Summary: He has known for a while that he wants to spend the rest of his life loving Kate Beckett. Today, he hopes she feels the same about him.

Author's Note: It is a big day for me...I posted my first chapter on this site exactly one year ago today! So as a celebration, I present to you this little piece of fluff. It's kind of a prequel to my one-shot, Black and White, but they could both stand alone as well.

No spoilers, but assume an established Caskett relationship maybe a year or two down the road.

Dislcaimer: If I wrote this scene for the show, I'm pretty sure I'd get fired!

Speechless

Castle emerged from the bathroom and into the master bedroom to find it unoccupied. The bed was empty, the covers tossed haphazardly aside. His shirt (which had ended up on the lamp last night) was missing. As was his girlfriend.

Off to the side, he caught sight of the open glass door, the first rays of sun making their way through the floor-to-ceiling glass surrounding it, warming the bedroom. He was drawn to it subconsciously; maybe it was the warmth emitted by the early morning sunshine, maybe it was the fact that the open door meant that Kate was on the other side of it. Whatever the reason, he made his way across the room on autopilot, stepped across the threshold.

But when he stepped outside, felt the cool morning air wrap around the bare skin of his upper body, he was completely unprepared for the sight that lay before him.

Kate was standing on the porch by the wooden railing wearing his shirt...only his shirt...her long legs almost completely exposed. She looked so peaceful and radiant as she stood there watching the sunrise, the orange glow illuminating her features. The gentle wind was catching her luscious hair and fanning it out behind her in dark waves. She leaned forward to enjoy the smell of the ocean and the feel of the breeze against her still flushed skin, and it was so incredibly beautiful that Castle stood there, rooted to the spot, completely unable to find an acceptable method of greeting her.

"Hey," she tossed over her shoulder, voice light and free.

He opened his mouth, still could not find the words, and closed it again.

"What?" she asked, her eyes unabashedly raking up and down his body, her view obstructed only by his boxers.

"I, uh..." There were no words to describe what he was feeling. None. And that was how he knew that this was the moment. Their moment.

She turned, started towards him, and that triggered his brain to find the presence of mind to speak at least one semi-coherent sentence. "Stay here," he managed, holding up his hand to stop her. "I'll be right back."

Kate was curious but did as he asked and retreated back to the edge of the balcony. Not more than a minute later, Castle joined her, his arms wrapping around her from behind, hips cradling hers. He nuzzled her wind-blown hair out of the way and planted a kiss on her neck.

She sighed happily but the sentiment was cut short when he removed his hands and stepped away from her. She turned around, confused. She was typically the one that had to pull away from him; he never let go of her.

Not that she usually minded.

But when she met his eyes, she found herself staring at the most nervous-looking expression she had seen on his face since the day he kissed her for the first...technically second...time.

"What's going on?" she questioned, cocking her head in that adorable way.

"Kate..." he took her hand in his and took a moment to compose himself before beginning. He had spent so long writing this in his head; he just hoped that when he opened his mouth, it actually came out the way he intended.

"Rick," she prompted.

"I will never forget the day we met," he began. "I was just complaining to Alexis about how I was bored with my life. I was tired of the fame and the money and putting on fake smiles for people who all claimed to be my biggest fan."

He almost rolled his eyes at the aimlessness that used to be his every day routine.

"And then you walked in and turned my world upside down. I make my living with words, Kate, and even after all this time, you still have the ability to render me speechless. No one has ever done that to me before, and that's how I know that I have met my match. I want to spend the rest of my life trying to find the words to describe how much you mean to me."

Kate's hand flew out of his grasp and up to cover her mouth as she realized what was happening. Her other hand went to her chest as Castle knelt in front of her and held up his hand, revealing a small, shimmering diamond ring.

"Katherine Beckett, will you marry me?"

It seemed only appropriate that Kate was now the one who was struggling to speak. She nodded frantically and watched through teary eyes as a huge smile spread across his face. He slid the ring on to her finger and the moment it was in place, she pulled Castle up and flung her arms around him.

He felt her tears dripping onto his skin and he was sure he was crying as well but he did not care. He was going to marry Kate Beckett.

At long last, Kate pulled back slightly and looked up at him, her eyes glistening. His were shimmering as well and there was no mistaking the pure love and happiness in his features.

"Yes, Rick," she murmured against his lips before claiming them in a passionate kiss.

Castle was not sure how long they stood there, their lips and tongues tangling as their bodies melded to each other, but he did know that he could stay there for the rest of his life and be a happy man. He almost chuckled at the cliched thought, but then again, when had thoughts of Kate ever allowed him to be original?

"I love you so much," he said against her lips as his fingers made their way to the buttons of the shirt she was wearing. His shirt.

"I love you too," she managed between kisses. "More than I ever..." she gasped as his fingers brushed the skin between her breasts, "thought I would," she panted.

"I love you more," he teased, nipping at the skin of her neck as they stumbled across the porch, bodies and limbs and lips tangled together.

"Do not."

"Do too," he said breathily as they crossed the threshold and stepped back into the bedroom.

"Not."

"Too."

"Are we really having this conversation?"

"Apparently."

"Well, it should stop," Kate said as she impatiently tugged at his boxers.

"And why is that?" Castle asked, stepping out of the garment, leaving it in the middle of the floor.

"Because I want your mouth otherwise occupied."

THE END

Thoughts?