A/N: Kind of just a filler chapter leading up to the events that take place after the wedding
A blubbering Kate exited the bathroom, test in hand. Lanie patted the spot at the end of the bed next to her, pulling her friend in close as soon as she occupied the empty space. "Oh, Kate. It's going to be fine, honey. You know Rick will be thrilled. That man has looked at you like he's wanted your babies since the first day he met you." Kate wiped the tears that had fallen before giving her friend a weak smile. "I'm happy, I'm so happy, Lanie. It's the kind of happiness I never thought I would feel again and it's just a lot to take in today. I'm getting married and I'm going to have a baby and I just really wish my mom was here for all of this. She would have loved Rick and she would have loved being a grandma and she'll never get to experience that. My kids and my husband will never know her." Kate huffed out a breath, wiping her cheeks once again. "I'm not like this, Lanie. I don't cry and share my feelings. But all I want to do right now is crawl into Rick's arms and lose it. God, I sound like one of those girls. Is it too early to blame pregnancy hormones?" Kate let out a small chuckle, squeezing her best friends hand. "Call him, Kate. Kate Beckett might not cry and share her feelings but that doesn't mean Kate Castle has to be so guarded. Tell him the good news. He's going to be thrilled, just like I am. You're having a baby, Kate. You deserve to let yourself be happy. Your mom would want you to be happy today."
Kate jumped at the distant sound of the loft door being opened, the voices of her two favorite red heads breaking up the quiet silence her and Lanie had fallen into.
"KATE? Are you ready? Dad sent a car, it's parked outside waiting for you!" Alexis' voice pierced through the loft. Lanie cleared her throat as Kate stood up and made sure any evidence that she had been crying was wiped away. "I want to tell him in person." Kate whispered. "Tonight. Before we head the the Maldives. Please don't say anything, he'll be devastated if he knew I told someone before him." Lanie got off the bed and pulled her friend into one last quick hug, "come on, Kate. Let's go get you married".
All of the air left Kate's lungs as she took in the view at their home in the Hamptons. Alexis and Martha had pulled off the impossible creating the "venue" of her dreams in just two days. She knows now that Castle was right. That this wouldn't be their love story without all of the trials they faced to get to this moment, her standing in her mother's wedding dress with Martha and Lanie cooing over how beautiful she looked.
"Lanie darling, could you just give us a minute?" Martha asked, clutching a small box in her hands. "Yeah, sure. I'll go tell your dad the dress is perfect." Lanie glanced back at her friend, giving her the brightest smile before going to find Jim Beckett.
"Martha, I just want to tell you how grateful I am to you and Alexis for putting all of this together." Kate got out in a rush, trying to emphasize how thankful she was for her soon to be step daughter and mother in law. "And I want to thank you for making my son so very happy. I brought you something." Martha smiled, placing the small box into Kate's hands. "In case you didn't have something blue." She opened the box, revealing a stunning pair of sapphire earrings. "Oh wow, they're beautiful" Kate shakily let out, her hands trembling. Martha smiled at the younger girl, "they were given to me by my mother to wear on my wedding day and by her mother before. Only women of substance have worn these gems." Martha continued as Kate carefully fastened the heirloom to her ears. "They've been waiting, Katherine. For you." Kate pulled the woman who had became a mother figure to her into a tight hug, expressing her thanks as her eyes clouded with tears. The embrace was cut short as Kate's cellphone rang out from across the room.
"It's him!" Kate squealed. "I will leave you to talk to your groom." Martha smiled, making her exit as Kate answered the phone.
"Hey, lover. How close are you?" She questioned before the voice of her future husband came on the line. "20 minutes. And you'll be happy to know everything went fine with the judge and you are now a free woman… but not for long. I've got our marriage license in my pocket and I will be there soon. And Kate?" Rick paused. "Yeah?" She whispered, her smile spreading across her face. "I love you." Kate echoed his sentiment before he hung up the phone.
"He said he would be here 20 minutes ago, it's been an hour. Where is he?" Kate paced the floor as she dialed Rick's number over and over just to be sent to voicemail every time. Every terrible possibility ran through her head, but she never expected to actually receive that call. When her phone finally rang and the muffled voices asked for a Katherine Beckett four words made her clutch her stomach and drop to her knees.
"There's been an accident."