CHAPTER 1

Castle was staring at her. No smile, no emotion whatsoever was showing through his face. He remained still, a knee on the ground, the ring in his sweaty hands. He seemed petrified by the fear. His heart was racing. He could hear it beating so loudly he thought people in the park could hear it too.

He had done this in the past. But he had never been so anxious about the answer.

"Castle..." she stuttered. "Wh... What are you doing?"

An earthquake. This had just felt like an earthquake under her feet. An earthquake that had shaken every foundation, every habit, every thought she had had in the past. It was a good thing she was sat. No one had ever pronounced these words for her. She had been taken totally by surprise and she hated that. She hated not having an answer ready.

Kate had imagined hundreds of different scenario during the ride that took her from the precinct to this park. But this one was the most unexpected of them all, as she had come to this meeting with the certainty that he was about to break up with her. It had not even crossed her mind. How could he? What was he doing?

"I have a knee on the ground and a ring in my hand. It's called a proposal. And the question is generally answered by yes or no..." he said, knelt down before her, keeping his straight face.

"I..."

That was all she could say. Nothing more was getting passed her throat.

"My knee is still sensitive after that ski accident so... I won't be able to stay like that forever," he said eventually cracking a smile.

A nervous smile. He had put it all out there. He felt naked, vulnerable. In a second, with one word, he could either become the happiest man on earth or the most heartbroken one.

"Castle, please stand up," she whispered.

"Kate-" he begged.

"Rick..." she said in return, her mouth open as though she was about to say more.

But she couldn't. She could not say more. She did not have an answer ready. So she kept silent.

"I guess I've got my answer," he said looking down as he reluctantly stood up.

"No..."

"Precisely," he said raising his eyebrows.

"No, I mean... It's not what I mean. It's not... I thought... " she said panicky. "I thought you were going-"

"... to break up with you?" he finished her sentence. Kate looked down sighing, ashamed. Exactly, that was what she had thought. "That would have been too easy. And it has never been easy between us."

"I don't understand," she said, getting up as well, to face him. "You were upset at me for hiding things from you and now you..."

She couldn't say the word. Propose? It seemed surreal. Who would do that? She had come with the certainty that this relationship was over and now he was asking her if she wanted to spend the rest of her life with him. Together. Always.

"It's who you are. I need to accept that. It's who I fell in love with."

"I got the job," she blurted out.

Kate did not know what else to do. How could she give him an answer? She felt like she couldn't think clearly, like she had to make a hundred life-changing decisions in a minute.

"Good. Congratulations," he said very calmly.

"But I can't have both."

"I said whatever you choose, whatever you decide..." Castle repeated, worried she would give up their relationship for the job.

"Yes, but you said… that if I took the job it would be the end of our relationship. I can't-"

"I said it could mean... and... right now, I'm not talking about the job. I'm not talking about DC or New York. I'm talking about us. So... Would you marry me?" he asked again.

Kate looked down at the ring he was still holding in front of her.

"What if I accepted the job?" Kate asked, a lump in her throat.

Would he leave New York to follow her? Or would they have to try a long-distance relationship?

"This is not the point," Castle explained in a soft voice. "We'll talk about that later. We'll find a way. Right now, I'm asking if you'd like to become my wife."

Kate took a deep breath. Wife. This word resonated in her head. It was intimidating. Petrifying. She had never been that far in a relationship. She had never been so in love with someone. She closed her eyes for a second. Putting the job ahead of your heart is a mistake, a friend once warned her. Risking our hearts is why we're alive.

"Yes," she said in a breath.

"Wha..." Castle said, hoping he had not misheard. "Yes? It's a yes?"

"Yes," Kate repeated softly with a smile.

Castle's smile grew bigger as he realized she had just given him a positive answer. He gently reached for her shaking hand and slid the ring around her finger before looking up at her again. They stayed looking deep into each other's eyes for a minute before leaning forward for a kiss. Their first kiss as an engaged couple.

"I'm scared," Kate whispered as she pulled away.

"Me too," Castle answered with a little smile. They both chuckled nervously. They kept silent for a moment. This was it. The crossroads. Their crossroads. They had chosen the same path. They had chosen to keep moving forward, together. But maybe in a different direction that they had planned. "Have you told the boys and Lanie yet about DC?" Castle asked, concerned.

Kate shook her head in silence. She was scared of that too.

"No. I wanted to tell you first. And I don't know how they'll take it. They're like second family to me..."

"I'm sure they'll be supportive," Castle comforted her, gently stroking her arm.

"You're okay with that?" she asked.

"If that's what you want... then I'm okay with it."

"Thank you. For forgiving me. For supporting me," she said, tightening her grip on his hand.

"Always," he whispered before kissing her softly.

Kate let herself fall into his embrace. This man loved her enough to want to spend the rest of his life with her. Even after what he had gone through with her. For better or for worse. They were engaged. It had been so sudden, so unexpected, that she was having a hard time realizing this ring was really shining on her finger. She was engaged. To Richard Castle.

To Be Continued...

Reviews are always appreciated! :)