Disclaimer: Vallie didn't even have to blackmail me this time (not that she would ever resort to such a thing)

It's not the first time that Kate has noticed Latte getting a tiny bit podgy. Or podgier than a pug normally is. Pugs aren't the skinniest of dogs, she knows as much, but recently she's put on a fair amount of weight. And they don't give her that many treats. Kate's well aware that Castle is a lot more lenient with the no feeding at the table rule, but he knows the limits. And the kids know full well what happens if they break the rules. Kate ignores it for a while, puts it down to poor weather limiting the walks the pug gets, makes sure she gets the dog out properly over the next couple of days, torrential rain or not. It's not until a month later that she starts to question it.

"Castle?"

Castle looks up from his laptop, immersed in heads in freezers or hands in blenders, or whatever gruesome thing is in this next book. "Hmm?"

"You know when we got Latte?"

"Yes?"

"Did we ever get her done?"

"You mean…"

"The snip. Neutered. Whatever you want to call it."

Castle opened his mouth, Kate assuming to answer in the affirmative, but then closed it again. "I… don't remember. We would have done, right? It's the thing you do when you get a dog." He looked unsure. "Right?"

Kate shrugged her shoulders. "I honestly don't know. All I know is that she's getting very fat. Fatter than a pug normally is."

"You think she's pregnant?"

"I can't think of anything else. We're not feeding her anymore than usual, she's been getting decent enough walks. I just… can't think of when."

"Ohhhhhh…"

"Ohhhhhh what?"

"There was a Jack Russell. At the park. He had an interest in Latte."

Kate sighed, squeezed her eyes shut. "Great. We have a pregnant pug. What are we supposed to do with pug puppies?" Castle grinned, turning this big blue, annoyingly adorable puppy dog eyes on her. "No. No, Castle. Absolutely not." He pouted. "One pug is enough for us." And then batted his eyelids. Bastard. "We cannot look after four other dogs. It's impossible."

"The kids can have one each!"

"Last time I checked we only had two."

"Two each then."

"They're six and three. I wouldn't trust them with one dog, let alone two." She looked at Latte, stretched out in her bed. Small wet nose, big wet eyes, and big round belly. "Seriously, be realistic here. We're both at the precinct most days of the week, Alexis is busy with her own wedding, Martha can't look after them. They'll be stuck at home all day on their own. It's no life for a pug."

"Well… maybe if we don't keep all of them. Alexis loves Latte, and we can give her and Jenson a pug as a wedding present! How cool would that be! And we can give them matching names. Like Mocha, and Cappuccino and Macchiato. Or Libbylou! They'd be a little coffee family!"

Three puppies. Three ugly, wrinkly pug puppies. Even Castle can't deny that the newborns aren't exactly the most good looking of animals. But that doesn't stop him cooing and aahing over them. They're kept away in their bedroom, away from podgy fingers and drooling toddlers, happily snuffling around in the padded box under the table by the window. He's somehow managed to convince Kate to keep Mocha and Macchiato. Though much like Latte, he thinks she'll warm to them eventually. When they grow up. Alexis fell in love with Cappuccino the moment she set eyes on her, won't stop gushing about her to Jenson, who, bless him, takes it all in his stride.

A few weeks pass, and they open their eyes. Wobble around on tiny unsteady legs. They let the kids look, as long as they're supervised. Macchiato is the adventurous one. Mocha and Cappuccino prefer to take a few wobbly steps and then stop for a moment before carrying on. Macchiato barrels ahead, walking into the side of the box on more than one occasion.

Slowly, they're let out of the box and left to wander around the bedroom freely. Pitter patter across the floor, noses down, sniffing at every square inch of everything they can reach. House training is a little iffy. They walk into more puddles on the floor than they do on the newspaper, but they're not expecting miracles. It'll get better. Latte gets very defensive. She fusses when she's picked up, growls and wriggles until she's put down. Kate knew she would, doesn't take it personally. Once her puppies grow up a bit, she'll be okay. She was the same when she gave birth, both times, so over protective of herself and them. And know they're bigger, now they don't need a hand to hold when walking, she's more at ease. Mothers instinct.

Alexis and Jenson both come to pick Cappuccino up. The puppy has developed her own little personality. Shy, but bright. It makes him laugh. Like owner, like dog. The same goes for Mocha and Macchiato. His youngest daughter, so like Kate it astounds him sometimes, confident and out there, knows what she wants, will do whatever it takes. Stubborn and hot headed. Whereas Mocha is a lot like his son. Doesn't make himself heard as much, nudges his hand with the tiny little head to try and get some attention. Waits for people to come to him. Waits until he knows he's ready to try and attempt something, and even then it's slow and steady. Slow and steady wins the race seems to Mocha's motto in doggy life.

And try as she might, and just as Castle predicted, Kate falls hopelessly in love with all three of them. Cappuccino comes over for family visits, and the three pugs run around after each other, growling and nipping and falling over each other.

Latte, from her seat on the sofa, sighs.

Closes her eyes.

Goes to sleep.