Kate was finishing fixing her sun dress in the full length mirror in the bedroom when the doorbell rang. Even though her dad was always welcome into any of their homes at any time - the door was almost always unlocked here at the Hamptons - he still felt the need for the formality of the doorbell and knocking. She quickly slipped the ultrasound photo strip into the single side pocket, making sure the loose silk material fell over most of the light gauze still taped over the stitches at her shoulder. After physical therapy, she had spent the afternoon pampering herself, picking off as much of the gunk around the stitches as she could. She felt really good lately, and wanted to look it as well. Covering her wounds with fresh gauze made the evening feel just a touch more done-up. She didn't want the memory of the amazing news she was going to be spilling tonight be dented by the ugliness of her wounds.
From the foyer, she heard Rick and Martha enthusiastically greeting Jim, her hearing primed to catch any nuances that might reveal her secret. She could also smell dinner, from all the way across the house, her newly pregnancy-honed sense of smell sorting through all of the details. After a week of whole fruits, veggies, and simple carbs, she was excited to have graduated up to an entire chicken breast and fettuccine. They were indeed a pasta family, and she was excited that her meal plan allowed for adventure as she was able. She just hoped her body would continue to cooperate and allow her to actually enjoy it without the nagging nausea.
Jim turned, filled with admiration and glowing love, as Kate stepped into view into the living room.
"Oh Katie- Bear". He softly mused, gingerly pulling her into a gentle hug, his eyes glistening. No matter how old she was, he would never stop using her pet name, particularly when she was injured or needed fortification. If anything, he did it to see her blush, one of his favorite things to do since she was a small child. Despite her toughness, she was still his little girl. The precious baby he cuddled to sleep, who twirled around his heart first in princess dresses then a sharp looking uniform. A little girl who grew up to so closely resemble the woman he first fell in love with all those years ago.
Kate tried not to clench her teeth at his slightly too tight embrace, the edge of his rib cage pushing up against her incision. She hoped he didn't hear nor feel the soft crinkle of the picture strip in her pocket. "Hi Dad."
They pulled away, Jim keeping his hands on her shoulders, taking a good hard look at her.
"You're glowing," His eyes narrowed slightly, the slight accusation trying to pull her out of her normal "Iron Kate" routine. "But you also look in pain."
"It all still hurts a bit." She admitted, shifting softly side to side, casting her eyes to examine his shoes.
"She's been perking up a lot since we got here." Rick broke in, awkwardly standing next to the pair, eager to cut in and support, but still respecting their time and space. His face was joyful in anticipation, his limbs electric like he was just going to burst out the good news. Kate had told that the family would all find out tonight, since then, he had been like a kid on holidays, unable to contain his excitement. She shot him a quick glare, hoping it reminded him of their conversation this morning.
"That's good. A little rest on the beach never really hurt anyone, huh." Jim ribbed a bit, finally letting go of Kate's shoulders, opening the conversation up to everyone instead of just the father daughter moment. "Do they still have you on the lowest possible pain meds? I remember back at the loft you were on barely anything at all." He finished, reaching gratefully for a full glass of iced ginger ale that Martha had just brought in on a tray.
"Yeah." Kate nodded, reaching for her own glass. Martha winked at her knowingly. If it wasn't Rick that would spill the beans, it might just be Martha. Co-conspirators. Martha danced the empty tray back to the kitchen, camping out there to supervise Edwin and Alexis, who had decided to bake a summer fruit tart for this evening's dinner.
"There's harder stuff you could be taking. To be more comfortable." Jim continued, seeing the cracks in Kate's armor from a mile away. He only wanted the best for her. He remembered the nightmare that she had brought on herself a few years ago, when she had tried to do heart surgery recovery without the heavy pain meds. When she had finally allowed herself to take them, she had actually rested. But then it had been a struggle to be more than just a zombie fighting for consciousness. He worried that the memory of that experience for her was driving her caution today.
"Just enough to take the edge off. I can actually concentrate on the healing process, not just sleep it off." Kate took a long sip from her glass, schooling her thoughts before she spoke, hesitant not to reveal too much just yet. "Apparently removing the spleen allows the medication to be more effective." She attempted the lie, pretty sure everyone saw through it.
"Is that going to affect much going forward?" The doctors had been gracious enough to answer Jim's many questions when he visited her at the hospital, but he wanted to hear some answers from her directly. Wanted to know how she was really feeling, knowing he could pull it out of her with an endless stream of questions. She might be the renowned detective here, but she learned and honed her questioning techniques from him. He continued his gentle prying as they aimed for the patio, wanting to soak up as much of the remaining sunshine and warm beach air as possible. "How have you been, actually?"
"Well," Kate heaved a heavy sigh as she tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, holding the door open with her hip, "For starters, I'm just grinning and bearing through the worst of the pain. It's honestly not as bad as before. Mostly just really uncomfortable." She was known for that stance, so her dad wouldn't see past the semi lie. Her spleen only really affected her immune system, so she was warned that she would get sick faster, stay sick longer, and be more at risk for harder illnesses. No more skipping her regular seasonal vaccinations, if anything, she would now be first in line. The pain management was more a Lily risk, and Kate fingered the photo strip in her pocket as they settled into the chairs around the table.
"When's the return to the city?" Jim offered with a cock of his head, settling more comfortable into his chair.
"Next week." Rick offered, cutting in for his chance again. "We are headed back to the loft Monday. Then…" Realizing he was stealing the spotlight, he directed the conversation back to Kate who had also just gingerly lowered herself into her own spot. The transitions from one position to another always brought on a tinge of pain, her core muscles tightening, her shoulder often protesting the support duties she asked her arm to perform. She couldn't always school her face. Unsure if she was grateful that Rick took up the baton of the conversation just then, or annoyed that he cut into it.
"I'm going to try to work from home a bit, part time, at least the paperwork and meetings I can call into," Kate picked up. It was a bit unusual for a captain to try to work from home. She had already been out of the office for five weeks. Esposito had apparently been stepping in to volley most of the tasks, having placed his desk literally in front of her office door. Ryan had relayed it to Castle with a silly picture a few days after they had arrived at the Hamptons. Gates had also apparently temporarily stepped down from her new perch over at IA, picking up the brunt of the paperwork and meetings portion of the job. Not that Esposito couldn't handle it, but he wasn't exactly a button up for meetings kind of guy. Kate was grateful for her crew, making a mental note to plan personal thank yous for them. Even though she had an additional three weeks of leave thanks to the infection, she had too much to catch up on. She missed her work. Part of her also wanted to get settled back into her role before the pregnancy became more obvious.
Jim had nodded along, knowing that his intelligent, stubborn, and always conscientious daughter would return to her job even if she wasn't physically ready. She always needed a goal. First to solve her mother's murder, and now to lead her charges as their captain. He wondered what personal goals she might have in mind, how she might nurture her relationships outside of work, especially with Rick. Would she slow down enough to possibly start a family?
Martha announced her presence with another round of drinks, a few ginger ales for Jim and Kate, and harder drinks for everyone else. Alexis followed with her delicately balanced strawberry tart, with Edwin taking up the rear with a rolling cart of their dinner. He pulled out the bowls of salad and pasta first, placing them with a bit of flourish in the center of the table. Next was a plate of veggies and chicken for everyone, served to them with the professional courtesy of a trained chef. Kate leaned back, allowing a laugh to escape, taking in her dad's impressed smirk at Edwin's pomp and pampering. She had had all week to get used to being served, and she was honestly going to miss it a little bit when she returned home. She wondered what she could bribe Rick with to get him to do even half of the things Edwin did.
Dinner went off smoothly with light chatter. Jim had been noticing the little details though. The insistence on ginger ale for Kate, which he lightly assumed was because of her medication. But she was also picking at her food, unusual for someone who generally wolfed down anything put in front of her with sometimes concerning speed. Then had been the hushed questions from Edwin when it was apparent that Kate was taking her time.
"Is it okay, Miss? I can make you something else?" Edwin was discrete, but in the intimate setting, everyone heard but politely ignored his questions to Kate.
"No Edwin. Thank you. Just taking my time." She had adapted to eating about half of the larger meals and saving them for snacks later in the day. She wanted to enjoy this chicken, not meet it again later when she lost her battle with the nausea.
Jim quietly smiled at his memories of Kate as a kid, always trying to avoid veggies in any form. Johanna and him had spent many nights brainstorming ideas of how they could hide more in meals to deceive her. She always found them though, and he directed his warm smile at his daughter, all grown up, still characteristically picking at them on her plate. Some things never change.
"Well, that was truly delicious. Thank you Edwin." Castle announced to the group at large, leaning back in his chair and tossing his cloth napkin lightly onto the table. Although the special diet instructions had been only for her, and she insisted that Edwin make regular meals for everyone else, Rick had been sympathetically eating her prepared portions as well. Tonight he would also share in her excitement at finally upgrading to complex proteins. His hand settled absentmindedly on the arm of Kate's chair. The light touch broke her out of her daydream. She had been using her fork to push around the huge brussel sprout remaining on her plate, hoping it would just disappear and teleport them past the expected conversation this evening. Or that it could arrange into the words she knew she had to say. Martha, slightly buzzed from her continuous supply of wine, looked toward Kate expectantly. Kate returned the gaze slowly, squeezing Rick's hand and hoping that Alexis and Jim couldn't read what was flowing between the trio.
"Any time is good dear." Martha encouraged, barely above a whisper. She mouthed the words 'you can do it'. Not that the steely detective couldn't do it. She faced down perps twice her size with a lioness's fierceness on the daily. She didn't need encouragement. And yet, she struggled to find the right combination of words. Why was this hard?
"Good time for what?" Jim perked up from the other side of the table, simultaneously revealing his ability to read lips and his incredibly sensitive hearing. The wine had caused Martha to be less subtle than she had thought.
"Well Dad," Kate started, turning in her chair to better face him and Alexis head on, "And Alexis," she nodded to her step daughter, reaching into her pocket for the photo strip that had lived there all night. With one hand tangled into Rick's fingers, she reached the strip forward to her dad's questioning gaze.
Jim took the photo strip, first with curiosity, then with serene and full understanding as he interpreted the blob and what is signified.
Kate took a large inhale, "I'm pregnant."
She let the news sink in, as Alexis leaned over in her chair to look at the strip that Jim held so tightly in front of him. Martha cooed in the background, pouring herself another full glass of wine.
Jim looked up to meet Kate's still nervous gaze, tears in his eyes.
Kate simply nodded, reading the question held in his gaze, "Nine weeks."
Jim let the tears fall. He scooted his chair closer to the table, trying to reach out to Kate's free hand, but couldn't quite reach. He opted instead to stand up, pushing the chair back forcefully as he took two big steps toward his daughter. She stood as well, realizing that this was one of those massive bear hug moments she rarely got from him anymore.
As he wrapped his arms around her and clutched her tight, letting his tears fall into her shoulder, she whispered into his ear, "We are going to call her Lily. Lily Johanna."