Brett…"

Maddie leans into Kate "we both knew him back then" and she laughs softly

Rick adds "And we own the house next door to Sara in the Hamptons"

"I heard that" Kate's old friend responds "You two finally tying the knot after so many years being more than friends" Maddie winks at Kate

"Kate, you look so good. I don't remember you ever looking like this. You are so radiant. You must be very happy. It is written all over you" she leans closer to Kate again and points a thumb at Castle "He must be taking good care of you"

Beckett looks at her husband "Yeah he does"

"Listen Becks, I need to go. I have some last minute details to resolve. I need to go into town and pick up a few perishable items this afternoon, and the weather reports say we might get some snow tomorrow and I want to pick up what I need before that happens"

"OK Maddie, be careful"

"I will" and the woman rushes out of the seating area

"That is nice" Kate comments "I am so glad that her business is doing very well"

Castle then adds "She is very good at what she does"

Pretending to be jealous, Kate glares at her husband "and just how do you know about how well Maddie's business is doing?"

"Paula and Gina both told me they have taken clients to Q3 and they have hired her to cater book launch parties for them on several occasions"

"You told Gina about my friend Maddie?" Kate has a nice tone in her voice

"That one short date Maddie and i went out on, before you arrested her for going out with me, I learned a lot about her passion for food"

Kate leans into his ear "What other passion did she show you that I need to worry about?"

The conversation is interrupted by the voice of a woman that appears beside the table "How is everything you two?"

Kate and Rick are both a little taken back by the presence of a woman standing next to them who is pregnant. Obviously very pregnant!

Castle answers first "Great. Everything is wonderful"

Beckett seems more stunned by the woman than her husband "Yes…yes it is"

"I am Robin Blankenship. My husband Barry and I own this lodge and we want to be sure you both have an unforgettable stay at our resort"

Kate stammers a little "Excuse me for saying this, but you are very obviously…"

"Pregnant? OH, yes. Very much. I am due in two weeks"

"Should you be working? I mean…?" Kate is feeling a little uncomfortable talking to a woman who is in the condition she is planning for herself

"OH the doctor tells me that I need to stay off my feet as much as possible. But sitting is so hard and getting up requires me to rent a crane. You know how it is…my ankles are swollen my rear end needs a 'Wide Load' sign, my boobs are double their normal size and the baby is sitting on my bladder making me go to the bathroom every ten minutes and the only way to walk is to waddle"

Kate was NOT expecting to get such a detail description of the woman's physical condition…and she suddenly feels something flash up inside her. Worry about what a baby will do to her body. Her body that she has taken very good care of that might not return to where she is today

Sounding almost like an emergency alarm, Sara Green and Brett Edwards walk into the room. Sara speaks first "Kate, Rick" she waves her hand "hi"

Kate glances up "Hey you two"

Robin speaks to the group "I will leave all of you to your meal" she turns and just like her description of herself, she waddles off giving Kate a full view of the need for a 'Wide Load' sign she mentioned previously

Beckett's thoughts are pulled down when she realizes that Sara is trying to talk to them

"Kate…Kate…are you with us here?" Sara waves her hand in front of the brunette

Snapping out "Oh Sorry, Sara. I was thinking about something. What were you asking?"

"The couple that was coming to be Brett's best man and my matron of honor got stuck at the airport lock down in Seattle due to the storm. Then their flight got cancelled. They won't be here in time for the wedding"

Brett finishes the thought "We are wondering if you two would stand up for us tomorrow night?"

Rick smiles at the other couple "We would be honored to help in whatever way we can…right Kate" he looks over at his wife

She seems to have something else on her mind.

All she is seeing right now in her mind is the woman who just walked out and she sees herself pregnant, with swollen ankles, a giant belly, a large rear end and boobs larger than Joy Mason's

"KATE?" finally says more sternly

She looks at her husband "WHAT?"

UM! Can she bear to see herself in that condition?
We will have to see