238. Chapter 238

After Swan Song, Again

By

UCSBdad

Disclaimer: I don't own no Castle and I'm drinkin' long necks in this here low down bar. Hmm! I really don't own Castle, but there might be a country song in there. Rating: K Time: See above.

Kate sat uncomfortably on the couch and looked into the bright lights. She moved as close to Castle as she could. He took her hand and held it, stroking the back of her hand with his thumb.

"It'll be okay, honey. You can do this." He whispered.

"Yeah, but I don't like it." She whispered back.

"Um, Mrs. Castle?" Said a young woman, dressed in jeans and a tee shirt and carrying a clipboard and a tablet. Kate recognized her as someone from the production company named Lindy.

"Yes?"

"I know that you're called Detective Beckett at work still, but that you're Mrs. Castle otherwise. Which do you think would be best for this interview?"

Kate had no idea. She just looked blankly back at the young woman.

"I think Mrs. Castle would be best." Rick said, seeing Kate's confusion. "Most of my fans know her as my wife, after all." Castle smiled. "And I enjoy every opportunity to show the world my magnificent wife."

Lindy frowned. "I'm sure your fans know her as Mrs. Castle, or as Nikki Heat. But Holy Shemp's fans know her as Detective Beckett."

"I'm sure that Holy Shemp's fans will figure it out." Castle said defensively.

"Call me Kate." Kate suddenly said. "Mrs. Castle and Detective Beckett sound so formal. This documentary is for rock fans, after all."

Lindy smiled. "Yeah. Kate. Good idea. You've done this sort of thing before, right?" Kate nodded. "You'll be great, Kate."

"Kate the Great." Castle whispered in her ear. "And you are great. Lindy is right. You've done this before. It'll be a snap, Kate." He leaned in and kissed her cheek.

"I've been to your book signings and book launch parties. I've been on a couple of local TV talk shows. This is different."

Castle shook his head. "Not really. We sit down. We talk. But this time it's not about a book, but a real case."

Kate gave Castle a very low intensity glare. "This is different. Joel Mitas won an Academy Award last year for his documentary on Ebola. Now he's doing his second documentary on Holy Shemp. If I screw this up, I'll look like the biggest idiot in the world in front of millions and millions of people." Kate was starting to shake, something that she didn't usually do.

Castle put his arms around her and pulled her close. She rested her head on his shoulder and relaxed.

"You'll be great. And if you aren't, Mitas will cut the bad stuff. No one wants Kate Beckett, solver of the mystery of James Swan's murder and rock goddess, detective, and muse, all in one, to look bad. He's going to do everything to make you look good. Not that you need any help."

Kate sighed. "Have I mentioned that I love you, Mr. Castle?"

Castle laughed. "About as many times as I've told you I love you."

"That is fantastic. You two are naturals." Joel Mitas walked out into the bright lights and smiled at the couple." Like the rest of his crew, he wore jeans and a tee shirt. Unlike the rest of the crew, who wore Holy Shemp tees, Mitas wore a Star Wars, Episode Eight tee.

"Is that going to be in the film?" Kate asked, nervously.

"Absolutely. That's what people want to see. That's what I want to show everyone. A loving couple who solves crimes together. The murder of James Swan might not be one of your more difficult or complex cases, but it's the one Holy Shemp fans around the world want to see. They are the rock band of the 21st century after all." Mitas started counting on his fingers. "One platinum album after the other, half time performers at the Super Bowl, the concert for Peace in Africa, the trips to the White House, the James Swan Awards for Humanity, the…" He stopped and laughed. "I sound like a PR flack." Then he got serious. "But you were there at the beginning, weren't you?"

Kate and Rick looked at each other. "No." They said in unison.

Kate laughed nervously. "Holy Shemp had been together for years before we ever heard of them."

Mitas nodded. "As tragic as James Swan's death was, you have to admit that Buck Cooper's arrival changed the band's direction and began their meteoric rise to rock royalty and then some. You were there, and you two solved the murder of James Swan."

Castle shook his head. "The credit goes to my lovely wife. Kate was the lead detective of the team. She deserves all of the credit. As I've told everyone, if you think Nikki Heat is good, she's nothing compared to Kate. I wish I was a good enough writer to do Kate justice. She's remarkable."

Kate blushed. "Rick is being too modest. He's the one who figured out that if Buck Cooper came into the band, then someone else had to go and that someone was the bassist, Zeke."

And, with a bit of help from Mitas, the interview went carefully through the investigation of James Swan's murder. When the documentary was released, everyone thought Rick and Kate were naturals. There was even an online campaign to have Kate star in a Nikki Heat movie.

When the cameras stopped rolling, Mitas thanked Rick and Kate. "I understand that Buck has invited you two to the Grammies to see them scoop up their usual haul. Will you be there?"

Rick reached over and gently stroked Kate's round stomach. "They're two days after Kate's due date. We have our own award to pick up."

Kate was still blushing as they left the studio.

Once back at their LA hotel, Kate sighed and took off her shoes. "God. I can't even wear flats anymore. My feet are killing me."

"Let me." Rick took or her jacket and her blouse, then undid her belt and pulled her pants off, then her stockings.

"Castle! Are you trying to remind me of how I got in this very uncomfortable position in the first place? Because if you are…"

"No." He said, gently laying her down on the bed and taking her feet in his hands. "I'm going to give you a foot massage. Now just relax and let me work."

"Could you just look the other way? I'm as big as a house and I'm getting bigger. I'll never get my figure back after the baby is born."

"You are, always have been, and always will be, the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." He began massaging her feet. "Now just relax and let me work and admire my rock goddess wife."

He went to work and soon Kate was moaning with pleasure.

"How do your feet feel?"

"Heavenly." She murmured.

Castle moved so that he was beside her and took her in his arms. He ran his hand over her stomach and smiled. "How are you doing?"

"I'm fine."

"How do you feel? About becoming a mommy?"

She smiled. A mommy? "Excited. Curious. Terrified. Castle I don't know anything about being a mother. I've read every book I can find and I still feel like I know less now than I did before I read them. I'm going to be responsible for a tiny person, for years."

"I'll be there. I raised Alexis, after all. And with no help from Meredith. With the two of us it'll be a snap."

"You are the best father ever." Kate said, somewhat relieved.

"Even I had problems, though."

"How?" Kate's anxiety level shot up.

"For instance, I wondered how I'd teach Alexis to talk. I mean how do you teach a baby who can't talk, how to talk?"

"And?"

"Talking must be hard wired into the human brain. Alexis just started talking and she still can."

"There are other things that seem to be hardwired in the human brain." Kate whispered in a low, sexy voice.

"I think there are."