A/N: Series of one shots. If rated M, I will put at the beginning of the chapter
Sunday.
Her favorite day of the week.
She lets herself sleep in. She stays cuddled up close to her sleeping husband, stealing all of the warmth that radiates off his body. She always wakes before him, she prefers it that way. It allows her time to really look at him. She runs her hand through his hair letting them briefly linger in his messy tangles. He's so peaceful when he's sleeping, the worry lines missing from his face when he's in a deep slumber. It's reminds her of the boyish look he had when they first met so many years ago. She watches as the sun filters through her blinds as she lays her head on his chest, listening to the constant beat of his heart. She wants to stay in bed like this, with him, forever.
Sunday.
It's her favorite day of the week.
Tiny feet stopping at the door has her pulling her head off his chest allowing her to catch the sleepy eyes searching to see if anyone was awake. It's all three of them today and they all come clutching blankets, waiting for the okay to enter their room. Her face always breaks out into a smile while she nods her head, signaling that they could enter. It's chaos after that and Rick hardly stays sleeping through it all. She'll pull herself away from her husband's side, allowing the three tiny bodies to snuggle in safely between their parents. Sometimes they'll all fall back asleep but Kate prefers the mornings they don't. She loves hearing their "hushed" voices as they try to keep quiet with the super secret mission to let daddy sleep longer. (They've failed every time). She loves their little giggles. How they laugh at nothing, setting off a chain reaction. She loves hearing the rough good morning that breaks the conversation as her husband pulls himself from sleep. Their daughter squeals when Rick immediately starts a tickle war and their boys take safety. She'll laugh when little hands and two identical faces grin at her as they crawl their way onto her body, seeking her protection.
Sunday.
They have brunch with Alexis every week. They go to a little diner thats hidden from the city. It allows them to escape the constant movement for a few hours. Their four year old and the oldest of their two year old twins always attach themselves to Alexis. They slide into the booth next to her, one of them always climbing over her lap so she's sandwiched between them. The youngest twin, and the shyest of the bunch, clings to her shirt. He clams up in public and latches onto Kate. He's cautious about everything, his blue eyes searching the faces of every patron in the diner. He looks so much like his father when he's people watching. She often wonders what he's thinking. Wonders if he takes after his father, creating entire worlds within his mind. All four Castle kids order pancakes. Alexis is always the only one who doesn't end up with syrup stained shirts and sticky fingers. Kate will laugh at some ridiculous comment her husband makes and they'll stay at their table for hours, soaking in all of the family time they can get. They have the entire day to make up for lost time during the week when deadlines and dead bodies drop unexpectedly.
She loves Sundays.
They always end their outing at their swings. The swings where Kate fell even more in love with her husband. The swings she claimed as refuge the night she finally let down all of her walls for Richard Castle. The swings where he offered her forever.
It still feels like a dream, her life, them being together. She doesn't take it for granted. They push their kids on the very swings that helped shape their relationship. She listens to their laughter as they abandon the swings and pick up a game of tag. Her husband chases after their older son teasing him before dropping to the ground out of breath. He does this every Sunday. He purposely falls to the ground so all three kids can jump on him. It ends with him begging Kate to help until she gives in and bribes them with ice cream if they agree to a truths.
Kate gets to be the fun parent on Sundays. She lets them pick out whatever disgusting ice cream/topping combination they can think of because hearing them laugh heals a part of her that broke so many years ago.
They crawl back into their bed after returning from the park, all three kids (and Rick) exhausted and needing a nap. She watches them sleep and tries to memorize every feature on their small faces. She never falls asleep but she lays there with them enjoying the silence and the steady rhythm of her family breathing. She wants to stay in bed like this, with him and their kids, forever.