All mistakes are my own. As I'm not a native speaker there are for certainty a few. I don't own Castle

A/N: This wil be a multi chapter story. I hope I can upload regularly but I can't promise. We will have angst and we will have fluff. But prepare yourself for some angst in this short epilogue. Enjoy reading and remember to review :)

Is your love strong enough,

Like a rock in the sea?

Am I asking too much?

Is your love strong enough?

- How to Destroy Angels / Is your love strong enough

Wedding Day.

He never expected to get to call a day like that again. After two failed marriages he had simply lost faith in a forever. But then she had come into his life. Kate Beckett. The most extraordinary women he had ever met. He had given up long ago asking himself how he deserves her. And even though she had challenged him, even though she had let him in just to push him away even further, even though he had to scratch and claw for every inch of her heart it had been worth every second. She had given him an Always. And now they were going to turn their Always into a Forever.

"Dad are you ready?"

His daughter's words were soft but Castle startled anyway. He turned his gaze around from the mirror to see her standing in the doorway. She wore a long aqua dress. Her straight red hair were curled and had been pulled up at the sides. She was stunning. His little girl had grown up so fast. It was ridiculous how often this thought hit him lately.

Alexis tilted her head in astonishment. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah. You just surprised me."
"I knocked"
"Oh well, then I didn't hear." He turned around once more to face himself in the mirror and smoothed over the pants of his black tuxedo. Out of the corner of his eye he could see Alexis enter the room. She came to a halt behind him joining him to look at his reflection. They both stood like this for a few seconds neither of them saying a word. He always enjoyed this little moments with his daughter. They had gotten rare over the last few years, especially since she went to college. So he soaked the moment in even deeper. Alexis had her own way of reassuring him. And right now that was exactly what he needed.

"So, what do you think?" He faced her through the mirror while he spoke. He was too nervous to move. It took all his power to remember to even breathe.
Alexis put her hands on his shoulders and squeezed them gently. "You look absolutely handsome, Dad." With a quick step she circled her father. "But you might try to put this thing on correctly." She reached for his bow tie and pulled until she was satisfied with the outcome. He gave her a grateful smile.

"You ready now?"
His stomach made a flip. He was ready. He was more than ready. But that doesn't mean his body knew. He hooked an arm through his daughter's to steady himself. His knees were like jelly. He wondered how long they would be able to hold is weight any longer.

Alexis lead him out of the small backroom, through the hall and right into the heart of the church. He was stunned by the perfection of the room. White tulips spangled the rows of benches and the balcony had been decorated as well. It had been Kate who had made the ultimate decision for the location. She wanted something small and intimate but still big enough to be comfortable for all their friends and family.

"It's perfect isn't it?" Alexis whispered into his ear. He nodded in agreement. Words were still too much effort to make. "I'm gonna go check on Kate and Lanie. You stay here." And with that she's gone and he's left with his jelly knees.

Careful not to fall he made his way further into the room. Hands were shaken and greetings made and finally, finally he approached his destination. It felt strange standing in front of an altar. Neither his wedding with Meredith nor the one with Gina had been celebrated in a church. His first wedding had been spontaneous, somewhere in Las Vegas. He couldn't even remember where. And Gina, Gina had wanted something big and extraordinary. Apparently a church hadn't been extraordinary enough for her. So, even though he had been married twice, this was a first to experience and he was grateful he got to share it with Kate.

"Hey Castle."
The second time this day Castle startled. He turned around to find his two best men giving him a goofy grin.
"Yo bro. Nervous?"
"Given to the fact that I'm about to get married. Yes, yes I'm nervous."
"I still can't believe you guys are getting married" Ryan shook his head in disbelief.
"Oh trust me, me neither."
Suddenly his stomach made a flip again and he needed to tug his hands close to his tights to keep them from shaking. He felt like he had been riding a roller coaster all day. Well no, he felt even worse. Because he had done that one time and hadn't even felt half as sick as he did now. Just as he felt the urge to vomit his mother entered the room taking her seat in the front row.
"Oh Richard, don't look like that. You gonna be fine kiddo."
"Just remember to breathe." Esposito said giving him an encouraging pat on his shoulder.
"Uh-uh" Right now he felt more like fainting. He reached out for Esposito or Ryan to steady himself but the two men had already taken their positions right behind him. On his other side stood Alexis and Lanie, both in their long aqua dresses. He didn't have a clue when they entered the room.

The music started. It was a slow song. Alexis had picked it out for them. He didn't remember the name, but it was perfect. His heart missed a beat as the big doors opened.

And then he saw her. She looked like an angel in her long white silk dress. It was thight around her torso and let her collarbone and shoulders free. Downwards the fabric got more fluent and swirled around her waist and legs. Her long chestnut curls were pinned up and she wore the happiest smile he had ever seen. She was so beautiful, so stunning, so perfect. As their eyes met his breathe stopped. Her green eyes were like a thunderstorm, so full of emotion. Remember to breathe.
Slowly she let her father take her down the aisle never breaking eye contact to him.

10 more steps and she would be by his side.
His insides burned like fire.

9 more steps.
Her eyes were mesmerizing.

8 more steps.
He needed to remember to breathe.

7 more steps.
He loved the way the sun lightened her hair.

6 more steps
His stomach did another flip

5 more steps and she would be his wife.

The shot was loud and clear.

The noise came first. Shout and cries. People launching themselves on the floor. A loud bang of a door. Esposito shouting. Ryan running out. The pain followed. He had hit his head hard on the floor. The skin on his chest hurt like it had been burned. He reached for it and his hand came away wet. Blood? He was bleeding. Through the fog of the burning sensation and pain he could hear his daughter's screams.
Kate was beside him the next second. Or had it been longer? He couldn't tell. He had lost track.

"Castle!"
He tried to reach for his chest again but she grabbed his hands.
"No, no don't move"
She knelt beside him, her face over his own. Where a moment before had been a wave of all different emotions in her eyes there was only terror left. Terror and pure angst. He knew she must have a flashback; a flashback to that day she was the one lying on the ground with a bullet in her chest.
"I'm sorry." His words were almost silent.
"Sh, sh don't speak." By now Kate had started to press on his wound. He could only make out her silhouette, but felt the pressure on his chest. Silent tears were running down her face wetting his own cheeks. He managed to smile at her. He tried to stay at the edge of consciousness but he was caught in the undertow of darkness.
"You look beautiful." It took him all strength to speak.
Her quiet sob is the last think he notices before everything went black.

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