The moment a patient is discharged from the hospital and gets to go home is like pure freedom! Until they actually get home and start working to get on with their lives while still recovering. I doubt it would be any different for Katherine Beckett Castle - although she's not only contending with healing injuries…but also with a pregnancy and a husband who just wants to help, no matter what!
Hope you'll enjoy this 3rd chapter of Moments of Always!
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Moments of Always
Chapter 3: That Moment When …
"I'm not a good patient," Kate pouted from her perch in their bed. She began realizing this fact in the hospital when her father told her to stop pouting. That was just three days ago.
She still had weeks of recuperation to muddle through until she'd even be able to consider taking care of herself again. UGH! She hated being dependent on anyone other than herself, even her loving, caring husband.
The police captain flopped her head back onto her pillow and gave another guttural objection to being stuck in the bed. It wasn't that she was mean or derogatory toward her caregivers, she was just impatient with herself.
"You're just not a patient, patient," Castle stepped toward her with a tray of food fit for a queen.
"I'm used to taking care of myself," she commented but did show some immediate interest in the items on the tray which Rick was holding just slightly above her line of sight.
"And what did we discuss in the hospital, with Dr. Ange and shortly before they finally signed your walking papers? Hmmm?" Her husband asked rhetorically but she wanted to give a sarcastic response.
"You can't call those my walking papers when I can't even get out of bed or truly walk at this point," she tried to scoot herself up in the bed to get a better view of the meal he was bringing to her.
"Now, now, now," Rick turned away from her slightly when she reached for his arm to bring the tray down a little lower. "Ms. Self-Pity… Let's review the doctors' orders, find out who's truly invited to this pity party, and then we'll discuss your food options."
"Castle!" Her voice sounded much like it often did inside the precinct walls where Captain Beckett was the undeniable boss.
"Ah-ah-ahhhh," he looked at his wife. "Are we going to pout? Because I do have instructions to call a certain Papa Beckett if that's the case."
Kate settled, pressing her lips together, flaring her nostrils but withholding the curse words that ran through her mind. She rolled her eyes, to Castle's amusement, before continuing. "I was just going to say that I hate that you have to wait on me hand and foot. I'm sorry," she softened the glare that had been focussed on him.
Rick didn't respond, other than lowering the tray of food to her lap and then sitting down on the edge of the bed beside her. "You're not a superhero, you know?" He said softly as he picked up one of the breadsticks off the plate of pasta. "As much as I like to think you are and you think you are, your super powers are just a little broken right now and it's actually going to take time to heal. Besides, I thought you liked it when I take care of you." He blinked his eyelids in an innocent way and offered a meager pout of his own lips.
Kate picked up a fork and knife and gently began cutting the linguine noodles that he had prepared just for her. The alfredo sauce was made with extra parmesan and doused the slivers of chicken that she had requested.
"This smells amazing," she looked into her husband's face and smiled at him. "You didn't have to cook for me. We could've ordered out."
"Is that your way of saying you missed me while I was all the way in the kitchen and you were stuck in here?" Rick dipped his breadstick into the pasta sauce and savored the nibble that he stole from her plate.
"Maybe," Kate took a bite of her meal and hummed in total delight. She chewed slowly, eyes closed, enjoying. She had been asking for Rick's chicken alfredo for nearly a week now. He had promised her that he would fix it for her as soon as they got her home from the hospital and settled in. "Or maybe I missed cooking with you."
"That, I will accept as a reason to pout. I'll admit, I missed having you beside me in there." He pointed over his shoulder toward their kitchen and dining room and then scooted and leaned forward to steal a kiss from her lips. "I'm just glad that we are finally home and can actually sleep in the same bed again. I've missed that the last couple of weeks."
Kate nodded. "I think the night you crawled into the hospital bed with me was the night Dr. Brady told Dr. Ange that it was about time to send me home."
"They really need to make queen size hospital beds, you know, for the husbands who can't rest without their wives?" he sighed in his overly dramatic fashion.
"Because that's what the nurses need…to take care of one spouse with actual trauma and the other one who needs a cuddle fix?" Kate laughed gently. "Maybe if Dr. Ange had just given you a hug…"
"I don't think she or Dr. Brady liked having me in the room every time they came to check on you. They were fine with all your questions and concerns and requests to come home… but me? The last time I asked Dr. Ange if I could bring you home I thought she was gonna run over me with a wheelchair." Rick raised his eyebrows as he took another bite of bread and then swapped the starch for Kate's fork.
"That's only because you kept Googling things and asking questions that weren't pertinent to my recovery at all. It reminded me of the beginning of our work relationship, when you drove me nuts…on a daily basis…" She took a bite of the pasta he offered her as she eyed him knowingly.
"Ah! I knew it! I drove you nuts…you didn't think I was an ass, I was just annoying!" Rick grinned at Kate as she rolled her eyes.
"Those two properties are not mutually exclusive, you know?" She continued watching him as he swirled more noodles onto the fork. "And an ass can drive you crazy and annoy the hell out of you…all wrapped into one three-letter term."
He held up the fork again and enjoyed the moment of pleasure as his wife accepted his edible peace offering and let out another content sigh. "So you don't think I got on their bad lists?" He continued the conversation.
"Oh, they loved you and you know it!" Kate chewed, talked and laughed at the same time. "When Dr. Ange asked if you were tired of playing doctor…"
"She set me up perfectly for that one," Castle grinned, "and she knew it!"
He wagged his eyebrows as his grin morphed into something even more suggestive. "Speaking of playing doctor…I was and am and always will be fully willing to give you a complete physical exam - and take my own clothes off in the process. It's more fun that way. The good doctor didn't find that amusing. But then she was just needling me, going on about how you'd need to stay in bed once we got home…and what was that last part about propping your legs up in a comfy position?" Rick snorted.
"You laughed like a teenage boy! She was trying to give us instructions and you couldn't even pull off a Doogie Howser moment." Kate grinned at his laughter and Castle just sat and smiled at her.
"I'm just really glad we got to that point," he admitted, shifting his eyes away from her.
"I know," Kate agreed. "Me too." She put her hands over her abdomen. "We'll get to see Dr. Ange again soon…at least B.C. and I will. Not sure she'll let you in the office!" She rubbed gentle circles over the cotton t-shirt that covered her upper body.
At that, Rick smiled again, and shifted the food tray just enough that he could lean over and nuzzle the womb where their baby was growing. "Hey B.C.," he kissed Kate's belly and pointed his lips toward her belly button, "we're home now kiddo!"
Kate watched him with amusement and wonder. "Can B.C. hear you?" She wondered honestly.
When Rick sat up again, she pulled the tray back toward her and fully began eating her dinner.
"Studies say babies can hear voices and might even be able to recognize or distinguish between different people who have been close to the mother during pregnancy," Rick supplied as though it was common knowledge. "And I figure I need to make good use of this time before you get back on your feet and back to the precinct. I will not have B.C. recognizing Javi and Kevin's voices over mine!" He nodded seriously.
"Is that why you were reading to the baby in the hospital?" Kate asked between bites.
"I thought you were asleep for that," Rick shifted his eyes and pursed his lips together.
"I thought you were reading to me but then I felt you rubbing my stomach and realized what you were doing." Kate admitted.
"Why didn't you say anything?" Rick questioned.
"I thought it was sweet. Except..Heat Wave? Really, Castle? You're reading Nikki Heat books to our child?"
"It's not what you read, but the tone that you use." He purposefully softened his tone to an almost sultry but calming level and added, "I read Nikki and Rook's sex scene to B.C., but in a soothing voice…"
"Castle! You didn't!" Kate reached for a pillow but then realized the food was still in her lap.
Rick laughed. "Now, now, don't get yourself worked up. You still need to stay calm. Don't over exert yourself."
"Don't overexert…" She hesitated and took a deep breath and then laughed easily. "You didn't really, did you?"
"You like it when I read those scenes to you," Rick shrugged a single shoulder. "I just figured it might be a good way to get B.C. conditioned ahead of time, you know, since we're so lovey dovey here at home."
Kate rolled her eyes. "You have a warped sense of parenting, Richard Castle."
Rick picked up the fork again, spun a large bite of noodles onto the utensil and offered them to his wife. Kate obliged, opening her mouth and enjoying the delicious, non-hospital food now that she was finally home.
"You married me," Castle continued her last thought while her mouth was otherwise occupied, "and you're having my baby. So what's that say about you?"
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"Okay, I'll only be gone a couple of hours but you call if you need me to come back and I'll be here as quick as I can," Rick looked nervously at his wife, sitting not-quite comfortably in a wheelchair with her broken leg still propped up straight in front of her.
As happy as he was to have Kate home, he was a nervous wreck about having her home, recuperating, with himself in charge.
"I should call Mother, or Alexis, or your dad…" Rick blurted out before Kate could even say a word.
He had to go pick up her medicines; a few groceries; and had agreed to meet a client at the p.i. office just to sign off on a contract. Rick had been reluctant to leave at all but had agreed at Kate's insistence. Two hours was too long…
"Castle, we've been home four days now and you haven't left my side. I love you, I really, really, really do. But you need to get out of the loft. You need fresh air and to see someone else besides me," Kate took slow breaths knowing she was speaking the truth.
In all fairness, this was her opportunity to prove to herself that she could be alright for a couple of hours without him there. She had gotten used to him being there and at her beck and call. And as much as she loved her husband, the dependence on him was bringing back memories of another time of recuperation when she was dependent on others…a time that she didn't allow Rick to be involved.
She didn't like those memories. That wasn't Kate Beckett. She shouldn't have to rely on her husband or anyone else. She was independent… limited by her injuries at the moment, yes… but she needed to know that she was making progress, by being by herself for just a little while.
"I've seen plenty of other people. Alexis is by here every day; Mother has been by to check on us; Lanie and the boys… Hey, I tell you what, I'll call a delivery service and have them pick up what we need. That way I won't have to leave you alone," Rick attempted.
"Castle," Kate wheeled herself slowly and cautiously out of the space where he had parked her in her wheelchair. "I need you to go out for a little while, okay? I need just a little time and space to prove to myself… B.C. and I need a little alone time, please?"
Rick looked into her face and didn't offer a retort of any sort. He nodded obediently. "Not fair that you're already getting mommy time with B.C. … But alright, I'll go." He turned and looked at the kitchen counter where he had left a dose of pain medicine, a bottle of water and a package of gummi bears. "Can you reach these? Do you want me to make you a sandwich before I go? Are you hungry-"
"Castle," Kate admonished weakly. "Just go. I swear, if you don't go now, I will need to pee again before you get back." She placed a hand on her stomach. "Oh God, I hope I'm back on my feet before the baby is sitting on my bladder…" she looked at her husband as she voiced her afterthought.
Rick smiled then walked toward her and put his hand over hers before placing a kiss on her forehead. "You're the bionic woman, remember? You'll be back on your feet and good as new before B.C. even realizes that little trick."
Kate turned her face upwards a little more to get a kiss on her lips. And when Rick turned away from her and grabbed his keys to go out the door she simply smiled at him. "Rick?" She waited for him to turn around.
"Yeah," he looked back and met her smile.
"I love you," she said in a girlish sort of voice.
His smile warmed with her words. "I love you, too," Rick nodded, "both of you."
And the moment the door closed behind him Kate cursed herself for the thought of the baby on her bladder. That power of suggestion meant that she again had the urge to urinate…and that was something she couldn't accomplish by herself, yet.
—-
She was surprised to hear a key in the door barely a half hour later. Kate was priding herself in maneuvering her wheelchair around the space that Castle and friends had cleared out for her in the loft's living room.
Furniture had been condensed making the space more accommodating for her and her outstretched leg. Kate cringed slightly. The set-up was much the same as they had concocted for Rick when he had broken his kneecap in that snowboarding accident.
Still, she thought, she was having to find her way around their home with one arm in a cast. She was quite happy she wasn't still bedridden.
The sight of her stepdaughter and Alexis's public investigating cohort coming through the front door was unexpected.
"Hey, you two," Kate shook her head.
"Hey," Alexis smiled at her. "We were on our way to check out a couple of leads on a case we're working and thought we'd stop by and check on you. Where's Dad?"
Kate tilted her head and glared at the 20-something with a look of disbelief.
"See, I told you she wouldn't believe you," Hayley smiled quickly at Kate and rolled her eyes at Alexis.
"You are a better liar than your father, I'll give you that much," Kate commented. "When exactly did he tell you to come check on me?" She asked curiously.
Alexis sighed, "He called from the car when he left. Do you need anything?" She hurriedly added. "In Dad's defense -" she tried to start an explanation.
Kate held up her good hand. "Don't," she smiled softly. "I know he's worried about me. I know he's worried about B.C. I only insisted that he go out because he needs to get out of here for a little while; and because I need a little time to just try a few things on my own."
"Such as?" Hayley wondered.
"Such as getting familiar with my new wheels," Kate laughed at herself. "Such as…figuring out if I can change my own shirt - that was a wardrobe malfunction…" she added as a sidebar comment. "Such as…ordering dinner to try and show Castle how much I appreciate him." Her voice became a little more quiet as she looked at the younger women.
Hayley smiled back at her. "Are you going for comfort foods or a romantic liaison?"
Kate shrugged her shoulders, "Both? So I guess I'm glad you showed up," Kate admitted.
Alexis and Hayley looked at each other and waited for further instructions.
"I was gonna order burgers and shakes from Remy's and put them out on the coffee table. I can finagle my way onto the couch and we can just eat there," she explained. "But I'd love to put a couple of candles there too," she pointed to the coffee table and then looked up at one of the kitchen cabinets behind them and crinkled her face. "I just can't reach the cabinet shelf," she pouted.
Alexis solved that problem immediately, going to the cabinet in question and pulling out two cherry blossom scented pillar candles on holders. She held them up and was happy to see a smile on Kate's face along with a strong nod of approval.
"What say Alexis and I make that run to Remy's for you? We actually do have a lead to followup on but that shouldn't take an hour or so. We could knock that out, pick up the food and bring it back by here for you? Or were you hoping to have it here before Rick gets back?" Hayley offered.
Kate thought for a moment. "You know, I have no clue when he'll be back. He said two hours. I doubt he'll be gone any longer than that, but he could probably be back here any minute."
Hayley grinned. "You've got him wrapped around your little pinky finger, Captain Beckett."
Kate blushed a little, "And I'm wrapped around his," she smiled a closed lip gesture with a warm feeling coursing through her.
"You mentioned a wardrobe malfunction. Did you need help changing, Kate?" Alexis sat the candles on the table and then turned back toward the other women. "You want to change shirts?"
Kate blushed a little deeper, "Ah, yeah…" she paused, "Your dad hasn't even let me attempt to change my own clothes since we got home. Between the leg getting in my way when I try to open the wardrobe and even with the huge walk-in closet, it's not a roll in version…and then this cast provides another stumbling block."
She held her casted arm in the air and looked at it. "Castle has been so good, so gentle and understanding. I was hoping to maybe slip into something a little nicer…to go with the burgers and shakes," she rolled her eyes at that thought.
Kate noticed the redness tinging Alexis's cheeks and ducked her chin. "Sorry Sweetheart, I know, I'm already pregnant, I shouldn't put images of anything more in your wounded psyche, should I?"
Alexis laughed at her. "Well, I was just thinking that you wanted to put on a nicer blouse instead of the t-shirt…my mind stopped at that."
The three women laughed and Kate pursed her lips together momentarily, "Oops, sorry about that!"
Hayley pushed Kate's chair toward the bedroom, following Alexis as they made their way through Rick's office. "Surely you aren't cleared for…um…strenuous physical activity yet, are you, Kate?"
Kate grinned to herself and noticed that Alexis just kept walking with her back turned toward them.
"I mean you're not even two weeks out of surgery with your leg still stabilized and incisions still healing beneath that bandage, I assume," Hayley continued before Beckett tossed her a look over her shoulder.
"No, you're right," Kate confirmed, "but can I help it if I want to get dressed up for my husband just a little bit? Not to mention, and I think it was you, Alexis, who clued me into this…but these pregnancy hormones are pretty crazy."
"Okay, yep, let's just find you a lovely top to change into and we'll pretend this conversation never happened," Alexis turned to face Kate and Hayley with a pained scowl on her face.
"Right, right, sorry!" Kate stretched her face into a tight, apologetic smile and pointed at the wardrobe. "Maybe I should just figure this out on my own," she suggested but Alexis and Hayley both stopped her with lines about nonsense, we're all adults here…
So, Kate directed them to a thin black blouse that seemed to be one of Castle's favorites. Besides that she requested a sleeveless top from one of the hangers in the closet simply because she was working up a sweat rolling around the apartment.
And finally she had Alexis pull a box from the shelf above Kate's clothes in the closet. Castle's daughter didn't need to know that the box contained a black and red short negligee that Kate had considered wearing for him the night she learned she was pregnant.
The threesome laughed about a few other things before returning to the living room. They worked together to get Kate settled on the couch, now in her sleeveless top with the blouse draped around her shoulder, and leg propped up on cushions. There was no more talk of Kate's plans for the evening, other than texting their food orders to Alexis's phone.
The p.i. duo headed out the door with a slight change of plans… pick up food first, bring it back to the loft and then followup on their lead. Kate was hoping to have the food there before Castle got home.
Matter of fact, she ordered two milkshakes for herself - well, the one special request with chocolate, banana and peanut butter? - That one was for Baby Castle.
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Rick looked at his watch as he clambered off the elevator with three shopping bags in hand. He had picked up pasta and sauce fixings along with French bread to make dinner for the two of them.
He thought they could sit on the couch comfortably and enjoy dinner together with Kate out of the wheelchair. It had taken everything in him over the past four days to not just pick her up and sit with her cuddled snuggly against him.
His heart broke just a little every time Kate cringed with a hint of pain. And the fact that she was still enduring the morning sickness on top of her injuries; he felt responsible and had no clue how to make it up to her.
Maybe, just maybe, the peanut butter-chocolate ice cream and bananas would put a smile on her face. Rick wondered if Kate realized that she had been talking in her sleep since she got home. That's how he had learned of this particular craving.
He was sure it was probably her medications causing the sleep-induced chatter. After all, he was the one who tended to have full conversations during his REM cycles.
As he put his key in the door he was proud to say he had run his errands and was back in Kate's presence in one hour and 48 minutes. He knew Alexis and Hayley had been over for a visit but he just knew his wife wouldn't ask them to help her to the bathroom if she had to go.
Rick and Kate had sparred over that particular issue the first night she was home. Using a bedpan in the hospital was one thing in the presence of trained nurses. She refused to use one at home, in their bed none-the-less, but that meant her husband had to be her bathroom porter.
Rick thought about that argument, the look on Kate's face when she finally conceded and let him basically undress her fully and carry her to the commode. "Humiliating" had been Kate's comment.
That was the moment Rick knew his wife would be alright again, eventually. Kate's stubborn nature was one of the things he loved most about her.
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Kate heard the key in the door and smoothed out the sheer black material on her legs. It had taken time but she had found her patience after Hayley and Alexis left the 2nd time. Once the food was on the table, Kate assured them she could get out of the wheelchair on her own.
She was determined to.
It had been that determination that took her back to the bedroom to change into an older nightgown of sorts…one she had bought before her first trip to the Hamptons with Rick. It wasn't too revealing, but was thigh length, sheer and sexy.
Kate still wasn't quite sure how she had shimmied out of the loose pajama shorts but then again she wasn't quite sure how Rick had gotten them on her… but amidst her patient diligence of re-dressing herself, she finally had the realization of her husband's under-the-breath comment, "like dressing a toddler…" which she wasn't supposed to hear.
Luckily, she had a spare 10 minutes to stop perspiring after changing into this more wifely outfit and to catch her breath before her beloved got back to their home.
"Kate?" Rick called out before he even stepped into the room.
"Right here, Babe," she smiled as he looked toward the couch and saw her there.
"Hey, you're on the - did Alexis and Hayley help you out?" he wandered slowly toward the kitchen but bent down as he walked past the couch and saw what she was wearing. Rick placed a kiss on her forehead when she leaned her head backwards to look up at him.
"How's your … pain level?" He worked to ignore her clothing and continued his question before she could answer him.
"It's fine," Kate watched as he took the bags to the kitchen counter and sat them down.
Rick purposefully kept his eyes on his hands, focusing on the various food items he had purchased.
"I made dinner," Kate called to him. It was obvious that he was trying to avoid looking at her. "Your shake is melting, by the way," she added.
"What?" Rick finally took in the full scene where his wife was seated - other than her…on their couch…leg propped up on some cushions, wearing some thin…black garment that was already making him hot under his collar among other places.
But beyond that, on the coffee table, were burgers, fries and milkshakes from Remy's.
The grin that formed reached his ears as he made his way back to the couch. "What have you been up to?" This time he knelt beside the arm of the couch and wrapped his arms around her neck and nuzzled his nose against her ear.
"I just want you to know that I appreciate everything you're doing for me. I've been a grumpy bear when you tried to help me get dressed and I've been pouty because you have to get me to the bathroom. All-in-all, I'm not a good patient," she stopped with the repeated explanation and then sat still as she felt his lips against her cheek.
"You are a pregnant woman who is healing from some very painful injuries and surgery. I just want to make you as comfortable as I possibly can and let you know that I love you very much," he spoke softly against the shell of her ear.
Kate swallowed somewhat verbally and then sucked in a shaky breath. "You know what it does to me when you whisper in my ear…"
Rick pulled away slightly. "Oh, sorry," he offered, truly not wanting to make things more complicated than they already were.
"Don't apologize," Kate turned to face him and placed her lips millimeters from his. "That's what I was hoping for, actually."
"But Kate," Rick leaned away from her but she chased his lips for another soft kiss. She put the tip of her index finger on his mouth after that and ducked her chin to her chest with a little nibble of her lower lip. She then blinked her long eyelashes and looked up at him in the sexy way that always made his groin twitch with anticipation.
"I want to show you how much I appreciate you. How much I love you. And how much these pregnancy hormones are driving me insane when we are here together and you aren't touching me," Kate quirked her finger between their faces wanting another smooch.
Castle leaned forward, giving in to her slightly. He put his forehead against hers and sucked in a breath. "Dr. Ange said no strenuous exercise, no over-exerting yourself. From what I see here you have probably already exceeded that while no one was here to tell you to stop."
Kate pouted, "I felt like getting changed, sitting somewhere besides that…" (she pursed her lips together with the profanity she was holding inside) "wheel chair, and I wanted to order dinner for my husband. And I did all that. I'm not over-exerted…I'm not worn out…I'm not in any additional pain. See?" She leaned back and again batted her eyelashes at him as she splayed one arm across the back of the couch making her clothing choice a little more revealing to his eyes.
Rick swallowed roughly and slowly stretched his body away from her enough to grab a milkshake from the table. He stared at her somewhat hungrily as he took a long sip of the cool concoction and inched his way back to his wife.
"Eh-hem" he cleared his throat as Kate looked up into his face and waited for him to form a sentence.
"Please tell me you let Alexis and Hayley help you at least a little," Rick put a palm against her cheek and placed a couple of soft kisses on her cheekbones and forehead.
"I did," Kate responded happily. At least he hadn't shut her down completely, yet. "They helped me find this lovely frock in the closet. It's not exactly what I'd hoped to wear when we finally got around to celebrating B.C. … but I think it'll do. And, they went to Remy's to pick up the food for me. They wanted to do more but I handled the rest on my own. And I promise you I'm fine."
Kate returned his sentiment, placing a hand on his cheek before trying to slide it to the back of his head with the hope of a more fervent kiss in her mind.
"Ah-ah," he hesitated.
"Castle, please?" Kate tried again with her little lisp wrapping around the 's' in his name.
"Why don't we…let's just…let's…let's give Dr. Ange a call, or toss her a text…"
"Rick," Kate's voice became just a bit authoritative, "I've got a broken leg, a broken arm and a bruised baby. I've talked to my orthopedist and my obstetrician and both have assured me that a little sexual pleasure would probably benefit me at this point - not to mention you. I'm not talking intercourse or any weird Kama Sutra positions. I just need to have your hands and lips on me and would like to reciprocate…please…"
Rick leaned back just enough to focus on his wife's face. What she was offering was more than enticing and as he looked into her eyes he could see that she was completely sincere.
"It wouldn't hurt B.C.?" Castle asked sweetly and accepted the gentle shake of her head. "And you aren't just doing this for me…" he mentioned with a soft, unassuming voice.
Kate shook her head slowly and again bit on her bottom lip. "It's more for me, honestly. I know…I understand why you're treating me like I'm fragile. But I need to be your wife…and I need my husband…" she purposefully moved her hand to the top button of his shirt and began slipping the closure through the buttonhole.
"You're…sure?" Rick swallowed and Kate watched his Adam's apple bob up and down along the column of his neck where she liked to nibble and taste his skin.
"Mmm-hmm…" she took a moment to run the very tip of her middle finger over that taut skin. When she felt the pleasured hum in his throat she let out a hum of her own.
"Please, Castle?" She asked in a whisper, knowing he couldn't turn her down.
Rick stood to his feet, put his hands on his hips and looked at his wife quite seriously - or was that simply because he couldn't think straight at the moment?
"Not here," he looked into her eyes and Kate just blinked at him. When she started trying to adjust her position on the couch, to get back into the wheelchair, Rick shook his head. "I'm gonna carry you to the bedroom - where I will eventually undress you - and then I'm gonna come back out here and get our food," he at least wanted to seem in control of himself.
"'Mm-kay," Kate agreed and held her arms up toward him like a child wanting to be carried.
Rick wrapped one arm around her back and slid his other beneath both of her legs. He bent at his knees and then pulled her with him as he stood straight again.
Kate smiled with her face laying against his shoulder. "I love you," she whispered against his cheek and then turned her head just enough to let her teeth scrape over his earlobe.
"Don't," Castle warned, pulling his ear away from her mouth.
So instead Kate flexed the muscles in her buttocks which were drooping from his arm just enough to rest against his groin.
"Kate," his voice warned again.
"Rick," she flexed again and felt the strain of a certain male muscle against the front of his pants.
"Behave," Rick sighed. "You're gonna make me drop you if you don't stop. Bedroom goals," he groaned as she tightened her arm around his shoulders.
Kate smiled to herself, "Yes, Sir," she nuzzled her nose against his cheek, "Big Rick," she added with a kiss to the 5 o'clock shadow that was beginning to reappear on his face. "I like your stubble, you know?" she kissed his face again feeling the roughness of the tiny hairs on her lips. "You know where I really, really wanna feel it though?"
Rick sucked in a breath trying to think of anything besides ravaging his wife. "How much pain medication have you had? Cause I swear, Beckett, if you've got me this worked up and then go to sleep before I can get back in here with those milkshakes, I'm gonna start a sex tab that you'll have to work hard to repay when you're all healed up."
Kate chuckled against him. "I was hoping you'd pick me up so I could wrap my legs around your waist," she countered by ignoring his comment.
"Your broken leg isn't wrapping around anything right now," Rick pulled in another almost ragged breath as he deftly turned their bodies to get them through the bedroom door.
"But I could've felt this big Rick where I really want him…" she was well aware of the material that was stretching under the zipper of his pants.
"Katherine Beckett Castle!" Rick admonished her with a long breath out as he put her on their bed. He stood with hands on his hips and then had to step back when she reached toward his belt and waistband.
"Seriously, Kate, how many of the pain pills have you taken?" his face held an almost fatherly, disappointed gaze when she donned a more serious look and her shoulders slouched.
"Can we not have a little fun, please? I have taken the meds I'm supposed to take. No more, no less. Castle, I just want to know that I can still… turn you on and take your mind off of waiting on me hand and foot for a little while."
Her face was childlike. Her face was beautiful, as was her entire body - now that he was really taking time to look at her. He finally allowed himself to think 'wife' instead of 'patient'. And with one wandering look from her mussed hair, to her bare shoulders, her breasts peaking from under black lace, and those long, toned legs of hers - even with a bandage and brace on one of them - Rick stepped back to the bed, bent over his wife and finally captured her mouth with his.
Kate groaned in pleasure after a single moment and grasped the front of his shirt to again work on his buttons and also to hold him close. Rick simply placed his hands on her cheeks and held her face.
If his wife wanted to play, who was he to deny her.
Once most of his shirt was open, Kate placed a hand over his and moved his fingers down to the stretchy shoulder strap of her gown. She broke their liplock just enough to lay her head back on the pillow and catch his eyes.
Rick understood immediately and took the next few minutes to slide the straps off her shoulders, following each of the movements with his lips on her skin. And when he finally reached the point of pulling the thin material over her breasts and uncovered the rest of her naked body Kate shivered and smiled.
"You like?" She quirked a single eyebrow in his direction then smiled at the boyish look that always formed on his face when he admired her nakedness. It was like watching a kid open the Christmas gift they'd been waiting for all year.
"You know I do," he stood and stared down at her, willing himself not to touch her yet - driving both of them insane.
"What d' you wanna do, Castle?" Kate bent her good leg at the knee and ran the tip of her index finger from her knee cap to the juncture of her hip and thigh.
"Hmmm," Rick strummed his fingertips against his chin in thought. "You know, I think I'd really like my milkshake…" He quickly turned his back on her and took a step toward the living room.
"Castle!" Kate's lips parted, somewhat stunned by his response.
He stopped mid-step and looked at her over his shoulder. "Oh, I'll be back. Have you forgotten how I like to share my milkshakes with you? Please, please tell me you had them put a cherry on top," he gave a sideways grin.
Kate relaxed back into the pillow and put an arm behind her head as a smile formed on her face as well. "Mmmm," she began, meeting her husband's eyes. "I asked for extra cherries, with stems on them, so you can pick them up with your teeth from wherever they land…"
Rick took a split second to unbuckle his belt and pull it from the belt loops of his pants. Tension relief was a must at that moment. He then hurried to retrieve the melting milkshake that would liquify even more quickly once he drizzled it all over her hot body.
"Don't you dare fall asleep," he warned when he returned and saw her eyes closed.
"Mmm," that certainly wasn't her sleepy voice…then he noticed the placement of one hand and the actual look on her face.
"No fair starting without me," his voice deepened. Although, he certainly enjoyed watching her fingers in action and the warmth that was trickling through both of their bodies.
"Wanna help?" she asked as he took the lid off the creamy drink and fished out one of the five cherries that sat on top of the whipped cream.
"Oh yeah," his voice grew a little gruff as he again stood above her. This time he used the red fruit to outline the first objects of his desire that were reaching out to him from her chest.
It was a pleasurably torturous few hours with remnants of cherry stems, juice, whipped cream and milkshakes marking the bed clothes.
Rick promised to do the laundry...tomorrow. Kate promised to rest after several instances of losing her breath and catching it again. Both were quiet as they regained some strength and enjoyed their reheated burgers in bed.
And the two of them vowed to make the next few weeks of healing a time of celebrating their baby, and the future they would share together.
MomentsOfAlwaysMomentsOfAlwaysMomentsOfAlwaysMomentsOfAlwaysMomentsOfAlways
Thank you again, so much, for reading and giving this story a chance! I hope you're all enjoying this fine Fanfiction Appreciation Day - that's why I just had to post another chapter today! ;) Here's to author Richard Castle, his muse, Katherine Beckett Castle, and the many, many, MANY fanfiction ideas they've spurred!
More to come.
KTCLF
-adcg
