So Santa is back at the North Pole and my children are happy (apparently they were very good this year). Funny how children are completely unaware of the stress Santa is under. This is for carolina17 who has been so patiently waiting. I am very sorry about my lack of postings in all of my stories. I have been busier than a one armed paper hanger. It's so late, I can't even tell if this is any good, but here goes.

This is in the Perspective/Baby series, in fact, if you haven't read 'The Baby' this will make absolutely no sense to you.

Your Fate Awaits You There

It had been a month since their first "date." Castle was starting to wonder if they were ever going to make it to the fifth date. He may die of old age first. He did find a small amount of comfort in the fact that it had taken this long to get to the fourth date. He had originally hoped that he could knock out all five dates in one week. But they had gotten so busy that there was no time for dating. Castle was starting to wonder how many poor souls had given up by this point.

There were arguments along the way about what constituted a "date." Kate made it very clear that nothing that happened at the station could be considered a "date." In fact, no one at the station was to know that they were dating, although Ryan and Esposito were suspicious. Castle wouldn't say a word; he couldn't risk jeopardizing a "date." Castle tried to convince her that when they ate dinner at a restaurant after interviewing a witness at said restaurant, it was considered a "date." Kate responded in the negative.

"Are you getting cheap on me, Castle? Making the department pay for your dates now?"

The biggest disagreement was about his Halloween party. He thought that certainly it was a date. Kate's opinion differed. He invited her to the party, but not as his "date." No amount of logic or whining would make her see otherwise. So here he was, outside her door about to take her on what he considered should be their fifth date, but she was adamant that it was the fourth.

"Hey, come on in. I just need to grab my bag and coat." Her eyes looked him up and down, "You look nice." He was wearing a black button-down with jeans and a camel hair jacket.

When she opened the door, he temporarily lost his voice. She was wearing a long, caramel colored skirt with black boots and a black v-neck sweater that hugged her figure and revealed the perfect amount of cleavage. What stunned him though was her hair. It was up and twisted with big loopy curls. One of those hairstyles that look casual, but you knew it took some work. "You look…Wow. I love the hair."

"Thanks," She looked at his hand, "You brought wine?"

"Yeah, is that okay?"

"It's nice. I'm glad you did. I was going to have to stop on the way over. Now we won't be late." She grabbed her bag and continued, "You know, I was thinking. Since Emma invited both of us, maybe this isn't a date either."

He set the wine down on the table and stole behind her. "Oh, no you don't. Don't even try it!" He put his hands on her arms and attacked her neck with his lips. "I am losing patience, Detective." He murmured against her skin. He grinned when he felt her tremble. Good. At least she feels it too.

She turned to face him, her eyes a shade darker than usual. "There had better not be a hickey on my neck." She slid her hands under his jacket and kissed him. "Fine, it's a date." She said, rolling her eyes. "But you are getting off awfully cheap this time."

"Believe me; you're making me pay in other ways." Castle grumbled.

"Later, Castle. You're almost there. It's worth the wait." She whispered in his ear. Rick growled and pulled her even closer to him.

Kate smiled while disentangling herself from his grip, and went to the mirror to make sure he hadn't left a mark on her neck. "Let's go."

In the car, headed over to Emma and Jorge's place in Brooklyn, Kate broke the silence with dreaded words: "I need to tell you something."

Castle let the words ricochet around in his brain. What could it be? She's not pregnant. He remembered that conversation well. It was two weeks ago. He thought she was postponing what was to be date number three. He had almost forgotten about their little mishap and the possible consequences. Almost. She was dropping him off at his building, and pulled it into park saying those very words: I need to tell you something. When she told him she wasn't pregnant, he felt relief. It was obvious she wasn't ready, and their relationship was just too new. There was a fleeting moment of disappointment, quickly followed by the excitement of being able to do it right. That night on their date, he expressed that very sentiment, and she agreed. "I think that someday, Castle, I might like to have your baby." As if he needed any more of an incendiary device to make him want her more.

Kate cleared her throat, drawing him back to the present. "Don't hurt yourself, Castle. It's nothing bad—or even about us. It's about Avery."

Avery was Castle's favorite among Kate's sisters. She was the oldest and most level-headed and even-tempered. Maggie and Castle had only met a couple of times before, and both times there was friction. Maggie and Avery were both going to be at the dinner party tonight. Butterflies frantically jockeyed for position in his stomach just thinking about putting up with Maggie.

"Don't tell me she won't be there. I don't even want to hear it."

"No, she'll be there. She'll have company with her."

"A date? Avery's bringing a date?" Avery's husband, Jacob, had passed away three years ago, leaving her with three young girls to raise. As far as Rick knew, she hadn't dated anyone since.

"She's not calling it a date. They're 'friends' she says." Kate rolled her eyes, a talent all of the Beckett women had mastered. "It's obvious to everyone but her that he's completely in love with her."

"What! Who is this guy? I don't like him."

"Are you jealous?"

"No. Why would I be jealous? I'm dating you not her."

"And yet I think that if you had met her before me, things might be different." Kate smirked.

"Objection! Speculation." Castle claimed. "And I plead the fifth."

Beckett laughed. His latest Nikki Heat book started off in a court room, and with his "research," his entire law vernacular was used constantly. "Whatever. I wouldn't blame you, you know. She's great. It's actually quite flattering."

"Yeah, well, even though I'm planning on trying to steal home tonight, I'm not going to swing at that one." Rick glanced over just in time to see her cheeks flush. "Now, who is this guy, and how is it that Maggie hasn't driven him off yet?"

"Do you remember Dr. Ballard?"

"Name rings a bell. Wait, isn't that the neurosurgeon that drilled holes in your head?" Kate nodded. Every time someone referenced her unfortunate incident she had to fight the urge to touch the spot on her head. It could have been so much worse. "That's the guy?"

"Yep. That's the guy. They met the day of my surgery and have basically been inseparable since. Well, as friends at least." Kate pulled the car in front of Emma and Jorge's brownstone and slipped the car in park. "Anyway, I just wanted to give you a 'heads up.' His first name is Geoff."

It was two weeks before Thanksgiving, and Emma and Jorge's place was completely decorated for it, right down to the pilgrim salt and pepper shakers and turkey candles.

"I didn't realize that people decorated for Thanksgiving." Castle commented, as he kissed Emma on the cheek in greeting, "I mean people other than me."

"Luke liked to decorate for everything. It was really tough during those months that have no major holiday. We had to always come up with something." Emma's eyes sparkled as she talked about the son she lost. "There's no better way to honor his memory."

"You amaze me." Kate said as she took off her jacket and handed it to Jorge.

"Yeah, well, takes one to know one." Emma winked. "I need to talk to you later. Both of you."

"I didn't do it." Castle exclaimed, holding his hands up.

"I know. She told me." Emma said nonchalantly and chuckled at Castle's clueless face. "Come on. Every one is in the kitchen."

Everyone was in the kitchen. Emma and Jorge had invited Avery, Geoff, Maggie, Justin, Kate and Rick to their house for a pre-holiday dinner party sans children. Even Ethan and Noah were upstairs with a babysitter. Rick and Kate made their way in, greeting everyone and Rick introduced himself to Geoff and Justin. Maggie was extremely nice to Rick, which surprised him and made him a little suspicious. Justin stood next to Rick as he made himself a vodka martini. The women in the room were drinking some sort of cranberry/raspberry vodka thing that Maggie had created.

"We'll have to keep an eye on them." Justin leaned into Rick as he spoke. "That raspberry vodka tastes like nothing. Last week Avery came over for dinner and Maggie tried it out on her. Needless to say, she and the girls stayed the night. Avery had five of them. Didn't feel a thing. Woke up the next morning hurting. Avery never has more than two glasses of wine."

"And yet she's still drinking them." Rick mused as he watched them congregate like hens and tell stories.

"It's her first one." Rick heard from Geoff. "I've been asked to cut her off after two. I would have given my eye teeth to see her last weekend though."

"Is that what you're waiting for? Her to get drunk?" Justin jibed.

"Hell no! That would ruin everything." Geoff interjected. "If anything ever happens between us, she has to be sober. I can't afford to lose her."

"I hear you, man." Castle stated. "Kate pretty much calls the shots at this point. I can't imagine my life without her."

Jorge walked over with a grin on his face. "Are you talking about the Beckett sisters? Because they're talking about you."

Geoff and Rick looked over at the group of women. Rick caught Avery's glance and she winked at him. "That raspberry vodka really does loosen her up." He thought out loud.

Maggie, Avery, Kate and Emma were standing by the stove while Emma was stirring gravy, trying to get it to thicken. "So, Kate, are you still holding out on Ricky over there?" Emma said like she was asking her if she thought it would rain.

Kate almost inhaled her drink as she shot daggers at Avery. "I'm not going to tell you anything ever again!" She chuckled.

"Like you can keep secrets from me. That wasn't a secret by the way. You didn't say not to tell." Avery took a sip and caught Rick's eye across the room. She winked. "It slipped out when I told them you weren't pregnant."

"Yeah, well, next time I'll just wait for my period instead of freaking out and getting you to run a blood test." Kate muttered. Her statement ignited Maggie.

"You had better be planning on having a baby if there's a next time. You're too old for mistakes. What am I saying? The poor guy can't even get back in your pants. It's been a month for crying out loud, fish or cut bait."

"We are not going to spend the entire night talking about my sex life."

"What sex life?" Emma inserted. "Sounds like to me the fire is gone." She was grinning.

"Really? You all know good things come to those who wait."

Maggie's dirty mind couldn't help itself. "But do those who wait get to come?" They all burst out laughing, drawing the attention of the four men in the room.

Justin called Maggie to the floor. "What kind of dirty joke are you telling over there Mags?"

"Nothing, nothing. Just twisting some words for Mr. Castle's benefit." Rick turned and Kate saw it coming.

"I knew you were being too nice Maggie." He said.

"Hey, I was defending you." Maggie said shamelessly. "I told Kate that you had suffered enough and she should go ahead and sleep with you again. She said, 'Good things come to those who wait.' All I could say was…"

"Oh no." Justin chuckled.

"'But do those who wait get to come?' I'm fighting for you, dude."

Kate was blushing a bright crimson. Rick just shook his head. "Welcome to the family, man." Justin said, offering his hand. "I've known Kate since she was eleven. I've never heard so much about a guy come from her mouth. These Beckett women are amazing. Tough to catch, but worth it."

Dinner was enjoyed by all. Emma had never been much of a cook, but she quit her job six months after Luke died, and HGTV and the Food Network was pretty much all she watched these days. Her culinary skills had greatly improved. They were all having a great time and the conversation never seemed to lag. Having a cop, a midwife, a neurosurgeon and a Spaniard at the table kept things flowing. Between dinner and dessert, Avery's cell phone rang. It was Johanna.

"Mom! You have to come home quick! Lily is bleeding really bad." The mature preteen sounded very anxious.

"Johanna? Where is Leah?" Leah had been the family nanny since Little Kate was born, over seven years ago.

"Leah is in the bathroom with Lily. She said to call you. I think she needs stitches. Should I call 911?"

"Where is she bleeding?" When Avery asked that question, every head at the table turned to her. Kate glanced at Castle and her heart warmed seeing the concern on his face. Upon seeing the look on Avery's face, Geoff jumped up and went to grab their coats.

"Her foot, mom. Her foot is really bleeding. I bet Kate that she couldn't do a round-off back handspring and she was saying she could, that she learned it in gymnastics. So she did one down the hallway. Her foot hit one of the pictures on the wall and when it hit the floor, it broke. Lily was going downstairs to tell Leah, because they were supposed to be in bed, and she stepped on a big piece of glass. It's really in there and Leah won't pull it out. She said it would bleed more."

"Okay, sweetie. Leah is doing the right thing. Geoff and I are on our way. Don't call 911. I'll take her to the hospital. Oh and Johanna?"

"Yeah, mom?" Johanna's voice was hesitant.

"Don't think that there isn't a punishment in store for you and Kate. You both knew better."

"Yes ma'am."

"I love you, baby. See you in a few." Avery hung up the phone and realized that the entire table was looking at her expectantly.

"It's too long a story to go into now, but I'll tell you about it tomorrow. Lily probably needs stitches in her foot." Avery got up and headed toward Geoff, who had his jacket on and was holding hers so she could slip into it. When she looked up at Geoff, he gave her a half-grin and said, "It'll be fine. I'll go with you." When Avery rested her head against his chest for a second, every person at the table noticed.

"Call if you need anything." Maggie said. They all murmured in agreement. They would all be there for Avery and Lily if they needed them.

Once Geoff and Avery left, the table was silent for three seconds. Castle couldn't hold it in any longer, "They've known each other for three months already and neither one realize that the other is smitten? What kind of magic do you Beckett women use on us men anyway? I feel for any guy that tries to date Johanna, Kate or Lily."

"Amen." Jorge and Justin recited in unison.

They ate dessert and the conversation migrated from how Lily cut her foot (no one knew yet), to how Avery was ever going to see what she had with Geoff, to (thanks to Maggie) whether or not Rick Castle would want to risk having a Beckett daughter in the future. Neither Kate nor Rick wanted to have this conversation publicly, so it was quickly squashed by Kate. "Maggie, is the reason you're so interested in other people's sex lives because you're not getting any at home?" Kate was working on her fourth vodka drink and was feeling a little adventurous.

Maggie narrowed her eyes at Kate. Justin piped up, "Let's go remedy that, Mags." He stood and they started to go. They all went into the living room to see them off. Maggie turned back as they were headed out the door. "I hope you get to take her home, Rick." She wagged her eyebrows at him, "She needs to get laid."

"Maggie!" Everyone collectively gasped at her, including Justin who whisked her out the door muttering apologies and swearing her off raspberry vodka for the rest of her life.

Later, when the four of them were all sitting around the living room, Emma approached a new subject.

"Before you got here earlier, I was telling your sisters that we are having Ethan baptized on December seventh. I hope you both will come."

"Absolutley! We'd love to." Castle claimed before Kate could answer.

"Thanks, Castle. You seem pretty sure I don't have any plans for that day." Kate tried to sound annoyed.

"Like you would miss that." He knew her too well.

"Anyway, I hope you're feelings aren't hurt, but we asked Avery to be his Godmother. We still want both of you to stand up with us when we do it, please don't be upset." Emma was truly nervous about Kate's reaction.

"Emma, don't worry about it. I understand completely. Avery is definitely more qualified for the job. You know God and I have issues."

Emma looked over at Jorge and grabbed his hand. "That's not the reason why we didn't ask you, Kate. You were our first choice. But we thought it would be a little much."

"A little much for what?" Kate was confused, but Castle thought he was getting a handle on it.

"I think I'll go start on the dishes," he said, trying to excuse himself.

"No. You stay." Emma commanded. "You are part of this too."

"I really don't see how I'm involved here."

Kate was getting annoyed. Clearly she was the only one in the room who was clueless. "Shit! What was I drinking? Did I pass out and miss something? What is going on?"

"Kate, we'd like to take you up on your offer if it still stands." Emma gushed before Kate could get any more upset.

"Oh." Kate took a deep breath.

A/N: BTW I think this is going to be a long one. That's why I picked the title…it can go the distance. However, if it sucks, then it could be short…