Castle had thrown himself entirely into the task of completing his artificial intelligence project, and to his surprise, everyone around him fully supported his ambitious endeavor. Whether it was Alexis, Martha, or Beckett from his family, or his friends like Gianna, John, Mozzie, Henry, and Abraham, all of them encouraged his efforts once they learned about his grand plan.
Alexis and Martha, in particular, were relieved that Castle was focusing on AI rather than stirring up trouble in New York as usual. In their eyes, keeping him occupied with this "artificial intelligence" project meant he'd stay out of mischief. Beckett shared a similar sentiment. Now that her duties had shifted from active investigation to administrative responsibilities at the Twelfth Precinct, Castle was no longer suitable to be a consultant for her. If he wanted to work on AI, she figured it was a good way for him to burn through some of his wealth.
Castle's friends, on the other hand, supported him for a different reason. They had an inexplicable faith in his abilities, especially Mozzie. Unlike Gianna and the others, who were computer novices, Mozzie had a decent understanding of the field. After reviewing the code Castle and "Little Fatty" had written over the past few days, Mozzie realized they might actually succeed in creating a functional AI. He wasn't an expert, but he knew enough to recognize potential, and what he saw was promising.
Out of everyone, Mozzie had the most confidence in Castle. If it weren't for a phone call from Neal asking for help against Senator Pratt, Mozzie might have stayed at Castle's estate, eager to witness a groundbreaking achievement firsthand.
Unfortunately, Neal had run into a dead end despite gathering evidence of Pratt's crimes, along with support from FBI agent Peter Burke. Pratt's deep-rooted influence within the New York political system was too strong to break alone, forcing Neal to turn to Mozzie for help. Since the information Neal had on Pratt had originally come from Castle, Neal felt bad about bothering Castle further. Instead, he reached out to Mozzie, hoping his trusted friend could assist in taking down their nemesis.
Castle, fully engrossed in his AI work, encouraged Mozzie to help Neal, and Mozzie returned to New York to assist Neal and the FBI in finally bringing Senator Pratt to justice.
Meanwhile, Gianna and John decided to stay in New York for the birth of their child. Despite the danger from rival families back in Italy, Gianna felt safer in New York, especially with Castle's intelligence network and connections to the police. Moreover, John, a former world-renowned assassin, was by her side. In addition, New York's Continental Hotel was also on their side. If any assassin were foolish enough to come after her, they would be dealt with swiftly. So, with her due date approaching, Gianna chose to give birth in the safety of New York rather than return to Rome.
Curiously, after Castle began focusing on coding with "Little Fatty," the world outside seemed to quiet down. Whether this was because Castle had been a magnet for trouble or just coincidence, no one knew. Aside from a brief phone call from Sean's father, updating Castle on Frank's adventures in North Africa with his young girlfriend and Marvin's complaints about the African sun darkening his skin, everything seemed peaceful. Even the British intelligence agency MI5, who had placed Frank on their hit list, couldn't stir much trouble.
The only real surprise, which Castle had somewhat anticipated, was the scandal that derailed the leading candidate from the Democratic Party, leaving Benjamin Arthur, the second-choice candidate, to become the party's official nominee for the presidential election. At first, Castle thought Gianna might have had a hand in causing the scandal to help Benjamin, but after learning she was focused on her upcoming delivery, he realized it was just the unpredictable flow of history.
This turn of events left Gianna and Mozzie amazed. Mozzie immediately flew to Washington, D.C., bringing Benjamin his first substantial campaign donation from Gianna and Castle. With this financial backing, Benjamin's chances of winning the presidency improved significantly.
Meanwhile, the Republican Party's candidate was a weak contender, essentially a placeholder knowing their chances of victory were slim. It became increasingly clear that the next president would likely be from the Democratic Party, and Benjamin's path to the White House looked promising.
As Castle and "Little Fatty" spent over a month coding, getting closer to completing the AI "JARVIS," Gianna and John's daughter was born.
Castle and Beckett couldn't help but smile when they saw John, normally so stoic and emotionless, holding the tiny bundle in his arms. Beckett, who knew about John's past as a legendary assassin, found it both surreal and heartwarming. Here was the man once known as the world's deadliest hitman, now transformed into a doting father.
Gianna, being a true European woman, didn't adhere to the traditional postpartum confinement customs. The day after giving birth in New York's top private hospital, she returned to her Long Island estate. Rumor had it that old D'Antonio, who was in the middle of fighting off rival families back in Italy, had heard the news of his granddaughter's birth. He immediately halted his campaigns and flew to New York with a large entourage, eager to meet the third generation of the D'Antonio family.
The Italian families, who had been pushed to the brink by D'Antonio's forces, were given a brief respite thanks to the tiny baby now in John's arms.
With Alexis and Beckett off inside the house, helping Gianna and the newborn, Castle and "Little Fatty" stood outside with John, still dazed by the monumental moment. Castle genuinely felt happy for his friend. John's life had taken a completely different path from the tragic one Castle remembered from his old world. Instead of facing a lonely, relentless life of being hunted, John now had a family—a daughter.
It was Castle who had intervened in John's life, redirecting his fate. When Castle had first realized that John was the same hitman from John Wick, he immediately made it his mission to help. Pushing John toward Gianna, encouraging him to leave his old life behind, had all led to this moment.
Castle chuckled as he recalled John's nervous handling of his newborn daughter. John, a man who wouldn't hesitate to face a hundred armed men, had been more nervous holding that little baby than Castle had ever seen him.
"Rick, thank you..." John finally said, emotion heavy in his voice, as his daughter was taken inside to be fed.
Castle grinned. "What are you thanking me for? No need for that between us. How's it feel, man? Were you freaking out last night at the hospital?"
John, still in a bit of a daze, replied, "We had no idea she'd weigh ten pounds. Gianna refused a C-section. Damn, I swear, whoever thought up that idea of making husbands stay with their wives during childbirth is a monster. I've never been so scared in my life. I would've taken on a hundred guys by myself before going through that again."
Castle couldn't believe he was hearing John, the feared hitman, ranting about childbirth. It was a rare and hilarious moment.
Of course, Castle agreed wholeheartedly. Whoever first suggested that men should stay with their wives during labor had to be cruel. The anxiety nearly all fathers felt before the birth would be magnified tenfold by being in the delivery room, forced to witness their wives in agonizing pain. It was enough to drive any man crazy.
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Fairy Tail: Igneel's Eldest Son (Chapter 256)
I Am Thalos, Odin's Older Brother (Chapter 336)
Reborn in America's Anti-Terror Unit (Chapter 542)
Solomon in Marvel (Chapter 924)
Becoming the Wealthiest Tycoon on the Planet (Chapter 1284)
Surgical Fruit in the American Comics Universe (Chapter 1289)
American Detective: From TV Rookie to Seasoned Cop (Chapter 1316)
American TV Writer (Chapter 1402)
I Am Hades, The Supreme GOD of the Underworld! (Chapter 570)
Reborn as Humanity's Emperor Across the Multiverse (Chapter 660)
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