Life in Technicolor

A/N: Check out my ebook Fences here - fences1saybooks . pressbooks . com/
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She finds him on the floor in front of the section on UFOs, flipping through a book about the flying, fiery visions from Ezekiel the prophet. She lifts an eyebrow and reads over his shoulder, pressing her lips together to keep from laughing. ET in the Bible?

When he glances up at her, eyes bright and filled with mystery, his mouth opening to say something, her hand reaches out and strokes through his hair, cups the back of his skull like she does with Dash. The two are just so alike - mannerisms and excitement and stupidly sweet intensity.

He leans into her touch, whatever he was going to say dies out until he's just looking at her, warm and tender. He has to know - he's got to know that there's something going on.

"What've you got?" he asks.

She shakes her head, keeps the two books pressed against her. "I'll show you after we check out."

"You ready?"

"Mm, if you are."

"What narrative technique you use today?"

"You'll see," she says. "I let the moment decide."

"Ooh, impulse purchases. So very not-Kate," he laughs, still regarding her from the floor. He ducks his head from her touch to get up, stands beside her with the book open in his hands. "Hey, before we go - look at this. It's so cool."

When he leans in close to flip the page, reading aloud the caption under the photo, she presses her cheek to his shoulder, scenting paper and ink along with musk of him, an intoxicating combination.

"-that illustrates the sacred garb-"

"That says scared, Castle. Jeez. The printing quality is terrible. And look here, processed. Should be possessed - 'fathered children with earth women who possessed mysterious powers' - oh."

Is everything about-?

He nudges her with his shoulder, dislodging her nice resting place, jarring her out of her own head. "So it needs a better editor-"

She gets back on track. "It needs an editor, period. If the guy can't even proofread his manuscript, why should I believe-"

"Yeah, but the concept is cool. I mean think about it like this. Every Bible story about angels and fiery chariots and stuff? It could've been aliens. That is sweet."

She rolls her eyes, pushes off from his shoulder. "Sure, Castle. I'm gonna go check out, leave you here with your crazy theories."

"Which you whole-heartedly miss. You even texted me for one this morning," he calls out after her. "Like a booty call."

"You're right. I just use you for your mind." She throws him a look over her shoulder, all scintillating smile and arched eyebrow, and he looks struck, rooted to the spot, mouth hanging open.

Good. If this pregnancy is going to make her hot for him all the time, the least she can do is make him suffer along with her.

Plus, she loves what she can do to him.

Loves that it works both ways.

The sun is brilliant; the day feels insular. It is just the two of them walking the path in Central Park so slowly, brushing against each other, her shoulder to his, arms twined.

He won't let go of her hand, won't let go of the children's book she bought for him either. Father and daughter in a magical castle by the sea. Written by the son of June Carter and Johnny Cash. Everything feels connected today - a ring of fire.

They amble through Manhattan, not stopping anywhere, not really headed anywhere, just being together. Her blood heats, flushes her cheeks; she can feel every touch of him.

Kate smiles when he brings their joined hands once more to her stomach, strokes the line of her abs down to the waistband of her jeans.

"You're amazing," he whispers, turning his head into her, nuzzling her cheek for another one of those reverent touches of his lips.

"I think maybe it's you," she murmurs around a grin. "You certainly work fast, Rick Castle."

He gives a soft little chuckle, fingers tightening through hers, swinging their hands lightly between them now. The trees overhead rustle with the breeze, throwing dappled light across their path.

She glances over at him, sees him all proud and pleased, his face alight with it. She chews on the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at him, bumps his hip with her own, can't help the pressed-lip smirk.

He looks over at her, but he doesn't dim his expression whatsoever. "I suppose I'm just living up to my reputation."

She gasps on a laugh, knowing he doesn't mean it like it sounds, but not sure exactly how he does mean it. "Oh really?"

His face arrests; he gives her a quick look. "Ah. I mean. You know. What you call me."

"I call you Castle."

"And babe." His eyebrows dance.

"Hardly."

He gives her that cocky smile. "Yeah, but you do call me stud."

She laughs at that, gives in with a nod of her head. "I do. And I guess, well, for that very reason."

"Oh yeah?"

"It's not exactly meant as a compliment. You're the one who looks so proud about it."

"Not a compliment?" His hand brings hers back up to her stomach again. She can tell that as soon as they get alone, he's gonna be all over her.

She could do that.

"Hm, well. Because - was I very happy about getting knocked up the first time around?"

He sighs, but it's a good sigh, a happy sigh. And that seems entirely out of proportion to-

"The first time around," he murmurs, the happiness bleeding through his voice.

She meets his eyes and grins at him. "Yeah. The first time. Different this time."

Suddenly he's caught her up in a bear hug, lifting her off the ground, growling in her ear. "Tell me again."

"Which part?"

"Any of it. All of it. I love the look on your face-"

"It's different this time," she says fiercely, overwhelmed with it, suddenly so glad he's holding on to her. "Girl or boy, doesn't matter. It's ours and I love-"

His mouth on hers keeps the words unspoken, but he takes them all, and her breath, and still hasn't put her back on the ground. She hears the wind in the trees, feels the sunlight on her skin, and she laughs into Castle's kiss.

He breaks from her, lets her slide down, takes her hand again, pulling her down the path.

His fingers move to brush around her belly button, and the answering flutter makes her heart pound.

Castle lowers himself down to the wooden bench and she follows, sitting close, hands joined. She's convinced him to put the picture book back in the bag to keep it from getting lost, but now he won't let go of the bag.

She raises her knee, foot balanced on the edge of the seat, and she feels Castle's arm settle on the back of the bench. The breeze has kicked up again, cooling them off after their walk through Central Park, and her hair snakes across her face, into her mouth.

Kate brushes it back and turns to look at Castle, finds him watching her. "Hey."

"Hey," he murmurs, fingers drawing patterns on her shoulder. "I'm thinking."

Her lips press out a smile. "Careful."

A cut of his eyes, an appreciative smirk for her joke. "Yeah. Names."

She lifts an eyebrow.

He nods. "Uh-huh."

"Like?" she prods, leaning away from him to get a look at his face.

"Like I'm not telling you."

"Meanie."

"Turn about fair play," he says lightly, no sting to it, no malignancy, just shared history. Because she chose Dashiell's name entirely without him, thinking it was hers and hers alone, and now it's his turn.

"True," she says. "Your turn; do what you like."

He half smiles, eyes lighting with child-like surprise. "Really?"

She nudges his shoulder. "Course, Castle. What did I say?"

"I thought maybe, you know, you'd want executive privilege."

"I already said no Star Wars. No stripper names. But otherwise. . ."

"Otherwise, it's anything I want?" he gasps.

Oh man, this could be bad - but no, no, she promised. "My gift to you, Daddy."

His lips lift into a smile, the sounds of leaves turning, tossing in the breeze filling the space around them. "So. The Bond Girls have some great names. You think-?"

"Oh my word, Castle. If you have to ask, then assume it's a no."

He grins wider. "Are you sure? Because I really love Honey Ryder and-"

"No," she says, narrowing her eyes at him. "Bond girl or not, Honey Ryder is a stripper name."

He lets out a little laugh and reaches out, slides his hand over hers where she apparently has laid it over her stomach, as if protecting the girl from such a name.

"Not even Ryder?"

She glares. "Yeah, right. Do you want all the boys saying, 'Ryder, I barely even know her'? No way, Castle."

His face blanks, eyes withdrawing. "Ouch. Oh man. Suddenly I'm realizing this is a massive responsibility."

"Who named Alexis?" she says suddenly, realizing she's never asked.

"I did. Meredith had a scheduled c-section, so she's was still out. I kinda just - I think maybe I was so stunned and completely in love with her that I just - I named her without even asking."

In love with - oh. That's adorable. In love with little baby Alexis.

"You named her after yourself," she prods. "Alexander. Alexis."

He smirks a little. "Maybe so. More like I just wanted to give her some history, my history. I'd already changed my name so, you know. I couldn't see ever having the chance to have another kid-"

Kate startles, looking over at him, concerned by the way he just nonchalantly let that out. "You never - why?"

He half-shrugs. "Not with Meredith. Already there were - problems." He gives her a flicker of a grin. "Like Dash, Alexis wasn't exactly our plan."

She hums, leans in to brush a kiss to that self-deprecating mouth. "Best things aren't planned. I should know."

He gives a soft laugh. "Yeah. I thought no more kids cause I was utter crap at marriage. Well, at marriage to Meredith. You know all this."

"I do." She can't resist rubbing her thumb at his chin, the line of his jaw.

"So here's my only progeny, my only chance, right? So Alexis it was."

She feels him stroking her stomach again, shakes her head, closing her hand over his. "Cute as that story is, you're gonna hit my limit real soon."

He grins. "Too bad. Learn to live with it."

"Guess I'll have to," she mock huffs. "So long as you pick a decent name, we'll be good."

"Don't worry. I name characters all the time. I'm good at it."

"No stripper names," she warns him again, pointing her finger at him.

He snags the digit, brings her hand to his lips for a kiss. "Not for my daughter. What do you take me for?"

She smirks. "You wanted to name her Honey Ryder."

"Well, you know. There's always Xenia Onnatop-"

She claps her hand over his mouth, giving him an arch of her eyebrow. "You're going to torture me for nine months with this, aren't you?"

He ducks away. "Torture? No, no. More like mildly annoy."

She rolls her eyes.

"Don't worry. By the time I'm done mildly annoying you, Baby Kate will have the perfect name."

She presses her lips together, trails her fingers down his neck to his collarbone, watching her own hand. "Baby Kate, huh?"

"She'll be just like you."

"Hope not," she murmurs with a lift of her lips. "Hope she's just like you and Dash."

"Nope. You. You, Kate. Your beautiful eyes, your humor, the quiet way you have - so strong, so compassionate. The fierce way you love."

She bites her bottom lip, but images of a dark-haired little girl, soulful and intense, but with a brother like Dash, and a father like Rick-

He grins slowly. "Yeah, you can see her, can't you? I can too, Kate. She's amazing."

She nods and wraps her arms around his neck, pressing her face into him. "She's amazing."

"You are not talking to my stomach. That's ridiculous." She shoves on his forehead with two fingers, wriggling back in their bed.

He pins her down, broad hands on her hips, presses his mouth to the plane of her stomach.

She shivers, pushes on him again. "You know what that does to me. You gotta stop. I want to go get Dash early from preschool."

Another kiss trailing fire down her stomach and she arches up, curling around him with a gasp.

"Ser-seriously, Castle. I can't. Not again."

He hums against her skin but smooths his hands down her sides, lifts up onto his elbows to give her a look. "You've never stopped me before," he says, tilting his head to study her.

"I've never-" She pushes a hand through her hair with an exasperated sigh. She doesn't want to tell him. He'll use the knowledge against her - she just knows it.

"Never what?"

"Everything is - it's all - more."

"More?"

She slides her knee up and dislodges him; he sits up in bed across from her, looking intensely curious. He's not going let this go.

"More," she sighs. "Like my - I guess it's the hormones? I don't know. Everything is - right at the surface."

"What's everything?"

She rolls her eyes and just spits it out. "Lust. Like solar flares, or hot flashes. Something. It's entirely uncontrollable."

"Are you telling me that you're hot for me all the time?" He's grinning like a cat, all sly and sure of himself.

She can't even deny it. "Basically. Remember Monday in the shower-?"

"Twice. Twice in the shower," he corrects then gapes at her. "Wait. Whoa. Hold on. Because you're pregnant? Were you like this with Dash?"

She shakes her head. "I think I wanted to be about as far from you as I could get."

He grins, all predator and lethal, leans in to snag her mouth in a rough kiss. His hand winds through her hair, holds her there, giving her the kind of kiss that makes her crazy.

When he breaks away and she finally opens her eyes, he's watching her. He breathes out suddenly, giving a little sharp laugh. "Yeah. I see. This could be good."

She shifts away from him. "So. Even though - well, it's more intense. And I need a moment to recover."

He grins wider.

"Intense huh? I really am a stud."

She reaches out and tweaks his ear, but it only makes his grin insufferable.

"All right, I'll leave you alone. For now. But I get to talk to Baby K. You can't stop me. Can she, baby? She's stuck with-"

Kate shoves his head away again, sliding out of bed, grabbing her clothes off the floor and escaping to the bathroom.

Castle follows her, leans in the doorway.

"Put some clothes on, Castle," she mutters, heading back to push him out and shut the door. "I have to use the bathroom."

When she comes back out, dressed, face washed, make-up reapplied, he's done her a favor and put his clothes back on, is finger-combing his hair. "Better, Kate? Do I need to wear a sack from now on, or maybe colors that wash me out?"

She tries rolling her eyes but the truth is so close to the surface that she can only lean in and pat his cheek, appreciative of his effort. "Better. Now let's go pick up Dash. Celebrate with our son."

"When do we tell him he's getting a little sister? Or brother? Cause you know it could be a boy. I mean, fifty-fifty."

"It's not. It's a girl," she says, stepping past him to the hallway, hearing him follow. "I can feel it. Gut instinct. Or the universe giving me a sign-"

Suddenly his hands are on her waist, his body close and hot at her back, and she stumbles to a stop, surprised at his crowding.

"Castle?" She lifts her hand to his head, her palm to his cheek, concerned.

His mouth presses into her shoulder, arms coming around her waist to cradle her. "Kate," he murmurs, and she feels his face at her neck, lashes wet. Is he crying?

"Rick," she says, trying to turn into him, but he keeps her there, another gentle kiss at her jaw, thumbs smoothing over her stomach. Not seductive, just . . . worshipful.

"Sorry, but I'm gonna be talking to your stomach and buying all the books again and getting huge stuffed animals from cool Japanese cartoons that I'll make her and Dash both watch. And, yeah, I'm going to really drive you crazy, just a warning, but it's because I'm excited, and I'm sorry, but I love her already-"

Kate twists in his grasp and wraps her arms around him, tightly, presses her body to his, sucking in a deep breath. "You're going to be too much, I know. I know. But don't worry. This life we have - it's already too much. My heart is full. Don't ever apologize for that."

His mouth descends on hers, brief, tender. "Then I take it back. Let's make your heart overflow."

She cradles his face with her hands, searches his eyes until she's sure he's paying attention.

"Yours too, Castle. Your heart too."