CIA

Chapter 11

Epilogue

"Daddy will be home soon. Yes, he will." Kate played with the feet of her little girl. She was laying between her thighs, and she was awake. She didn't need a diaper change or feeding. She just wanted to be played with and cuddled by her mommy.

Kate being pregnant had come as a shock to her. She used condoms more often than not. It was just one of those times when they didn't had caught up to her. At first, she was scared. So scared at what Rick would say, worried about what he would do. She was still single and existed solely because of Rick.

Then, when she told him she was pregnant – well, pretty sure she was – Rick kissed her. Most of her worries evaporated then. At first, he hovered over her and asked her how she was and if she needed anything. That behavior lasted about three months, when Kate finally blew up at him. She told him she didn't need him hovering over her and that she was fine, thank you very much.

Hours later, she apologized profusely for blowing up at him. She blamed it on her hormones, which wasn't that far wrong.

Then came the fight that was a big one. Rick had a mission. And no, she couldn't go with him. Kate was sitting at the door waiting for him. She lost that fight. She didn't argue with him for any of the others.

So she played with her daughter, watching and waiting for Rick to come home.

Her daughter wanted for nothing. She had a nursery. All the clothes and diapers she would ever need. Kate had a breast pump so Rick could feed her when he was home. She had a car carrier, which doubled as a hand carrier. She had blankets, toys, everything a 3-month-old little girl could ever want or need.

What Kate didn't have was a ring on her finger. She told Rick she didn't want to walk down the aisle pregnant. He had initially fought her on that, but she won out.

She was playing with her daughter when she heard someone at the front door. Kate knew she had locked it, so that could only be one person. "Your daddy's home," she cooed at her daughter.

Rick wasted little time and came up behind her while she was sitting on the sectional. "And how are my two angels?" He reached over Kate's shoulder to touch his daughter.

"We're both fine, better now that you're home. So how did it go?" Kate knew he was out on a mission since he got one about once a month. Meaning he had been on eleven of them without her. "Now that I'm no longer your partner."

"You're still my partner, which I plan to prove to you. Let me take a shower, and I'll join you." He gave her an upside-down kiss and headed for the master bedroom and the shower.

"What do you suppose he meant by that remark, huh?" she murmured to her daughter. Naturally, she didn't answer, but she didn't expect her to.

Soon enough, Rick sat down beside her, dressed in shorts and a Hawaiian shirt. He carefully put a small black box on his daughter's little tummy.

"What's that?" Kate asked. Then it hit her. It was just the right size for a wedding ring.

"YES! Yes, yes, yes, yes." Kate peppered his face with kisses.

"You don't even know what's in it, Kate."

"Yes, I do! I so want to marry you." Kate kissed him again. "I love you." Kate handed him the box. She wanted him to put it on her finger.

Rick opened the box and took out her ring. "It's an 8 mm wide, 14K gold, hand-engraved engagement ring with Hawaiian Koa wood inlay. It doesn't have a diamond, though." Rick made a face at that last part.

"I don't need a diamond. I only need to know it comes from you. Koa wood, huh? Was the ring made in Hawaii?"

Rick nodded. "Yes, here in Honolulu. I bought it before my latest mission and hid it so I could give it to you when I got home."

"You hid it! I'll find out where your hiding place is eventually. But I love you for it." Kate kissed him. Then Lily began to put up a fuss. "Oops, time for a diaper change and maybe a bottle."

"I'll let you take care of the diaper, and I'll warm up a bottle." Rick kissed her, got up, and headed for the kitchen while Kate hurried to the nursery.

By the time she was back, Rick was ready for her. She handed Lily over to him and watched him feed her.

"We need to talk about deciding on a wedding day, love."

Kate looked at the ring on her finger. "I don't have any parents to invite. I still haven't met your mother. I can only think of a few people to invite, so I suppose it can be local."

"You can invite Jordan Shaw and her family. She's done a lot for you."

"Yes, she has, hasn't she? That's one, now who else?"

"We'll think of something," Rick assured her.

~oo0oo~

Since they had so few people to invite, they decided to get married next month, so in about seven weeks. That worked out well, giving Kate time to decide on the perfect dress and to buy Rick's wedding ring. She was glad she didn't have to ask him for money to purchase them; she spent a lot of money. She found a dress similar to her mother's with delicate lace on the bustier that continued onto the tulle skirt. She offered them enough cash to sell it to her and do whatever was needed so it would fit her and be ready in time for their wedding. Kate felt like a princess in it.

Haiku Gardens in Kaneohe, Oahu, had the time and the space, and it was small. So they booked it.

Kate walked down the aisle alone. Though, with so few in attendance, she didn't have far to walk.

Agent Jordan Shaw was holding Kate's little angel. Shaw was with her husband and their daughter. There were others were in attendance, but Kate didn't know who they were.

Rick said, "I do," and Kate slipped Rick's ring on his finger. Since she wanted them to match, she bought a titanium ring with a Kona wood band around it.

Kate said, "I do." Rick put a plain gold ring on her finger, and the officiant pronounced them husband and wife, and then they kissed. Shaw handed the baby back to her after the ceremony.

"Who's the guy with the redhead," Kate asked Rick.

"That's my Section Chief at the Agency."

Kate stared at the man. "You mean the one who sends you on missions?"

"That's him," Rick confirmed.

She didn't say anything for a minute. "At least I finally got to meet your mother."

Shaw walked up to her. "Kate, the wedding was lovely. Hawaii was an excellent choice of location. It gave me and my family a chance to visit."

"I'm glad. Lily wasn't a problem, was she?"

"No, she was a perfect angel. I'm glad things worked out for you. It took me longer than I wanted to arrest Bracken, but we finally got him."

"And I'm ever so grateful, Shaw. At least I have closure now, and my parents can rest in peace. I hope he rots in prison."

"Just between you, me, and the fence post, I don't anticipate he'll live all that long. I'm betting he'll end up shanked before the year is out."

"Pity." Kate didn't feel bad for him at all.

"So, what's next for you?" Kate knew Shaw's arrest of Bracken was quite a feather in her cap.

"Retirement, actually."

Kate blinked. "Really?" That was a surprise.

"I've spent enough time slaying dragons. I want to spend time with my family."

"Then don't let that man over there hear that," Kate advised her. "He's a Section Chief with the CIA."

Shaw looked at him with new eyes. "Is he now?"

They didn't get to talk much longer. Lily made it known she needed attending to. Kate changed her diaper, and handed her to Rick.

Rick had sat down and was giving Lily her bottle. The Section Chief eyed him sternly and strode over to him. "Mr. Castle. I believe you have some explaining to do. But I'll let it slide since I know she won't be going with you again."

"Yes, sir. Thank you, sir. I trust you enjoyed the wedding?"

"I did indeed. And I enjoy this one." He stroked Lily's cheek while she drank her bottle. "It'll give you the incentive to come back alive."

Rick could agree to that. "It will at that, sir. It most certainly will."

~oo0oo~

"Well, Mrs. Castle. What should we do to celebrate our wedding?" Rick asked her after they got home.

"Oh, I can think of something, Mr. Castle." Kate smiled since she had sex on her mind. But just then, Lily started putting up a fuss. "Not now, baby girl," Kate groaned as she let her head rest against Rick's chest.

"Come on, Mrs. Castle. Baby first, then Mommy." Rick held out his hand, and they went to Lily's nursery together.