Character(s): Kate Beckett
Rating: PG
Summary: Beckett's 20th birthday.
Disclaimer: If it looks or sounds like something from Castle, I don't own it.
Spoilers: None
A/N: Happy birthday, digitaldesigner!
This wasn't beta'd so all the mistakes are mine.
Kate lay in bed and stared at her bedside clock as it turned to midnight. 'Happy birthday to me,' she thought bitterly, and allowed one tear to slip down her cheek.
A week ago she and her mom were making all kinds of plans for how they would celebrate the completion of her second decade. A week ago her biggest worry was what cake she wanted. A week ago her mother was alive.
It was 12:03 when she heard movement from the other room, and she realized her dad was still awake and moving around. Getting up, Kate pulled on a sweatshirt to fight off the cold and went to check on him.
She found him in the kitchen, sitting at the table staring down at the empty glass in front of him.
"Katie," he said in surprise, when he noticed her. "What are you doing up?"
"Couldn't sleep," she said with a shrug. Not saying a word, she picked up the scotch bottle that was significantly emptier then she remembered, and placed it back in the liquor cabinet.
He looked at her sadly and nodded in understanding. "Yeah, me neither." He tried to smile at her and said, "Happy birthday, baby girl."
"Thanks, dad."
She took a seat next to him, propping her head up with one hand. Her dad avoided looking directly at her. He did that a lot now.
Clearing his throat, he leaned over and picked up a neatly wrapped present from one of the other chairs. "I found this yesterday."
Tentatively she took it, her hands shaking slightly. Tears gather in her eyes, so that she had a hard time distinguishing her mom's tidy handwriting.
Katie,
I am so proud of the woman you have become, even if I sometimes have a hard time not seeing my baby when I look at you. Thank you for filling the last 20 years of my life with joy.
Happy birthday, sweetie.
Mom
She pushed the card away from her as her tears fell, not wanting to smudge the ink. She barely noticed her dad slip his arms around her and begin to rock her back and forth.
Kate had no idea how long they stayed like that; she just knew that eventually she ran out of tears. When he was sure she had calmed down, her dad pulled away but not before squeezing her tightly one last time.
"Why don't you see what it is?" he suggested.
Slowly, Kate began to unwrap the present.
Staring up at her was a copy of Calm Before the Storm by Richard Castle.
The End
A/N 2: Aims, I'm so sorry this turned out so angsty! I owe you fluff ;)
