Pallid sunlight was starting to filter through the windows, gently illuminating the room and chasing away the shadows of the night. 'Today was going to be another scorcher', he absent-mindedly observed. Rick was lying on his side, propped up on his arm as he watched his exhausted wife while she got some much needed sleep. In the last four weeks since Kate and baby Lizzy returned from the hospital, Mommy and Daddy have been pulling near all-nighters with the newest addition to the Castle clan. Lizzy was proving to be a handful, an adorable and mesmerizing handful nonetheless. With each passing day, Rick felt his heart swell with pride (and a little apprehension) as his daughter became more and more beautiful. He had no doubt that Elizabeth Johanna Castle was going to be as gorgeous as her mother. Unfortunately, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry about that prospect...
Kate's lovely features were relaxed, despite the dark circles under her eyes, her breathing was even and her body was (cutely) pulled up into a fetal position, her hands clutching the pillow her head was laid on. Rick smiled softly as he brushed a dark strand of hair off her cheek – she was adorable. She looked like a little girl: sweet, innocent and vulnerable. He felt a stab of protectiveness (and possessiveness) tore through him as his eyes continued to study her in silent admiration. In this moment, she wasn't one of the NYPD's finest (and toughest) or his enigmatic muse or his sensual lover or even a new mother.
She was Kate. Simply… Kate.
The Kate only he got to see – the small, vulnerable one. Not even she got to see that Kate. This was his right, his privilege. He smiled at the thought and bent down to press a gentle, but lingering kiss in her hair. He felt a familiar and powerful longing tug at his senses as he inhaled her scent. He really couldn't wait to make love to his wife again...
Just as the thought crossed his mind, he heard a stirring and gurgling sound emanating from the baby monitor. Their baby girl was seemingly starting to wake up. Deciding to give Kate a few minutes more to sleep, Rick extracted himself from bed – clad only in his Spongebob boxers – and quietly made his way to the fairytale-character inspired nursery.
"Hey baby girl, hey there Daddy's princess," he cooed softly as he picked up the small, wriggling form. He held her against his bare chest, nestling her protectively against his warmth.
"Couldn't sleep anymore, huh? Me too, Sweet Pea, me too." Baby Lizzy only opened her eyes sluggishly as she searched for the source of the familiar voice; her tiny mouth opened and closed a few times while bubbles escaped her lips. "Guess, you got your old man's bout of insomnia." Rick placed his forefinger in her tiny hand, smiling broadly when she immediately grabbed hold of it.
Yeah, he was done for it. Richard Castle was out for the count, bowled over, knocked out. And he didn't mind one bit - this was a fight he didn't mind losing. Just like with Alexis, he was completely and utterly smitten and he knew that he would be for the rest of his life. Elizabeth Johanna Castle was his little girl to love, protect and care for and he was her daddy; her silly, overprotective and playful daddy. At least they had Kate who would be the adult...
He went to sit down in the nearby chair, his attention fixed on his baby girl. "Okay, listen you and I need to discuss something. It's important," he said, his voice soft and mockingly serious. As if on cue, Lizzy squirmed in his arms and scrunched up her small face. Rick laughed lightly at this. "No don't worry, you're not in trouble, Sweet Pea... It's just..." He sighed heavily. "You can't grow up as fast as your big sister did, okay? You just... can't. I mean before I knew it Lex was all grown up and leaving the nest." Lizzy gurgled and briefly threw her tiny arms up in her air. "You need to promise me... pinky promise-" He placed his pinky in her small hand. "-that you'll always stay my little girl. Are we clear on that, Baby Bird?" Her response was to yawn and wriggle. He chuckled. "I'll take that as a yes," Rick said, leaning down and pressing a soft kiss on her head and breathing in her sweet, baby-shampoo scent. "I love you," he whispered against her ear.
Her heart melt and the butterflies danced in her stomach at the sight. Kate was leaning against the doorframe, watching Rick softly talking to their daughter. She had been there for the whole 'Conversation' without her husband noticing her presence. Kate was convinced that if he was going to keep being this adorably sweet, that she would not be able to wait to make another little human being with him. He was in a word, irresistable when he was being all bare-chested, domestic and fatherly. It was official: her husband was the sweetest, most endearing and cutest man on the planet. Kate felt herself fall a little more in love with him because of it. She smiled and pushed herself away from the doorframe, walking towards the two loves of her life.
"Mr. Castle, you are in serious trouble." Rick's head snapped up and he frowned in confusion. When he saw Kate smile broadly at him, he returned one himself.
"How so, Mrs. Castle?" He asked as she came to stand slightly behind him, clad in her usual sleep attire: yoga pants and one of his dress shirts.
She bent over his shoulder and gently brushed a finger over her daughter's head, while resting her free hand on his shoulder. "Well, your little girl has got you wrapped around her tiny finger already."
"So?" Their attention was on their baby.
"So, you're going to spoil her rotten."
"And what's wrong with that?"
"Well, I'm going to have to be bad cop, while you play good cop." He grinned widely at the whiny tone of his wife's voice. He and Lizzy was going to be a mean team.
"Ah, c'mon KC, you don't know that."
She pouted for affect and scoffed. "Hmm, sure I do... You two are going to gang up on me. I just know it."
He chuckled heartily at this and turned to look at his wife, who was still sporting a rather dramatic pout. "How so, Sweetheart?"
She shrugged before answering: "'Cause that's what fathers and their daughters do - they gang up on Mom." Her expression softened as a wistful smile tugged at her lips. "Bellieve me, I know." He watched her for a moment while she kept her eyes on Lizzy.
"Well, I let you be good cop once in while," he said with a smile. "Deal?"
She briefly looked at him, rolled her eyes and smiled. "Deal," she replied before pressing a lingering kiss against his lips. They returned their attention back to the infant in her father's arms.
After a while Kate spoke again. "But it still doesn't change the fact that she's already Daddy's little girl."
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