A/N: I'm am so sorry this took so long. Thank you all for sticking with me. This has been quite a journey, now that I've got my new project going, and still writing FanFiction. Don't worry, I'm not leaving you. I'm still here. With my new project, it feels like there's a lot going on, but in reality there isn't. But, anyway, I just wanted to show my appreciation. With that being said, on to the next chapter. Enjoy.

Two days have gone by. The boys haven't found anything new on Maddox. They haven't been able to find any other connection between Senator Bracken and Cole Maddox. No new evidence has surfaced either. Castle is still under observation at the hospital. Alexis is out of school for the summer and is hanging out with her friends. She needed something to distract her from everything that has happened. Martha is back at her acting studio, teaching a class for young actors. Kate helps out with the case when she can, but she has been spending most of her time with Castle at the hospital.

It's around noon, when Kate makes her way back to the hospital. A couple of hours before, Castle had fallen asleep and she wanted to give him some time to rest. She ended up going for a walk and found herself at a bookstore down the street from the hospital. Kate spent quite a bit of time at the bookstore. She was just browsing, making the time go by faster, before going back to the hospital. Kate found some books that caught her attention. Books, that were not written by her husband. She thought of Castle and thought he would need something to entertain him while he was recovering, so she started looking at books for Castle to read. Kate ended up purchasing quite a few books. She bought 4 books for herself and 4 books for Castle. Once she paid for the books, she made her way back to the hospital.

Kate walks into Castle's hospital room and takes a seat in a chair that's next to the window. Castle is still asleep when she returns from her little adventure. Kate doesn't want to wake him up, so she takes out one of the books she purchased and starts reading it. Castle wakes up without making a noise, so Kate has no idea he has woken up from his nap. He looks over toward the window where Kate is sitting enjoying the book. Or at least, from his view, it looks like she is enjoying her book. He looks at the cover to see what book she's reading and his eyes nearly pop right out of his head.

"Uh, Kate? Honey? Is there something you want to tell me?"

Kate lowers the book and looks at Castle. "No. Why?"

Castle clears his throat. "It's just because of the book you're reading."

She flips the book over to look at the cover, while using her thumb as a bookmark. "So? What about it?"

"Honey. Shouldn't we be talking about this?" He tries to scoot himself up the bed to prop himself up better, without pulling on his stitches. "Kate, you're reading What to Expect When You're Expecting. That's usually an indicator you've got something cooking."

Kate closes the book, without saving her place, and sets it down on the table next to the chair. She gets up from the chair to stand closer to her husband. She lets out a little chuckle. "We're not expecting, babe. At least, not yet."

The wheels in Castle's head start spinning and excitement starts to build. "Wait, does that mean you think you could be pregnant?"

Kate places a hand on his cheek. "No, Castle. I don't think I'm pregnant. I'm not saying it's not possible, because it is possible. But, I don't think we've conceived a child."

Castle gives her a confused look and his excitement begins to fade. "Then why would you buy that book?"

She sits down on the edge of the bed, near Castle's hip, and takes hold of his hand. "Castle, I love you. I have never loved anybody the way I love you. I just thought it would be nice to prepare myself, in a way, of what I have to look forward to. After what our family has been through, let alone you and I, I don't want to wait any longer than I have to. I'm ready to start a family with you. I'm ready to add to our family." Kate takes a breath. "I know we've been married for a short amount of time, two months to be exact. But, by the time you're well enough, we would have been married for a decent amount of time for us to start trying for a baby."

Castle looks into Kate's eyes and just stares into them, trying to get a read on her. He sees nothing but love and sincerity. "You're really serious about this, aren't you?

"Yeah. I am serious. I want to have a baby with my husband." Kate stops him before he can say anything. "But… you have to be cleared by the doctor before we can even think about doing any physical activity. Including, but not limited to, making a baby. Do I make myself perfectly clear Mr. Castle?"

Castle gives her a smile. "Yes, Mrs. Castle. I hear you loud and clear."

"Good."

Castle squeezes Kate's hand that he's still holding and tugs her toward him. He gives her a soft kiss. "Kate, you do know that there is a book out called What to Expect Before You're Expecting, right?"

"What? There is? I didn't know that." Kate shrugs her shoulders. "Oh, well. I don't think I really need it, but I'll go back and get a copy if I feel like I have to."

Just then a nurse comes in with a tray of food for Castle to have for lunch. "Good afternoon Mr. Castle. Are you ready for some lunch?"

Castle looks at Kate and gives her a disgusted look. He hates hospital food. Then he looks at the nurse. "Do I really have much of a choice?" The nurse just looks at Castle and says nothing. "Alright, then. Bring on the food."

"Very good Mr. Castle. I'm sure your lovely wife here will make sure you eat your food. I'll be back later to collect your tray." The nurse sets the tray down and walks away.

Kate looks at what Castle has on his tray. "Oh, look babe. It looks like you've got some mashed potatoes. They actually look good."

Castle is acting like a child. "But, I don't like hospital food. I don't want to eat it."

"Richard Castle, I would like my husband to come home. For that to happen, I need you to eat your food to build up your strength."

"But, I don't want to. It tastes yucky."

"Richard Alexander Rodgers Castle, stop acting like a child! You are a grown man who happens to have a teenaged daughter. Now, start acting like an adult. I don't need you acting like this whenever we have our own child. Taking care of one child will be enough. As much as I love you, I don't need to be raising you and our child at the same time."

Castle is taken aback. He has never heard Kate talk like that before. He doesn't have any words to say. He just picks up his fork and starts eating his food. He doesn't have to like the food, he just needed to eat it. He's not eating his food just to please his wife, but because, deep down, he knows he wants more than anything to be back at home with his wife too.

To Be Continued

Note: I had written a little more for this, but I kept changing my mind. I was afraid I was going to get a little too carried away, so I had deleted the extra stuff. I'll figure out a way to add it to the next chapter, if I decide to keep it. I might change my mind, depending on how the story is progressing.