Author's Note: Hello, pretty people! So, this story popped in my mind this morning during chemestry exams. At least I got a story out of it, because a good grade... not gonna happen. So this is something I've never seen before, but it seemed like worth the try. Anyways, enjoy!
"Beckett, can I see you in my office for a moment?" Capt. Gates called, poking her head inside the break room.
Kate and Rick stood side-by-side, making their coffees on the espresso machine and talking.
"Uh-oh, someone's in trouble..." Rick sang, softly.
Kate poked him in the chest, playfully. They had been dating for almost a year now, and even though this weren't always the smoothest, she was sure he was her one-and-done.
There was something she never told him, though. Some huge thing. A deal-breaker. Something she knew that if he were ever to find out, he would never be able to forgive her.
But he wouldn't know, she made sure no one would ever know. She found someplace for him. Somewhere he would be safe, and far.Far from him, far from her, far from the mess her life was. She found him a home.
Kate walked towards Gates' office, her mind wandering off him.She opened the door slowly, walking inside the cubicle.
"Sir?" Kate called, watching as the captain arranged some papers, her back turned at her.
The middle-aged captain turned around to face her, her deep brown eyes locking with Kate's dark greens.
"Beckett, I'm afraid the news I have to share with you right now." Gates said, gesturing for Kate to sit. "I... a friend of mine called me today. There's been an accident, and two people were killed."
"They're thinking it was a murder?" Kate asked, as she sat in one of the armchairs.
"No, it was definitely an accident. But... the couple that was killed, they had a child. A little boy. He wasn't in the car with them."
"What does that have to do with me?" Kate asked, puzzled.
The captain's sudden turn from serious to sad didn't go unnoticed. It was making Kate extremely uncomfortable, and she just felt a huge urge to burst out of that room.
"Beckett, it was your son." Gates said. "The couple who died... they were his adoptive parents." Gates continued "Beckett, I'm so sorry."
"What happens now?" Kate asked, numb.
It seemed like the floor had been taken off her feet. The Family she'd found for her little boy, the home she placed him in... all gone. Oh my god. Castle. She would have to tell him now. She would have to tell him everything.
"They didn't have any family, and since you didn't put anyone as the biological father... he goes to you."
X-X-X-X-X-X
As Kate approached her desk, a million thoughts raced through her mind. Why hadn't she told Rick before, why this was all happening right now, and what the hell she was supposed to do.
"Rick, we need to talk." She said, as she reached the small wooden desk, soflty saying his name.
She never called him Rick. The moniker was exclusive for when serious things happened. Well, that and...
"Something wrong?" Rick asked.
"Not here. We need to go somewhere else." Kate said
"Wanna go back to my place?" Rick asked, concerned. It wasn't usual for Kate to be this banged up.
"No. I need to go to Albany. Mind if we talk on the drive?' Kate asked, retracting her coat, purse and sunglasses.
"Sure." He said, getting up from his chair "Why do we need to go to Albany?"
"We'll talk on the way."
X-X-X-X-X-X
"Kate, now we've officially left Manhattan. You can tell me what's going on."
"Castle, what I'm about to tell you... it'll end things the way they are. Hell, it might even end things altogether."
"Kate, don't be silly. I'm sure you're overreacting." Rick said, placing a comforting hand on her knee.
"Castle, I don't know if you remember, but..." Kate began, keeping her eyes on the road "we met, a good seven years ago."
"What? No, we didn't! I would've remembered you." Rick exclaimed.
"I doubt you could remember anything. You were so incredibly drunk, and so was I..." Kate continued "we met at this club, late at night. We were drunk and... we had an one night stand."
"You're not serious. Of course I would've remembered that!"
"Castle!" Kate yelled "Listen to me, okay? You wouldn't remember. You were so drunk you couldn't even tell me your name. But you were so charming, and I was drunk too..." Kate said "So we slept together. I woke up the next morning feeling so guilty, and when I saw you asleep next to me, I just couldn't take it. I ran away from there as fast as I could. And then..."
"I cannot believe we slept together!" Castle gushed "God, I'd give anything to remember that!"
"Please, just let me finish." Kate pleaded, tears forming in the corner of her eyes as she remembered the story."
April 3rd, 2006
NYU Hospital, New York
Room 16, Maternity Ward
"Come on Kate, just one more big push and he'll be out." Dr. Stephens said. "One more."
"OH GOD! SHIT!" Kate yelled, as she pushed the baby out of her body.
"Okay, he's here." Sr. Stephens announced "Congratulations Kate, it's a boy."
Kate didn't want to look at him. She wasn't his mother. His parents were waiting outside, for the precious little baby Kate would hand them in a few moments. It was incredibly painful for her, but Kate knew better than thinking that she could raise a baby. She was still very broken, very scared. She couldn't be a mother, and the father... she doubted he would even believe her.
"Do you wanna hold him?" Dr. Stephens asked, holding the little boy close to Kate's bed.
"No. Just get him out of here."
Kate asked, barely managing to get any words out. The guilt was eating her alive, and she couldn't bear to look at that baby – her – baby one more time. She carried him for nine months, and for her, this was the end of it. He would go away with a nice family, to live in a nice big house in the suburbs with parents who loved each other. He would have a family, one she wouldn't be able to give him. She watched as Dr. Stephens took the baby to the nursery, and closed her eyes for what seemed to be a millisecond before Lillian and George Harris – the baby's adoptive parents – and Lanie entered the room.
"Hey girl. How you doing?" Lanie asked, placing a hand on Kate's shoulder.
"Shitty." Kate answered, before acknowledging the Harris'. "Oh. Hello."
"Hello, Katherine. We're very relieved to know that the labor went well." Lillian said.
"And we took care of the bills already. You don't have to worry." George told her, as if he was talking about some trivial matter.
"Oh. Alright. Thank you." Kate said, looking at Lanie.
"And we've decided to name him Gabriel Beckett Harris." Lillian said, grabbing George's hand as she did.
"That's very sweet, but it's not necessary."
"We wanna do it, really." George said "We're gonna go and see him now. Do you want us to bring him to you?"
"No." Kate said, fighting back tears "Please don't. I don't wanna see him anymore." Kate told them "Actually, if you have the papers ready, I would like to sign them as soon as possible."
"Uhm, yes, they're in the car. We'll bring them to you in a little bit." George said, walking towards the door "Oh, and Katherine?"
"Yes?"
"Thank you."
Kate smiled at the couple softly, wondering if they could really provide a better life for her son. It was Lanie who took her off of her trance, only moments later
"Kate, sweetie. It's gonna be okay." Lanie said, giving Kate a sloppy hug.
"I want him, Lanie." Kate cried "I want him so much. I love him." She continued, sobbing soflty "I can't have him."
"Oh, sweetheart."
X-X-X-X-X-X
"It wasn't a month later, I started feeling a little off." Kate said "I was moody, sore, and my period was verylate. So I took a pregnancy test. It was positive."
"Kate, what are...?"
"Castle, for fuck's sake, just let me finish!" Kate yelled "Just shut the hell up and listen! It was a positive result. I got a blood test and it was positive too. Eight months later, I gave birth to a baby boy." Kate said, tears flowing freely down her cheeks "I made sure a nice couple adopted him."
"What?!" Castle screamed, in utter shock and frustration "And it never occurred to you to tell me?"
"I didn't think you'd believe me." Kate said "You'd have no reason to."
"I would've gotten a DNA test! You've gotta be fucking kidding me! You put our son for adoption seven years ago, and you never told me?"
"Castle, I couldn't..."
"Fuck you, Kate!" He yelled "How could you do this?"
"I made sure he was safe!" She screamed back, in anger "He's fine, Castle. He went to a family who wanted him more than anything."
"I would have wanted him more than anything!" Rick said, emphasizing the first word "I would've helped you raise him!"
"I couldn't know. I was so scared..."
"I... where is he? Have you met him? Is he alright?" Rick asked, suddenly lowering his voice.
"He's okay. I haven't seen him ever since, but their parents sent me letters. He's alright."
"Good." Rick said "I don't want to go to Albany with you right now." Rick said, as calmly as he could manage. "It's a long ride and right now, I don't think I wanna stay in a car with you for that long."
"Castle... we're going to Albany because Gabriel's parents died. He's orphaned."
"Oh my God." Rick said "Poor kid."
"Gates told me earlier today. She said that if I choose not to keep him, he'll go to the system."
"No way you're abandoning my son again." Rick said, angrily.
"Hey, back off! I don't have to listen to that crap, okay? It's bad enough without you on my heels, alright? Now shut up."
"I can't believe you didn't tell me." Rick said, receiving a death glare from Kate "You should've told me when we officiallymet, five years ago. You should've told me when we started dating, for God's sake!"
"I'm sorry, Castle." Kate said, honestly. "I really am."
"I know. But I can't just brush past this." He said "Do you know his name?"
"Gabriel. They told me when he was born. Gabriel Beckett."
"They gave him your last name?"
"No, Beckett's a middle name. His last name is Harris."
"Kate, how did you manage to hide this from everyone? I mean, it must've shown."
"It did. Over the last month, I could barely walk. I was huge. I took a medical leave from work in my fifth month, when I was starting to show. Lanie was the only one who ever knew."
"The only one, huh?"
"Yes. I didn't even tell my dad." Kate said.
August 27th, 2005
Beth Israel Hospital, Manhattan
Gynecology Ward
"Well Miss Beckett, you are most definitely pregnant." Dr. Courtney Stephens said, holding a file as she walked closer to Kate.
"Shit."
"I... uhm... maybe you want to discuss some alternative options?"
Kate didn't have to think too hard to understand what Dr. Stephens meant. She was asking if Kate wanted an abortion.
"No. I wouldn't... I couldn't."
"Alright, then." Dr. Stephens said "In this case, I'll need you back here in three weeks., for your ten week appointment."
Kate didn't answer. She simply signed the insurance sheet and sat alone in the table, staring blankly at the wall in front of her. She couldn't believe this was happening. She was pregnant. With Richard Castle's baby, no less, and she had no idea what she would do, but she was one hundred percent sure she couldn't raise a kid.
X-X-X-X-X-X
"We're here." Kate announced, as she parked her car in front of a large brick building.
The two of them got out of the car, exchanging looks as they walked inside the building. The interior was cold, and rather unwelcoming. There were muffled cries coming from the back of the construction, and a few toys were scattered around the room.
"Hello, I'm Detective Kate Beckett, I'm here for Gabriel Harris." Kate told the middle-aged receptionist, who wore huge prescription glasses and an old green pantsuit.
"Can I see your id, please?" the woman asked "And yours too, sir."
Kate and Rick gave the woman their ids, and she examined them carefully before handing the documents back to them.
"Second door on the left, Detective Beckett. He's in Dr. Hawk's office."
"Thank you." Kate said, walking towards the door. She knocked on it softly, before opening it and poking her head inside the room. "Hi, I'm sorry to interrupt."
"No problem." An older woman said, gesturing for Kate and Rick to come inside the room. "Are you Kate Beckett?"
"Yes. I'm here for Gabriel Harris." Kate said, walking inside the colorful room.
"Oh, I know. I'm the one who called you. I'm Doctor Desiree Hawk, I've been working with Gabriel for the past few days."
"Oh. Thanks for calling me. Is he around?"
"Yeah, he's in the bathroom." Dr. Hawk said, motioning towards a door on the back of the room. "And who is this?"
"I'm Richard Castle." Rick said, offering the Dr. a hand "I'm Gabriel's biological father."
"Alright. He should be out in a little bit, but I wanted to speak to you first." Dr. Hawk said "Do you want to sit down?"
"Yeah, sure." Kate said, taking a place next to Rick on a big leather couch "So, how is he?"
"Like any seven year old who just lost both his parents." Dr. Hawk said, looking at Kate, then at Rick, then back at Kate "He's devastated. He was an only child, and his parents didn't have any close family. It's just him." She explained "But he's hanging in there, he's a tough kid."
Just as Dr. Hawk finished the last word, a little boy emerged from the bathroom.
He was wearing dark blue jeans and a green lantern shirt, and he looked so much like his biological parents. He had Kate's beautiful hair, alongside Rick's blue eyes and a mixture of their facial features.
He was beautiful, and seeing him like this, all grown up, gave Kate one of the biggest heartaches she'd ever felt.
"Hi, Gabriel. I'm Kate. I'm your..."
Kate stopped for a second to wonder how she would introduce herself.
"The woman who gave birth to me and then gave me to my mommy." Gabriel said, walking towards the couple. "Dr. Hawk told me."
"Uh, yes. I'm Kate." She said, getting up from the couch and walking closer to him "And this is Rick, he's... the one who helped me to give you to your parents."
"So, you're my biological parents?" Gabriel asked, showing off his Castle roots.
"Yeah." Kate answered, mildly startled "We are."
"Are they the ones I'm going to live with?" Gabriel asked Dr. Hawk, who was sitting accross him in an armchair.
"Gabriel, remember what I told you?" Dr. Hawk asked "They might not be able to take you to live with them."
"Oh. Okay, then. What's it gonna be?" Gabriel asked the couple.
Wow, there was no denying it. He was Castle's kid for sure.
"You're coming home with us." Kate said, without blinking.
"Yeah. No question." Rick completed "Can we take him now?"
"Well, Miss Beckett just has to sign some papers in the front desk." Dr. Hawk said "But there will be weekly visits for a while, but really, it's all on you."
"Alright. Thank you, Dr. Hawk." Kate said, offering Gabriel a hand.
The little boy hesitated, but took it, and held her hand as he waved goodbye to Dr. Hawk
"Bye, Desiree!" He said, as the three of them walked out of the room.
"Goodbye, Dr. Hawk." Rick said, following Kate and Rick closely. "Thank you for everything."
"Bye, Mr. Castle." Dr. Hawk said "And goodbye, Gabriel."
X-X-X-X-X-X
It was a long ride back to the city, and an even longer ride back to Rick's apartment. They'd decided to stay there for the night, and talk about definitive plans in the morning. Rick was still barely looking at Kate, and she was a complete mess.
It all had happened so fast. In an hour, she had found out her son was orphaned, drove to Albany to pick him up, and brought him back to the city to live with her and his father, Richard Castle. It was way too much, way too fast.
"So, this is it." Rick said, unlocking the door and setting Gabriel's Batman backpack on the floor. He was secretly proud of how much Gabriel loved superheroes, and they'd spend the entire ride home talking about their favorites.
Rick chose Batman and Iron Man, while Gabriel chose the Green Lantern, Batman and Superman. Kate was partial to Catwoman.
"You can stay in one of the guest rooms upstairs." Rick said "It's not the coolest, but we can change that, can't we?" He asked, ruffling Gabriel's hair. "Kate will be right next door to you." He proceeded, shooting Kate a look "And I'll be right downstairs, if you need me. Now, are you hungry?" Rick asked, after realizing it was past nine already.
"A little bit." Gabriel said, still holding Kate's hand.
"What do you like to eat?" Kate asked, kneeling down in front of him.
"I don't know. Pretty much anything." Gabriel answered.
"But what's your favorite?" Rick asked, kneeling next to Kate
"Mm, mashed potatoes and chicken fingers." Gabriel answered, a slight smile flashing on his face.
"That sounds great." Rick said "How about you and Kate go upstairs to settle down while I start sinner?"
"Okay." Gabriel said, picking up his backpack.
"Gabriel?" Rick called, as the little boy got up the stairs.
"Yeah?"
"Welcome home."
X-X-X-X-X-X
Author's Note: So, what do you think? Be sure to drop a review to let me know if I should continue this or not. Thanks!