basric

Your username and team:

basric Team Esposito
Your co-author and team:

crazed_delusion Team Esposito

Word count: 1509
Prompt: Just Once
Pairing:Lanie/Javier
Summary: All it takes is once
Rating: PG-13

Lanie groaned leaning her head against the cool metal of the autopsy’s faucet. She leaned further down while turning on the tap quickly washing out her mouth and the vomit out of the sink before standing up straight again.

“Lanie, are you feeling okay?”

Lanie turned and looked at Kate leaning against the door frame, “I’ve known you for a long time and I don’t think I have ever seen you get sick down here.”

“No,” Lanie shook her head, “I Haven’t even started the autopsy yet. I caught a stomach bug or something, and I’ve been throwing up for days.”

Kate walked over to Lanie placing a hand on Lanie’s head, “You don’t feel warm, are you sure you should be here? Maybe you should go home.”

“No, it’s just a bug, I’ll be fine, and usually it passes by the afternoon.”

Kate raised her eyebrow, “Passed? Bugs don’t take half days. Have you been to a doctor?”

“I am a doctor.”

“Ha, ha. No really, maybe you should get checked out.”

“I’m fine, really. It’s just a little nausea, and it’ll pass.”

“If you say so. Do you have a cause of death yet for me then?”

Lanie laughed, “No, I’m starting now, I’ll call you when I have something.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------

A week passed and Lanie had started to worry. There was a reason she hadn’t gone to the doctor yet. She had a feeling she knew what he would say, and she really didn’t want to hear it. The same reason she hadn't bought or taken test.

She shook her head and leaned down to rinse the toothpaste out of her mouth.

“You’re keeping a toothbrush here now?” Kate asked slipping into the autopsy room.

“I like to be minty fresh.”

“Yeah. I’m sure it has nothing to do with the fact your still throwing up every day. You ready to go to the doctor?”

“No.”

“Lanie, come on. You can’t keep on like this.”

Lanie closed her eyes and rubbed her temples, “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re pregnant, and while that may be fine, you really should go to the doctor.”

Lanie’s eyes snapped open and she started shaking her head, “No. No. No. No. I am not pregnant. It's a bug.”

“You’ve had nausea every morning, it’s gone by afternoon, and it’s been two weeks. You certainly sound pregnant to me, and wouldn’t it be better to know then to keep going like this.”

Lanie sighed, and slid into the closest chair, “Your right, I know your right, but I really just do not want to know.”

“Not knowing isn't going to make it go away. And how about Esposito? You need to tell him.”

“No, I’ll go to the doctor. I’m going. Just you can’t tell Javier anything, not until I’m sure. After all, maybe I’m not; maybe it is just a bug.”

Kate grabbed Lanie’s arm pulling her to her feet, “Come on, I’ll go with you. We're taking a half day.”

“You don’t have to go with me, I'm fine.”

“No, come on, we are going so get your bag.”

---------------------------------------------------------------------

Lanie jumped as muscled arms snaked around her pulling her against a hard body. But instead of relaxing against him, she pulled away to face him. "We need to talk, Javier."

"I don't like the sound of that. You're breaking up with me and let me guess its you not me." He sat and frowned at her.

"No, no. I mean yes...probably you are going to want to...I mean..."

"Lanie, sit down. Tell me what is wrong. You aren't making sense."

She sat across from him, took a deep breath and looked into his eyes. She just said it, "I'm pregnant."

She gave himt extra points for not bolting from the room. "How can that be, we always used protection and you are on the pill?"

"The pill didn't work, and remember that first time in my apartment against the door."

Javier smiled at the memory, "I remember. But just that one time."

"That's all it takes."

"O...Kay."

She stood and stalked away to the window an back again, "Well aren't you going to ask?"

"Ask? Ask what?"

"If its yours?"

He stood and wrapped his arms around her stiffened body, "Lanie, I know the baby is mine."

She relaxed into his arms, "How," she sniffled, "how can you be so sure."

He turned her and pulled his handkerchief from his pocket. He dabbed her cheeks, "Because I know what kind of woman you are."

She pushed him back, "This coming from a man-whore."

"An ex-manwhore. Lanie, there's been no one since that first night with you."

"I know. I don't know what to do. I don't think I can have an abortion."

"Lanie," he jerked her to face him, "I don't want you to have an abortion, I think we should drive upstate and get married."

"WHAT! Are you crazy? We've only been dating four months."

"But we've know each other for years. Lanie, I care deeply for you. I think we could make a good life together."

"But, Javier, you don't understand. What about our families. I always wanted a big wedding. I mean it sounds silly...but."

"Lanie, my family will love you. And we will renew our vows in a year in the wedding of your dreams for our family and friends."

"Yes, but my father will be upset. He doesn't believe in interracial marriages."

"Lanie, I will charm him. I'm very charming."

She smiled but thought he didn't know her father.

********************************************************

“That’s beautiful, Lanie,” Kate sighed as Lanie twirled in the cocktail length white wedding gown.

“It is beautiful, but being pregnant,” her hand settled in a telling motion on her still flat belly, “I probably should be wearing off white.”

“Lanie, white doesn’t represent purity, it’s the veil over the face.”

“This is the one,” she told the hovering saleswoman, “Now we need to find a dress for Kate.”

“What! no.”

“You are my Maid of Honor.”

“I’m just a witness.”

“Kate, I insist,” she was flipping through the racks finally pulling out a deep green strapless empire waist gown. “This is it.”

Kate had to admit it was exquisite.

***********************************************************

Kate was surprised when Castle picked her up that Saturday morning. “I should have known you’d be in the middle of this.”

“I find it very romantic and I pulled a few strings here and there.”

“Your good at that, pulling strings,” she quipped dryly.

“If they’re dangling there, might as well pull them.”

“Kevin’s going to be upset that you are the best man and not him. Has he even told him. He’s Javier's partner and his best friend.”

“You sound angry at Esposito, when he’s doing the honorable thing, and he cares for her. If you’re blaming him for getting Lanie pregnant, its not like he forced himself on her. Both of them forgot the damn condom. It happens. Haven’t you ever gotten carried away by passion, Kate?”

She set her teeth and they rode in silence upstate. An hour later they pulled into a charming little chapel covered with blossoms of every color.”

“Oh, Castle, its gorgeous.”

Javier was pacing on the porch. He stopped when he saw them approaching, “Lanie is inside changing. She has your dress Kate, go on in.”

******************************************

Castle had tried to concentrate on the ceremony which he as a two time loser had known by heart and Lanie made a beautiful bride...Javier's mouth had dropped at the sight of her; but Kate--she was stunning. He caught her eye several times during the ceremony and his heart rate increased with each smile.

The photographer Castle hired videotaped the ceremony and gathered them among the blossoms afterwards for photographs. Then they raised their glasses of champagne and Castle toasted the bride and groom bringing a blush to Lanie’s face.

Outside Lanie threw her arms around Castle smacking a kiss on his mouth, “Thank you, everything was so perfect, my bouquet, the music, the champagne. Javier disentangled her from Castle and hugged him himself, backing away embarrassed. “And thanks for the wedding present.”

Lanie kissed Kate followed by an embarrassed Javier.

Kate and Castle stood and waved as they drove away. “What wedding present?”

“I contacted a friend,” he named a very exclusive resort that had Kate’s mouth dropping, “It’s only a weekend package, but they both have to be back at work Monday anyway.”

“Castle, that place costs a fortune and after all this,” she waved at the chapel. “Her bouquet had orange blossoms! In New York. How did you get orange blossoms?”
Their scent wafted up from her own small bouquet.

“I count Javier as a friend and Lanie, too. Don’t make a big deal out of this Kate. It’s just money, and as I said I called in a few favors.”

She shook her head, his generosity always amazed her. He gave her that swashbuckling smile of his and she rolled her eyes and turned to get into the car to cover her sudden breathlessness.