A Growing Family

Chapter 19

Kate was sitting in her hospital room one Saturday afternoon with none other than Alexis Castle. Alexis had decided to come hang out for a little while as she didn't have any classes during the weekend.

"So, how are my brothers and sisters?" Alexis asked from her spot at the end of Kate's bed. Castle had gone home to pick up a few things and take a shower, so he was going to be gone for the rest of the afternoon, leaving the Castle ladies by themselves.

"They're good. Bigger every day," Kate said. Alexis could tell that Kate was about done being pregnant.

Kate was currently 28 weeks pregnant. As miserable as she was, she would hold out for the next two weeks as long as she could. She was so close to 30 weeks she could almost taste it.

"You're sick of it aren't you?" Alexis asked.

Kate sighed. "Not sick of it as much as I can't wait to be able to move without having to heave my stomach as I go," she said with a laugh. Alexis chuckled as well.

"So, enough about me. What's new in your life?" Kate asked her stepdaughter.

Alexis blushed, something that told Kate that Alexis had a new boy in her life. Alexis was silent, either nervous to speak or trying to figure out what to say.

"Who is he?" Kate asked with a knowing smile.

Alexis lowered her head, telling Kate silently that this was different than usual. She seemed almost worried to talk.

"Alexis, you can tell me anything, whatever this is," Kate said gently, sitting up as much as she could.

"It's not a he," Alexis said shyly.

Kate sat, not saying anything, sensing that Alexis had more to say.

"Kate, I'm bisexual," Alexis said.

Kate didn't say anything, processing the information. It didn't shock her. She had guessed that a long time ago, but she would never say something without having been told first.

It didn't change her opinion of her stepdaughter. She still loved Alexis just the same, and she knew Rick would too.

"Are you mad?" Alexis asked quietly.

"Oh, Alexis no. Not at all," Kate said with a warm smile, reaching her arms out to hug her stepdaughter as best as she could. "I love you like I always have. Biological or not, you're my daughter. Nothing is going to change that."

Alexis smiled, obviously happy to have finally told someone. She hadn't told anyone yet.

"So," Kate restarted. "Who is she?"

With that, Alexis weaved the tale of a girl in her biology class who had asked her out for coffee the previous week. Kate sat, listening intently.

When Alexis' story was over, she shot her head up suddenly.

"You won't tell Dad, will you?" she asked suddenly.

"Alexis, that's not my business to tell. I'm not going to run and tell your dad, because, well, I can't run much anymore," Kate joked. Alexis chuckled slightly.

"It's not that I'm ashamed or anything, I just want to be the one to tell him myself," Alexis explained.

"You don't have to explain yourself to me, Alexis. But I will say one thing," Kate said. Alexis looked at her expectantly.

"You're Dad loves you more than anything. Nothing is going to change that," Kate said.

Alexis nodded. "I know that," she said, "it's just nerve wracking."

Kate pulled her into a hug, the two chuckling slightly at just how much of a task it was with Kate's belly.

"You have nothing to worry about," Kate whispered to her.

The two talked for the rest of the afternoon before Alexis needed to be getting back to her dorm.

"Bye Kate," Alexis said from the door.

"Bye, Lex," Kate replied, smiling at Alexis warmly before she exited the room.

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Later that evening, Castle and Beckett were sitting in Kate's room eating Chinese. Kate had begged him to find a way to sneak some in, and Castle had managed to do just that.

Kate was flipping through the TV station when she saw a familiar face.

"Oh my god Castle," Kate said, sitting up as much as she could.

"What?" he asked, looking at the TV.

There, on the television screen, was none other than Martha Rodgers. She was doing the weather for Channel 5.

"Is that-?" Kate asked. "Uh huh," Rick answered, staring at the screen with his jaw on the floor.

"I can't believe she really is doing the weather," Kate said after a moment, returning to her Chinese food.

"Well, that's something," Castle replied.

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At around 11 o'clock that night Liam's heart rate dropped. It went back up again, but the doctors said that if it got too low they would have to deliver the babies.

It was a long and stressful night, Liam's heart rate falling and rising periodically. Neither parent got a wink of sleep, not like they would have anyway with all the check ins.

When Liam's heart rate dropped again early that morning, lower than it had all night, the decision was made.

The Castle sextuplets would be born that day.

A/N: As always, I am sorry for my absence. I don't have an excuse other than writer's block. Hopefully the next chapter will be out soon, but you know how that always goes. To those of you that have stuck with this story I am eternally grateful. Thanks for reading!

Also, some of you might not like that I made Alexis bisexual, but I've always seen that that could be possible, so I wrote it. I'm sorry if you didn't like it, but it's my story and that's how I wanted to write it. 

I hope you enjoyed! Next chapter, we get babies.