This is wrong, but

I can't help but feel like

There ain't nothin' more right, babe…

Rick looks down into the eyes of his girlfriend, his best friend. She's wearing a ruched-at-the-top, flowy purple dress with dramatic flowers that ends at her knees. Her hair is pulled back into a beautiful brown bun, strands of her natural curls hanging loosely around her face.

But it's her eyes that really draw him in. They're a glowing, mesmerizing green that he could just lose himself in. Her eyelashes are pitch black, extending further than normal because of her mascara. She is, in a word, stunning.

But tonight, there's something new in her eyes. He's never seen it before. It's a melancholy, reflective look, but behind it there's sheer happiness. Sure, he's seen her happy in the past. When he pulled the wires and saved them from the dirty bomb, he'd seen her happy. When she'd taken him to see Forbidden Planet, he'd seen her happy. When she'd broken up with Josh and then had driven to his apartment, kissing him in the middle of the kitchen with the soup he'd been cooking overflowing behind him, he'd seen her happy.

But this look is different. The happiness in her eyes is not only blissful and excited, but it's sweet. There's a certain tenderness there. He's seen her be sweet, and he's certainly seen her tender and caring side, but again, this is different.

Tonight, there is a look even he, the master of words, cannot describe. As they twirl around the ballroom floor, his hand on the small of her back and their eyes locked together, he finds himself falling in the deep embrace of her gaze. He wants to kiss her, wants to take all the pain that he knows she must be feeling on this night, and make her feel like she's walking on clouds. And even though he knows she needs it, he knows he can't.

So tonight, he settles for whirling her around the dance floor, on the eve of her mother's scholarship program banquet. He settles for making her happy by flinging away the insecurities and worries inside of her, no matter how big or small they may be.

So dim that spotlight,

Tell me things like,

I can't take my eyes off of you…

I'm no one special,

Just another wide-eyed girl

Who's desperately in love with you…

She looks up into his eyes, a wave of emotion in hitting her.

The night has brought so many emotions rushing towards her. She's happy, happy that her mother will live on in something so important and helpful. She's a little bit sad, as she remembers the wonderful woman she knew for so much of her life. But most of all, she's grateful.

She's grateful for the man holding her, grateful that she knows him and that they care so deeply about each other. She's grateful that he's done all of this for her, that he loves her enough to do it. She knows that everything in her life has happened for a reason, and it's all led to him.

She smiles as she realizes that he is just as mesmerized by her own eyes as she is with his. It makes her happy, giddy almost, to know that she has an effect on him.

Finally, he breaks the comfortable silence they had built while dancing. "I can't take my eyes off of you tonight," he whispers quietly, loud enough for her to hear over the music but soft enough to keep in their close proximity. "You look stunning."

She feels a blush sting her cheeks, and he grins. "You don't look so bad yourself, Castle."

His already record-breakingly wide grin becomes even bigger, and he pulls her closer to him. "I'm dizzy," he whispers, slowing their steps, "Do you want to get some fresh air?"

She slows her own feet, guiding them to the edge of the floor and stopping once they reach the carpet. "Sure." She takes his hand and leads him out to the terrace.

She's always loved the city at night. The sounds of the cars below and the sight of the lights around them have always had a strange, exciting effect on her. She'd lost the magic of it all for a while, after her mother had died, but it had come back to her when she'd met Castle. When he'd shown her how to have fun, how to experience the city. Magic had started to find its way into everything she did when she was with him.

But tonight, the city is different. From where the balcony is positioned, the rest of the building blocks the city lights. The only glow here is from the few cars below, and a street lamp. This small, unknown corner of the city makes a feeling of sheer calmness fall over Kate.

And because of the lack of brilliant light, when the couple looks up to the night sky, they can see the stars.

There are millions of them. Tiny, unnamed points of white fire light up the pitch-black sky. Kate leans into her and Rick's intertwined hands and smiles.

He glances down at her, and, noticing her smile, tilts her head up to look into her eyes again. "What are you thinking about?" he asks gently.

She sighs. "Everything. You, me, this party…my mom…" At the mention of the dark part of her past, Rick clasps her hand tighter, in a way of showing support. "It's all just so much, Rick…I can never thank you enough for this."

He leans down and kisses the top of her head. He can do that tonight; her heels have become considerably shorter for dancing. "Kate…I love you. I'll always love you. This is something I wanted to do for you…because of that. Because I love you."

She's staring into his eyes now, green meeting blue. She's so lucky, and she knows it. She knows that even though he infuriates her, even though he makes her crazy and annoys her every single day of her life, she's found her 'one-and-done'. He's proved that, and so has she, in a way. He makes her feel safe, and happy, and perfect. And they're already linked in a way that they can never break.

His free hand comes up and rests on her stomach, as he leans down and kisses her lips softly. Her dress is as flowy as it is for a reason; to hide what they don't want the wrong people to know about just yet.

He feels her smile against his lips, and she pulls back for air, covering his hand with hers. They both know that this is forever, that they are what the other has been searching for their whole life.

"I love you, Katherine Beckett," he whispers softly as he leans in for another kiss.

She breaks away from him, her eyes full of passion and affection. "I love you too."

Sweet, sweet superstar…

Superstar…

Oookay. So. First sonfic-ish thing I've ever done, and I'm actually really, really pleased with it. Of course, it's up to you to tell me if it's actually good or if it's just a figment of my overworked imagination. Please, review and leave your thoughts, I love to hear them! xoxo