"Kaaaaattteeee!" She rolled her eyes and huffed in annoyance at the whiny my-sibling-stole-my-chocolate-tone of her man-child husband. Still placing a few final pins in her up-do hair Kate walked to where Rick stood in front of the mirror; his expression similar to that of a helpless six-year old.
"I swear Castle, it's a miracle that you can tie your own shoe laces," she commented while she started on his bowtie. Leave it to the veteran of hundreds of black-tie parties, not to know how to tie a bowtie.
Utterly ridiculous.
He looked down at her - without her power heels, she was a head-and-a-half shorter than him - and grinned. She was more radiant than ever in a long, elegant, strapless and satin emerald green dress that brought out her eyes and hugged her figure beautifully - much to the appreciation of a certain mystery novelist-husband. He was not-so-subtly stealing glances at her 'girls'.
"I couldn't do the shoe laces-thing until I was ten."
"Why am I not surprised," she said absent-mindedly, her brow furrowed in concentration. An amused smile tugged at his mouth at her adorable expression.
"Well, I can't be perfect at everything." That earned an eye-roll… and a very reluctant upward tilt of her lips.
"There you go." Kate adjusted the bowtie, smiled and winked at Rick before turning away. But before she could get anywhere, he took hold of her wrist and pulled her back to him.
"Thank you." He gave her a quick kiss. "You look beautiful, KC," Rick murmured sincerely before kissing her again – a little more forcefully – before going on to plant feathery kisses on the edge of her jaw and side of her neck. Kate's mind fogged over as her eyes slid shut, enjoying the sensations for a few moments before snapping back to reality.
"Okay, down boy. We have a party to go to. Remember?"
"We can skip it." He continued to press kisses in her neck.
She laughed. "I didn't spend three hours in hair salon and more than seven hours in various boutiques with Lanie last week - which, by the way, was worse than torture - for nothing, Castle."
"You know I'm just gonna take it off anyway, right?" He grinned at her impishly.
She returned a sly grin herself, fiddling idly with his suspenders. "Yeeaaahhh… but not yet, Writer Monkey. Patience is a virtue." She patted his cheek while he pouted. Kate glanced over his shoulder. "Besides, we have an audience." Rick turned around and smiled broadly at the scene.
Their adorable, chubby-cheek four-month old baby girl was lying flat on her stomach in the middle of the bed, thoroughly engrossed in Snuggles. Snuggles, the soft, fluffy, chiming and always-smiling bear had become her best friend and closest confidant who never left her side. Ever. Snuggles was there when she went to sleep, when she got a bath (albeit not in the bathtub, but at least on the edge), when she got changed, when she ate her meals and also when she had to go to the Little Humans Doctor. Sure, her parents were great - Mommy fed her, sang to her when she was upset and played a strangely fascinating game where she would hide behind her hands and then pop out behind them, exclaiming peek-a-boo (she'll find out later why that game had such a silly, yet amusing name). Daddy was funny and made her laugh, especially when he spoke in silly voices and when he blew raspberries on her tummy. But, sometimes a four-month old just needed someone to relate to, you know? Like a fluffy bear who sang a song when you hugged her.
"Hey Sweet Pea." Lizzy greeted her daddy with an all gums-smile and Rick grinned widely. "What are you doing, baby girl?" He lied down on his side on his elbow and pressed the button on Snuggles that made the toy sing. Upon hearing the cheerful, albeit annoying, tune emanating from her fluffy companion, Lizzy let out a squeal of delight, clapping her little hands together. Her father couldn't resist flipping her on her back and blowing a few raspberries on her stomach making her squeal and giggle even more.
Kate smiled as she watched them in the reflection of the mirror. Her smile, however faded, as she caught sight of the baby bag on the floor. Tonight Lizzy was going to have a sleepover at her Aunt Lanie and Uncle Javi's so that Mom and Dad could go the mayor's ball and have some much-needed quality time together, which had been few and far between since their little bundle's arrival. Even though Kate knew that it was needed and even though she was actually looking forward to an evenig without diapers and baby spit, somewhere in her mother's heart she felt an uncomfortable tug. She didn't like it. At all. She didn't look forward at not seeing her little cupcake for a whole night. It was the first time that she was not going to be the one to get up at three in the morning to feed her daughter or to soothe her or to cradle her.
Her thoughts were interrupted with the chime of the doorbell.
"Wow, they're on time... for once," Rick said, getting up and looking at his watch. He turned back to Lizzy on the bed. "Probably because they're looking after the most beautiful baby in the whole wide world." With a kiss on her head, he hurried out the room to go and greet their babysitters; not noticing his wife's crestfallen expression.
Kate sighed and looked at herself in the mirror again. 'You can do this, Kate. It's just one night. Just one.'
"Where's my ridiculously cute goddaughter!" Lanie's voice echoed as she ascended the stairs.
"We're in here Lanie!" Kate called out.
"Oh hey-" Lanie stopped and nodded her head in approval while perusing her friend's outfit. "Wow, girl, you look absolutely gorgeous! What did I tell you?"
"Thanks Lanie." Kate smiled broadly.
"Uh-uh-uh. Thanks Lanie for going with me-"
"-and letting me spend more than seven hours in at least fifteen boutiques."
"Well, it was worth it, wasn't it?" Lanie smirked.
Kate nodded and returned a smile. "Yes, thank you, it was."
Lizzy gurgled and squealed again. The petite ME immediately turned her attention to the adorable bundle of plump limbs. "As glad as I am to see my best friend, I'm actually here to steal away this little cutie pie." She picked up her goddaughter who watched her with rapt attention. "Hey sweetie. You looking forward to spending some time with Aunt Lanie and Uncle Javi? We're going to have so much fun!" Lizzy smiled toothlessly and threw her arms around in the air. "Yes we are honey," Lanie continued to coo. She noticed the bag on the floor, picked it up and turned to Kate who finished putting on her earrings, her eyes a little more moist than usual.
"This her bag?" Lanie asked.
"Uh, yeah." Kate cleared her throat and turned around, briefly smiling at her friend.
Her brow, however, furrowed a few moments later. "Lanie, you still have the list I gave you right? She eats at just past seven and again at ten. Oh and she usually likes to take her bath before-"
"-she goes to sleep. I know Kate, you almost made me write a test on this."
Undeterred Kate rambled on. "Remember that Snuggles goes everywhere she does. She hasn't been feeling well, she had a bit of a fever the other day and the doctor prescribed-"
Lanie shifted Lizzy and cocked an eyebrow. "Kate. You know I'm a doctor, right?"
Kate let out a breath and smiled. "Sorry, it's just, well she hasn't been feeling well and-"
"Sweetie, we got this. Stop worrying."
Lanie noticed the subtle tension in Kate's expression and frowned slightly. "You okay, Kate?"
"Mmm-hmmm, yeah I'm fine." Lie. Lie. Lie. 'It's just one night, Kate. Just one.'
Lanie sighed and shook her head. Kate was a bad liar. "Girl, you and Writer Boy need to get some down time. It's just one night." A sly smile slowly pulled her lips upward. "Besides, it seems that you need to get laid. Maybe more than once... Seriously, you're way too tense."
"Lanie!" Kate blushed. "Not in front of my daughter."
"Okay, okay. Sorry." Lanie grinned. And then as if to sense Kate's inner turmoil she handed Lizzy over to her mother. "Here, you take her so that I can take the bag... and Snuggles."
The two and a half women descended the stairs and found Rick and Esposito engaged in an intense discussion about what shaving cream was the best.
"Hey, Carrie and Miranda, we're ready if you two girls are," Lanie smirked.
"We were born ready, chica," Esposito said, proudly pushing out his chest.
"We're the embodiment of readiness," Rick stated emphatically.
Lanie snorted and laughed. "Puhlease."
Rick turned to Esposito, his expression serious. "I hope you're ready for diaper-duty." Upon hearing this, the Latino detective's face paled considerably.
Rick smiled, but it faded upon realising that Kate wasn't involved in the friendly banter. Rather, she was quietly holding Lizzy and smiling uninterestedly at the conversation. He decided to ask her about it later.
"Hey Lizzy, you ready to go?" Esposito cooed, walking towards Kate; his fear of diapers momentarily forgotten. He planned to get himself out of diaper-duty while his fiancé was intent on making him practise. "Come to Uncle Javi." He grinned and held out his arms and Kate reluctantly handed over her daughter.
He turned to Lanie, who was busy watching him with the unmistakeable I-want-to-carry-this-man's-babies-expression. "You ready?"
"Yeah." They turned towards Rick and Kate. She was tensely wringing her hands together.
"Okay, guys enjoy your evening," Lanie said with a teasing wink.
"Oh we will Dr. Parish," Rick returned with a grin while wrapping an arm around Kate's (tense) shoulders. "We will."
"Say bye Mommy, bye Daddy," Esposito said waving Lizzy's plump little arm.
"Bye Sweet Pea," Rick said stepping forward and pressing a kiss on his daughter's head.
Kate stepped forward as well. "Bye honey." She kissed Lizzy's hand. "Bye baby, I'm gonna miss you," she whispered before kissing her head. With that the two babysitters left, leaving the abandoned parents to their own devices.
A few moments of silence passed with Kate staring at the door and Rick swaying back and forth, his hands in his pockets. He let out a breath before breaking the silence.
"You ready to go, KC?" He stepped in behind her and wrapped his arms around her.
Kate sighed, leaned back into him and nodded. "Yeah... yeah I am."
"Well, let's get this party started then, Mrs. Castle," Rick said, pressing a gentle kiss on the side of her neck.
She turned around in his arms and draped her arms around his neck. "Lead the way, Mr. Castle."
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