880. Chapter 880

After Under Fire

Episode 6.11

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I'm hot to own Castle, but I don't. Rating: K Time: See above.

"You're what?" Lanie screamed.

Kate tried to glare at her best friend, but smiled. "Lanie! Quiet down. I'm late on my period, so last night I bought a home pregnancy testing kit. We did three of them, just to be sure, and they were all positive."

"We? So Castle knows?"

Kate smiled. "He so happy. But, those home tests can give you false positives, so I have an appointment with my doctor to be sure. Until then, don't tell anyone. We don't want people to be disappointed if….You know, I'm not."

Lanie gave her friend a hug. "Oh, Sweetie! I'm so happy for you. I remember what you used to be like. Grim, serious Detective Kate Beckett, all work and no play. There were times that I thought that you'd never find a man and have a family and….everything. And you and Castle are just so perfect together."

Kate nodded. "I kick myself sometimes for just how long it took me to realize what I had in Castle. I'm just lucky he stayed around for me."

Lanie laughed. "Stayed around? Girl, after your first year together, he was gone. You couldn't have gotten him away from you with dynamite."

"Nervous?" Rick asked his wife as they sat in the doctor's waiting room.

"Terribly." She said. "When I was nineteen, my life was all planned out. I was going to be a lawyer like my mom, and then I was going to be a mom like my mom. I'd have this great lawyer for a husband and I'd have these great kids. Every Sunday I'd cook them a fantastic breakfast, and then I'd have the grandparents over, and we'd talk about when I was a little girl."

Castle gave her hand a squeeze. "And then things changed."

She nodded. "And then things changed. I left Stanford and entered the police academy to catch her killer. After three years I had to give up because there was nothing there. And I changed. I knew I had to spend my life getting justice for others and that there'd be no time for a husband and a family. I felt like a failure. Like I didn't deserve to have a family because I couldn't find Mom's killer."

Castle gave her a kiss. 'You're remarkable, you know. You found our mom's killer, you have a ruggedly handsome husband and now you're going to have a child." He waited for a second. "Can I put in my Sunday breakfast order now?"

"Of course." She smiled.

"And you won't have to worry about inviting half of the grandparents over since my mother will be with us forever."

The doctor came out and went over to them. "Mr. and Mrs. Castle? I have some good news for you."

Kate arrived at the morgue at the same time Lanie did.

"Guess what I'm wearing?" She asked.

Lanie looked her friend over but could see nothing out of the ordinary. "Was there a sale on boots with stiletto heels or something?"

Kate laughed and pulled up her blouse, revealing that her pants had a strip of stretch fabric across the front. "I bought my first maternity clothes yesterday."

"And I'm sure that if Castle was involved, you bought out the whole store. Or maybe more than one store?"

"We didn't buy out even one store, but I will admit that Castle is going overboard as I expected. You have no idea how much gear there is out there for babies and new parents. When I left him this morning he was online looking at educational toys for when our child starts to read. The only thing that stopped him from buying everything was when I mentioned that when our little one is ready to read, all of the stuff he buys now will be old technology and he'll want cutting edge technology."

Lanie hugged her friend. "You two are going to be such great parents. Your kids will be so lucky to have you."

Kate nodded, but looked slightly upset. "I hope so. I want so badly to be a good mom. Castle has been the best dad in the world, and I don't know if I can measure up."

"Of course you can." Castle said, standing in the doorway. "You're remarkable, remember?"

"Castle, what are you doing here? I thought you were at home buying up everything?" Kate teased.

Castle held up his tablet. "I just had to show you this. I was looking at the Nieman Marcus catalogue for baby strollers and found this. It's perfect."

Kate took the tablet and looked at what Castle had found. "Castle, for that price I hope this can feed the baby, change its diapers and rock it to sleep."

Castle nodded and took the tablet back. "Something like that would need to me computerized, right? I'll start checking the IT companies."

Kate took the tablet. "We have to get to work."

Rick and Kate stood in front of Johanna Beckett's grave. Kate spoke. "Hi, Mom. I always feel closer to you somehow when I come here." She took a deep breath. "We have big news. We're pregnant as they say although really, it's just me. I'm about three months along and starting to show, although Rick keeps saying you'd have to know I'm pregnant to realize I'm pregnant. We've decided that we want to know the sex of the baby since there are some decisions we will have to make." Kate looked at Rick and gave him a smile. "Mainly whether the new house my husband will have to buy so we'll have room for everything he's bought will be painted pink or blue."

Rick moved forward a bit. "Hi, Johanna. I just want you to know that I'm going to do everything in my power to make Kate and your grandchild or grandchildren as safe and as happy as possible. And we'll keep you up to date."

"You're having a little girl?" Kevin Ryan said. "Outstanding. Do you have a name yet?"

Rick sighed. "For some reason Kate doesn't like Cosmo."

"I heard that." Kate called from her desk.

"So she won't be little Cosmo Castle. But I know she'll be just like her mom. Beautiful, smart, hardworking, compassionate, dedicated….."

"Suppose she's a female you?" Espo asked. "I mean, face it, bro, Alexis is the perfect kid. Do you think that's going to happen twice?" Espo shook his head. "Not going to happen."

Ryan nodded. "And by the time she's into stealing police horses for a little Lady Godiva ride, all your friends on the force will be long retired."

A look of horror came over Castle's face. "Beckett! We need to talk."

Kate, Lanie and Jenny sat in the loft, looking at the remains of a baby shower.

"It's not easy shopping for the girl who has a husband who will have everything by the time the baby gets here, but we managed. "Lanie said.

Kate looked at the gifts beside her on the couch. "The NYPD onesies are great and the little Yankees shirts are great, too. And I just love the gift you made, Jenny." Jenny blushed as Kate held up a onesie that looked like a blue protective vest with the word "writer" across the front. "Castle will just love this."

Jenny reached over and rubbed Kate's tummy. "How are you doing?"

"I am so ready to have this baby. It hasn't been that bad. I had a little morning sickness and every time I try to do anything, my stomach gets in the way, but I'm good. I just want to get it over with and finally meet my daughter."

It was late when they got home from the hospital, but both Martha and Alexis were waiting up for them. Both of the redheads immediately took Lillie and began to fuss over her.

"I'm glad to be home at last." Kate said, going into the kitchen and sitting. "Can you make me some coffee, babe?"

"There's a fresh pot on." Alexis said, and immediately went back to talking to Lillie.

Castle poured them coffee and handed Kate her cup. "Welcome home, Mom."

"Thank you, Dad."