Well, maybe I'm a crook for stealing your heart away
Yeah, maybe I'm a crook for not caring for it
Yeah, maybe I'm a bad, bad, bad, bad person
Well, baby, I know.

" Love Love Love" – Of Monsters and Men

"… So, whatever happens, whatever you decide, Katherine Houghton Beckett: will you marry me?"

She did not speak for what felt like an eternity. Not because she didn't have an answer, no, but because she was physically unable. All air had left her lungs and yet she could feel her heart fluttering inside like a thousand caged butterflies; and now she was sitting dumbfounded here, in a swing set while the love of her life was kneeling in front of her, ring in his hands. Why now? No, this was all wrong. How had she let this conversation steer so far away from what she had first intended to tell him? And lastly, why was he even proposing?

"Castle- Rick, have you thought this through?"

The expression on his face struck her; he looked so helpless and sad as if she were turning him down -no, Kate, you better fix this; fix this right now or you'll regret it for the rest of your life, dammit.

"Rick."

"Kate-"

She brought herself off the swing and down on the ground in front of him, also kneeling. She held both his hands on hers and could feel the cold hard press of the diamond ring that must've cost him a fortune. This man.

"Please just hear me out, please I just need- Rick, when I asked you to come here, I had some things to tell you in mind and I think you need to hear me out."

She had meant to let him know her final decision on the new job, but more than anything to explain her recent actions, only know she realized her behavior had been inexcusable.

"Look, I love you so much, more than you think, really, and I feel- I know I haven't been good at showing it this past couple of weeks. That thing with Vaughn, and the job interview; I've been all over the place and I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. How could I leave the guys, Lanie and you for a job? The Twelfth's my home, I've been so stupid -"

"Beckett, you do know those things aren't mutually exclusive, I mean… "

She was on the brink of tears. This man would move heaven and earth to be with her. She knew that now.

"But they are! I knew a job in DC would leave next to no time for us, and still I went to that interview. God- why are you not mad at me? I was honestly expecting you to break up with me five minutes ago and I hated myself, and then you ask me this?"

There it was again. His features changed from defeated to expectant. He was waiting for an answer. Go on, Beckett, you can do this.

"You know what, I just want to set something straight: I'd never given the idea of marriage a second thought, I always thought I would end up alone and I was comfortable with that. I really was. But this past year- It's been more than amazing and I just can't fathom ever being without you, and this is going so fast, but I would love to be your wife, I just want to know if this is what you really want? I don't want you to do this because you think I'm leaving."

Was he ever expecting anything else from her?

He gently grabbed her waist with one hand and her face with the other, and kissed her, setting the butterflies free. It was a kiss full of meaning, promises and always. How could she have ever considered living without this? She could feel herself melting and giving in to him. God, she loved him. She was fully aware that the people in the park were now staring at them and she couldn't care less. He then pulled away and she noticed he was teary-eyed. Good, her eyes were filled with tears too.

"Kate, I've also made mistakes, and I also know I've let you off the hook too easily, I mean, letting Erick Vaughn kiss you? Crazy woman."

She could detect a hint of playfulness in his tone and rolled her eyes.

"Wait- I did not!"

"And taking job interviews without telling me or your friends? Evil."

He was smiling now and her heart did a somersault at the sight.

"But I'm also in love, and, apparently, doing stupid things is our specialty while we're at it. I was willing to die with you less than a month ago, remember?"

She did remember. How he came back and refused to leave her side until the bomb was disarmed? He was actually the one to do it. Stupid, infuriating man.

"I know getting married won't magically solve all our problems but I want you to take this as a promise if you ever need one. I'm all in. I've always been. I want to have a go at forever with you."

He lifted his hand to wipe away a solitary tear that had drifted down her face. Was she crying now?

"Well, Castle, I hope you remember me telling you I'm a one-and-done girl, because there is no way you're getting out of this- I have a gun remember?"

"And handcuffs."

"And handcuffs, don't you ever forget that."

"I won't."

Their foreheads were now touching and they both had the widest smiles painted on their faces. Whatever in hell had she done to deserve him? And it was true. She would make sure they were still in love long after her hair had turned gray and her face was filled with wrinkles.

He grabbed her hand and slipped the ring in her middle finger. It fit perfectly.

"This is my promise of always."

This was all her dreams and fantasies materializing in one single act. They were now committed to each other for life, although, if she was honest to herself, they had already been for a long time. She had just been too blind to see it.

He stood up and tugged her with him.

"Let's get out of here."