A/N: I haven't written anything in over a year... but the awesomeness of Monday's episode broke my year-long writer block.
I'm still a little rusty... so be kind with me ;)
Disclaimer: If I owned anything, we would have had a very long hiatus, which I'm pretty sure no-one would have survived... me included
WORDLESSLY
So Katherine Beckett… Will you marry me?
I've already said yes
Will you marry me… right now?
The smile that illuminates her face; that has her eyes sparkle with joy is all the answer he needs. Squeezing the hand he's still holding, raw emotion prevents him from uttering a single word. So he leads her out of the bull pen and back to the elevator.
They shouldn't be doing this now. They have a case to close: suspects need to be processed and interrogated; paperwork needs to be written; Gates needs to be updated… But, after running around in an alternate universe where everything felt so wrong, Castle couldn't care less. And since Kate hasn't made any protest to them leaving her team with all the work, he is pretty sure she feels the same … their time has come.
The next half hour is spent on the phone, calling Alexis, Martha, Jim as well as the minister in the Hamptons. Excitement about the news quickly took over and replaced the shock of the speed with which everything was happening.
Parting ways didn't even cross Rick and Kate's mind. They wouldn't meet up at the beach house like a few months ago… No, this time they would be traveling there together.
The last stop before leaving the city on the LIE is the loft or more expressively their respective closet.
A crisp white shirt and a black suit … no tie, for him
White wide-legged trousers and a lace long sleeve top, for her… no dress this time around. Why jinx it?
Castle reappears just as she's putting her cream colored high heels in her bag. Her outfit already packed and still a mystery to him is hanging on the bathroom door.
Their eyes meet and wordlessly she takes the hand he's holding as she carries her bag while he takes the garment bag of the door.
After having locked their bags in the trunk, Rick hands over the keys of the town car to Kate. Somehow he knows she wouldn't have let him drive. She gratefully takes them. She has never been one to believe in superstition but then again… why jinx it?
The drive out of the city takes a little bit of time and rush hour traffic with its twists, turns and abrupt stops doesn't allow Kate to take either hands of the steering wheel. But as soon as the flow of cars thins on the highway out of town, she reaches across the center console and intertwines her fingers with Castle's.
They briefly exchange a smile before Kate turns her attention back on the road.
His thumb rhythmically stroking the top of her hand is the only communication present between the two happy and giddy soon-to-be married people in the car. But it says so much…
Extraordinary… is what their lives became from the moment they met
Joy… is what's in their hearts as they look forward to their tomorrow
Strength … is what they provide whenever the other is vulnerable
Warmth… is what they feel whenever the other smiles
Partner… is what they'll be in crime and in life… Always
As soon as they pull into the driveway, they are met by two very excited redheads who waste no time in leading Kate to one of the bedrooms in order to help her change.
A very emotional and proud looking Jim Beckett enters the room just as Kate is putting the earrings Martha gave her the first time around.
Their eyes meet in the mirror. Kate turns to face her father. And as he holds out his arm for her to take, she takes the bouquet Alexis made her and together their walk to the backyard.
As soon as she steps on the grass, she sees him, looking incredibly handsome and like her, he only has eyes for her.
A brief hug to her dad and then she turns, faces the love of her life and speaks with wonder.
Hi
It's the first thing they've said to each other since they left the precinct together a couple of hours ago
"Whenever you're ready" says the minister
She's ready. They both are. This is their time… their Always…
thoughts?
a/n: not really one to ask for reviews... it'd be appreciated this time as it would help me get back in the swing of things... ;)