"Okay, okay, I'm here. What is it—you can tell me. I swear I can take it. Maybe. Is she hurt? Did they find her? They got her didn't they—oh god. Don't tell me—wait no tell me just make it quick."

Richard Caste ended his breathless speech with a grimace, as though he was waiting for either Detective Ryan or Esposito to actually strike him in the face. Instead, the two men merely gazed at him with a mixture of amusement and irritation.

"Are you done? Can we talk now?" Esposito asked.

"Yes. Sorry—please tell me." Castle sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. His heart rate had been erratic ever since receiving Kevin's text message forty minutes earlier. Mid-town traffic had never been more frustrating, but he'd made it and was prepared to accept whatever news was coming with a reasonable amount of dignity.

The detectives exchanged looks before smiling at him. "Senator William Bracken was arrested yesterday evening."

Castle nearly burst into tears. Oh god, oh god—six months. Six long months of research, dead ends, sleepless nights and one shouting match with Montgomery had all been worth it for that moment. William Bracken, the man who had become the bane of all of their existences, was finally behind bars, which meant Kate Beckett was finally out of danger. She could finally come home—or, rather, be resurrected. Still, after trudging through a tunnel that seemed to be endless, it was hard to believe the resolution came so quickly, so easily.

Gasping for breath he said, "You got him? You really got him?"

Ryan bobbed his head "We did, but before you get too excited there's a catch."

Castle's heart seized in his chest. "Beckett-"

"No, no. We told the feds and they're processing her WITSEC exit papers as we speak." Esposito informed him and Castle relaxed for half a second. "The catch is actually with-"

"Castle!"

The writer turned towards the sharp-tongue of Captain Montgomery approaching from the hall with a stern expression. Of course in his glee Castle failed to take note of that. Instead, he took two steps forward and gushed. "Oh sir! I'm so glad to hear about-"

"I thought I made it very clear to you that tracking down Beckett would put her life in danger."

Castle took half a step back, shocked by the elder man's implied accusation. "Of course sir and I would never put Beckett's life in danger."

Montgomery folded his arms over his chest. "Then how come you didn't listen?"

"I did listen." Well, no he didn't, but no one knew that—officially. When he'd presented Ryan and Esposito with his newly acquired intel upon returning from his New Mexican vacation, the boys had dubbed his "mysterious source" as bullshit from the get-go. His arguments eventually faded and Castle admitted to finding a way to contact Kate secretly, but had never revealed to anyone that he'd seen her in person so she would remain safe.

Montgomery's eyebrow arched. "Oh really?"

At that precise moment, a woman's throat clearing could be heard followed by a chorus of, "Oh shit," from the two male detectives. Castle turned to his left and his jaw dropped, but not because the blonde woman had returned to her former place of employment after nearly a year, but because beneath her long-sleeved shirt a very rounded, swollen belly could be seen. She smiled at him and Castle let out a croaking noise.

They stared at each other for the better part of thirty seconds before Kate asked, amused, "Castle? Are you breathing?"

"NO!" He responded, rushing forward and pulling her into his rms. "Oh my god, oh my god." He couldn't even hug her as tightly as he wanted to because of her belly—her belly! That meant she was—oh god.

"I'm sorry there was no way I could tell you." She whispered into his ear.

Castle pulled out of their embrace, gasping and half choking on his emotions. Tears welling in his eyes he gazed down at her bump and then back to her face then back down at her bump and back at her face twice more. "Oh my god you're pregnant. Pregnant? I mean are you—are you pregnant? What oh my god—oh my god!"

Kate laughed. "Calm down, Castle; you've had a baby before."

"But not with you!" He responded quickly. Then, pulled her into his arms once more. "I love you; I love you so much."

"I love you, too." After letting Castle hug her until she could tolerate his crushing embrace no longer, Kate stepped away to greet the two detectives as they shared laughs and congratulations on her upcoming bundle of joy.

"I, ah, really don't need to dampen this mood but there's something you guys should know," Ryan said once all their hugging was through.

"Perhaps we should all step into my office." Montgomery suggested.

The four of them followed the captain and Castle shut the door behind them before standing beside Kate and placing his hand against the small of her back. She nudged her shoulder against him and his heart swelled once more. She was having his baby—his baby! Castle's glee was unfortunately short lived, because his heart dropped towards his feet when he saw the grave expression on the captain's face.

"First, I need to apologize to all of you, but especially to you, Beckett. I've been foolish and selfish by withholding information I knew could end all of this. I was afraid for my family, but mostly for myself. Bracken is a powerful man and I knew my limited information wasn't enough to bring down him and his army, and that's why I stayed silent.

"I realize now that had I shared what I knew, maybe things wouldn't have happened the way they did. Beckett might not have needed witness protection. Certain events may have been avoided…" The elder man dropped his chin and shook his head. His action indicated disapproval, but his words proved it was only for himself.

"Sir," Kate began tentatively, "what are you trying to tell us?"

Montgomery looked at her directly. "That ten days ago Castle and I had quite an argument—I'm sure he'll fill you in on it later—and I realized that with my information and what he and Detectives Ryan and Esposito had uncovered we could nail Bracken for good. I took a few days, got my affairs in order, made sure my family would be safe, and then I called the DA. I'll be making an announcement later, but you all deserve to be the first to know that my resignation will be effective as of the end of the day."

"Sir!"

"Captain-"

"Please can't-"

The elder man held up his hand to silence all rebottles. "This is the way it's gotta be, folks. I've made some mistakes, and now I have to answer for them." Turning to woman in the room he said, "Kate I am so sorry. I don't think there's anything I could have done to save your mother and I know this might not mean much now, after everything you've been through, but I am truly sorry; I never wanted anyone to get hurt, not like this."

Kate bobbed her head and a tear rolled down her cheek. "I understand, sir, and I forgive you."

Castle squeezed her hand as Montgomery said, "I'm not sure that I deserve that, but thank you."

"So…I feel like we have a lot to talk about." Castle stated wisely as they entered the loft later that afternoon. They'd hung around the precinct for over an hour as Kate made the rounds, answering questions about her resurrection, hair color, and belly—generally in that order. After Montgomery's announcement, Kate had asked her partner if they could go, for watching her mentor pack his office would be too difficult, particularly in her heightened emotional state.

"Uh, yeah." She laughed and ran her fingers down her belly. "A few things."

His gazed dipped towards her stomach and the grin on his face expanded. And he thought the blonde hair had been a lot to process! "So I was trying to figure this out on the way here and I'm guessing you're due in eight weeks?"

She bobbed her head. "The last week of June, yeah."

"And it's…" He led, rising up on his toes in anticipation of her answer.

"A baby." His entire body deflated and she laughed. "Oh, was that you asking for the gender? What if I don't know?"

He arched one eyebrow at her. "Do you know?"

Casually, she walked towards the couch and sat down. "What if I want to torture you with it a little longer?"

The writer wined. "C'mon Beckett…I've been waiting three hours—isn't that long enough?"

She laughed before her mouth formed an O-shape and her hands moved to her belly. "Ah! C'mere quick!" She pulled up her shirt and pushed down the elastic waistband of her maternity jeans to reveal a ripple going across her belly. Castle placed his hand upon it as though he'd found a sacred idol in a hidden temple. His child! He could feel his child!

"Does he-she do this a lot?"

She shrugged and nodded. "Enough. Typically when I'm trying to fall asleep. I don't mind, though. As freaked out as I was at the beginning it's been nice having a piece of you with me all this time."

He leaned in and kissed her. She covered his hand with his and they felt their child's movements together. When the bumps against her belly finally ceased she leaned over and told him quietly, "It's a boy."

A son. He was going to have a son. He was going to have a son with Kate.

That moment was Castle's emotional breaking point. Everything that happened that day—Montgomery's announcement, Kate's return, and the end of the most stressful period of his life—hit him all at once and he could not have stopped the tears from falling if he wanted to. He managed to choke out, "I'm really, really happy Beckett; I swear," before she pulled him close, hushing him and shedding a few tears herself.

After a few minutes, her comforting touches on his neck and face turned to kisses which led to them comfort each other beneath the sheets of Castle's bed. With his hand splayed over her belly, Castle spooned his body against hers and asked, "So you want to get married? After you're legally alive again, I mean."

She arched a skeptical eyebrow at him. "When? Before the baby comes?"

He shrugged. "Sure. Now, later—doesn't matter to me. I'd marry you any day, anytime, anywhere, Katherine Beckett."

She shook her head and looked over at him wearing a smile. "We're doing this all wrong, you know? You're supposed to date, get married, and then have a baby."

"Says who?" he responded. "Besides, you've always been a bit of a rule-breaker. Isn't that right, Rebel-Bex?"

She laughed, but said nothing, so he countered with, "You're at least going to move in here, right? I mean it only makes sense with the baby and all."

She hummed, her voice sounding sleepy. "We can talk about it tomorrow—after we've talked at my dad and your mom and Alexis, after my hair is no longer blonde, after I reacclimatize myself to east coast time…"

"Fair enough." He dropped a kiss onto her shoulder before snuggling back up to her once more. "I'm just glad you're back."

"I'm glad I'm back, too…glad you didn't have to miss any more of my pregnancy—especially now that I've reached the stage of swollen ankles and frequent grumpiness."

Castle laughed, so deliriously happy to have her back in his life, in his arms, at the brink of starting a family together even that sounded perfect. "I'll be here every day for every moment, Kate."

She opened her eyes and smiled at him. "Partners, right?"

He responded the only way he could. "Always."

A/N: Thank you all so much for reading/reviewing. I was totally blown away by the positive response to this story - it was always meant to be something short/quick/fun but you guys made it great!