Time of our lives

She woke up before Rick. Feeling the weight of his arms around her body, she moved them away, not before placing a kiss softly on his cheek. Today was Saturday so it was sort of a lazy day in the Castle family home.

Lily would be awake already. She had always been her early riser. Even when she was a baby, now more so as she was leaving childhood behind. A bit ironic really. She like Alexis had broken all the rules of being a normal kid even though Lily hadn't had to deal with all her sister had.

"Good morning mom." Lily said as soon as she spotted Beckett. "Dad left some coffee for you" God bless her heart. God bless her husband.

"How long have you been up sweetie?" Kate asked as she joined Lily in the kitchen. She was always in the kitchen. Her cooking skills improving everyday as she wanted to be a cook. Far away from her parent's career choice but an artist like Castle.

"Not too long. I just had this idea and had to try it out before I forgot…"

Yeah so much like her father. She would often find Castle typing furiously at weird hours at night. By now she had found the writing somehow soothing, sometimes so much that she'd just watch him so deep in thought and she loved it.

"Of course you did." Kate smiled. "Anyone else awake yet?"

"I don't think so." Lily said. "Hey mom…"

"Yeah sweetie?" Lily turned all serious. Like she was about to confess something. Like the time she and the boys had broken Lucy and Beckett had been their accomplice so Rick wouldn't find out. "What's going on? Talk to me."

"So… you remember Stephan?" Oh yes she did. The boy they had met at The Hamptons last spring break. The one who lived in Paris and spoke perfect French. Kate nodded. "He's coming to New York for a while and well…"

"You're going to go see him." It wasn't a question. It was her first crush and it was beyond adorable.

"He said he wanted to go over to his house, cause he's throwing a party." Lily bit her lip. "But I…."

"Lily." Beckett reached for her hand. "Of course you can go."

"Really?" Oh god, she almost sounded like a teenager. Not yet please. "Will you ask Dad?" Lily spoke softly. Kate mouthed something at her child and she smiled.

Mama was all over it.

"Ask me what?" Came Rick's voice from behind Kate. "Good morning ladies. What are you two doing? Plotting?"

"Of course not babe." Kate smiled as she kissed him softly. "Lily was just telling me about a party she was invited to."

"Oh." Rick held up a cup of coffee to his lips. "Really?"

"And who else is going to this party?" He inquired.

"Stephan said you could all go."

Oh. No. Rick almost chocked on the coffee.

"Stephan?"

"Yeah babe, remember Lily's friend from The Hamptons?"

"Oh yes, I am very well aware of who Stephan is."

"Can we go daddy? Please?" Oh no. The Lily Castle look. The one which made her father drop the act.

"If your mother agrees." Rick turned to Kate. "We can go."

"We can go. Make it a family thing." Kate smiled. Lily's eyes lighted up.

And just like that she was gone off from the kitchen and to her room as she had gone to call her friend. Her friend who was a boy.

"You okay there babe?" Kate asked him.

"No. we're not going back to the beach house. Ever."

"Rick…"

"Don't ´Rick me´ I don't need it. I need my daughter to stay little and not start to be interested n boys."

"Castle." She barely called him Castle now. It was mostly we just drop the subject? She's just so excited."

"Well, I'm not."

"Dad. Can we make pancakes?" Lily came back with a big smile. Even bigger now at the prospect of the party, although getting to cook with her dad could easily be Lily's favorite thing.

Yeah, she was still daddy's little girl.

Castle kissed his daughter's forehead. "You up for making breakfast with your old man kiddo?"

"When am I not ready?" Lily mused. Kate watched as both her artistic easy goers with fascination. Lilly had just turned 11 and she was looking like her more every day. So much that when they cooked, Lily and Rick seemed in sync like he and Beckett did while solving murders.

She still remembered the first time she had seen them like this.

She was pregnant and he was in charge of Lily duty. She could barely stand up so she had manage to make it to the kitchen to watch them. Lily was daddy's special helper for sure.

And over pancakes, a star had been born.

"Smells like food!" Jake came into the room. He was tall, blue eyes dark brown hair. Same childish manner as his father. "I'm so hungry."

"You are always hungry." Lily smiled.

"And yet I am always fed too little." Jake joked. "Mom!."

"Nice of you to notice me." Kate smirked. He was seven and half, tall and yet he was still in his prime to grow taller, Kate was sure he'd tower over her at any minute. "Good morning."

"So, what are we making?" Jake asked. Castle and Lily shared a look.

"Good question Jake. Why don't you start by setting up the table?" Rick mused.

"You heard the captain kid." Kate brushed her son's head softly. "Get to it."

And so he did. Rick and Jake were to peas in a pod. Both in personality and looks. He was the ever sweet, curious and inquisitive one. Where's Reece?" Kate asked.

"I'm not doing dishes twice, you better get him up." Rick smiled.

Yes cooking and doing the dishes. Kate loved Saturday mornings.

Kate walked away from the kitchen. To the deep end of the loft. The twin's room door was slightly opened. She stepped in. The darkness of the lowered drapes loomed over it.

It was your typical almost 8 year old bedroom. By two. Still not too grown up and yet not so little anymore.

You could see perfectly which side belonged to which twin. Reece's side was dark green and Jake's red and black.

Reece was her Zen. Jake was… a Castle.

"Good morning sleepy head." Kate sat by the side of the bed and brushed the covers off her son gently. She was surprised when she found Reece staring back at her. "How'd you sleep?" Reece smiled. "Couldn't put it down huh?"

Kate was of course referring to the Harry Potter book her son was holding close to his chest. He was her and Castle's kid alright. Stealing every possible moment to get a hold of a book.

"I tried. But it's just so good mom!" It was so adorable to see the excitement written on his face.

Yep. This one was Rick's son too.

A few moments later, Kate and Reece emerged from the room and back into the kitchen, where they heard laughter.

That was what the loft was now. A place for family, love and all that was good in her life. It was a place where she had almost died and lost Rick and yet it was their home.

She stared at her children, Jake made some joke and his brother made a face. Lily rolled her eyes at both of them.

"Look, there's mommy!" Rick turned around holding out the youngest of the Castle brood.

Her four year old.

Their unexpected miracle.

Guess Doyle hadn't counted on that fourth baby coming into the picture.