Author's Note-I saw the picture on Tumblr and had to write it. I have to say, Sava is my favourite character I've ever written for Castle, which is really saying something. Also, Sava is a river that flows through Croatia and Serbia, which is fitting given Stana's history. So I'll admit I adore this story. I hope you do too. NYLF xx
Rick chuckled from the doorway as he watched his baby girl. He'd put her down for a nap an hour ago and had just been walking past the nursery when he'd heard her singing to herself.
Savannah was bent in two, pulling open the bottommost draw of her dresser, her striped footsie pyjamas stretched tight across her diaper. Her tiny little girl voice sounded out as she sang some made up tune to herself.
Rick didn't have the heart to interrupt. His youngest fascinated him on a regular basis, but watching as her mind worked through whatever she was trying to do, she was pure Kate in this moment and it made his heart swell with pride.
Savannah had managed to drag out the draw and was now proceeding to take out every item of clothing from it. Castle half formed the idea to stop her, knowing Kate wouldn't be impressed if she came home to find all of their daughter's clothes on the floor. But then he noticed how she was taking great care to keep each thing neatly folded, just as they had been when her mother had put them away. Castle smiled to himself, gosh his daughter was perfect.
Once the clothes were stacked in two neat piles beside the draw, his toddler grasped the handle for the draw above and held tight, dragging one tiny leg over the side of the open draw until she could stand in it. Once she'd repeated the move with the other leg, she gripped the lip of the top of the dresser and pulled herself to her full height and Castle finally realised what she was doing. By standing in the draw, Savannah could see out of the window.
His nearly three year old peered curiously out the window, watching the world go by with all of her father's curiosity. Still singing to herself, Savannah swayed from side to side, her little body dancing in time to her own little song.
Unable not to, Rick took out his phone and pulled up his camera before starting to film his baby girl. She really was adorable. After a few minutes, his curiosity got the better of him. Sliding his phone back in his pocket, he made his way further into the room.
"Sava?" He asked quietly, smiling when she startled, her green brown eyes finding him quickly, her little chubby face splitting into a wide smile when she realised who he was. "Hey baby. What'ya doin'?"
"Lookin'." She informed him softly before turning back to the window. Castle smiled, kneeling beside his baby, palming the back of her head as he kissed her crown.
"What you looking at, pretty girly?"
Savannah smiled brightly, her whole body wiggling excitedly. "Momma."
Castle's heart swelled. "You're right angel, I told you momma would be home when you woke up didn't I? Well honey, I expected you to sleep a little longer than this."
Her whole face fell and Castle felt his stomach drop. "No momma?"
"Not yet baby, but soon." Her tiny lower lip trembled and Rick knew he would do anything to get that look off her face. "How about we call huh? You wanna call momma Sava?"
Savannah nodded, rubbing her fist into her eyes. That's why she was getting so emotional so easily, she was still sleepy. Oh so like Kate, Savannah rarely showed emotion. Well, to him anyway, Kate had a special connection with their girl.
"Okay Sava, give me a second." He pulled his phone back out and hit Kate's speed dial. It took all of two rings for the call to connect.
"Hey." Kate's warm happy voice floated through the line, all content and love.
"Hey there beautiful." Rick smiled back. "I have someone who would like to talk to you, you up for that?"
"Up to talking to my girl? Always." Castle could hear the gorgeous smile in her voice that appeared whenever she thought of their daughter.
"Here are baby. Momma." Castle put the phone on speaker and set it beside where his girl was still stood in the drawer.
"Momma?" Sava asked softly, that little kid suspiciousness in the word, as if she didn't believe it.
"Hey Sava. Hey baby girl. You're supposed to still be sleeping angel."
"Waked up. Momma, you home?"
Kate chuckled. "Oh very nearly Sava. Running a little late baby but I'm in the lobby baby girl. I'll be home soon."
"Momma home." Sava grinned at Rick, making him chuckle.
"Yeah baby, momma's nearly home. You gonna stay here while I go open the door for her?" Sava nodded. "Okay baby, say bye to momma."
"No. Momma stay. Stay with me momma."
Kate chuckled. "Leave the phone with her Rick; she'll be fine with it."
"Okay, okay. Sava, be good okay? I'll be back in a sec with momma."
Savannah nodded. "'Kay daddy."
Rick kissed the top of her head again before running down to the door.
"Momma, momma, momma, momma." Sava chanted softly to herself, making Kate chuckle, soft and pleased.
"Did you miss me today Savannah?" Kate smiled brightly, clutching the phone to her ear.
"Uh huh. Daddy no good at hair momma. You good at hair, no daddy."
Kate was working hard to keep up; it had been a long day. "Hair baby? Oh," the penny dropped, "daddy tried to put your hair up and it didn't go well?"
"Yup yup. Daddy pulls. No good. Momma better."
Kate smiled gently. "Momma's had more practise Sava. Daddy doesn't have long hair; he doesn't need to be good at it."
"But Lexis." Savannah countered.
Kate smiled. "Very true my darling. Maybe he's just out of practise hmm? Oh, hello daddy." Sava giggled as she listened to her parents greet each other, signalling that her mother had made it to the door by now. "Now, I'm coming to get you baby girl." Kate chuckled before running up the stairs, listening to her beautiful baby's cheerfulness across the line as she did.
Kate swung into the doorway, laughing when she saw her baby girl dancing on the spot in excitement, standing in her dresser drawer. "I'm not even gonna ask Sava, you crazy cookie." She chuckled, sweeping in and scooping her baby up and into her arms, nuzzling her throat with her nose, relishing the giggles it drew.
"Cold momma. Cold nose, cold nose." Sava pulled back and set both her hands on her mother's cheeks. "Hi." She greeted breathlessly, making Kate's heart stumble.
"Hey pretty baby. Did you have a good day with daddy?"
Sava nodded. "Missed you momma."
Kate smiled gently, holding her baby close. "I missed you too angel."
"Loves ya momma." Savannah leaned in and kissed her mother, making Kate smile.
"Oh I love you too Savannah. To the moon and back again."