Additional post epi for 6.04 because I know I already posted one but I re-watched it and am just mushed all over again! Re-mushed!
"So raise your glass if you are wrong, in all the right ways."
He raises his glass and a hushed quiet falls over the room, titters and catcalls dissipate and one by one faces turn to their little group gathered at the end of the bar. She ducks her head out of sight and rests it on Castle's shoulder, turns away and groans under her breath but lets Ryan have the spotlight, she can kill him later.
"To the happy couple." He grins at her and she knows she's blushing, can feel the heat in her cheeks and in the palm of her hand when Castle grabs it and squeezes and laughs. There is a cheer, more clapping and a preening writer almost dancing at the end of her outstretched arm.
She's still not sure how this went from welcome back Beckett drinks with friends to an impromptu engagement celebration, but it did. And fast!
There is champagne popping and this ridiculous grin on her face that she can't quite get off, doesn't really want to and Castle's hand clasping her own inside the palm of his and using them to tug her into his side so he can kiss her cheek.
She's made some pretty scary decisions lately, some good ones, some bad ones and some necessary ones but right here and now in the heart of her family, with the hustle and bustle of home buzzing around her Kate cannot bring herself to regret a single one. They've led her to a wonderful place.
"Hey."
She turns at the sound of his voice, lets him press another glass into her hand as she smiles and leans over. "Hey."
"Too much?" Castle fills his own glass and clinks it against hers, his eyes soft and bright and eager and she shakes her head.
"No, no it's -" She scrunches her nose, fights to find the words.
"Home?" He offers, reading her mind and dropping a hand to her waist, brushing a kiss to her lips so quick she almost misses it.
"Home." She agrees and he's walking away suspiciously.
"Don't hate me." He warns, tipping his glass to her as he steps back, moves more into the center of the room.
"Couldn't if I tried." She calls over the rumble of voices and she laughs at the happiness her words set free, the lift of his cheeks and the sparkle in his eyes all for her.
"Ladies and gentleman." He calls, and damn him she might not hate him, but she will make him pay, "I'll keep it brief." She snorts and clearly it's a lot louder than she meant it to be because pretty much the whole room is suddenly focusing in on her and him and that thing they do, and then somehow they're playing up to it, he's smirking and she's rolling her eyes and they're both laughing.
"I would like to make another toast." Castle commands the attention of the room, enjoys the race of anticipation that threads through the crowd at his words. "To my fiancée Detective Beckett-" there is a wolf whistle and she's gonna kill Espo ... and Ryan, and maybe Castle because she's blushing again, laughing but blushing none the less. "Back where she belongs." He raises his glass, finds her eyes across the crowded room and smiles, broad and wide and proud and all hers. It sets her heart aflutter because he's not wrong and he holds out his hand for her, waits as she drifts through the crowd and comes to rest at his side before he completes his toast, "Home at last."