A/N: I'm back! Starting my updates with this one, because it's the easiest and the last chapter and then I will work my way to the others.
Also, it's Jamaica's Emancipation Day! *cue Bob Marley's 'Redemption Song'*
It was sunset, she was looking out across the ocean at the sun disappearing just beyond the horizon, leaving the sky in a mixture of orange and purple, it was simply breath taking.
The breeze was light, gathering up her loose hair and whipping it around behind her, her light evening dress flapping around her as she leaned against the railing, hand on her jaw, breathing in the smell of the ocean, feeling completely relaxed.
She heard him before she felt his arms wrap around her waist and she instantly leaned against him, a smile blooming over her lips, a warm feeling settling in her belly. Her hands rested over his hands which rested on her stomach, his thumb stroking gently over the skin covered by thin fabric.
He rested his head on her shoulder, his lips right by her ear, she could feel his warm breath on her neck and couldn't help the slight shiver that shook her body.
He tightened his arms around her and hummed, pressing a warm kiss to the column of her throat, her eyes fluttered closed at the feeling and she couldn't help but feel like she was the luckiest girl in the world, because she was. To have him after all these years of ups and downs and miscommunication, knowing he never stopped loving her, knowing she loved him too and finally admitting to it, marrying him and doing everything she ever wanted to do with him, she most definitely was the luckiest girl in the world.
She turned in his arms and rested her head against his chest, pressing her own kiss there, her arms wrapping around his back, holding onto him tightly, as if after a year, she was still afraid he would disappear.
She closed her eyes and breathed him in, content to just stay wrapped in his arms forever, but then he was slipping away, his arms fell from around her and his body was replaced with something warm, but too soft and she suddenly felt too confined and uncomfortable, she vaguely recognized some rumbling sound in the distance and she opened her eyes.
She squinted around the dark room, lifting her head to figure out where she was, oh right, the bedroom. She had been dreaming, of course.
She rolled over to her side, facing him, she smiled when she found him sprawled out on his belly, a luxury she didn't have anymore, his hair flopped in his face, mouth parted, snoring softly, it was adorable. She reached out and lightly brushed the hair from his face, receiving a grunt in response, she laughed, knowing he was completely dead to the world.
Her thumb brushed over his face, stopping at his lips briefly and then moving up to cup his cheek. She rolled over some more, wanting to get closer to him, to feel his warmth, instead of the uncomfortable heat she was receiving by being covered by their silky sheets.
She was just about to wrap herself around him when her stomach rumbled loudly, her eyes went up to his and found then open wide, staring at her.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." She murmured, continuing in her quest to be wrapped up in him.
Automatically, he raised his arm for her and she burrowed under, snuggling into his chest as far as she could, as his arm came down and wrapped around her.
They fell quiet for a moment, she could feel the steady rise and fall of his chest and was about to drift back into sleep, when her stomach rumbled again, louder this time, startling both of them, from the edged of sleep.
"Sorry," She whispered again.
He leaned back, "Someone's hungry." He commented.
"You fed me before bed," She answered.
He rolled away from her to check the time, "That was four hours ago."
She didn't move, didn't want to leave the warm cocoon he created for her, but he was pushing back gently.
"Come on, I'll fix you something." He said, getting out of bed and coming over to her side, his hand outstretched.
She eyed his hand and looked down at her growing belly, then back up at him, "I guess I would be a bad mother if I didn't give in to the needs of our unborn children." She gave in and took his hand, easing out of bed slowly.
She hadn't been able to get out of bed on her own since the 6th month, usually, her fierce independence would have her stubbornly telling him she could do it on her own and probably spend an embarrassing amount of time trying to get out of bed, but they were married now, he loved her and she knew he wasn't trying to take her independence away from her, he just wanted to make things easier for her and she appreciated it.
He helped her out to the kitchen, sitting her on a stool and then got to work, setting a pot of water on the stove to boil and then began grating the cheese and cutting up the seasonings.
She watched him as he expertly worked, his pants sagging on his waist, his sleep shirt hugging his chest in the way that left little to her imagination.
She felt her stomach growl again and she placed a hand on her belly, rubbing it unconsciously, "Hey guys, daddy's fixing you something okay, just hold on." She said quietly as he poured macaroni into the boiling water and covered it.
He leaned against the counter, resting his chin in his hand, just watching her talking to their unborn children.
He thought back to when she found out. She had gotten up late one night in a panic, she had tried not to wake him by locking herself in the bathroom, but when it came to her, any worry she had would wake him, his need to be with and protect her over powered anything else and so he was up and headed to the bathroom to find her with her hands in her hair, pacing the bathroom floor, a wide, panicked look in her eyes.
He didn't need to ask to know what her panicking was about – she was late – He knew her schedule by now and the realization hit him when she was the look in her eyes. They didn't trust the over the counter tests, so she called up her doctor who was thankfully on the night shift and they headed out, not even bothering to put on decent clothes, he threw a jacket over her and helped her pull on her shoes and ushered her out the door.
She was anxious for the entire ride to the doctor's, but as soon as the news was confirmed, she was in fact pregnant, he felt some of her anxiety melting away, making way for excitement and if the huge smile on her face was any indication, he knew she was excited about this and so was he. He had always wanted kids with her and was willing whenever she was, but he had to know her reaction before he could get all giddy and excited about it and thankfully, he wasn't the only excited one.
She had cried, as soon as the doctor left the room to give them a moment, she collapsed into his arms and cried, if it wasn't for the laughter that shook her body as well, he would have been worried.
They found out she was five weeks pregnant and to make them even more ecstatic, she was five weeks pregnant with twins.
When they had their first ultra sound and heard their heartbeat for the first time, she didn't even wait until the nurse left the room to start crying, neither did Castle.
It had been a long, difficult journey for the both of them, her mood swings, testing their relationship, but their love for each other was stronger than anything else and even though he had to spend a few nights sleeping on his office couch after some stupid fight, or had to receive the cold shoulder or the silent treatment, it was all worth it, because he loved her and she was having his children.
She was due sometime in September, but in carrying twins, she had to be prepared for an early labour and of course complications. They didn't talk about the latter much, not wanting to think about the worst, just hoping for the best and so far there hadn't been any physical complications.
Just looking at her now, he felt tears spring into his eyes, thinking about how far they've come, thinking about how they could almost have never had this, whether it was due to her job, miscommunications, boyfriends or girlfriends that were just not right for them in that moment or various other reasons. He was so thankful now, that he had her, that she had him and they were just about to start another chapter of their lives together and this was just the beginning.
He met her eyes and found her quirking an eyebrow at him, "What?"
She smiled, "Where'd you go?"
He shook his head, coming around the counter, twisting her around in her chair to face him, "Just thinking."
She leaned into him, "About?"
"You." He answered softly, "Us, all that it took to get here. How much I love you and I'm so happy that you decided to give me the chance."
She placed her hand on his chest and looked up at him, her eyes glistening with emotion, "Thank you for waiting."
"I had no choice, my heart already belonged to you from the start." He told her.
She laughed, "I thought being the sappy an emotional one was supposed to be my thing."
He shrugged, "You know I've never stuck to mainstream tradition."
"Yea well, Mr. Mainstream Rebel, your pot is boiling over." She pointed out.
He moved away from her and returned to his food, pouring the water off of the macaroni, adding the seasoning, milk and cheese, mixing it up dramatically, before serving it into two bowls and presenting it to her with a fancy flourish.
She was about to dig in when she paused, fork midway.
"What is it?" He asked, already digging into his bowl of cheesy macaroni.
Wordlessly she got up and waddled over to the fridge, rummaging around until she found what she was looking for. Smiling, she returned to her seat with a bottle of chocolate syrup and a bag of potato chips.
He watched as she crushed the potato chips into the bowl and then squirted the syrup over the top, taking her fork and mixing it around.
Her tongue poked out from between her teeth as she mixed, ignoring his shocked looked, he shouldn't even be shocked at this point, her cravings had never been normal, she had even gave into the s'morelette, but of course adding other things, things he wouldn't dare eat.
She proceeded to shove a forkful of her creation into her mouth, slumping her shoulders and moaning as she chewed, her eyes closed and her mouth formed into a smile.
"You should try it." She told him, scooping up a fork and offering it to him.
He shrugged away, "No, that's okay."
"Come on, please?" She pleaded, holding the fork closer to him.
He eyed the fork and glanced up to her pleading her face that he could never resist, then he opened his mouth reluctantly. She grinned and shoved the fork into his mouth.
He took the concoction into his mouth and chewed slowly, fighting the urge to throw up. He had made a lot of weird things, but this combination just did not sit well with his palate. He rushed to the bin and coughed it up, eyeing her warily as she laughed at him.
"I don't know how you eat that." He groaned, heading to the fridge for something to get the God awful taste out of his mouth.
She just shrugged and went back to her food, stealing some of his before he returned, to find his bowl half empty.
He glared at her, "First you try to make me throw up and now you steal my food? I didn't wake up for this."
She reached over at patted his cheek as he finished his food, "Oh don't be a baby."
He pouted at her, until she eased off of her stool and came over to him, leaning down to press a kiss to his lips. She was about to pull away, when he wrapped his arms around her, not letting her go, he pressed his lips to hers desperately, a low sound coming from his throat as he leaned into her.
He let his hand trail up her back and tangle gently in her hair, moving closer to her, her belly keeping him from pressing himself completely against her.
She slowed down after a while, slowly breaking apart to catch her breath. She smiled and rested her head against his chest, while they both caught their breath.
"That – "He spoke up, his voice low and affecting, "That, I wake up for."
She laughed and stood, "Come on," She said, taking his hand.
She left the bowls on the counter and gave him a saucy look, that had him stumbling over his feet, following her immediately
"This, I definitely wake up for." He growled, following behind.
She laughed as he crowded her from behind, kissing her neck as they stumbled back to their bedroom. He kicked the door shut behind him and spent the rest of the night, very much awake, wrapped up in each other, floating in complete bliss.
End A/N: This took an embarrassing amount of time to write, because I have the attention span of a peanut. Well, this is the end of this little fic, thank you to those who read, reviewed, favourited and followed, I appreciate you!